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Editorial: Share views on climate action, Islands Trust and ferry schedules

Driftwood Staff
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Editorial: Share views on climate action, Islands Trust and ferry schedules

For islanders wanting a break from talking about COVID-19, three different subjects are commanding our attention this week. 

First is the release of the new Salt Spring Climate Action Plan, containing some 250 recommendations for how our island can reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 50 per cent by 2030. Spearheaded by the Transition Salt Spring Society with support from local government and individual donors, what is called “CAP 2.0” builds on a comprehensive plan published back in 2011. In addition to laying out suggested actions, CAP 2.0 points out progress that has already been achieved in reducing GHG emissions locally.  

The society stresses the importance of everyone in the community being on board with understanding climate change impacts and how they can be mitigated. The plan is available now on the TSS website and an official Zoom launch event is set for Tuesday, March 2 at 6:30 p.m. For people who might find reading the entire plan a daunting task, an easy-to-read 10-page executive summary covers the basics. 

Looking even further into the future, the Islands Trust wants public input for the purposes of revisiting its Policy Statement through a process called Islands 2050. It’s holding a virtual open house on Wednesday, March 3 at 7 p.m. People can register through the Islands 2050 page or otherwise find the relevant Policy Directions document and how to provide feedback about it on the Islands Trust website. The aim is to modernize the Trust’s guiding document through public and First Nations engagement. With the role of the Islands Trust a hot topic on many islands these days, the open house — and the quarterly Islands Trust Council meeting set for the following week — are two places to get up to speed on policy directions that affect all island dwellers and property owners. 

Finally, BC Ferries is asking for public input on Gulf Islands ferry schedules. With a new, larger Salish-class ferry set to replace the Southern Gulf Islands’ Mayne Queen next year, the opportunity to make schedule changes has arisen. The first round of consultation kicked off last week and runs online at bcferries.com until March 16. Paper copies of the relevant survey are also available from local ferry terminals or the chief steward’s office. 

The work of creating the future we’d like to see must still go on regardless of the pandemic. Everyone is encouraged to be part of the process.  

Viewpoint: Burgoyne info contradicts

Contributed Article
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Viewpoint: Burgoyne info contradicts

By PATRICIA LOCKIE

While applauding the support for investigative journalism expressed by the writers of “Background info provides Burgoyne context” (Feb. 17 Driftwood), it is disappointing to note that they themselves ignore one of the first principles of that discipline, namely, check your sources and the veracity of the information given. 

Most journalists that I have known and worked with would argue that this applies especially when dealing with government sources of information. 

The writers claim that BC Parks made the choice not to reinstall a bridge on a multi-use trail in Burgoyne “after consultation with the Salt Spring Trail and Nature Club and local equestrians.” This is false. BC Parks did not seek advice or counsel, and did not take into consideration the concerns or ideas of interested parties prior to commencement of work on the trails. In the case of the “local equestrians,” BC Parks responded to emails sent by two concerned trail users after changes to the trail system had already begun. 

It was a reactive approach, as opposed to the proactive stance BC Parks purports to foster. In effect, BC Parks said to both the Trail and Nature Club and to trail riders: This is what’s happening and, unfortunately, multi-use trail capacity will have to be sacrificed. 

It is true that Trail and Nature Club representatives were invited to fix the problem by mapping alternative trail routings, which they did. Again, this happened after the key decisions to undertake changes to multi-use trails had been made. So far, none of the suggested alternate trail routes have been accepted by BC Parks.

The interesting aspect of the bridge is that a replacement has been installed, which the writers fail to mention. The new version is for pedestrians only, thereby eliminating the multi-use trail function. Had there been true consultation with trail riders — a key user group identified as such in BC Parks’ own management plan — a different, more inclusive design would surely have been seriously considered.

Budgetary restraints have been mentioned as one of the explanations for the new model. Again, had there been authentic consultation in a timely fashion, groups such as the Horse Council of B.C. and the Back Country Horsemen of B.C. could have been enlisted for their decades-long trail building expertise and funding potential, as witnessed in other provincial and regional parks.

So, yes, let’s indeed encourage our local media to “take a deeper dive” into what is happening in Burgoyne Bay/Xwaaqw’um Provincial Park. In my opinion, the Driftwood editorial of Jan. 26 was a good start in the call for greater transparency and accountability by BC Parks.

The writer is a member of the Salt Spring Trail Riders group.

Nobody Asked Me But: Salt Spring sourdough starter origins a bit murky

Shilo Zylbergold
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Nobody Asked Me But: Salt Spring sourdough starter origins a bit murky

When was the last time you checked your sourdough starter?

Had you been asked this question a couple of years ago, you would have answered with “say what?” However, in these days of COVID, it’s very likely that you could give the exact day and time you last took a peek to see if your magic baking potion was bubbling away towards fermentation.

Yes, for many of us, the hobbies and activities that are occupying our time at home have taken a sharp U-turn since the pandemic forced us into these restrictive bubbles. Gone are the book club dinners and beer nights with the boys. Likewise for your ballroom dancing classes and spin cycles at the gym.

Instead, you’ve been filling the time learning how to knit socks, crocheting hacky sacks, petit point needlework embroidering wall hangings with pithy aphorisms such as “There’s No Place Like Home,” hooking carpets you will never complete, or preparing to plant a garden that will rival the ones grown at Findhorn in Scotland.

Most likely, however, you’ve been baking bread. And not just any ordinary loaf, but the kind of bread that is kicking the yeast out of all other competitors. Sourdough.

Now, in order to bake sourdough bread, you need a little fermented mixture of something called sourdough starter. This is not a new-fangled invention. It’s been around for over 5,000 years and dates back to the Bronze Age. Archaeological digs have found traces of the good stuff alongside shards of clay pottery in what is considered the cradle of agriculture, Mesopotamia.

The sourdough starter was valued and passed on from generation to generation and from one civilization to the next. Later, in about 1500 BC, the ancient Egyptians improved the quality of the starter by allowing it to absorb some of the wild yeast particles floating around in the air from the beer they were notably good at brewing. Legend has it that pharaohs were buried in elaborate tombs along with their most prized slaves, their favourite cats, and their precious sourdough starter. Some archaeologists have even made the case that the starter was used in the embalming fluid to mummify the departed noble class before they were wrapped up and placed inside the pyramids. 

As the centuries passed, families began to guard their sourdough starters as they would any valued inherited heirloom. Clandestine societies, complete with secret handshakes that recreated the motion of the kneading of dough, were formed to protect the ancient recipes. Even the Freemasons got into the act by storing away their precious sourdough starter in glass jars which came to be known later as “freemason jars.”

Eventually, sourdough starter made its way to North America and played a major role during the Gold Rush days in California and in the Klondike. Besides its use as a leavening agent in baking bread, the starter was also useful for tanning animal hides. In 1849, Isidore Boudin opened a bakery in San Francisco that supplied gold prospectors with both sourdough bread and starter (called the “mother dough”), which would enable them to bake bread when they weren’t panning for nuggets. A few decades later, Isadore’s widow, Louise, risked her life by grabbing a bucket of the mother dough before escaping from the bakery during the Great San Francisco earthquake of 1906. 

What exactly is sourdough starter? Different recipes vary, but the basic ingredients include ground-up grain, mixed with a liquid (usually water or milk) and left at room temperature in the open air so that any wild yeast will settle into the mix. Mashed-up potatoes and sugar can be included as options that will affect the fermentation process and slightly alter the bread’s flavour.

A chemical reaction occurs as the yeast consumes the natural sugars to produce a variety of acids, alcohol and carbon dioxide. It is the carbon dioxide gas which causes the bread to rise as the little bubbles that are trapped in the dough give the loaf the holes in its structure.

Similar to many other fermented concoctions, sourdough starter can be used to create many other menu items besides bread. Fry the batter and then sprinkle it with jam or sugar and you’ve got yourself sourdoughboys. Wrap it in grape leaves and bake it in the oven to produce delicious Greek sourdoughlmades.

Nobody knows for certain when sourdough starter first made it here to Salt Spring. Some claim it was smuggled over from the Loch Lomond region in Scotland by the early settlers who mistakenly assumed it was a particularly potent form of haggis. Others argue that it came here much earlier over the land bridge that connected Siberia to North America. It was passed from one Indigenous nation to another until it worked its way across Sansum Narrows where it was traded for eagle feathers soaked in fermented skunk cabbage juice.

Our research department, which is located in the archives hidden deep within the bowels of the catacombs found beneath the Driftwood office in the former Valcourt Centre, has dug up a third possible origin for sourdough starter here on the island. What has been uncovered is scientific evidence that the sourdough starter is a natural chemical phenomenon brought about by the perfect storm which allowed local wild barley to mix with bull kelp in the presence of the salty waters of the natural spring our island was named after. With a little time and fermenting luck, the result has been nothing less than spectacular.

Nobody asked me, but it doesn’t look like this COVID pandemic is going to fizzle out any time soon. Normal, whatever that means anymore, still seems like it’s a long way away. Until we see signs that show us otherwise, let’s make like sourdough starter and keep bubbling on.

MCKENZIE, Robert (Bob)

Driftwood Obituary
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MCKENZIE, Robert (Bob)

Robert (Bob) McKenzie

Truly a much loved and admired Gentleman.

Robert (Bob) McKenzie, age 93, passed away February 23, 2021. He was safe and comfortable at home, holding hands with his adored Verity.

Bob’s family (his wife for a spectacular 69 years Verity, 4 children, 6 grandchildren & 2 great grandchildren) were blessed to have such a great role model. So much was learned by his example of grace, humility & sense of humour. 

Whenever the family was together he would always call out “Is EVERYBODY HAPPY?!” 

Indeed we were.

By his request there will be no service. Please recall a memory of him that would make you smile or laugh, that’s all he’d wish. 

LEE, Jeannette

Driftwood Obituary
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LEE, Jeannette

Jeannette Lee
August 9, 1940 – March 3, 2021

We are sad to announce that on Wednesday March 3rd, 2021 Jeannette Marie Lee passed away peacefully at the Luther Court Care Home in Victoria, with her family by her side. Jeannette is predeceased by her husband Roy Lee, her parents Gordon and Mary Zayha, and her sister Betty Ethier (Zayha).

Jeannette leaves behind 3 loving children; Gordon (Linda), Sandra (Todd) and Michael (Nicky). Her wonderful grandchildren are Jordan, Rebekah and Charissa (Gordon), Lauren, Jesse and Braeden (Sandra) and Travis and Rosie (Michael). Jeannette’s 2 great granddaughters are Kira and Riley (Lauren & Quin).

Jeannette was born to Gordon & Mary Zayha on August 9th, 1940 in Spirit River, Alberta. Some of Jeannette’s fondest childhood memories were; spending summers with her sister Betty at Grandma’s farm east of Spirit River Alberta, running through the fields where the wild Tiger Lilies grew, watching her Uncle Dan ride Queenie the work horse, being with all of her Aunts and Uncles and playing in the old barn.

Jeannette worked for the Park Hotel and then Northern Freightways in Dawson Creek as a bookkeeper where she met her husband Roy. Roy was a heavy-duty diesel mechanic, who also worked for Northern Freightways. They lived in Dawson Creek from 1959-1964, where their oldest son Gordon was born. They then moved to Salt Spring Island, where Roy had grown up and his family resided, and where Sandra and Michael were later born. Roy and Jeannette brought up their family on a small acreage in the Fulford Valley. Jeannette lived on Salt Spring Island for 55 years, until having to move to Victoria.

Jeannette worked for Marr Accounting and she looked after the books for the family business, Roy Lee Petroleum Bulk Plant, until 1981. Jeannette then worked as the bookkeeper for the original Salt Spring Island Sea Products until 1994. And then she was a bookkeeper at Windsor Plywood for her final 11 years of work, retiring at age 65.

Jeannette enjoyed gardening, canning everything they grew, and making jam from all the blackberries at their Fulford house. She loved to read, dance, sing, listen to music and laugh. Jeannette would play the piano in the evening when the house was quiet and the kids could hear her enjoying her time and music. Jeannette also loved to watch Gordon and Michael’s baseball games, Sandra’s horse-riding lessons and taking the kids to Stowell Lake when the kids were young.

The family wishes to thank Luther Court and the staff for taking such wonderful care of Jeannette for the past 2 ½ years. We remember all the wonderful Administrative, Nursing, Activities, Housekeeping and Kitchen staff. Jeannette loved her spiritual time with Pastor Ed.

Jeannette had 2 wonderful companions, Ken and Rose, who filled her mornings with walks around the neighborhood to see the flower gardens, and of course Thursday morning dancing.

Thank you to the Salt Spring community, our family and friends, we appreciate the kind words and lovely memories you’ve shared with us about our Mom. ~Gordon, Sandra, Michael.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Greenwoods Eldercare Society or the Luther Court Society in Victoria.

GRAHAM, Roland Dr.

Driftwood Obituary
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GRAHAM, Roland Dr.

Dr. Roland Graham
1933 – 2021

Dr. Roland Graham died peacefully in Hospice on Feb.13/21. He was predeceased by his wife, Maria and daughter, Ruth.

He was born the second of four children in Montreal in 1933 to Hilda and Edward Graham, a welder. Roland married Maria in 1953. A few years later he and his young family moved to Vancouver. He was inspired by a dream to apply to UBC medical school and he became a doctor in 1971. First he practiced in Vancouver and then moved to Salt Spring Island in 1980 to hopefully retire and write. However, he resumed part-time practice on the island and did locums throughout BC and the Arctic. Eventually he resumed full time practice on Salt Spring where he is still fondly remembered today.

At his retirement, many of his patients put on a gala performance to raise funds and create a bursary in his name. Roland chose to dedicate the bursary to assist single parents wanting to attend Camosun College. He leaves behind 10 children, 13 grandchildren & 2 great grandsons. He loved to read prose and poetry and dedicated much of his retirement to writing. Occasionally he liked to recite poems by memory to friends or family. To quote one of his favorite authors, Leo Tolstoy, “seize the moments of happiness, love and be loved! That is the only reality in the world, all else is folly.” In keeping with his generous nature, donations to a charity of your choice are a great way to honour his memory. A memorial service will be held at a future date.

House fire leaves islanders in need

Elizabeth Nolan
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House fire leaves islanders in need

Salt Spring Fire Rescue teams put their skills to the test during a barrage of calls Thursday and Friday, including a kitchen fire that displaced the residents from both suites of a house on Feb. 12.

Firefighters were called to Churchill Road Thursday morning to extinguish an excavator that caught fire while its operator worked on a property there. 

Friday morning started with a call about a possible chimney fire on Garner Road at 8 a.m. Acting Assistant Chief Dale Lundy said crews investigated and found the woodstove pipe had become disengaged, which filled the room with smoke, but fortunately no fire resulted. The crew was then called out again just after 10 a.m. to a structure fire on Lakefair Drive.

Firefighters were able to contain the fire to the kitchen area where it originated, but the blaze has left Lisa Sigurgeirson Maxx and her brother Steve Sigurgeirson without a home until smoke damage can be rectified. 

Sigurgeirson Maxx said she had been doing childcare on an outdoor porch play area when she started hearing a beeping sound. At first she thought it might be a clock since her young charge is fond of them, but when the sound persisted she realized it might be the smoke detector. When she went to check, she encountered thick black smoke coming from the kitchen area.

“I couldn’t even step inside. It was just full of smoke,” Sigurgeirson Maxx said.

She immediately called 911 and went to the basement suite to alert her brother. 

Lundy said there was no clear indication of where the fire was located until fire crews entered the home. Around 17 firefighters attended with multiple apparatus. They were able to wrap up and leave the site by aabout 12:30 p.m. 

Although Lakefair Drive is located far from any fire hydrants, crews were able to transport all the water they needed and used a “narrow belay” system, sending hoses from the tanker truck down the driveway. 

Most contents of the home, especially fabric-based, will not be salvageable and the residents will not be able to return for some time.

“It was great to contain it to the kitchen, but the kitchen was significantly damaged by fire,” Lundy said, adding smoke damage throughout the home will make it unhealthy to be inside for a while. “It’s definitely not healthy to stay there.”

BC Hydro, RCMP and BC Ambulance paramedics also attended the scene. Sigurgeirson Maxx was checked at Lady Minto Hospital for smoke inhalation. Emergency Social Services was additionally activated to provide immediate clothing needs. 

Sigurgeirson Maxx said she was lucky to have family nearby, including a nephew on the attending ambulance team. Her daughter and grandson also arrived soon afterward and took care of all her needs that day. 

Fortunately she and her charge were just outside that morning and not on one of the long walks they often take, so she eventually heard the alarm. Another lucky break is she happened to have her cell phone outside and was able to reach everyone she needed without dropping any calls; she often can’t get service there. 

The fire has been especially traumatizing since her family went through a catastrophic house fire soon after they moved to Salt Spring in January 1974, when Sigurgeirson Maxx was just 12 years old. Just over two years ago, Sigurgeirson Maxx and her brother were driving around on Christmas Eve collecting gifts for another family who were displaced by fire right after the Dec. 20, 2018 windstorm.

In comparison this fire seemed not so bad at first, since the house is still standing, but the impact is large nonetheless. The insurance adjuster had not been able to get to the house due to the weekend’s snow, and restoration may take up to six months before the house is livable again. 

“It’s still devastating because I can’t go home. I can’t get anything out of my house,” said Sigurgeirson Maxx. “It’s funny how the brain minimizes things sometimes, just to let you cope.”

Sigurgeirson Maxx is grateful for the outpouring of love and support but has quite a few needs for the coming weeks, and will be seeking rental accommodation. Anyone who would like to help can email Sigurgeirson Maxx’s daughter Jekka Mack at jekkakristine@gmail.com or her mother Christine Sigurgeirson Donnelly Ross at ena36@shaw.ca to find out more.

For more on this story, see the Feb. 17, 2021 issue of the Driftwood newspaper, or subscribe online.

Community steps up to aid beloved yoga teacher

Elizabeth Nolan
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Community steps up to aid beloved yoga teacher

News that highly regarded yoga teacher Celeste Mallett-Jason has been diagnosed with cancer has been a shock to many on Salt Spring, with her guidance being an integral part of countless journeys of health and well-being. 

Her positive impact in the community is clearly reflected in the success of a GoFundMe campaign organized by Tara Hollingsworth and Julie MacKinnon, which reached its $50,000 target within just a few days of its launch on Jan. 30 and has now raised in excess of $65,000. The result has been a welcome surprise to the recipient.

“I’m blown away by it,” Mallett-Jason said. “I’m just blown away.”

Mallett-Jason’s sudden diagnosis in December has been hard to reconcile; a nagging shoulder pain she attributed to overdoing it in the studio or the garden turned out to be Stage-4 lung cancer that metastasized into her ribs.

Her unyielding compassion as a healer, instructor and friend has been felt by thousands who have taken her classes, while her iconic Ganges Yoga Studio has provided space for many other island teachers to share and evolve their practices. 

Difficult as it is for someone used to giving help to receive it, a combination of factors that includes a global pandemic means Mallett-Jason can really use a hand in the coming weeks and months. She is facing significant costs related to her treatment, with travel to the B.C. Cancer Clinic in Victoria, as well as other treatments on Salt Spring, additional medications, health supplements and adaptive therapies. A single dose of the anti-nausea pill she’s been prescribed costs $200 before pharmacy aid. 

“It is very helpful with this money that’s coming in. This situation has given me stress that’s so overwhelming, but it really will help,” Mallett-Jason said. “I don’t have places to draw on for that — I’ve always been happy to teach and work for it, so it feels strange not working for it.”

Islanders have been quick to respond to the news, including Hollingsworth and MacKinnon, two women who know Mallet-Jason well through her classes and upon whom she was inspired to call after seeing their faces in a meditation.

MacKinnon observed locals have stepped up their caring for others over the past year, generously backing campaigns for COVID relief, families impacted by tragic events and other efforts. It’s the kind of spirit that Mallet-Jason has always promoted by example.

“Celeste’s focus on wellness and kindness has reverberated, and that’s what’s happening in the community right now. People are hyper aware of where there’s need and making time to put into their community,” MacKinnon said. “If anyone falls off a bit, there are 10 people to pick them up.”

“We’re lucky on this island. We’re here 100 per cent for each other and we’ve got to keep practising that; it’s essential,” Mallett-Jason said. “We are holding each other and we’re giving each other this opportunity to walk this line again. We’ve pulled away from spirit, and COVID gives us the opportunity to come back.”

Hollingsworth said the news of Mallet-Jason’s diagnosis has also reverberated in other ways.

“People are phoning to share their stories about how cancer has touched them,” Hollingsworth said. “They phone and say ‘I want to thank you [for leading the fundraiser], and I’d like to send you something, and this is what’s happening in our family.’ So there are lots of people who are clearly wanting to talk and connect … it’s helping people open up a lot.” 

Ongoing concerns for Mallett-Jason as she undergoes treatment include the farm she runs with her husband, Salt Spring Seeds founder Dan Jason. The couple also recently learned they’ll need to replace the roof on their house. 

Mallett-Jason has her Ganges Yoga Studio business to worry about, as well. A beautiful new location on Lower Ganges Road was just coming together when pandemic restrictions were introduced last March. Low-impact classes have been permitted since rules were lifted in May, but the ban on anything termed a “gathering” has reduced the rental income that Mallett-Jason expected to help support the lease, along with her vision for a different type of space. Originally she wanted to include the arts community through exhibitions, pop-up markets, workshops and performances.

While Mallett-Jason has transformed a number of dodgy locations into serene oases of wellness as Ganges Yoga Studio sites through the years, that’s not because she has any sort of bank account to draw on. It’s all been done through a combination of love and the will to create sacred space in the community.

“It is a miracle that these have come together on such a low budget,” Mallett-Jason said. 

With the types of classes and participation levels curtailed by ongoing COVID regulations, support to keep Ganges Yoga Studio running will be important. Anyone who may have a suitable idea for space rental is invited to contact celeste@gangesyogastudio.com. 

Community members who wish to support Mallett-Jason as she continues the journey ahead will have several more opportunities in addition to donating. One way is to volunteer to help with gardening chores, meal prep and more in the period after she finishes her treatment. Anyone can subscribe to her Caring Bridge page to share their availability and to later be contacted with schedules and tasks. 

The page at https://www.caringbridge.org/visit/caringforceleste2 also has links to the Caring for Celeste GoFundMe campaign. (Viewers should note a donation button on the Caring Bridge page supports that host organization, not Mallett-Jason’s campaign.) Donations can also be made to Island Savings account #2782 at the local branch.

The Caring Bridge site will furthermore be the place to find a 10-minute meditation that Petra Hasenfratz is creating for Mallett-Jason, which community members can practise every week at the same time to share powerful healing intentions.

Mallett-Jason will be providing updates when she can through Caring Bridge journal entries. Direct messages to her email are also welcome.

Viewpoint: Housing dialogue wide open

Contributed Article
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Viewpoint: Housing dialogue wide open

By LAURA PATRICK

I would like to address some statements made in the Feb. 10 editorial on housing and the “LTC Support Sought to Keep Rental Unit” article.

The recently approved Housing Action Program is not, as described in the editorial, just “another study.” This program grew out of the recommendations of the Housing Working Group, which was tasked by the Islands Trust’s Salt Spring Local Trust Committee (LTC) to provide advice on the development and implementation of a Salt Spring housing planning project. The Housing Action Program is focused on actions that are within the responsibilities of the LTC, which are given to it through the Local Government Act to direct the location, density and form of all housing, and to offer land use incentives for the development of housing on private, non-profit and public lands. Zoning, subdivision and other land use bylaws are powerful and foundational tools that our community can use proactively to achieve a diverse and sustainable supply of housing.  

Addressing the housing challenges that took decades to emerge will not be easy or quick, but we can and will prioritize actions on solutions that address urgent housing needs. All of our decisions should be fair and well-balanced, and rooted in solid environmental, economic and social equity principles and policies. The best solutions to any of our challenges are those which simultaneously address multiple issues confronting our island — such as forest health, biodiversity, watersheds and water supply, the climate emergency, land use, small business health, food security and the community spirit and resiliency of our society.  

As we work toward an intelligent and comprehensive resolution to Salt Spring’s housing crisis, we will make sure that there is regular and open dialogue with the community, including First Nations. We know that finding agreement might be difficult, but with respectful, considered dialogue we CAN and MUST find common values and reach an understanding.  

People can find more information about this new program on the Islands Trust’s Salt Spring webpage, or speak with a trustee. Applications are now being accepted to become a member of a housing task force.

When it comes to zoning, Salt Spring Island is no different than other communities in British Columbia. Zoning maps are contained in the Salt Spring Official Community Plan and the regulations for each zone are included in the land use bylaws. Zoning is intended to accomplish things such as: separate incompatible land uses; protect the value and enjoyment of surrounding properties; and, provide for orderly development. 

Anyone considering buying property on Salt Spring should take the time to understand the zoning designation and determine if the current land use on the property is in compliance with land use bylaws, or if their intended use is compatible. Anyone can apply to rezone, but it is an onerous, regulated process and the outcome is not certain. 

The Driftwood is correct that the LTC will be receiving a staff report in regard to a rezoning application at its Feb. 16 meeting. Islands Trust staff prepare reports containing analysis and recommendations, but it is the trustees who make the political decisions taking all relevant concerns, including those of the applicant, into account. 

The writer is a member of the Salt Spring Local Trust Committee.

Background info provides context for Burgoyne park decisions

Contributed Article
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Background info provides context for Burgoyne park decisions

By BRIONY PENN, ELIZABETH WHITE, CATE MCEWEN AND MELANIE FURMAN

We would like to provide more historical context to the Jan. 26 editorial regarding the equestrian/cyclist use of a bridge at Xwaaqw’um/Burgoyne Bay, and encourage the Driftwood to take a deeper dive into the stories of this extraordinary place. 

In 1996, four levels of government, local conservation organizations and other local groups met with the intention of securing large land holdings for conservation in the south and west of Salt Spring, including the Prince Thurn von Taxis land holdings (one-tenth of Salt Spring) at Xwaaqw’um and adjacent large Crown parcels. This alliance, the South and West Salt Spring Conservation Partnership, met for three years up until the prince’s death in 1999, at which point the land was purchased by Texada Land Corporation, whose interests were large-scale logging and land development. National attention was briefly focused on the Salt Spring logging protests of 1999-2000 as the new owner logged the forests.

Underlying the success of the campaign to protect the lands was a September 2000 proposal sent and signed by representatives from the Capital Regional District, the Islands Trust, the province and the federal government to the Pacific Marine Heritage Legacy Fund (PMHLF), a joint provincial/federal fund set up for acquisition of conservation lands of national/provincial significance in the Gulf Islands — eventually contributing the bulk of funds needed with $13.7 million. This proposal was the product of four years of meetings, research, inter-agency cooperation and community effort. 

An account of this backstory is in the 2003 Background Report for Burgoyne Bay Protected Area on Salt Spring Island, which was sent to BC Parks by the Friends of Salt Spring Parks Society. 

While the PMHLF was being deliberated, islanders brainstormed alternate financing for the entire land purchase, which at the time included a range of visions for the lands, from soccer fields to ecovillages, sustainable forestry, organic gardens, equestrian use, disc golf, mountain biking and of course ecological protection. Ultimately, however, it was this PMHLF document by which the administrators of the fund rationalized their decision to buy the core ecologically important lands. The foundational reasons for their protection were conservation of rare and endangered ecosystems, fish and wildlife values and First Nations heritage values. 

The recent bridge removal was undertaken by BC Parks after a rain event in 2018 washed away the foundations and brought many tonnes of gravel backfill into the creek, heavily impacting fragile salmon and trout stream habitat and an important sacred archaeological site. After consultation with the Salt Spring Trail and Nature Club and local equestrians, BC Parks chose not to reinstall the bridge, citing contention with neighbouring landowners — both the CRD and private landowners. 

Over the last 20 years since the park was created, ecological research, monitoring, mapping and now watershed restoration have been almost entirely led by multiple Salt Spring volunteer experts in their ecological fields. Data show there are declines in bird, fish and marine species populations. 

Most recently, Quw’utsun elders and knowledge keepers of the Stqeeye’ Learning Society have taken an active stewardship role with research, monitoring and mapping within the watershed. Their leadership, teachings and work includes specialized ecological and educational values sorely needed in a time of human-caused climate change and biodiversity collapse. This cultural work and witnessing has been available to Salt Springers young and old, including workshops and learning days for multiple School District 64 classes over the last six years. 

As we all attempt to shift and adapt to the multiple crises of our times, the importance of in-depth investigative journalism becomes ever more important. Local newspapers have been disappearing like the ruffed grouse that once inhabited the whole island and are now reduced to the odd rare sighting at Xwaaqw’um. We see the value in the Driftwood as an award-winning publication and wish to contribute to the public platform with our collective understanding of the contemporary foundational values we, the undersigned and many more, offered when putting our bodies on the line to protect and conserve Xwaaqw’um and all its richness.

The writers worked on the Texada land issue in many capacities, from mapping wildlife and fundraising to direct action and posing in the nude for the Salt Spring Women Preserve and Protect calendar.

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