Comox Valley Echo - March 17, 2015

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SPORTS

13.Cassie Sharpe golden at worldski halfpipe

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For the latest Comox Valley Weather visit: www.comoxvalleyecho.com

Comox Valley Weather

Tuesday

Cloudy. 60% chance of showers.

High 10°C.

Wednesday

A mix of sun and cloud.Low 7°C. High 12°C.

Thursday

Periods of rain.Low 7°C. High 9°C.

Friday

Cloudy with 60% chance of showers.

Low 6°C. High 10°C.

Saturday

Cloudy with 60% chance of showers.

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BY MICHAEL BRIONESEcho Staff

Mayor Larry Jangula says the relocation of Nanaimo RCMP’s Operational Communications Centre to Courtenay in Novem-ber is “good news.”

“It’s a win-win all the way around for us,” said Jangula. “There’s going to be 21 families moving here and they’re going to support our community. It’s an incredibly good thing.”

The move to Courtenay also puts to rest the Comox Valley’s fear of losing the region’s com-

munication centre to either Vic-toria or Nanaimo.

That was the issue more than 10 years ago, Jangula said. At the time they put in a strong ar-gument that the Courtenay cen-tre is basically in the middle of the Island and is not subject to earthquakes like Victoria.

“For years we were worried the jobs we have here would be moved out to Victoria,” said Jan-gula. “This has fi nally put that to bed. So this is a huge, huge thing.”

The decision to merge the Nanaimo OCC with the one in

Courtenay aims to make the daily operations more effi cient, said Lois Karr, director of the RCMP’s E Division OCC pro-gram.

The 21 employees in the Nanaimo OCC will be off ered jobs at the merged Courtenay centre or given the chance to commute.

“Just by having a larger centre, we would see some effi ciencies,” said Karr. “We did that in Prince George. We have North District OCC that does all the northern part of the province right up to the Yukon Territories, over the

Alberta border, right down to Cache Creek. And we have one in Kelowna that does all the south area outside of the Low-er Mainland. We have effi cien-cies by having greater numbers where you can put more struc-ture in there and have more con-sistent delivery of service..

Jangula said in his conversa-tion with the local RCMP offi cer in command Insp. Tim Walton the Comox Valley detachment building will have room to ac-commodate additional commu-nications staff .

The move, however, will mean

Nanaimo and its partners in the central Island 911 operating service will have a decision tomake as to where they want the service delivered from and who delivers it.

The initial answering point for public safety 911 calls is the RCMP Operational Commu-nications Centre in Courtenay. The North Island 911 Corpora-tion contracts with the RCMP OCC to perform that function and supplies funds for staffi ng. All employees in this centre areboth 911 and police dispatch trained.

Mayor welcomes shift of Nanaimo OCC to CourtenayJangula calls it a win-win for the city and the Comox Valley

A Saturday rally against Bill C-51 was held Saturday in Comox, one of many held across the country, organized by a number of groups in-cluding the BC Civil Liberties Association, Leadnow.ca OpenMedia.org and the Offi cial Opposition NDP. The groups say that while Canadians want to be protected from terrorism, the wording of the bill is so vague

that peaceful protest would be criminalized and the new powers to be given police are so broad and without oversight that Canada could be considered “a police state”. In this photo, NDP North Island-Powell River candidate Rachel Blaney addresses the crowd of about 300 on the court-house lawn in Courtenay. (Photo by Jamie Bowman)

Air cadets from across B.C. will be gliding in the skies above Comox dur-ing a Spring Break Glid-ing Exercise taking place March 14 to 22 at 19 Wing Comox.

The exercise is designed to provide further practical gliding experience to 12 teenaged air cadets, who have become Transport Canada licensed glider pi-lots through the Air Cadet Gliding Program. Gliders and tow aircraft will be fl ying at various altitudes in the vicinity of the air-port, weather permitting,

from 8 a.m. until as late as darkness, daily.

This activity should not pose a signifi cant distur-bance to Comox and the surrounding communi-ties; however residents should expect to hear the single-engine aircraft used to tow gliders aloft throughout the day during this period.

The intensity of fl ying operations will resemble that of the regular week-end gliding activities which normally occur during the spring and fall seasons.

Gliders take to the skies over Comox for spring break B. C. Air Cadet training at 19 Wing

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www.comoxvalleyecho.comTUES DAY.MARCH 17, 2015 3

BY DREW A. PENNEREcho Staff

Courtenay is facing “critical” rental housing challenges with 53 per cent of residents spend-ing at least 30 per cent of their income on a place to live, according to a non-profi t agency.

This is worse than in Vancouver where 48 per cent of renters spend that proportion of what they make on rent plus utili-ties.

The results are part of a data project by the BC Non-Profi t Housing Asso-ciation (BCNHA), which ranked municipalities and regional districts across the province on a variety of renting metrics.

It also examined the connection between hous-ing and fi nances.

This Rental Housing Index ranked Courtenay 39th in BC for overall rental experience - better than Nanaimo - at 52 - but much worse than Comox - considered fi fth best in the province.

The Comox Valley Re-gional District was ranked 14th among regional dis-tricts.

“Comox is better than most cities,” noted James Roy, senior policy analyst at BCNHA.

“It’s placed rather high.”While it is cheaper on

average to rent in the Co-mox Valley than in many other places, people end up having to spend a big-ger portion of what they earn on rental units, partly

due to the lack of adequate supply available.

The non-profi t organi-zation found it costs on average $849 a month to rent a two-bedroom apart-ment in Comox and $834 a month to rent a two-bedroom in Courtenay and $833 a month to rent a two-bedroom in the re-gional district (compared with $910 in Nanaimo).

In order for the poorest quarter of rental house-holds to become comfort-able (defi ned as spending 30 per cent of income on rent and utilities) it would take an extra $15,800 on average in Comox, $16,900 in Courtenay and $17,100 in the local region-al district, every year.

This is not as bad as Nanaimo, where an extra

Courtenay facing ‘critical’ housing challenges915 households spend over half of earnings to put a roof over their heads

$834What it costs, on av-erage, to rent a two-bedroom apartment in Courtenay

$15,839Comox

$16,884Courtenay

$17,099Regional District

$17,929Nanaimo$910

What it costs, on av-erage, to rent a two-bedroom apartment in Nanaimo.

$849What it costs, on av-erage, to rent a two-bedroom apartment in Comox.

40The bedroom shortage in Comox, or about 1%. Current overcrowding is estimated at 3%.

220The bedroom shortage in Courtenay, or about 3%. Current overcrowd-ing is estimated at 7%.

385The bedroom shortage in the regional district, or about 3%. Current overcrowding is esti-mated at 6%.

A 94-unit apartment in two buildings is going up in South Courtenay. This will be the fi rst apartment build-ing constructed here in over 30 years.

$17,900 would be required to hit this target, or in Vancouver where $25,000 would do the trick.

BCNPHA gave Courte-nay a “critical” score when it looked at overspending on rent.

In the city 915 renter households pay more than 50 per cent of their income on rent and utilities.

“The Comox Valley has challenges but compared to the rest of the province it’s doing quite well,” Roy said.

“We’ve got the bottom quarter of renter house-holds facing some severe diffi culties.”

In Port Alberni renter households making less than $15,130 and living in two-bedroom units pay an average of 48 per cent of their income each month on rent plus utilities, while in Courtenay the same type of earners would have to spend 79 per cent of their income to secure a similar apartment.

For families needing a three-bedroom apart-ment, this fi gure goes through the roof, jumping

We could make it so aff ordable a builder would be crazy to go somewhere else. We’re hoping some-body will take advan-tage of that.”

LARRY JANGULACourtenay Mayor

to 121 per cent of income (compared to 79 per cent in Port Alberni).

Courtenay Mayor Larry Jangula feels it should be up to the province to sub-sidize housing but said he thinks downtown re-vitalization - specifi cally getting builders to put residential units above urban businesses - could hold part of the answer to Courtenay’s rental woes.

“We could make it so af-fordable a builder would be crazy to go somewhere else,” he said, noting there’s already zoning in place for four-story struc-tures in the commercial core.

“We’re hoping some-body will take advantage of that.”

What would it take for the poorest 25% of peo-ple to be comfortable? (Defi ned as spending 30% of income on rent and utilities)

The Comox Valley has challenges but ... it’s doing quite well. We’ve got the bot-tom quarter of renter households facing severe diffi culties,”

JAMES ROYSenior policy analyst BCNHA

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www.comoxvalleyecho.comTUESDAY.MARCH 17, 20154


Courtenay councillor Doug Hillian considers domestic violence to be a top priority ahead of the four issues identifi ed by the Comox Valley RCMP to be of greatest impor-tance to the community.

The RCMP highlighted four major areas of con-cerns following consul-tations held with com-munities last year. They are road safety (intersec-tions), organized crime and crime reduction (pro-lifi c off enders and drugs), vandalism (mischief), and traffi c law enforcement.

Hillian feels the priori-

ties overlap each other and could be categorized into one like road safety and traffi c enforcement, which

he pointed out are inter-related. He strongly feels domestic violence should get a higher rating.

“Vandalism, as signifi -cant as it may be, I cer-tainly would not rate it as being of greatest impor-tance to the community,” said Hillian. “I would put several of these issues be-hind domestic violence which I think is a huge is-sue in this and every other community.”

Hillian said he doesn’t want to minimize any of the four issues but for him, “traffi c law enforcement is a secondary consideration to the sort of behaviour and conduct that takes place in domestic violence

which is so damaging to not only the individuals involved but to children who witness it.”

The other area Hillian said should be high on the priority list is youth crime.

“This is not to suggest that youth crime is out of control by any means,” said Hillian. “In fact it is decreasing in most of our communities which is a good thing. I would like to see this as a priority. It’s probably young people who are doing most of the vandalism that they’re dealing with so I think a pro-active approach where they have their bike patrols and outreach that

the offi cers do in coopera-tion with other agencies focusing on youth.”

To promote safety in the downtown area, Hill-ian wants to see more po-lice on foot patrol.

“I think a pro-active community policing that can go on there, when you have offi cers who can de-velop a relationship with people on the streets and in businesses and in the agencies is a tremendous investment in a safer com-munity,” said Hillian.

Mayor Larry Jangula agrees that domestic vio-lence is an important is-sue but he feels the RCMP is looking at priorities that can be measured

Mayor Larry Jangula wants to see RCMP ad-dress issues surrounding some cyclists in the city, who disregard the rules of the road, have no refl ec-tors, riding on the wrong side, going through traffi c lights and stop signs.

Chief administrative offi cer David Allen sug-gested council submit their priorities to staff so that they can collate them and present them back to council on March 16 for discussion and approval. Once that’s fi nalized the recommendations will be submitted to the RCMP detachment for its Annual Performance Plan deci-sion-making process.

Hillian wants domestic violence rated high in RCMP priorities

Councillor Doug Hillian

COURTENAY CENTENNIAL

Centennial celebration proceeds support youth programsAll funds raised going to special legacy endowment with community foundation

The enthusiasm that lo-cal residents are showing for the City of Courtenay’s Centennial Celebrations has been tremendous so far, and the Centennial Celebration Committee is hard at work planning more community events and fundraising initia-tives.

All proceeds from the Centennial celebrations

will be added to the “Cen-tennial Legacy Endow-ment”, a fund that will be donated to the Comox Valley Community Foun-dation where it will be di-rected to fund programs that specifi cally support youth.

“We want to support Courtenay’s youth and pro-vide them with a commu-nity experience they will

value as they go through life, no matter where their future takes them,” says former Courtenay Mayor Ron Webber.

One of the fundraising initiatives that will con-tribute to the Legacy En-dowment Fund is the sale of Courtenay Centennial T-Shirts, which will soon be available for sale at the Lewis Centre and the

Florence Filberg. You can fi nd updates to

more upcoming fundrais-ers on the City of Courte-nay website at www.cour-tenay.ca, or on Facebook and Twitter using the offi cial hashtag #Courte-nay100.

Also coming up is the Citizens of the Century Award nomination dead-

line on March 31, 2015. If you’d like to acknowledge the contribution of a vol-unteer in your family or business, past or present, there’s still time to nomi-nate them for this presti-gious award. The awards are sponsored by the Ca-nadian Western Bank, and the eligibility require-ments and nomination

form are available online on the City of Courtenay website.

For more information about business sponsor-ship or volunteer oppor-tunities for upcoming events, contact the Cour-tenay Centennial Cel-ebration Committee at [email protected] or call 250-334-4441.

Former Courtenay Mayor Ron Webber,left, and Norm Carruthers, Comox Valley Community Foundation Chairperson.

School District No. 71 (Comox Valley)

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Tender closes on Thursday, March 19, 2015.

SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 71

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The Cumberland Brew-ing Company has been granted the right to put in an outdoor eating and drinking area as patio season approaches. Up-grades will include a new sign along Dunsmuir Av-enue and a green, rust and sand-hued paint job.

Coun. Sean Sullivan noted the business’s early close time of 9 p.m. would be a huge factor in mitigat-ing any noise concerns.

This CBC patio will fea-ture perimeter benches and “fl oating” tables, for optimization of the space.

The building, originally constructed in the 1930s, falls in the Village’s heri-tage zone and a special al-teration permit was need-ed to move forward with the patio plans.

But before this docu-mentation was supported unanimously March 9 at the regularly scheduled meeting of council, the co-owner of the downtown

Cumberland Brewing Company gets approval for patio

establishment raised an additional issue that had come up.

The Village wants to expand the laneway par-allel to Dunsmuir Avenue from 10 feet to between 15 and 20 feet. To do this

they need to secure an ex-panded statutory right of ways along the route, trig-gering a costly change on the title.

Considering CBC has already had to pay $800 to proceed with a heritage

alteration permit, Adam argued to would be unfair to charge the business for the right of way change, which could cost $1,500.

“We’d like you to show the community that we, as a new business in the

Village already know, that council and staff are not only interested but eager to assist new and existing businesses,” he said, in a delegation to council.

“A small business is one of the best routes for good economic development, good jobs and the con-tinuing revitalization that the Village core is enjoy-ing and deserves.”

Cumberland is requir-ing a right of way on 1.5 metres of the property.

That portion of land is simply covered by gravel and a new structure (which would trigger a survey) is not proposed.

Council agreed that minor business upgrades should not bring on such expensive bureaucratic requirements. The Vil-lage decided only devel-opments where the more major survey-triggering change would have to pay for a right of way change.

Adam and brewer Mike

Tymchuk high-fi ved as soon as the unanimous decision was rendered.

“I’m happy that com-mon sense prevailed,” Adam said in an interview. “It just goes to show you how this council is will-ing to examine things and make changes to docu-ments.”

At the end of the day it wasn’t about the cash, he added.

“Am I happy we stuck our neck out and ad-dressed it for other busi-nesses moving for ward? You bet,” he said.

“If the Village is asking for a right of way on your property, why should you have to shoulder the bill?”

CBC says it hopes to have the patio open some-time in April.

“We are looking forward to the fi rst sunny day when we can say, ‘Yes our patio is open,’” Adam said. “We have no idea when that will be.”

Cumberland Brewing Company receives municipal support for patio.

Seniors in Vancouver Island North will soon have new opportunities to volunteer, mentor younger genera-tions, help raise awareness of elder abuse and take part in social activi-ties.

Financial support will also be pro-vided for equipment and renova-tions thanks to the funding through the New Horizons for Seniors Pro-gram announced last week by John Duncan, Member of Parliament for Vancouver Island North, on behalf of the Honourable Alice Wong, Min-ister of State (Seniors).

Twenty-two organizations are re-ceiving a total of $437,238 for their projects from the New Horizons for Seniors Program, including these from the Comox Valley:

Comox Valley Curling Club: Recipes and Rocks - The organization will pur-chase/install a chairlift to provide access to their second fl oor prem-ises where they will engage seniors in creating a legacy cookbook show-casing the history of local curling.

Merville Hall: Welcoming Space for Iso-lated Rural Seniors - The organization will upgrade basement rooms, win-dows, lights and washroom to allow seniors to continue to host potluck lunches, grandmother meetings, musical events and guest speakers.

Hornby Island New Horizon’s Society: Renovations and repairs to New Horizons building - The organization will up-date washrooms, install new lights, an exit door and add insulation to allow seniors to continue to partici-

pate in golden lunches, bridge, yoga and fi lm nights.

Fanny Bay Community Association: En-hancing Our Audio/Visual System for All - The organization will replace their community hall’s audio-visual sys-tem to allow seniors to continue to attend exercise classes, host live performances of music, public read-ings, and presentations.

LUSH Valley Food Action Society: Food Wisdom Exchange - Seniors involved with the organization will increase the accessibility of the community garden and mentor others through educational workshops, all of which will be fi lmed for knowledge shar-ing.

(Continued on page 6)

Ten Valley groups receive fundingthrough federal New Horizons program

Please be advised the McLeod Road Reservoir Tank is scheduled to be cleaned on Wednesday, March 18th, 2015.

The water may be highly coloured and turbid at this time but will continue to be chlorinated. Water pressure fluctuations may also occur. Avoid laundry mishaps by running water until it is clear before starting. Consum-ers using water during this time should be aware that water quality could change rapidly. It is therefore advisable to keep an ample supply of potable water on hand or in your refrigerator until this situation clears. People with immune deficiencies should boil water during this period.

Please be advised the water is checked daily and residents will be notified via the local radio station if a Boil Water Advisory occurs.

For any further information please contact UBID Administration during our regular office hours at (250) 335-2511 or via e-mail at [email protected].

Thank you. Kevin Douville UBID Administrator


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Black Creek Old Age Pension-ers #126: Halbe Hall Structural Upgrade - Seniors involved with the organization will upgrade their building’s foundation, outside walls, and replace windows to allow seniors to continue activities such as socials, crafts, exercise, and arts.

Upper Island Women of Native Ancestry (UIWONA): Aboriginal

Grandparents Raising Grand-children Support Circle Program- Seniors involved with the organization will cre-ate the ‘Aboriginal Grand-parents Raising Grand-children Support Circle Program’ to help provide support for the ‘skipped’ generation.

Upper Island Women of Native Ancestry (UIWONA): Inner Circle Fiber Arts - The organiza-tion will engage seniors in

volunteering to plan week-ly gatherings rotating be-tween new fi ber art dem-onstrations and relevant speakers in the areas of fi nance and elder abuse.

Community Justice Centre: Volunteer Training for Senior’s Abuse Restorative Justice - Se-niors involved with the or-ganization will be engaged to develop and implement a senior volunteer training program for a senior sen-

sitive restorative justice process relating to elder abuse.

Fallen Alders Community Club: Upgrade our Vintage 1953 Kitchen - The organization will upgrade its kitchen, replace the fl ooring and stove, and improve ven-tilation in order to meet current standards to al-low seniors to continue meals, dances, crafts, and socials.

The new owners of Avenue Bistro in Comox, Gregor and Michelle Mowatt, toast their new venture with former owners Sandra Viney (left) and Trent McIntyre (second from left), who are going to now be focusing more on their Atlas Café restaurant in Courtenay.


Gregor Mowatt and his wife Michelle had been searching for a place to start their own restaurant.

They scoured the Co-mox Valley for an ideal location but were unable to fi nd the one that they felt would achieve their vi-sions and plans.

“We were looking for a fi xer-upper, something that we could close and reopen under our guid-ance,” said McGregor. “We just couldn’t fi nd the right place.”

But sometimes when you feel you’ve exhausted everything, the unexpect-ed happens. A perfect sit-uation presented itself.

The Mowatts found the “Avenue” of their dreams.

A former co-worker and friend approached Gregor

one day and informed him that she was selling her Comox restaurant, the popular Avenue Bistro.

Sandra Viney and Trent McIntyre, who opened the Avenue in October 2007, wanted to focus their en-ergy on just one business as they were at a point of fatigue and would like to continue having a “family time quality of life.”

“It was a perfect scenar-io for us,” said Viney, who had worked as a waitress under the management of Gregor at a restaurant in Vancouver in 1992. “It made us feel good know-ing we are leaving this res-taurant in good hands. We wanted someone who has had history and knowl-edge in our industry. I learned my serving and management skills under his supervision and he is someone I respected. I

know Gregor will enhance the blueprint that we’ve started.”

Viney and McIntyre will continue to run and own their fi rst restaurant in the valley, the Atlas Café, lo-cated in Courtenay, which is turning 20 years old this year.

Gregor moved here to the Comox Valley more than three years ago when Crown Isle Resort hired him. When his tenure there ended, Gregor said he didn’t want to uproot the family again. They’ve also come to love the Co-mox Valley.

Gaining ownership of the well-established Av-enue Bistro simply rein-forced the Mowatt fam-ily’s decision to stay.

“This is the style of res-taurant we’re very com-fortable in,” said Gregor. “This is our favourite res-

taurant that we loved to go to. The menu caters to children and all walks of life. It gives us a good sense of the community. It’s ironic this restaurant ended up to be the one we purchased.”

Gregor said from day one, when he fi rst came in to Avenue, he felt that it could easily be a “Vancou-ver restaurant.”

“It’s got that style and panache of a city restau-rant,” said Gregor. “It ticked off all the boxes that we were looking for in a restaurant.”

Gregor said they will continue to enjoy the rep-utation Viney and McIn-tyre built over the years at Avenue. They will be maintaining a lot of Av-enue customers’ favourite dishes on the menu and will also introduce new food along the way.

Valley groups receive New Horizons program funding

Mowatt family fi nds the Avenue of their dreamsNew owners of popular Comox bistro plan to continue work done by Sandra Viney and Trent McIntyre

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Regional directors have decided against pursuing a plan to top up the regional growth strategy budget al-lowing for an evaluation of the service, realizing it would cost more than they were willing to ask taxpayers to spend - by about $14,000.

Comox Valley Regional District staff had been asked to prepare a report that would show what it would take to pave the way fi nancially for a fi ve-year review.

But on March 10, when directors heard at the Committee of the Whole meeting this would mean the requisition would have to jump from $42,242 in 2014 to $57,242 in 2015, they decided this just wasn’t going to work.

Instead, they reverted to the initial staff suggestion to just boost the requisi-tion rate by $845 in 2015 to $45,087 (essentially pegged to increased staff and operating costs).

In 2009 the CVRD spent just $1.02 million - far less than the $2.08 million it

had expected to spend as part of putting the region-al growth strategy in place with the fi nancial support of other levels of govern-ment.

Part of the remaining funds was to be used to get ready for a fi ve-year review.

The CVRD changed tack to use reserves to fund the service, instead of the re-view. The board didn’t know if the public would consider the planned eval-uation necessary and was uncertain about the cost.

Current CVRD chair Bruce Jolliff e recalls the board had been seeking a way to cover operat-ing costs which had been higher than some had an-ticipated, due in part to the implementation of the regional growth strategy and in part to issues some members of the commu-nity have had with the planning document.

The regional district has been caught up in a legal dispute with 3L Develop-ments Ltd. that has ham-pered its ability to discuss growth plans and added a whole whack of uncertain-ty to the RGS planning

process.“You’ll recall we have

a legal challenge at play right now,” said Ann Mac-Donald, manager of plan-ning and development at the CVRD during a March 3 Committee of the Whole meeting, noting winning is “a very possible scenario.”

Any questions relating to the lawsuit would have to be asked separately and CAO Debra Oakman and director Edwin Grieve would need to leave the

room, due to a condition of a human rights settle-ment with 3L.

The CVRD is budget-ing $67,000 in the event it loses the case, in which 3L claims the regional dis-trict didn’t follow its own development rules.

That kind of a payout would make a huge diff er-ence to the ability of the CVRD to fund a fi ve-year review.

In any event, several di-rectors got fi red up about

the need for this sort of an evaluation of the service.

“How much does a re-view cost - because it appears we don’t have enough money to do one?” director Ken Grant won-dered. “It doesn’t seem quite right to me.”

He said he’s concerned about a 90 per cent infi ll development requirement in the RGS.

Director Grieve used even more forceful lan-guage in referring to the

lack of funds for a review.“It looks like we’re

sleepwalking toward the abyss,” he said.

“I, for one, don’t see 2016 slipping by without some sort of review.”

But at the following meeting when staff re-vealed the measures re-quired to save up $180,000 for a full review of the RGS, directors climbed down from their previous positions, validating the original staff plan instead.

RD abandons additional funding for Regional Growth Strategy review

COMOX VALLEY REGIONAL DISTRICT

Lazo residents want RD to find solutions to mitigate floodingArea B property owners want commitment for immediate action planBY MICHAEL BRIONESEcho Staff

Residents in the Lazo Watershed area want the Comox Valley Regional District to lead the way in fi nding solutions to miti-gate future fl ooding in the area.

The Lazo Watershed Property Owners Com-mittee, a group of Area B residents, sought as-sistance from the CVRD after they suff ered severe fl ooding in last Decem-ber’s major rainstorm.

The LWPOC represents over 80 per cent of the af-fected properties in the

Lazo watershed, which includes home, acreage and farm owners. Over 30 homes sustained fl ooded basements, structural and equipment damages. There was also substantial economic loss to business-es and farms - between $10,000 to $50,000 per farm annually - as well as potential drop in property values.

Two members of the group, Barry Wood and Guy Wassick, appeared before the Electoral Areas Services Committee to state their case. They indi-cated this was the fourth fl ooding they had experi-

enced in the last six years. The consequences of

fl ooding, the LWPOC in-dicated, are signifi cant and can also cause public health and safety risks to the overall community.

The group has been con-sulting experts and con-sultants, as well as review-ing around 17 reports over the last 20 years about storm water management in their specifi c area.

They told the CVRD they don’t need another study because most of the reports they’ve perused contain recommendations to help mitigate the ef-fects of poor or non-exis-

tent storm water manage-ment.

The LWPOC also made a presentation to a work-ing group that consisted of the Town of Comox, CVRD, DND/19Wing and MoTI. The group said their delegation was well received and the ensuing discussion was positive and solution-oriented.

Participants pointed out the key to solving the Lazo watershe residents’ prob-lems lies with the CVRD, which can assist other agencies and contribute

resources.“The regional district is

seen by the other stake-holders as the ‘lead’ in any projects undertaken to stop the fl ooding.”

The LWPOC recom-mended the CVRD pro-vide leadership in problem solving with all stakehold-ers playing a role in evalu-ating and implementing solutions.

They want a commit-ment to an immediate action plan for an urgent mitigation and a long-term strategy.

The regional district is seen by the other stake-holders as the ‘lead’ in any projects undertaken to stop the fl ooding”

LAZO WATERSHED PROPERTY OWNERS

City Colleges spokeswoman

Before and after photos of property on Sandy Pines Drive

CORRECTIONNOTICE

Please note the following correction to theKia Canada Free Standing Insert (flyer) whichran in your local paper the week of March 9th,

16th or 23rd. It erroneously showed aCash Purchase Price on the

2015 Rondo “LX AT”. We regret that theCash Purchase Price shown does not applyto the “LX AT” model – it is applicable on the

2015 Rondo “LX MT”.We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused.follow comoxvalleyrd

Please be advised that the Comox Valley Regional District will be holding a public meeting to present their development plans to the community as they will be applying for a development permit.

The meeting will be held:March 31st, 2015

1:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. at

Comox Valley Waste Management Facility3699 Bevan Road, Cumberland

For further information: Email: [email protected]: 250-336-8083

PUBLIC MEETING NOTICE



Courtenay Fire Department quickly put out a fi re that broke out in an empty building behind Finneron Hyundai on Rye Road on Friday.

The fi re appeared to have started in the second fl oor. Firefi ghters aired out the smoke in the building and hosed down the source of the blaze. A small fi re erupted when the side roof was pried open. Firefi ghters quickly got it under control.

Some workers from nearby businesses

had commented they would have liked to see the building completely burn down because some people use it as a hang-out.

The condemned building has been boarded, padlocked and doesn’t have utilities like power, water or gas. It has been broken into several times.

This was the second fi re that has oc-curred in that building in the last two weeks. The building is due for demoli-tion.

The cause of the fi re is still under in-vestigation.

Firefi ghters put out blaze in empty building frequented by unknowns

Courtenay Fire Department hoses down the blaze in an abandoned building behind Finneron Hyundai near Ryan Road in Courtenay.

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The countdown is on and excitement is building for the 5th annual Cum-berland Mountain Film Festival, taking place April 10th at the Cumberland Cultural Centre.

This highly popular grassroots festival fea-tures adventures, big and small, from around Van-couver Island.

It is the only mountain fi lm festival that features exclusively local content and is organized right here in the Comox Valley.

The festival is still ac-cepting submission of fi lms between 3 and 5 minutes in length and submitted in HD 720p or 1080p format to [email protected] via Dropbox or a similar fi le sharing pro-gram.

Please provide basic information such as the movie title, location, fi lm-maker, and contact infor-mation.

The deadline to submit fi lms is March 20, 2015.

This year, the event is being organized by the Cumberland Community Schools Society (CCSS) and the Youth Skatepark Committee as a fund-raiser for the Cumberland Skatepark project.

We hope to raise sig-nifi cant funds to turn the dream of a skatepark into a concrete reality!

Youth or adults wish-ing to volunteer can email [email protected] for more infor-mation.

Tickets are $15 and are

available online at Event-brite.

This event sells out fast, so purchase your tickets early to avoid disappoint-ment.

Call for submissions for annual benefi tCumberland Film Fest

Mountain beauty captured by Sarah Seads

Indulge all the senses at Chocolate Aff air

Spring starts on a sweet note with lavish fair trade chocolate creations, live music by Anela Kahiamoe and Black Swan Fiddlers, wine tasting by Blue Moon Winery, fl oral arts by Del-phine Flower & Garden, a silent auction and more. All for a good cause!

World Community is showcasing Camino Fair Trade chocolate at A Chocolate Aff air, Friday March 20 at 7 pm at the Upper Florence Filberg Centre.

Guests will have an op-portunity to sample a vari-ety of delectable fair trade desserts created by chefs and chocolatiers from “As you Like It” Cater-ing, Atlas Cafe, Cumber-land Hemp Co., Dark Side Chocolates, and Tria Fine Catering.

There will be plenty of gluten-free options too.

Blue Moon Winery will pair with Dark Side Choc-olates for a special treat.

Savour your luscious chocolates as you watch the fi lm Bean to Bar which shows steps taken by arti-sans to create fi ne choco-lates praised by food crit-ics and chocolate lovers alike.

Their passion for excel-lence and a working rela-tionship that values the farmers underscores of the importance of fair and direct trade.

“Everything we do is about social justice but we like to have fun while we’re doing it”, comments World Community’s Janet Fairbanks.

“Smiles are guaranteed at this event.”

Tickets (only 200) are $20 and are now on sale at: Laughing Oyster Book Shop, Bop City Records, Dark Side Chocolates and Church Street Bakery. FMI: 250 337-5412

World Community presents event

Anela Kahiamoe will delight with live music

www.comoxvalleyecho.comTUESDAY.MARCH 17 201510

LETTERS

An independently owned and operated

newspaper published by Echo Publications at

407-E Fifth Street, Courtenay, B.C. V9N 1J7

Phone 250-334-4722

Fax 250-334-3172

Classifi eds 250- 334-4215

Circulation 250-334-4734

E-mail: [email protected]

Publisher Dave MacDonald

Editor Debra Martin

Advertising Manager Keith Currie

Offi ce Administrator Deb Fowler

Circulation Manager Hedi MacDonald

Production Manager Ryan Getz

All material herein is protected by copyright.Reproduction in whole or in part is not permitted without written authorization from the publisher.

Canadian Publications Mail Agreement Number #0661538

COMOX VALLEY ECHO

OPINIONSEC

HO

A BIT CURIOUS

GET IT TOGETHER

GREAT HOSPITAL SERVICE

If and when the Comox Mall Rexall Drug Store stops selling cigarettes to the general public, the pharmacist for that store may express her opinion re e-cigarettes and how they should be “controlled”.

I smoke neither ciga-rettes or e-cigarettes; how-ever, I do get a “touch” cu-rious as to the true motives of this retailer of the non “e” product. Simply, is the pharmacist’s motivation the possibility that the sale of e-cigarettes is “cutting into” the profi t margin of the drug store?

Just curious....Kent Holland

Comox

I so like your newspaper and want to thank you and all your staff for doing such a faithful, committed work in our community!

God Bless you all!Now, I also want to say

that I just had arthroscop-ic surgery yesterday at St. Joseph’s Hospital and was totally BLESSED by every doctor and RN and the or-derly who took me into OR.

Every single person was so joyful, kind, and thor-ough to identify themselves fi rst, then check my identi-ty, and I had such a smooth time from front desk recep-tionist to day surgery unit to OR, to Recovery Room, then back to Day Surgery unit to be released. I want to thank the capable anes-thesiologist, Dr. Holmes, for putting me at ease,

and for the joyful manner of my surgeon, Dr. Woods, who was in his element in scrubs!

And of course when the recovery room nurse off ered me a popsicle, I thought she was the greatest person in the world!

Recovering just fi ne now at home,

Olivia SargeantCourtenay

Again, wake up Canada; here we go again bowing to the people that want to escape their counties and bring the things they didn’t like to Canada. Hiding their identity from everyone, not living and melting into soci-ety, they cry foul when they are asked to abide by our laws and lawyer up, plead their religious rights and our bleeding heart judges tear up.

This country is in big trouble if we don’t grow a pair, our kids will have to pay the price. We will all live in fear in our own country locked in and armed, this will be a sad time.

I am not racist or against religion but are there LAWS in this country. People that are caught red handed with video, writings, trying to kill innocent families shouldn’t even get a trial. If they exe-cuted their plan what would happen to them?

Think about it - poor up bringing is the fl avour of the day they would use.

Get it together you politi-cians.

Gord BaudaisComox

By Dermod Travis

The returns are in and some of the 2014 local elec-tion campaign spending isn’t pretty.

But fi rst a quick peek at some of the spending by the ‘distant cousins’ that seems to have been lost in the feeding frenzy over those candidate returns.

More than 100 organiza-tions registered with Elec-tions B.C. as third-party sponsors. There were the customary civic-minded groups and others with a bit of self-interest at stake. A few dropped some serious coin.

The Vancouver Elemen-tary School Teachers’ As-sociation spent $67,234, not including its $44,500 in donations of which $17,500 went to Vision Vancouver.

The Bowen Island Im-provement Association spent $2,853, West Vancou-ver Citizens for Good Gov-ernment spent $8,402 and a Better City Vancouver As-sociation spent $9,424.

Woodfi bre LNG spent $18,248 in Squamish or the equivalent of $1.43 for ev-ery eligible voter. The limit in the provincial riding that includes Squamish - West Vancouver-Sea to Sky - is $3,200 or 8.4 cents per voter.

Didn’t work out so well for Woodfi bre though. Pa-

tricia Heintzman spent all of $11,842 to win the may-or’s chair, defeating the more LNG-friendly incum-bent Rob Kirkham.

Based on its attempt to minimize the scope of its missive after the fact, Kamloops-based Ajax Min-ing must have ruffl ed a few feathers with a letter it sent out during the campaign. In a blog post, the company claimed that it had been sent to “a group of Ajax supporters.”

At a cost of $8,605 that was either one very large group or one very long let-ter.

Didn’t work out so well for the mine either when the results came in.

The Silverado Group of Companies wasn’t exactly ‘hi ho silver’ on the city ad-ministration in Courtenay. The company spent $7,810 on ads and it wasn’t on what could be described as a ‘feel good’ message.

And then, of course, there was the spending by the municipal parties and can-didates themselves.

Vancouver can always be counted on for the shock numbers and it didn’t dis-appoint. Vision Vancouver spent a record $3.4 million and the NPA $2.1 million.

Looked at from another perspective: Vision Vancou-ver spent more than twice the legal limit for a munici-

pal party running a full-slate of candidates in Montreal; a city with more than twice the number of voters than Vancouver and more than three times the number of positions up for grabs.

It’s why the B.C. govern-ment likes to say this is all a Vancouver problem. But it’s not.

Across the Patullo Bridge, Surrey First dropped $1.178 million on its campaign. Had Montreal’s limit of $1.50 per voter applied, the cap would have been set at $480,120 and that’s before taking into account the dif-ference in the number of elected positions between the two cities.

With a bit of help from his friends, including the B.C. Liberal party (Richmond East) that donated $375 and the Great Canadian Gaming Corporation that rolled the dice for $6,025, Malcolm Brodie spent $140,990 on his re-election bid in Rich-mond.

Brodie’s spending works out to about $1.14 per voter. In Manitoba, his cap would have been set at $53,395 or roughly 43 cents a voter.

Or consider the big spenders vying for the top job in Abbotsford, Kelowna, Nanaimo, Prince George, Saanich, Vernon and Victo-ria.

All but one of the 15 can-didates - Vernon’s new may-

or Akbal Mund - exceeded the spending limits in place in Quebec and all but two exceeded the limits in Man-itoba.

So much for it being a Vancouver problem.

How the parties spent their moolah also says something about their cam-paign approach.

Vision Vancouver spent $784,000 on salaries and $173,000 on rent, while the NPA spent $100,000 on salaries and $19,000 on rent. Vision was the big advertiser of the campaign spending $1.2 million, in-cluding $518,555 on radio and TV ads. The NPA spent $786,000 on advertising.

Ironically, for a party ob-sessed with message con-trol, Vision spent $114,500 on research and polling, compared to the $640,730 spent by the NPA.

Something that jumps out when looking at cities that have spending limits in place: voter turnout. In Richmond it was 32.4 per cent last November, in Win-nipeg it was 50.2 per cent.

And in Toronto - at more than 60 per cent - voter turnout in last October’s civic election was higher than the turnout in B.C.’s 2013 general election.

Dermod Travis is the ex-ecutive director of Integri-tyBC. www.integritybc.ca

Campaign spending contagion spreading fast


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“Ring of Fire” is presented through special arrangement with and all authorized performance materialsare supplied by Theatrical Rights Worldwide (TRW), 570 Seventh Avenue, Suite 2100, New York, NY 10018.

Created by Conceived by

Richard Maltby, Jr. William MeadeAdapted from the Broadway Production by

Richard Maltby, Jr. and Jason Edwards

Orchestrations by Steven Bishop and Jeff LisenbyAdditional arrangements by David Abbinanti

Ring of Fire was originally produced on Broadway by William Meade, CTM Productions,Bob Cuillo, GFour Productions, and James B. Freydberg

This year’s Black Creek Community Association AGM refl ects a growing relationship with local farming and food distribu-tion. The public is invited to a free night of presenta-tion and panel discussion focused on meeting the changing needs of Black Creek’s local food indus-try. Refreshments and entertainment will be pro-vided.

Small-farms activist, and agrologist, Arzeena Hamir will present will a compar-ison between Black Creek and Richmond BC, where she worked to enact three interventions that radi-cally changed the farming community and the pur-chasing of food.

The panel discussion, always lively, includes four locals with extensive farm-ing experience in Black Creek: Siriol Paquet, Mike

Huxam, Fred Doberstein, and Oscar Kreutziger.

The Black Creek Com-munity Centre has been off ering an increasing number of workshops to meet the demand for agri-culture training, bringing in both local and visiting instructors. Black Creek includes a signifi cant amount of ALR, as well as many farmers, from large scale to hobby farms. We hope to see members, as well as anyone from the surrounding communities interested in the state of the local agriculture econ-omy.

The 2015 AGM takes place Thursday, March 19th at 7 p.m. at the Black Creek Community Cen-tre, 2001 Black Creek Rd. FMI: (250) 337-5190, email [email protected], or visit blackcreek-cc.com.

Black Creek Community AssociationAGM has farming focus March 19

The Addams Family opens Tuesday, March 17h, at 7:30pm and runs until Saturday. Tickets are $15, available at Laughing Oyster bookstore or at the Highland Secondary offi ce.. The Addams Family includes, from left to right, Granny (Frances Theron), Pugsley (Kristy Lloyd), Morticia

(Tess Forsyth), Wednesday (Rebecca Curtis), Lurch (Jessie Elliot) and Uncle Fester (Andre Jutte). Photo by grade 12 student photographer - Kat Kraats.

Highland presents The Addams Family

5th annual Imagefest photographygala at the Sid Williams Theatre

The Comox Valley Pho-tographic Society (for-merly the Comox Valley Camera Club) and its 180 members are excited to present an inspirational photographic gala featur-ing a collection of short slideshow presentations, set to music, of some of the fi nest work of club members.

This year’s show will feature stunning images that feature diverse pho-tographic techniques including light paint-ing, portraiture, abstract composition, time lapse photography, as well as nature, wildlife and travel photography from exotic locales such as Paris, Chi-cago, Tibet and Qatar.

There will be some video components to the show as well.

“This show is defi nitely the best collection we’ve presented yet,” says Kerry Dawson, Imagefest 2015 Coordinator with the CVPS.

“People are going to be blown away by these im-ages. We’ve even got pho-tographers taking pictures of aliens - it’s not to be missed!”

In addition there will be a print display of pho-

tographic art in the lower foyer of the theatre that can be viewed before the show and during the in-termission.

The event is an annual fundraiser for the non-profi t photographic soci-ety and a great way for the public to learn about the

society and learn about the possibilities that the art of photography can of-fer. Fabulous door prizes from a variety of local busi-nesses including Twisted Dishes, the Beachwood Café, Benino Gelato, Gin-ger 9 Gallery, Blue Heron Books, and Roots Salon

will be given away during the evening event.

Tickets are only $15 and can be purchased at the Sid Williams theatre box offi ce or online at sidwil-liams.com.

For more information contact Kerry Dawson at 339-1029.

Aliens on Comox Avenue will be part of this year’s CVPS Imagefest Show. Photo by Kristy Knowlan

CV Photographic Society presents best work of members


By Blair Qualey

Do you have anything specialplanned during the last week ofMarch?If you want my advice, don’t

bother with a sunny vacationdown south, or extra time onthe slopes. One of the hottesttickets this time of year is theannual Vancouver International

Auto Show, taking place March 24-29 at theVancouver Convention Centre.The Auto Show, presented by the New Car

Dealers Association of BC, is the largest eventof its kind in Western Canada. What’s more,this year’s 95th annual Show will be bigger andbetter than ever before.As I told you in this space last month, the

Show is taking up 25 per cent more roomthan last year, or about 300,000 square feet of

ballroom and exhibition space. We’re featuringsome never-before seen displays and specialfeatures, more details of which I can now sharewith you.For example, the Auto Show will feature fourconcept vehicles that car enthusiasts won’twant to miss including the Cadillac Elmiraj, theInfiniti Q80 Inspiration, the Nissan BladeGliderand the Subaru VIZIV 2.The Auto Show will also include more than

25 regional debuts. That means almost everymanufacturer will be presenting some of theirnewest models at the Vancouver Show this year.Thinking of buying a new car or truck in the nearfuture? You won’t want to miss this sneak peekat the latest makes and models manufacturersare about to unveil.TheAuto Show will display a lineup of exotic

vehicles, including those from such iconic

brands as Aston Martin, Bentley, Lamborghini,Porsche and Rolls Royce.Classic Alley is back this year and will

feature vintage vehicles from companies suchas Volkswagen, Cadillac, Pontiac and Auburn.Personally, I’m excited to see the 1920s ModelT, which would have been similar to whatwas on display at the very first VancouverInternational Auto Show 95 years ago.Another big attraction will be the HollywoodNorth display. It’s a nod to the movie industryin Vancouver and will feature vehicles usedin films made here in the city, including theScooby Doo Mystery Machine and the GreySisters’ Taxi from Percy Jackson.If you’ve never been to theAuto Show before,this is the year you don’t want to miss it. Ifyou’re a regular, be prepared for a whole newlook and feel for your favourite event.

To find out more about all of the eventstaking place at this year’s Auto Show,including online contests and how to savemoney on tickets, visit the website: www.VancouverInternationalAutoShow.com. Guestsare encouraged to buy tickets online, but theywill also be available on site.Finally, don’t forget to follow us on Twitter:

@ VanAutoShow and ‘Like’ our VancouverInternational Auto Show Facebook page. Youcan also see our cool photos on the VancouverAuto Show Instagram page.But don’t just check out this event on social

media. This is an experience you’ll want to seein person. See you at the Show!

Blair Qualey is President and CEO of the NewCar Dealers Association of BC. Email him [email protected].

Vancouver International Auto Show: March 24 - 29Special Information Supplement

Bigger and Better Than Ever

Still freshEcho Q&A With Chali 2naBY DREW A. PENNEREcho Staff

Over a decades-long career Chali 2na has con-tinually bubbled up from the underground to make his mark on popular cul-ture, gaining ground with the Unity Committee and scoring big critical ac-claim over nearly 15 years with Jurassic 5. You may have bumped smack into his verbal abilities as he’s performed in guest spots alongside Mos Def, K’naan or Roots Manuva through the years or caught his on-screen cameo in the Drew Barrymore fl ick Never Been Kissed.

More than most other rappers, Chali continues to reinvent himself, delv-ing into established and emerging genres, while staying true to his passion for delectable (and de-lightfully bassy) rhymes. He made a big impression locally at the inaugural At-mosphere Gathering last summer. Now he’s back with the Funk Hunters to shake up the Bridge Lounge this weekend.

Q: Jurassic 5 was based in South Central and you came from Chicago, but in your mind when you set out what was the ethos that anchored you to the music you wanted to cre-ate?

A: I’m a painter fi rst and foremost - so just under-standing the creation of a piece of artwork. You could be infl uenced and

Chali 2na is at the Bridge Lounge on Thursday night

enthused about a certain style, but you can only put out what’s inside of you. For us, we saw hip-hop created.

We’re older guys who were able to see hip-hop the way it was when it started, and then what it’s turned into. We were only doing the music that we fell in love with.

Q: For someone like yourself who’s been in the conscious hip-hop game for so long, what’s it like to see the more “thought-ful” or “cerebral” rap in the forms of the Drakes or the Kendrick Lamars - and others - dominating not just the hip-hop world but the popular music charts these days?

A: I’m in love with Ken-drick Lamar’s music and his perspective. The angle that he’s coming from makes me happy again, as far a falling back in love with hip-hop. I like when a producer can put layers in his music so you can get lost in it and you can fi nd diff erent caverns and diff erent turns and rooms. These songs don’t fall thin. I’ve always wanted to make music that lasts like Earth, Wind & Fire or Ste-vie Wonder, or something like that, and not some bubblegum stuff that’s here today and gone to-morrow.

Q: Jurassic 5 split in 2007 and had a bit of a hiatus, but you came to-gether to play Coachella and Glastonbury in 2014. What was that like?

A: It was really surreal man, just dope - like we never missed a step. We jumped back in the re-hearsal studio for three, four days to “fi gure it out.” We booked a week - even longer than that - in the rehearsal studio just to try to get the vibe back. We got it back in like two, three days. It was like, ‘Fellows we back.’ It was great.

Q: You’ve said that one of the challenges of being a solo artist is the neces-sity to “fi ll in the gaps and pick up the slack” all on your own. What are some of the tricks you use to stay focused to doing that?

A: As a solo artist you defi nitely have to think more. You have to think about the bigger picture in a bigger fashion. With Ju-rassic it’s like a basketball team, so to speak. Every-body knows their position and everybody is familiar with everybody else’s po-sitions, so if somebody slips they can help. As

a solo artist you have to look at it like you’re the whole team.

Q: How did you like put-ting the “swag back in sci-ence” as the “astrophysics black guy,” playing Neil deGrasse Tyson in Epic Rap Battles of History?

A: I buzz on that, how many people loved that, man. I really tripped out. It was fun - a diff erent experience - to see some-body like Weird Al Yank-ovic [who played Sir Is-sac Newton] do what he does with how profi cient he was. That dude will out rap any rapper right now the way he does his thing. You saw how intricate his rhyme was, he did that in one take. That dude’s amazing I’m telling you.

Q: You like the reggae and the soul and now you’re touring with the Funk Hunters. What’s the funk all about? Why do you love putting the grooves in the music?

A: You know what’s cra-zy, I was talking to some-body last night about the same thing. I can’t help that I’m a beat boy. I can’t

help that I’m the verbal Herman Munster. I try to apply all those things to new things. This three-piece ensemble - these brothers from the Funk Hunters - it’s been a new look and a cool change that people are really re-ceptive to.

These dudes are not just DJs, they’re phenomenal producers. They’re able to apply funky grooves with-in every aspect of EDM scene, from drum n’ bass, to dubstep, to house music and even hip-hop. They fi nd cool ways to display the art and the music.

*This interview has been edited for length and clarity

Stay tuned to the Echo Facebook page this week for your chance to win a pair of free tickets to the show.

The Funk Hunters with Chali 2na. Thurs-day, March 19, 2015. The Bridge Lounge 90-5th Courtenay, B.C. $30 ad-vance. Tickets available @ Bop City, Rider’s Pizza and CumberlandVillage-Works.com. Doors @ 9 p.m.


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The sixth race in the Frontrunners Island Race Series - Comox Valley RV Half Marathon - takes place on Sunday, March 22, at 11 am.

There will be a 10 am start for walkers and slower runners. The race starts and fi nishes at Florence Filberg Centre, 411 Anderton Ave-nue, Courtenay, and is hosted by the Comox Valley Road Runners. The Half Marathon is part of the Timex BC Road Running Series.

Runners can register online until noon, Thursday March 19 at www.vira.bc.ca, or on Saturday March 22, 12-4 pm, at Extreme Runners, 436 5th Ave, Courtenay, or on race day.

Race registration until March 19 is $25 for adults and $20 for stu-dents. Registration on Saturday is $30 ($25 for students) and race day fees are $35.

Over 550 are registered to date for the race.

“CVRR looks forward to hosting everyone on what has been called

one of the fastest half marathon courses in the country. Racers can also expect great hospitality and exceptional post-race refreshments and awards.” says Race Director, Wayne Crowe.

“Defending champions and CVRR members, Derek Vinge and Vince Brotherston, will be back to defend their overall and Master titles.”

The course winds its way through rural Courtenay along Condenso-ry, Piercy, Dove Creek and Burns Roads. The race may result in minor traffi c delays during the event.

Residents in the area are encour-aged to choose alternate routes or plan their day around the event to ease congestion and to ensure the safety of the participants.

“The Comox Valley Race Week-end also includes a 5 km run on Sat-urday morning and a banquet 5:30 pm Saturday evening at the Best Western Hotel,” adds Crowe.

“Keynote speaker will be an inspi-

rational talk by ultra runner, moun-taineer and author, Lindsay Elms, and entertainment will be by award winning singer Tammy Fassaert.”

The public is invited to attend. Tickets are still available at http://www.cvrr.ca/cv-half-marathon/ban-quet

In the club standings the Prairie Inn Harriers lead with 2726 points followed by Comox Valley Road Runners with 1468, and CeeVacs Running Club with 1045.

Eight races make up the Front-runners Island Race Series. The Co-mox Valley RV Half Marathon will be followed by Merville 15K on April 12, and Sooke River 10K on April 19. All races are sanctioned by BC Ath-letics.

To register online go to: www.vira.bc.ca. Historical results from races dating back to 1980 from previous race series can be seen on http://pih.bc.ca/results/island-series/Sum-mary.php

Comox Valley RV Half Marathongoes again this Sunday morning

On Sunday, March 22 from 1:00-3:00 p.m. the Young Naturalists’ Club will meeting at sandy Kye Bay to explore the beach at low tide, and walk along the coastline towards Air Force Beach.

We will be looking at the sand fl ats and tide pools, with creatures such as sand dollars, clams, small fi shes, crabs and anemo-nes. We’ll also watch for ducks, gulls, bald eagles and other birds.

The Young Naturalists’ Club (YNC) has monthly “Explorer Days” at dif-ferent locations in the Comox Valley, under the leadership of local nature-

enthusiasts Jarrett Krent-zel and Jocie Ingram.

Families are welcome to come out for one walk be-fore committing to mem-bership, which is $25 a year per family. For more information visit

the YNC website at www.ync.ca

The YNC is affi liated with Comox Valley Nature (CVN) www.comoxval-leynaturalist.bc.ca If you would like participate in the March 22 walk please RVSP to [email protected]

We will meet at the end of Windslow Rd. at Kye Bay in Comox. See you at the beach!

Head to the beach with the Young Naturalists’ Club

Cassie Sharpe sets the bar high in golden Worlds performanceBY DREW A. PENNEREcho Staff

As Skrillex & Damian Marley’s “Make it Bun Dem” set the tone for Cassie Sharpe to drop into the halfpipe during the fi -nals at the last World Cup of the season in Tignes, France, the 22-year-old Comox-native was already riding high.

Days earlier she had pulled off her fi rst in-con-test left cork nine, setting the stage for her big per-formance in the ski half-pipe medal round March 13.

“That in itself was something so big for me to accomplish,” she would later say on a conference call, recalling how pleased she was to hit the fi nals. “I could not be happier with my result for this con-test.”

That result, it turned out, was gold.

She managed to best the overall standings leader Ayana Onozuka, of Japan, gaining a 93.80 from the judges - compared with a 90.40. Onozuka has 240 points overall, compared with Sharpe, who is now in fourth with 145.

US skier, Brita Sigour-ney, came in third with 86.40.

It was another victory in a season where Sharpe has managed to distin-

guish herself on the Ca-nadian roster.

At the FIS Freestyle Ski World Championship in Kreischberg, Austria in January she nabbed a sil-ver due to her execution of a straight-end mute grab with a left fl air lead-ing tail, followed by a right fl air safety grab, left-side safety grab, alley-oop

truck driver, right alley-oop tail grab and a right freeze safety grab.

Canadian coach Tren-non Paynter said Sharpe’s skiing in Tignes proved she’s now at a place where she has begun setting the bar for others.

“She was going higher in the pipe than any girl has ever gone,” he said.

“It was absolutely amaz-ing how good she went. She literally made history for the sport of halfpipe.”

Squamish resident Mike Riddle also picked up a gold for Canada, beating out Sochi gold medalist Mike Wise 95 - 94.2.

*With a fi le from Postmedia Network

Cassie Sharpe picked up a gold in Tignes, dazzling spectators as she soared high above the halfpipe. (FIS photo)




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03-17

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An exhibition of Tracy Kobus’ paintings, com-pleted within the last year, will be at Whyte’s Framing and Gallery from March

20 - April 18. Kobus will be in at-

tendance at the open-ing which is on Saturday, March 21 from 1-4pm.

Whyte’s Framing is a family owned business in Comox where the art-ist had some of her fi rst paintings framed over 20 years ago.

Most of the paintings for this exhibition focus on trees and forests but with a human presence.

Trees have long been a theme in Kobus’ life, from the twelve years she spent treeplanting all over B.C.

to hours spent mountain-biking in forests near her home by the Puntledge River or in Cumberland.

In this work, tall trees are surrounded by stumps or a fence, a forest sur-rounds a lone person on bike or foot or a discarded red sofa chair sits at the centre of the composi-tion.

Kobus’ paintings are found in collections

worldwide and she has also completed several art commissions, including a couple large murals for the City of Courtenay.

She was the Featured Artist at the 2014 Filberg Festival.

You may follow Kobus’ blog and monthly email news at www.tracykobus.com or fi nd her on face-book and instagram (ko-busart) for updates.“Forest”, acrylic on canvas

Tracy Kobus showsat Whyte Gallery

Documents

Comox Valley Echo - March 17, 2015