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Forestry Olsen’s 2020 priority

Gail Sjuberg
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Forestry Olsen’s 2020 priority

Saanich North and the Islands MLA Adam Olsen will be making his final stop on Salt Spring for the year on Thursday, and is looking forward to the 2020 legislative season.

Olsen will be speaking at a community meeting on Salt Spring on Dec. 12 before spending a few weeks with his family and then preparing for the legislative session in the new year. The meeting will be held at the Legion at 4:30 and all are welcome to attend.

Looking back on 2019, Olsen said the year had been one of ups and downs. It began with a challenging spring session that came with the announcement of subsidies for LNG that the Green party had voted against. However, the fall session included an amendment to the Climate Change Accountability Act that brought in more transparency and accountability on climate action.

The new year is shaping up to be an interesting one for Olsen and the Green party. The party is looking for a new leader, after current leader Andrew Weaver announced he was stepping down. Olsen said that the race would have some “interesting impacts on Sonia [Furstenau] and I . . . as to how that works out.”

While Olsen did not announce that he would be running for the position, he said that he was mulling over the idea.

“I’m exploring all of the opportunities that are there. I’m very realistic about where I am in life right now. I have some ideas about where I’m going to land,” he said. “I’m going to take a few weeks in the holiday season to connect with my family and have some final conversations about it.”

On the legislative side of things, Olsen has two main priorities for 2020. The first is to continue his work on forestry and expanding on a clear vision for the industry in B.C. This includes looking at unsustainable logging of coastal Douglas-fir trees in the Southern Gulf Islands. He will be looking at ways to redefine how we see the last remaining forests on the islands, he explained.

His second priority is around education, and he will be “further defining where we stand on education and where education stands in our society.”

Those two items are related, in that as communities in B.C. are faced with declining primary industries on which they’re built, the people working in those industries will need a way to transition into a new sustainable path for the future.

“One of the things that I’ve seen is that when we’re talking about sustainability and resilience at a provincial level, those are issues that are magnified on the Southern Gulf Islands,” he said. “We need to embrace the opportunity that exists. I’m not here to sugar coat, gloss over or make the climate crisis seem like it’s going to be easy. It’s not easy. it’s difficult. But there are opportunities that if we were truly innovative and open-minded in our approach, we’d be able to grasp those opportunities.”

For more on this story, see the Dec. 11, 2019 issue of the Gulf Islands Driftwood newspaper, or subscribe online.

Trackshoes fundraising gets going

Marc Kitteringham
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Trackshoes fundraising gets going

At the end of the holiday season, islanders may find themselves with extra returnable bottles and cans and may be looking for a way to give back to the community.

Chris Joynson and Bob Delion from Gulf Islands Families Together Society (GIFTs) are collecting donations from bottle returns to go towards sending a group of islanders to the annual Operation Trackshoes event in Victoria in June.

“It’s a sporting event for people with special abilities that happens once per year at the University of Victoria campus. Participants go for three days,” Delion said. “There’s a certain cost to each participant, and what we try to do is raise money to defray those costs.”

The pair started collecting bottles and raising money in 2013 when Joynson was trying to save money for a trip to Disneyland. After the trip, they realized they could continue with the fundraising, but needed a cause to which they could donate.

“We gained a bit of momentum with different people around and we got the money to go. We decided to keep doing it and give it to a charity, and Christopher thought of Operation Trackshoes,” Delion said.

They have been going to the event every year since.

Joynson is known around town for helping out at the fire department, who donate his admission and transportation costs. However, other members of the community also attend the event every year and the bottle donations help cut down on some of the costs. People from all over B.C. attend the UVic campus to compete in track and field events and get to know each other in a fun setting. In addition to the sporting events, the weekend includes a live band, karaoke, communal meals and a dance.

“If there’s 10 people and we raise $1,000, they each get $100 discount off what they have to pay,” Delion said.

Joynson’s main athletic event is swimming, and he trains every week for both this competition and for the Special Olympics. However, he also loves the atmosphere of the weekend and getting to socialize with all sorts of other people.

“I like the food there. Karaoke is fun too. I love singing Tom Petty stuff,” he said. “I’m excited for this year.”

So far the pair have raised around $500. Most of the money comes when people donate their recycling refunds to the Operation Trackshoes account at the Return It depot. Delion also helps those who can’t make it to the depot by picking up their recycling, though the preferred way is for people to make donations at the depot.

“I wanted to ask people to keep it on their mind and put it on our account when they bring in bottles,” Delion said. “They can call us [at GIFTS] to get in touch with me too.”

“I like being helpful,” Joynson added.

Hayes shares ‘Labyrinth of Green’

Elizabeth Nolan
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Hayes shares ‘Labyrinth of Green’

Diana Hayes’ remarkable talents are fully evident this month, with release of her new book Labyrinth of Green and a photo exhibit at the Salt Spring Public Library showcasing her wonderful way with both words and image.

Though small in size and just about 100 pages, Labyrinth of Green holds a remarkable range of expression. The Plumleaf Press publication is beautifully produced, with its bright white cover and pages set off by full-colour images.

Hayes has provided new poetry divided into five different categories that move from reflections on her youth and her family to experiences with nature, through to death and beyond. Supplementing these thoughtful meditations are her own beautiful photos, plus quotations from fellow poets, introductory passages and even the odd footnote. End notes provide more information on the provenance of some of the poems.

Hayes is certainly adept at the poetic use of language, shaping complex thoughts and layers of meaning into spare and elegant arrangements of words. The visual and emotional imagery of a single stanza can be breathtaking. Take for example the beginning of Psyche and the Ladder, which addresses the lessons of adolescence through the metaphors of Greek mythology and its underworld. “A switch gets tripped/without warning she steps blind/ into the sinkhole dropping/ from daylight to pitch night/ feeling only the blood on her shins.”

In the section related to death, Hayes ably demonstrates the Celtic reverence for the transformation and the close connection between the natural and eternal worlds, with birds often acting as medium and messenger. The poems These Little Deaths and Thirteen Ways to Free a Crow offer eyewitness accounts of life and death as close at hand as the backyard. Hayes illustrates the heartbreak of “small” deaths in a way that honours our emotional capacity for grief and opens the possibility of mystery beyond, even while accepting that the natural cycle of life necessarily includes its loss.

“Raven’s chorus strikes grief by the neck/ the forest a dark audience,” she writes in These Little Deaths.

Hayes’ library exhibition is testament to her long commitment to expression in multiple formats. The lobby showcase displays some of her many previous publications, including books and programs for the Theatre Alive literary series she cofounded with author Brian Brett.

The photo exhibit in the program room features some of the images from her new book, including those of lovely green, stony places in Ireland and England that speak to Hayes’ connection to her ancestry. There are also some interesting examples from photo series in which Hayes’ dreams played a strong role.

The series On the Way to Mektoub was taken during 1995 and gained inspiration from writers of the Sahara such as Paul Bowles, as well as the artist’s interest in expressions of the body. The pho- tographs of subjects in the desert with faces veiled and torsos exposed seek to “obscure the usual definitions of feminine and masculine principles” and “illuminate both the ambiguity and the interplay of male and female forms.”

Another series from 1996 is called Of Bodies Changed to Other Forms I Tell. It takes inspiration from a dream Hayes had about seeing a drowned sailor in Santorini, Greece. She did a photo shoot at Salt Spring’s Southey Point to recreate the scene, and took her title from Ovid’s Metamorphoses.

Both series reveal the strong connection between images and words that runs through Hayes’ work, and how her art manifests through a combination of intellectual and intuitive forces.

The photo show continues through December. Look for Labyrinth of Green at local shops or the library.

 

Shaw wins Frances Kelsey battle

Contributed Article
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Shaw wins Frances Kelsey battle

By FRASER HOPE

DRIFTWOOD CONTRIBUTOR

Old Boys continue to have difficulty fielding a full complement for both home and away games, as witnessed by the fact that management had to leave the luxurious team bus in the garage for lack of numbers. 

Even the blandishment of a “Last chance to bond on the Quinitsa!” note from manager Graham Tweddle was not sufficient to entice more than eight players for the game, or should it be “battle,” with long-time rivals Cowichan Classics.  

There was the Second Battle of Thermopylae in 191 BC between the Roman army of Manius Glabrio and King Antiochus III The Great, the Second Battle of Panipat in India 1556 between Hindu King of India and Akbar, the Second Battle of Bull Run 1862 between the Confederate Forces of Lee and Union Army of Pope and McClellan, the many Second Battles of the Marne Ypres and Somme of WWI, but surely the Second, Third and even Fourth Battles of Frances Kelsey between Old Boys and Cowichan Classics is up there in the annals of history. Surely!

Nicholas Mai may not have been able to return to the Old Boys for last week’s game but arrived at Mill Bay with new cleats still showing the price tag. Obviously, Mai must have thought of returning the boots for a refund if his performance disappointed. He certainly earned sufficient “brownie” points by providing a bag of chocolate chip cookies, ensuring a favourable report in the Driftwood by this reporter.

In an attempt to reduce the chance of further injuries, Tweddle had mandated an early ferry so that all could warm up with a routine especially tailored to ensure the team was at peak fitness at game start. I can hear the chuckles of regular readers at this preposterous statement. Old Boys warm up?! Most of the team have survived because of a lack of a warm-up!

With the Classics volunteering Pat and Harvey, Old Boys kicked off with a suggestion that they might park the bus for most of the game in a truly defensive mode à la Mourinho, but being Old Boys soon showed their usual attitude to team orders by ignoring them three minutes into the game. The warm-up worked as Old Boys unexpectedly caught the home team on their heels and had several opportunities to advance on goal. 

Scott Howe, cool in defence and advancing play upfield, was an indication that Old Boys were confident of taking an attacking position.

Then tragedy! Against the run of play, Cowichan were gifted an opportunity to capitalize on a rare Richard Steel mis-hit where he was left stranded as the opponent took full advantage to lift the shot over Steel’s head for the first goal. Oh no! How would the Old Boys react? Newly returned Mai after 20 years in the wilderness must have thought old habits never change. A period of chaos ensued and Cowichan player Dan “Robben” lifted a shot into the box that had Steel in conniptions.  

Gradually, captain Tweddle restored order and Mai soon shed the rust of 20 years and found his touch to make contributions in the midfield. Mark Aston and Mike McCormick, making use of opportunities from Donny Brown, Pat and Harvey, began to exert pressure on Cowichan. 

McCormick had in the warm-up been aiming for the bottom left of the net. Obviously the Cowichan keeper had not been observant because he dove to his left and McCormick calmly equalized 1-1.  

Not to be outdone, an opportunity arose for McCormick to capitalize on an uncertainty in the Cowichan defence and he put the Old Boys up 2-1 just before the half-time whistle.  

But Cowichan’s Sammy was determined to change the storyline and with a fine cross-field pass from Robben took a shot from 25 yards that as soon as it left his body you could tell Steel was in trouble. It started one way and then swirled to pass Steel without a chance in Hades of stopping it. A 2-2 tie. All to play for!

Dennis Shaw, now showing signs of distress, changed shirts with Steel. It worked last week, why not now? 

Back and forth breakaways occurred at each end as stamina ebbed. After giving away a sitter to Robben, Shaw watched as the striker missed the open net completely. Minutes later in a one-on-one with Robben he managed what had to be the TSN Turning Point in the game when he made a double save that was the highlight of the second half. 

Cooler talk was positive with opinion that travelling on the Queen of Slumberland and the Bowen Queen contribute greatly to the well-being of the team. This newfound concern by the BC Ferry Corporation for the needs of the Old Boys was welcomed. My only concerns relate to the fact that without fail on both Queens I have been parked at the elevator entrance or the washrooms. Methinks an electronic device been placed on the vehicle. The Deep State is still at work! Thanks, BC Ferries!

The ferry was relatively calm and relaxed with the team nursing bruises and bumps, so little, if anything, was made of the turf field debate, CRD Bylaw 4325 or the upcoming U.K. election and, of course, Old Boys have refused to name what many still trump as a success.  

Boosted by Sunday’s effort, which saw them leave the field bloodied but not bowed, the Old Boys will face Zgoda 48s at Fortress GISS on Sunday, Dec. 15 at 10:30 a.m. Come out and support your team. Your team needs you!

Viewpoint: OCP survey suggested

Contributed Article
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Viewpoint: OCP survey suggested

By FRANTS ATTORP

As recently reported in the Driftwood, the Salt Spring Local Trust Committee is embarking on an “incremental” update of the island’s official community plan.

Given the incredible pressure trustees are now under by housing groups to approve more development, it will be important to focus on key indicators that show where this island is heading.

Our current OCP, adopted in 2008, states that, of the 5,800 residential lots on Salt Spring, approximately 1,300 are vacant and many are subdividable. “All told, the number of dwelling units (not including seasonal cottages and suites) that could be built on Salt Spring under current residential zoning is estimated to be about 8,150. The eventual population of Salt Spring that might result from the zoning now in place is estimated to be a little over 17,000.”

And then this crucial part: “Zoning changes should be avoided if they would likely result in a larger island population than is expected under development potential zoned in 2008. Exceptions to this policy are to be few and minor and only to achieve affordable housing and other objectives of this Plan.”

In other words, our existing OCP has capped the population of the island at 17,000 (about 6,000 more than today), and provided very little wiggle room. If trustees push that number significantly higher through upzoning, they will be charting a radical new course for the island and possibly violating the Trust Policy Statement.

As I have argued before, among some excellent proposals by housing groups is a very dangerous one with the potential to transform not just this island but also others in the Trust Area: the widespread use of amenity zoning to “conserve” parts of larger acreages while using the remainder for “eco-villages.”

In the 1998 OCP, the limit for extra dwellings under the density bonus system was set at 100 for the entire island. In 2008, that number was reduced to just 40, probably in recognition of how risky it is to offer financial incentives (extra densities) for an amenity. And now, if the statements of a prominent housing advocate are to be believed, there is a need for “many thousands” of new lots or dwellings.

As the OCP review process unfolds, we should pay special attention to two red flag numbers: the maximum number of new dwellings allowed through bonus density deals, and the total population projection. Since no OCP is written in stone, we should also watch for any public hearings involving bonus density deals, especially on rural land, and attend in person to give feedback on this pivotal issue.

Because the OCP review is being done incrementally, and in light of the sensitive and highly charged nature of the housing debate, I suggest the Trust send a detailed questionnaire to every household outlining strategies for dealing with growth, people pressure and the climate crisis, all while emphasizing the limitations of living in a protected area. The OCP discussion must go beyond the housing issue and delve into the broader philosophical question of what we hope the island will look like long after we are gone.

Editorial: Turf the plastic

Driftwood Staff
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Editorial: Turf the plastic

When reducing plastic in our environment has become a mantra, it’s hard to believe that replacing a natural grass field with artificial turf is being considered in the Gulf Islands School District.

The Salt Spring Youth Soccer Association has proposed installing a synthetic grass product on a Gulf Islands Secondary School field and covering the initial capital cost of more than $2 million.

Some of the reasons for opting for turf are compelling. Fields made from polyethylene and other plastics can be used year-round and not only when weather and grass conditions are optimal. Water resources are saved by not having to water a natural grass field. Maintenance costs can be lower. As well, athletes using turf fields are reportedly less prone to being injured.

However, the products only last only about 12 years before needing replacement. When the numbers are truly crunched, as they have been in time for today’s school board meeting, there is virtually no difference in cost for the school district over the long term between maintaining a grass field and taking the artificial turf path. Using just the financial argument, school board staff have recommended not proceeding with the project. Trustees are scheduled to make their decision this afternoon (Dec. 11).

But just as important as costs are the environmental and health impacts of synthetic fields. While the soccer association has proposed using biodegradable coconut fibre as infill, in part to prevent pollution from pellets that migrate into water bodies, the plastic grass can itself be a problem. Recycling options may be an issue when the field needs to be replaced. The artificial grass blades can also detach and enter the surrounding environment. That was witnessed recently with the plastic field at Oak Bay High School.

The Gulf Islands School Board will also consider declaring a climate emergency today. To do that and support a turf field on the same day is simply not rational.

As Agricultural Land Commission approval for a turf field is required, the school board could punt the decision off to the ALC, but they should not do that.

instead they should heed their staff report, which suggests finding ways and funds to improve the GISS field in question, an option that makes far more sense.

CRD Safety Service bylaw defeated

Driftwood Staff
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CRD Safety Service bylaw defeated

The Capital Regional District’s proposed Bylaw 4325 has been decisively defeated by Salt Spring electors via the alternate approval process.

Salt Spring CRD director Gary Holman told the Driftwood on Monday afternoon that CRD officials had already received more than the minimum required 910 elector response forms and hadn’t finished counting them yet.

“It is clear there is no consensus on the need for this service,” he said.

In order for a bylaw to be blocked by the alternate approval process, previously known as a counter-petition, a minimum of 10 per cent of eligible voters in the jurisdiction — or 910 on Salt Spring — must sign and submit elector response forms.

The bylaw would have established a community safety service, supported by Salt Spring property taxpayers to a level of $0.016 of $1,000 residential property value.

If fewer than 10 per cent of Salt Spring electors had submitted elector response forms by the Dec. 9 at 4 p.m. deadline, the bylaw would have been automatically enacted and the tax added to the 2020 requisition.

Holman said he is not planning to call for a referendum on the issue at this point.

For more on this story, see the Dec. 11 issue of the Driftwood.

WATT, Valerie Anne (nee James)

Driftwood Obituary
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WATT, Valerie Anne (nee James)

Valerie Anne Watt (nee James)
Aug. 27, 1928 – Nov. 22, 2019

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our dear mother, Valerie Anne Watt. She passed away peacefully on Salt Spring Island November 22nd in the presence of her loving family. Born on Salt Spring Island, to Dorothy and Percival (Jack) James, she spent her early years on the family seed farm in Fernwood and in the Cowichan Valley. The family moved to West Vancouver and then to Kelowna where she finished high school and met her husband and love of her life, Don, with whom she shared 69 years of marriage. They started a family in Kelowna, later moving to Vancouver and finally Victoria to raise their children. Mom and Dad greatly enjoyed boating in the Gulf Islands aboard their boat Duna where many great friendships were established. Eventually, they moved back to Salt Spring Island to enjoy the retirement years.

Our mother was an extraordinary woman. Always elegant and well dressed, Mom was also an amazing cook and loved to entertain. She had boundless energy and an amazing zest for life. She could often be found in the garden tending to her beautiful creations. Valerie was completely devoted to her family and took great pleasure seeing how her family grew with grandchildren and great grandchildren. She was very involved in her community on Salt Spring Island and was active in the St. Marks’ Anglican Church Guild for many years.

Valerie is pre-deceased by her son Douglas, her sister Mary, her brothers-in-law Bill and Michael, sister-in-law Gay, and her son-in-law Tom. She is survived by her husband Donald Watt, her children Chris (Kerry), Barbara, and Robert (Liz), grand children Shaun (Lindsay), Breanne (Mike), Michael (Mimi), Katherine, Emerson, Vienna and Geneva, and 11 great grandchildren. She is also survived by her sister Audrey Bennett and her brother-in-law Bill Hogg.

The funeral service will be held at 3:00 pm on December 14th at All Saints by-the-Sea Church on Salt Spring Island, to be followed by a reception and  tea. In lieu of flowers, please donate to the charity of your choice.

SIMARD, Ray

Driftwood Obituary
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SIMARD, Ray

Ray Simard
October 24, 1932 – December 9, 2019

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved patriarch, Ray Simard.

Husband, father, grandfather, great grandfather, dispenser of wisdom, and corny jokes.

He wouldn’t give the shirt off his back, but he would give you advice (and maybe a job) on how to get your own.

He valued his solid relationships with family, friends, and community – you know who you are!

With gratitude to all the staff at Lady Minto Hospital, food services, house keeping, and our nurses, Ronda, Rose, Virginia, Sara, Mona, and Ben.

Service at St. Paul’s Catholic Church 11:00 am December 16th, 2019 reception follow at the legion Meaden Hall. Refreshment and snacks to be served.

PRIOR, Gail Loretta

Driftwood Obituary
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PRIOR, Gail Loretta

Gail Loretta Prior

It is with grateful hearts and lifelong memories that we remember the full and colourful life of our Gail, treasured wife of Ray, loving big sister to Carol (Lloyd) and Glenn (Marlaine), and special auntie to Lisa (Jamie), Melissa (Devin), Makayla, Kathy (James) and Taya. She was also a dear cousin and friend to many and a lover of all critters big and small.

Born on February 25, 1940 in Edmonton, Alberta, she went forth in true Gail style with her wine glass in hand, to explore new trails, and to reunite with her dad,  loved ones and beloved fur babies that were waiting for her, on December 7, 2019 in Penticton, BC.

To know her was to love her and her humorous and vibrant personality. She was an accomplished author and writer, having been published and well respected in the writing community.  She loved animals and the earth, believing in the respect of them both.

She was an exceptional cook and enjoyed entertaining and socializing with her many friends, neighbours, and family.

Salt Spring Island was her true home where nature, water, and the salty air renewed her soul. She always treasured her memories of happy times spent there at her little cottage on Weston Lake. Her second Salt Spring became Little Bear Lake in Northern Saskatchewan where she enjoyed many good times with Ray.

Always unapologetically herself, she lived and left us on her own terms and for that we are forever grateful. She would not want to be remembered with sadness nor tears but remembered for her quick wit, take charge outlook on life, and fierce independence.She will be forever missed until we meet again.

We wish to thank the incredible physicians and nursing staff at PRH for their compassion and care of our Gail.

In lieu of flowers we ask that you donate to the BC SPCA in Gail’s memory. http://support.spca.bc.ca/site/TR/Memorial/General?px=2391613&pg=personal&fr_id=2000

A celebration of life will be held in the spring of 2020, details will follow at a later date.

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