West Vancouver Beacon | May/June 2018 | Edition 28

THE No. 28

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

May/June 2018

Photo provided

Caulfeild Point by West Vancouver artist, Craig Yeats.

11

Kayak safety

12

Cultural connections

14

PG

8-9

From the inkwell

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Community personality

PG

Schools

PG

PG

IN THIS ISSUE 3

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TEAM

From West Vancouver to New York on her toes Opinion

Chris Stringer Publisher

chrisstringer @westvanbeacon.ca

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.

May/June 2018

Lindy Pfeil

N

athalie Joyal was three when I met her, but her soul was so much older.

She was one of my baby ballerinas.

And if you have ever taught preschool ballet, you will know that the joy and magic of this experience is dependent on a cartload of variables – many not under the teacher’s control. On Mondays I would make my way up to Tiddlycove Montessori at St Francis-inthe-Wood church, to collect another group of three- and four-year-olds. We’d tiptoe downstairs carrying snacks, ballet slippers, tulle and whatever drama had ensued during the three hours at preschool. So much drama!

And so many headstrong little girls. Which is one of the things I adore about this agegroup: they are passionate about everything. But a big part of navigating my way through this maelstrom of feelings was trying to figure out - before entering the studio - who was feeling sad, or ignored, and whether last week’s best friends were still on speaking terms.

The one constant, I soon discovered, was Nathalie. She was that little girl – the one who kept the peace and who knew exactly, even as a preschooler, how to soothe hurt feelings, make people feel better. When no-one else wanted to be the caboose during follow-theleader, Nathalie quietly took her place at the end of the line. When someone didn’t like their snack, she shared hers. She did it quietly.

Unnoticed. And when she danced, she danced for herself. Not for an audience. While the ballerinas around her jostled for the spotlight,

Nathalie was content on the periphery in her own world of make-believe. She made my life easier. Immeasurably. With her kindness, her compassion and her toddler wisdom. I hoped, as life progressed, that she would not get pushed into the shadows because of it. Of course, I need not have worried.

Nathalie is now twenty, studying at the American Musical and Dramatic Academy (AMDA) in New York, about as far from the shadows as you could possibly be. After participating in a community theatre production of Annie with Royal City Musical Theatre in Grade 10, she started taking voice lessons, and continued dancing at Vanleena Dance Academy. “In grade eleven I did Hairspray with Theatre Under the Stars which was thrilling,” she says. “It came into my l i f e at the perfect time and really confirmed my passion for musical theatre.”

After successfully auditioning for AMDA in Grade 12, she moved to New York. “Looking back, I see how crazy that was, moving somewhere I had never been before. But I just knew that it was where I was meant to be,” she explains. “My first year was hands down the best year of my life. It was my first time away from my family, friends and everything I knew to be familiar. I was also moving to a different country which had its own adjustments and culture shocks. The school I go to is very intense and demanding. The work is extremely physically and emotionally taxing.” But she wouldn’t have it any other way. Having New York as your campus is a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

True to her toddler self, Nathalie says,

“None of this would be possible without my mom. She has always believed in me and my dreams. All the driving from school to class to rehearsal and back again. She went above and beyond to make sure I could have every opportunity possible and I can’t thank her enough for everything. She is who I want to be when I grow up.”

Currently in her fourth semester, Nathalie takes classes at night and auditions during the day, another big adjustment. “Being so far away from family is difficult,” she says, “But it’s all a part of growing up and figuring it all out.” She adds that not being a teenager anymore makes it feel like time is flying. “I’m finishing up school in the near future, searching for my first NYC apartment and trying my best to slow the moments down because it all goes way too fast.”

I for one cannot wait to see what Nathalie’s future holds.

Photos provided Nathalie at St. Francis-in-the-Wood circa 2002.

ABOVE: Nathalie recently in New York.

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

May/June 2018

PAGE 3

SCHOOLS

Rockridge recognized as eco-innovative BY

M aya Seethram Rockridge Secondary Student

S

taples, in partnership with Earth Day Canada, has created the 2018 ‘Superpower Your School’ contest which aims to inspire students to create environmentally-positive changes within their school. Many primary and secondary Canadian schools have applied to receive $20,000 of funding to put towards technology that will help their ‘environmental initiatives.’ Ten of these cash prizes will be given out.

Among the many groups that have applied for this grant is the Environment club at Rockridge Secondary school, of which I am a proud member. Our club strives to encourage sustainability and promote leadership within the school community by hosting an annual Eat, Learn, Lead event,

in which we invite students from primary and secondary schools alike, to come and participate in an afternoon of cooking, games and learning about environmental topics.

Our biggest ongoing project is our school garden, which allows students to get involved with the club and take initiative on a local level by growing and selling vegetables such as spinach, beets, carrots, garlic, herbs and chard.

If the club were to receive the Superpower Your School grant, the money would go to enhancing our garden through technological means, such as rain barrels and the addition of a greenhouse.

Not only does the club enjoy promoting environmental practices, it values making a local impact, and getting involved with the community through regular garden-grown vegetable sales, invasive species removal and beach clean-ups.

Our club is honored to be in the top 100 schools that are being considered for funding. We are excited to be part of

an initiative that fosters sustainability in schools by involving student leaders.

Photo: courtesy of Jennifer Towers Members of the Rockridge Environment Club selling vegetables grown in their school garden.

Student voices adjusting mindsets BY

M ia Jakobsen, Lila Edsall & Natasha Walker Rockridge Secondary Students

A

ll over the world, we struggle with different issues. One we have in common is homophobia. With so many big voices telling us that “being gay is wrong” it’s no wonder it’s something we still struggle with. But compared to other world

problems, what is so complicated about basic lgbtq+ rights?

Let’s look at the bigger picture. We are dealing with school shootings, war, poverty, mental illness stigma, spread of diseases, environmental issues and so much more.

Why are we focusing on something as small as loving whomever you want to love? On having equal rights no matter your race, religion or gender? Why aren’t we focusing on real issues?

It’s 2018 and there are world leaders who

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apparently still view women as objects. And trans people are prevented from joining the military in some parts of the world. Why the discrimination? Why is it so hard to give everyone basic rights?

Maybe it’s fear. Or lack of education or awareness. Sharing information about sexuality and encouraging acceptance in the community can change world views on what is ‘normal’.

Just over 100 years ago, women in British

Columbia won the right to vote for the first time. Too often, we feel that we are too insignificant to take part in our global development. But we do have a voice. Everyone has a voice. The world has been revolutionized since the days when certain professions were viewed as too masculine for women. What could we accomplish - what changes could take place - if we all looked, listened, spoke up and kept an open mindset towards other cultures and beliefs?

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May/June 2018

Is there a deal-breaker in your relationship?

Psyched Out Ian Macpherson

L

ucy told me it was all over when Frank was unfaithful to her. If ever there is a blockbuster deal-breaker that must be it. And two out of five people would agree.

But in fact, most such challenged couples actually stick together and, with help, many become more firmly committed and trusting than ever before. If you can get over this terrible rift, it seems all others must be easier to cross.

Nonetheless, in the dating or courtship phase it is wise to think twice before trying to ignore a fault - especially if, like Lucy, you think you can buff off the rough edges of your partner once the bond between you solidifies.

Sure, you can live with a few imperfections but consider Frank - quite content to be the way he always was; he resisted all Lucy’s adamant attempts at reforming. Then the stage was set for an essential disagreement that involved conflicting needs about which neither was willing to compromise.

Eventually the Alienation Cascade follows and down the slide goes the couple’s mutual respect and caring. It is true that relationships do a lot better when men allow their wives to influence them - really!

But even if you agree with Lucy about the need to succeed in whatever her corrective project was with her mate, I am afraid she was confusing her pile of responsibilities with his. And he was not going to take it on!

Does this mean that Lucy should never have been with Frank in the first place?

Well, you might ask first just what this deal-breaker was that she thought she could fix.

Yet a major survey to identify relationship deal-breakers revealed that almost none of the described characteristics and behaviours were immoveable traits or conditions. Top items, endorsed by about 50% or more of the respondents included dishevelled appearance, lazy attitude, over-dependency,

undeveloped sense of humour, selfcentredness and lack of self-confidence.

Lucy’s pet peeve may or may not have fit this list, but we know that the process between herself and her partner is what matters more than the actual supposed dealbreaker. So, if you do not want to work it out with your partner, do not assume it will go according to your plan afterwards. But know that many deal-breakers become quite workable before or after the commitment phase when both address the problem in an ‘us’ rather than a ‘you versus me’ fashion.

Ian Macpherson is a psychologist who lives and practices in West Vancouver. More at www.westvancouvertherapist.com

“Sumer is icumen in, loudly sing cuckoo”* BY

Ann Frost

W

ell, maybe not summer just yet, but certainly mid-spring and many things are growing and blooming. The early rhodies are long gone, but their later sisters are blooming everywhere: red, white, pink, purple, variegated – and blooming through to late June. Spring, to my mind, is the best of all seasons here on the West Coast and brings all sorts of opportunities to enjoy the outdoors.

There are more trails now than ever before on our local mountains. Way back, folks would put on their hiking boots, pack a few sandwiches and head for the

‘wilderness.’ And finding a small clearing in the sunshine to relax in, and eat those sandwiches, was a blissful experience. It still is. Food always seems to taste better outdoors – and a forest clearing may be best of all.

Meanwhile, back at home the early plantings are already waving their tiny tendrils, promising succulent meals to come. And it is time to think about summer annuals. Every year there seem to be more choices – new varieties, but also some golden oldies. Hostas are waving their newfound leaves. Azaleas are in flower.

The phlox are thinking about it - so is the early lettuce that’s not yet ready to harvest!

Chickadee parents are nesting and any day now bird feeders will be swarming with the

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chickadee ‘kids’ jostling one another in the highest of spirits.

And on the beach, driftwood everywhere, to build wooden huts to shelter small folks watching the tide ebb and flow; special pieces to be taken home and somehow turned into wall hangings or something else. And always the baby crabs.

Most creatures breed once a year, but it seems that there is something special here with baby crabs scuttling around all year long. Ahhh, roll on summer. * “Sumer Is Icumen In” is a medieval English round, alternatively called the Summer Canon or the Cuckoo Song and is roughly translated as “Summer Has Come In” or “Summer Has Arrived.”

Photo provided Granddaughter, Sarah, with her baby crab on the beach off Erwin Park.

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May/June 2018

GLENEAGLES ‘SPRING FEST WEST’ Gleneagles Community Centre is celebrating spring with “Spring Fest West” on Saturday, May 5 from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. Join families, school children, local merchants, police, firefighters, face painters as well as bunnies and chickens for an exciting new event in the western corridor.

This family-friendly celebration will include a plant sale, live music, games, demonstrations, a bunny-petting zoo, a scavenger hunt and more. Register your bike with the police. Build your own bus with West Vancouver Transit. Ever wanted to learn to play pickleball? Well, you’ll have the opportunity to try this extremely popular sport-for-all-ages.

Become familiar with emergency preparedness, enjoy a family introduction to golf, learn pottery skills and take part in a silent auction supported by local merchants.

Bring the whole family and explore all the activities and programs available to residents from Lions Bay, Whytecliff, Horseshoe Bay, Caulfeild as well as other western neighbourhoods and beyond. For additional details visit westvancouverrec.ca/specialevents.

PAGE 5

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May/June 2018

Is being car-free on the North Shore possible?

BY

Janet Van Rooyen

S

even months ago, we took our car back to the dealer at the end of its lease and embarked on an experiment to be car-free. Having always owned or leased a car, the initial feeling was panic, a sense of being untethered. We would be relying on public transit and car-sharing. A week went by and that initial feeling of panic was replaced by a sense of empowerment and pride at having a smaller footprint.

There is a carefreeness about not worrying about where to park. Getting off a bus or walking away from an Evo or a Car2go, knowing that someone else will be making

use of the vehicle within the hour or so has an efficiency that is satisfying. Not paying ICBC felt good. Not filling up at almost $1.50/litre felt great.

There were many down-sides of course: what to do with one’s things while at an appointment, how to carry groceries or other purchases, how to get to out-of-theway places. Each of these problems had a solution, and one of the solutions was to hire a car for short periods. We would do our big grocery shopping during the weeks we had a hired car. We would visit friends in not-so-easy-to-get-to locations while in a Hertz, Enterprise or National rental. Costwise, if your timing is right, you can hire a car for two or three weeks for $400 or less.

We are coming to the end of our

experiment and have reached some conclusions. It’s a privilege to own a car.

It’s way more convenient to have your own vehicle and the conveniences outweigh the altruistic, environmentally sound achievements of transit and car-share and here’s why: on the North Shore car-share options are only available in the City of North Vancouver. What about the District, and what about West Vancouver? Buses are good, but they don’t go everywhere, and sometimes they let you down.

Soon we will decide on the right vehicle for our family, and will return to owning or leasing a car, and we will become part of the daily traffic jams that have become standard for the North Shore. We will re-join the carowning privileged and will wait until we

have more options for transit and car-share possibilities.

Photo provided Janet Van Rooyen experimenting with going car-free on the North Shore.

A wrinkle in the fabric of time BY

I

Kim Clarke

am the keeper of memories most of the time. I can usually be counted upon to be able to remember conversations between friends, where we were, who was there, what we wore. I notice everything.

I am my old friends’ favourite party trick.

“Kim, where were we when…? Why were we there?” They try and stump me. I tell them what they want to hear and everyone oohs and ahhhs at the clarity I have of the past. The funny thing is, I could tell them anything because they don’t remember one thing about the moment. But I tell them the truth as I remember it. Which

is also fascinating. I can’t remember who said it, but the quote goes something like “all memories are lies.” So, who is to say that anything that I seem to remember is accurate? But if it makes people happy, and means that those significant moments are not lost to history then great. I will continue to be intrigued by everyday details and keep them close so that I can drag them out when someone is in need of a warm fuzzy hug from the past.

This brings me to last Saturday and a former student who had a memory of me that I could not recall. It happened during my first year of teaching the kids who are now my friends and peers. One of my darlings was a raging green-haired punk who was in need of a job. She found a coffee

shop willing to hire her and her piercings, but they were nervous about her hair. She came to school on Monday morning and told me the tale. She really wanted the job, but she also really liked her green hair. She was conflicted. Job or hair. I went to the cupboard in my classroom, which was filled with survival gear for whatever apocalypse befell us and pulled out a Chrissy Hynde of the Pretenders black wig. She put it on. My wig went to work. She got the job.

Once she’d told me the story, I remembered the exact moment of looking into the cupboard and being confronted with a difficult choice: platinum blonde page-boy wig or Chrissy Hynde. This memory was almost too much for me as it made me long for the days of both

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of our youths. I was happy that she had a memory that included me, that I somehow was a detail that she remembered. In the retelling of all my memories I forgot that what most of us want is to make a dent, a wrinkle in the fabric of time. That even if we don’t remember the exactness of a particular moment, someone else will. That we somehow matter, that we are somewhat worthy, and that our wrinkles are earned.

Kim Clarke is a writer and teacher who lives in Horseshoe Bay. She is surprised and delighted by the inexplicable details of everyday.

Nothing is random. Everything is purposeful and beautiful and fabulous and sparkly and she wants to share sparkle, in all its forms, with the world.

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May/June 2018

PAGE 7

MOUNTAINS TO SEA

West Vancouver’s shoreline cleanup Elspeth Bradbury

S

horeline cleanups are not new to West Vancouver, but it is several years since Rockridge Secondary School’s Environment Club organized an event. Now they have decided it is time to get back to work. They will gather in Whytecliffe Park at 9:00 a.m. on May 25 to remove litter from the beaches of Whyte Bay and Cliff Cove.

Last year, volunteers with the Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup kept notes on the 88,700 kilograms of garbage they cleared from Canada’s shorelines. According to their records, the Rockridge students will likely be picking up such items as plastic bags, water bottles, food wrappers, straws, bottle caps, cans, ropes and chunks of foam.

Such waste is finding its way into the world’s oceans at the staggering rate of one dump truck full every minute.

Not only will the Whytecliff Park cleanup make some of our own beaches more pleasant for human visitors and safer for wildlife, it will also contribute to a healthier ocean.

When plastic litter remains along our shorelines, most of it breaks down eventually into tiny fragments. An accumulation of ocean debris known as the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, which lies between Hawaii and California and covers an area twice the size of France, contains vast quantities of these microplastics. But the problem is by

no means confined to one patch. It seems that we have been turning all the world’s oceans into a kind of particle soup. Two months ago, Dr Peter Ross, vice-president of research at Ocean Wise sampled a cubic meter of seawater in the relatively clean Vancouver harbour and found 1258 tiny plastic pieces. Although scarcely visible, they make for a very nasty broth. Consumed by even the smallest marine animals, the zooplankton, they may then pass throughout the food web, becoming more concentrated with each transfer and affecting fish, birds and other animals – including humans.

Of course, it would be ideal if the garbage didn’t reach our shorelines and oceans in the first place. Various governments and businesses are beginning to restrict the use of items such as single-use plastic bags, straws and cutlery, but the movement is painfully slow and action is urgently needed.

While we encourage those in power to come to grips with the problem, each of us can start right away to be more careful about the materials that we purchase and discard.

In the meantime, every item of garbage removed from our beaches can make a difference.

The Rockridge Environment Club is one of the largest and most active clubs in the school. Club members try to minimize the environmental impact of the school by recycling and composting. They also sell produce from their own school garden. For the last four years, they have invited students from local elementary schools to cook and eat a sustainable meal together and to learn more about an environmental issue. This year’s event in June will focus on bees.

If you would like to organize a beach cleanup of your own, contact The Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup at the

Vancouver Aquarium for information and advice.

Photo: courtesy of Kai Bradbury

Beach garbage at Whyte Bay.

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May/June 2018

COMMUNITY PERSONALITY

A Caulfeild family, a church and a cannery Community Personality Chris Stringer

A

pproaching Caulfeild, driving west along Marine Drive, a fiveacre compound beside the ocean comes into view. It is the Department of Fisheries and Oceans research facility. But for decades it was a walled village that served as home to families of Japanese immigrants who worked, alongside Chinese immigrants and First Nations peoples, for the Great Northern Cannery.* Generations integrated into community life and children attended the West Vancouver schools.

In 1935 the cannery was purchased

by Francis Millerd & Co. and the Millerd

dynasty in Caulfeild began.

Francis Millerd was born and raised in Ireland in the late 1800s. He, like Winston Churchill and many young British men of the time, chose to find adventure in South Africa fighting in the Boer War. After surviving the war and returning to Ireland, Francis’ stay was brief. He set his sights on a new adventure to explore Canada or Australia. However, upon arriving in Vancouver in 1909 he never left.

Needing employment, he saw an advertisement in a store window for a clerical position at a canning plant on Vancouver Island. This set the future path for the young Millerd who went on to partner with Captain Gosse, a man with considerable experience in the fishing industry. They successfully built and operated Gosse-Millerd Packing Company in the 1920s until Millerd ventured out on

Francis Millerd in his trademark three-piece suit and hat at work in the 1960s.

Photo provided

his own, ultimately with the Great Northern Cannery in Caulfeild.

Francis and his wife Annie parented five children. Two of them, Frank and Don, joined their father to work and build the family business and they lived on the grounds of the cannery. Don’s wife they married in 1945 - is the iconic Babs.

She thought she would be moving into a nice cottage beside the water when Don revealed, “Baby, it’s a shack on the grounds of the cannery.”

Here, on the five acres, the brothers and their wives raised ten children. Over time they built cottages beside the water for their growing families. When asked about family life at the cannery Babs was quoted in the 1972 Caulfeild Chronicle as saying, “It was not like any ordinary cannery or factory. It had been an integral part of the lives of many people for many years - loved and hated. To many community home owners, the cannery was a thorn in the side. To artists it was a delight to be sketched and painted over and over again. To students it was a source of summer income to pay for next year’s university fees. But to little boys it was heaven - sheer heaven. What better playground than all those old boats, docks, net lofts full of cork and twine and all those fascinating old buildings all beside the inviting rocks and beaches.”

The Japanese families and the Millerd families celebrated special occasions together, including Japanese New Year. The teenagers were expected to work there too.

“All us Millerd kids started working at the cannery,” says Don’s son, Don Millerd Jr. “For me, it was first pushing brooms in the net loft, then on the cannery floor, then on the central coast fish camps and packer boats, at about age 16. My high school buddies were often hired to go ‘up north’. It was fabulous summer employment! Some of us took to the fishing boats, others canned or worked in the office. We were all involved.”

Keay Homma, whose grandfather, Tomekichi, started at the cannery in 1909 said, “Oh, we did everything. There wasn’t a thing we couldn’t do. You know we were born there. If the man told us to butcher fish, we would butcher fish. We used to can salmon by hand. We did everything.

Whenever they were short of a person, or somebody, any of us kids would go to those

places and fill in because we were there.

And we all started working as young kids for 12 to 15 cents an hour.” (WVMA oral history July 1995) Many West Van youngsters had summer jobs at the cannery. They would pack a lunch, put on their gumboots, and take the Blue Bus to the cannery and hang around the gates hoping that the timekeeper, Seiji Homma, would need some extra help, and hire them on. Once hired for temporary work, you might ‘get on steady.’

In addition to hiring community youngsters for sum- Babs Millerd mer employment the Millerds and their cannery played a large part in community life. The sea scout boats were repaired at the cannery shipyard, and the cannery truck was used for parades and jamborees.

The Caulfeild volunteer fire department was staffed by Don and Frank Millerd and cannery employees, as well as Caulfeild neighbours. Community carol-singing and Easter egg hunts were usually coordinated by the Millerds or cannery residents.

In the neighbourhood, life revolved around the cannery and St. Francis-in-theWood church. The community was small and there was no recreation centre nearby, so the old church hall was it for pick-up basketball games, working out, dancing and just getting together. The kids went to playschool in the hall. Later, it was cubs, then scouts at the church hall and Sunday school, the choir and church services.

Millerd family weddings and christenings took place at St. Francis.

After the cannery was sold to the Department of Fisheries in 1968 most of the young Millerd family men went on to careers related to the fishing industry. Don Jr. started his own cannery in North Vancouver in the late ‘70s and spent his working life in salmon processing. Brother Phil worked for Central Native Fisherman’s Co-op, then ran the salmon smoking operations for Oceanfood Sales. John Millerd, with his wife Anne, founded Sea Change Seafoods, canning and marketing smoked salmon

“

“Work hard hold hands after each

May/June 2018

in beautiful native-designed cedar boxes, which they did for the next 40 years.

Cousin Frank Millerd Jr. attended Cornell University in the U.S. He became a university professor in economics at Wilfred Laurier University in Waterloo, where he researched and wrote on the B.C. fishing industry and its history. His brother Doug’s interest in salmon led to running private and government salmon hatcheries on Vancouver Island.

After completing a political science degree at UBC, Bill Millerd joined the National Theatre School in Montreal to learn theatre management. Bill took over management of Vancouver’s Arts Club Theatre Company in 1972, building it to the largest theatre company in western Canada over 40 years. Congratulations, Bill, on your recent retirement.

The Millerd girls did not pursue work in fishing. They developed their own professions. Elizabeth Anne taught. Margo is a nurse and Anne is a teacher. Susan,

d, love well, s and look other.”

who lives on Saltspring Island, owned and operated two retail businesses. Known as Sooz in the family, she tells the story: “Being the oldest grandchild, and because I could drive, my job was to drive my grandfather, Francis, to his Vancouver club or to meet with lawyers or accountants. This would keep him away from the business, so the sons could get on with running the operations without Francis’ disruptions.”

Babs, Don Sr.’s wife, was the matriarch who embodied the Millerd dynasty. She died in July 2013 at age 92. A vigorous family and community leader, Babs’ home was a raucous place that welcomed all-comers. Her involvement in the St. Francis community earned her the lifetime achievement award from the Diocese of New Westminster. Bab’s legacy: “work hard, love well, hold hands and look after each other.”

Photo provided Babs Millerd in front of the matrimonial home that Don, Sr. described as “a shack on the grounds of the cannery,” circa 1946.

* “Through the Gate: The Great Northern Cannery Story” (available at the West Vancouver Library) is a 2016 documentary by Gary Prendergast, a childhood resident at the cannery.

Photo provided The Millerd clan with cannery friends on the cannery beach in the ‘50s. From L/ Aunt Nancy Stuart, Bruce Stuart, Hiroko Haya, Bill Millerd, Ronny Homma, Susan Millerd, Uncle Ian Stuart, Don Millerd, Rick Nakata, Alan Homma, Philip Millerd, Michael Moore, Kerry Moore, Yoshi Nakata.

Photo provided Caulfeild Cub Pack and the cannery truck preparing for the West Vancouver May Day parade, circa 1950.

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10

BRIAN POMFRET

EAGLE HARBOUR MONTESSORI SUPPORTS THE SPCA

Photo: courtesy of Randeep St. Jacques Emma and Finn Corey, Isabel St. Jacques, Madeline Mast, Charlotte Froome, Scarlet and Jack Salt, Piper and Jenna White and Maya Menten-Schubert were among the students who raised $1080 for the West Vancouver SPCA by selling cupcakes at school and at Caulfeild Village.

Parents and children from Eagle Harbour Montessori School have been raising funds for the SPCA for the past five years.

May/June 2018

JOE GARDENER

May days and June blooms MAY - There should be a fair amount of action happening now with perennials like astrantia (masterwort), aquilegia (columbine) and epimedium (bishop’s hat) showing blossoms.

• Time to purchase your bedding plants and plant them out after the fifteenth of the month. Make sure the plants are really healthy-looking with strong stems.

• If your daffodils are faded by now you can dig them up and heel them in elsewhere in your garden to die back completely. A little fish fertilizer on them will encourage good performance next year.

• Watch out for aphids on shrubs especially roses and rub off or apply insecticidal soap.

• Start seeding winter crops of cauliflower, brussels sprouts and cabbages and try planting asparagus!

• Mow that lawn frequently and try leaving the cuttings as a natural source of nitrogen.

• Prune off any shrubs and trees that have finished flowering now before they set bud for next year.

JUNE - June is a rewarding month from the hard work of garden preparation earlier with so many annuals, perennials, shrubs and trees in bloom at this time.

• This is the month for roses! They like a full six hours of sun and if cared for will give little trouble. When planting work in a well-rotted bit of steer manure and if existing work in top inch with the stuff.

• Keep roses just moist (peat moss helps) and water only at the bottom not on foliage. Hungry feeders so apply organic fertilizer regularly according to directions.

• Hanging baskets have to be watered frequently and maybe have a slow release fertilizer on top like Osmocote.

• Lots of dead heading to be done. Spent rhododendron and camellia blossoms can be put under the canopy with a covering of topdressing soil. Good mulch.

• Plant out tomatoes and remember to nip off side shoots to redirect energy.

• Prune off those perennials to encourage continued blooming.

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May/June 2018

PAGE 11

FROM THE INKWELL

Mariners frozen in time David Roberts

I

n August 2012 my wife, Gill, and I took a cruise through the Northwest Passage.

One cannot travel those waters without remembering the fate of the Franklin expedition, commissioned by the British government in its quest for the passage a century and a half earlier. It set out in the spring of 1845 and was last seen that summer by whalers in Davis Strait.

We went ashore at Beechey Island, where Sir John Franklin spent the winter of 1845/6.

Protected by Devon Island to the north and east, it was clear why Franklin chose this particular haven in which to spend the winter.

The actual anchorage is a horseshoe shaped bay on the north-east of the island, so gales blowing south down Wellington Channel or west along Lancaster Sound would not expose Franklin’s ships to their full fury. Storms blowing east would break upon Beechey Island before reaching the ships anchored in the little bay.

We stood in the bitter cold, magnified by a stinging wind out of the north, solemnly pondering the fate of the first crew members to die in the doomed expedition. Four graves lay in a straight line, twenty yards apart, in strict, naval order, each memorialized by a headstone telling the fate of the seamen.

The first was “Sacred to the memory of William Braine,” a private in the Royal Marines, who died aboard H.M.S. Erebus on

April 3, 1846, age 32. Next was Able Seaman John Hartnell, also a member of the Erebus crew, who was 23 when he died on January 4, 1846. The third, John Torrington, was a Petty Officer and a member of the crew of H.M.S. Terror. He “departed this life” on January 1, 1846, just twenty years old.

The fourth grave belongs to Thomas Morgan, a seaman off H.M.S. Investigator commanded by Captain Robert McLure, who had been forced to abandon his ship, caught fast in the ice in the strait that bears his name, his crew seriously afflicted with scurvy. Morgan died after struggling over the ice to Beechey Island on May 19, 1854. The Admiralty had sent McLure forth to search for Franklin.

The three original graves were discovered in 1850 by the crew of the Lady Franklin, one of the many ships sent to find out what had befallen the Franklin expedition.

Beechey Island Graves.

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We stood muffled against the driving wind.

This was the beginning of August. Franklin and his crews endured an entire sunless winter at this inhospitable location. A deferential hush descended upon us in the presence of these mariners, frozen in time.

By 2007 the bodies had been frozen for over 150 years, perfectly preserved. An autopsy, performed in a portable laboratory, brought to the beach for the purpose, revealed the cause of the deaths: two had died from tuberculosis and scurvy and one from emphysema.

No one with an ounce of romance in their veins could possibly visit this site and remain unmoved by the spectacle of these graves, dug in the permafrost by their shipmates from Franklin’s two ill-starred ships, in the dead of the night of an impenetrable Arctic winter.

Photo provided Gravestone of William Braine, R.M. of the H.M.S Erebus.

Photo: courtesy of Martin Aldrich

Contact us today Ashley Hamilton at 604-706-1259 ahamilton@copemanhealthcare.com www.copemanhealthcare.com West Vancouver, 200-545 Clyde Ave Vancouver, 400-1128 Hornby Street

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12

May/June 2018

Safety tips for stress-free kayaking BY

Brent O’Malley

A

s the days get longer and the weather warms, many of us look longingly at the waters around us. Kayaking is one of those quintessential west coast, outdoor activities that attracts people of all ages. Gliding through glassy water surrounded by nature makes us feel connected to the world. But the sea can be challenging, or even dangerous, and knowing when to be on or off the water is the first essential tool in your paddler’s kit.

Before setting off, always check the weather to be sure that high winds or a storm front is not right around the corner. On overnight trips you will need to record weather data via marine radio and track the high and low pressure systems that indicate changes in weather.

Know your skill level. Most people over-estimate their abilities but there are some objective guidelines for assessing preparedness. You should not paddle alone if you have never practiced capsizing while wearing a spray skirt, exiting your kayak, and re-entering without assistance.

Remember, double kayaks are more stable than single kayaks but even then, basic rescue knowledge can make the difference between life and death. Consider taking a rescue course if you have not already done so.

Essential supplies for trips of any duration include sufficient drinking water, a hat, sunscreen, lip balm with SPF protection, and sunglasses that are secured around your head or neck. Wear appropriate clothing (never cotton) that dries quickly and keeps you warm even when wet. Water shoes are a great investment but sneakers are ok. Avoid flip flops; it’s not only easy to lose them if you flip over but closed-heeled shoes will protect your heels while paddling.

Paddling at all times requires safety gear, including gear mandated by Transport Canada. The minimum five items you must always have on board are: a personal flotation device (PFD) i.e. a life jacket, a sound device (typically a whistle attached to the PFD), bailing device (typically a pump), throw rope (50 feet of floating safety line) and a light (needed between one-half hour before sunset and one-half hour after sunrise).

Depending on where you are paddling, you

Dave, world traveller PARC resident

should seriously consider adding a VHF marine radio (requires certification), spare paddle, tow rope, compass, flares (two different types), and a first aid kit. Most pre-packaged first aid kits that you can buy in the store are not sufficient for a multi-day trip but they are better than nothing. To be fully prepared for a multi-day trip, you may want to enroll in a wilderness first aid course.

If the ocean is less than 15 degrees Celsius you should have a hypothermia kit that includes a wool toque, a fleece, wool socks,

gloves, etc. Whenever you go paddling, it is wise to have a float plan and give someone on land a detailed description of where you plan to paddle and how long you expect to be gone.

Your kayaking adventures will be fun and enjoyable if you have prepared and practiced beforehand. It’s always better to be on land, wishing you were on the water, rather than on the water, wishing you were on land.

Brent O’Malley is the owner of Bowen Island Sea Kayaking and loves paddling around Howe Sound.

Photo: courtesy of Neal Braaten

Kayaking around Howe Sound.

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.

Call Gail at 604.922.9888 to reserve your tour and complimentary lunch.

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May/June 2018

PAGE 13

HOME & LIVING COLOURF UL STUFFED PEPPERS

Spring is on the menu Cooking with Chlo Chloé Noël

S

pring has sprung, and I decided to break out a recipe that is colourful and upbeat. These stuffed red peppers are

the healthiest alternative to tacos you will find. They are packed with protein and healthy fats and are free of any gluten. Try these out for a pop of colour and an enticing presentation.

Chloé is a part time vegetarian who tends to overshare and overeat.

4 large bell pe ppers (any colo ur) 1 c. dried quin oa 2 c. water 1 onion ½ c. of cubed tofu 1 can black be ans 1 package ta co seas oning (to taste) ½ c. shredded cheese 1 avocado ch opped Salsa, sour cr eam or humm us as a side

Christa’s done it again!

West Vancouver’s own Christa Bortignon was selected as the 2018 Master Athlete of the Year at the 52nd Sport BC Award Gala held in Vancouver on March 28, 2018. The selection is made from 26 different male and female sports. This is the third time Christa has won this award.

Congratulations Christa!

Preheat oven to 325°F. Carefully cut seeds from your bell peppers, lig out the stem and htly coat them in and place them in oil according to pack the oven for 15 minutes. Cook quinoa age instructions . Begin frying yo in olive oil and ad ur on d th seasoning and co e tofu and black beans. Stir in ion taco oked quinoa. Mix any other vegeta in bles you’d like to diced avocado, or add then spoon mixture into the the be amount of shredd ll pepper bowls. Top with desir ed ed ch ee se and broi crispy. Serve with a side of salsa, so l until brown and ur cream, or hum mus.

Photo provided The cheesier the better.

Photo: courtesy of Attilio Bortignon Christa competing in the Triple Jump at the World Masters Athletics Championships in Daegu.

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May/June 2018

CULTURAL CONNECTIONS

Events that give a soul to our universe in Spring Elaine McHarg

“M

usic gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination and life to everything.” — Plato Spring is always a time of awakening - longer days, brighter skies, and the community seems to come alive with more activities and events. Great music is another awakening of the soul and spirit. Luckily we are privileged to live in an area with such a range of cultural richness. Here are just a few highlights to add to your calendar.

The Kay Meek Centre is closing off this season’s Resonance Series with a performance by the critically acclaimed NEW ORFORD STRING QUARTET (May 12 | 7:30pm). Hailed for their extraordinary technical skills and musicianship, the members of the New Orford String Quartet are all principal players in the Montreal and Toronto Symphony Orchestras. This season finale celebration will also feature Brahms Piano Quintet with virtuoso Ian Parker.

The Vancouver International Jazz Festival which runs through June has announced the schedule for this year (www.coastaljazz. ca). Hot main stage shows include MACY GRAY (June 28) and ROBERT PLANT and the Sensational Space Shifters (June 29) both at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre.

The BlueShore Financial Centre for the Performing Arts is hosting three shows includ-

ing Grammy-nominated JAMISON ROSS who brings his blend of New Orleans funk, gospel, and soulful jazz on June 27.

A wonderful feature of the Jazz Festival is the free concerts held across the community - check out these events on the North Shore.

• At the West Vancouver Memorial Library (June 22 | 7:30pm) the DELVON LaMARR ORGAN TRIO turning out ’60s and ’70s soul and jazz on a Hammond B3 organ.

• The North Vancouver Civic Plaza will host two Saturday afternoon concerts, AYRAD & FRANCOIS HOULE TRIO (June 23) and the infectious COCO JAFRO (June 30). Check out a bus route or car pool with friends for easier travel and parking.

To add a little theatre to your musical experience you might want to book tickets to the Arts Club’s production of the funloving musical MAMA MIA (May 10-July 22). The run has already been extended and tickets are selling quickly. For something new and different you might also plan to attend Bard on the Beach’s new production of AS YOU LIKE IT set in Vancouver and filled with Beatles music.

It is hard to think of musical theatre in Vancouver and not be reminded of the leadership of West Vancouver’s own BILL MILLERD during his 45+ years at the helm of the Arts Club Theatre. On March 4, To Bill, with Love, a tribute performance was held celebrating his career and contribution to theatre and culture in Vancouver. Take a bow Bill and thank-you. Enjoy your new adventures in retirement!

Other events around town include

WVML Booktopia- A Literary Arts Festival for Young People (May 1-10), BEST BROTHERS by Canadian playwright Daniel MacIvor at the Kay Meek, and the always impressive Grad Show (June 5-24) at the

The New Orford String Quartet.

Ferry Building Gallery featuring mixed media by students from all five West Vancouver secondary schools.

Enjoy a show, a performance, or art wherever you find it. Until next time.

Photo: courtesy of Alain Lefort

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May/June 2018

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May/June 2018

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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