Home Blog Page 419

Dramatic scene at Blackburn fire

Gail Sjuberg
-
0
Dramatic scene at Blackburn fire

The scene on Blackburn Road resembled World War III, according to one witness as a home and RV were consumed by flames on Tuesday morning.

“I heard an explosion and then many many more after that,” said Usha Rautenbach, a witness to the fire. “The other thing of course was that I was hearing sirens from every direction. It sounded like they were coming from the Cranberry and Blackburn. There was just more and more of them.”

Thick black smoke filled the air near 364 Blackburn Rd., a home on the Salt Spring Garbage Services transfer station property. As first responders arrived on scene, a series of small explosions followed by at least one large hollow boom rang out as the propane tanks inside the RV exploded. Bystanders were kept at a distance to keep them safe from the explosions. Firefighters attacked the blaze from two angles trying to stop the spread of the fire.

The exact origin of the fire is unknown, as an investigation has not yet been conducted. However, the flames spread to both the home and the RV, which were completely consumed in the fire. Reports on social media state that the owners of the home were unharmed in the fire.

Fire crews from all three stations were on scene fighting the fire into the afternoon, followed by a clean-up operation that lasted until until 7 p.m. on Tuesday. Blackburn Road was closed for a short period to allow the crews to operate safely. 

The fire is under investigation by the RCMP.

Further updates will be available as they come.

HALES, Edith Diane

Driftwood Obituary
-
0

Edith Diane Hales
March 25, 2019

Edith Diane Hales passed peacefully from us on March 25th, 2019.

Diane lived in Campbell River for 24 years, working as a Pharmacist at the Hospital, before retiring to Saltspring Island.

She was very active in the Community, on the ski hills, and on the ocean. She made many friends and kept in touch with them all.

WARD, Philip R.

Driftwood Obituary
-
0
WARD, Philip R.

Philip R. Ward

Born August 13, 1926 at Barnet, England, died peacefully, March 31, 2019, Salt Spring Island, BC.

Survived by his beloved wife, Denise of 54 years & his daughters: Carol Kelly (Phil Kelly) & Nancy Ward (Lawrence Warriner) and Grandchildren: Greg, Michelle, Alyssa, Doug & Avery Kelly.

Philip’s passion for the arts framed his career as the foremost museum conservator in Canada. After military service in WWII, Phil trained as an art teacher and began his career at the British Museum in London in the Oriental Antiquities department. He moved to Canada in 1966 with his Canadian wife, Denise. There he founded the Conservation Program at the British Columbia Provincial Museum, (Royal British Columbia Museum) overseeing some of the early work preserving First Nation’s totem poles. Philip also developed & taught the first university Conservation course in Canada at the University of Victoria. Phil then took the position of Director of Conservation Services at the Canadian Conservation Institute in Ottawa. He wrote nationally & internationally on topics related to artifact and cultural preservation and their importance to the world at large. In his own words  “miraculous experiences when the ancient past almost literally speaks to us. … Magic!”

In retirement, Phil returned to British Columbia to enjoy time with family, his extensive garden, beloved pets as well as painting. He will be remembered as a warm & generous man; always with a story to tell and a pipe in hand.
Thank you to Greenwoods Complex Care Facility & Lady Minto Hospital.

Altercation results in charges

Elizabeth Nolan
-
0
Altercation results in charges

A local man appeared in Duncan court on Monday on charges related to a series of incidents that took place in downtown Ganges over the weekend.

Roger Comeau was charged with criminal harassment and breach of undertaking.

A Salt Spring police report states that RCMP were called to a disturbance on Jackson Avenue involving a male and a female on Saturday, April 13. The man involved was arrested for uttering threats toward the female. He was released a short time later with conditions that he have no contact with the woman.

Police were called to a breach of bail involving Comeau the following day. Details provided to police dispatch stated the male had returned to the Jackson Avenue site and was throwing debris from the female’s pickup truck.

RCMP arrested the male upon arriving at the scene. He was held in custody until his  April 15 court appearance.

The area in question has been home to a roadside campsite over the past several weeks. Salt Spring RCMP Sgt. Ryan Netzer confirmed that police have been called to the site on a weekly basis for complaints. Netzer was not able to comment on or confirm social media reports that a woman had allegedly driven a truck through the campsite Saturday night, but said there is an active investigation open that could potentially lead to further charges.

Netzer said the RCMP were not asked by the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure to enforce any rules against camping on its property.

Information from the transportation ministry is that staff were aware of the campsite but did not believe there to be considerable issues or safety concerns until after the weekend’s incidents.

“Should the camper return to this location, ministry staff will work closely with the RCMP and the camper to find a solution.”

Comeau’s next scheduled court appearance is on May 16.

Rea Zogia featured at ArtSpring

Elizabeth Nolan
-
0
Rea Zogia featured at ArtSpring

Salt Spring resident Rea Zogia is making her name on the island as an emerging artist, with a number of projects currently in prominent public spaces.

Zogia is the creator of the mural that since last fall has beautified the area behind Ganges Alley and enlightened people on feminist reading material at the same time. She’s also secured the first exhibition in ArtSpring’s new project, which gives space to young and emerging artists in the Jankura Lounge (the lobby area by the back entry doors). This part of the lobby exhibition space is now exclusively for Salt Spring artists who are 25 years and younger, or those who have never held an exhibition at ArtSpring.

“Our goal with the Lobby Art Exhibit Program is to showcase as many local artists as possible to a wide and appreciative audience. The program has always been incredibly popular with local artists and we are excited to make the lobby space even more accessible to our community, especially by making room for new and young artists just embarking on their artistic careers,” information from ArtSpring explains.

Nova Luna is an exhibition of paintings and illustrations that represent Zogia’s early stages of creation as she readies to pursue art as a full-time career. Her main inspiration for many of the works were the friends she missed when she moved to the island in 2015, but also friends that she has made here. She used photographs that she felt encapsulated the true nature of each individual as sources for these works.

“It’s been an interesting and nice way for me to connect with my friends, because when I’ve sat down and done their drawing I’ve thought of the memories I’ve had with them and shared with them, and it’s just made me feel more connected and closer to them,” Zogia said.

Having the show at ArtSpring has allowed the young artist to build on networking and connections, just by letting people know the show is on. A few of the pieces are ideas she hopes to realize as mural projects some day. She also wants to share her experience with other emerging artists that she knows on the island so they can get a boost on their own art paths.

“I feel like it’s solidified my art career more. And on a small island like this that makes a big difference, because of word of mouth, and people just get to see and know and recognize it a lot easier,” Zogia said.

“It just feels very rewarding and fulfilling to have it up.”

Zogia’s Nova Luna exhibit can be seen in the Jankura Lounge through April.

For more on this story, see the April 17, 2019 issue of the Gulf Islands Driftwood newspaper, or subscribe online.

Child Honouring path made accessible online

Gail Sjuberg
-
0
Child Honouring path made accessible online

For people feeling powerless to change the world for the better, Salt Spring-based children’s singer and social activist Raffi has a solution. 

Raffi and some valued colleagues have created an online, self-paced Child Honouring course geared not only for educators and people who work with children but for parents, community leaders and “Beluga grads.” The latter group are adults who grew up with Raffi’s music, including his iconic Baby Beluga song.

“There are millions of [Beluga grads] out there being invited to be part of this,” he said from the Salt Spring headquarters of the Raffi Foundation for Child Honouring.

The course has 10 modules that explore the Child Honouring Covenant and its nine principles, which range from Respectful Love to Safe Environments. It uses text, illustration, videos and some music, of course. A download of Raffi’s album for adults called Motivational Songs is included.

Raffi calls the result “an interdisciplinary course in conscious living,” which also has links to resources to encourage participants to go deeper into the material.

“A course like this invites people to think of themselves as changemakers,” said Raffi.  “The aim is for one to take the course and to feel inspired going through the modules . . . and then to feel empowered to be part of something . . . All of us can make some change for the better in our world.”

The idea to create the course came about after Raffi saw a multi-pronged illustration that Victoria-based compassionate educator Kristin Wiens made to depict Child Honouring.

“Once I saw it, I thought, ‘My goodness, I think this is how I would like people to learn about Child Honouring.’”

Somehow Wiens managed to effectively communicate “big ideas” like “redesigning society for the greatest good by meeting the priority needs of the very young” in a friendly, joyful way.

“She is big on joy and so am I,” he explained.

Holly McDonald of Spark and Co. on Salt Spring was the course’s online architect and another key project partner.

“She was wonderful to work with and as she went along in it she got excited about the breadth and she brought a lot to the course. Her supportive work was tremendous.

“As you get going with a team of people, what you’re working on becomes far more than what you envisioned at the beginning.”

Raffi would ideally like to see the course become mandatory for all teachers in B.C. or in other jurisdictions, in the same way that all parents of youth enrolled in hockey in B.C. must take an online Respect in Sport course.

Wiens and Raffi also envision workshops and seminars of various lengths being offered.

Raffi views the course as a “legacy project,” noting that he will turn 71 this year. 

For more information about the Raffi Foundation for Child Honouring and the course, visit www.raffifoundation.org. Island residents receive a 20 per cent discount.

Pender scientists sweep at fair

Gail Sjuberg
-
0
Pender scientists sweep at fair

Pender Island science students took the Vancouver Island Regional Science Fair in Victoria by storm, bringing home 20 different awards, including first place in each age category.

“We kind of cleaned up,” said Pender science teacher Steve Dunsmuir. “It was shocking to the private schools.”

The fair was held at the University of Victoria on April 7 and 8. Fifteen young scientists from Pender took part in the event, and around 50 people from the island went to Victoria to see the awards and competition.

“Every time a Pender student won there was a very, very loud reaction. I actually heard a couple of parents later say ‘We should move to Pender Island, it must be a good school!’ So that was good to hear.”

Though it may seem like something is in the water on Pender that creates skilled scientists, Dunsmuir said their success is more due to the fact that the community has been interested and involved in the science fair since the beginning.

“The fair kind of drives everything. It gives the kids the chance to share their work instead of just handing everything in,” he said. “Years ago, almost every school would do a science fair and then there would be a district science fair, which would then lead to the regionals. It has kind of fallen out of favour in the last 20 years . . . Not a lot of schools do science fairs anymore. I think that’s why [we are] showing up on the radar a lot more.”

The general placement awards were split into four groups: elementary, intermediate, junior and senior. Maraika McConchie took first place in the elementary division, Meredith Boyd for intermediate, Lauren Ohnona in junior and Quynn Stafford in the senior category. Matt Ohnona received an honourable mention for the intermediate category, and Taeven Lopatecki placed second in the senior division. Students also received 11 other awards either for particular attention to a certain field or through sponsorships.

“Then some people won natural history awards, some won a number of sponsorship awards where the sponsors would give away things like family memberships to the maritime museum, or a year’s membership to the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada’s Dominion Astrophysical Observatory and those kinds of things,” Dunsmuir said. “It was quite a wide range.”

Students were also able to make connections with people working in the various sciences. Lauren Ohnona, who advanced to the national competition last year in Ottawa, has been fielding requests from different groups asking about her research. Another student will be visiting the Friday Harbor Ocean Institute for a tour and has been in contact with a PhD candidate at the University of Washington about his research.

For more on this story, see the April 17, 2019 issue of the Gulf Islands Driftwood newspaper, or subscribe online.

Viewpoint: Earth Day event has merit

Contributed Article
-
0
Viewpoint: Earth Day event has merit

By ALEX LYONS and ELIZABETH FITZZALAND

For the past several years, we have been part of a small, dedicated group of community members who organized an annual celebration in Centennial Park for Earth Day. Those who came out to enjoy this event will attest that it was a truly inclusive and joyous gathering, made possible by locals coming together to share their talents and resources.

There is a lot to be proud of. We are proud that elders from the Tsawout and Penelakut Nations came to the park to participate. We are proud to have created the Earth Hero Awards, in collaboration with Transition Salt Spring, to acknowledge more than a dozen locals who go above and beyond to create a better world. We are proud of all the performers and people who shared their talents, ideas, skills and visions. We are proud of all the kids, adults and seniors who spent the day mingling together.

It has been an honour to work alongside fellow organizers Nomi Lyonns, Eric Gordon and Dennis Lucarelli to see the events come to life and to witness the community show up in unique and colourful ways as only Salt Springers can.

Sadly, this year we had to cancel the event as it was too much work for our small group to do alone. We have jobs, young families, businesses to run and other volunteer commitments. Our group has shrunk — not grown — over the years, despite many public requests for help. The CRD used to set up their big tent for us but is no longer doing so.

Our event date is three weeks after the cut-off for the new Salt Spring Foundation Neighbourhood Small Grants program that was designed to fund events just like this one.

Each year we volunteer hundreds of hours and donate our own funds to make this event happen. Other local businesses have also generously donated, but even those contributions require volunteer time to attract and acknowledge.

We hope that the Earth Day Celebration in the Park is revived in 2020, and we encourage you to get involved. We also encourage the CRD, Chamber of Commerce and Salt Spring Foundation to work together to find ways to support this event and other local events like it. Coordination assistance and a commitment to help with the event infrastructure would make an annual celebration like this more sustainable. We think there is a lot of merit and benefit to activating our central public space with free celebrations that bring locals of all ages together.

In the meantime, please consider participating in one of the many other Earth Day activities planned for this year, including a school garden work bee at Salt Spring Elementary and clean-up initiatives all over the island. These are great ways to come together as a community and make some positive change.

The writers were among core Earth Day celebration organizers.

Editorial: Give a little bit

Driftwood Staff
-
0
Editorial: Give a little bit

Last week was National Volunteer Week in Canada, and a time to give appreciation to everyone who volunteers in their community.

Volunteers are absolutely essential to the functioning of Salt Spring Island, with registered charities, schools, government agencies and all kinds of not-for-profit bodies relying on them in large measure.

While having enough people to service particular programs or groups has always been an ongoing challenge, some recent indications are that it’s becoming harder than ever to gather the human resources required to make living on Salt Spring as fulfilling as it can be.

For example, an Earth Day celebration that has taken place in Centennial Park for the past several years will not occur this year due to a lack of volunteers.

The library has also had difficulty filling its huge volunteer roster, which has led to the hiring of another half-time staff person from its own requisitioned funds. (The library has never received all of the money taxpayers authorized in the 2009 referendum.) Reducing library hours would naturally lower the quality of life for many on the island, since the facility is such a well-used and beloved community hub.

Salt Spring Seniors Services Society, which operates a number of programs based from its Lower Ganges Road centre, has put out a serious call for board members to step up in time for its AGM next Wednesday, and to provide other programming. 

Sadly, Salt Spring was also unable to maintain its Volunteer Salt Spring website service and support group that evolved from it, so the island no longer has a one-stop shop for people to investigate volunteer opportunities. One option for getting a sense of all the groups that use volunteers, though, is in the Parks and Recreation Guide published last week.

With many newcomers to the island in recent years due to active property sales, a pool of potential new volunteers should be out there waiting for a chance to share their time and talents.

Volunteering is a signature part of island life. We encourage everyone to make some time for it in their schedule, even if it’s just a small commitment.

Thank you to all islanders who have volunteered in the past year. You have indeed made a difference.

HILDRED, Bruce

Driftwood Obituary
-
0
HILDRED, Bruce

Bruce Hildred

After facing ferocious Pacific storms and sailing the Atlantic Ocean twice, my father Bruce Hildred is safe in the harbour.

My Dad cast off the lines for his final journey on the morning of February 15, 2019. In declining health recently Dad’s heart gave way after he enjoyed his morning tea with his dear companion, Meg Anderson. With great sadness we share this news with our friends, and his many cherished and loyal mates on Salt Spring Island.

My heart goes out to Silas Hildred, Rosalind Hildred, Rolf and Marion Hildred, Ragnhild Flakstad, Megan Anderson, Kyle Hauser and his beloved granddaughter Westley Nova. Love from, Karen Hildred.

1...418419420...610Page 419 of 610