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Pool and CRD facility fee hike approved

Robb Magley
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Pool and CRD facility fee hike approved

For the third year in a row, entry fees and other charges at the pool and park facilities will be going up. 

Salt Spring’s Parks and Recreation Commission (PARC) approved a broad fee increase of 3.5 per cent Tuesday, March 14, which will apply to the existing PARC facility pricing formula for admissions, bookings and rentals starting in September.  

After no fee changes in 2020 and two per cent hikes in 2021 and 2022, this year’s daily pool admission for adults will increase from $6.10 to $6.30, with an annual pass increasing from $414.40 to $428.90. A family admission for the day will rise from $12.20 to $12.60, with an annual pass increasing from $828.25 to $853.70. Commercial use of facilities such as classrooms and fields will increase by the same 3.5 per cent. 

The commission also approved the addition of an hourly booking fee of $25 for school sport groups using the gym after hours — to remove cost barriers to participation, according to staff — and a $35 per hour charge for the dance room. 

In the event the CRD continues to operate and manage the Saturday market in 2024, staff recommended a five per cent increase in market fees to offset additional operating costs and administration. That would bring the daily vendor charge for an eight-foot booth from $30.90 to $32.45. 

User fees collected by PARC typically offset the amount of tax requisition collected for the delivery of recreation and park services; the upcoming increases are rounded to the nearest nickel, and program registration fees are not included in the fees and charges bylaw.

PARC staff also told commissioners the annual pool maintenance closure would likely run from Dec. 4 to Jan. 7, and will necessarily include a substantial electrical replacement project. The work won’t involve draining the pool this year, according to parks manager Dan Ovington, so there won’t be quite as many days’ wait as usual for the water to get back up to swimming temperature after work is completed.  

Fire district chooses hall architecture and construction management firms

Driftwood Staff
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Fire district chooses hall architecture and construction management firms

Important steps to build Salt Spring’s new fire hall have been taken, with architecture and construction management contracts awarded by the Salt Spring Island Fire Protection District (SSIFPD).

Johnson Davidson Architecture and MKM Projects Ltd. were the successful contract bidders, submitting the most competitive proposals and having extensive experience in their fields.

Based in B.C., Johnson Davidson Architecture is known throughout western Canada for designing fire halls — with more than 50 in their portfolio — along with other community-focused and healthcare facility projects.

“Johnson Davidson was chosen by the project steering committee, on behalf of the board of trustees, after an extensive review of nine bids received,” explains a SSIFPD press release.

MKM Projects Ltd. of Qualicum Beach, who had the most competitive of four bids received, will handle the subsequent tendering of local contracts for trades as the construction process gets underway later in 2023. MKM has recent experience with the construction of the Cumberland Fire Hall, which was completed under budget and on time in pandemic conditions.

Other pre-construction work is proceeding smoothly, says the district, with floor plans updated and revised, and procurement and financing arrangements extensively explored.

Rodney Dieleman, chief administrative officer of SSIFR, noted that although the project is in its early stages, it is presently on time and on budget.

“Some of the identified challenges facing the project that we are watching closely are possible supply chain shortages, inflation on materials and goods, and increasing financing costs due to interest rates. The project steering committee is working closely with the contracted consultants and the board of trustees to ensure the project remains on track and on schedule.”

The chosen consultants will be preparing a construction schedule in the coming weeks with construction costing and tendering to be complete in late summer of 2023.

Trustee Elections & AGM

In other fire district news, the nomination period for candidates to fill three seats on the SSIFPD board runs from Thursday, March 23 to Thursday, April 6. Information about the process and the required documents are available at the Ganges Fire Hall or by contacting returning officer Anthony Kennedy: anthonykennedy10@shaw.ca or 250-537-8815. The election will be held on Saturday, April 22 at the Ganges Fire Hall from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., with an advance poll on Wednesday, April 19 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Information about voter qualifications is available at the Ganges Fire Hall or in advertisements published in the Driftwood newspaper.

At Monday night’s trustees meeting, board chair Rollie Cook said he intended to run for a seat again, as did multi-term trustee Mary Lynn Hetherington.

The district’s annual general meeting has also been set. It will be at Lions Hall on Monday, April 24 at 7 p.m.

Wood-burning issues, stoves and rebates explored

Contributed Article
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Wood-burning issues, stoves and rebates explored

So many of us rely on wood stoves for our home heating on Salt Spring and the Southern Gulf Islands, but have you considered the cost of burning wood on our community’s air quality? 

“The fact is, wood stoves release a lot of pollutants that create health problems,” says Transition Salt Spring’s Morgan Fraser.

Fraser leads the Climate Action Coach program at Transition Salt Spring, which offers free advice and local rebates for making your home more climate-resilient.

While wood is renewable, when burned in wood stoves and fireplaces, it releases significant amounts of harmful substances, especially PM 2.5, which studies show negatively affects respiratory illness and increases the risk of heart attack or stroke. Vulnerable folks like the elderly, children, and people with heart and lung conditions are most likely to be affected. Removing one old, dirty, inefficient wood stove is equivalent to the PM2.5 pollution reduction of taking five old diesel buses off the road, according to the EPA.

“At Transition Salt Spring, we recommend anyone with an old wood stove to upgrade to a Heat Pump as their primary heating source and use their existing wood stove during power outages and in extreme cold as supplementary heat. If a heat pump isn’t accessible to you, we also offer a rebate to upgrade to an EPA-2020 Certified wood stove,” says Fraser.

Transition Salt Spring is offering rebates to Salt Spring and Southern Gulf Island residents of $500 to $1,000 to upgrade your uncertified wood stove to a heat pump or EPA-2020 certified wood stove. There is also the option to remove your uncertified wood stove and receive a $300 bounty with no heat upgrade. Funded by the BC Lung Foundation and BC Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy, this is stackable with other provincial and federal rebates available for heat pumps. 

If you burn wood in the colder months, what matters is how you burn the wood. If you burn wet wood or let it smoulder, the resulting fire adds significant particulate matter into the atmosphere. The smoke is the problem. Burning wood inefficiently can also release excess methane, a gas with a greenhouse impact 20 times greater than CO2. Burning wood in an open fireplace releases large amounts of ash in the smoke. Wood smoke becomes air pollution once it leaves the chimney. 

5 Tips for Burning Wisely

1. Season wood outdoors for at least seven months before burning it. Properly seasoned wood is darker in colour, lighter in weight, has cracks in the end grain, and sounds hollow when smacked against another piece of wood. 

2. Store wood outdoors, stacked neatly off the ground, with adequate airflow, and protected from the elements — stack wood with the bark-side facing down for quicker drying. 

3. If you have yet to build a woodshed, build it south facing to allow the sun to aid in drying. Cool, damp north-facing firewood sheds retain moisture and can get mouldy.

4. If you’re buying wood, aim to buy waste wood from a sustainable source on the island in the springtime: stack it, store it, protect it from the elements, and you will have dry wood by fall. Firewood also usually costs less in spring than during the fall’s “we’re out of firewood!” buying frenzy. 

5. When maintaining a fire, burn small, hot fires as they produce far less smoke than ones left to smoulder. It bears repeating – when one burns wood inefficiently, the resulting smoke contains a number of chemicals, such as carbon monoxide (CO), VOCs, Nitrogen Dioxide, and PM2.5.

“Transition Salt Spring has worked with Salt Spring Fire Rescue to provide education on the best practices for using a wood stove. Take an hour to watch our All About Wood Stoves video on YouTube. Even seasoned wood stove users can learn new tips to improve their wood stove usage,” says Fraser. “Also consider the improvements to your household when upgrading — oftentimes, you will save money monthly by using less wood and greater energy efficiency. If you are able to upgrade your old uncertified wood stove to a heat pump or EPA-2020 wood stove, our Community Wood Smoke Reduction Program rebate helps empower you to save money while improving both your home and our community.” 

People can join the interest list for this rebate at TransitionSaltSpring.com/Coach.

For more information about other Transition Salt Spring programs, see transitionsaltspring.com.

McCULLY, Patrick Miles

Driftwood Obituary
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McCULLY, Patrick Miles

1982-2023

Patrick Miles McCully passed away suddenly at the age of 41 years in Kamloops, BC on Sunday Mar 19, 2023.

Patrick was born January 16, 1982 on Salt Spring Island, BC. He was a kind and generous man. His sense of humor was contagious to those around him. He was an excellent athlete in Muaythai, MMA, weight training, and soccer. His job took him all over the world as a security contractor.

Patrick is survived by his beloved wife Amy MacPherson, his parents Yvonne and Bob McCully, Brothers, Sydney DeBow (Jen), Kyle McCully (Nilda), Jess McCully (Amanda) and numerous nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles and friends.

The Funeral Service will take place at 2:00 pm on Thursday, March 30, 2023 in the Kamloops Funeral Home, 285 Fortune Drive. Viewing will take place prior to the service, starting at 1:00 pm. For those unable to attend the service may be viewed online at https://ipcamlive.com/5f98c1fdc1e47. Please contact the Funeral Home for the PIN.

Condolences may be sent to the family from
www.kamloopsfuneralhome.com • 250-554-2577

CORCIONE, Rafael

Driftwood Obituary
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CORCIONE, Rafael

July 29, 1937 ~ March 15, 2023

Rafael Corcione of New Westminster, BC, passed away Wednesday, March 15, 2023. He is survived and lovingly remembered by his 3 children, 6 grandchildren, 2 brothers, family & many friends.

He was born in Naples Italy to loving parents and had 6 wonderful siblings. At the age of 21 he immigrated to Halifax but disliked the climate intensely, so kept moving west until he reached Vancouver. He settled in the community of Kerrisdale where he owned and operated a successful hair salon and raised his family. It wasn’t until he retired that he moved to New Westminster where he began a new chapter and met many wonderful friends.

Rafael had many hobbies, but his true joy was spending time at his property on Salt Spring Island tending his garden.

He was a force with an easy charm, and a true maverick who lived life on his terms; he will be greatly missed by all who knew him.

In lieu of flowers consider donating to the charity of your choice

Theatre Alive season opens with The Children

Gail Sjuberg
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Theatre Alive season opens with The Children

Drama fans will be happy to know that a long-running Salt Spring theatre company is both alive and well and ready for its first post-COVID show.

Well-known actor, director and author Chris Humphreys took over Theatre Alive in 2019, and presented two of six plays planned for 2020 before the pandemic scuttled the remaining four events. Humphreys said he was thrilled with audience response to both Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest and Cary Churchill’s Escaped Alone, and can’t wait to give them more with the 2023 season.

The first play to run is British playwright Lucy Kirkwood’s The Children, which debuted at the Royal Court Theatre in London in 2016, and then went to Broadway.

“The basic story is that there are these two retired nuclear scientists who live in an isolated cottage quite close to the coast and quite close to a nuclear power station where they used to work, which basically did a Fukushima,” said Humphreys. “It’s caused this huge catastrophe in the country with intermittent power for people and all sorts of stuff.”

Humphreys said three terrific island actors play the trio of roles in the dark comedy. Robert Ruttan takes the part of Robin and Wendy Beatty is his wife Hazel, while Debbi Toole plays Rose, a woman they used to work with at the plant. Humphreys is directing.

The Children is on for one night only: Friday, March 24 at 7 p.m. at Mahon Hall.

Humphreys likes the staged-reading format for a number of reasons.

“I think it’s a way of making great plays quite accessible, but we don’t have to spend four weeks rehearsing them and build vast sets and all that,” he said.

At the same time, most of the dramatic elements of a full production are maintained.

“It’s not sitting around and reading the play. It is moving, it’s costumes, there’s sounds and lights,” he added.

And he’s found that the audience quickly forgets that people are holding scripts on stage, but it obviously takes pressure off the actors and eliminates the demands of using a full set.

“For relatively little investment financially, or timewise, we’re able to bring these fantastic plays to people’s attention.”

Tickets ($20) for The Children are available in advance at Salt Spring Books, or at the door. Cash only. Masks are optional.

Drake Road housing details shared

Robb Magley
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Drake Road housing details shared

Capital and operating funding for a new supportive housing project on Salt Spring Island is secure, according to officials, but the construction timeline remains uncertain. 

BC Housing held an online community meeting last Wednesday to share progress and information about its project to build housing at 161 Drake Road, a property held by the agency under a long-term lease. BC Housing development manager Kirsten Baillie said $8 to 9 million in capital funding — plus an unspecified ongoing operating subsidy — was in place, and the project could go forward. 

“In terms of anticipated start, we would like to start construction in 2023,” said Baillie. “Once those timelines are all finalized, we will update our websites [and] give construction notices, so that people are aware that the work is happening.” 

Baillie said there will be a competitive request for proposals (RFP) process to determine who will run day-to-day operations at the facility once opened; the agency projects completion in winter 2023, but admitted it was a “rough estimate.” 

“We’re still working on technical drawings,” said Baillie, “but once construction starts, we will definitely make sure to keep people notified in terms of how we’re progressing and where things are at.” 

BC Housing did recently overcome one significant hurdle in project planning, according to Baillie — conditional groundwater approval from the Ministry of Forests was received in February, following earlier water source approval from Island Health.  

Baillie emphasized the importance of the project to the broader Salt Spring community, noting that the island currently has no permanent supportive housing. 

“Salt Spring has a fairly high number of people experiencing homelessness,” said Baillie. “Our latest count identified 146.” 

That figure comes from BC Housing’s 2020-21 Report on Homeless Counts in B.C., which marks 146 insecurely housed people on Salt Spring Island, up 27 per cent from the last count of 115 in 2018. That figure, which the report said was more than double the reported provincial average for that same period (11.5 per cent), is a point-in-time snapshot provided independently by Salt Spring Island Community Services (SSICS). 

According to BC Housing, SSICS’s figure includes both sheltered and unsheltered homeless; Salt Spring’s listing with BC Housing does not include a data breakdown by gender, age, Indigenous identity, health condition, length of time homeless, or length of time in the community — a granularity every other community count included in the report provides. SSICS data did however note 75 per cent of those counted in 2020 were unsheltered — or 109 people. On its website, SSICS said it tallied 131 homeless in 2018, including unsheltered (63), emergency sheltered (29) and provisionally accommodated (39) individuals. 

As currently envisioned, the 161 Drake Road project will provide 28 studio apartments, offered first to the 15 residents currently at BC Housing’s temporary facility at 154 Kings Lane, then to others through a “coordinated access and assessment” selection process. Criteria will include being over age 19 and at risk of or experiencing homelessness, as well as a requirement to be a “Salt Spring resident” — although how that will be defined is still undetermined.  

“In terms of giving priority to Salt Spring residents, we can certainly — when we’re getting closer to the operations aspect and considering resident selection — unpack that definition a bit more,” said BC Housing region operations director Jennifer Fox. 

BC Housing will host an in-person community “open house” Thursday, March 16, from 4 to 6 p.m. at Lions Hall.

Viewpoint: Experts be damned!

Contributed Article
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Viewpoint: Experts be damned!

By FRANTS ATTORP

The assault on the Islands Trust is gaining momentum. It is yet another reminder that elections have consequences.

At the Feb. 9 Salt Spring Local Trust Committee meeting, trustee Jamie Harris argued that, unlike the Sunshine Coast, “we don’t have a problem with lack of water,” that “we (the Trust) don’t need to have our noses in the water business” as water is already protected by the CRD and Ministry of Transportation, and that trades people “know where the water is.”

Mr. Harris doesn’t seem to understand that the Islands Trust, through its zoning powers, is responsible for protecting watersheds and ensuring there is enough water in perpetuity, not just for individual developers, but for entire neighbourhoods and all natural systems such as lakes and streams. Neither the CRD building inspector nor the Ministry of Transportation has such responsibilities. Are lay people with a monetary interest in development now the go-to water experts?

Trustee Harris’ development-at-any-cost agenda conflicts with efforts to strengthen proof-of-water requirements to meet provincial guidelines. A 2020 Trust staff report on water sustainability states: “Currently, staff are receiving subdivision applications utilizing ‘well yield tests’ that have been carried out for as little as four hours. Senior freshwater specialist [William Shulba] advises that these should not be considered ‘pumping tests’ sufficient to address policies around sufficient and sustainable groundwater withdrawal for the life of the development, potential impacts to neighbouring wells and the environment.”

A draft bylaw amendment from last May specifies, among other things, that pump tests must 
last a minimum of 12hours (with the total daily required volume not taking more than 24 hours to pump), all while groundwater levels are continuously monitored. That amendment has still not been adopted.

Whether the issue is new subdivisions or blanket rezoning for accessory dwelling units matters little. Water use increases, less so at first, but dramatically and unpredictably over time as build-out is reached and climate change bites. That’s why long-term planning and respect for the precautionary principle are essential. Even without further rezoning, at least 5,000 more people will need water on Salt Spring Island once all existing lots are fully developed.

We all want more affordable housing, but unless the new units are guaranteed to go to the target group, simply increasing densities will do great damage without alleviating housing shortages. Water is a huge issue, along with other considerations, such as protecting rural character, limiting growth and maintaining healthy ecosystems.

The Trust Policy Statement predicted this tug-of-war long ago: “Potential for conflict exists: conflict between short and long-term interests and between unlimited use of the Trust Area and ongoing stewardship.”

Conflict could be minimized if island residents were given the opportunity to help create a sustainable vision for the future before massive changes to our official community plan (OCP) are drafted. There’s a huge difference between an OCP review and a major OCP amendment. The first seeks broad public input about priorities and strategies, while the second marks the end of a process. Unfortunately, our trustees have decided to skip the former and go straight to the latter.

Exciting performances at ArtSpring next week

Contributed Article
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Exciting performances at ArtSpring next week

By KIRSTEN BOLTON

FOR ARTSPRING

If you are ready for an evening of musical entertainment that will surprise, amuse and inspire, Percussiano3 might be just the ticket. This talented trio takes to the ArtSpring stage Wednesday, March 22.

Comprised of the prize-winning duo-pianists Elizabeth and Marcel Bergmann, and virtuoso percussionist Rod Thomas Squance, Percussiano3 brings a compelling new vibrance to the popular side of classical music, world music and contemporary repertoire. To the Bergmanns’ melodic double-handed piano, Squance delivers the percussion heartbeats on no-less-than 38 different instruments, from snare drum, chimes and castagnets, to gourds, sleigh bells and the beloved cow bell.

Audiences are taken through a journey of musical styles and periods, including works by Bach, Schubert, Ravel, Chabrier, Copland, Rachmaninoff, Piazzolla, Brubeck and Saint Saëns, as well as their own original compositions. The performance is buoyed by their lively interactions and authentic enthusiasm, as only long-time collaborators and friends can share.

Sadly, on Feb. 16, their representative and friend George Zukerman, who arranged for this performance and many others, passed away at the age of 95. The BC Touring Council said of him, “George was an ambassador for Canadian music [. . .] His lifelong career and contribution to touring and presenting were immense.”

“ArtSpring has had a long association with George and has presented many of his artists over the past 20 years,” said Howard Jang, executive and artistic director of ArtSpring. “We will be respectfully dedicating this performance to his memory.”

In a change to the program, Gryphon Trio’s March 25 performance of Echo: Memories of the World has by artist request been temporarily replaced by a new performance entitled Colour You Like. Echo will be rescheduled for fall 2023.

Gryphon Trio performers, from left, Annalee Patipatanakoon, Jamie Parker and Roman Borys. (PHOTO BY SHANE GRAY)

In this new production, the preeminent trio of Annalee Patipatanakoon (violin), Roman Borys (cello) and Jamie Parker (piano), who are about to celebrate 30 years together, welcome in a swiftly emerging creative force, violist Radia, AKA Ryan Davis.

The result is a luminous musical experience, harnessing live looping and electronics that intertwine the sound worlds of classical, folk, electronic and hip-hop traditions. The program will feature Radia’s original compositions and visuals, as well as Dinuk Wijeratne’s stunning Love Triangle for piano trio. It concludes with Johannes Brahms’ sublime Piano Quartet in G minor.

Both shows start at 7:30 p.m.

Tickets are on sale through tickets.artspring.ca, or the box office from Tuesdays through Fridays, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

In Response: Correcting the record on Green position

Contributed Article
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In Response: Correcting the record on Green position

By ELIZABETH MAY

In your last issue, writer Colin Ross was unfortunately misinformed as to the position of the Green Party of Canada on Canadian support for Ukraine. Let me put the important clarification front and centre.

The Green Party of Canada, like Green Party colleagues around the world, condemns the illegal war and brutal aggression by Russian forces against Ukraine. We support unequivocally all actions taken by our government: sending arms, invoking sanctions and other measures to assist Ukraine. I was honoured to make those commitments directly to President Volodymyr Zelensky following his historic speech to our Parliament on March 15, 2022.

The 80 national Green parties around the world are all committed to six core Green values. One of these is to promote non-violence and peace. In the over 40 years that Green parties have existed globally, the illegal and immoral war launched by Russia against Ukraine is the very first time that Greens have supported military aid.

This statement from the European Union Greens is a good summary of where we stand: “The European Green family condemns President Putin’s war against Ukraine in the strongest way possible. Russia’s full-fledged invasion constitutes an outright attack on Ukraine’s sovereignty and is a flagrant violation of international law.

This is not only an attack on Ukraine’s territorial integrity, but a brutal attack on the rule of law, democracy and peace in Europe.

We welcome the sanctions that have been imposed by the EU and its allies. Europe must remain united and extend its sanctions as part of a coordinated effort.

We also welcome the German government’s decisive action to freeze the Nord Stream 2 gas project, and the instrumental role played by the German Greens (Bündnis 90/Die Grünen) in this decision. The crisis illustrates the strategic necessity to be energetically independent from fossil fuels. Energy policy is a question of security.

The respect of Ukraine’s sovereignty implies the respect for its right to freely choose its alliances. Ukraine has a right to freedom and democracy, and we must act swiftly to protect these rights.

We therefore call for:

• Additional sanctions to be stepped up and implemented quickly by the EU and all its member states

• The exclusion of Russian banks from the SWIFT international banking network

• Stopping the import of gas, oil and minerals from Russia as soon as possible

• All former EU and member state governmental representatives to withdraw from functions in Russian companies

• The seizure of all assets of Russian officials responsible for backing this invasion and the freezing of Putin’s assets

• Extended support for Ukrainian refugees, including the provision of shelters, medical aid and information, as well as the creation of humanitarian corridors

• Continued diplomatic efforts in the pursuit of a peaceful outcome

• Speeding up the energy transition to replace Europe’s imported gas and oil dependency to enhance our energy independence and security

• A solidarity instrument including enhanced financial support (not limited to loans and credit guarantees) for Ukraine

• Financial assistance for member states to help deal with the economic consequences of imposed sanctions

• Enhancing the EU’s cyber-security capabilities and a more robust EU strategy on tackling large-scale disinformation campaigns.

The European Green Party stands firmly with Ukraine and extends its solidarity to its people. We will be joining the gatherings calling for peace and an end to Russian aggression that are happening across Europe, to show our support for Ukraine. We encourage all European citizens to join us.”

As you can see, we do continue to call for peace talks (in bullet #7), but never a cessation of support for Ukraine, nor the “pathetic . . . shameful appeasement” assumed by the letter writer.

Unfortunately, calling for diplomatic efforts to be intensified to seek any path to peace, while also supporting military assistance, as I did in Parliament on Feb. 4, 2023, was seen as a weakening of support for Ukraine.

This is not only unfortunate but reflects a simplification of dialogue and a rapid polarization among people who actually agree with one another.

As a parenthetical point, having left Green leadership in 2019, and been recently elected as Leader of the Green Party of Canada, sharing the work load with deputy leader Jonathan Pedneault, I have found a sharp contrast in media coverage and discourse since when I last did this job.

I find that people (media and public) are on a hair trigger: quick to anger, to make assumptions and denounce. Especially in politics, people are slow to consider and ponder and give the benefit of the doubt.

These tendencies, fuelled by the lightning fast algorithms of “rage-farming” in social media, are really dangerous to our democracy.

That said, on no issue as much as on defence of Ukraine, Canadians are remarkably united. We must continue and intensify efforts. We must end the billions flowing to Russia for oil. Russia must face the reality of Putin’s tragic miscalculation.

Ukrainian democracy will overcome and emerge to a peaceful future. Canada must continue to support Ukraine and — once the war is over — remain committed to the rebuilding of Ukraine and a restoration of its environment.

Thank you for the opportunity to correct the record.

Elizabeth May, O.C., is the Member of Parliament for Saanich-Gulf Islands and leader of the Green Party of Canada.

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