TAKE 5 August 2017

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Letters Horse Community Rallies around Robbed Rider On the morning of July 9, 13-year old equestrian Saskia Kelly discovered that all of the riding equipment had been stolen from her family’s farm. In the aftermath of this crime, the Cowichan horse community has rallied around this young rider, generously replacing a large number of the stolen items.

Saskia discovered that something wasn’t right when she went to her barn to prepare for the second day of her Pony Club event. The tack room door was open and she discovered that al-

Saskia (right) with her family and horses pose with tack donated by the local community. Photo submitted.

most all of her riding equipment (saddles, bridles, halters, etc.) had been stolen in the night.

“I felt so violated and completely shocked that somebody would sneak through my horse’s paddock and break into my barn,” Saskia explains. “I was in the depths of despair and had no idea what to do.”

The loss of this equipment was a huge emotional and finan-

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cial blow to the family. “We all worked and saved for every piece of that tack,” Saskia says. Following the theft, they were left with an empty barn.

That’s when the local equestrian community stepped in. “Right away the community helped us out,” Saskia reports. “I went from feeling extremely worried and stressed out to feeling very grateful and supported.”

Special thanks go out to Farrier Alexandra Hamilton for coordinating the outreach effort. Contributors include the Jane James Used Tack Shop, Equine Emporium, Top Shelf Feeds, the Backcountry Horseman of BC (South Vancouver Island Chapter), Teresa Bach McKinnon, Ybo Jane Plante, Lyn Bull, Desiree Bader, Meghan Morrison, and Rachel Eldred.

Although this outpouring of support has replaced a lot of the stolen items, some items are still outstanding. Saskia still desperately needs saddles for both her horse and miniature horse. Anyone with equipment they would be willing to donate can contact Saskia’s family at 250-746-3656. - Jennifer Barnes van Elk

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La Rosa Gardens “Prom”.

Photo submitted.

La Rosa Gardens On June 14, 2017 a few grade 9 students from Ladysmith Secondary School put on a mock prom for the residents at La Rosa Gardens, an independent living facility in Ladysmith. The students who helped volunteer twice a week with the residents have grown to love and respect the residents and wanted to do something extra special for them on their last day of volunteering. The theme for the Senior Prom was “Hollywood” -Jen Gendron, activity coordinator

Letters to the Editor are welcome but may be edited for space, clarity or legality. This is an open forum and opinions expressed here do not necessarily represent those of TAKE 5 or its affiliates. email: editor@take5.ca, PO Box 59, Ladysmith, BC V9G 1A1, or fax: 250-2457099 Facebook: Take5Publications

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Vote for Ladysmith’s First Avenue in contest There are so many things to love about Ladysmith — our energetic community of volunteers, gorgeous waterfront, many parks and trails providing ample outdoor recreation opportunities, and our friendly, welcoming atmosphere.

Included in these many highlights is Ladysmith’s historic downtown. In fact, I may be slightly biased, but in my view, First Avenue, which combines an iconic streetscape reminiscent of the 1900s with the modern conveniences of the 21st century, has played a pivotal role in helping to shape Ladysmith’s identity

Vote for Ladysmith’s First Avenue. Photo: Town of Ladysmith

as a charming, diverse and vibrant west coast community.

Once serving a significant population of coal miners who worked at the Extension Coal Mine, today First Avenue reflects Ladysmith’s rich history with a variety of restored and brightly-painted heritage buildings that stand as reminders of their importance during Lady-

smith’s formative years. Many of the buildings are represented on the Canadian Register of Historic Places, and as the bustling hub of Ladysmith’s historic downtown area, on any given day First Avenue remains a noteworthy street that highlights a vibrant legacy and provides a constant source of community pride.

Recent examples include the newly in-

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stalled rainbow crosswalk at First and Gatacre and the colourful Canada 150 banners that symbolically represent the growing partnership between the Town and the Stz’uminus First Nation.

With that, I would like to encourage all Ladysmith residents to showcase your collective pride in our incredible community by voting for First Avenue in the Great Places in Canada competition.

This national contest, hosted by the Canadian Institute of Planners, recognizes great streets, public spaces or neighbourhoods in communities across the country. The Town of Ladysmith will submit an official nomination for First Avenue.

Between August 17 and October 17, residents, the business community and other stakeholders near and far are invited to show their support by voting once per day for First Avenue as a People’s

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Choice Place at http://greatplacesincanada.ca/vote/.

The first year of the Great Places in Canada competition, Nanaimo’s Commercial Street received the award for Canada’s Great Street. That was back in 2011. Since then, many of the winners have been located in Eastern Canada.

I know that together, we can bring Ladysmith’s historic First Avenue to the forefront and showcase the significance of this street. The next time you meander down First Avenue, meet a friend at a restaurant, poke around your favourite shop or specialty store or just sit on one of the many benches to people watch, think about the many qualities that make this place special. Think about what makes First Avenue great. Then, when you get home, take a moment to vote for First Avenue. With one click of a mouse, you can send a powerful message that First Avenue is not only a symbol of small town warmth and charm, it acts

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as an anchor for the community, setting the stage for celebrations, gatherings and day to day life in Ladysmith. First Avenue is a special place indeed, one deserving of such an important accolade.

Please don’t forget to vote once per day beginning August 17! mayor@ladysmith.ca

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Student hits sweet spot with Ladysmith Protest Project For 11-year-old sweet-tooth Jasmine Soon, the book’s title was irresistible: “Maggie and the Chocolate War.” She savoured Michelle Mulder’s fiction based on the 1947 children’s candy bar strike and then craved to know more about the nationwide protest that had first broken out in Ladysmith.

Kids of the day could not accept that the price of a chocolate bar had jumped 60 per cent overnight from a handy nickel to an unwieldy eight cents. They rebelled. They would be seen and heard.

“If I was a kid back then,” proclaimed Jasmine, “I would’ve gone on strike too.”

Instead, Jasmine started a heritage fair project. She watched a 2003 documentary called “The Five Cent War.” Her research took her to museums, archives and libraries in the Okanagan. She found that a strike had been averted in her hometown of Vernon due to a supportive candy store owner named Nick Alexis.

Unable to get to Vancouver Island, Jasmine contacted Bridget Watson of the Ladysmith & District Historical Society and was delighted to receive a package of prime materials.

Jasmine phoned 87-year-old Parker Williams, who led the original protest march in Ladysmith, and he kindly mailed his notes and articles.

Next on the call list was Connie Leblanc, who had marched 70 years ago in Bathurst, NB. Over the phone, Connie sang the song she and her friends had written for the occasion: “We Want a Five-Cent Chocolate Bar.” Jasmine listened gleefully to the four familiar lines (featured in the documentary) and then was astounded when Connie continued

Jasmine Soon and Rob Hutchins enact the Candy Bar Strike that started in front of the Wigwam Restaurant in Ladysmith.

Photo: Rob Johnson (left) Parker Williams with Jasmine Soon.

Photo: Chad Soon

to sing eight more unheard-of, undocumented lines, which included references to Sweet Marie and Oh Henry! bars to the music of the Notre Dame Victory March.

To honour Parker, Connie and their coconspirators, Jasmine also wrote to Canada Post, submitting a nomination letter and design for a new stamp, perhaps as part of a series focusing on young activists. Director Jim Phillips sent a very encouraging letter back, along with a kaleidoscopic array of Canada Post products.

After finishing her presentation board, Jasmine painted picket signs and staged a protest march at her school. The Grade 5 student was one of four to advance from her school to the Vernon and District Heritage Fair. There she picked up the Students’ and People’s Choice Awards, moving on to the regional fair in Kelowna. Next, Jasmine was one of

three chosen to represent the Okanagan at the Provincials in Victoria — five days of cultural activities, culminating in a celebratory showcase of the 40 projects at the Royal BC Museum.

History would come alive for Jasmine on Vancouver Island in some memorable ways. She toured the BC Legislature, which kid picketers invaded and shut down in 1947. Also, author Michelle Mulder came to the Provincial Showcase to meet her young follower. She reflected, “It meant a lot to me to see Jasmine take an event mentioned in one of my books and to fly with it.”

After a short solo protest on the grounds of the Legislature, Jasmine headed north to the site of the original strike. Outside Ladysmith’s Wigwam Restaurant, she was joined by historians Bridget Watson and Rob Johnson as well as former Ladysmith Mayor Rob Hutchins. Finally, Jasmine’s pilgrimage reached Nanaimo where she made a delivery of chocolates to candy strike pioneer Parker Williams and his wife Tilly.

The 1947 children’s strike did not bring down the price of chocolate. “But it was a success,” maintains Jasmine, “because kids got their voices heard.”

And 70 years later, the story is still inspiring young people like Jasmine Soon to find their own voice.

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Stz’uminus Canoe Races It was an exciting weekend July 23 & 24 as canoe clubs from the Island, Mainland and the United States meet for the Stz’uminus Canoe Races at Kulleet Bay. It was a sunny but blustery weekend making the course extra difficult for the paddlers.

“We had 12 canoe clubs,” says organizer Margaret Seymour.

The Saturday Races ranged from sin-

Stz’uminus Canoe Races at Kulleet Bay. Photo: Nick Longo

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Town of Ladysmith Chief Administrative Officer Guillermo Ferrero and Mayor Aaron Stone check out progress on new bio-solids facility construction. Photo: Town of Ladysmith

gles, doubles, 4 man, 6 man, and 11 man.

Sunday was the Marathon Memorial Race in honour of Gordon Seymour featuring singles and doubles, followed by the Relay Race with 5 man, and 11 man.

Saturday Races Women’s 4 Man, 1st - Marissa Mae, 2nd - Lil Cree, 3rd - Lil Raven 10 & Under Mixed 6 Man 1st – Geronimo, 2nd – Red Feather, 3rd – Kitaka 13 & Under Mixed 6 Man 1st – Lil Feather, 2nd – Geronimo, 3rd – Kitaka, 17 & Under Mixed 6 Man 1st – Kitaka, 2nd - Lil Feather, 3rd – Geronimo 13 & Under Mixed 11 Man 1st - Red Feather, 2nd – Geronimo, 3rd – Oh My God 17 & Under Mixed 11 Man 1st – Red Feather, 2nd – Rainbow, 3rd – Geronimo Women’s 11 Man 1st – Rikkole, 2nd – Merisa Mae, 3rd – Geronimo Men’s 11 Man 1st – III, 2nd – Geronimo, 3rd – Island Brave 10 & Under Girls 1st – Danielle, 2nd – Trinity, 3rd – Gordana Men’s Double 1st – Donald & Darian, 2nd – Devin & Joe, 3rd – Mike Billy & Mike Women’s Double 1st – Krista & Natasha, 2nd – Karly & Merisa, 3rd – Cece & Sarah

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Master carvers Manny and Elmer Sampson and Dan Richey examine the cedar log that will be turned into a carving of a canoe for a Canada 150 project. Photo: Marina Sacht

17 & Under Mixed Double 1st – Jess & Kayla, 2nd – Salish & James, 3rd – Emmy & Partner 13 & Under Mixed Double 1st – Janessa & Jake, 2nd – Sarah & Emmy, 3rd – Bryce & Partner 10 & Under Mixed Double 1st – Dannielle & Bryce, 2nd – Caraline & Partner, 3rd – William & Partner Men’s 4 Man 1st – Geronimo, 2nd - Lil Raven, 3rd – Lil Cree Sunday Races Relay Race 1st – Lil Cree, 2nd – Lil Marissa, 3rd – Oh My God 6 Man 13 & Under Mixed 1st – Geronimo, 2nd – Kitaka, 3rd – Lil Feather 6 Man 17& Under Mixed 1st – Kitaka, 2nd – Lady Lavina, 3rd – Red Feather Women’s 1st – Lil Raven, 2nd – Merisa Mae, 3rd - Geronimo Men’s 1st – Geronimo, 2nd - Lil Raven, 3rd – Kitaka Men 13 & Under 1st – Red Feather, 2nd – Geronimo, 3rd – Oh My God Women’s 1st – Rikkte Cree, 2nd -Geronimo, 3rd – Rainbow Men’s 1st – III, 2nd – Geronimo, 3rd – Island Brave 10 & Under 1st Geronimo, 2nd – Oh My God

Groundbreaking for new BioSolids Composting Facility Construction is now underway on the new Town of Ladysmith Bio-Solids Composting Facility at 4142 Thicke Road. Town staff have been working hard to prepare the site and on July 21, 2017, the first load of concrete for the new facility was poured. Building design includes an enclosed processing area; air handling system complete with a biofiltration system; aeration system; leachate collection system; and an automated compost turner/mixer system. Construction is expected to be completed later this year.

Canada 150 Canoe carving The Ladysmith Stz’uminus Canada 150 Committee co-chair Duck Paterson says we can expect to see their main project completed this fall.

A commemorative canoe on a base will be mounted at Transfer Beach symbolizing the partnership of Ladysmith and Stz’uminus First Nation.

Master carvers Elmer and Manuel (Manny) Sampson have the project well underway. Nanaimo artist Dan Richey says he will be starting work on the base – which he describes as a series of waves, shortly. Plans are to bring the canoe and base to a public place so people can observe and even actively participate in the creation.

Elmer and Manny are master carvers their reputation and work is legendary.

Dan has been carving for over 30 years is well known for his art including the

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giant crab at Nanaimo’s waterfront. He is currently carving one of the world’s largest polar bears for Cochrane, Ontario.

Discovering sea life.

Photo: Shirley Blackstaff

Celebrating Sea Life Ladysmith Maritime Society is hosting a Sea Life Celebration on Sunday, August 13, 2017, 10am to 2pm at the Ladysmith Community Marina, Oyster Bay Drive.

It is an opportunity to introduce young people to the magic and wonder of sea life of the Ladysmith Harbour. There will be hands-on touch tank experiences with divers, students and marine biologists; Stz’ uminus First Nation language games and displays, art, science, drama and music activities; puppet plays and stories, plus food for an adventure designed to appeal to everyone. It will be an experience that brings together familie at Ladysmith’s friendly community marina. The many educational and fun activities, led by volunteers, will take place at the LMS Welcome Centre, Big Tent, and Sea Life Centre and on the ‘Maritimer’ Harbour Tour Boat.

Wildwood Workshops There’s a number of workshops available at Wildwood in August.

Watercolour Workshop with Joanne Thomson of Victoria, August 12, 13.

Learn how to use the 50 shades of Green in the magnificent setting of Wildwood.

Monthly Guided Tour of Wildwood, August 20, 2017, 1:00 - 3:00pm. Bring

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family and friends for a walk among the old growth trees of Wildwood Ecoforest - the oldest continuously-managed ecoforest in North America.

Wild Foods and Sustainable Foraging with Richard Kuehnel, August 20, 2017, 2:30 – 5:00pm. Here’s an opportunity to learn about the wild edible plants in the area and their uses. Learn how to safely and sustainably forage for wild plants.

For more info: ecoforestry.ca

Temporary Closure of Two RDN Trails Effective immediately, the Regional District of Nanaimo (RDN) is closing the Trans Canada Trail from the Timberlands Road trailhead by the Haslam Creek Suspension Bridge to the

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Harewood Mines Road trailhead at the Region’s boundary with the City of Nanaimo. This 21 km section of the TCT is situated for the most part on private forest lands. Landowner Island Timberlands has advised that most company property will be closed to recreational users due to increasing fire hazard. Keep apprised of access to private forest lands by following the Island Timberlands Blog at http://blog.islandtimberlands.com.

The public is reminded that there is no smoking permitted at this time in any RDN park or trail. For updates on conditions at RDN parks and trails, including the status of campfire bans at the RDN’s two campgrounds, visit www.rdn.bc.ca/parks.

To report a wildfire, call 1-800-663-5555 or *5555 on your cell.

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AUGUST 2017

Mrs. Mannerly at Ladysmith Little Theatre Written by Jeffrey Hatcher, directed

by Charles Harman, Mrs. Mannerly conjures up the world of a ten-yearold studying manners. Mrs. Mannerly is a demanding teacher and no student in her 36 years of etiquette classes has achieved a perfect score. But when he discovers her secret past, young Jeffrey is determined to be the first to achieve this feat.

Mrs. Mannerly is the 2017-2018 Season Opener at Ladysmith Little Theatre.

The play runs August 10 to 27, 2017.

Reservations: www.ladysmiththeatre. com. . 250-924-3341 Box Office is open Mon/Wed/Fri. 1-3pm.

Outdoor Concerts This year’s outdoor concerts continue in Ladysmith and in Chemainus.

Concerts in the Park offers a variety of genres at Transfer Beach Amphitheatre every Sunday from 6pm to 8pm throughout the summer. All proceeds go towards programs run by the LRCA. Concerts in the Park continues until the grand finale on August 27, 2017.For a full schedule please see the Concerts in the Park spread (pages 24-25) in this issue of TAKE 5.

Chemainus well known for its murals also offers a host of musical experiences.

In August the CVCAS hosts a series of Concerts every Tuesday evening at 7pm at Waterwheel Park. Admission is by donation. Also in August Festivals take center stage the Island Rockabilly Jubilee Aug 12, Accordion Days Aug 13, Jazz Festival Aug 19, Traditional Hot Jazz Fest Aug 20 and Local Heroes Concert Sep. 3. All these great events take place at Waterwheel park so bring your lawn chair. Complimenting the music Chemainus has several restaurants and cafes that will make you time in Chemainus a memorable one.

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Ruthie Foster is one of the featured performers playing at the Summertime Blues festival in Nanaimo.

Photo submitted.

Summertime Blues If you are a fan of Blues music, set aside the last weekend in August for the Nanaimo Blues Society’s 2017 Summertime Blues, one of the premier blues festivals in western Canada. The festival runs August 25-27, 2017 with a special kick off the day before with admittance by cash donation or food (min. $10 value) to Loaves and Fishes.

Friday through Sunday, August 25-27 will be the ticketed portion of the event with 22 bands over the three days. The performers include David Gogo, Coco Montoya, Ronnie Baker Brooks, Sonny Landreth, Mark Hummel’s Golden State/ Lone Star Revue (featuring Anson Funderburgh) and Victor Wainwright and the WildRoots , Shakura S’Aida, Ruthie Foster and Shemekia Copeland and many more. Sunday is Ladies Day and every slot will feature female vocalists/ musicians. nanaimobluesfestival.com.

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There’s a frog in my fridge!

We used to offer farm stays to foreign travellers when we owned an acreage in Victoria. Many people from around the world stayed with us over the years. I’ll never forget the day I opened the fridge to find a large taped brown box inside. Upon enquiring as to what this was, a young man from California sheepishly informed me that there was a frog in the box.

At first, I merely laughed him off, re-

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sponding that he could “pull the other leg as it had bells on it.”

“Ask your husband. He told me to do it!” he replied. Upon further enquiry, my husband told me that Dustin had found an enormous bullfrog (Lithobates catesbeiana) on our driveway and didn’t know what to do with it. We knew that the bullfrog was bad news: it has no natural predators and eats birds, garter snakes, ducklings and other smaller species of frogs.

Most of B.C.’s native frogs are little more than a bite-sized snack for bullfrogs, and there is evidence that bullfrog colonizations of lakes are followed by declines in the native Red-legged frog and Pacific Chorus frog populations.

My husband very astutely phoned UVic and talked to Purnima Govindarajulu, an expert on the subject of bullfrogs. The humane advice given was to slow its metabolism down by putting it in the fridge and then into the freezer where it would slowly freeze to death.

“If you think you are going to put that thing in the freezer, with all the food, you can think again!” I said, admonishing my husband for not knowing me better.

This bullfrog has invaded many lakes locally where you may hear the deep “bwaa, bwaa” call of the males in the spring and summer—their calls can carry up to a kilometre. Sometimes, when approaching a shoreline, you may hear frogs leaping into the water with loud splashes and “eep!” cries. These are juvenile bullfrogs avoiding you as a potential predator. Locals often make a concentrated effort to eradicate them, which involves going out on the

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water at night with headlamps to stun the frogs and then bashing their heads in.

A sunrise canoe trip on Beaver Lake once resulted in us scooping up a huge tadpole on our paddle. Bullfrogs spend one or sometimes two years in the tadpole stage, compared to just a few months for many other frog species, and bullfrog tadpoles are large — up to 15 cm long!

Fast forward to last year in our new home in Yellow Point, the day we found another bullfrog in our fish pond. We captured it in a net, just at the time our neighbour, a marine biologist, and his three little girls walked by. He grabbed the frog by its hind legs and smashed its head against a rock. The three little girls shrieked as did I! The next day he thanked us for his dinner of frogs legs.

You may be feeling sorry for the bullfrog, but they are causing havoc in the wild. They were introduced to B.C., in the 1930s and 1940s, for their meaty legs by wannabe frog farmers. Canadians did not latch on to this culinary delight, so the frogs were released into the wild. They have now spread through much of the Lower Mainland and southern Vancouver Island, and also in the South Okanagan.

Normally, I find frogs rather cute, but the sight of this one gives me the shivers.

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

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Saving our waterfront heritage buildings In 1933, the City of Ladysmith was on the verge of becoming a ghost town. The coal mines had closed, and the country was in ”The Great Depression”. There were very limited prospects for those that had become unemployed as a result of the mine closing and the collapse of other related jobs. People were leaving in droves. The population of the City had dropped from about 5,000 in its heyday to less than a thousand. Homes were being forfeited to the City for unpaid taxes. Prospects for the City of Ladysmith looked bleak.

Then in the fall of 1933 a freak storm felled thousands of trees in behind Ladysmith. These trees were on land that the JD Rockefeller Foundation had purchased from the E&N Railway years before. The trees needed to be harvested or they would soon rot and become a fire hazard.

It was then that an upstart logging company came to be the salvation of the City of Ladysmith. That company was Comox Logging out of the Courtney area. They seized the opportunity to convince the Rockefeller Foundation that they should sell their land to them. They would harvest the fallen trees and move to Ladysmith to set up their operations.

Within three years they had started logging and shipping logs from the harbour to Vancouver. Now with a new employer in the area creating hundreds of new jobs, the City started new life as a logging town. Families were moving into the City rather than moving out. Comox offered many of the unemployed miners an opportunity to switch occupations

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That was then.

Comox Logging & Railway Co. Machine Shop, First Aid Station, Locomotive Shops.

Photo: Ladysmith Archives 2007 034 3078 (right) Heritage Village site today. Photo: Rob Johnson

to now work above ground rather than thousands of feet below it, but best of all it allowed them to bring a paycheck to their families.

With the arrival of Comox Logging more and more people moved to the

City. Many of them taking advantage of the abandoned homes, while others started building new ones. The City welcomed all these new arrivals and soon the schools were filling with young children, and the merchants of the city soon

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saw profits after many years of hardship.

Comox Logging set up their offices and living quarters for many of the single loggers in the old Abbotsford Hotel. It wasn’t long before they started construction on a new and modern office complex. This action assured that they were here to stay, along with the jobs they provided.

A further indication of their commitment to the City was the construction of their state of the art machine shop and warehouse down by the waterfront. This building is the last our logging heritage. The building today is known by many different names reflecting how long you have lived in Ladysmith. For many who were here during the Comox and then Crown Zellerbach years know it as the Comox shops.

To others who came after, it was decided by the owners of the day to call it the Expo Legacy building because of the Expo Legacy Grants the Town received to fix it up in 1986. Those who have become residents recently often just refer to it as the Big Blue Building.

This building, when it was first built in 1943, was the finest in the industry and the subject of numerous articles. It was constructed of massive 14 inch timbers and its unique engineering ensured that it would stand the test of time. Today it is on our heritage register as well as the Provincial and Federal registers.

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When trees were giants, Comox Logging & Railway Co. crew.

Photo: Ladysmith Archives 2007 034 1264

In the Statement of Significance commissioned by the Town it says “The Comox Logging and Railway Shops Building is valued as a very rare, intact remnant of the community’s industrial past.” Today the building and the adjacent buildings house many community related organizations. Part of the machine shop is home to the Ladysmith Martitime Society and the space is used for a Heritage Culture Centre and offices for the Society. Much of the top floor has been converted into an Art Gallery that is maintained and run by the Ladysmith Arts Council, while a large portion of the ground floor is home to many of our local artisans as their working studios.

Other buildings on the site are being used by the Ladysmith and District Historical Society in an ongoing effort to preserve our Industrial Heritage. Volunteers are working in one of the buildings to preserve the steam train Loci #11. Another outer building is being used by the Ladysmith Maritime Society to restore classic heritage boats.

The Town of Ladysmith, in conjunction with many represen-

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First boom crew, Comox Logging 1937. Photo: Ladysmith Archives

tatives from the community, are presently working on a design charrette in a process to determine what the community wishes to do with the waterfront property that the Town owns including this area. These historic buildings and their adjacent lands are worth a lot money in today’s real estate market.

These lands could be developed and many homes could be built on this site generating a lot of money for the Town. Fortunately, the consensus of those attending the charrette meetings want to see these buildings and its adjacent lands kept for the preservation of our local Industrial Heritage.They recognize that this is one of, if not the last, intact logging maintenance complexes in the country, and as a result it makes this site worth efforts to preserve it intact.

Preserving these buildings will cost a significant amount of money. Hopefully, the Town and various organizations would be able to get grants that would drastically reduce these costs.

The question is how important is it to the community to preserve these buildings and the heritage they represent? To me it is well worth the time effort and money to preserve this site and it’s buildings for public use, and to save this important aspect of our Town’s and our Province’s rich history, but, I am biased.

At least that’s as i see it.

Special thanks to Harald Cowie of Ladysmiuth & District Historical Society for assistance with images for this article.

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RDN Area A (Cedar, Cassidy, S. Wellington) On the Path to Uniform Building Requirements Within the Region The following may seem quite dry for most; however, for those — builders and homeowners — involved in the planning of new construction, the topic will be welcome news that has been too long coming.

For the past four to five years, the Electoral (Rural) Area Directors of the Regional District of Nanaimo (RDN) have been advocating for amendments to a number of bylaws, either to have them updated to meet current conditions or to clarify the intent and meaning of the language. In 2013, amendments were made to allow for sustainability initiatives that would allow certain energy-saving features, including passive solar walls, solar panels and wind turbines, to be more easily incorporated into building plans. As an example, the floor area of a structure — often used to calculate a number of building-related costs or to meet limitations, such as size of a secondary suite — had been calculated by using the outside measurements of the foundation. This calculation penalized an owner wanting to include a more massive passive solar wall feature to reduce energy use related to heating/cooling. Amending the floor area calculation to measure from the interior walls removed this artificial disadvantage. In 2014, further changes were made to the Regional District of Nanaimo Land Use and Subdivision Amendment Bylaw 500 to address a number of requirements that were obvious barriers to agriculture-related uses on the land.

More recently, in response to requests from industry to streamline the building permit process to reduce costly delays in issuing them, the processes within that

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department have been altered to be more effective and efficient. While there is still room for improvement, streamlining has led to a significant reduction in the number of days between staff receiving a completed application and the issuance of the building permit. It is important to point out that delays experienced in the building process at any stage simply add to the costs that must be borne by the ultimate buyer of that residence or other structure. In June 2017, amendments were made to allow the general manager of Strategic Planning & Development to issue development permits directly once the technical requirements of the Official Community Plan (OCP) had been met.

Should the development permit not be approved by the general manager, the applicant can still make an appeal to the board. Previously, all development permits had to go first to the Electoral Area Services Committee and then, if approved, to the board meeting following. This process often added six to eight weeks to the approval process. Development permits with variance must still go through the more lengthy process.

At the July 11 2017 meeting of the RDN’s Electoral Area Services Committee, the first steps in the further modernization of the RDN Land Use and Subdivision Amendment Bylaw No. 500 were introduced. Several minor amendments were identified as items that could be addressed immediately. These minor amendments will have an immediate impact on reducing the need for certain height and setback variances. The proposed amendments reflect prevailing trends in housing design preferences, the requirements of the B.C. Building Code and the RDN’s requirements for developing in flood prone areas.

There is much more work to be done.

Clearly, Bylaw 500, which was adopted in 1987, is not consistent with contemporary best practices in regulating land use and the siting, size and dimensions of buildings and structures. Contemporary

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regulations typically account for sea-level rise and hazard planning, green building technology advances, the increasing complexity of building regulations, the evolution of professional standards and the market demand for more architecturally complex building designs. For example, two items related to height that are often cited by builders as unnecessarily complicated and restrictive are the method used to calculate the height of a proposed structure to be situated on sloping lands and the restrictive maximum allowable height. The maximum allowable height (without a variance application being approved) for residential structures within the RDN Electoral Areas is currently eight metres. This is noted as the most restrictive not only within the RDN but beyond where nine to ten metres appears to be the norm. As the development community notes, working towards consistency within the region is an important step to support regional economic development.

- alecmcpherson@shaw.ca

CVRD Area G (Saltair) Arlene Kulai, long-time Saltair resident of at least 40 years, passed away on June 2, 2017.

In her past years, Arlene had Parkinson’s disease, which you would think would have hindered her voluntarism in the community, but it didn’t. Over the years, she took part in many activities going on in the community. Although she taught school at Ladysmith Primary School, she still had time to take part in our local Mount Brenton School, doing an extra reading program and art activities with the children. She was very creative and had enough ideas to spice any volunteer group. Long before Nike came up with the slogan, “just do it” was Arlene’s motto. She had the courage to follow her dreams and encouraged others to do the same. Every community needs

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people like Arlene who are confident and positive. Individuals willing to step up and get things done.

Arlene was heavily involved in quilting. At her Celebration of Life, the Ladysmith Primary School gym was packed with people and had big quilts lined up along the walls, some of which were Arlene’s. Her creativity was evident in everything she did from the way she dressed, the way she gardened and the costumes she made for local plays. Doing all these things in the manner she did was amazing, but to do them with a debilitating disease like Parkinson’s was truly incredible. Showing up on time and fully participating in a creative manner must have taken a great deal of effort, but she never looked for excuses.

She was not willing to take a step backwards and was always moving forward. Within the last year, she took up mah-jong at the Chemainus Seniors Centre and came in second in a tournament. She also volunteered to help with the Chemainus Garden Tour, but unfortunately passed before the tour date. Her choir group, as a last tribute, sang a song in her memory.

At her Celebration of Life ceremony, columbine seeds were given out to each person to plant at home so that when the flowers bloomed in the spring they would think of Arlene. A life well lived. Saltair says, “Thank you , Arlene.”

SALTAIR WATER UPGRADES By the beginning of August, the water upgrades on the east end of South Oyster School Road will be completed down to Gardner Road. There had been delays due to the revised method of contract bidding. The lines to the individual houses and

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the water main will have been flushed and chlorinated, ready for customer use. Our apologies for the delay and the inconvenience to the homeowners in that area.

The focus for further upgrades will now turn to Dogwood Road and Chemoy Road in the south end of Saltair. The upgrade strategy has been to address the areas that have the most leaks and have been costing the system the most in repairs.

Money saved from operations can go into capital upgrades to the rest of the system and, in the long run, benefit everyone.

Watch for Mary Marcotte CVRD Area Director H notes in the next edition of TAKE 5.

TAKE 5

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It’s time for cars to shine!

Hey car fans, it’s time for the 14th Annual Ladysmith Show and Shine! This year, the event will be held on Saturday, August 19. It all starts at 10 when cars of all makes and models take over downtown Ladysmith until 3pm.

On Friday watch for the Rod Run. It starts at 7pm as cars leave the A&W and drive along First Avenue to Dogwood Drive heading to Saltair.

On Saturday streets open at 10 am. Fred Izon will be playing, and there will be concession and a beer garden.

New this year, says Duck Paterson, is a British Cars section in front of the Fox and Hounds.And in keeping with the Canada 150 this year, there will be a category of vehicles made in Canada.

Don’t forget to pick up a ballot and cast your vote for your favorite car in the People’s Choice award category.

Good luck picking because with over 200 entries – it will be tough to choose.

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It’s a book!

The book. How’s the book coming along, Delbert? Slow, but steady. Whenever you’re preparing something for market, whether it’s a house, a boat or a book, specialists are brought in to search for flaws. In the case of a book, these specialists are called editors. Always choose one who had better luck staying awake in English than you did.

My book is currently up on the ways where it has been poked and prodded; the hull and superstructure found solid; the sheer line, saucy. There were issues however. Apparently, a semicolon is not the same as a small intestine. It is actually a punctuation mark, one that I had been using incorrectly. I read in Writer’s World, that semicolons, if used correctly, lend an element of sophistication to your work. Being a big fan of sophistication, I started to dole them out like breath mints after a garlic tasting. Not a smart idea.

If you’re planning to send me a box of semicolons for Christmas, please don’t.

They’ll only end up with the six-pack of argyle socks you sent me last year.

To remedy this situation a semicolonoscopy has been scheduled. This involves removing all semicolons, dusting them off, cleaning them up and then installing them properly. A painless procedure, but more time consuming than expected. We’ll keep you posted. In the meantime, here’s a little story for you.

Bicycling is an activity that cuts right through socio-economic barriers. From the mayor on down to his homeless subjects, anyone can be found on a bike. Not that the bikes are the same. The wealthy bikes tend to have 27 more gears, while the homeless bikes, serving as both transportation and residence, sport six more garbage bags.

The bikes of the wealthy are much lighter too, light being the gold standard of cycling. Some middle-aged professionals will gladly pay an extra $4000 to shave two pounds off their bike, despite

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being 15 pounds overweight themselves.

Though hard to understand, this does provide laughs for the skinny hot shots at the bike shop.

When paying that kind of money though, it’s imperative you be correctly fitted to the bike. Among other things, this involves getting the seat as high as possible. In addition to unlocking your power, this provides maximum enjoyment to onlookers when you fall off the bike.

Bicycling. Photo: Cindy Damphousse

For entertainment purposes, cycling shoes, which lock your feet onto the pedals, are a must. This allows you to pull up as well as push down, an act that feels equally as comfortable as running backwards with your shoes untied and your fly undone.

The main problem with clip-on shoes is that unclipping takes maybe a second while falling over takes less than half that.

Also they tend to work properly only when no one else is around. Should you encounter an attractive member of the opposite sex standing at an intersection, NEVER ATTEMPT TO STOP! Just sail on through because being flattened by a garbage truck will be less painful than falling off the bike in front of the attractive one when your stupid shoes refuse to release.

The real fun begins once the cyclist is down. The foot must be twisted sharply sideways to get out of the cleats, which can be tricky when seated, but next to impossible when lying on the ground where you have no purchase. This renders you as effective as an upside down turtle. The only option at this point is to hope there’s a certified assistance dog available, as all bystanders will be rendered useless by laughter.

The other disadvantage of cycling shoes is that the metal cleats on the bottom make walking a risky proposition. When you see

AUGUST 2017

dorky cyclists mincing through the local Starbucks, looking as unstable as Bambi on the frozen lake, it’s just their shoes.

And speaking of dorkiness, their outfits don’t help. That’s because Spandex, when used for clothing, is about as forgiving as Saran Wrap. No molecule of fat goes unnoticed. If you must Spandex up, stick with a pattern that blends in — something to hide the fact that you’ve been over-eating for the last 20 years.

Avoid at all costs the bright, garish colours that make you stand out like a Las Vegas strip bar.

The padding in the shorts also fails to flatter, mainly because it looks like a fully loaded diaper. If you’ve just escaped from a month in the desert, maybe a little extra padding on the butt is not a bad idea, but for a 47-year-old double-entry bookkeeper, just say no.

Topping off this outfit is a dramatically streamlined helmet, looking very much like a cross between a brightly painted goalie mask and an incoming space shuttle. Though it went largely unreported, an irate Italian Tour De France rider was forced to retire last year when a fully aroused Mallard duck chose his helmet as an object of sexual interest.

So as you can see, surviving all this with skin and ego attached, as well as your helmet’s virginity protected, isn’t easy. That’s why I suggest determining what coffee shop the hot shots hang out at and having your wife drop you off in full Spandexed glory along with your $10,000 bike in the alley nearby. The bike should then be pushed over to the hangout where it will be chained up for all to admire. Then drag your out-ofshape carcass over to the lineup where you will stage whisper, “Well, there’s another 100k in the bank.”

Coffee in hand, comfortably seated on your padded rump, you will swap stories about hill repeats, 18-tooth sprockets and double centuries until your wife gets off work and comes to pick you up and asks you, “Have a nice ride, dear?”

To which you will say, “Ride?”

If your rump is sore and you need a day off, pick up a bottle of Antano, a Spanish red, a steal at $12.99.

Delbert Horrocks is a co-proprietor at Mahle House Restaurant and a soon to be author! Follow him at Slightlycorkedandmore.wordpress.com

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AUGUST 1 – 5

12, 6pm, Atlantic Lobster dinner at St. Andrews United, Nanaimo, 311 Fitzwilliam 250-753-1924

20, 2pm, “Mrs. Mannerly” – Ladysmith Little Theatre, 4985 Christie Road, 250-924-0658

1-5, “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe”, Chemainus Theatre, 9737 Chemainus Road

13 – 19

20, 6pm, Concert in the Park – The County Line The Amphitheatre at Transfer Beach, Ladysmith

1, 1pm-8:30, Fin De Fiesta, Flamingo dance, song and guitar - Waterwheel Park, Chemainus 3, 12:30-7:30pm, Blood Donor Clinic at the Bethel Pentecostal Tabernacle, 1149 - 4th Ave., Ladysmith 5, Ladysmith Days Parade and Celebrations at Transfer Beach

6 – 12 6-12, “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe”, Chemainus Theatre, 9737 Chemainus Road 6, Ladysmith Days Celebrations at Transfer Beach 7, 6pm-8pm Concerts in the Park – The Deaf Aids (Beatles tribute band), The Amphitheatre at Transfer Beach, Ladysmith 8, 7pm-9pm, Citizen Jane Concert - Waterwheel Park, Chemainus 8-12, Printmakers Only Group 26th Annual Show & Sale at Portals - Island Savings Centre, by the Library (2687 James Street, Duncan) 10-12, 8pm, “Mrs. Mannerly” – Ladysmith Little Theatre, 4985 Christie Road, 250-924-0658 11, 5pm-8pm, Dine on the Dock – Ladysmith Community Marina, Oyster Bay Drive 12, 1pm-5pm, 2nd Annual Craft Beer and Food Festival, Artisan Park Expo Grounds, Chemainus 12, 1pm, Island Rockabilly Jubilee 2017 at the Chemainus Waterwheel Park 12, 6pm, Sean Ashby playing at the Oyster Bay Café, 611 Oyster Bay Dr., Ladysmith 12, 6pm, Symphony by the Sea - Vancouver Island Symphony at Maffeo Sutton Park

13, “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe”, Chemainus Theatre, 9737 Chemainus Road 13-19, Printmakers Only Group 26th Annual Show & Sale at Portals - Island Savings Centre, by the Library (2687 James Street, Duncan) 13, 11am-4pm, Chemainus Accordion Festival Chemainus Waterwheel Park 13, 10am -2pm, Sea Life Celebration on Sunday, Ladysmith Community Marina, Oyster Bay Drive 13 6pm, Concerts in the Park – Dirty Mountain The Amphitheatre at Transfer Beach, Ladysmith by donation 15, 7pm-9pm, A Cappella Plus concert Chemainus Waterwheel Park 15, 9pm-11:30pm, Outdoor Movie – Cops for Cancer Fundraiser, Ladysmith Resource Ctr., 16-20, “Talley’s Folly”, Chemainus Theatre, 9737 Chemainus Road 17-19,8pm, “Mrs. Mannerly” – Ladysmith Little Theatre, 4985 Christie Road, 250-924-0658 18, 4:25pm-7pm, A&W Hot Rod Run - Ladysmith

22, 7pm, Ladysmith Camera Club -- “What You Need to Know About Digital”, with Brad Grigor Hardwick Hall, High Street at 3rd Ave. 22, 7pm-9pm, Mark Crissinger Band at the Chemainus Waterwheel Park 24-26, 8pm, “Mrs. Mannerly” – Ladysmith Little Theatre, 4985 Christie Road, 250-924-0658 24-27, Summertime Blues Festival, Maffeo Sutton Park Nanaimo 25, 5pm-8pm, Dine on the Dock – Ladysmith Community Marina, Oyster Bay Drive 26, 9am-3pm, Nanaimo Glad & Dahlia Soc. Annual Show at Country Club Mall Nanaimo – FREE- 250-772-2109 26, 6:30pm-10:30pm, 3rd Annual Light Up The Night, First Avenue, Ladysmith

27– 31 27-31, Printmakers Only Group Show & Sale Portals (2687 James Street, Duncan)

19, 10am-3pm Ladysmith Show & Shine, First Avenue, Ladysmith

27, 9am-3pm, Nanaimo Glad & Dahlia Soc. Annual Show at Country Club Mall Nanaimo – FREE- 250-772-2109

19, 1pm, Chemainus Jazz Festival – Chemainus Waterwheel Park

27, 10am-4pm, 19th Arts on the Avenue. First Avenue, Ladysmith

20– 26

27, 10am-4pm, Ladysmith Sidewalk Sale, Downtown Ladysmith

20-26, “Talley’s Folly”, Chemainus Theatre, 9737 Chemainus Road

27, 2pm, “Mrs. Mannerly” – Ladysmith Little Theatre, 4985 Christie Road, 250-924-0658

20, Noon, Chemainus Jazz Festival - New Orleans style – Chemainus Waterwheel Park

27, 6pm, Concerts in the Park – Dave Bitonti, followed by David James and Big River, Amphitheatre at Transfer Beach, Ladysmith

20-26, Printmakers Only Group 26th Annual Show & Sale at Portals - Island Savings Centre, by the Library (2687 James Street, Duncan)

29, 7pm-9pm, Flint & Feather folk duo, Chemainus Waterwheel Park

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Daily Harbour Tours 250-245-1146 Noon, Hot Rod Golden Oldies Car Club, Wheatsheaf Pub, 1866 Cedar Rd., Cedar 1pm, Euchre, Mount Benson Branch 256 Legion, 1630 East Wellington, Nanaimo 250 754-8128 4-6pm, Meat Draws, Ladysmith Legion #171, 621 First Ave. Mixed Ortho - Night Time Play at the Wheatsheaf Sports Complex 1866 Cedar Rd

SATURDAYS MONDAYS 10:30am-2pm, Ladysmith Maritime Society Daily Harbour Tours 250-245-1146.

7pm-9pm, Darts – RC Legion Branch 171 Ladysmith, 621 First Ave.

9am - Honeymoon Bay Market starts every Saturday from May 13- Oct. 7, 2017.

THURSDAYS

10:30am-2pm, Ladysmith Maritime Society - Daily Harbour Tours 250-245-1146

10-12pm, Seniors Drop In Ladysmith Resource Centre, 630 2nd Ave., 250-245-3079

10:30am-2pm, Ladysmith Maritime Society Daily Harbour Tours 250-245-1146.

4:45pm, Bingo, Mondays Chemainus Seniors Drop-In Centre - 9824 Willow St.

11:30am-1:30, Soup and Sandwich, Ladysmith Legion #171, 621 First Ave. 2nd & 4th Thursdays

7pm, Bridge, Mount Benson Branch 256 Legion, 1630 East Wellington, Nanaimo 250 754-8128

1pm-4pm, Bridge, Mount Benson Branch 256 Legion, 1630 East

Mixed Slow Pitch – Night Time Play at the Wheatsheaf Sports Complex 1866 Cedar Rd.

FRIDAYS

7pm, Cribbage Night, RC Legion Branch 171 Ladysmith, 621 First Ave.

TUESDAYS 10:30am-2pm Ladysmith Maritime Society - Daily Harbour Tours 250-245-1146.

Mixed Ortho - Night Time Play at the Wheatsheaf Sports Complex 1866 Cedar Rd. 730pm-10pm, Music on the Docks - Ladysmith Maritime Society.

7pm, Euchre, Mount Benson Branch 256 Legion, 1630 East Wellington, Nanaimo 250 754-8128 7:30-9pm, Ladysmith Toastmasters, Upper level at the Ladysmith Resource Centre

WEDNESDAYS 10:30am-2pm, Ladysmith Maritime Society Daily Harbour Tours 250-245-1146.

9:30 -11:00 am, Muffin mornings - Chemainus Seniors Drop-In Centre - 9824 Willow St. 10-3pm, Chemainus Famers Market, Waterwheel Park 10:15-14:15, Born Healthy, Ladysmith Resource Centre, 630 2nd Avenue, Ladysmith, 250-2453079.

5 -9pm, Bingo at St. Mary’s Church Hall, 1135 Fourth Ave. Ladysmith, 7pm, Bridge, Mount Benson Branch 256 Legion, 1630 East Wellington, Nanaimo 250 754-8128 Mixed Slow Pitch – Night Time Play at the Wheatsheaf Sports Complex 1866 Cedar Rd 7pm-10pm, Music Trivia and Karaoke at the Cranberry Arms, 1604 Cedar Rd.

9:30 -11:00 am, Muffin mornings - Chemainus Seniors Drop-In Centre - 9824 Willow Street, 10-12pm, Seniors Drop In, Ladysmith Resource Centre, 630 2nd Ave. 250-245-3079 10:30am-2pm, Ladysmith Maritime Society -

10:15 -12:15pm – Dad’s Drop-in, Ladysmith Resource Centre, 630 2nd Ave., Ladysmith, 250245-3079 3-5pm, Meat Draws, Ladysmith Legion #171, 621 First Ave.

SUNDAYS 10:30am-2pm, Ladysmith Maritime Society - Daily Harbour Tours 250-245-1146 10am, Cedar Farmer’s Market, 2313 Yellowpoint Rd. – Open to the end of October.

August 13, Sea Life Celebration August 5-6, Ladysmith Days

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

FOR SALE BAYVIEW FRAMING & ART. A profitable picture framing business in its 17th year, with continued strong growth. Purchase price includes training.

Contact Wanda or Bruce at 250-245-0011.

GYM EQUIPMENT. Marcy power cage $350; Marcy home gym $150; one Marcy workout bench $30; 1” iron weights 260lbs $180 & plastic weights 433lbs $200 Call 250-245-2546.

33 FOOT RANGER SLOOP, in top shape, ready to go, exc. single-hander, moored Ladysmith Community Marina, 250-245-7804 rlpink@telus.net FOR RENT VERY NICE LARGE ONSUITE ROOM in big house on great 50-acre property in South Nanaimo. Suitable older female, sharing, some help & companionship situation. Reasonable cost negotiable. Call 250-716-0001 BUSINESS MID-ISLAND HOME SUPPORT since 2009.

Personal assistance and house cleaning available. Bondable, licensed, certified and insured for your safety and ours. For the best rates, around, please call 250-924-2273 (CARE).

I CAN EDIT. Copy editing, proofreading, structural editing and more. Fiction or nonfiction; web content and eBook prep. For more information, email editican@gmail.com.

BARNACLE BILL’S CHARTERS. Fishing and sightseeing. Call 250-210-0787 or 250-245-4185.

CONCRETE RESULTS. Contracting, full-service forming and finishing, walls, walks, patios, drives.

35 years experience. Call Gord 250-753-4024.

BEADS BEADS BEADS ETC.! 9752 Willow St., Chemainus. Best prices on the Island. Follow Facebook@etcinchemainus or call 250-3242227.

AUGUST 2017

EXPERIENCED HOUSE SITTER available for summer/fall 2017. References avail. Prefer long stay. www.peaceofmindhousesitting.wordpress. com. Call Kathleen 250-619-0786.

ROMAX MASONRY. Chimney repairs and rebuilds. Stonework. Patios. Interlocking pavers.

Fireplaces. Slate installs. Minor excavating.

Romaxmasonry.com, romax-bc@shaw.ca, or 250-516-7597.

HOUSE CLEANER. Attention to detail. Reliable & trustworthy! References available. Call 250-7342714.

HOUSESITTERS INC. now accepting home and cat-sitting jobs for spring and summer. Fully insured security & insurance house checks by retired RCMP personnel. Call 250-713-5110.

DELICIOUS HOME-COOKED MEALS delivered.

Daily or weekly options. References. Food Safe certification. Also offering help at home for seniors. South Nanaimo to Chemainus. HomeCooked Meals by Char. (250) 245-2478.

HEALTH & BEAUTY JACLYNN COTTRELL REGISTERED MASSAGE THERAPY. $100 for one hour; $60 for 30 minutes.

Available evenings. Located across from Friesen’s on York Rd in Cedar. Call 778-971-0444.

TAI CHI for mental & physical health. Beginner classes start Sept. & Jan. Mondays at Cedar Heritage Centre. On-going class Wednesdays at North Oyster Community Centre. Both classes 10am to noon $25/mo. www.nanaimotaichi.org.

Call Sara 250-245-1466.

EASY DOES IT FITNESS.CA for Beginners and Beyond. Hundreds of exercises to perfect your workout. Arthritis friendly; specializing in knee, shoulder, neck, hand and back exercises. Call 250-591-7665.

HEARTMATH. The fastest, easiest way to reduce stress! Contact me at www.energyhealingwithjan. com. I would love to be of help.

HOME & YARD DARRELL ESSAR RENOVATIONS. Over 30 years’ experience, certified journeyman carpenter.

No Job is too small, from fences, decks, tile work, hardwood flooring, painting, drywall etc. For free estimate, call Darrell 250-714-3823.

MAKE IT NICE qualified, experienced gardener available for private, residential gardens. Please call 250-754-9346.

KEEP IT CLEAN SOLUTIONS. Top to bottom service. General, event, windows, we’ll even make your bed! Great for families, seniors, single parents, office cleaning, flexible service to fit your schedule. Email aliciajohnson@telus.net or call Alicia 250-709-1364.

HOME SWEET HOME CARE SERVICES. All care inside and out of the home; home care, house work, yard work and transportation. Contact janjamieson101@gmail.com or call 250-701-2909 ARE YOU BUYING OR SELLING A HOME... curb appeal, re-design or new design ISLANDGARDENSCAPES.CA 250-802-0461 ask for Kathleen ISLAND PRUNING. Professional tree care from large scale orchards to budding new trees. I can meet any pruning need. Shrubs, vines and ornamental. Large and small clean ups. Call Darcy Belcourt 250-323-1260.

KB HANDYMAN AND YARDWORKS SERVICES. Minor carpentry work, decks, fences, gutter cleaning, tree pruning, yard clean up, lawn fertilizing, mowing. Senior’s discount. Call Karl at 250-714-2738.

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

Estimates are always free. Give Sandpiper a call!

250-246-2421.

PETS PROFESSIONAL PET CARE SERVICE. Leash ’em & walk ’em with Marlena. Insured and bonded.

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

TOO CRAZY BIRDY HOTEL. Now three locations: Victoria, Cedar, and Comox Valley. Travel with peace of mind, parrot boarding in loving settings.

Budgies to macaws. $7, $14, $18 for sml, md, lrg. www.toocrazybirdyhotel.com. Diana and Kip 250722-2201.

THE PET NANNY. Let us pamper and love your pets at your home or ours. Experience and references are available. Shanon or Bill at 250924-8809, Ladysmith.

ANIMAL COMMUNICATOR. I provide services to help with behaviour issues, lost animals, messages your animal wants you to hear and much more. Contact me at www.talktotheanimals. ca or 250-246-3394.

AUGUST 2017

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

Great food and snacks. Family events. Couples and pets welcomed. Ocean views, gardens. North of Ladysmith. www.lynnsseniorcare.com. Call 250-245-3391.

LEAVE A LEGACY. Memoirs, family cookbooks, personal histories, in print and eBook format. Also offering VIDEO PRODUCTION services, from script to screen, ready to share and post on your socil media and website. Phone for an estimate to TAKE 5 250-245-7015 or email editor@take5.ca.

TAKE 5 CLASSIFIEDS work! Next issue is September. Book your today 250-245-7015 or visit take5.ca

TAKE 5

“All the waters run to the sea and yet the sea is not full, and from the place where they began, thither they return again.” — Ecclesiastes

It’s Hero Time!

Hey you! Yeah, you bag of water, you!

Getting kinda tight in the fight for a drink of good, clean water, eh?

Fires to the left of us, fires to the right, aquifers polluted and dwindling snow packs on them mountain ranges. The summer, our planet and lives are heating up. So, whatcha gonna do?

Hoping the government, corporations, your neighbours or the non-profit groups down the street are gonna solve this water problem for you better not be your plan. ’Cause, no excuse, this is your problem.

You want a glass of clear, clean, healthy water? Then you have to work for it ... do something. Paying taxes and complaining that nobody does anything for anybody anymore isn’t good enough!

You, my friend, are the problem and the solution — if you want to be.

This really is all about you, if you are going to live a good long life.

Maybe you’ve not noticed? Avoided the media and stories that say we’re facing increasing droughts and long, hot summers? Maybe you’ve not noticed that Vancouver Island is growing in leaps and bounds, that climate change is upon us like a runaway train, and the Island’s water supply is threatened?

Sorry, but this is no longer the wet coast of Canada. And the future is grim if we don’t individually and as a society, within our community and voluntarily, give up some Saturdays and dedicate at least some of our precious time and money to the public interest — in service to the greater good of our region and country. Remember the War, 1945, heroes, sacrifice and doing what’s right, not just looking out for ourselves?

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You. Yes, you, need to act, whether you are low-income without means, a comfortable retiree who will ease through times of trouble and misdeed, or just some rich self-centered, indulgent and self-righteous dude on the hill. This is about you and the need to serve the public so that you and all of us might live a comfortable life.

Otherwise the lack of water is gonna get you, your friends and family. But now, right here and now, this is your chance to be a Hero, to have your kids, loved ones, neighbours ... and even the masses that don’t have a clue who you are love you for having the courage and forethought to do something for all of us. We all need water to live. It’s in short supply, and surprise, you have a chance to do something to make things better.

It’s Hero time!

Think not what the government and big business can do for you, but rather what you can do for your country ... and our lakes, streams, aquifers, creeks, ponds and waterways.

And there are many (many) organizations out there already addressing these

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problems, willing to work with Heroes — with you. But it will take your solemn Hero vow to make change happen. No doubt about it. Our personal lives, our community, the region and province’s betterment all need you, Hero you, to step up to the plate.

If in doubt you might want to remember why we have it so good: the WWII war effort turned the tide, pulled us back from the brink of destruction because ordinary people, like you or me, actually sacrificed themselves, full on, gave up their comfortable lives, for the betterment of society. They died for democracy and a future that their grandchildren would thank them for.

Heroes need to think about that and what makes our society great enough to give something of ourselves.

Now’s your time. Make us proud.

Laurie Gourlay and Jackie Moad go with the flow, floating gently downstream, amidst summer dreams and cooperative community efforts for the betterment of society while farming 20 acres organically, seeking local solutions to global challenges.