West Vancouver Beacon | July/August 2018 | Edition 29 by The Beacon

THE No. 29

BEACON Shedding light on the communities from Lions Bay to West Bay

July/August 2018

As B.C. grows, so do the ferries

he Hudson’s Bay Company provided regular ferry service between Vancouver Island and the Lower Mainland in the mid 1800s. By 1901, Canadian Pacific Railway took over the system and included passenger transportation between downtown Vancouver and downtown Victoria into the 1950s. The Horseshoe Bay ferry service began in 1951 with the Black Ball Line offering travel to Departure Bay in Nanaimo, as well as up the Sunshine Coast and Jervis Inlet, just south of Powell River. In 1961 the provincial government purchased the ferry assets and B.C. Ferries began its thus far 67 years of uninterrupted service. In 2017, over three million ferry passengers travelled through Horseshoe Bay.

Community Personality

8-9

From the Inkwell

Little Bakery, Big Heart

First Impressions

Mountains to Sea

IN THIS ISSUE 3

Photo: provided

Ferry in the Bay.

Many thanks to Andrea Crowdis for submitting this spectacular depiction of Horseshoe Bay. The artist is a student in Mrs. Crowdis’ Grade 5/6 class at Gleneagles Ch’axáý Elementary.

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Chris Stringer

Breaking down the fence Opinion

Publisher

chrisstringer @westvanbeacon.ca

Lindy Pfeil

Lindy Pfeil Editor

lindypfeil @westvanbeacon.ca

Penny Mitchell Advertising

pennymitchell @westvanbeacon.ca

Melissa Baker Creative Director

melissabaker @westvanbeacon.ca Please note that all contributing writers for The Beacon retain full rights and that the full or partial reproduction of feature articles is unauthorized without the consent of the author. Personal opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed are solely those of the respective contributors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of the Beacon, the publisher or the editorial and creative staff.

Submissions for The Beacon The Beacon is delivered bi-monthly to 5000+ households between Lions Bay and West Bay. For submission guidelines and queries, please e-mail the Editor: lindypfeil@ westvanbeacon.ca Please note that all submissions are subject to space constraints and editing. For advertising queries, please e-mail the Director of Marketing: pennymitchell@westvanbeacon.ca For all other queries, please e-mail the Publisher: chrisstringer@westvanbeacon.ca All editions of The Beacon (beginning in September 2013), can also be read online at: www.westvanbeacon.ca.

July/August 2018

y family and I moved into our little navy-blue house in Eagle Harbour in 2001. Our children were in Grades 1 and 3. They are now 24 and 26 and have been gone for many years (although they still come back occasionally for food and alcohol - mostly alcohol - but that’s another story). A year after moving in, we got Molly. She had been separated from her mother at four weeks and was living on a concrete floor in a puppy mill. We had to rescue her. For the first week of her life, she and I were attached at the chest while I fed her with a dripper. We slept together on the sofa. I thought she may die. But that was, apparently, never part of her plan. Instead, her mission was to test our patience at every possible opportunity. Part lab, part collie, who knows what else, she was a handful. She annihilated our garden, our shoes, and too many books. She made me cry more often than my children did. At puppy school, the instructor told me that I was the problem. Molly was smarter than me. Well, I knew that already. She chased buses on Marine Drive, slipped out of her leash whenever she could and attacked dogs in the forest. We built a fence. It did not keep her in. We made it bigger, stronger, higher and put rocks at the base. Still she escaped. She chewed her way through wire, wood and dry wall. And while it drove me crazy, I did understand it – her dislike of fences.

I feel the same way. Robert Frost was wrong – good fences do not make good neighbours.* They simply isolate you. Trap you. And Molly needed to roam. She adored our neighbour across the road. As soon as her car pulled into the driveway, Molly would break free, and follow her right into the house. It probably didn’t help that she got roast chicken from Whole Foods every time she went a-visiting. Molly was 16, which is apparently really old for a big dog, when she could no longer get up and down the steps. She was deaf and her vision was not great. Her body was full of lumps and her one hind leg had tripled in size, making her very uncomfortable. We procrastinated, making appointments in Caulfeild village for the ‘deed’ and then cancelling them at the last minute. A number of times. Dr. Polderman was very patient with us. But one Saturday morning not too long ago, we could no longer ignore Molly’s sadness. Her distress. Son was too far away, living in another country, but daughter came home. Husband lifted Molly into the truck, as two neighbours walked by. One of them burst into tears when we told her where we were going. When Molly breathed her last sigh, it was peaceful. I still look for her when I get home. Sometimes I’m convinced I hear her panting in the living room. Sixteen-year-old habits are written in our bones and not easy to break. A week after she died, I found some chopping tools in the garage. I started tearing down the fence. I’m pretty sure Molly approves. *‘Good fences make good neighbours’ from Robert Frost’s poem “Mending Wall.” Molly through the years.

Photos: L. Pfeil

If you are not receiving home delivery of The Beacon please let us know at chrisstringer@westvanbeacon.ca

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PAGE 3

MOUNTAINS TO SEA

Backyard chickens in the Bay Elspeth Bradbury

ive years ago, Kaylee Whittaker wrote a letter to the mayor of West Vancouver and made a presentation to council that eventually led to the amendment of District bylaws “to regulate and allow for the keeping of backyard chickens.” Kaylee was only eleven years old at the time. The story began when the Shaw/Whittaker family visited friends near 70 Mile House. Kaylee was enchanted by their flock of friendly hens and insisted passionately, throughout the drive home, that she wanted some of her own. Her father Jamie explained that keeping hens in West Vancouver was illegal. Impressed by her determination, however, he agreed to build a coop provided she could persuade the neighbours to agree and also – no small task – convince the District to change the bylaws. Two years later, in January 2016, amendments to the Zoning Bylaw and the Animal Control and Licence Bylaw finally came into effect and a small flock of hens, chosen by Kaylee from Beau Peep Farms in Rosedale, who specialize in heritage breeds, moved comfortably – and legally – into a handsome coop in Horseshoe Bay. They still live there, well loved, not only by the Shaw/Whittaker family but also by the children who pass by on their way to Gleneagles Ch’axáý Elementary school. This year at the new Spring Fest West cele-

however, doesn’t forget; he’s the family’s omelette maker. Celeste, on the other hand, is head of maintenance. She smiles as she describes her morning routine before work as she tends to ‘the girls’ in her business attire and gumboots. “I like looking after them,” she says. “It’s therapeutic and it gives the family something in common.” And Kaylee? She tucks the flock in at night but, an even more important job it seems, is to make sure they all have plenty of cuddles. Visit westvancouver.ca/chickens for more details and helpful links on creating a healthy and safe environment for raising chickens in your backyard. Another resource for asking questions and networking with like-minded people on the North Shore is Facebook Cluck North Vancouver.

bration, held at Gleneagles Community Centre in May, Kaylee and her mother Celeste featured along with Raven, a remarkably tame member of this groundbreaking flock. Raven behaved impeccably, dozing contentedly on Kaylee’s lap while visitors of all ages admired and stroked her glossy black feathers. “Raven is an Australorp,” Kaylee explained. “They have these really shiny, dense feathers, and that makes them very hardy.” On display in photographs were Ruby, a Rhode Island Red, and Blondie, a Buff Orpington who is good with kids and is a productive layer. There are plans to expand the flock this summer to the maximum permitted size of six. There is no doubt that these chickens are pampered pets with strikingly individual characters, so it almost comes as a surprise to remember that they lay eggs as well. Jamie,

The chicken coop built by Jamie and painted by Kaylee.

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Photos: courtesy of Celeste Whittaker

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July/August 2018

BRIAN POMFRET

JOE GARDENER

Summertime gardening at last climbing everywhere. • Keep up good watering practices. Water deeply first thing in the morning so that any wet foliage will dry before the heat of the day. • Continue deadheading roses, shrubs and perennials for that final show of the season. • The rambling roses should have their final pruning. • Clip off the final flowering stems of lavender to keep the plant tidy, but don’t prune back foliage just yet. • Time to order peonies from catalogues for planting in the coming weeks for next year. • Dahlias are popular with lots of cultivars and great for cutting. The flowers are edible! • Check your local nursery for fall flowering bulbs and plant them now.

Photo: Chris Stringer

JULY - It seems now that the elusive summer weather is set to bathe us in that gorgeous heat we have longed for. • Water conservation is most important and home gardeners should be aware of municipal water restrictions now and forthcoming. • Mulch those gardens with leaf mold from your compost bin and though not the greatest to look at, wood chips are great at protecting the soil below from heat. Just don’t dig it in as it steals nitrogen. • Make sure containers and baskets are watered daily in the morning. Use fish fertilizer or Osmocote, a slow release fertilizer that can last months. • Regularly deadhead or pinch back those annuals and flowering shrubs especially roses which keeps them producing. • Roses could use an addition of well-rotted steer manure dug into the first inch or two of soil. Fertilize with rose food after each bloom flush. AUGUST - Ah, the proverbial ‘dog days’ bring the hottest weather of the summer with lots of perennials and shrubs showing their stuff. Plenty of them are fragrant like honeysuckles and sweet peas

Enjoy Gardening!!

Is pessimism always a bad thing? Psyched Out Ian Macpherson

group of experimental subjects was walking a short path on a rainy autumn day. They had just been given tests that classified them as optimists or pessimists. Social psychologists - schemers that they are - had dropped a few twenty dollar bills among the fallen leaves. At their destination the subjects were asked who discovered any bills. Would you guess that

the optimists did, and the pessimists did not? Correct! There is no magical connection here; it’s just that optimists tend to keep their eyes peeled for opportunity. Because of their expectations, in a way they make their own luck. Pessimists, on the other hand, have mindsets that good fortune is unlikely to happen so, in the case of this demonstration, they walk right over the money. There is almost a glut of evidence out there to convince us all to keep on our rosetinted glasses no matter what. “Don’t worry, be happy,” as the song goes, has become a part of our culture. Optimism is touted to immunize against depression, improve our physical health and even lengthen our lives.

Even your aging Aunt Hattie will exhort you always to “look on the bright side.” But is all this emphasis on positivity fair to its down-in-the-mouth cousin? Any psychotherapist will tell you that avoiding negative feelings and thoughts can interfere with problem solving. Believing that everything will work out no matter what you do can blindside you. Consider, for example, a recent survey of company bosses who scored extremely high on an optimism scale. They were seen to take more unnecessary risks and get their companies into greater debt than those CEOs who obtained average scores. A more dramatic example: about half a century ago two cautious world leaders, finding themselves

in dangerous conflict, opposed the hawkish chorus of their cocksure advisors. By not engaging in optimistic groupthink with no questioning dissenters these leaders spared us from a nuclear war. Most of our day-to-day decisions do not have such dire consequences. However, if you have been served a reasonable helping of optimism but it is appropriately seasoned with a dash of doubt, discretion and planning for possible bad scenarios, some might call you a defensive pessimist and that would be a good thing. Ian Macpherson is a psychologist who lives and practices in West Vancouver. More at www.westvancouvertherapist.com

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PAGE 5

First impressions of Vancouver linger BY

John Nixon

n July 1958 I visited Vancouver for the first time. I was a Naval Officer Cadet at the time in the University Naval Training Division (UNTD) at McGill University. We were commonly known as the “Untidies.” The training included two summers spent at Canadian coastal naval bases. The previous summer, of 1957, I had spent at HMCS Stadacona in Halifax, N.S. This included a four-week cruise to Scotland and Norway. In 1958, there was a three-month summer stint at HMCS Naden in Esquimalt, B.C. and a three-week cruise to Hawaii on an RCN frigate - my first visit to those islands. While in Esquimalt I entered the following notes in my cadet journal, which I still have: “4-6 July. Over the weekend I took the opportunity to visit Vancouver, flying there late on Friday and returning on Sunday evening. It was my first visit to the city - one I had long awaited and one which certainly lived up to my expectations. My general impression was of a clean and well planned city, with a prosperous commercial business section, a thriving waterfront and a setting which must rank it among the world’s most beautifully situated cities.” I attended a Theatre Under the Stars open air performance of the Broadway musical Showboat in Stanley Park. Dressed

in my Naval Officer Cadet uniform, I purchased two tickets, hoping to persuade some young lady waiting in the queue to accompany me. I could not find any willing damsels to accept my offer, so I watched the entire performance with an achingly empty chair beside me. Whenever the music reached a crescendo, or a soprano hit a high note, there was a

loud chorus of protesting squawks from a colony of nesting herons in the nearby trees. A mere two weeks before my arrival, on 17 June, 1958, the Second Narrows Bridge over Burrard Inlet had collapsed, killing 18 construction workers and seriously injuring 20 others. A diver later died while searching for bodies. I recall seeing the collapsed spans from a distance. Two years later I married a young Indonesian student whom I had met at McGill. We lived in Quebec until 1967 when

we very happily moved to Vancouver with our young son. Living near the ocean and beside the mountains suited our lifestyle, so Eagle Harbour was where we chose to purchase a home. For the past 60 years, I have continued to own a home in West Vancouver, even when I worked overseas. I have visited over 80 different countries. Vancouver and its environs are the most attractive that I have seen anywhere, and I feel privileged to live here.

Photo: courtesy of West Vancouver Memorial Library, 0737 Ironworkers Memorial Bridge collapse, June 1958. June 17 was the 60th anniversary of the tragedy and was commemorated by the World Premiere of George Orr’s film, The Bridge. It features never-before-seen 16mm colour footage shot by Peter Hall, a draftsman asked by Dominion Bridge Co. to chronicle the construction. When the bridge collapsed, the company no longer wanted the footage. The first screening took place at Vancity Theatre on June 17, with additional screenings planned. Check www.secondnarrowsbridge.com for further information.

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July/August 2018

Those lazy-hazy-crazy days of summer BY

Ann Frost

ummer in West Vancouver – way back when and now. Lots the same and lots that’s changed. Then and now, summer’s the time to do the things you love, to let go of the hectic pace of the rest of the year, to smell the roses. But what’s different? Well, do you remember the old charcoal BBQ? You had to light it half an hour ahead of cooking and then decide what to do with the coals afterwards. With today’s huge, beautiful stainless-steel gas BBQs, many folks don’t even remember charcoal briquettes. Long-ago summers meant floating on the ocean in an inner tube, then coming ashore to

a blazing fire for roasting wieners and potatoes, with S’mores for dessert. Not sure about inner tubes today, but no beach fires anymore, not even in West Vancouver. Then there was the hike up Hollyburn to pick blueberries, hoping you didn’t end up with a mama bear on the other side of the bushes from you. And maybe you remember the children’s book Blueberries for Sal, where that’s exactly what happened! Nowadays, we head for farmers’ markets where we buy our berries in bulk. Anyone remember the old Odeon Theater in West Vancouver? Hiding out during the interval so you could try sneaking into the second feature, which was almost always a movie that your parents would not have wanted you to see? Soon we will have a very upscale cinema at Park Royal

HOME & LIVING

A twist on sushi Cooking with Chlo Chloé Noël

ecently, someone asked me, “If you had to eat one meal for the rest of your life, what would you choose?” Without hesitation, I chose avocado cucumber sushi rolls. Being plagued with food sensitivities, the fact that this meal is dairy free and gluten free means that I don’t have to worry about stomach pains or feeling guilty post-meal. When eating out became a tri-weekly habit, I decided to find a way to rec-

250 g vermicelli rice noodles ¼ cup rice vinegar (optional) 1/8 cup sugar (optional) 1 tsp vegetable oil (optional) ½ cucumber 1 carrot, 1 avocado, 1 mango 1 pack of roasted sea weed (Nori) ¼ cup toasted sesame seeds 1 package rice paper soy sauce

reate these at home. Unfortunately, I am no sushi chef, and the concept of making sushi is quite overwhelming. So, I set out to make a variation on the classic vegetarian sushi roll by transforming it into a light and summery dish. I immediately thought of one of my favourite meals: fresh rolls. This traditional Vietnamese dish uses thin rice paper to envelop rice noodles, lettuce, vegetables and shrimp. Since I have no idea how to roll up sushi, but can roll rice paper for fresh rolls, I created sushi-style fresh rolls instead. The result is a beautiful vegan dish that you can get creative

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where, for an additional fee, you will be able to knees. Old jeans, old friends, old times, and best have a meal delivered right to your seat! of all, memories of days gone by. If you were old enough to go to places that actually served alcohol, do you remember the ubiquitous cheese sandwich? You could only order drinks if you ordered something to eat, and the cheese sandwich appeared again and again. Same sandwich, different patrons. And your favorite songs? “Hey Jude?” “Sitting on the Dock of the Bay?” “Here Comes the Sun?” “This Guy’s in Love with You?” And in those days, jeans weathered as you wore them; they didn’t Photo: courtesy of the West Vancouver Memorial Library. come with ready-made cut-out WVML0266McP. West Vancouver Odeon cinema in 1976.

Simple Sushi Rolls

This recipe is flexible and there are many opportunities for changes. For instance, I used rice noodles, but you could use sushi rice instead. Additionally, because I wanted the rolls to taste like sushi, I added a rice vinegar mixture traditionally added to sushi rice. While the water is boiling for the rice noodles, combine the sugar, rice vinegar and oil in a small bowl and microwave at 30-second intervals until the sugar is dissolved. Next, slice the vegetables into thin strips, approximately 4 inches long. I used cucumber, avocado, carrot, mango, Nori and sesame seeds. Slicing the Nori into thin strips makes it easier to handle. Cook the rice noodles as instructed on the box. Strain the noodles then add the vinegar mixture and mix it up. Next, pour enough warm water into a baking pan so the bottom is covered. Place one rice sheet into the water, submerging it for 45 seconds. Lay the soft rice sheet on a flat surface and line the sliced veggies, Nori and rice noodles up in the centre of the rice paper, making a cylindrical shaped mound. Fold the top end down, the bottom end up, then roll from one end to the other. Serve fresh with a side of soy sauce. If you store the rolls, avoid piling them on top of each other, or place a damp paper towel in between layers to prevent the rolls from sticking together and tearing.

with and it’s perfect for dinner parties. Including nori inside the rolls and toasted sesame and dipping the rolls in soy sauce, results in a flavour very similar to that of real sushi, while being much simpler to make. Chloé is a part time vegetarian who tends to overshare and overeat.

Photo provided The rolls with mango paired well with a spicy mayo dip!

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July/August 2018

PAGE 7

Distinguished award recipients in the community day parade

Lindy Pfeil, West Vancouver Citizen of the Year.

Photo provided

Lindy Pfeil was named 2018 Citizen of the Year at the West Vancouver Chamber of Commerce’s annual Excellence Awards, held at Hollyburn Country Club recently. “Lindy is a most deserving recipient of the Chamber’s Citizen of the Year award. I first met Lindy when she mediated a restorative justice session in which I participated, and I was struck by her ability to connect with, and calm the young people involved. She also helped create the very successful Circles in Schools program. The work she has done to introduce children and youth to a different approach to prevent and heal harm caused by conflict is innovative and outstanding. Her passion and compassion in leading these programs touched many children, and contributed to positive change in our community. Lindy exemplifies the qualities that we should all aspire to as citizens: kindness, generosity and commitment. Congratulations Lindy!” Mary-Ann Booth, Councillor, District of West Vancouver.

West Vancouver Presbyterian Church S E RV I C E : Sundays 10:30am 2893 MARINE DRIVE 604.926.1812 westvanpresbyterian.ca

Dugal Purdie, RCM Search & Rescue national award recipient.

Photo provided

Under Dugal Purdie’s leadership, West Vancouver Station 1 of the Royal Canadian Marine Search and Rescue has grown from a crew of 10 with a single rescue boat at West Vancouver Yacht Club to over 40 crew, a new headquarters on the pier in Horseshoe Bay and two state-of-the-art Falcon-class rescue vessels. He has also participated in improving the efficiency of the coordinated Search & Rescue program province wide. Dugal has performed over 1000 hours of sea time and 114 rescue missions. “The inaugural Emergency Management Exemplary Service Award is a prestigious recognition for exceptional service achievement across Canada to prevent, prepare for, respond to and recover from emergencies and disasters. Congratulations!” Patrick Tanguy, Assistant Deputy Minister, Emergency Management Branch, Public Safety Canada.

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July/August 2018

COMMUNITY PERSONALITY

Kay Alsop says Yes! to life Community Personality Chris Stringer

“K

ay Alsop lights up your day in The Province,” the banner on a downtown Province newspaper box proclaimed. It was 1976 and as Kay’s daughter, Jane, walked by it on her way to work she said to herself, “Yes, she does.” And it’s no different today. At age 97, with the same ready smile, twinkling eyes and personality bursting with enthusiasm, Kay still loves life. “I’m the luckiest old broad on the planet and proof that miracles can, and do,

The Alsop Family in 1992.

happen. I’ve had so much help along the way,” she says, referring to her many extraordinary experiences and achievements. Her journalism career in television and newspapers saw her mingling with national and international personalities. She was the first woman to fly with the Canadian Forces Snowbirds. Her 61-year marriage has resulted in three children, three grandchildren and one great-grandchild, all of whom are everpresent in her life. And of course there’s the plethora of friendships, many life-long and several more recently formed at her retirement home. Kay Reid was born and raised in Winnipeg. After graduating from college, she sold lingerie at The Bay, worked as a switchboard operator and stenographer, did some mod-

Photo: courtesy of Jane Robinson

elling, married Cy Alsop in 1942 and subsequently gave birth to Dave, Keith and Jane. “She was totally into being a mom,” says Dave. “She baked pink Valentine cakes, green St. Patrick’s cupcakes and her famous orange pies, all from scratch. She sewed Hallowe’en costumes for her own and the neighbours’ kids.” To augment the family income Kay did odd jobs modelling, typing for the church minister, and assisting at the school. Kay viewed her everyday life as an adventure and related stories from her unique point of view. One day her sister Betty, who worked for the Winnipeg Tribune, suggested that Kay write her hilarious story about a hat sale at The Bay. Kay responsed, “Oh, I couldn’t do that.” Betty persisted. Kay wrote the story. It was printed and a Canadian national journalism career began. More Tribune articles followed and, before long, Maclean’s approached Kay to write regularly for their Style magazine, a fashion publication for the garment industry. One day, while overseeing a fashion photo shoot on Winnipeg’s infamous Portage and Main Streets, Kay was approached by an on-looker who was intrigued by her personality and people skills. She said, “You’re having fun, aren’t you?” The onlooker was Mary Liz Bayer, host of Winnipeg CBC’s afternoon program, Ladies First, that ran in the 1960s. She invited Kay to join her as co-host, but Kay did not feel she had the skills for the job. Mary persisted, Kay succumbed, and it was during the two-year stint with the program that Kay honed her interviewing skills. Her popularity led to guest appearances on the iconic television program Front Page Challenge

Vancouver

Province new spaper box

circa 1976.

Photo provi

alongside fellow panelists Pierre Berton, Betty Kennedy and Gordon Sinclair. In 1967, Cy accepted a transfer with his company, Canadian General Insurance, from Winnipeg to Vancouver and the Alsops relocated to West Vancouver. Undaunted, Kay became an independent journalist again, beginning with an interview with Chief Dan George. Pretty soon her background caught up with her when Simma Holt, the famous, investigative reporter for The Province, discovered that Kay was living in Vancouver. She pitched Kay to consider working for Pacific Press. Kay’s response, “Oh, I couldn’t do that. I have no college degree, no journalism training – I’ve never even been in a newsroom!” Undeterred, Simma took her to meet Paddy Sherman, editor of The Province. Upon reviewing her portfolio Paddy hired her immediately with the quip, “You’ve been having a hell of a lot of fun, haven’t you!” Kay attributes her 15-year happy relationship with The Province to Simma, saying, “She gave me my start, she was my mentor and we remained good friends.” Kay served as a staff reporter, writing features, human interest stories, covering business and politics. She was the paper’s fashion editor for five years. One of her early assignments was

ded

July/August 2018

to cover Pierre Trudeau’s first campaign for Prime Minister. She and Simma scored the very first interview with Margaret Trudeau that was published in Chatelaine magazine. Kay’s reputation for professional, respectful and fun-filled interviews resulted in visiting celebrities requesting that she interview them. Over the years, these included Joan Crawford, Johnny Carson, Mitzi Gaynor, Tony Bennett, Ella Fitzgerald, Liza Minnelli, Sonny and Cher, Paul Anka, Phyllis Diller, Zsa Zsa Gabor, Vincent Price and Carol Channing. She wrote extensively about women’s issues and family law reform, columns that earned her the YWCA’s Woman of Distinction Award. The MacMillan Bloedel award recognized her feature article on separatism. Kay served on the boards of the West Vancouver Memorial Library, the YWCA and her beloved First Church of Christ Scientist where she has been a member for 50 years. Retired West Vancouver councillor, Bob Wyckham, served as chairman of the library board and was managing editor of the Whistler Journal, for which Kay wrote. “She has the capacity to make everything fun and to make those around her enjoy what they are doing together,” he says, having known and worked with her for many years. “You can’t help but love Kay Alsop.” Jane, Kay’s daughter, is her best friend. She says of her mother: “She has always sought to expand her mind and her horizons, and questions everything, listens actively, and never stops learning. She has lived life to the hilt and inspires others to do the same and remains feminine, fun and enthusiastic. She has a limitless gift for friendship and has brought joy, comfort and warmth to many. She has been a wonderful mother, nurturing not only her own children but others that needed her - struggling young Vancouver designers, her

Sunday school students and her neighbours - sharing love and hugs and a never-ending supply of chocolate chip cookies.” The ‘kids,’ Dave, Keith and Jane, held a party for Kay’s family and friends to celebrate her 95th birthday a few years ago, where she shared some wise words: “I’ve had the most wonderful life! And over the past 95 years, through all the ups and downs, I’ve learned some valuable lessons: I’ve learned to say “Yes!” to life. To keep a smile on my face, no matter what ‘cause people smile back! I’ve learned that, no matter how famous people are, they’re really just like the rest of us. I’ve learned to make health and fitness a priority. And I’ve learned to tell people that I love them. Say the words! Write the email! I’m thankful for all of you who have loved me, cared for me, helped me, and made my life so happy. All of you who are here today are here because I love you.” Thank you, Kay, for lighting up our Beacon.

Photo: courtesy of Jane Robinson Kay after her flight with the Snowbirds in 1974.

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Kay and Carol Channing, circa 1983.

Photo: courtesy of Jane Robinson

Front Page Challenge, circa 1966.

Photo: courtesy of Jane Robinson

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July/August 2018

SCHOOLS

West Vancouver School District honour choirs BY

Rose Lepin

have always loved to perform. However, I never felt like I had an outlet, until one spring day when Suzanne Fulton came to my school to tell us about her progressive district choir. Every word piqued my interest

The Honour Choir in Europe.

more and more and I grabbed the flyer right away. As soon as the bell rang I dashed home and signed myself up for an audition. The first day was nerve-racking, being new in an unfamiliar group. However, when I entered the room I suddenly felt calm. The other girls were laughing and chatting, and I immediately felt accepted and a part of

something great. The older students were so kind to us new ones, and treated us as if we were old friends. The choirs originated in 2013 when thenGleneagles Ch’axáý teacher, Suzanne Fulton, felt that teens in the district should have an opportunity to display their choral skills in a higher-level, auditioned choir. She successfully convinced the district and the District Honour Choir and District Women’s Honour Choir were born. This year the two choirs have been quite busy. With large events such as the eleven-day European Performance Tour, the Women’s Choir opening up for the world class Elektra Women’s Choir, and the Mixed Choir being featured with the well-known Marcus Mosely Chorale. We also have had many fun retreats and intensives. Such ses-

sions prove that everyone in the choir is extremely dedicated. We truly enjoy what we do, enough to spend entire days at West Vancouver Secondary School learning new concepts from inspiring guests such as the legendary Marcus Mosely. This coming year we have many changes coming our way. We are jumping from two choirs to three, as well as changing the name of an existing choir. We will now be a group of three choirs: • The District Honour Choir, the Mixed Choir • The District Treble Honour Choir, formerly known as the Women’s Honour Choir • The District Junior Honour Choir, our newest choir starting next year consisting entirely of Grade 7s I hope you consider auditioning for one of the choirs if you are in the school district!

Photo provided

HAPPY RETIREMENT MR. CUMMINGS Jim Cummings, who has been a beloved teacher at Gleneagles Ch’axáý Elementary for 17 years, is retiring early! Staff and students are sad to say goodbye but thrilled for him to begin his new adventures. Thank-you Mr. Cummings!

Gleneagles Ch’axáý Elementary at Community Day Parade on Saturday, June 2.

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July/August 2018

PAGE 11

FROM THE INKWELL

And the walls came tumbling down David Roberts

n 1989, on May 28, there was a puff of smoke, a muffled rumble and the old Georgia Medical-Dental Building gave a shudder as if it were some primeval animal prodded from a deep sleep. The Medical-Dental Building was famous for the three terracotta statues of the nurses,

Photo: courtesy of the Vancouver Public Library Archives. VPL12155 The Georgia Medical Dental building shortly after construction in 1926.

eleven stories up, standing, looking outwards on the three visible corners of the building. The architects, John McCarter and George Nairne, had served in the First World War. McCarter was seriously wounded and attributed his recovery to the care of the nursing sisters. So they commissioned Joseph Francis Watson to design the statues of the three nursing sisters, the “Sisters of Mercy.” The building was mostly tenanted by doctors and dentists, who immediately affectionately dubbed them the Rhea Sisters—Gono, Pyor and Dia. By 1989 the old building was deteriorating and in need of serious repair. It had been bought by Charles Shon and Sir Run Run Shaw of Hong Kong. They commissioned Paul Merrick to design a replacement, what is now known as Cathedral Place. A demolition permit was sought from the city. When news of this became public, an outcry erupted. Petitions besought City Council to preserve it. Incensed letters to the editors of the daily papers criticized council. For weeks, little else but the impending demise of the old building occupied the minds of the citizenry. But, in truth, the building had outlived its usefulness and the demolition permit stood. We decided to go down and watch. The event was scheduled for a Sunday morning. The police cordoned off the streets adjacent to

“

“It took many minutes for this fog of dust to clear, disclosing to view a neat pile of rubble.”

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the building. It seemed as if all Vancouver had turned out to watch the old building’s quietus. We took up station in my office with a good view across the roof of the Anglican Cathedral, which itself nestled only a lane away from its doomed neighbour. We wondered if the cathedral would survive the blast. The blast was set for 11 a.m. We could hear the crowd chanting down to zero hour. The first piece to go was the brick structure on the roof. It collapsed, falling sideways. A split second later the charges in the basement blew and all the windows blew out, little clouds of smoke puffing from each. The corners of the building leaned inwards and began to collapse. A huge cloud of dust erupted, preventing us from seeing its final collapse as seventeen storeys of brick and cement disappeared into the billows of dirty white smoke. It took many minutes for this fog of dust to clear, disclosing to view a neat pile of rubble. The cathedral still stood, unharmed and serene, beside the pile of bricks and cement. We descended onto Burrard Street, now filling with spectators chattering with excitement. As soon as we emerged onto the street I smelt what I had not encountered since my childhood during the blitz of London: the unique odour of a recently-destroyed building. It brought back memories of my boyhood. Squadrons of Henkel’s loosing sticks of bombs

on the homes and shops where I lived. The tenants of the building must have left behind quantities of filing cabinets, for the street was strewn with thousands of four by six sheets of paper. I picked up a couple. They were invoices to patients, carelessly left to be distributed by the blast in plain view for anyone to see. The new building, Cathedral Place, is designed with some sensitivity. Its copper roof and general design fits in nicely with the architecture of the Scottish baronial Vancouver Hotel and replicas of the three nursing sisters adorn the corners of the new building.

May 28, 1989 demolition.

Photo provided

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July/August 2018

Home again and the livin’ is easy BY

Laurisse Noel

can’t seem to shake the nagging feeling of incessant ease. After two years of hopping on planes with a select few belongings, adapting to various cultural differences, stumbling through Spanish and having to constantly define myself to everyone I meet, being back home is easy. I have sources of income, family, friends, a car, my bike, everything I could possibly crave in the grocery store, the beautiful mountains, trails and beaches that I desperately miss when I am away. I am a native speaker of the language and have intimate knowledge of my surroundings and environment. I studied gender and peace building at the University for Peace, spending ten months in the Costa Rican jungle, immersed in a beautifully diverse experience with 110 students from 40 different countries. While I spent a lot of time initially explaining to people why I was studying gender, today I am met with a greater understanding thanks to the #metoo movement. Interacting with my international

sisterhood of gender students, I was constantly reminded of how different everyone’s reality is based on their gender worldwide. Immense strides remain, to achieve a reality where everyone can be themselves regardless of their gender, race, class, sexual orientation, ability, age and ethnicity. My course work in Costa Rica was followed by an internship with UN Women in the Dominican Republic. I had always dreamed of working for the United Nations yet knew that I might have trouble working as an international public servant long term. My internship allowed me to gain some knowledge of the inner workings of the organization in a temporary way. I supported the development of online Training for Gender Equality. These courses are easily accessible worldwide and provide foundational knowledge of the relevance of considering gender in numerous fields. I am hoping to work at the intersection of conflict resolution and sexual assault, employing restorative justice practices, working towards a culture of consent that will make sexual assault extinct in the future. In the meantime, while I suspect the

Dave, world traveller PARC resident

ease of being back home might get old at some point, for now I am basking in it. You can keep up with Laurisse’s journeys via her blog: www.laurisse.com. To access the courses she’s been involved with at the UN Women Training Centre, go to https://trainingcentre.unwomen.org/

Photo: courtesy of Leire Arteach Internship moments in the Dominican Republic’s UN Women office.

Costa Rican beaching in Manuel Antonio National Park.

Photo: courtesy of Ava Gartner

When not travelling overseas with his wife, Dave can be found playing cribbage with the group he started at the Westerleigh. The game has been a favourite in Dave’s family for generations, and next on his list is to challenge other PARC residences to a championship! “We’ve made long-lasting friendships with other Westerleigh travellers.” That’s how it is at Westerleigh PARC: it’s easy to keep up old interests, with new friends. And with PARC Retirement Living’s focus on maintaining a healthy body and mind through our Independent Living+ program, it’s easy to see how life’s just better here.

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July/August 2018

PAGE 13

Anchovy in Howe Sound/Atl’kitsem BY

Bob Turner

ne day this past April while paddling my kayak south along the shores of Gambier Island in Howe Sound, I came upon four different groups of California sea lions, each churning the waters to a froth, feasting on schools of anchovy. Above, gulls and eagles wheeled, looking for scraps. A humpback whale was feeding nearby. A few months earlier, in January, near Snug Cove on Bowen Island, I recorded an underwater ballet of seals and sea lion feeding on a school of anchovy, while gulls, cormorants and merganser attacked from above (https://youtu.be/Ycx1hvrPAqc). While many might refer to such a sight as a ‘herring ball,’ for the past four years it has been much more likely to be an ‘anchovy ball.’ This is important because it is these

anchovy, along with the resident herring, that have drawn humpback whales back into Howe Sound/Atl’kitsem and inspired many of us to believe that Howe Sound is, indeed, in recovery. So, who are these anchovy? They, along with sardines, are the dominant small schooling fish along the California coast. British Columbia’s waters are at their northern limits, and so, historically, anchovy have been occasional visitors. Like herring, and other feeder fish or bait fish, anchovies are a critical link in the food chain of marine ecosystems. They graze on plankton and convert it into calorie-rich oily meat, creating a ‘rocket fuel’ meal for everything from salmon and seals, to dolphins and marine birds, to sea lions and humpback whales. The size of anchovy schools can be extraordinary - one observed in June 2015 at Porteau Cove in Howe Sound was half a kilometre long and 100 metres wide.

Photo provided Harbour seal hunting in a school of anchovy near Snug Cove, Bowen Island (https/__youtu.be_Ycx1hvrPAqc).

Anchovy are in part responsible for increased visits by transient killer whales (now called Biggs killer whales) into Howe Sound/ Atl’kitsem, who come to hunt the well-fed seals, harbour porpoise and sea lions. Fishing guides note that the best fishing over the past three to four years for winter Chinook in outer Howe Sound has been in

Can you find our baby coho? BY

Lindy Pfeil

n Thursday, June 7, I joined volunteers from the West Vancouver Streamkeeper Society, to release 30,000 coho fry into West Vancouver creeks. I had had the opportunity to feed these same fry at the Nelson Creek hatchery, just up the road from my home. The fry need to be fed daily until their release. These daily feedings are all administered by volunteers. The fry were released into the following neighbourhood creeks: Eagle, Nelson, Cy-

press, Rodgers, McDonald, Lawson, West Brothers and Hadden Creeks. Unfortunately, we couldn’t release any into Larson Creek in Horseshoe Bay, or Wood Creek in Parc Verdun because of the recent fish kills at both creeks. In Larson Creek, this was due to concrete slurry entering the creek. Chemical spills were the likely cause of the Wood Creek kill. Even the worms in the Parc Verdun creek bed are dead, leaving no food sources for any fish. For further information on how to prevent this from happening in the future, and to keep updated about Streamkeeper activities, visit their website at http://www.westvancouver-

Photo: L. Pfeil Volunteer Streamkeepers releasing coho fry into a local creek.

streamkeepers.ca/ And if you see our coho babies in any of these creeks, please let me know by emailing photos to lindypfeil@westvanbeacon.ca. They may just appear in future editions of The Beacon.

and around anchovy schools. It’s likely the salmon are feasting on the anchovy too! How long will the anchovy stay? They have been present in Howe Sound for the past four consecutive years (2015 to 2018), doubling the number of years since the Vancouver Aquarium began keeping records in 1971. It is likely that the anchovy spread north during the strong 2014 to 2016 El Nino that warmed the northeast Pacific Ocean. In 2015, marine scientists got excited when schools of baby anchovy were found swimming in Horseshoe Bay. This meant that the 2015 adults had spawned in Howe Sound earlier that summer and this led experts to guess that a new batch of adult anchovies would inhabit Howe Sound in 2016. Which is exactly what happened. Anchovies spawned in Howe Sound again in 2017. So we wait now to see if they will do so again in 2018. Fingers crossed they do! Bob Turner is a long-time resident and former mayor of Bowen Island, and a retired federal geoscientist who makes videos about wild nature in Howe Sound which he shares on YouTube as Bob Turner, Howe Sound.

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July/August 2018

Flour: the little bakery with a big heart BY

Lindy Pfeil

n the summer of 2016, Courtenay Bowman had been working at The Flour Bakery in Horseshoe Bay for almost a year. When the owners decided to sell, Courtenay, with no previous business experience, and only twenty years old, rose to the challenge and became its new owner. Initially, her parents, Roberta and Jason, helped her with the business side of things. “They wanted to see my success as they saw my love and passion for it all and I was also very troubled in my teens with mental illness, so they wanted to see me happy and live to the fullest,” she explains. Her boyfriend, Joseph, has also been extremely supportive since the beginning, driving her to work, running errands and doing deliveries. “He encourages me and motivates me to do my best.” Jana Markovic was Courtenay’s first employee. “She was the dream employee, because she excels at everything she does. In-

cluding cakes,” Courtenay smiles, adding that tourtière to the family line up. I ordered a Jana was always so supportive, easy to talk to, couple and had determined to retrieve them and full of ideas. They quickly formed one afternoon, but life got ahead of me and I forgot. I had planned a very special bond. With to get them a few days their shared passion for later, but an epic snow the bakery, and for storm left Horselife, Courtenay offered Jana a partshoe Bay without nership when her power. Flour was parents left to sail closed, people around the world. were scrambling, “Together we make but Courtney had a fantastic, dynamic me covered. She took team and we have so many the food home, stowed hopes and dreams for the my tourtières in their Photo provided Courtenay and Jana with their West bakery.” home freezer, and conHorseshoe Bay resi- Vancouver Chamber of Commerce Best nected with me via a staNew Business Award for 2018. dent, Tara Crittenden, tus update on our Xmas speaks fondly, and very Eve meal. This effort and highly, of Courtenay and Jana. “Flour gift kindness is representative of Flour. I love this boxes during the holiday season have be- bakery. I love its people.” come part of our personal and professional tradition as they are dearly appreciated,” says Tara. “Last holiday season I wanted to add

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Tara echoes the sentiments of many Horseshoe Bay residents when she says, “Flour makes hostess gifts, party desserts, family brunches, Xmas Eve, and regular life that much easier and sweeter. I feel blessed to have this jewel in our community.” Courtenay and Jana’s first year together was so successful that they won Best New Business for 2018 at the West Vancouver Chamber of Commerce Excellence Awards. And the celebrations continue as Jana recently got engaged to Mitchell – Courtenay was the matchmaker. Congratulations to all of you! The Flour Bakery has been entered into The Sweetest Bakery in Canada contest. Voting is open until July 31st and you can vote once a day by going to this link: sweetestbakeryincanada.com/bakery/the-flour-bakery/ Let’s show our support for the little bakery in the Bay with the big heart!

Chris Stringer

espite forecasts to the contrary, the weather remained clear for the eighth annual Rotary Ride for Rescue on Saturday, June 9. The grueling course up Cypress mountain was challenged by 247 road and 38 mountain bikers, with many finishing in under an hour. The event is organized by The Rotary Club of West Vancouver Sunrise who would like to express their appreciation to the riders, the 65 volunteers and the generous sponsors. Over $100,000 was raised.

The funds raised will support emergency rescue services on the North Shore and other Rotary humanitarian projects. North Shore Rescue offers a variety of search and rescue services at no charge including mountain search and rescue, helicopter rescue and public education. RCMSAR provides sea search and rescue services from their base in Horseshoe Bay. The Ride for Rescue was originated as the Tim Jones Memorial Ride, Tim being the founder of North Shore Rescue. Congratulations to the Rotary Club and all its supporters.

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Early riders cross the finish line.

Photo: courtesy of Three Sixty Media

July/August 2018

PAGE 15

CAULFEILD VILLAGE S H O P P I N G

C E N T R E

Neighbourhood shopping in your village meeting place. Drop in! Bank of Montreal 604.921.2982 BC Liquor Store 604.922.8201 Caulfeild Dental Centre 604.922.1305 Caulfeild Gallery & Framing 604.926.1886 Caulfeild Insurance Centre 604.922.9100 Caulfeild Medical Clinic 604.922.1544 Caulfeild Veterinary Hospital 604.922.2344 Cobs Bread 604.926.8820 Fisherman’s Market 604.281.2000 Designer One Hair Studio 604.925.3959 Equinox Integrative 604.281.0616 ProHealth Natural 604.922.3320 Healthworks 604.922.3320 Iris Optometrists & Opticians 604.923.4747 J Gregory Men’s Apparel 604.921.2646 Marilyn’s Boutique 604.925.4110 Mega Sushi 604.281.0200 Pastameli’s Restaurant 604.922.9333 Pharmasave 604.926.5331 Post Office 1.800.267.1177 Safeway 604.926.2550 Spa On The Rocks 604.922.3636 Starbucks 604.922.4955 Subway 604.922.7501 Valetor Cleaners 604.925.3900 Village Pet Food 604.925.3334 VPR Realty 778.688.4149 Windsor Meats Co. 604.926.6168

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July/August 2018