qathet Living June 2023

Father’s Day

Celebrate with the Varmas: 100 years of father-ing across five continents, with three generations serving qathet as dentists

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Everything changes too fast

In May’s pet issue, I ran a photo of my dearest chicken: Ginger. She’s been with us for more than five years, survived raccoon and bear attacks, recovered for months inside the house, and she adored sitting on our bellies on sunny days outside. On Victoria Day weekend, she died – after a couple of weeks of swift aging.

I took hundreds of photos of Ginger – especially in the last weeks of her life, knowing that she wouldn’t be with us long. June is no season to be morbid, but life changes so abruptly.

on Page 6. Families can be complicated, but most of them have moments like this, where you can see the best of the relationships – and if you capture it in a photo – you can see it forever.

EDITOR’S MESSAGE

Graduation is one of those moments, too. Pix are snapped. That’s your grad photo, forever. Life moves on, and there’s so much change coming so quickly. Starting on Page 12, three locals go back in time to offer advice to their younger selves, with wisdom.

One of the true gifts of technology – print included – is capturing these little moments in time, before they change again.

I certainly thought about the power of capturing time, when I first saw the photo of Elder Tlesla Leslie Adams with his family, on Page 9. The pure joy in this photo is overwhelming. The same joy eminates from the photo of the Varmas

A garden is transformed and the dramatic change captured (Page 46); the Canoe Route morphs (Page 35); children record what makes them joyful as switly-changing, tiny beings (Page 40); PRISMA and Kathaumixw will lift us up, then disappear again (Page 50); a summer of festivals brings us together, then the season will change (Page 57).

I’m grateful to be able to capture these stories, in the midst of them.

Volume 18, Number 6 ISSN 2817-1667 (Print) ISSN 2817-1675 (Online)

7053E Glacier Street, Powell River, BC V8A 5J7 Tel 604-485-0003

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A FEW OF JUNE’S CONTRIBUTORS

CLANCY DENNEHY brings us the stories and pictures of YARD ART – The wonderful creations by local residents that add surprise and personality to our walks and bike rides about town. See Clancy’s column, Yard Art of qathet, on Page 39.

STEVE DROSDOVECH

is a retired forester and father of four. He helped create the Powell Forest Canoe Route in the early 1980s. See Steve’s story, 40 years of the Canoe Route, on Page 35.

PATRICIA KARIS has lived in PR for most of her life. Newly retired from working for SD47 (30 years), she now has time to pursue writing and photography. See Pat’s story, Savouring Savary, on page 31.

During her 40+ years in Smithers, SHEILA PETERS published in almost every genre. Since her return to PR in 2019, she has enjoyed integrating her early memories with the beaches we cherish now. See Sheila’s story, Stairs, on Page 33.

LYNN SHERVILL Lynn

Shervill moved to Grief Point four years ago after living in Smithers, BC for more than four decades. He and his wife, Sheila Peters, own Creekstone Press. See Lynn’s story, Tatlow: Troubled Names, on Page 41.

I say yes to splashing in the puddles, playing with Lego, climbing trees, finding mushrooms, playing cat, and eating pizza. I say no to sitting quietly, cooked carrots, being cold and wet, and wasp bites. I say YES TO JOY!

- Gracie Bordeleau, Age 7, Page 40.

Grandfather, father & son

Three generations of Powell River dentists

For 56 years, there has been a ‘Dr Varma’ providing dental care to the residents of qathet. First was Virendra, then Ashok, and now Milan has joined the practice this spring after graduating from the University of Sydney’s school of dentistry.

The father-son story actually goes back four generations, to the great-grandfather of the newest Dr. Varma. Growing up in Punjab, India, Mangal RamVarma distinguished himself academically. He excelled in mathematics, and was the only one of his family to finish Grade 10.

In the 1930s, a relative who had recently returned from a holiday in Africa suggested to Mangal Ram that he go to Africa and work. That way, he could help support his family. At the time, both India and much of East Africa were part of the British Empire – though change was coming quickly.

Mangal Ram went to Bombay, applied, took the test and was hired. “He got a free ticket to Africa,” said Ash, adding that the family followed.

They lived in Dar es Salaam, Tanganyika (soon to be Tanzania), where Mangal Ram worked as a customs agent.

During those early years, Vir’s mother was in a great deal of pain and needed to have all her teeth extracted, but it was a three-mile hike to the only public dentist. She walked, and had her teeth removed.

At the time, Vir was considering becoming a doctor, but his mother’s experience swayed him.

“My father said, ‘Maybe you should think about dentistry,’” said Vir.

And so he did. With dentistry, Vir realized he could

keep regular hours. He would also have a full scope practice that would keep him interested and continuously learning.

“In 1946, when Dad was 18, he boarded a troop ship from Dar es Salaam to Southampton in England and slept in a hammock,” said Ash.

Young Vir didn’t know a soul in the UK – and he didn’t have a seat in university confirmed yet. There was no one to meet him, no one to help him navigate his new life.

“My father wanted me to go to England,” said Vir. “So I did.”

Although Ash has heard this story many times he still shakes his head in disbelief. “Can you imagine our children doing that today?”

“It was different then,” says Vir. “Mail took four weeks and there were no phone calls in those days.”

The following year, 1947, Vir

cated on Joyce Avenue. He purchased equipment from a dentist who had just retired which brought the number of practicing dentists in this community to three: Vir, Dr. Roy Carmichael and Dr. Dave Masters.

Four years later, Vir bought the clinic’s current property on Joyce Avenue.

“There was an old house there when I bought it,” he said. “I had it removed and built the front part of the building.”

Ash grew up in Powell River. When he graduated from UBC’s school of dentistry in 1983, he joined his father’s practice, along with his wife Deleigh, a certified dental assistant, who has also been an important part of the practice for many years.

Vir had an addition built on to accommodate the growing family practice.

Vir retired in 2002 at the age of 75,

Celebrating Fathers

The Varma men (Page 6) and the late Tlesla Leslie Adams (Page 9): these represent high-expectation dads, able to roll with life’s challenges, and filled with pride for their children.

Father’s Day is Sunday, June 18.

How and who will you celebrate?

Dr. Caitlin Meredith joined the Varma practice in 2021 and with Milan coming on board more space was needed. The front part of the building had been rented out for 39 years, so they took it back and made plans to expand and renovate it.

was accepted into the University of Durham in Newcastle on Tyne where he studied dentistry. “It was a six-year program,” he recalls. After he graduated, Vir practiced in London before returning to Dar es Salaam where he practiced for 11 years. He married Shalta and the couple had Ash, his sister Sheetal and brother Aj.

There was an attempted coup in January of 1964, in Tanganyika, and that was when Vir realized that things were not going to be the same and likely problematic for his family. He was concerned about safety. He also did not want his children to have to go overseas to get their education. He had many international patients, one of whom was with the American embassy. That person planted the idea that Vir should consider moving to Canada.

The patient had expressed concerns that things were going to be difficult for people of Indian heritage in East Africa. With his dental education from the UK, he would be eligible to practice in Canada.

When Vir opened his practice in Powell River in 1967, he rented space in the building where the Medical Clinic and Associates is now lo-

One century, four generations, five continents

After anti-Asian developments in

Africa, Virendra relocates his family to Powell River and opens a dental office. In 1983, son Ashok Varma joins him in the practice.

Milan Varma graduates from dental school and joins father Ash in his Powell River practice (Vir retired 20 years before).

after 50 years of practising dentistry – in England, Tanzania and Canada.

“We worked together for 18 years,” says Ash “and I still pick his brain.”

Twenty-one years after Vir’s retirement, his grandson has just become the third generation of doctors Varma serving Powell River and qathet. Ash and Deleigh’s son Milan graduated

from the University of Sydney’s school of dentistry earlier this year and joined the family practice here in Powell River. And just like when his father joined his grandfather in the family practice, his own father knew it was time to do a big reno and expand the working space.

“Our community is growing and we have a large wait list,” says Ash.

“We designed it together,” says Ash. “Milan wanted the sterilization bays set up a certain way and he upgraded the technology and the set ups in the rooms.”

The reno was completed by the middle of March and the new section opened for business on April 1. On April 3, Milan joined the practice.

To say that Vir is proud that both his son Ash and his grandson Milan have followed in his footsteps and become dentists is an understatement. “I’m very proud, I’m thrilled,” said the almost 96-year-old man smiling.

Ash, who is the past-president of the College of Dental Surgeons of BC and was presented with the Honoured Member Award in 2019, had been looking forward to having his son join him since Milan began the dentistry program in Australia. He says the training Milan received was excellent and he’s impressed at how much actual time he had working on patients.

“The Australian schools are accredited by the Canadian Dental Accreditation Commission, and (certification and licensing) is directly transferrable,” said Ash.

“I had access to the public system in Australia,” Milan said explaining that he had access to a long wait list of patients and was able to do extra work outside of regular clinic hours.

Both additions to the practice were

“Can you imagine our children doing that today?”

- Ash Varma

Visit Texada Island

Farmers Market Pubs

Gnome Trail

Thrift Shopping

Restaurants

Stromberg Falls

Events & Festivals

All Summer Long

badly needed in this growing community. “We get several calls a day from people who need a dentist,” says Milan adding that they are working as quickly as possible to get through their list.

The dental crunch isn’t new – there’s has been a shortage of dentists in this community for a long time.

“There was a tremendous shortage of dentists when I started,” recalled Vir.

THE GRADUATES: All three Varma men graduated from dental schools: Milan Varma (left) from the University of Sydney, Australia in 2023; Vir Varma (centre) from the University of Durham, England 1953, and Ash Varma from UBC in 1983.

“People would stand in his waiting room,” said Ash.

Always seeking to solve problems, not only did Milan increase the number of dentists in this community by returning home – but because he talked so much about what a great community Powell River is when in dentistry school in Australia, his friend and roommate applied for a job working with another Powell River dentist, Dr. Ryan Sinotte, and is now living and working here!

“So we have two new dentists in town,” Milan says.

The local contributions of the Varmas extend beyond all the teeth they’ve fixed. In 1970, Vir established Powell River’s first on-call service for after-hours dental emergencies. “It helps people who do not have access to a dentist,” explains Ash. That service still exists today with most dentists in town participating.

“Pain does not wait for you to book an appointment,” says Ash. “No one wants to be in pain and we have the capability and ability to alleviate that pain.”

Helping people is why they do what they do, both at work and in the community.

When Milan was in high school he worked as the assistant harbour manager at the Westview Harbour. One day a boater came in from the States with a page taken out of the Yellow Pages, and asked Milan if he could recommend someone, as he needed to see a dentist urgently.

At that point, the fee at the hospital for a foreign national was $500 just to be examined.

Milan connected this man with his father who called in a prescription to Shoppers Drug Mart for him. The man had no transportation, so Milan drove him to the drug store and waited for his prescription to be filled and then drove him back to the harbour. Needless to say, the man was blown away by all the help he received and Milan felt pretty good that he was able to put all the pieces together and help this man.

Ash, a long-time member and past president of the Powell River Rotary Club, says: “we are super passionate about what we do. How cool is it that I get to get up and go to work to do what I love to do?”

Like his father and grandfather before him, Milan feels that same way.

“I feel privileged that I have access to the knowledge base that my dad and grandfather have. That mentorship is very important,” says Milan.

And for both Vir and Ash, they feel privileged to share their knowledge. || isabelle@prliving.ca

“I feel privileged that I have access to the knowledge that my dad and grandfather have. That mentorship is very important.

- Milan Varma

When Dr. Evan Adams was 11, all he wanted to do was sit on the family couch and watch Gilligan’s Island on TV. And sleep in. But his father wouldn’t let him.

Instead, Tlesla Leslie Adams often dropped Evan off in Wildwood and made him run back to their home on what was then the Sliammon Indian Reservation – now Tla’amin Lands. He took his children clam digging, sometimes for days at a time. He never let them enjoy a lazy Saturday morning.

“Why would you when there’s so much good to do?” he always asked, rhetorically of course, Evan remembers.

Leslie passed away at home on January 26, with his wife of 63 years by his side, Mary “Janie” Adams (Wilson). He was 86 years old – a Tla’amin elder by age, and a Tla’amin Elder by honour. He was the patriarch to the large Adams family, which includes five living adult children (Evan, Grace, Maureen, Rose and Brad), plus 17 grandchildren and 15

great-grandchildren. Because he was such a prominent Tla’amin member, he is often remembered for his leadership in the community – rather than his role as father.

Two of his children, Evan and Grace Adams, sat down with qathet Living to reflect on Les’ more personal legacy.

The facts of Leslie’s remarkable life are wellknown. He was born in 1936 to a single teenage mother. She died from tuberculosis when he was an infant, and so he was raised by his grandparents.

“My grandmother used to take me to the river to bathe me every day,” Leslie said in an interview in 2011. “That is why I am so healthy today.”

Grace added, “He inherited the resiliency of his grandmother. She was a midwife, and helped all the women of the community have their babies. She taught him hunting and fishing, and really instilled in him Tla’amin teachings. He always acknowledged her strength and her words.”

FATHER’S DAY

“There’s so much good to do”

As patriarch, Tlesla Leslie Adams left a legacy of Tla’amin values, including hard work, respect and high expectations

Evan said, “She was always reminding him that we have a way of being and doing.”

Les was a child during the earliest days of the Sliammon Braves soccer team, and watched Charlie Wilson, Alec Louie, Joe Paul and Pete Galligos play. By 10, he was practicing with the Senior Men’s team. It was as a soccer player, Evan said, that Les continued learning discipline, the pursuit of excellence, and hard work. It was all about getting up early and doing your best. Grace noted those were skills he already came to soccer with: “It was hard work to be on the land or on the water.”

At 15, he was sent to residential school, where he met Janie Wilson – whom he would eventually marry.

It was there that he started to lose ayajuthem. After returning home, he played soccer with the U18 Powell River Papermakers, according to the BC Soccer Hall of Fame – having to walk to Townsite for games. The team won the 1955 provincial Vancouver Sun Tournament of Champions – and Les was awarded MVP for the event, being named “Golden Boy” for that year.

He took his all-stars team to the Provincials for the next two years, but rejected offers to play professionally, instead choosing to stay close to home. He continued to play and coach soccer well into his 50s. He was among the first inductees to the Powell River Sports Hall of Fame in 2019.

Les also boxed, and competed in the BC Boxing’s Bronze Gloves (youth novice) competition.

Evan believed Les applied his learned sense of justice to sports. “When someone cheats or kicks you or there’s unfairness, he always said you can’t let people lie or steal or be bad. You push back. He was big on pushing back. When we were growing up and had racist experiences, he would say, ‘Shut it down. Don’t let it prevail. Stand up for yourself.’”

Les and Janie made sure that none of their children were sent to residential school. Both of them role-modeled a life of hard work and service. Although Janie had graduated, the couple decided she would stay home to raise the children, and he would work outside the home. He worked shiftwork for the Powell River Paper Mill.

“He worked so hard,” remembers Grace. “I remember him on graveyard shift [from the mill] and doing stuff as soon as he woke up. I don’t think I ever saw him rest. He had that same expectation for us. The expectations were weighty.”

At 27, he was elected Chief of the Nation, and worked even harder. His goal was to bring childcare, water and sewage treatment to Tla’amin Lands – goals he achieved.

“He wasn’t self-serving,” said Evan. “He was always clear that leadership wasn’t about lifting yourself up or self-aggrandizing, but ‘Why wouldn’t you do things properly? Why not do right by your family,

or honour your gifts?’ He said that’s how we’re all meant to live. Modern life he saw, could lead people to get mean, lazy, or vain.”

As a father of young children, he insisted they stay out of the house and on the land, to learn Tla’amin ways of being. But he didn’t teach his children ayajuthem.

“He believed that for us to be successful, we had to do without the language,” said Grace. “It wasn’t until later in life that he realized you can do both.”

Balancing both cultures – succeeding in both cultures – was a lifelong pursuit for Les, and a core part of how he raised his children. When he brought

Evan to the beach to dig clams, Evan remembers thinking his dad was crazy. Like, why not just buy hamburger? Or, when he made him run home from Wildwood – and none of his friends had to do that. Les said, “Young men should be strong.”

“I’d be doing really well in school, and people would say I was a sell-out,” said Evan. “He would say, ‘The Tla’amin way is to adapt.’”

Even when Evan came out to his parents, letting them know he is gay, his father barely blinked. He said, “Okay. Don’t let anyone put you down.” That was it.

The Tla’amin way, Les told his children, is to be humble and have respect. Forget Tla’amin values, Les said, and you might become shallow and walk away from responsibility. What responsibilities can you carry? What can you endure? “I don’t think he ever said ‘no’ when he was asked to take on more,” Grace recalls. “The reason he took so much on was love: his love for his family.”

“Now we carry on without him,” said Evan. “He believed the old ways, the traditional knowledge, was crucial to keep – crucial to live a worthwhile life. He spent his whole life – even in his last few months – telling us to carry on and be strong.

“For us, the loss of him is the loss of such a repository of knowledge.”

Looking back, of course, Evan and Grace are both grateful they were never allowed to relax on Saturday mornings. || pieta@prliving.ca

POWELL RIVER MINOR HOCKEY

THANK YOU TO OUR LOYAL SPONSORS:

We appreciate all of the support that our community provides. With rising costs and increased travel we need your support more than ever. Let’s keep Minor Hockey alive in our town. Interested in becoming a sponsor? Please contact PRMHA_AC@outlook.ca

Awards Night Winners for the 2022/2023 Season:

Harris

2nd Star Tyler Durant

3rd Star Evan Piniewski

Len Evans Memorial Scholarship None

Recreation Team Awards

U11C Rec Player of the Year

Cecil Hackett

1st Star Abel Green

2nd Star Ted Barfoot

3rd Star Tobin Leblanc

U13C Rec Player of the Year

Jack Murphy

Most Improved Phillip Solowan

Sportsmanship

Kirk Rockwell

Most Dedicated Linden Frehlich

U15C Rec Player of the Year

Lyndon Jacques ROYALS

Most Improved Max Carriere

Outstanding Forward Daniel Boniface

Outstanding Defence Evan Penner

OLD SPICE

Most Improved Leif Ervington

Outstanding Forward Jackson Peters

Outstanding Defence

Individual Awards

Matthew Williams

Dustin Clark Memorial Trophy - Junior Coach of the Year Adam Culos

Harvey Small Award - Rec Coach of the Year

Frank Sutton Memorial Award- Volunteer of the Year

PRMHA Rep Coach of the Year

Officials Awards

Jack Hildebrand Plaque - Rookie Of the Year

Luke Bombardir Plaque - Senior Official of the Year

Bill Dodsworth Memorial Plaque

Mike Fraser Plaque - Junior Official of the Year

Female Awards

Female U11/13 Rec Player of the Year

Leadership Award

Determination Award

Sportsmanship Award

Female U15 Rec Player of the Year

Hustle and Heart Award

Leadership Award

Fearless Award

Matt McDowell

Ryan Milne

Dana Gruntman

Connal Miller

Weston Kolba

Josh Chernoff

Richard Abbott

Ed Spreeuw

Jeremy Pukesh

Sophie Green

Sophie Green

Molly Culos

Maddie Tassell

Luce Liefsoens

Bree Behan

Makayla Hawkins

Molly Hillier

Congratulations to the Graduating Class of 2023!

What’s your best Gradvice?

Our communities celebrate all your achievements. As you embark on new journeys, may you always remember the valuable lessons you've learned and the people you've met along the way. Best wishes for a happy and fulfilling future!

Editor Pieta Woolley asked three locals what advice they’d like to go back and give themselves, for the five years after high school graduation: Joyce Carlson, Kristian Ki-Un Yen Hansen, and Luke Ramsey.

Advice from Joyce Carlson

Retired Newspaper Publisher

Brooks Secondary Class of 66

A Phd from the University of Life

No matter what circumstance you find yourself in, it is up to you to decide how the rest of your life will be.

I didn’t actually graduate with the rest of my classmates. I got pregnant on my 16th birthday and left school after Grade 10. However, I have always been included in class reunions over the years.

I went to night school to obtain my Grade 12 and one year went to summer school for algebra.

I started in the newspaper business writing up my brother’s hockey games, then became the “women’s” editor, sports reporter, senior reporter and then publisher of three different community papers, retiring after 45 years. I was on the boards for BC and Canada, serving as the second woman president for both organizations.

Since high school, I have volunteered for many different organizations and was the first female minor hockey association president in BC. In 2009 I was recognized as one of the top 50 BC volunteers at a ceremony in Government House. Most of my volunteering these days is as a member of the Rotary club.

I decided what the rest of my life would be as a teenage mother of two and, with the support of my husband and father of those children, I have lived it on my terms.

TOUGH COOKIE: Above, Joyce Carlson, 15, in 1963. She and Don had been dating for less than a year at this time; they’ll celebrate 59 years married in July. Below, Joyce tells her life story in a YouTube video. See her at youtu.be/oz37hL97zqc and youtu.be/jVnbBJyk6Es

“No matter what circumstance you find yourself in, it is up to you to decide how the rest of your life will be.”

- Joyce Carlson

Advice from Kristian Ki-Un Yen Hansen

Production & Analysis Specialist at Meridian 125 W Cultivation Ltd. 2012 from Burnaby North Secondary School Bachelor of Science in Environmental Sciences with a focus in Applied Biology from the Faculty of Environment at Simon Fraser University, plus other certifications.

The advice I would give, is to always look for opportunities and open doors provided to you. If you aren’t looking for them, you will miss them!

The job market I entered when graduating from university was one that sought years of work experience, and rewarded you with little pay. Had I taken more opportunities during my studies for internships, volunteer positions, or part time jobs that I could have managed with my course load, I would have had the experience employers were seeking.

It is also a great way to gauge whether or not one truly enjoys the work before paying heavily, both in money and time, for a degree in a field you don’t enjoy.

Aside from that, make sure to enjoy it! Post secondary education can sound stressful and tedious, and it will certainly have its moments, but studying becomes easier the more you enjoy the material being taught.

Come out and support the Brook’s grads on Sunday, June 25! The parade will start at 11 am at the Beach Gardens and travel along Joyce Avenue to the Recreation Complex. The dry grad parade, a fun event that started

during the pandemic, is an annual event that Brooks Secondary grads have decided they would like to continue.

Saturday, June 10 is the formal graduation ceremony – but it is a ticketed event only.

Grand

Saturday

“...always look for opportunities and open doors provided to you.

If you aren’t looking for them, you will miss them!

- Kristian Ki-Un Yen Hansen

Congratulations to Madelyn and all the 2023 Grads

You’re

Advice from Luke Ramsey

Visual Artist 1997 Claremont Secondary

No degrees or certificates, self taught artist.

Ihonestly wouldn’t give my younger self much advice, other than to buy noise reducing ear plugs for punk concerts.

And to the coming 2024 grads: It’s never too early to start looking.

I figured out some things as an adult, but what I learned in my youth helped shape my creative path. I’d prefer my younger self to give my adult self advice, not the other way around.

As soon as I graduated high-school, I hitch-hiked with a friend across Canada to St John’s. After that adventure I worked uninspiring jobs to save money to travel again.

I bought time and always felt that time and purpose are valuable assets,

next to good health and beings to love. Drove a beater car from Victoria through Mexico to Belize with another friend. Travelled to over 20 countries, many with my wife of 23 years.

My younger self did stupid things and took risks, but there is a freedom and naivety in youth that doesn’t translate as well in older years. If I gave my younger self advice, I’d be disrupting a path I have few regrets about.

Growing older comes with wisdom, and guidance from elders is not to be taken for granted. Being young, open and ignorant can be a wonderful thing, and there can be hard lessons to learn.

“For 12+ years, students learn what schools and parents project the world to be. When graduating, there is this opportunity to experience the world not by how it is said to be, but by how it is through lived experiences.”

- Luke Ramsey

High school graduation is one of the most momentous occasions in a young student’s life. On June 10th, our Brooks Secondary Grade 12 students will be accepting their diplomas and walking across the stage from childhood into adulthood.

There are different ways to graduate: academic focus, dual credit or a trade certification, and how each student navigates each of those paths can be quite unique. We spoke with a few of our grads, as they reflected on their educational experience with School District 47 and pictured what lies ahead.

The students’ passion for community and excitement for the future was palpable. These are but a few ways that the graduation journey can come to life!

Congratulations Class of 2023!

Keshawn Smullin

Keshawn and his family moved from Saskatchewan to Texada during his Grade 6 year. He now takes the ferry every weekday to attend the Brooks Welding Training Facility (Mon-Thur) and Brooks Secondary (Fri).

Best part about going to school in the qathet Region?

“Definitely the nature & scenery. The qathet Region is so clean compared to the city we moved here from!”

Best part of going to school at Brooks?

“I’m Indigenous and the amount of support and courses available to Indigenous students at Brooks has been so valuable.”

In Grade 11 Keshawn took the Traditional Skill Builders course, which is a landbased, experiential, and culturally immersive program that honours Indigenous knowledge and ways of being and doing to provide students with a safe, holistic, and identity affirming education while offering credits towards their graduation. He also spoke highly of the Indigenous Education room at Brooks, which is a safe space for Indigenous students to gather and get help when needed.

The path he took to make it to graduation.

In Grade 11 Keshawn took a Metal Work class that “sparked” his passion for welding. After completing a required entrance exam, he was accepted into the Dual Credit – Apprenticeship Level 1 Welding Program offered at Brooks.

Upon successful completion of the welding course and ITA exam, he’ll have his Level 1 Foundations Certificate in Welding and be able to start an apprenticeship program immediately. He has also been continuing the provincial graduation requirements at Brooks on Fridays

and will receive his Dogwood Diploma at the same time!

His plans for after graduation. Kesahwn would like to stay in the qathet Region for his welding apprenticeship, so will be looking for a placement after graduation.

Where does he sees himself in five years?

Staying close to family and working on the water would be his ideal plan. He’ll continue to expand his welding career possibilities by working towards higher certifications. As he’s grown up regularly taking the ferries, working for BC Ferries is something that really interests him as well.

Advice for students who will be graduating from Brooks in the coming years.

“Stay focused and pick your friends wisely” In Grade 8 and 9 he was making poor choices and not focused on school. He is so glad that by Grade 10 he changed his path and now will be graduating in June with a dual credit.

Jesse Jahrig

Jesse is an active 18-year-old, spending time at the gym, rock climbing, and playing co-ed soccer, with an infectious positive attitude and outlook on life. His path to graduation has not been easy, as he shares his experience about recently being diagnosed with ADHD and his journey to sobriety.

Best part about going to school in the qathet Region?

“Everyone knows one another, making our town feel like a family.”

Best part of going to school at Brooks?

Jesse has a true appreciation for all his teachers. As he reflects on his experience with different teachers, he acknowledged the growth in their relationships and the mutual respect between teacher and student. He’s grateful for one teacher in particular, Mr. Bennett, who “cares about everyone and spreads happiness and the importance of learning to love oneself.”

The path he took to make it to graduation.

High school years have been the hardest of his life, so it makes him proud to know he made it to graduation. Jesse went to the French School for elementary and switched to an English stream for high school. Once in high school, he struggled with exposure to vaping and recreational substances in addition to his ADHD and realized Brooks wasn’t the best learning environment for him at the time. He continued taking high school courses through James Hansen (online with a teacher), Home Schooling, and finally the Brooks Offsite Program (one-on-one in person). The Brooks Offsite Program provided him with the extra attention he needed and helped him to understand how he learns differently, so that he could effectively transition back to Brooks and be able to complete Grade 12 Brooks.

His plans for after graduation.

He’s attending a Mountie Camp RCMP program on the Island to learn more about the national police service. Then he will continue to work at his local jobs to save money.

Where does he sees himself in five years? He’s hoping to be accepted into an RCMP program and to buy a house.

Advice for students who will be graduating from Brooks in the coming years.

“Don’t let your ego stop you from trying and achieving things. It’s important to learn from your mistakes and your successes. Also, get control of your cellphone usage – they are ruining our lives and our work ethic.”

Emmy Lou Corbett

Emmy moved to the qathet Region, from High River Alberta, and started at Henderson Elementary in Grade 7. It was a big change for her at the time, but she’s so glad her family made the move to the coast. Since attending Brooks, she’s been part of the Mental Health Advocacy Group, Grad Committee, GSA crew, and LINK crew. She loved the energy that LINK crew brought, which is a group of students who mentor Grade 8s as they transition into high school.

Best part about going to school in the qathet Region?

“It’s awesome how tightknit our community is.” She also really enjoyed the opportunities she had to learn about Indigenous Education, through visiting the Tla’amin Nation on educational field trips.

Best part of going to school at Brooks?

“Brooks has really great elective courses and I think that’s where students have a chance to build community.” She’s had the opportunity to take Digital Media, Band, Art, and Drama. She worked as a stage crew member for the Brook’s Theatre Company production of the Addams Family in May.

Thepathshetooktomakeittograduation.

Emmy focused on taking classes she was interested in rather than “what looked good on paper.” She absolutely loves history, so she took Socials 10 at PIE to ensure she could maximize the number of history classes she could take in her Grade 11 and 12 years at Brooks. “The Comparative Cultures class I took last year with Mrs. Leach was so interesting.”

Her plans for after graduation.

Emmy will be taking a “gap year” to work, travel and to discover more hobbies and interests. She wants to learn to bake macaroons, crochet, and read more. She also has a goal to save up and explore BC, possibly learn to surf in Tofino, and do a solo trip to Europe.

Where she sees herself in five years?

She wants to study ancient history at a university level but for now, she’s staying open to discovering all that is possible in her future.

Adviceforstudentswhowillbegraduating from Brooks in the coming years.

“If you have time, get involved with the school community and volunteering!” She has made so many new friends and formed deep connections with the people she’s met through joining local groups and clubs.

Kiran Hollmann-Prichard

It may have been easier to ask Kiran what he wasn’t involved in at Brooks. A member of multiple student associations, including LINK crew, Mental Health Advocacy Group, and Grad Committee, as well as the Townsite Jazz Festival, Choir, and a writer for the Lund Barnacle to provide a youth perspective. Kiran then rounds out his time playing full-back on a competitive rep soccer team in Nanaimo.

Best part about going to school in the qathet Region?

“We are a small community with deep connections.” Growing up in Lund, with parents who own an adventure tourism company, Kiran has grown to have an appreciation for our beautiful and unique region. “We have such cool outdoor programming and opportunities because of where we are geographically.”

Best part of going to school at Brooks?

“Thank you to the teachers who have played such a big role in my high school journey.” Kiran praised how supportive the entire Brooks team is, from teachers, administration, support teachers, counselors, and front office staff. He also raved about the view from the Brooks Library! Thepathhetooktomakeittograduation.

Kiran took French Immersion at James Thomson from K-7 and then continued with French Immersion at Brooks from 8-12. He’ll be graduating with a Dual Dogwood and is part of the first class to take French Immersion all the way from kindergarten to Grade 12.

His plans for after graduation.

Tristan’s family moved to Salmon Arm from the qathet Region in Grade 3, but luckily moved back in Grade 7! Tristan has a love for sports (he currently plays for the U-18 Rep Hockey Team) and being on the water. Best part about going to school in the qathet Region?

“Growing up near the ocean was great.”

Tristan enjoyed all the field trips to the beach and always having somewhere to explore in nature.

What has been the best part of going to school at Brooks?

“Teachers are really supportive and genuinely want to see you succeed.”

The path he took to make it to graduation.

Tristan maximized his academic calendar during his early years at Brooks to allow himself more flexibility to take additional

classes and work part time in his Grade 12 year. By completing all graduation requirements by the end of Grade 11, he was able to take more elective classes like Media Arts, Precalculus, and World History as well as be a part of the Hockey Academy. His plans for after graduation. He is heading to Vancouver in the fall to start the Marine Engineering program at BCIT.

Where does he sees himself in five years?

He would like to work on a cruise ship or big boat. His dream is to travel the world while he works.

Adviceforstudentswhowillbegraduating from Brooks in the coming years?

“Choose courses that you are passionate about and that make you happy so that it can lead you to a career you’ll enjoy.”

Kiran is heading to New Brunswick in the fall to attend St. Thomas University. He’ll be playing for the University’s soccer team and taking his Bachelor of Arts degree. Where does he sees himself in five years? Completing his degree and possibly preparing to start his Masters in Sports Psychology.

Advice for students who will be graduating from Brooks in the coming years.

“Ask for help when you need it. There are many great resources available, and teachers want to help you and see you be successful. Also, get involved in the school and broader community. If you aren’t passionate about academics, extracurricular activities can give you the positive association you need with school.”

Best of luck with your future endeavors and congratulations once again Class of 2023!

We can’t wait to see what this year’s Brooks Secondary Graduates will bring to the world outside of high school.

Tristan Peake

Adria Mitchell

Adria has enjoyed growing up in a small and connected community. She grew up on Texada and is an active member of the Brooks school community, through the Mental Health Advocacy Group, Music department (she plays the trumpet), and LINK Crew.

Best part about going to school in the qathet Region?

Adria believes we have a community that supports diversity. She’s finding a lot of groups are starting up or becoming more active (especially since the pandemic) to help support and connect community members.

Best part of going to school at Brooks? Social connections and friends. She also enjoys that there are good online course options for Brooks students, for example she took Spanish and Comparative World Religions online.

The path she took to make it to graduation.

Adria mostly took academic courses, as she’s going into Education. She originally wanted to teach mathematics, but once she got into high school, she realized she was more passionate about humanities. Her plans for after graduation.

Going to VIU Nanaimo in September to start her Education degree.

Where does she sees herself in five years?

Planning to come back to the qathet Region for her practicum and hoping to teach History and English at Brooks.

Advice for students who will be graduating from Brooks in the coming years.

“Join a bunch of student groups early!” She was hesitant to join the groups when she was younger, as she was nervous about interacting with the older students, but she wishes she had.

Leadership Ecology Adventure Program (LEAP)

LEAP is a 9-day outdoor adventure and leadership program which provides students in Grades 9-12 with a unique and memorable outdoor learning experience and applies to graduation credits.

For over 15 years, SD47 has been offering this exceptional field course, delivering participants a sampling of outdoor activities while developing their leadership skills and gaining knowledge of both environmental issues and local ecology. This year’s program is running July 1-9 and students will have the opportunity to learn and expand their skills in sailing, canoeing, or hiking.

For more information and to apply, visit https://integralearning.org/leap

Secondary Summer Learning

The secondary program offers students the opportunity to take academic full credit or partial credit courses (Grades 1012) or academic review courses for extra instruction and support as they transition to the next grade (Grades 8-9). Visit www.sd47.bc.ca/school/brooks for more information and to register.

Outdoor Early Learning Event

StrongStart will be hosted at the Outdoor Learning Centre on June 12 for a hands-on learning experience in nature. Families do need to register to attend, so visit your closest StrongStart location and sign up today!

Register for School and PIE

Elementary Summer Learning

SD47 offers free summer learning programs for elementary students. Taught by qualified teachers, these programs provide students with extra educational support to help them reach their full potential.

The elementary level program runs for 3 weeks in July and keeps students engaged and having fun through activities focused on reading, writing, and numeracy. Space is limited.

If you’re new to qathet, transferring from an independent school, or choosing between PIE (Partners In Education: online learning) and classroom learning, staff at the District Office are available this summer to help you make choices and register. Call 604-485-6271, or visit the office on Ontario Ave.

qathet’s got flare

Solar flare, that is. Learn to hunt celestial events before they peak in 2025.

The sun is shooting out more and more solar flares as we get closer to the height of its 11-year cycle – a heart beat, some people call it – which will peak in 2025. And, the earth’s magnetic field is shifting quickly, which messes with the energy from the sun’s flares, resulting in really magnificent aurora borealis stretching right overhead as far south as Northern California – and, of course, qathet.

So far this year, there have been 10 potential light shows, and four that have actually roused this region’s aurora-hunters. Standing by after midnight with their cameras – and their pants – are Carl Anderson and Doris Guevara-Isert, and the rest of the local astrophotographers club.

“At the March event, I just thought, ‘OMG this is the biggest, baddest, highest aurora ever,’” said Doris, who shoots most often from Mowat Bay and the Lookout on Marine Ave. “The colours were greenish, reddish and violet. I’m on Cloud 9.”

“Normally I do 10 to 12 second exposures just to get something,” said Carl. “But this last one was so bright, I have images that were exposed for just two seconds, and they are over exposed.”

This synchronistic stew of solar flares and magnetic shifts means these auroras may be a once-in-a-lifetime trend. Seeing them in their full glory is a skill though – and one worth honing as we head towards the peak in 2025. Carl and Doris have been working on their aurora hunting skills for years. Their greatest attribute is willingness to leave their homes in the middle of the night – knowing they may capture nothing.

“People are constantly asking us when we post on social media: when is the next one?” said Doris. “We don’t know. We only ever have about an hour’s notice – and even then, we don’t know how bright they’ll be. It has to be dark, there has to be no clouds.

Strange things are afoot in the night sky over qathet. They’re about to get stranger – and potentially, even more exquisite.

“We generally know two or three days in advance that there has been a CME [Coronal Mass Ejection from the sun] and that it may hit the earth’s atmosphere,” said Carl, noting that anything over a KP6 will likely result in aurora. “They don’t always hit us.”

So, they’re on stand-by all the time. The club pays attention to sky-watchers in Alberta, who alert each other about remarkable aurora about an hour before they arrive here – a helpful time frame. But mostly, their greatest asset is just getting out of bed and being okay with disappointment.

“The reason we get the pictures is because we’re consistent,” said Doris. “Even after we get

an alert, most of the time we’re not going to get anything spectacular. We might like one photo of 200 we take.”

Cameras can capture colours and brightnesses that the human eye can miss. But faint auroras are present almost every night in the summer after dark, as a faint green haze just over the horizon to the north. So are noctilucent clouds, the Milky Way, meteors, and much more celestial activity. You just need to know what to look for. Again, a skill worth honing.

“We’re so spoiled,” said Carl. “Everywhere you go here there’s dark sky. People in the US will drive for hours to find an area that’s as dark as it is in the middle of town here.”

WHAT YOU’RE MISSING WHEN YOU’RE SNOOZING: Top left, Doris Guevara Photography’s (@dorismguevara) February 27 image of shocking crimson and magenta auroras over Mowat Bay. Left, Carl Anderson (Sea Forest Photography) captured a “barcode aurora” beginning February 27. Above, Carl’s “tiskwat aurora” - an extra-tall show seen from the Westview Ferry Terminal.

See these night sky events over qathet this season:

Aurora

This solar cycle is already way stronger than predicted, with many large solar flares already observed, a few of which have resulted in spectacular shows in qathet. These events are expected to continue, so keep your eyes on the northern horizon in the darkest of night.

Milky Way

MW season has started in the northern hemisphere, with the core being visible to the south if we ever get clear skies at night.

Noctilucent Clouds

Until early September, these shining white stratospheric clouds can be viewed approximately an hour prior to sunrise and one hour post sunset to the north. Technically when the sun is

between -6 and -15 degrees below the horizon.

Meteor showers

The Delta Aquarids in July and the Perseids in August are the most anticipated showers of the year. This year the Perseids peak on August 11, which corresponds to a new moon so the skies will be especially dark. Note that the peak refers to the anticipated maximum frequency of meteors, the days surrounding the peak can be as good or better.

Moons

August will feature a “blue moon” of super moons, meaning the month will be bookended by supermoons. If you happen to be up early on these mornings, near the ocean, watch the sky to the west during sunrise for a very beautiful and iconic westcoast sight.

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Fresh local produce

Yes, we Can(nabis)

BC bud is finally growing in the old mill administration building – the first new business on Townsite’s formerlyindustrial waterfront

From the outside, the old mill administration building behind Dwight Hall still looks like a silent bunker. The windows are dark. Chain-link fencing surrounds it. The parking lot is far from full. But step inside, and the vibe is Wall-E. In a new little entrance building are offices, a staff room and meeting rooms decorated with chic drawings explaining the medical and aesthetic attributes of the Asian cannabis plant. Walk into the renovated mid-century offices, and an elevator takes you to the growing rooms.

A vast system of pipes, controlled by computers, carries water and fertilizers to the otherwise-sterile pods. New little plants being propagated in one room. Mid-sized plants are in another. Fully-flowering, heavy bud-laden plants are ready for harvest in the

BEST BUDS: Left, Meridian 125 W VP of Cultivation Dennis Frewin and VP of Operations & Marketing Joe de la Plante examine bud from the first crop of cannabis, which started growing February 17. Above, editor Pieta Woolley in a grow room.

next; their name tags read, “Bubble Gum Ice Cream,” “Scoobie Snax,” and “Blue Afghani,” all famous strains being cloned here. These plants have been growing since the moment Meridian 125 W received its licenses from Health Canada on February 17. Now, this first round of experimental bud is ready for harvest.

“In full production, we can have up to 15,000 plants,” said Joe de la Plante, Meridian’s VP of Operations and Marketing, mentioning that currently there’s about 3,400 plants growing in the building. Each one costs about $100 to bring to bud. “We are trying to scale up slowly – to learn from the mistakes of our competitors.”

And slow it has been. Meridian is a project of long-time Vancouver tech entrepreneur and firsttime cannabis farmer Thomas Ligocki. His crew of 10 hoped to be producing bud by fall of 2022, but licensing has been lethargic. Now that the first licenses are in place, staff are perfecting their growing and drying techniques in the hopes of offering the most exacting, clean, craft cannabis available.

Here’s the rub: no one on staff can try it. Although they’re producing a product with flavonoids similar to wine, and it’s used for its impacts on the mind and body, there’s no sampling allowed. Instead, they test the product by machine (see Page 13).

Joe compares the cannabis industry to the dot com boom and crash at the turn of the millennium. Seeing a potential gold rush, cannabis entrepreneurs jumped in as laws lifted for medical marijuana in 2001, and then for recreational marijuana in 2018. Many crashed. One of Canada’s biggest producers, Ontario’s MediPharm, cut 30 percent of its workforce in May, for example. Alberta’s SDNL recently

announced a loss of $372 million in 2022, a year of ambitious acquisitions. Meanwhile, growth has been steady overall. About $1.5 billion was collected in taxes from Canada’s legal cannabis industry last year, and BC just introduced a farm gate program.

“Typically, they [new cannabis growing companies] paid a lot more attention to scale and size, and less to product quality,” said Joe, who has been working in the industry for more than half a decade. “Product quality is our North Star. And our core value is community. We want to make sure we grow slowly so we can keep our employees. So we take our finances and costs very seriously. We make sure all our dollars are strategic. We currently have no debt. We want to make sure that when we say hello at a large scale, we’re ready to do so.”

All of that will roll out – again slowly – over the next year. Meridian plans to start selling through its partner brands this year, as it brings its team up to about 50 people. By early 2024, you can expect to see Meridian-branded product in local cannabis stores, as well as across BC. The team plans to sell to international partners as well, eventually.

When Meridian’s bud finally fills local pipes, it will be the culmination of at least six years of investment, by three companies. Meridian 125 W bought the building in 2022 from Tilt Holdings, a Phoenix-based cannabis business. Tilt had bought it from San Francisco’s Sante Veritas Therapeutics, who originally leased the building from the City in 2017, and put about $25 million into renovating it for growing.

“I’m really excited to see where this is going to go,” said Joe. “It’s why I stay in the industry, despite it being chaotic at times.” || pieta@prliving.ca

Vibrant couple tucks in to qathet to creatively flourish, together

Lorne Rubinoff and Carolina Robinson are hunkered down quietly north of town, though their former lives were anything but subdued.

Carolina is from Mexico City, an artist and clinical psychologist with a specialty in helping people who have been diagnosed with terminal cancer, treating them through diet, mind and medicinal plants.

Originally from Toronto, Lorne was a co-owner of Capers Community Market in Vancouver (now owned by Whole Foods) and Good Nature Market in California and Victoria, and the former owner of the Merrick House in West Vancouver (voted one of the nine best homes in BC in the last 75 years by the BC Architectural Society). And more.

They fell in love on the internet, after Carolina read some of Lorne’s writing on his Search for Innocence project. They’ve lived and travelled all over the West Coast, and are working together on several new psychological, spiritual and artistic initiatives.

Why did you choose to move to qathet?

Lorne & Carolina • We just got here and it was an immediate “yes!”

When? Where from?

Lorne & Carolina • We arrived in August 2021. We’d been living in a VW camper, travelling, and before that we’d lived in Mexico. We rented in Sechelt, but we hated it.

What surprised you once you moved here?

Lorne • This is a very giving community in dealing with the ordinary, everyday parts of life – helping find missing dogs, warning that there’s a bear in the neighbourhood. Not only do people give, people appreciate what they’ve been given. There’s a very strong sense of community.

Carolina • I come from a country that’s well recognized for the friendliness of the people. Up here, I encountered the Canadian version of it. It’s beautiful to see. It embraced me and helped me in the transition from Mexico to here.

What made you decide to move to qathet?

Lorne & Carolina • When we started travelling the Sunshine Coast, people would mention Powell River – oh you’ll like it. There’s not as many rules, it’s more off the grid, there are many organic farms – these were all a turn on for us… Our first day here, we decided to stop.

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Where is your favourite place in qathet?

Lorne & Carolina • There’s a road close to where we live. It’s such a magical road. We meet really interesting people there – and llamas, goats, bears. At the end there is a beach almost no one ever goes to – and when there are, they are very interesting. We get our cardio in as we walk back up. We do that walk very often.

What would make qathet a nicer community?

Lorne & Carolina • A natural food restaurant, organic whenever possible. Understanding that there’s something worth preserving here, that’s beautiful. How do we preserve what brought us here in the first place?

What aspect of your previous community do you think would benefit qathet?

Lorne • I lived in West Van. It’s the home of an architectural movement that started in the 1960s: West Coast Modern. The core is a sensitivity to the environment, to fitting in to the forest and ocean landscape. Homes are built with that in mind. It also had its foundation in providing living spaces that are affordable. The Merrick House was just $23,500 in 1973, including land, labour and material.

If you were mayor, what would you do?

Lorne • I would never, never want to be Mayor. But if I were, I’d have policies that show that we all matter equally.

What are qathet’s best assets?

Lorne & Carolina • The natural beauty.

What is your greatest extravagance?

Lorne & Carolina • Our 1987 VW camper. Most of the money we spend is on food – we buy organic whenever possible. We love food. We don’t spend much. We haven’t spent over $100 on anything since we moved two years ago. But we do like to eat.

Which talent or superpower would you most like to have?

Carolina • I would love to fly like a bird, to experience the freedom and liberty of that. I’ve wanted that ever since I was a little kid.

Lorne • I would like to be invisible – to be the fly on the wall who hears and sees everything.

Choices for a new generation

1. Prices are surprisingly stable

In spite of a year of interest rate hikes, qathet prices are down just 8.5% from a year ago – and they’re still higher than any other year in history.

$720,000 median price for a residential single family home in April.

2. Province-wide, new listings are way down

A new report from the BC Real Estate Association says BC new listings have fallen 25% below pre-COVID norms – which is making the market volatile. Here in qathet, they’re not down as much (5% from five years ago).

3. Finally, it’s Gen X’s time to buy

About $1 trillion dollars is expected to flow in inheritances from the War Generation and Boomers to Canadian Gen Xers and Millennials by 2026, according to a report by Toronto’s Strategic Insights. – PW

Real Estate in qathet

‘Vacation property’ ain’t

what it

used to be

Folks are spending a lot more time at the cabin since COVID. And, regular homes have become vacation rentals, thanks to VRBO. qathet’s cottage culture has been thoroughly upended, for better or for worse.

Tyvek. RONA. Valley.

On a bumpy ride around Savary Island mid-May, these were the signs of the times printed on plastic wrapped around new cabins; more than 30 buildings are under construction on the 7.5-kilometre-long island, which currently has about 800 structures on it, ranging from shacks to mansions. Competing with the swoosh of the waves and screech of the seagulls was the bang-bang-banging of hammers.

Savary has long been a vacation destination for locals – but also for folks from Vancouver’s North Shore, Victoria and Calgary. And since COVID upended how people work and how they spend money, the recreational properties market is booming everywhere. In fact, as home prices have softened over the past year, vacation property prices are still surging.

Realtor Rick Thaddeus has tuned in to the Island since 1976, and surfed the up-and-down waves of pricing and desire there. The pattern, he explained, is boom and bust, with each cycle raising

prices a little higher.

“Last time I said it couldn’t happen again, because that would mean inside lots would be going for $200,000,” said Rick, noting these same lots sold for $4,000 when he first started in Real Estate 30 years ago.

“Even in 2020, you could buy an inside lot for $45,000. As of August 2021, they were at $180,000 – there was even one priced at $195,000. I couldn’t believe it. Now they’re back down a bit.”

Currently, the cheapest place with a structure on it at press time was $489,000 – a 640-square foot one-bedroom cabin with no well or septic system. The most expensive: $2.9 million – a five-bedroom, four-bathroom ultra-modern complex built in 2015, steps from the Government Wharf.

Why? In April 2023, RE/MAX Canada released its 2023 Cottage Trends Report, which notes that about one in 10 Canadian families owns a cabin. The real estate company predicts that nationally, vacation property prices will rise by about one percent this year (whereas residential prices are down

- Realtor Rick Thaddeus, who started selling these lots in 1992 at

each. They’d be $7,474 today, if they stuck to inflation.

significantly over 2022’s).

Demand is being driving by Generation X, which is inheriting about $1 trillion collectively this year, from their parents and other relatives. Keeping cabins in the family is a priority for them, according to RE/MAX.

Locally, Rick has observed that how people use vacation properties on Savary Island has morphed. In the past, he said, dads (generally speaking) would stay for their two or three week annual holiday, and the mom and kids would stay for longer – dads might fly in and out on the “daddy plane.” But for the entire rest of the year, they’d be empty. Savary’s year-round population was under 50, including him.

Since COVID, he said, the whole island has gone year-round, Rick said. Workers telecommute from their cabins. Many cabin owners retired or semi-retired during the pandemic, and they’re just on Savary much more.

Air B&B and VRBO opened up remote rentals.

To serve the new demands, Savary Island General Store started opening year-round in 2020; you can get propane delivered to your cabin all 12 months too.

This is all good news for the wider region, Rick argues. People visit Savary, and then discover Powell Rivera place they shop and tour. Many folks from elsewhere who own property on

in 2020, you could buy an inside lot [on Savary Island] for

As of August 2021, they were at $180,000 – there was even one priced at $195,000. I

HOW THEY GOT HERE: Above left, 2% Realty Realtor Magda Deininger grew up in Gibsons, and witnessed the transition from resource community to vacation and retirement destination there, years ago. She moved to qathet to raise her family near her sister and parents. Above, 460 Realty Realtor Dean Macdonald is based on Texada, where he moved after helping his son and daughterin-law buy a farm – and discovering he likes the Island life. Right, Savary Island Real Estate Realtor Rick Thaddeus (wearing a shirt with some of Savary’s top landmarks listed on it) landed on Savary 30 years ago after leaving small-town England for Toronto, then hitchhiking across Canada during the height of the hippie era. Savary is his Shangri-La.

Savary end up moving to the Upper Sunshine Coast, he said. How many people live full-time on Savary now? Rick wouldn’t guess, except to say that all the old definitions for “year-round resident” and even “vacation property” no longer apply.

Savary isn’t qathet’s only vacation destination. Far from it. The entire region is a harbour for tourists and part-time residents – many of whom work in high-pressure, high pay jobs in large cities. As Rick notes, COVID was utterly transformational. The telecommuting / retirement / short-term rentals dynamic has stimulated the real estate market all over this region, putting pressure on home prices, in-

creasing the population, and even upending the rental market.

Frustratingly, there are no official statistics on how many people live here part-time, or own vacation properties here – or how that’s changed over the years. And, most importantly, what the social and economic changes mean for qathet – both the benefits and drawbacks.

But qathet does have a neighbour that is a solid anecdotal comparison: the Lower Sunshine Coast. Realtor Magda Deininger grew up in Gibsons, which was a “quaint community” until the turn of the millennium, she recalls. The economic foundation for that region was forestry and the Howe Sound Pulp and Paper Mill, plus a small tour-

ism economy – much like qathet’s was until quite recently. Then, in about 2000, the economy shifted as lots of people started moving from the Lower Mainland as prices were much more affordable and it’s only a 40 minute ferry commute. The character of the region shifted, too. Again, much like qathet’s.

Magda, who has been working with 2% Realty here since 2021, pointed out that the best thing locals can do is be mindful of the impacts. The growth of short-term rentals such as Air B&Bs

can put pressure on the rental market, she said. But for homeowners with big mortgages, she pointed out, renting a suite to a traveller can be more lucrative and allows for more flexibility than having a full-time tenant, for example if you also use that space for your own guests or family when they are visiting.

As for lucrative, Magda knows firsthand how much money short-term rentals can generate. She has family coming from Germany this summer, and was hoping to rent a nice place on

“Austyn truly went above and beyond in her work to help us find our first family home. She was professional, communicative, understanding and flexible. Austyn not only helped us navigate the market, she was also instrumental in helping us navigate conflicting family wants/needs.

“I highly recommend Austyn for all of your real estate needs.”

Humphrey

the waterfront to accommodate her extended family all together for 10 days. The total bill: $20,000.

“That’s enough for a down payment,” she said,

Because short-term rentals are competing with resident rentals, in 2018, City of Powell River policy-makers stepped in and set a cap on stand-alone Air B&B and VRBO rentals in the City. A scarcity of places for local renters to live was top-of-the-list for the rationale: to “ensure that viable long-term rental housing is not converted into short-term rental stock.” Just 10 short term rental business licenses are allowed within City limits (see sidebar, right, for a more complete description of this regulation). But in the rest of the regional district, there is no cap.

Short-term rentals are not all bad, of course. The local benefit is two-fold. First, renting out a suite helps owners afford the sky-high price of real estate, with more flexibility and control than renting to a resident. Second, vacationers bring new money into the community and spend on restaurants, souvenirs and experiences. A variety of accommodations – from animal-friendly farm stays (such as Family Farm B&B) to even a caboose (at Serendipity Inn) – draws more vacationers to the region in search of a unique experience.

Plus, Magda said, short-term rentals help the economy by bringing in more tourists and offering unique accommodation options that can cater to a wide variety of people. In Ucluelet and Tofino, she said, where the short-term rental scene is well-es-

tablished, property owners can hire local companies to manage their rentals: cleaning, maintenance, and handling problems as they arise. Here, no one has created a business like that, which means some non-local investors are wary about offering their place up, without on-the-ground help.

“This is a very delicate dance,” said Magda. “We need growth, but you don’t want to lose the beauty, charm and livability of the town, like Squamish did. You have to tread lightly. But for a place like this to prosper, you need tourism. You need people to come here and spend money, which supports local businesses.”

With its mix of industry and wilderness, Texada Island fits in between Savary and Powell River’s vacation property scenes. The population doubles in the summer – a fact that doesn’t surprise Dean Macdonald, a realtor who moved there four years ago and works through Powell River’s 460 Realty.

During his 35 years selling real estate in the Lower Mainland, Dean often drove his wife and three boys 22 hours to San Diego to go camping – because they liked the people they camped with year after year there. And, they owned a cabin on Gabriola Island, an arduous two-ferry trip from North Delta where they lived. So he understands why the tough travel to Texada doesn’t deter people.

Vacationers, he said, like to go where they like to go; it’s about the company as much as the location. Although, he pointed out, this location offers unpar-

alleled fishing and hunting. There’s a mix of folks who own cabins there, RVers and campers, and more and more, people who stay in short-term rentals. Want to catch a ferry off-Island? That can be a challenge; Texada sees cars left behind on about eight runs a week in the summer, Dean said, noting he has missed two appointments in the last 10 days due to ferry problems. But that said, the Island needs vacationers.

“Texada has a lot of retirees,” said Dean, who is passionate about seniors issues. He sits on the board of the Texada Island Nonprofit Seniors Housing Society, which is planning to build affordable housing to allow local seniors to age in place.

“The average age is over 60. A quarter of seniors are living at the poverty line or below it. So they’re looking for income. Short-term rentals really help solve this problem, and a lot of people

I know on Texada have one in their home. They rent from about $150 to $600 a night, depending on how big they are. Eventually, those seniors may have a caregiver live in that suite. Or live for free, but in trade they care for senior.”

Copper, iron, gold and limestone once supported as many as 20,000 Texadans, but by the 1950s, the population was in free-fall as industry both became more efficient with technology, and demand declined. “When all other industries are failing, who would have thought that real estate would be the one that remained?” asked Dean.

Dean has sold four homes so far this year, and another 14 are listed for sale. He wouldn’t be surprised if more foreign buyers start investing on the Island, as they’re currently blocked from buying in many parts of BC. But so far, they’re not buying. Instead, it’s the same crew who are buying on Savary

Planning in Paradise

City of Powell River regulates the advertising of vacation rental and short-term rental properties through the Business Licence Bylaw. The bylaw limits the number of vacation rental business licences to a maximum of 10. Currently our vacation rental program is full.

A vacation rental is a property where the homeowner is renting out a portion or the whole of the property for less than 28 days AND where they cannot demonstrate that the property is their primary residence.

If someone can demonstrate that the property is their primary residence, they can apply for a shortterm rental business licence. The City does not restrict the number of short-term rental business licences. There are currently 28 licenced short-term rentals operating in City of Powell River. Outside of the short-term rental / vacation rental business licencing program, the City does not have a way to track the number of vacation homes. There are many reasons why someone would have a second (or additional) property in Powell River. These reasons include working or living in another jurisdiction part of the year, holding an investment property, being a landlord for a long-term rental property, or having a vacation property either for their own family to use or to rent out.

and in Powell River: people looking for a different pace of life, telecommuters, retirees, and the semi-retired.

That the definition of “vacation property” has morphed is undoubtedly benefitting the local economy. Cabins that once housed their owners just a few weeks a year are full for many months now. Those sort-of-travellers shop, eat, fuel their cars, visit pharmacies, and renovate their homes here, pumping cash into qathet.

As realtor Rick Thaddeus says, slightly tongue-in-cheek, “The Powell River liquor stores would go out of business if not for Savary.”

Even short-term rentals, which are often treated as a social blight, seem to be proving their worth in helping local property owners afford their mortgages and age in place – plus accommodating more travelers than traditional hotels can. Although, as the City of Powell River has found, visitors are often preferred renters over residents – which is exacerbating the local housing crisis.

Rick predicts that the inflamed vacation property market, which was fanned by COVID, is over for now.

Prices won’t return to pre-pandemic levels, of course, but he notes that “we’re getting back to the normal market where we know how much things are worth.”

He said this from Savary Island’s South Beach – a vast, quiet, sunny, clean, empty, natural paradise. In a world where people are facing multiple threats from the climate, the economy, wars and possible wars, supply chain problems, and much more.

This little corner of paradise may surge again, soon. || pieta@prliving.ca

Creating Home Connections

Adventurous folk feel their summers are not complete until they have spent some time on Savary / Kayeqwan Island. Vacationers come and go from far and wide to visit our “Maui of the North,” as locals often refer to it.

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to live on Savary Island 365 days a year? Well, Ron Findlater lives there year-round – one of just a few dozen folks who do, and they’re spread out across the seven-and-a-half kilometre long island. He has been a permanent resident there for the last 15 years.

Ron, 82, says he loves the peacefulness of living on the island and enjoys living along side his neighbours. He says he has found contentment living there.

Originally from Manitoba, Ron is a retired electrician. He had been living in Powell River, and chose to move to his once-vacation property after a significant life change.

The island, too, has seen a lot of changes over the past decade and a half. The older folks are leaving and younger people are moving onto the island, said Ron. There is more building than ever before; construction is booming. On a recent water taxi ride, the seats were full of plumbers and other construction workers heading over for the day to work on many of the new residences being built. The land has been subdivided into 2,200 lots of 50’ x 300.’

after my grandmother. You may have seen the image on an old collectors teacup and saucer. In fact, Ron knew my grandfather, who was the head electrician at the mill. They worked together in the mid-20th century.

I first met Ron about 12 years ago when a group of lady friends and I rented a cabin at Indian Point, Savary’s most western point. We had wandered down to the beach to explore when we happened to meet Ron, who was renting out his kayaks. My friend Lesley and I decided to rent a couple of Ron’s glass-bottom kayaks for the afternoon. It was an awesome experience. I had done a lot of kayaking up to that point, but never in a kayak I could see though. We saw kelp, rocks, and even a seal swim underneath the kayak! Later on in the evening, Ron came over with a complimentary bottle of his homemade wine.

‘Very hospitable,’ we thought.

TOUR GUIDE EXTRAORDINAIRE: Above, Ron Findlater isn’t your average octogenarian retiree. Instead, you can find him behind the wheel of his Savary Tours dune buggy. Right, Meadows Beach.

Photos by Antonio Dom Dom

I grew up in Powell River, and I’ve been going over to visit Savary my whole life. When I was a child, I’d visit on my dad or my grandfather’s gas-powered boat – which he built and named the “Lady Frances”

Ron tells me that as time went on, the kayaks became too heavy for him to carry and move around. He got to thinking that maybe he could showcase beautiful Savary Island in another way. Not everyone he met had the physical ability to kayak around Savary, so he came up with the idea to purchase a dune buggy and take people to – as he says – some of Savary’s “sweetest spots.” After spending the fall and winter on the island in near-isolation, he welcomes the visitors and the social interactions. Although he is 82, he still walks every day and is a very energetic tour guide.

This past summer, a group of two friends and I decided to try his four-hour tour through his busi-

Spring Into Summer Market

Spring into Summer Market

gnirpS otni remmuS

SUMMER VIBES: Above, Ron Findlater’s Savary Island home; the front porch is a friendly destination. Left, some trails are steep, but Ron has the knowledge to get you around safely. Hannah Dom Dom, Margaret Tenniscoe, author Patricia Karis, Ann Duggan. Ron in his Dune Buggy.

ness Savary Tours. Ron picked us up at the dock, in his dune buggy, which he has affectionately named ‘Victor,’ after an old friend. We took a tour of the beaches, where he drove us as close as he could and then we were able to walk and explore. After the first half of the tour, he hosted us on his front porch, serving up beers and telling stories. Then after using the washroom, he took us on a tour of a few more beaches before getting us back to the 3:30 pm boat.

Ron is very knowledgeable about the post-colonial history of the island. The 1792 description of Savary in Captain George Vancouver’s journals; the mysterious 1893 deaths of Savary’s first settlers, John Green and Tom Taylor; and the details of the island’s land surveying. And more.

He knew the names of all the beaches, where there are trails, the easy routes and what condition they are in, which trails are beach accessible, and whether there are hand-rails. He knows who lives near by, how close the cabins are, and the names of all the people who have been there and their families. In other words, everything a visitor with varying abilities might need to know to enjoy the island without fear – something I appreciated when navigating one of the steeper trails.

Ron recommends visiting in July and August. Even though the beaches are busier then, you can can always find a quiet spot.

I’ve found that if you mention Ron’s name to anyone involved in Savary Island, they will sound like they’re a member of the Ron Findlater fan club!

Our storied beach stairs

My mother has always loved the beach. We spent half our summers at Willingdon when we were kids and many evenings swimming at Pete’s Rock at the bottom of Courtenay Street, right beside the old breakwater.

Moving back to qathet in 2019, I was reminded that many share her love of the foreshore and the secrets of the intertidal zone, each family with its favourite picnic spot somewhere between Lund and Saltery Bay.

COVID-19 expanded this affection. Remember those first few months when we were locked down? Racing through grocery stores, dodging other shoppers? Meeting in neighbourhood parks, coffees clutched in chilly hands? The beaches became safe

Powell River Forest Products Ltd

Office: 604-483-1180

Web: powellriverforestproducts.ca

Lumber Sales: Call Alex-604-832-8991

or Ben 604-414-5800

Locally owned and operated

BLAST FROM THE PAST

places to spread out and they grew crops of cheerful rock paintings, stone sculptures and uplifting messages drawn in the sand. And as warm weather approached people began to swim.

For years my mom was one of the few to venture into the water in front of the beacon at Grief Point where she lives, but in 2020 we started to hear shrieks as groups of teens ran into the cold water. On windy days, windsurfers and kiteboarders flew by. On calm evenings, paddleboards drifted along, images of ease and peace. And families gathered for picnics at the bottom of the stairways dropping down from Marine Avenue.

Swimmers, winter and summer, use them to access the magic of salt water.

STAIRWAYS TO HEAVEN: Above, friends Seraphena Aswell (front) and Rita Rasmussen still use the stairs and pathways down to the seawalk regularly. Left, all of these stairs lead down to the beach – either along the seawalk, or between the seawalk and Penticton Street. Clockwise from top left, Fred Dunlop built these stairs for his wife, Dorothy, so she wouldn’t fall. Mark Alexander helps maintain these stairs at the bottom of Penticton Street, which are often washed by the waves. Sign for Gene’s Beach Stairs at the south end of the seawalk – his family put up the sign to honour his work on them. Part stairs and part path, some are cobbled together with materials people had at hand.

is like a perfection of thought.”

It was, I think, a harkening back to the beach life from the decades before swimming pools and parental supervision, when kids only came home for dinner and returned to the beach for long summer evenings. You need only look along the stretch of Marine between the Coast Guard station below Fairmont Street and Churchman’s Corner, just past Penticton Street. There are, I think, ten sets of stairs and pathways dating back to those years. When I asked my contemporaries about them, a wonderful flood of memories surfaced.

Carol Gilham-Ferreira remembers trails at the bottom of Jasper Street and Hammond Street. “I don’t know who maintained them, but there was a lot of work put into them. I remember them being in bad shape after the winter storms, then there’d be steps carved back into the banks by summer.”

CREATIVE FLAIR: These stairs, built by nearby renters, were crafted using only hand tools. They’re hidden from the top; you have to know where they are to find them.

Another member of the Jasper Street gang described a big maple tree on a landing near the bottom and a zunga. It was a neighbourhood community, she said, where teenagers gathered away from the pressures of high school social cliques. Beach fires and parties were the norm, though some said you didn’t want to be too unsteady on your feet when it came time to climb back up the bank.

Rafts were built most summers, but one particularly ingenious prank included constructing a small platform for a candle, affixing a dry-cleaning bag, lighting the candle and sending it aloft. Apparently it lasted long enough for the sentry up on Marine to ask passers-by if they saw the UFO.

Marcia Hogg said her dad and others built a set of stairs between Lytton and Massett in the 1950s. “If memory serves me correctly most of the “blocks”

21 years ago, things changed

When the seawalk project began in 2002 some of the stairways disappeared, though several still give access to the path.

The construction also opened up an opportunity to bridge the gap between the First People and the settler community. The excavation revealed evidence of the families who had used these beaches from time immemorial, whose children undoubtedly dived off the same rocks, who chased fish in the tide pools, who dug for clams in the clam gardens.

What began as a dispute over the destruction of Tla’amin sites resulted in the positive relationship forged between the Tla’amin Nation and the municipality.

Like the stairways, these relationships need to be maintained, the obstacles cleared and the paths of communication kept open.

had their own trail to the beach which of course is back when the beach was a beach for families. Most of the dads kept up the trails and cleared paths to the sandbars. Every kid could read the tide chart.”

Part of the attraction were the many large rocks perfect for sunbathing and diving. Marcia identified one as the diving rock.” On the top of the rock are the drill holes where the city was going to use dynamite to blow it up. They didn’t reckon on [my mother]. I’m thinking very early 1960s.”

Jennifer (Thompson) McNeil wrote about her dad, Ray Thompson, who “built and maintained the beach trail closest to Massett. We three daughters (Jennifer, Cindy, and Cheryl) pretty much lived and loved at that beach during our summer youth. Gosh – the summer smells of that trail were really something special – dried fir needles, blackberries, blooming wild roses, and salty beach all wrapped together.”

Lola Amundsen said her parents, Fred and Dorothy Dunlop, repaired and rebuilt the path going down to the beach between Oliver and Penticton. “Papa poured the cement for the stairs so Mama would not fall. She loved that beach!!”

Further south on Marine, Richard Gold had some good stories: “In the 40s, 50s and 60s, the stretch of Marine between Nootka and Churchman’s corner had a series of trails, usually where there were children. We had one just south of Oliver, the Slades just off Penticton, Len Hocken built a wooden staircase just before the corner. If the trails weren’t maintained every year, the undergrowth grew so fast that it would disappear in a year or two.”

Families would gather there, Richard said. “Some of the rocks had names, like the big one, White Rock, and the one we called Aunt Eleanor’s Rock because she spent her time on it, sunning herself or diving off it when the tide came in.”

His family even joined with Grade 7 teacher Ken Bradley to build a trestle which rested on two large cedar logs. “We rigged it up with pulleys to haul up wood which we harvested from logs washed up on the shore.”

The erosion and the maintenance continue. Mark Alexander, a former pressman with The Powell River News, moved back to Marine Avenue in 2015. He worked with a neighbour to fix up the stairs at the bottom of Penticton, stairs he and many others use daily. The bottom few feet are regularly rearranged by storms. And a new, rather precarious stairway was built during COVID by a fellow renting a house just north of his place, Mark said.

The love put into those pathways feels as cheering as the messages painted on the rocks, as the hearts scribed in the sand, as the people banging pots and pans on summer evenings to thank health workers.

Recession-era makework project created a “lasting legacy”

lay-out and engineering notes. Our children were understandably curious and delighted by this display of tempting papers. The array was a huge challenge for 40 sticky fingers to resist.

I had made many maps before in my forestry work and with the help of the Forest Service it was not long before the route took shape.

For the first time in my 20 years of forestry work, I had to take employment insurance.

That was not to be for long. I was asked to engineer a project that was put together by the Powell River Chamber of Commerce and the Forest Service to help provide jobs for unemployed forestry workers. It was to be an exciting project, linking eight of Powell River’s pristine lakes to form a route for people to portage via canoe; the Powell Forest Canoe Route.

As I met with the Resource Officer I became more and more excited by this idea.

Now I was imagining hikers and canoeists and visitors to Powell River, discovering these pristine areas that I knew so well. I was up to the challenge.

My first job was to walk the routes and to make notes of the trails to be considered or to be changed, even to be completely re-routed. Then the trail maps had to be made.

My walls at home were soon decorated with drawings, notes and maps as each route was planned and evaluated. My kitchen table covered with

The challenge was to engineer routes that would not break the backs or spirits of the canoeists carrying packs, supplies and of course canoes, sometimes for several kilometers. I wanted as much as possible to prevent presenting them with very steep curves or climbs.

Several of the lakes already had trails between them, but not to the standard that was needed for this project.

It was not too long before I met the crew who were to build the portages between the lakes. This was to be back-breaking work. The supervisor, Barry Agar was to oversee them while I had the luxury of consulting on the engineering aspects, just watching and encouraging. There was no way to smooth out everything the landscape threw at us. The trail between Windsor and Goat Lake was dubbed “cardiac hill.”

I am not sure how many of them realized their work would be appreciated by people from across Canada and many other countries. In fact, the Powell Forest Canoe Route placed Powell River on the map of the world as a world renowned place for outdoor recreation, along with the Sunshine Coast Trail.

As I look back now, I appreciate having had the privilege of helping create this lasting legacy.

What was I to do? It was 1983, I had a wife and four young sons under six. My job at a major forestry company had disappeared due to changing forest practices and policies.

So much a part of living here: paddling

So, the coach gave us last week off, that was nice. We had a little time to get some things done like maybe think about washing the toque I’ve been sweating in all winter long.

It’s a good time to check over the PFD and perhaps, for some, shop for another paddle that you want, but don’t really need. (Wait, what? You always need a new paddle.) And, maybe a little time to reflect on why we paddle.

Growing up in Powell River meant you were always near, on, or in water. It was a luxury I didn’t really understand at the time. It did, however, set a lifelong appreciation of, and attraction to, oceans and lakes.

I have vague memories of learning to swim at Willingdon Beach and more solid ones for Cranberry Lake. We fished, swam and explored from Desolation Sound to Princess Louisa Inlet and from Beta Lake to Unwin. Everything from jumping off the Westview wharf to silently drifting along in a canoe.

So many choices, so much beauty and so much space. You know how you can just sit and watch a campfire, the pleasure that comes from watching it dance? The ocean is just the same, the motion and

You’re invited to pick up a paddle

When members of the Suncoast Paddling Club celebrate National Canoe Day, they invite the community to join them on Sunday, June 25 from 11 am to 2 pm for a paddle on Powell Lake from Mowat Bay.

The purpose of Paddle Day 2023 is to have fun, get people on the water and introduce them to the sport.

Randy Mitchell, local paddle historian, will share his passion for getting out on the water. He and members of local paddling clubs will share information and answer any questions. There will be a mass start with all paddlers invited to go out and back to either Tony’s Point, Haywire Bay or anywhere in between.

Try something new and experience an outrigger canoe, a dragon boat, a SUP (stand up paddle board) or a canoe! The Suncoast Paddling Club (outrigger canoe club), the Zunga Dragon Boat and the Paddling for Life Dragon Boat teams will be happy to take you out for a quick introduction to their fun and fitness activities.

Getting out on the water is more important than how far you go.

Let’s see how many boats and boards we can get on the water!

sound of the waves, the stillness of a calm day, the wildlife. There is always something to watch. Using my own effort to get from one place to another has always been part of my life, not to mention some great fun.

There have been a few somewhat scary moments too, but all in all making myself, under my own power, get from A to B is nothing, but satisfying. Skiing, cycling holidays, backcountry hikes, canoeing and kayaking have all fit the bill for me. So, why do I paddle?

It feels right. It is enlightening. I get to be on the water, I get to be the engine that moves me along. Paddling puts me in a different frame of mind. (Being low impact doesn’t hurt either). Whether out there in a single kayak or with a crew in an outrigger canoe, everything else just goes away. There is nothing else, but the moment of moving along, enjoying the companionship, the view, the destination, the effort and the reward. I’m outside, I’m in nature. I settle into a steady rhythm which becomes meditative. There are beautifully calm days and some that are weather challenged, each provide their own experience and sense of accomplishment.

40 YEARS OF THE CANOE ROUTE

Building up our swish paddle journey

In mid-May, 14 people some, who were part of a work training program, moved more than 20,000 lbs of picnic tables, fire rings and lumber on to the Powell Forest Canoe Route. All of it was trucked into the bush and hauled in by boat and by hand.

“It’s all going to remote locations,” said Hugh Prichard, who is coordinating the $300,000 upgrades as part of his work as project manager with the Powell River Education Services Society, which is a partner with Recreation Sites and Trails BC in the operation of the route. “Every board and screw had to be barged, canoed, or hiked in”

After 40 years, the amenity is getting some much-needed upgrades. They include replacing the last 25 of the routes original Canoe Rests; building six new composting toilets at remote campsites; adding new tent sites and platforms for a better night’s sleep; two new docks and ramps; replacing bridges and boardwalks; new kiosks

and signs; installing animal-safe food caches; and much more. The money for the improvements at the Recreation Sites came from the Ministry of Tourism Arts Culture and Sport.

Likely thousands use parts of the route each year; when it was established, those kinds of numbers were never anticipated, said Hugh, who has been coordinating the maintenance on the with the route in various capacities since 2007. What’s changed since then, he said, is the management has to be much more mindful now of environmental and social impacts of building through this land. The route runs through land owned privately, as well as TFL 39, and it’s on the Traditional Territory of both Tla’amin and Sechelt Nations.

“All new improvements are above ground,” explained Hugh. “There are no big excavations, everything is leave-no-trace, minimal impact. In the old days we would have dug a huge pit toilet. Now, the toilets don’t go in the

ground at all.”

In the next 18 months or so, the route will be renamed as part of its revitalization. Hugh is also collaborating with Sunshine Coast Tourism and others to design and install interpretive signage along the route that will include new kiosk maps and other wayfinding markers.

The sheer number of people and groups involved in working on the route is staggering. In the beginning, it was a crew of laid-off foresters (see Page 35), with the Chamber of Commerce and the Forest Service at the helm. Then timber companies (most recently Western Forest Products) maintained it and generally took responsibility for it. For the past 15 years, the province, WFP, Tla’amin Nation, VIU, PRESS and volunteers have all contributed to this unlikely but remarkable achievement.

“The objective we are after is to preserve a world-class freshwater paddling journey,” said Hugh.

GIVE IT A REST: The canoe route has 10.5 kilometres of portages – and now, there’s a new canoe rest every 100 metres. That’s 110 canoe rests built – if anyone’s counting. Top, new canoe rest. Bottom, 40-year-old canoe rest.

Use the orthography below to write in how to pronounce each letter.

Also see Dr. Elsie Paul’s more precise descriptions at bit.ly/3cc8iU4.

This orthography is based on the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA). This guide offers a simplified version of the sounds; for an authentic accent, listen at firstvoices.com. Most letters you’ll see in ʔayʔaǰuθəm are familiar. Pronounce them as you normally would, with the exception of the vowels and “y,” which are always pronounced:

YARD ART

David Buoy

Bamfield Street.

Debbie Dee has been the caretaker of this century old buoy that her then partner Fred Kerton towed home from the shores of Nelson Island almost 50 years ago.

This is the third resting spot of David Buoy – named so by Debbie. This relic, officially known as a nun buoy because its conical shape resembled the coronet of a nun’s habit, was a channel marker and always painted bright red.

Model:

Many homeowners assume the best time is to wait until just before the fall season when they will begin using their woodstoves again. Actually, it’s the opposite. Spring and summer are the best time to get your chimney swept. One reason is that if any repairs are needed after we inspect your chimney, you’ll be able to schedule them in plenty of time before you need your stove again in the fall. These days, there are sometimes long waits for even common replacement parts. Schedule your stove and chimney maintenance now with a call to Cadam. You’ll be glad you did!

Joy! La Joie!

These are the Contest Winners from the Powell River Public Library’s children’s poetry contest.

The theme of the contest was Joy / La Joie - and it was organized by children’s librarian Sonia Zagwyn. Swimming, playing, nature, food - the things that give us joy are clearly the same at every age.

Excellent programming is coming up this summer, for both children and teens (and adults). See prpl.ca for events and programs.

Ages 6-8 Winning Entries

First place tie:

Noha Bordeleau

Age 8, Homeschooled

Joyful Rainbow

Colourful, beautiful, wonderful bright. I love the rainbow and I know I’m right. Sun and rain make colourful light. It is a joyous sight. And I know I’m right.

I know I’m right.

First place tie:

Gracie Bordeleau

Age 7, Homeschooled

Yes or No?

I say yes to being joyful. I say no to not being joyful. I say yes to splashing in the puddles, playing with Lego, climbing trees, finding mushrooms, playing cat, and eating pizza. I say no to sitting quietly, cooked carrots, being cold and wet, and wasp bites.

I say YES TO JOY!

Second place

Aliyah Mendoza

Age 6, Henderson Elementary

Mama She Makes Me Happy…

mama she makes me happy! She makes me feel better when I’m Down. JOY JOY JOY JOY She plays my favourite game which is CandyLand and she makes me happy! who knew she could be so fun? She reads to me, sings songs to me, Snuggles me plays with me more And more sometimes she watches me climb trees and bandages my knees!

JOY JOY JOY

Third place: Aranea Bakker

2ème année, École Cote Du Soleil

Petits Pois

Toi et moi n’avons pas le choix Il faut manger nos petits pois Les petits pois me remplissent de joie. You and me we have no choice We must eat our peas Peas fill me with joy.

Runner Up:

Ages 9-11 Winning Entries

First Place:

Bernadette Williams Age 9, Homeschooled The Wild Side

The sky is blue my eyes are red with the wild side.

I may look like a human but on the inside I’m wild

I travel up the hills to my safe spot where I can be wild

All day long. Where I can run with the deer and Sleep with the bears and swim with the salmon and Eat with the crows on the wild side.

Second Place:

Nelson Bratseth

3ème année, École Cote Du Soleil

123, les yeux sur moi…

123, les yeux sur moi

C’est le roi qui a toute la joie Je sais c’est tout pour moi Et toi, tu es juste une oie

Les oies n’ont pas de la joie c’est juste moi qui a de la joie et c’est juste moi qui a un boa 123, eyes on me

He’s the king who has all the joy I know that’s all for me

And you, you’re just a goose Geese have no joy it’s just me who has joy and it’s just me who has a boa

Third Place:

Bentley Gendron-boilart

3ème année, École Cote Du Soleil

Le Kickboxing

Le kickboxing, c’est ma joie Quand je gagne chaque fois Le roi de la lutte UFC, c’est moi Kickboxing is my joy

When I win every time

William Salome

2ème année, École Cote Du Soleil

J’aime Nager

J’aime nager, ça c’est vrai Ça me donne de la joie quand je bouge mes bras. I like to swim, that’s true It gives me joy when I move my arms.

The king of UFC wrestling is me

Runner Up: Talia Chapple, Age 10 Homeschooled

Now it is summer the bees are going to their flowers the sun is shining my dog running around the birds are chirping and me, I’m in my birch trees looking over it all.

Tatlow: another name to reckon with

After living in Smithers BC for more than 40 years, my wife and I moved to Powell River four years ago. And one of the first things I noticed was that Powell River has a Tatlow Street in the Cranberry area. It jumped out at me because there’s a Tatlow Road in Smithers. As it turns out there’s also a Mount Tatlow in BC’s Coast Mountain Range, a Tatlow Lake west of Squamish and, according to the provincial place names website, an official ‘locality’ of Tatlow in the Bulkley Valley about 300 kilometres west of Prince George.

Unlike a lot of street names in and around Powell River, I was pretty sure Tatlow Street was not named for some Spanish explorer like Galiano, Malaspina, Texada, Cortez or Hernando. So who was Tatlow?

According to the Dictionary of Canadian Biography (DCB), Robert Garnett Tatlow was a BC businessman, militia officer and provincial cabinet minister. He was first elected to the legislature in 1900 and later served in the Conservative government of Richard McBride as minister of finance and of agriculture. He acted as house leader and premier when McBride was away.

The DCB also states that, in an attempt to prevent Asian immigration, Tatlow twice introduced legis-

lation requiring all immigrants be able to write in a European language. And twice the proposed legislation was disallowed by the federal government. He also cooked up a scheme whereby the Salvation Army would “bring in one or two thousand British unskilled labourers and domestics to reduce the need for Asian workers.”

Tatlow was born in Ireland in 1855, emigrating to Montreal in his mid teens and on to Victoria in 1879. He died in 1910 at age 54 as the result of a road accident. He was thrown from his horse-drawn carriage and, according to the Victoria Daily Times, suffered a “concussion of the brain” and died in hospital three days later. He was survived by his wife and five children.

Mount Tatlow, a 10,050-foot peak in BC’s Chilcotin Range, was officially named as such in 1911, honouring the former provincial cabinet minister. In 2019 it was renamed Mount Ts’il?os on the recommendation of the Ts’ilhqot’in National Government and supported by the Caribou Regional District and BC Parks. The Tsilhqot’in people maintain it is unlucky to point at the mountain, to mention its name in casual speech or to climb it. They consider it a spiritual site where a man named Ts’il?os was transformed to stone and watches over and protects the

What happened to Name Change?

The possible name change process began in 2021 after Tla’amin Hegus John Hackett asked the Mayor and Council to remove the name “Powell” from the name of this City, citing Dr. Israel Powell’s involvement with residential schools. The Joint Working Group was established soon after to address the request. The process included an online survey, several town hall meetings, and more.

In the summer of 2022, the process wrapped up and was put on hold, after the Joint Working Group issued 11 recommendations.

Powell River elected a new Mayor and Council in October 2022. Since then, the City has been working on a new strategic plan; the 11 recommendations on name change might be addressed as part of that plan. Scott Randolph, the City’s Director of Communications, confirmed that the strategic plan will be released in the near future.

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What were those 11 recommendations? You can find them here: powellriver.ca/pages/pnc. Most of them are about engaging and educating qathet residents about shared history, racism, and reconciliation – plus starting a three-government reconciliation committee and establishing at least one City staff person to support relationships with Tla’amin and implement the recommendations. There is some movement. On March 30, council discussed a possible strategic priority of reconciliation and relations with Tla’amin Nation. Council has not discussed what this strategic priority might look like. The recently-adopted five-year financial plan includes a new position – Manager, Intergovernmental Relations – in the 2023 budget and beyond

In May, qathet saw two protests and counter-protests about name change. – PW

people.

Tatlow Road, which runs south out of Smithers, picked up its name from a section of CN Rail track – Tatlow Siding – used to load cattle during the First World War. It’s odd that any railroad company would name anything after Tatlow because he was an ardent opponent of provincial funding for railroads. In fact, he resigned from government in 1909 when Premier McBride decided to financially support rail construction.

BC’s Geographical Place Names website today lists Tatlow as a ‘locality’, an area with a scattered population of less than 50. The area of Cranberry where Tatlow Street is located was first surveyed in 1930 but it was not until sometime around 1958, according to the Powell River News, that the street received the name it has today. Prior to that, according to the newspaper, it was unnamed but known as North Lake Road and/or Levinsky Road. Many other streets and roads in the area of Cranberry Lake, such as Manson, Warner, Allen, appear to have been named for BC politicians from the late 1800s and early 1900s.

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LET’S TALK ACCESSIBILITY

To better support those with disabilities, the qathet Regional District, City of Powell River, and Powell River Public Library are collaborating together to develop a three-year Accessibility Plan that will guide us in identifying, removing and preventing barriers for people in or interacting with our organizations. We invite residents with lived experience, caregivers, and disability advocates to share their ideas and expertise on how we can make our services, programs and infrastructure more accessible and inclusive. Your feedback will help guide the creation of the Accessibility Plan by providing valuable insight into the environments, attitudes, practices, policies, information, communications, and technologies that act as barriers to our organizations.

HOW TO GET INVOLVED:

Online survey

❍ Open for responses: May 29 - July 4, 2023

❍ Available at qathet.ca/accessibility

❍ Paper copies are available at the qathet Regional District main office by request (#202-4675 Marine Avenue).

Attend an open house

❍ Wednesday, June 28, 2023

❍ 4:00 - 7:00 pm

❍ Powell River Public Library (#100-4796 Alberni Street).

For more information, please visit qathet.ca/accessibility.

@qathetRD qathet.ca

Shamwow! How my LEGOobsessed kid found bliss in the workplace – in spite of his FASD

New Series: Making Work Work

Three promotions in as many years had been awarded to Thomas. He called to inform me that he was now making enough money at the car dealership to consider buying a house. I could hardly speak- I was so overwhelmed with sheer surprise. “Congratulations” I finally squeaked out. “Wow, Mom. I have never heard you speechless before.”

Thomas joined our family by adoption when he was 15 months old. We brought him home from his foster family the Friday before Mother’s Day, along with a photo album that lovingly documented his life since birth, a pending diagnosis of developmental delay, and his favourite yellow teddy bear that rattled when shaken. He was happy-go-lucky in temperament and gave very few hints that he would be diagnosed with FASD, ADHD and a “suspicion of OCD” by the end of Grade 2.

We noticed he was a little slow to pick up new vocabulary, but he was infinitely expressive with his bird-like sing-song voice. His first words spoken to us were not Mama and Dada. Everywhere he went he pointed and chirped, “PHUCK! PHUCK! PHUCK!” In triplets. All vehicles, including cars were trucks to him. But Thomas was adorable, even with his toddler-sized trucker’s mouth.

Thomas was focused and content for hours, playing with match box cars on his favourite road print

This month, Lana Cullis kicks off her four-part series on “Making Work Work,” a timely project given the complexities of the labour market in 2023.

Lana spent her working life as an employment counsellor and workplace consultant in Vancouver. She assisted people switching careers after trauma, illness, or other disruptions; as well as working with companies to help improve their workplace culture, inclusivity, and retention strategies.

She started her career serving residents of the Downtown Eastside and completed her working life as an accreditation surveyor. Lana retired to qathet during the pandemic.

Lana recently offered Writing into the Sacred at the library and is active with diverse writing projects.

map area rug. His vrooming sound effects provided a cheerful soundtrack for his make-believe cities comprised of Duplo Lego blocks and Tinker Toys. As soon as his hands could manipulate real Lego pieces, he began to build highly detailed dump trucks, logging trucks, and fire trucks. The training and warnings we had received prior to his adoption faded as we watched him engrossed in planning and building. By the time Thomas was seven, the “hyper” in hy-

peractivity was becoming alarming. Would our son become one of the 60% of adults diagnosed with FASD who have justice system involvement? Or one of the 80% who struggle to live independently as adults?

The most repeated advice from specialized instructors and diagnostic professionals echoed in our ears, focus on strengths not weaknesses. One experienced foster parent shared “if you focus on lack, you will certainly create more of it.”

Thankfully, we recognized the opportunity we had to guide our son’s development, rather than become victims to his diagnosis. We hoped our son could be the exception to the trajectory laid out in the required 22-hour FASD module for “special needs adoptions.”

We made a conscious decision and “Strengths based” became primary to our parenting.

Soon thereafter we removed the top mattress from his bunk bed and installed a sturdy plywood base with an eight-inch-high border. Thomas’s Lego was no longer underfoot, strewn throughout our house, it now resided in “Lego Heaven.” We indulged him in this one regard, whole heartedly. He was even forgiven for not allowing his little sister up in “Heaven” to play with him, and for throwing fits when requested to come down for meals, baths, or bedtime.

Elder family members expressed concern when I stopped making him sit at the table to eat. I delivered his meals to him in Lego Heaven so he could stay focused on engineering a crane, train, or automobile.

We recognized school, siblingship, and new routines challenged him (his outbursts and tantrums challenged everyone around him too!).

“Another promotion already?” was a phrase I never thought I would hear in relation to my son.

2023-2024 Registration Now Open

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For more info, scan the QR code or visit BeanstalkTheatreCompany.com

Rachel

Nicholas

Your qathet Region Representatives

needed respite from all those developmental spaces where he did not make the mark. Lego Heaven was a space where he could play, create, thrive and be true to himself.

Thomas entered the labour market at age 16. He did not stay long at his first few jobs – usually not through the probationary period – he quit often, citing boredom and the employer being stupid. Despite excellent customer service instincts, he could not memorize menu items, cell phone plans or investment portfolios (yes, at age 18 he was poached from his part-time position as a barista to work at a financial planning firm. The manager had observed his hustle and charm with difficult customers and believed in him).

But Thomas got fired, again.

Now living independently, Thomas had to make rent. On a whim he accepted a full-time job washing and polishing cars at a local auto dealership. I thought he would soon tire of the relentless physical labour and the pressure to meet deadlines. My insight as his mother informed my doubt, but more salient, my professional assessment as a seasoned Vocational Rehabilitation Counsellor. I knew customers demanded perfection, not excuses, when paying for professional detailing.

But I was wrong, Thomas thrived at the car lot. He imagined a lucrative future for himself in the automotive industry, “Mom do you know how much money I could make as salesman?”

His astute employer recognized untapped capacity – Thomas was given room to do the entry level job his own way. He invented attachments for the crevices between seats and consoles. He mastered buffing and shining, and accurately reported the flaws and advantages of detailing products (saving time and money for the employer). Thomas took pride in the “before and after” of the vehicles

He was soon promoted to supervising jobs on the lot. His employer recognized his innate ability to calculate how long a detailing job would take, and his ability to fit jobs like Lego blocks into the shop calendar: Thomas was rewarded with a raise and bonus

Truth be known, Thomas had been on the verge of quitting his stable job because he was getting bored. Thomas liked novelty and needed a new challenge to remain engaged and productive as an employee. Perhaps the seasoned dealership owner saw a little of himself in the mouthy kid who had a knack for memorizing parts, prices, makes and models of any-

thing on four wheels. A kid who was always on time for work, perfectly groomed and eager to roll despite partying into all hours the night before.

The employer took a risk, and he shared his own story: how he had progressed from washing cars to dealership owner. The candid chat allowed Thomas to share about his abilities and limitations, and to be transparent about his diagnosis to a person in power. The employer ended the conversation by asking Thomas about his hopes and dreams for his future.

Months later, Thomas was offered an inside job, helping senior advisors at the service desk. He showed initiative with customer service and sales, but his FASD brain threatened to blow up this incredible opportunity. He simply could not spell the names of automotive parts on service orders.

On the sly, Thomas started using the talk-to-type function on his phone to write up service orders, a skill he learned while still in Grade 10 at a specialized school for youth diagnosed with FASD.

Thomas was the quintessential class clown and lesson disrupter. His favourite bit, the famous infomercial “Shamwow!” Undaunted, his teacher invited Thomas to harness his uncanny ability to mimic and reproduce sounds, voices, and intonations (clinically known as echolalia): he utilized the talk-to-type function on his phone for completing written assignments and exams.

At the dealership talk-to-type technology on his phone was not a perfect solution. It appeared as if he was wasting time chatting with friends, a behaviour all employers discourage. Thomas lacked the privacy or the time to transcribe his work accurately from his email file to service counter software that sent work orders to the shop.

Thomas’s odd phonetic spellings caused hoots of laughter. The mechanics ribbed him mercilessly and they soon grew frustrated at having to verbally investigate what exactly the customer required.

Thomas tried to guard his pride. He warned experienced mechanics that it was he who determined the shop assignments, “Play nice or get the crap jobs” he threatened. Alarmed at his bravado, I encouraged my son to disclose to staff peers the real reason his service requests contained so many errors. Full disclosure about his invisible disability enabled management to research and install a program on all service desk computers that permitted transcription and spell check.

Practical matters addressed; the charismatic Thomas was free to shine. He was a natural at upselling, and in turn increasing revenues. The employer paid for my son to get his formal certification as a service advisor, including trips and stays in the city for exams. Working full-time with a healthy salary enabled Thomas to purchase three classic cars to tinker with and to attend competitive car shows. His manager noticed Thomas’s engaging social media posts about car shows and invited him to contribute content to the dealership website.

A decade has passed since the last time Thomas was fired, and the first time he was paid to wash a car. He is not in jail. He is not financially dependent – on government social assistance or on his parents. He pays rent and files taxes. Thomas has job security, respect from his coworkers and a pension. The dire predictions of health care professionals and adoption social workers have been mediated. Thomas’s Lego Heaven dreams have come true.

“Shamwow”!

This Canada Day, we continue to recognize the Indigenous lands that we live, play and work on and commit to reconciliation every day

“Perhaps the seasoned dealership owner saw a little of himself in the mouthy kid who had a knack for memorizing parts, prices, makes and models of anything on four wheels.

Look for the new qathet Waste Wise app available now

The

app will notify and deliver service reminders, alerts and all the information you need about solid waste and recycling, making it easier than ever to stay connected and informed.

ALL IN, EVEN HER SKIN:

Cinci Csere says of her body art, above: “I even have bees tattooed on my arms as they remind me of how important they are in our life, we have to protect and love them.” Right, pops of poppy colours dot the Atrevida Road property. Far right, succulents in containers complement the Mediterranean colours of the coast.

Metamorphosis:

a bare slope becomes a blessing for bees & biodiversity

Cinci Csere and her husband, Chris Arkell and pup Lilly live in a tiny neighborhood on Atrevida Road between Tla’amin Nation and Lund.

“It’s a micro-climate of some sort for sure, it’s always hot and sunny when it’s cloudy or raining in town, especially during the summer months.” said Cinci. “Our little community has a collective of awe-inspiring gardeners. Everyone has such a unique and interesting eye! I am super lucky to be surrounded by them.”

The couple owns a busy construction waste removal company focused on landfill diversion which operates in the Lower Mainland.

“When you have a small business trying to save the world it can become stressful amongst other parts of your life. I always turn to gardening as it’s very grounding and connects me to our dear Mother Earth.”

How did you start gardening?

Cinci • I started gardening at a young age, watching and helping my parents with their veggie patches in Vancouver. Once I had the space to play, the world was my oyster! I continued to learn from many knowledgeable people that have a passion for plants as well as articles I search out on the Internet such as planting on banks, erosion control as well as drought tolerant gardening methods.

Tell us about your current garden.

Cinci • My current garden is one on a steep bank. It was covered with blackberries and Morning Glory. I ripped all the blackberries out by hand, but I still do maintain a few of the roots to stabilize the bank. My vision was to make it a happy garden full of flowers, shrubs and trees to attract wildlife. I enjoy looking out at the bank from our windows and watching the birds eat the seeds from the dandelions, the snakes slithering about, and of course listening to the sweet sound of bees and hummingbirds buzzing around.

The bank has numerous boxes that hold different types of

Metamorphosis:

SPRING GARDEN TOUR

When: 9 am to 5 pm, Sunday, June 11

What: Self-guided tour, see gardens, meet gardeners, plus music and food. How: Tickets $15 available at Springtime Nursery and Mother Nature Garden & Pet. See more on Page 55.

flowers, shrubs and trees such as catnip, sedum, California lilac, euphorbia, poppies, lavender, peonies, barberry, azaleas, maples, rhododendron, junipers, smoketrees, strawberry tree, tree peony, plus a whole lot more! The boxes also have bark covering the rebar to create bug hotels too. The rest of the plants I planted by hand.

I have also created a shade garden full of ferns, hostas, bleeding hearts amongst other ones, too much to list. This area will eventually be a deck area where we can escape the hot days and laze around in the shade with a cool drink.

What have been your biggest gardening successes? What are you most proud of?

Cinci • My biggest success is recreating the bank into a bio-diverse paradise for wildlife to live and thrive in, including enjoying what pops up day to day. By adding trees, shrubs, plants and flowers, more nectar, pollen, fruit, leaves, sap, seeds and nuts are produced for numerous animals and bugs such as bees, which I adore.

What are your greatest gardening challenges?

Cinci • My biggest challenge is constantly fighting with morning glory before it strangles my plants. Another huge dilemma is finding space, since I have an obsession discovering nurseries on land and online. There is always always the stress of making sure everyone is hydrated, especially during these long and dry months.

Five things Cinci will be doing in her garden in June:

1. This month I will be celebrating my birthday in my garden admiring the explosions of colour and seeing plants bloom, what a brilliant gift!

2. I am also looking forward to seeing the Cardoon seeds I planted during the Spring Equinox blossom. Cardoon is a close cousin of the artichoke. It is topped with round, purple, thistle-like flowers in midsummer. Cardoon can reach up to five feet tall and four feet wide. The blue-ish colour on the flower is outstanding and the bees flock to them, plus they hardly need any water.

3. I love looking all the different style and colour of poppies pop! They self seed so they end up doing the majority of work covering the bank with pops of beautiful deep purples, pinks and oranges.

4. I will continue to refresh my watering station so that birds, bees and other wildlife can stay hydrated and cool off when needed.

5. I will keep mulching, mulching, mulching and mulching away! Happy Gardening everyone!

What kinds of gardening stuff do you invest in?

Cinci • Plants, plants and more plants! Also this year, we invested in an irrigation system to keep our Portuguese laurel hedges moist so they can stay hydrated. They took a beating during the heat dome. And last year I was watering them day and night, so I feel the irrigation system will be a success, stay tuned! I am also considering investing in soccer cleats or golf shoes that are spiky on the bottom so climbing up the bank might just be a bit easier.

What do you do with the things you grow?

Cinci • My garden always puts a smile on my face. It brings me joy to share the work I have put into it with my friends and visitors.

What’s your next project?

Cinci • Planting fruit trees. I have never grown this amount of fruit before so it will be an interesting experiment. The reason I don’t grow many vegetables and fruit is because they need lots of water and space and because we are on an artesian well I have to make tough decisions on watering cycles. That’s why this year I am investing

in Blueberry Commons CSA, as they have a continuous water supply and of course delicious veggies and supporting your local farmer is a bonus!

Advice for new gardeners?

Cinci • Play, experiment, if something works keep at it, if it doesn’t move on and try something new! Ask questions and always stay curious. Everyone has something interesting to share about their garden and their passion and creativity is infectious! It’s art, we need to continue to collaborate and share knowledge, it’s such important information to pass on, plus we need to keep moving our bodies! This art form is pure magic.

BUSINESS AFFAIRS SEAN

The future is back to the past

Linda Nailer, a former coordinator of the Townsite Heritage Society, returned to the role in midMay, to the delight of the board of directors. She brings an abundance of experience and a steady hand to enable the society’s ongoing efforts to protect, enhance and promote the historical character and integrity of the Townsite neighbourhood and business district. The Townsite Heritage Society operates out of Henderson House Living Museum at 6211 Walnut Street. You can reach Linda at thetownsite@shaw.ca or 604-483-3901.

Verecan more than a name change

The financial managers on Joyce Avenue have a new name. What used to be White LeBlanc Wealth Planners (WLWP) is now Verecan Capital Management Inc. The change means that portfolio managers Colin White and Daniel LeBlanc, local staff wealth advisor Taylor Lance, and wealth administrator Crystal Kok are no longer associated with iA Private Wealth.

However, White LeBlanc Wealth Inc continues to exist as a division of Verecan to offer tax preparation and insurance. Though the same folks are involved,

the change is more than new branding. Both Verecan Capital Management Inc. and individual portfolio managers are registered and monitored by the securities commissions. In addition, firms registered as Portfolio Managers must meet strict financial reporting, capital and insurance requirements to further protect clients investments.

Abattoir gets license

The Valdi Homestead has been granted a “farmgate plus” abattoir license for their 600-squarefoot slaughterhouse, meaning they can process and sell meat from their farm, as well as process meat for other farmers. They plan to process chickens, turkeys, ducks, rabbits, goats, sheep and pigs. They are now working on getting a cut and wrap license. The farm, near Kelly Creek, is owned by Alex Valderrabano and Vanessa Adams. The only other abattoir in the area is at Andtbaka Farm north of town.

Snacks & kombucha at Saltery Bay

Brandon Flood has opened The Snack Shack at Saltery Bay. “Basically I’ve taken a Bob’s Burgers approach, where I have my classic burger, and a special burger that changes pretty frequently,” Brandon told qathet Living. Hand pressed burgers, hand cut fries, hot dogs, breakfast sandwiches, coffee and pop are already on the menu, with vegan and vegetarian options coming soon. The Snack Shack, which Brandon is leasing, opened just before the May long weekend and Brandon was overwhelmed at the response, having to briefly shut down to restock during the rush.

HYDRO SEEDING

Brandon has also purchased Coastal Naturals, a kombucha company from Sechelt, that he is rebranding to Snack Shack Kombucha. He plans to sell three types of kombucha plus a water kefir to start. He hopes to be approved to sell this summer.

Saltery Bay Artist Market

Partnering with the owner of the land where the Snack Shack sits, Tree Munro is launching a Saltery Bay Artist Market on Fridays during June. Vendors can rent a table or space for $35 for the day (9-5), with no percentage charges. Tree says she hopes to expand to Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays during July. Just a stone’s throw from the ferry terminal, the market hopes to take advantage of the captive audience waiting for the ferry and support local artists, so they can set up and sell their products the way they want.

“Art sells when it has a story – people love that,” said Tree. “When you meet the artist, you get that.” To book a spot, contact the Saltery Bay Artist Market Facebook page.

Principal president

Dr. Shannon Behan, principal at Westview Elementary, is about to be president-elect of the BC Principals’ & Vice-Principals’ Association. She won the spot following the second ballot of voting which concluded May 18. Shannon will take on the role of president-elect beginning July 1 of this year, and will assume the role of president of the organization on July 1, 2024.

When: Saturday, June 17 • 1:00-4:00 pm

Where: SPCA - 7558 Duncan Street and online at lockin.spca.bc.ca

What: Open house with a fundraising twist

Come in and check out the animals available for adoption, meet the SPCA staff and help Coast FM’s Bobby Fields and other fundraisers get out of lock-up! Or, raise funds and get locked up with an adoptable animal yourself! Go to lockin.spca.bc.ca to sign up. Starting June 1, you’ll raise vital funds for animals, then on June 17, you can opt to “lock-in for love” with a friendly animal at the SPCA centre, while you make your final fundraising push.

June in qathet

Monday, June 5

SD47 Pro-D Day No School

Saturday, June 10

Brooks Secondary graduation ceremony

Guests must have tickets. The ceremony will be live streamed. Dry Grad will follow the ceremony.

yɛχay

clam basket

From June 20 to 29, visit the qathet Art Centre to see a new installation by qathet artists Sosan Blaney, Megan Dulcie Dill & Claudia Medina: yɛχay: land based research project. The event marks National Indigenous People’s Day (June 21).. For opening times, see Page 52.

This image is a still from a video that is part of the exhibit. Sosan Blaney weaves young cedar branches. yɛχay means clam basket in ʔayʔaǰuθəm.

Sunday, June 18

Father’s Day

Celebrate at the Lang Bay Pancake Breakfast or the BC Family Fishing Weekend events, both on Page 56.

Wednesday, June 21

National Indigenous People’s Day Celebrate by seeing yɛχay: land based research project (above) with artists Sosan Blaney, Megan Dulcie Dill & Claudia

Medina at the qathet Art Centre. See Page 52 for details. Other events TBA.

Summer Solstice

Saturday, June 24

St. Jean Baptiste Day

Sunday, June 25

Grad Parade

11 am start. Cheer on your 2023 graduating class. The starting point is at Beach Gar-

dens; across the highway at Cariboo; left on Toba; right on Joyce and then all along Joyce to the Rec Complex. Awards will be given for best decorated vehicle.

Saturday, July 1

Canada Day 3 pm at WIllingdon Beach. Fireworks at 10:30 pm.

When the first note is played at the 11th annual PRISMA Festival in Powell River on June 12, world renowned artists and top international music students will embark on a classical music journey of learning and performing.

Although PRISMA (Pacific Region International Summer Music Association) is a classical musical academy for professional musicians, top students, and diverse audiences, it’s also a community festival.

“I think it’s important in the time we live in with all the conflicts, to connect people and spread harmony worldwide,” said Arthur Arnold, PRISMA’s artistic director and co-founder. While news reports share information about the war in Ukraine, Arthur says the job of musicians is different. “Musicians do the opposite. When you play music, you give to people, you draw them in, you connect, it’s so powerful.”

He pauses, then says: “Imagine Rembrandt made an actual description of how a group of people might paint The Night Watch (his largest and most famous painting) and how they could paint it right in front of your eyes. It would say things like, ‘You do this at this point with this colour.’ Like an orchestra musician does, we paint the picture that is hidden in this book.”

“When I open this book I can hear what is inside but to bring it to life you need an orchestra of at least 80 people that have practised for tens of thousands of hours who have mastered their instruments and are playing on high quality instruments. To hear a live symphony is quite a miracle. A lot of ingredients have to come together at that moment to make this happen.”

There will be several opportunities to hear “gorgeous music,” brought to life by PRISMA musicians. With daily orchestra and chamber music performances there’s also the opportunity to enjoy PRISMA Masterclasses with Limelight Concerts at the beginning and end of each Masterclass.

“I feel that in the Masterclass, you have the opportunity to look in the kitchen behind the scene and observe. It is interesting hearing the teachers suggest how to improve. You hear a student struggle through a passage and can see into the life of that student.” Then you see how that student develops into a professional musician which is what PRISMA (on the

Cheap & Cheerful: PRISMA on the Beach & Afternoon Concerts

On Saturday, June 17, PRISMA on the Beach comes to Willingdon, featuring food vendors at 5 pm, and music starting at 6 pm. For free, you’ll see and hear Tla’amin Drummers and Singers, the PRISMA Festival Orchestra, Henry Shapard on Cello, with Arthur Arnold, Conductor.

From 1 to 5 pm each day at the Evergreen, for just $5, you can sit in on a series of short, casual PRISMA concerts. They’re free for youth and passholders.

Limelight Concerts will feature both students and guest artists in unique configurations, playing the music that excites them the most. From solo tuba to chamber music ensembles, each 30-minute concert will be curated by a different member of the PRISMA Festival Orchestra or Guest Artist roster.

During the master classes the passionate and talented emerging young musicians get instruction from the world class guest artists in front of the Festival audience’s eyes and ears. The audience watches the progress that is happening right there on stage.

Experience the joy and magic of PRISMA Back

Academy side) is all about.”

Arthur says the growth students experience here is magical. “We create a safe environment for students to discover and grow,” says Arthur adding that students feel that support and help each other instead of competing.

PRISMA’s free concert at Willingdon Beach is always a community favourite. This year’s theme, Serenade by the Sea, opens at 5 pm for food vendors with music starting at 6 pm.

The event will feature famous classical pieces that most people have heard of in a beautiful outdoor setting, says Arthur. The beach concert provides families with an opportunity to introduce their children to classical music while enjoying a feast of music, food and friendship. As for the musicians, they enjoy giving back to the community.

“Every year we work with the Tla’amin Nation to open the concert,” says Arthur. “At first it was the

Nation presenting their music and then we began collaborating.”

In the end, says Arthur, it’s the audience that makes it so special for the musicians. “We need to play for an audience. We need an audience that is willing to come and sit down and take it all in.”

And PRISMA has found that in Powell River. “I have conducted in a lot of places in the world, and I do not know of another small, isolated community that keeps a program alive and allows it to grow like Powell River does,” he says gratefully.

This community is special, he says, sharing how excited students are when someone stops and talks to them while they are walking down a street in Powell River and says they enjoyed listening to them play yesterday.

For more information on the different concerts, Masterclasses and Limelight Concerts please visit prismafestival.com and see the ad on Page 3.

to Back

qathet’s two biggest international music festivals are back to back with each other, with PRISMA running June 13 to 28 (represented by co-founder and artistic director Arthur Arnold, left, photographed in May in Vijlen, Netherlands), and Kathaumixw July 4 to 8 (represented by organizing committee chairman Steven Cramaro, right, photographed in May in the Cowichan Valley).

Thousands of musicians, music enthusiasts, young people and masters are coming to experience it all. Hopefully, you’re planning to take it in, too.

Kathaumixw 101 A newcomers’ guide to qathet’s supreme spectacle

If you, like thousands of others, have moved to qathet in the past few years, you might not understand the scale or significance of Kathaumixw. How could you? Until you experience it yourself, it’s impossible to truly glean. But I’ll give it my best shot:

The basics

The International Choral Kathawmixw (which means “A gathering together of different peoples” in ayajuthem) happens July 4 to 8 at venues around town. The biggest moments are the Gala Opening and Gala Closing concerts, which bookend it. They’re at the Great Hall at the Rec Complex. There is also an awards concert, and 15 other concerts, which are ticketed. Entry to all competitions are by donation.

You can expect to see and hear local talent, plus choirs from across Canada and the USA, plus Venezuela and Uganda. Choirs range in size from six singers to dozens.

Kathaumixw is governed by its own non-profit society, and is organized by the Powell River Academy of Music.

Of course a huge choral fest would happen here

qathet has a legacy of choral music, which includes choirs from the early days of the Mill, Tla’amin Singers & Nunkum Dancers, church choirs, community choirs, and of course, the formal choral programs at the Academy of Music, from pre-schoolers to seniors.

Those who have led this region’s music programs tend towards the big visions: Kathaumixw, PRISMA, Townsite Jazz, Carols by Candlelight, and much more.

Kathaumixw’s origin story

It was a project of Don James (the music director of the Powell River Academy of Music) and Dal Matterson, his friend, and the Festival’s first chairman. Since then, it’s happened every second year – minus the COVID break.

Carvings travel to the winners’ home countries

At the Opening Gala July 4, this year’s paddle, carved by Tla’amin artist Craig Galligos, will be revealed.

Recent past carvings have gone to New York, Slovenia and Hong Kong – they are received by the winner of the “Choir of the World Kathaumixw Award,” which is chosen from the performances of the first place winners during the Kathaumixw Awards Concert and is presented to the winning choir at the Gala Closing Concert.

It’s big. No really. It’s massive.

Since 1984, the festival has grown from 400 singers to about 1,000. This year, there are 16 choirs from out of town coming to perform, six local choirs, plus the Kathaumixw Brass Ensemble, which includes professional musicians from around BC and qathet.

plein-a sale!

Thursday, June 1

Econoline Crush

7 pm, Carlson Loft. East Van Live is proud to present Econoline Crush with Potential Union. Advance tickets available at Base Camp, TownSkate on Marine, and at The Carlson Club downstairs at the back. $30 advance, $35 at the door. Age 19+ only, no minors. Cash bar and door only.

Friday, June 2

The Leading Ladies Little Big Band

7:30 pm, Max Cameron. Tickets $25. Presented by Townsite Jazz Fest. The Leading Ladies Little Big Band is an all-female, 10-piece jazz band based out of Vancouver, BC and directed by Casey Thomas-Burns.

Saturday, June 3

Steven Marriott concert

7 pm, Hacienda Pascalito, Savary Island. $20. Info Rick Thaddeus 604-414-3947.

Monday, June 5

Choral Extravaganza

7 pm, James Hall. In preparation for the International Choral Kathaumixw, performances by the Academy of Music’s Apprentice Choir, Academy Singers, Academy Chamber Choir, and Chor Musica. Tickets $20 at powellriveracademy.org.

Wednesday, June 7

Muffdusters show and video shoot

Door 7 pm, Carlson Loft. $10 cover. This show is also a video shoot, Powell River’s own Hatfield Union opens. 19+. Tickets available at the door only.

Friday, June 9

Talent Show & PRIDE fundraiser

6 pm, The Arc Community Event Centre. Tickets ($25) are available during regular business hours at inclusion Powell River (4675 Marine Avenue, Suite 201) and Edie Rae’s Cafe, or online through communications@inclusionpr.ca Presented by the qathet PRIDE Society and inclusion Powell River.

Sunday, June 11

qathet Community Band in concert

2 pm The ARC. By donation.

June 13 to 28

PRISMA

For the full schedule of events, see Page 3.

Sunday, June 18

Calm Like A Bomb

Carlson Loft. (A tribute to Rage Against the Machine) with Guests: Equals (Jason Schreurs’ new band). Doors 7 pm, Equals 8 pm, Calm Like A Bomb 8 pm. Advance tickets available at Base Camp on Marine, Townskate and Carlson Club. Advance $30, Door $35. No Minors 19+.

Open Tue-Sat 10:30am-5pm

Arthur Arnold presents Mahler Symphony No. 1

7 pm, at the Library. Conductor and PRISMA artistic director Arthur Arnold will introduce and discuss the First Symphony of Austrian Romantic composer Gustav Mahler. For information contact Mark at mmerlino@prpl.ca

Thursday, June 29

Music in the Park

7 to 8 pm, Willingdon Beach. Programmed by the City.

July 4 to 8

Kathaumixw

Thursday, June 8

Meet your new best friend.

Low maintenance.

Top Ten Reasons Wear A Pollen Sweater

Hot Flash Comedy with Syd Bosel & Friends

7 pm, Evergreen Theatre. Tickets at the Rec Complex or 604-485-2891.

Lets you breathe.

International choral festival filled with concerts, common song singing, choral and vocal solo competitions, conductors’ seminars and social events. Some of this year’s guest choirs are from Uganda, Philippines, Venezuela, and across Canada and the USA. kathaumixw.org.

Outlasts all others.

Retains its shape.

Always warm and comfy.

Pure wool stays warm, even when it’s wet.

Easy machine wash and machine dry.

100% superwash wool eliminates itch and shrinkage.

VISUAL ARTS

June 1 to 30

Works in Progress by SoulMack

Crucible Gallery Wednesday-Saturday, 2-6 pm at Townsite Market. Functional sculpture, metal and wood. cruciblegallery.com

To June 10

No pop bottles were hurt making Pollen Sweaters. You’ll be helping sheep stay cool in summer. e pure wool stays warm even when wet. Non-itchy, and soft enough to wear next to sensitive skin. Machine washable and dryer safe at moderate temperature. We put the label on the inside where it belongs. Designed to layer smoothly under or over other garments. No o shore sweatshops. Ours is here at home. If it ever wears out compost it.

Makes you 50 to 90% more handsome. (results may vary)

Art of the True Self qathet Art Centre. The theme of Nature is an inclusive spectrum exploring the self and one’s connection to the environment.

Youth aged 12 to 25. Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays – noon to 5 pm. Saturdays 12 to 2 pm.

Wednesday, June 7

June 20 to 29

yɛχay: land based research project with artists Sosan Blaney, Megan Dulcie Dill & Claudia Medina – National Indigenous People’s Day

Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday noon to 5 pm, qathet Art Centre. Immerse yourself in a multichannel installation exploring Tla’amin weaving, language and cultural reconnection with the Salish Sea.

June 23 to 25

Lund Sticker Show

Pollen Sweaters Inc.

Made in Lund, BC, Canada since 1986 1-800-667-6603 pollensweaters.com

For more fun, and fabulous wool sweaters and toques, wool and bamboo ponchos, and books, find us above Nancy’s Bakery in Lund.

Open 10-4 Tuesday to Saturday 604 483-4401 • pollensweaters.com

Deadline: 2023 The Woods

Photo Competition

Submit your best photo showcasing something beautiful and distinctive of the forests in this region. Submissions should be emailed to mmerlino@prpl.ca. Contest by the Library. Each local resident is eligible to submit one photo. For prizes and competition rules: prpl.ca.

June 9 to 16

Pots & Process: Shivaun Gringas ceramics

10 to 6 daily at Tidal Art Centre. Opening June 9 at 6 pm.

Tidal Art Centre. Opening night June 23, 7 pm-9 pm. Saturday June 24 & Sunday June 25 gallery open 2 pm to pm. The community comes together to present their own version of “Lund”... in sticker form (see above).

Friday, June 23

‘The Woods’ Photo Display

7 pm at the Library. All of the submissions for the 2023 The Woods photography competition will be displayed and the winning photos will be announced.

June 2-6

Book Club: The Next Chapter

7 pm nightly; 1:30 Sunday matinee, June 4. Rated PG. The highly anticipated sequel follows our four best friends as they take their book club to Italy for the fun girls’ trip they never had. When things go off the rails and secrets are revealed, their relaxing vacation turns into a once-in-alifetime cross-country adventure. A fun and easy watch with a terrific cast!

June 7 and 8

Polite Society

7 pm nightly; 1:30 matinee, Thursday, June 8. Rated PG. Polite Society follows martial artist-in-training Ria Khan who believes she must save her older sister Lena from an impending marriage. After enlisting help from friends, she attempts to pull off an ambitious wedding heist. A fusion of British wit, Kung Fu action movies, and Bollywood, Polite Society is a merry mash-up of family ties, parental disappointment and bold action! And a very sweet celebration of sisterhood.

Youth film Beauty picks up another award

Powell River Digital Film School students won the prestigious Reel 2 Reel Best Film Award at the Vancouver festival in April. The film was made by Macy Bryce, Mel Yerna and Ryan Fletcher. Beauty has now won several awards. The film deals with domestic violence issues.

SETTING IT STRAIGHT

In the print edition of the annual Home Grown magazine we published last month, we spelled kelp expert Lee-Ann Ennis’ name incorrectly. We apologize for the error. You can follow Lee-Ann’s efforts to restore kelp beds in this region by following her Instagram @vitalkelp

Also in Home Grown, we confused two farms near Stillwater on our map. Willow Hollow Tree Farm is run by Jason Robinson and grows Christmas trees. Willow Hollow Farm, next door, is run by Pete Baillie and Janice Treloar, who raise pork, beef, chicken, turkey and sell in-season berries including red currants, gooseberries and elderberries.

On the front of the “Become at Home on the Range” story in the May issue of qathet Living (Page 19), we ran a photo of three stylish men coming back from pheasant hunting with a yellow lab. We

June 9-15

Fast X

7 pm Nightly; 1:30 matinee, Sunday, June 11. Rated PG. The franchise hasn’t run out of ways to combine cars, guns, planes, and explosions. It’s fantastical, a little silly, and completely unrealistic, but this is the kind of big screen popcorn flick we like to see in our summer line up! It’s spectacular! It’s thrilling! And it’s the kind of movie you can’t wait to yammer about to your friends. If you like your action fast and furious, you’ll have fun with Fast X. Not to mention…Momoa!

June 16-22

Spider-Man: Across The Spiderverse

7 pm Nightly, 1:30 Matinee, Sunday June 18. Rated PG. Miles Morales returns for the next chapter of the Oscar®-winning Spider-Verse saga, an epic adventure that will transport Brooklyn’s full-time, friendly neighborhood Spider-Man across the Multiverse to join forces with Gwen Stacy and a new team of Spider-People to face off with a villain more powerful than anything they have ever encountered.

Showtime Show & Shine

Vintage cars & a movie: the Showtime & Shine is from 11 am to 1:30 pm July 15 in front of the Patricia Theatre – part of Townsite Day. Back to the Future, will be aired at The Pat by donation (price of admission in 1985 was $3.55). Surprise vehicle to be at the event! Everyone welcome. To register your collector vehicle please go to reelcars@shaw.ca

knew the name of the man on the left – the late Bob Schwant – and the man on the right – Jack Langham – but we didn’t know the name of the man in the middle.

The day after qL hit the streets, George Stephen called to let us know the man in the glasses is Dick Donelley. Thank you, George!

Dear Editor:

I was reading this month’s edition of qathet Living and read an interesting article on page 35 regarding Time clocks and a courtship. Unfortunately the information you have regarding the two electricians in the picture is incorrect. The electrician working with Jack Dice is my father Al Liknes not Peter DeGroot. They are repairing motors in the motor repair shop. I followed my father’s footsteps and also worked as an electrician in the mill.

LOCAL FUNDRAISERS

June 1 to 17

Lock in for Love, SPCA

Open House June 17 at the SPCA shelter on Duncan street. Event details in story, below.

Friday, June 9

qathet Community Talent Show & PRIDE fundraiser

6 pm, The Arc Community Event Centre. Tickets ($25) are available during regular business hours at inclusion Powell River (4675 Marine Avenue, Suite 201) and Edie Rae’s Cafe, or online through communications@inclusionpr.ca. Presented by the qathet PRIDE Society and inclusion Powell River.

qathet radio personality Bobby Fields loves animals.

The 95.7 FM morning show host has adopted several cats and dogs over the years from the SPCA and now she’s raising funds to help the SPCA care for abandoned, hurt or surrendered animals while they look for new homes.

This month Bobby is raising funds for the SPCA’s Lock in for Love fundraiser. It kicks off on June 1 with a big open house being held from 1 to 4 pm on June 17 at the Shelter on Duncan Street. On that day, people are invited to come to the Shelter and check out the animals available for adoption and talk to the staff.

Realizing not everyone is in a position to adopt a pet, there’s another part to this fundraiser and that’s the donation portion. Volunteers, like Bobby, set a fundraising goal and work all month to meet it. On June 17, they are “locked’ up with an adoptable animal and don’t get let out until they reach their goal.

“It’s easy to be passionate about something that loves you unconditionally,” says Bobby noting that this marks the fifth time she’s participated in the SPCA’s fundraiser. Although she’s had several pets in the past, today Bobby and her mom Merlene live with Lady Mermalade and Lady Sadie

Sunday, June 18

Lang Bay Community Club

Father’s Day fundraiser

9 til noon. Pancake breakfast. Vintage car club, electric and hybrid cars. 50/50 and raffle.

Saturday, June 24

Move to Cure ALS

Registration 8:30 am, Start time at 9 am. Willingdon Beach. To donate or get your pledge form, contact Geri Anderson, powellriverwalk@alsbc.ca

Sunday, June 25

Tom Harris 10K Fun

Run Fundraiser

9 am arrival, 10 am race start, 11 am BBQ and activities. Rec Complex. To send kids to YMCA Summer Camps.

Hawkins, two seven-year-old cats she adopted from the SPCA not long ago, and a German Shepherd named Ed. Bobby casts her mind back to a time when Teddy, the German Shepherd she had before Ed, died and she didn’t have a dog in her life. “I went 14 months without a dog and it was horrible. It was the worst 14 months of my life. I’d go to the SPCA to visit all the time. I looked at four Shepherds, but they weren’t the right fit for me.”

One day, Tara Daniels, the local SPCA manager, called and told Bobby she had a dog for her. “He’s unusual,” she said. “What’s wrong with him?” asked Bobby. “You just have to meet him,” said Tara.

Bobby met Ed and said she’d foster him. “He was terrified of cats and I had three cats.” Four days after taking him home, she adopted him, and the rest is history. “He was not what I was looking for, but he is what I fell in love with. He’s my heart.”

Bobby likes to adopt what she calls pre-loved pets. “Everyone wants puppies and kittens. I prefer to adopt older pets.”

This year Bobby has set a goal to raise $9,570. If you would like to donate, visit lockin.spca.bc.ca; email bobby@coastfmradio.ca or call 604485-4207.

Spring Garden Tour Returns

After a three-year-hiatus, the Spring Garden Tour will return on June 11.

In years past, the tour took place in May but organizers decided to move it to June because they wanted to be able to accommodate rose lovers and June is the month for roses.

Between 9 am and 5 pm on June 11, you will have the opportunity to tour 11 gardens with 11 different styles and sizes. At garden #5, Boxwood Cottage and Garden, well-known local musicians will be playing from 11 am to 2 pm. Bring a bag lunch to eat on the lawn while enjoying the music. Sweets and drinks will be for sale. After lunch, check out the decorative paving stone display and pick up a free instruction sheet.

In 1997, a group of friends who loved gardening and shared the same vision for beautifying residential and public properties, formed the Powell River Spring Garden Tour. They chose Victoria Day Sunday for the date because of the long weekend, but also for the spring flowers that make such a beautiful display. Over the years the proceeds have been donated to various projects and scholarships to fulfill the goal of promoting gardening, community green space and a furtherance of education in this direction.

For more information, please visit the Spring Garden Tour’s Facebook page under Powell River Garden Tour. Tickets are $15 and available at Mother Nature and Springtime Nursery.

LEARNING, CONTRIBUTING & ACTIVISM

To July 5

Have your say in the qRD Accessibility Plan: online

The qRD, City and Library invite residents with lived experience, caregivers, and disability advocates to share their ideas and expertise on how we can make our services, programs and infrastructure more accessible and inclusive. See ad on Page 42. qathet.ca/accessibility.

Saturday, June 3

Submission deadline:PRPL’s 2023 Writer in Residence

Know someone who would do a great job? Are you that person? prpl.ca

Wednesday, June 7

Town Hall on Public Pharmacare

7 pm, Cranberry Seniors Centre. Hosted by the Council of Canadians. Part of a national campaign for Pharmacare. Local and out-of-town expert speakers. canadians.org for more.

Arthur Arnold presents Mahler Symphony No. 1

7 pm at the Library. Conductor and PRISMA artistic director Arthur Arnold will introduce and discuss the First Symphony of Austrian Romantic composer Gustav Mahler.

Saturday, June 10

Tech Savvy – ChatGPT

1:30 pm at the Gillies Bay Seniors Centre. Discover the world of Artificial Intelligence. This session will focus in detail on the popular AI chatbot – ChatGPT.To Register contact Mark at mmerlino@prpl.ca

Sunday, June 11

22nd annual Spring Garden Tour

9 to 5 pm, tickets $15 available at Springtime Nursery and Mother Nature Garden & Pet.

Saturday, June 17

Sheltering in the Backrush, A History of Twin Islands

2 pm at the Library. Coastal historian Jeanette Taylor will present her new book on the rich and fascinating history of Twin Islands located just east of Desolation Sound.

Monday, June 26

New Inclusive Economy Roadshow

8 to 9:30 am, Town Centre Hotel. Free. Employers with an inclusive employment story and employers who aspire to be disability inclusive, in Powell River, for a panel discussion and presentation. Co-hosted by Work BC and inclusion. Facilitated by FreshCo’s Steve Wadsworth and OneLight’s Raya Audet. Register on eventbrite.ca.

Tuesday, June 27

Compassionate Friends meeting

7 pm, C-4675 Ontario. Support in the grief and trauma which follows the death of a child, no matter the age or cause. See ad on Page 61.

Wednesday, June 28

Discover the ʔayʔaǰuθəm language

1 pm at the Library. Tla’amin language coordinator Randolph Timothy will discuss about ʔayʔaǰuθəm, the Tla’amin language, initiatives for keeping the language alive and will introduce some common ʔayʔaǰuθəm words.

Have your say in the qRD

Accessibility Plan: Open House

4 to 7 pm, Library. The qRD, City and Library invite residents with lived experience, caregivers, and disability advocates to share their ideas and expertise on how we can make our services, programs and infrastructure more accessible and inclusive. See ad on Page 42. qathet.ca/accessibility.

SPORTS & OUTDOORS

Saturdays & Sundays

Powell River Farmers Market

4365 McLeod Road (Paradise Exhibition Park) outside. 10:30 to 12:30 Saturdays, 12:30 to 2:30 pm Sundays.

Wednesdays

Uptown Market

4 to 6 pm, CRC Parking Lot on Joyce.

Fridays, June 2, 9, 16, 30

Saltery Bay Artists Market

9 to 5 pm, just before the BC Ferries Saltery Bay terminal.

Saturdays

32 Lakes Market

9 am to 3 pm, beside 32 Lakes on Marine

Sundays

Texada Island Farmers Market

Noon to 1:30 pm, Gilles Bay Ball Field.

Friday, June 9

Spring Pop-Up Market

11 am to 4 pm, the ARC. Raffle supports qathet PRIDE 2023.

June 10 & 11

Rock, Gem & Crystal Show

At the Legion, Sat June 10 – 10 to 5 and Sun June 11 – 10 to 4. Vendors selling rocks, crystals & jewelry. Hourly door prizes & silent auctions. Admission $2, kids free under 12.

Saturday, June 17 Spring into Summer Market

11 am to 3 pm, Springtime Garden Centre. See ad on Page 32.

Lang Bay Flea Market

10 am to 1 pm, Lang Bay Hall. PRISMA on the Beach – Serenade by the Sea Willingdon Beach. Vendors open at 5 pm, music starts at 6 pm.

Saturday, June 24

Grand

SWEET SUCCESS: Vada Williams, teen proprietor of Retro Cupcakes, is one of the 18 vendors coming to Springtime Market June 17.

Opening: Bloom Therapy

10 to 4, Springtime. See ad on Page 13.

Thursday, June 29

Thursday Night Markets start 6 to 9 pm, Willingdon Beach parking lot.

Saturday, July 1

Canada Day Celebration at Willingdon Beach. Music, food and fireworks.

Logger Sports is back!

After a three-year COVID break, Logger Sports will return to the Loggers Memorial Bowl at Willingdon Beach July 14-16, 2023 NO GATE • NO ENTRANCE FEE PLEASE BRING A DONATION FOR THE FOOD BANK

On July 5, qathet Living will distribute Your Guide to Powell River Logger Sports complete with schedules, profiles and all the info you need to fully enjoy Logger Sports 2023!

Show your support by purchasing an ad in this special edition. Contact: Sean Percy - sean@prliving.ca - 604-485-0003

or Suzanne Wiebe - suzi@prliving.ca - 604-344-0208

To June 4

qathet Go By

Bike week

Free snacks, bike check-ups and prizes at: Thurs June 1 • 7 to 9:30 am, River City Coffee; Fri June 2 4 to 6 pm, Townsite Brewing & free pizza for riders, from Supercharger. Register at gobybike.ca to win prizes.

Saturday, June 3

Open house / Range day at Powell River Rod & Gun Club. Noon to 5 pm, PR Rod & Gun Club, 3330 Rifle Range Road. Tour (and try) the facilites, enjoy a burger or hot dog, see what this club – and other clubs – have to offer. Open to members of the public. We request that guests be responsible and respectful. No alcohol, no drugs.

BC Trails Day – Tla’amin Trails Nature Walk

10 am meet at the Tla’amin trailhead. Tla’amin Nation and qPAWS will lead. A free, family-friendly 5km (or less) nature walk. Dog-free event.

Sunday, June 4

Bike Safety Rodeo

11:30 am to 1 pm, in the First Credit Union parking lot. Free event for kids aged 4 to 12. Bring your bikes and helmets. You could win a bike or a helmet. Hosted by the Rotary Club of Powell River.

Monday, June 5

Rec Complex Active Living Guide

Summer Registration Starts

Go to powellriverprc.ca, and see the ad on Page 2.

Sunday, June 11

22nd annual Spring Garden Tour

9 to 5 pm, tickets $15 available at Springtime Nursery and Mother Nature Garden & Pet.

Monday, June 12

Registration for the 2023/2024

Minor Hockey Season Starts

See powellriverminorhockey.com, and the ad on Page 11.

June 16 to 18

BC Family Fishing Weekend

See gofishbc.com for more.

Saturday, June 17

Hooves, Heels, Wheels and Woofs! Horse safety / horse behaviour demo

9:30 am gathering with refreshments, event starts at 10 am. Paradise Exhibition Grounds .Powell River Trail Rider’s Arena. Horse Council BC in partnership with Powell River Trail Riders Association are hosting this free event. Have you ever encountered a horse on the trail and didn’t know what to do? This is a horse behaviour demo. In addition to the demo, horseback riders are wanting to do their homework and prep their horses for summer trail riding and they need your help. Do you hike, dog walk, mountain bike, ATV or motorbike? Volunteer for one hour blocks to take part in the horse habituation clinics taking place between 11:30 am and 5:30 pm. Any questions: recreation@hcbc.ca

Saturday, June 17

PRISMA on the Beach – Serenade by the Sea Food Vendors open at 5 pm, music starts at 6 pm.

Sunday, June 18

Lang Bay Community Club

Father’s Day fundraiser

9 til noon. Pancake breakfast. Vintage car club, electric and hybrid cars. 50/50 & raffle.

Friday, June 23

‘The Woods’ Photo Display

7 pm at the Library. All of the submissions for the 2023 The Woods photography competition will be displayed and the winning photos will be announced.

Saturday, June 24

qathet Fondo

7:30 am to 3 pm. Road race 120K, 60K or Roll-Your-Own distances. Starts at the corner of Joyce and Richmond, ends with a potluck BBQ. E-bikes okay. clubfatass.com

Sunday, June 25

Paddle Day / National Canoe Day 11 am to 2 pm, Mowat Bay.

See more on Page 36.

Tom Harris 10K Fun Run Fundraiser

9 am arrival, 10 am race start, 11 am BBQ and activities. Rec Complex. To send kids to YMCA Summer Camps.

PLAN YOUR SUMMER • FESTIVALS 2023 SUMMER CAMPS

June 11

22nd Annual Spring Garden Tour

9 to 5 pm, tickets $15 available at Springtime Nursery and Mother Nature Garden & Pet.

June 12 to 24

PRISMA Festival

Daily musical events, symphony and chamber music concerts, master classes and student recitals. The PRISMA Festival Orchestra, the highlight of the festival, performs four full symphony concerts. Don’t miss the big free concert, PRISMA on the Beach – Serenade by the Sea, Saturday – June 17. prismafestival.com.

June16 to 18

BC Family Fishing Weekend

gofishbc.com

June 24

qathet Fondo

7:30 am to 3 pm. Road race up to 120km. clubfatass.com

July 1

Canada Day

Celebration at Willingdon Beach. Music, food and fireworks.

July 4 to 8

Kathaumixw

International choral festival filled with concerts, common song singing, choral and vocal solo competitions, conductors’ seminars and social events. Some of this year’s guest choirs are from Uganda, Philippines, Venezuela, and across Canada and the USA. kathaumixw.org.

July 9

Island Cup Enduro

Mountain bike event. islandcupseries.com.

July 14 to 16

Powell River Logger Sports

Loggers Memorial Amphitheatre, Willingdon Beach. Canadian and world championship events, from pole-climbing to axe-throwing, hot saw and much more. Entertainment, prizes, etc.

July 15

Townsite Garage Sale / Fun Day

Neighbourhood-wide sale and walk-a-bout, plus activities on Ash Ave.

Showtime Show & Shine

Vintage car show event, with Back to the Future screening at The Patricia Theatre.

July 15 & 16

Texada Sandcastle Weekend Texada.org

July 18-19

Tribal Journeys

The annual international event has been on pause during COVID, but it’s back this summer. Tla’amin’s host day is July 18, and canoes leave on the 19th. It’s an 11-day journey to Muckleshoot Territory near Tacoma, Washington – more than 400 km by sea. The canoes will stop in Shishalh, Ambleside Park, Tsawwassen, Birch Bay, Lummi, Samish, Swinomish, Tulalip, Suquamish and finally Muckleshoot.

July 23

Savary Island Fun Triathlon

Support the Savary Island Volunteer Fire Department (SIVFD) All fitness levels welcome. savarytriathlon.wixsite.com

July 26 to 29

Texada Aerospace Camp Texada.org

July 29

Bluegrass Festival Night

PR Legion. Tickets on sale June 1. Scout Mountain, Back Spin, Fox Hops, Clover Point Drifters, Chris Stevens and more.

Lund Daze

Lund Kla ah men Gazebo. Music & food, kids activities. Everyone welcome.

July 30

Savary Island Bluegrass Fest

Tix and info at savarysolutions.ca

July 29 & 30

Texada Fly-In / Fly-In Fling

Fly-In: Food, contests, car, plane and bike show and shine, flight demonstrations, skydivers and more. Fly-in Fling: an evening of music, fun, food and refreshments for everyone. Texada.org

August dates TBA

qathet PRIDE qathetpride.ca

August 5 & 6

Texada Island Blues & Roots Fest Texada.org

August 7

BC Day Stat

August 11 to 13

15th Edible Garden Tour

Garden Registration is open to June 1. Details at Food Hub qathet’s FB page.

August 18

Blackberry Fest Street Party

Car-free on Marine Ave. Stay tuned for more info on the full week’s schedule of other Blackberry Fest events.

Need a lift?

Is it big and heavy and you need help moving it from point A to point B? We specialize in craning and moving: sea cans • hot tubs • sheds • lumber We even move delicate statues and art. Powell River’s only private flat deck crane truck and service with a smile!

Do you have kids you need to keep busy this summer? Here is a small list of some of the offerings here in town. Kids and teens can learn new skills and make new friends. Meanwhile, parents can work or just enjoy some child-free time.

All summer

Clubs, camps & events • Library

See ad on Page 21, and prpl.ca

July 3 to August 23, Weekly

Summer Art Camp • qathet Art Centre

See ad on Page 53. No camp August 7 to 11.

July 3 to August 25, Weekly

Daycamps and Minicamps • Rec Complex

See ad on Page 2. Plus swim lessons and more.

Different dates for different ages

LEAP, Summer School & More • SD47

See ad on Page 17.

July 17 to 21

Rock Band Camp • Academy of Music

Ages 9 and up. Do you play keyboard, piano, guitar, bass, drums, trumpet, saxophone or love to sing? powellriveracademy.org/summer_camps.shtml

July 29-August 3

Fiddle From Scratch / In-Tune-Sive

• Serena Eades Music Academy

See ad on Page 9.

August 20

Run the Rock Texada marathon / half marathon / 8K. runtexada.ca.

August 26 & 27

qathet Studio Tour

A free self-guided event featuring artists from Lang Bay to Lund. Tour artist homes and studios to see where the creative magic happens. qathetstudiotour.ca

Dates TBA

Texada Artist Studio Tour

September 2 & 3

Sunshine Music Fest

Line-up TBA. Weekend-long music fest at Lang Bay, plus vendors, food, kids area and more. sunshinemusicfest.ca.

September 23 & 24

Fall Fair

Paradise Exhibition Grounds. Harvest festival with a judged competition in growing, baking, crafting and much more. Vendors, music, food, meet the animals, and celebrate fall.

WHAT’S UP: AWARDS SEASON & MORE

SPRINGCLEANING

#NIPD2023

Rotary club earns prestigious award

It was a complete surprise when members of The Rotary Club of Powell River attending the District 5040 Rotary Conference heard the announcement that their club had won the Outstanding Club of the year award.

It was the first time in its 68-year history that the Powell River club was chosen as the recipient of this prestigious award.

When asked about the honour during his year as president, Ross Cooper replied, “I am only a representative of a club that’s very productive. The benefit of being president is at the conference, I got to lead the group of members who attended from Powell River as we all took the stage after our club’s name was announced as the winner.”

qL heritage writer wins well-deserved recognition

Joelle Sevigny received a Recognition Award in the Education, Awareness and Communication category from Heritage BC on May 27 for Blast From The Past columns she wrote in qathet Living magazine.

Joelle began writing a monthly historical column for qathet Living in April 2019 when she was the student coordinator for the Townsite Heritage Society at Henderson House. At the same time, she was working on her graduate diploma in Heritage Resource Management.

June 21 is National Indigenous Peoples Day. This is a day for all Canadians to recognize and celebrate the unique heritage, diverse cultures and outstanding contributions of First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples.

The Powell River Town Centre would like to extend a celebratory hand, and to say thank you, especially to the Tla’amin Nation, who we share this beautiful region with.

While word got back home fast, Ross still had the satisfaction of announcing the award to the rest of the club at the first regular meeting after the conference. Then everyone celebrated again May 17 when the embroidered banner arrived with the club’s name on it and it was presented by Ian Grant, Assistant Governor of the district.

“It’s a confirmation of a club that operates well, is impactful to our community and to our international programs,” Ross said. “We are very pleased. Our motto is Service above Self and it shows in the many projects to which our club has contributed, such as the Westview Viewpoint and Rotary Pavilion at Willingdon Beach. Our club hasn’t stopped and is currently erecting a gazebo shelter at Palm Beach with another on Texada Island coming this summer.”

The Rotary Club of Powell River was founded in 1955. It is one of 49 clubs in District 5040 and currently has 38 members. The club is involved with community service projects, fundraising and international projects.

This column was Joelle’s idea – she asked editor Pieta Woolley to consider it as she believed it would provide a vital and missing link between the historic Townsite and the community. Joelle believed the column would enable the society to share important historical stories and information with newcomers, long-time residents and visitors to Powell River and qathet and increase awareness about the history of the Powell River Townsite.

Joelle’s ability to write interesting and informative stories with a fresh, new voice and find accompanying photographs, quickly established her as a favourite with qathet Living’s readers.

After Joelle graduated and accepted full-time employment with the qathet Museum and Archives as their Programs and Education Manager, she continued her monthly column by broadening its scope to include the entire region.

Joelle’s uncanny ability to bring history to life in her columns while connecting it with current day events made her historical column an anticipated read, said qathet Living publisher Isabelle Southcott. Joelle is no longer working in Powell River, but the column continues with different writers.

Pollinator Patches

Lesley Pihl and the Pollinator Patches volunteers are in their third year of managing pollinator patches in partnership with the City of Powell River and Mike Kaban. Claudia Bic and Lesley got the idea from Butterfly Rangers David Suzuki project Butterflyway.

“We love people’s smiles and comments as they walk by and the bees and butterflies love the areas,” says Lesley.

This year all three spots – Duncan, Cranberry and the Seawall boat – have re-populated, so the plots haven’t needed many extra plants. But Springtime Nursery has been very kind and once again provided Pollinator Patches with some extras to help fill in the bare spaces.

“With a declining bee population any organic pollinators are a special treat for the very important bees,” says Lesley.

We’re almost the best!

qathet Living magazine won second place in the BC Magazine of the Year award.

The award, presented by the Alberta Magazine Publishers Association, was won by Mountain Life Coast Mountains. According to their website, ML Coast Mountains showcases “the extraordinary characters and epic adventures from Coast to Coast to Coast in Canada’s vast and varied wilderness and all throughout the world, shining a bright light on the rich culture that the mountains represent.”

The award recognizes efforts on the part of the entire magazine team.

“To finish second to ML Coast Mountains is an honour,” says qathet Living publisher Isabelle Southcott.

“I’m incredibly proud of qathet Living magazine and how it has evolved since that first issue of then Powell River Living magazine rolled off the press in February 2006. Being an independent magazine in an isolated community has been challenging. I am grateful for the incredible team who create this magazine month after month and for the community that supports it. Thank you.”

Past winners of this prestigious award include Vancouver Magazine, The Tyee and Asparagus.

Congrats to qathet Living’s LJI reporter

BCIT journalism student and former qathet Living Local Journalism Initiative reporter Abby Francis is the co-recipient of the prestigious CBC Alexis Mazurin Award for their radio documentary.

Abby grew up in Powell River and attended Brooks Secondary School. While in high school she wrote for qathet Living and continued to do so while taking a gap year between high school and post secondary school. Congratulations Abby!

Local iOAT nurse wins award

Ellery Cleveland, a Registered Nurse with Lift Community Service’s injectable Opioid Agonist Treatment program, was recognized by the BC Centre on Substance Use (BCCSU) for her outstanding contributions to implementing substance use care. Ellery was presented with the BCCSU’s Interdisciplinary Clinical Excellence Award at a provincial conference on substance use last month.

The annual award is presented to a clinician who has demonstrated exemplary leadership supporting the implementation of evidence-based practice, and who champions substance use care education and training.

“We are so proud that Ellery was selected from across the province to receive this award,” Lift Community Services executive director, Stuart Clark, said.

Celebrating 100 years: Lang Bay Community Hall

When the Lang Bay school opened in September 1920 for the logging and farming community, it was built large enough for 30 students – plus community events. After the school closed in 1937, the Lang Bay community club purchased the building for $1.

For 100 plus years the Lang Bay Community Hall has been the hub of social activities south of town. Events such as bowling, dances, Christmas dinners, whist drives, crib games, meetings, bridal and baby showers, have been held at the hall.

Muriel Fee (Lang) 1940’s memories:

“During the 40’s public dances were held with live bands. There was no running water or hydro so we used gas lamps, a wood heater, and outhouses.

“We had weekly movies. Don Carter ran the projector with a generator. During the war years we had a short news reel on the progress of the war. The main movies, in black and white, were Westerns, comedy and family movies.”

The recent COVID-19 pandemic resulted in the cancellation of hall activities and the 100th birthday party.

Post–COVID, the Lang Bay Community Club has resumed its role as a south-of-town community centre with Lang Bay Friends, yoga classes, and the 45th year of crib which starts Thursday, September 14.

Fundraisers contribute to the running of the hall. This month, the June 17 Flea market from 10 am to 1 pm, and the June 18 Father’s Day Pancake breakfast by donation from 9 am to noon, are in support of the hall. Contact Carol Hearder at 604-487-1259 for further information.

- Submitted by Barbara Ann Lambert

For a wide variety of eco-packaging, visit Aaron Service & Supply. We have take out containers made from a variety of environmentally friendly products, such as compostable paper, bamboo, bio-degradable plastic, wood, and sugarcane fibre.

• Cups

• Soup cups

• Salad bowls

• Straws

• Bags

• Cutlery

• and more…

The community of initiates

When considering Rites of Passage, we tend to regard the one who is moving through the significant experience of leaving behind life as they knew it, crossing the threshold of personal challenge, and returning to daily life forever changed. Ideally, the wisdom and medicines of spirit they found through their journey become well integrated, allowing them to become more fully “who they are” in the world.

During such initiations, there is often (but not always) an enormous amount of community involvement. Depending on the scenario, food is prepared, ceremonial accoutrements gathered, ritual acts planned, wisdom keepers converge, families attend, neighbours, friends, and strangers approaching their own initiation times all come together to support them, and those around them, through profound changes.

Most of us have been severed from traditions recognizing and routinely hosting initiatory experiences and Rites of Passage for our youth moving through puberty, those bearing children, stepping into cronehood and eldership, or the internal thresholds crossed through marriage, leaving home, becoming a widow, losing a child, graduating from school, completing a divorce, or a myriad of significant life altering events.

While many of us have retained certain celebrations and honourings, like weddings, baby showers, graduation ceremonies, and funerals, there tend to be forgotten elements speaking to deeply felt nuances for those within the experience, and certainly for those affected by a loved one undergoing them.

The parents of a graduate may be left without their own processes for shifting how they relate to their no longer child, now young adult, with conflicts aris-

ing from trying to parent in the same way, letting grief of leaving childrearing go unaddressed, or feeling unprepared for the sensation of empty nesting.

A funeral may be held for a beloved family member, with little guidance given to survivors for how to internally adjust to life without them.

Miscarriages are handled privately, often clinically, and are rarely spoken of, leaving not only expectant parents without support, but those who love them without knowledge of how to witness this particular pain.

Community members of those moving through life changing events may be undergoing an unrecognized initiation of their own, and simple personal ceremonies may help. Winding organic string as an act of “pulling out” one’s grief for the parent they once were, then safely burning it as a tear-filled release. Creating a shrine where one freely speaks aloud to deceased family, allows a slower, deeper adjustment. Gifting blessings held by beads or written on paper to a newly wedded friend, also helps us address our shifted relationship.

If in proximity with an initiate of any sort, do take care to ceremonially process your own needs too.

Juliette Jarvis offers sacred living programs online, devotional arts, and divination sessions. Find her at SelkieSanctuary.com and 3FoldBalance.com

CAN YOU FIND THESE WORDS FROM THIS ISSUE? ABATTOIR

You need not walk alone

The Compassionate Friends offers support in the grief and trauma which follows the death of a child; no matter the age or cause. The Compassionate Friends of Powell River meets at 7 pm on the 4th Tuesday of each month at the Hospice Society Office, 4675 Ontario Ave, Unit C (behind Save-On-Foods)

SOLUTION TO MAY EDITION

Wild at Home

Everyone needs a home where they feel safe.

It’s 5 am and I’m lying in bed listening to the hungry peeps of baby starlings in the nest inside the soffit above my window. I’m happy theses birds have found a place to raise their young, but when they’re done, we’ll fix the broken screen so they can’t come back.

I like birds, but I don’t want starlings causing blockages to my gutters and drain pipes and damaging my home. I don’t have a problem if they want to nest elsewhere on the property, just not in my home.

European starlings are an invasive species. According to the Invasive Species Council of BC, they easily out-compete native birds and can even kill larger birds when competing for nesting sites. A breeding pair can produce two clutches of four to six eggs in a year and fledglings leave the next five to six weeks after eggs are laid.

LAST WORD ISABELLE SOUTHCOTT

Some people call starlings “rats of the sky.” They cause millions of dollars of crop damage every year with losses to growers in the Okanagan-Similkameen estimated to be about a

Because of this, a starling trapping program has been underway in the South Okanagan for 20 years. A story in the Times Chronicle on April 23 says they will never be able to eradicate the species, but they are trying to control the population with trapping. When I first read this story I was horrified. Those poor starlings! But when I dove deeper I discovered just how destructive they can be and the health hazard large numbers can pose. Like rats, starlings can cause a phenomenal amount of property damage. Given the choice, I don’t want either critter living inside my home, but sometimes we aren’t given

Years ago, I bought a house in the Townsite. It was a beautiful old home with good bones, a gorgeous view and on one of the best streets in Powell River – close to the high school, in a great community, near trails and parks. I was in love. But on the day of the closing I smelled a foul smell when I walked in the

My realtor brushed away my fears, as she thought it was just the smell of an old house or the toilet was backed up. After all, I’d had a home inspection carried out so it had to be fine, right? I was a single mom with no building experience; all I had to go on was my

nose and gut instinct.

A few nights later, my oldest son, whose bedroom was in the basement, said he heard noises in the ceiling. I went downstairs to see what he meant, and I too heard scuttling sounds. We had rats!

The next day I began searching for holes and signs and I found them. Several Glade air fresheners were hidden in corners of the basement and on top of wood beams. Then I found rat poop behind the fridge and furnace. The smell worsened as temperatures rose and the summer wore on. Weather got hotter and the scuttling continued.

I had a problem. A big problem.

My dream home had become my nightmare.

My kids and I had to move out of our home for five months while it was renovated. The basement was stripped to the studs. The pink fibreglass insulation looked like it was sprinkled with chocolate chips and yellow rat urine lined tunnels that showed through the clear plastic vapor barrier.

I was heartbroken. I felt like a new bride who’d discovered her husband cheated on her the day of their wedding. I was sick at how much it was going to cost to fix it and wondered how I’d pay. A lawsuit followed, although we settled out of court. I was reimbursed only a fraction of the cost.

I thought about writing a book called I Bought a House with 37 Rats, but then I decided I’d rather move on than be stuck in the nightmare. So I fixed the problem, rat proofed the house, and have been super vigilant about uninvited guests.

At least I thought I was. Then the starlings showed up.

By the time I noticed them, it was too late. And as much as I don’t want them there, I’m not about to remove a nest of babies knowing full well that they will die. I can’t do that. Instead, I will wait until they’ve flown the coop and then I’ll fix the problem so they can’t return to this particular spot. However, they are welcome elsewhere on our property.

Because I believe, everyone needs a home where they feel safe, especially moms and babies.

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