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$1 Rural OBSERVERCelebrating Our Rural Community Lifestyle
Vol. 9 Issue 5December 2012
Serving Port RenfrewJordan RiverOtter PointWillis PointEast SookeMalahatShirley
Natural Home HeatiNg
eNbridge – all tHe risk, little reward
Cov
er P
hoto
by
Virg
inia
& D
ee W
yman
Happy 100tH BirtHday, ragley Farm!
NEW
FOTOPRINT
AD HERE
Juan de Fuca Rural Publication Society2013 MEMBERSHIP / RENEWAL FORM
Name ____________________________________
Address _______________________________________
______________________________________________
Phone ____________ E-mail ______________________
Are you able to help? _____________________________
Return to: JdF Rural Publication Society, 6602 Tideview Rd, East Sooke BC V9Z 1A6
2 December 2012
A group of Juan de Fuca residents formed a non-profit society to launch a news and advertising publication for the Juan de Fuca Electoral Area.
We provide a forum for our rural communities to share news, exchange ideas and develop a sense of community. At the same time the publication gives businesses within and outside the electoral area an opportunity to promote their products and services and reach potential customers. We also hope to make current information about the region and its services available to the many tourists who visit the area each year. Our goal is to protect, preserve and enhance rural life.
The publication will rely on community members to share their interests and points of view through articles, correspondence and photographs. We welcome articles and letters reflecting the very diverse interests of our member communities and expressing all points of view. The editorial committee reserves the right to edit for brevity, accuracy, clarity and taste. Though every reasonable precaution will be made to verify the accuracy of material submitted, the editorial committee assumes no responsibility for the content of published articles. The responsibility is that of the writers. References and descriptions of products or services are provided “as is” without warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied. We’re online! www.ruralobserver.comIf you wish to submit an article for an upcoming issue of the Rural Observer, please email it to:
Or mail to: Juan de Fuca Rural Publication Society 2617 Seaside Drive, Shirley, BC V9Z 1G7
beCome a member or reNew Your membersHiP!Celebrate our rural community lifestyle by helping us share stories and information about our region. Become a member of the Juan de Fuca Rural Publication Society today. Our fee structure is as follows - you may renew/join at the basic level of $20, become a “Supporter” for $50, or a “Lifetime Member” for only $100. We recommend the lifetime membership - you won’t need to remember to renew each year! The Rural Observer needs your support to keep it strong, viable and independent. Please make out cheques to the Juan de Fuca Rural Publication Society and mail to: 6602 Tideview Rd, Sooke, BC, V9Z 1A6
The Juan de Fuca Rural Publication Society Mission Statement
Join UsVivi CurutchetAdvertising Sales
Ph: (250) 642-1714Email: [email protected]
3 December 2012
Natural Home Heatingby Keary Conwright
With the cost of fossil fuels and electricity constantly rising, many people have returned to more natural home heating systems. Firewood is plentiful in this part of the world, but there are legitimate concerns about air pollution from burning wood. Also conventional metal stoves get very hot and can be a fire hazard.
Northern Europeans long ago developed a more efficient and safer way of heating with wood. The contraflow masonry heater was designed to provide safe and reliable radiant heat. A quick hot fire for a few hours each evening warms a large mass of masonry, which provides steady radiant heat throughout the night and into the next day.
There are numerous designs for this type of heater, but the main idea is an unimpeded supply of combustion air and a somewhat convoluted path for the exhaust gases to transfer as much heat into the masonry as possible before exiting the chimney. A damper on top of the chimney is closed before going to bed to keep the remaining warm gases from continuing up the chimney after the fire is out. The entire unit must be centrally located and the chimney kept within the heated space as much as possible. If properly designed and operated, the masonry heater is a very efficient and minimally polluting heat source. An unobstructed air intake ensures clean burning and a well built chimney ensures a good draw, which greatly reduces creosote buildup in the chimney. Also, a secondary combustion chamber helps burn all the combustible gases driven out of the wood when heated. These gases normally go right up the chimney and add to the creosote buildup and air pollution.
The refractory core for a masonry heater is available in prefab kit form from a few different suppliers and can be faced with brick or stone to suit the homeowner. It could end up weighing several tons, so a properly built foundation is essential.
Combined with intelligent passive solar design and a solar in-floor radiant heat system, a masonry heater can be a big part of the heat source in a natural home and a joy to gather around on a cold winter night. Nothing says home quite like a fire in the hearth.
Keary Conwright is a natural home designer and builder living in Otter Point. www.kcnaturalhomes.com
NOTICEThe Annual General Meeting of the Juan de Fuca Rural Publication Society [aka Rural Observer] will be held on Friday, January 4th at 7:00 p.m. in the SEAPARC Boardroom. All members of the Society are welcome.
4 December 2012
CONTRIBUTE TO THE RURAL OBSERVER
If you have an activity of a rural nature in the Juan de Fuca area that you would like covered, please send it to us. We cannot promise to print every article, but we try to, if and when space allows. Any thoughts or questions, please email [email protected]
CommuNitY PreParedNess:tips for getting
involved by Jeri Grant,
Juan de Fuca Emergency Coordinator
Recent disasters around the world and here in Canada have demonstrated the importance of communities becoming prepared for emergencies of all types.
The goal of the Emergency Program is to encourage communities to become more engaged in emergency preparedness activities, like the ones listed on www.GetPrepared.ca
As a member of your community, here are some things you can do to get more involved:
• Talk to your friends, family and co-workers about emergency preparedness. Develop the plans you need to make sure you are ready.
• Volunteer to help your neighbours and co-workers get prepared and consider volunteering for a local emergency organization
• Lead efforts in your community. Educate others by teaching them of the importance of emergency preparedness and by encouraging groups to coordinate their efforts.
• Take stock of the emergency response agencies in your community. Ask them what they need and how you can help.
Remember, emergencies can happen anytime, anywhere. Experience has shown that individual preparedness goes a long way towards communities being able to cope better – both during and after a major disaster.
More information is available on Emergency Preparedness at www.prepareyourself.ca and follow us on twitter @jdfemerg.
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5 December 2012
Climate action kits Now available at local librariesThe Capital Regional District (CRD) has partnered with BC Hydro and the Greater Victoria Public Library on a new program that takes climate action to-go.
“The Climate Action To-Go Kit program is an interactive way to educate citizens on climate change and community sustainability issues,” says Larisa Hutcheson, General Manager of CRD Environmental Sustainability. “Each kit provides practical tools to measure household energy use and offers a selection of diverse resources for residents across the region.”
“This initiative is a perfect fit for our library services,” says Maureen Sawa, CEO of the Greater Victoria Public Library. “We recognize that libraries play a key role in creating healthy, green communities and are excited to be a part of an initiative that connects learning with action.”
Each Climate Action To-Go Kit allows users to:• Measure household appliance electricity use with the Kill-A-
Watt Meter• Discover air leaks in walls and around windows using the
Thermal Leak Detector• Test out an ultra-efficient LED light bulb• Assess showerhead hot water efficiency• Learn about local solutions to climate change through films
and books for adults and families
After the kit has been returned, users are encouraged to join the conversation on-line to share their experience and report on efforts to reduce household energy use. Draw prizes include energy-star products and gift certificates for detailed home energy assessments.
“The Climate Action To-Go Kit program is a great way to launch Power Smart month,” says Eric Beevor-Potts of BC Hydro Community Investment. “These kits are a replicable model that can be introduced into any BC community. We applaud the CRD for its continued efforts to engage citizens on conservation issues.”
Kits are available starting this month in all ten branches of the Greater Victoria Public Library. The Sidney/North Saanich branches of the Vancouver Island Regional Library as well as the Salt Spring Island Public Library will also host kits this fall. Sooke and Port Renfrew libraries will have the kits available in December 2012.
For further information, please contact: Cailey Hopkins, Manager, Website and Multimedia Development, CRD Corporate Communications, 250-360-3225.
6 December 2012
ductless Heat Pumps: the latest breakthrough in the Path to a greener Homeby Paul Frezza of Envirotemp Refrigeration
A very effective way to offset your electrical bills is to add a heat pump to your home. Our moderate climate on Vancouver Island is ideal for air source heat pumps. Air source heat pumps capture heat from the outdoor air using the process of refrigeration. This heat is then transferred and released indoors. The heat pump works the same way an air conditioner does, but in reverse. In fact, a heat pump can also cool a home during the summer. Because the heat pump simply moves heat from one place to another, it is three to four times more efficient than using electrical resistance or burning fossil fuel to create heat.
Many homes are heated with inefficient oil, gas or electric furnaces. These can easily have central heat pump systems added, utilizing existing ductwork to create an efficient system.
But what about homes with electric baseboard heat and no ductwork?
Fairly fresh on the scene in North America are inverter-driven ductless heat pumps. These systems consist of a small suitcase-sized heat pump located outside which can accommodate up to four wall-mounted “heads” inside. Multiple heads effectively create different zones within the house. If properly sized, a single head can heat up to 1000 square feet of space, even if the floor plan is not completely open. Each head is controlled with a remote that can change temperature settings, fan speeds, and air direction up, down and side to side. A ductless system can usually be installed in one day with very little disruption in the home. Once the wall head is mounted, everything is done from the outside. This makes for a very clean installation.
The inverter technology enables the system to modulate the output based on ambient temperature, therefore it always consumes the least amount of power necessary to heat or cool the home. The latest inverter heat pumps have a Coefficient of Performance (COP) of up to 5, meaning they produce five times the heat energy than the electrical energy consumed. These systems can typically heat a whole house using the same or even less power than just one baseboard heater. Inverter systems can operate effectively at colder outdoor temperatures, down to -17°C. Inverter technology offers the added benefits of quiet operation and reduced wear and tear on the compressor. These systems are so quiet many people cannot hear them running.
LiveSmart BC currently has rebates available for ductless inverter heat pump systems: $1000 for a single head system, or $1500 for two or more heads installed on different levels of the home. Look for a contractor that employs certified refrigeration mechanics with Forced Air Guidelines training from the Thermal Environmental Comfort Association (TECA). This provides assurance that the installers are educated in air source heat pump systems, as well as yielding an additional $100 grant for the homeowner. The LiveSmart BC efficiency incentive program is available until March 31, 2013.
For more information, check our website, www.envirotemrefrigeration.com or call 250 893-4530.
Your Rural Voice in the Legislature800 Goldstream Ave, Victoria, V9B 2X7250 391 [email protected] www.johnhorgan.com
John Horgan MLA Juan de Fuca
JH-RurObs-0909.indd 1 9/24/09 12:41:00 PM
7 December 2012
Constituency office is now open to serve constituents:
address: A2–100 Aldersmith Pl, Victoria V9A 7M8
hours: 10am–4pm, Monday–Thursday or by appointment
phone: 250-405-6550 fax: 250-405-6554 email: [email protected]
Randall Garrison, MPESQUIMALT–JUAN DE FUCA
We are here to assist constituents with Federal government programs and services.
RG-ad-RO-1110.indd 1 10/18/11 11:47:43 AM
lessons to be learned From Hurricane sandyby Dominique Bernardet
The devastation caused by Hurricane Sandy on the US East Coast highlights once again the value of emergency preparedness. Most of us know what we should do to prepare for earthquakes, floods, power outages or other emergencies. After witnessing the suffering of those living through the destruction of their homes and even whole neighbourhoods, we all say, “I’m going to get an emergency kit ready, because you never know when you might need it.” However, once life returns to normal in the affected area, we put our own emergency preparedness on hold - we don’t follow through.
While Hurricane Sandy is still fresh in your mind, why not take the first step toward protecting your family and put together a pack of emergency supplies to carry in your vehicle? You never know where you will be when disaster strikes – living in rural areas we face long trips to and from work or shopping and are often in our vehicles. What happens if you are not at home, and unable to get there? An auto pack will help turn your vehicle into a comfortable temporary shelter and its contents could be invaluable on your trek home by other means, if that becomes necessary.
Here is a list of items that could prove invaluable to your safety and survival.
Carrying case/light backpack Cash [credit cards and cheques may not be accepted] Drinking cups Dust masks First aid kit Flashlight and batteries Food packets – what you would normally treat yourself
to at home; e.g. gum, granola bars, peanuts, dried fruit Garbage bags Match box and waterproof matches Pencil, felt pen, notebook Toilet paper and toilet bag Prescription medications Eye glasses Moist towelettes Playing cards, children’s games, books AM radio with batteries Survival blankets Utility knife Walking shoes Whistle Work gloves 6 litres of water or juices [bottled or boxed]
One final tip - attempt to keep your gas tank at least half full at all times. It may take you four times as long to get home and gas pumps will probably not be operational. Email: [email protected]
The Conservatives just delivered another monster budget bill—trying to force through 400-plus pages of legislative changes, many unrelated to their actual budget. They’ve clearly learned nothing since the spring, when their last monster bill forced
through 400-plus pages of harmful measures with little debate.There’s nothing in this latest bill to reverse their reckless cuts to OAS, EI, or environmental assessments. Instead, Stephen Harper is pushing through more of the same. For instance, protections for thousands of Canadian waterways are being cut so risky pipeline projects won’t be subject to environmental review.
In just over one year, Stephen Harper’s Conservatives have pushed through several pieces of legislation that make your life harder:
raised the retirement age to 67, making people who are now 50 or younger have to work two years longer to quality for OAS;
gutted environmental regulations and the Fisheries Act. The abandonment of the Bill James dam on DeMamiel Creek and subsequent threat to the 2500 -5000 adult Coho salmon that return to the Creek each year certainly is a good example of the Conservatives putting our local fishery at risk.
97% of Canadian lakes and rivers removed from environmental protection.
cut back Employment Insurance, denying you the help you’re owed when you need it most;
weakened food inspections and drug regulations, risking your health and safety.
Alongside my New Democrat colleagues, I fought these reckless changes. We held cross-country consultations. We burned the midnight oil debating and opposing misguided legislation. We worked hard to hold the Conservatives accountable to you—and that work continues.
As Parliament’s fall session unfolds, I will continue to hold the Conservatives to account—for their reckless cuts, secrecy and fiscal mismanagement. Above all, I will continue defending your interests in Ottawa.
People in Esquimalt Juan de Fuca are resilient. But we deserve a government in Ottawa that can match our commitment to building a better community and a better country. A country where people have real opportunities to get ahead—and no one is left behind.That’s what New Democrats are fighting for.
And finally, as this is the last Rural Observer in 2012 I want to wish everyone a happy Holiday and New Year. I will be holding my annual Xmas Open House December 19 from 4-6pm at my Constituency Office in View Royal – would love to see folks there to help celebrate the Season..
8 December 2012
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9 December 2012
ragley Farm Celebrates 100 YearsIt was a celebration befitting royalty. On August 19th, Ragley Farm celebrated its 100th birthday with high tea, vintage cars, local entertainment, historical tours and gourmet picnic lunches. The community turned out in large numbers dressed in period costumes, giving an air of 1912. We would like to thank all the volunteers and entertainers that gave so generously of their time and helped make the day a wonderful success. *See more photos by Virginia & Dee Wyman on the following pages.
East Sooke Community Calendar Unless otherwise indicated, events & classes are held in the East Sooke Fire Hall downstairs meeting room
santa run through east sooke East Sooke Volunteer Fire DepartmentSaturday, Dec. 15th 5:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.Santa tours community on a Fire Truck Food bank donations gladly collected.
Christmas Pancake breakfastSunday, December 16th 9:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.East Sooke Fire BrigadePlease bring a food bank donation.Our Fire Truck will be in Langford Light Parade Christmas Centrepiece Class Wed., Dec 12th 1:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.Create a holiday basket/ centerpiece/swag from greens & flowers.$20 with supplies. Call 250- 812-9735or Email: [email protected]
east sooke Volunteer Fire department1397 Coppermine RoadFire Practice Thursday nights 7:00 p.m - 9:00 p.m.Chief Roger Beck 250-642-4411
east sooke Fire Protection andemergency services CommissionThird Monday 7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Healthy bodies FitnessCardio & Strength ClassMon., Wed. & Friday 9:30 - 10:30a.m. boot CampTuesday & Thursday.6:30 - 7:30 p.m.Saturday: 9:30 - 10:30 a.m.Inst: Marita 250-589-3947
Jazzercise Tuesday & Thursday 9:30 -10:30 a.m.Instructor: Kayt 250-812-9348
karate Classes For all agesTuesday 6:00 pm - 9:00 pmInstructor: Armin 250-642-3926
Friends of Coppermine Park societyContact: [email protected] New Members Welcome
es women's meditation group Meets Mondays Not held in the Fire hall meeting roomCall for info - 250 642-7282
Community Participation??Coffee Cafe Drop-In for AllQuitters, Knitters & CraftersArt & Craft Society or GuildSeniors Afternoon Coffee ClubInterested in helping with anyof the above community activities,or other suggestions, call Val (250) 812-9735, or [email protected]
10 December 2012
11 December 2012
Photos by Virginia & Dee Wyman
12 December 2012
Calendar of events for shirleyUnless otherwise indicated, events are held at the Shirley Community Hall
shirley Fire departmentPractices held Wednesdays 7:00 – 9:00 p.m.To volunteer – 250-646-2107
shukokai karate for all agesMondays, 6:30-8:00 p.m.Alida – 250-642-4631
YogilatesMondays, 10:00-11:15 [email protected]
shirley Quilters and CraftersThursdays, 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Nia dance/movement Thursdays, 6:45-8:00 p.m. Sundays, 11:00 a.m. - 12:15 [email protected]
PilatesSaturdays, 9:30-10:30 [email protected]
shirley women’s institute 3rd Wednesday of the month: 2:00 p.m. [email protected]
shirley Fire Protection society meetingSunday, December 9, 20122:00 p.m.
Family Christmas Party and soup lunchSaturday, December 15th
11:30 a.m. – 2 p.m.
shirley Community association meetingWednesday, January 9, 20137:30 p.m.
soup lunchesSaturday, January 19, 2013Saturday, February 16, 201311:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.By donation
Food sustainability for shirleyFor more information:Dominique Bernardet 250-646-2528
remembrance day in shirley
Shirley Resident Jan van de Linde
Youthful participant, Allen Powell, at Shirley’sRemembrance Day Ceremony
Photos by Marcie Gauntlett
13 December 2012
a bit of goudie Family Historyby Elida Peers, Historian, Sooke Region Museum
The Goudie name goes way back in the history of British Columbia. John Goudie, pictured, was born in Fort Colville (Washington State) in 1836, eldest son of a Hudson’s Bay Company official. John’s dad, James Goudie, born in the Hebrides, had arrived by sailing ship and was posted first at Fort Vancouver on the Columbia River, where he met and courted Catherine, of the Nez Perce people.
After the Oregon Treaty was enacted in 1846, James and Catherine Goudie moved their family north to Fort Victoria, where James continued in service of the HBC. While two members of the Goudie family met disaster on the Cariboo route to the goldfields, son John went to Texada Island to fell timber.
The rainforest west of Sooke was attracting the attention of Victoria entrepreneurs as early as 1880, when W P Sayward
employed two particularly skilled and hefty outdoorsmen, John Goudie and his cousin Joseph Poirier. The 1881 federal census lists John Goudie as a “chopper.”
John had pre-empted Section 23 at Muir Creek, and married Mary Ann Vautrin. Among the nine children born to John and Mary Ann were: Dora Jane, who was to marry James George French (think French Beach), James who married Lily Michelsen, George who married Lizzie Poirier, Pearl who married Herbert Stephens, and Kate who married Frank Hughes.
In the 1890s, John and Mary Ann Goudie and their children were living in a cabin community near the Strait on the east bank of Muir Creek. While there was no actual road a wagon trail connected them to the Tugwell/Gordon farm that we know as Gordon’s beach. Traversing Tugwell Creek meant treading carefully over logs near the mouth. John Goudie worked in the business of harvesting seeds and cones, begun by Thomas Tugwell, for market in the British Isles.
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continues on page 14
14 December 2012
John Goudie also contracted to maintain a ten mile section of the government telegraph trail, from Point No Point to Otter Point, which he carried out for ten years. Another activity that brought in cash was gathering tannin bark from Western Hemlock trees, shipping the bundles to Victoria tanneries for tanning hides.
A school for their children was important to pioneer families. In 1899, the settlers used logs to build Tugwell School on the route between Muir and Tugwell Creeks. The five Goudie children who were registered that year hiked up the hill, then crossed over what we used to call Skookum Gulch, now entirely filled in by a fine new road system. They would meet up with their friends including the Anderson children who had walked or ridden ponies from Malahat Farm. The exact location of Tugwell School, pictured, continues to be uncertain, but is believed to be the waterside edge of today’s highway 14 between Blackfish and Anderson Roads.
As fate would have it, the school’s life was short lived. When John Goudie, at the age of 72, left Muir Creek in 1908 and moved eastward, the loss in pupil count closed the pioneer school. The second school in Otter Point, Emerson School on Otter Point Road near Kemp Lake Road, opened that year.
Goudie Road, in the DeMamiel Stream watershed, received its name much later, and is reached via Robinson Road and Tugwell Road. In the early 1930s, the watershed of Goudie Creek was logged by Milligans. In the late 1980s, Goudie Creek watershed was logged again, by Malloch and Moseley. While John Goudie passed away at the Saanich home of his daughter in 1914, his many descendants have played a large role in the area’s development.
John’s son George settled in the Kemp Lake Road area, where he and his wife Lizzie Poirier raised six children. George’s eldest son Harold followed his dad and grandfather in the logging industry, and a point of interest in today’s world is that Harold’s eldest son Norman, continuing in the family footsteps, became a renowned axeman himself.
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Throughout his life, muscular Norm Goudie, great-grandson of John, who makes his home in Sooke, has won many championships in chopping, springboard chop, axe-throwing and other logger sports, besides representing Canada in international competitions and logger sports exhibitions.
musings on music by Heather DeRome
No greater gift
It’s getting to be that time of year when we all start thinking about PREZZIES!!!
However, I want to talk about GIFTS. I am both a student and a teacher and frankly, I don’t know which is better. It’s often hard to tell who is learning more anyway. I love my students like I love my kids. I am their fiercest advocate and their biggest fan. And I adore my mentors beyond anything words can describe. I have such intense admiration for them, their skills and accomplishments and the spirit that drives their creativity.
It is a tremendous source of satisfaction for me to watch my students grow and develop, both as musicians and as human beings. Music increases our intelligence, enhances our social skills, enables us to love more deeply and connects us with our spirituality. Who ever thought that this kind of magic could happen simply by saying put this finger here and put that finger there?
My current teacher, Scott Tennant, is one of the world’s top players. Every now and then I marvel and wonder, “Why me?” There must be over a million guitarists who would die to be studying with him. It’s not like I am a better player than they all are… I wish... My first lesson, or the audition, began with me playing something for him. Miraculously I played it the best I have ever played it. Then panic set in and I could not play anything else. Maybe he saw potential on the one hand and lots to work towards, on the other. Myself, I had some burning questions, in case I was not accepted as his private student. If you are at the top of the top, how did you do it? Were you born being able to do it? When you play at Carnegie Hall do you get nervous just like I do when I play for you? Do you need to work really hard like I do, or can you just do it?
His answers were very honest, and I learned that he is pretty much like the rest of us. He spoke about his challenges and about how he learns. He gets nervous just like me, so he always starts concerts with pieces he can play with shaky hands. Talking about practice habits, I could see he has incredible focus. (“Heather, basically I practise slow enough that it’s impossible for me to make a mistake, then I repeat it as often as necessary, for me to be able to do it every time”). It was inspiring . . . He is so uncompromising both about sheer mechanics and about his artistry. It was what I needed to know, and I needed to hear it
from someone at his level. It seemed to give me permission to jump off the mountain-top and free fall into my dreams, hopes and aspirations.
Over and over, with every student and with myself too, I have witnessed how becoming a better musician makes us better people. I also think that serious students should teach as well. Teaching helps us hone our knowledge and challenges us to remain flexible with our ideas. It is a tremendous source of satisfaction to share our wisdom and knowledge about the things that we care about so deeply. Really, the give and take in teaching and learning is one of the greatest gifts life has to offer.
Heather DeRome is a guitarist/composer who lives and teaches in East Sooke and performs in the Greater Victoria area. www.heatherderome.com
15 December 2012
The Commission meets on the fourth Tuesday of every month at 3pm, Juan de Fuca Electoral Area Office, #2 – 6868 West Coast Road
Public Welcome to AttendFor more information, visit www.crd.bc.ca/jdf/parks.
For meeting confirmation or enquiries, please call 250.642.1500.
Juan de Fuca Electoral Area Parks and Recreation Commission
It’s hard to believe that it has been almost a year since our Electoral Area and municipal elections. Many great things have taken place, and many great things are in the works.
The Provincial Government has spent over 20 million dollars improving the
Pacific Marine Circle Route between Lake Cowichan and Sooke. The last of the bridge construction should be completed in December. The newly paved highway not only provides a safer highway for residents, but also a huge economic stimulus resulting from the hundreds of daily travelers eager to experience the natural wonders along the route.
Our Malahat residents will be benefiting from the new concrete partition separating the lanes. Hopefully this will result in a safer drive, fewer accidents and less stress for Chief Patterson and our Malahat fire fighters.
Vancouver Island Regional Library will be building a new facility in the Port Renfrew Recreation Centre. The small 750 square foot library will join the Post Office and Chamber of Commerce in the newly renovated building, providing a fantastic service to the residents of Port Renfrew and Pacheedaht First Nations. The new library should be completed in the spring. This coming spring Western Forest Products will be transferring ownership of their Jordan River lands purchased by the CRD. Extensive planning will take place in the very near future and, in addition to the broader community, I will be leaning on our Jordan River residents, surfers and Pacheedaht and T’Sou-ke First Nations to help provide direction. In the meantime, we will be working on the feasibility of fire service in Jordan River.
Shirley fire department’s Chief Donovan Ray has retired after years of tremendous service. The community is sad to see Donovan leave but welcomes Marty Gilbertson as their new Chief. Recently the department erected a new mast which will work with CREST’s new transmitting tower,
providing enhanced reception for Shirley fire fighters.
The Royal Canadian Marine Search and Rescue Society have purchased the historic 25 acre waterfront Glenairley property in East Sooke. They will be using the existing facilities as a training centre for their members throughout British Columbia. After a province wide search, East Sooke was chosen as the ideal location for their training. Factors such as the afternoon Westerly in the Strait of Juan de Fuca, winter storms, extreme navigation in the Sooke Basin, heavy fog and close proximity to surf were positive features of the Juan de Fuca leading to their decision.
The East Sooke Fire Department has completed their feasibility study of their proposed new fire hall. After presenting their plans to the community, they hope to go to referendum in the near future. Willis Point residents are working on an addition to their fire hall and are close to pouring some concrete. The “Pointers” are saying goodbye to their long serving Chairman of the Willis Point Community Association, Bill Douglas, and welcoming Jeff Irwin as their new chairman.
Otter Point residents continue working towards their OCP review and patiently await the second draft which hopefully will be completed in December or January. Long time CRD/JDF employee Donna White retired after decades of service to our JDF community. Through the years, builders and residents could always count on her professional, steady, reliable advice and service. Although Donna will be truly missed, we welcome her replacement Lyne Moyes transferring from the CRD Victoria office. My duties as CRD director have me on a committee to help chose a replacement for CAO Kelly Daniels, meeting with the Province and First Nations on treaty settlement matters, working on the CRD Parks committee, and making presentations to the Finance and Planning committees on important matters to the Juan de Fuca.
I feel that we are starting to see long lasting improvements to the communities within the Juan de Fuca and, “touch wood”, I can say that I am really enjoying the job of representing the Juan de Fuca.
Have a great holiday season!
16 December 2012
From the desk of mike Hicks, JdF regional director
December 201217
Rural RECIPE
It is almost winter time and at Ragley Farm the market is still open. As we have done for many years, we like to keep the Saturday gatherings going until mid-December, just before the holidays. And although produce is not in such abundance as in summer months, the shelves are full of winter vegetables, dried flowers, preserves and fresh baking. What a perfect time for hot soup, good coffee, good music and chatting with friends and neighbours in the warmth of the lounge, our coffee room.
Here is a recipe for one of the soups served at Ragley:
borscht
Chop onions and grate beets and carrots in whatever quantities you have on hand (within reason)
Sauté the vegetables in oil for approx 20 minutes or until all vegetables are lightly caramelized.
Add water, tomato sauce, grated potato and dill and cook until done. Season with salt, pepper and a little red wine vinegar.
Serve with a generous dollop of sour cream or yogurt, and a sprinkle of parsley for colour. Enjoy!!!
Taken at Ragley Farm’s 100 Year Celebration, members of the Alderliesten family: Peter, John (father), James and Gloria. The Alderliesten family has
created the “Ragley Historical Society”, collecting objects found at the Farm.Photo by Virginia & Dee Wyman
On Our Cover
December 201218
From the desk of John Horgan, mla Juan de Fuca
the enbridge Northern gateway Project -- all the risk and very little reward
Energy issues dominate my role as an opposition critic in the Legislature. How we power our homes and industry has become a cost issue as well as an environmental
one. Indeed, multiple account evaluation - social, economic and environmental - drives our decisions as individuals and as a prosperous society.
Two current debates, the transportation of Alberta oil sands bitumen and the development of cleaner natural gas here in BC, will have a significant impact on our future.
Firstly, the movement of bitumen and the Northern Gateway Project. The planned pipeline will cross nearly 800 streams and traverse remote and highly valued areas of British Columbia, while carrying approximately 525,000 barrels of oil and 193,000 barrels of liquid condensate daily. It will bring approximately 225 oil tankers to the north coast of our province every year to transport the unrefined oil to China, the United States and other foreign destinations.
The Northern Gateway Project has the potential for considerable and long-term negative impacts on BC’s economy and our social and cultural fabric. It will require lifting the current tanker moratorium and the Tanker Exclusion Zone off our north coast. The risk of oil spills will be significant and will threaten our lands and waters across northern BC. Our valuable environment and local species will be put in jeopardy.
In January, my Opposition colleagues and I sent a detailed critique of the Enbridge proposal to the National Energy Board. As hearings began in communities across BC and Alberta, increasing numbers of individuals and communities voiced formal opposition to the pipeline and the accompanying tanker traffic. Opposition to the plan culminated on October 22nd, when thousands of British Columbians rallied in protest at the Legislature.
Yet, despite public sentiment and significant dangers, until recently, the BC Government remained silent on Enbridge’s proposal. They wasted months trying to avoid taking a stance on the project. They failed to provide evidence to the review panel, and gave complete control of the environmental assessment process to the federal government.
The Province needs to take back authority to protect BC’s interest by cancelling the current agreement to defer to the federal government’s review process. We need a rigorous, made in BC environmental assessment so that all interests – economic, social, environmental – can be fully addressed and First Nations’ interests and rights are properly recognized.
International trade and responsible resource extraction are essential not only to BC’s economy but also Canada’s financial stability. These industries create good-paying jobs and vibrant communities. They help to create a strong British Columbia. But we need to be clear about resource development and extraction and the inherent risks they bring. We need to have a serious government that takes full responsibility and ensures that environmental protections are in place now, not after the processes unfold.
That is why I support further development of our natural gas resource. It means jobs in BC, revenue from royalties and taxes from industry profits here, not in Alberta. I have traveled to the north east and visited drill sites in the Peace country many times. I have sat in kitchens, lunchrooms and boardrooms listening to the stakeholders directly affected by natural gas development and I have found that there is no consensus on how best to proceed.
What is evident, though, is that we need to establish a scientific panel to review practices in BC with a view to monitoring seismic activity, exposing chemical use, water use and disposal and the climate change implications of natural gas extraction. We need to ensure the Water Act is modernized to protect ground water and fully fund the Farmers’ Advocate office so that local residents can bring their concerns to an independent office not constrained by government or industry bias.
Transporting natural gas is much safer than raw bitumen. Operators need to be regulated to protect the public interest and maintain jobs and revenue. But again, I emphasize that it must come with the serious responsibility of ensuring strong protections are put in place. I think there is a real opportunity to make this work.
Under the Enbridge proposal, British Columbia would assume almost all the project’s risk, but would see only a fraction of the benefits. Such a high-risk, low-return approach simply isn’t in BC’s best interest. What do you think? Contact me at [email protected].
A Sea of Bloom p.5 250-642-3952
Alice McLean Pottery p.16 250-642-3522
Coastal Crunch Granola p.3 250-642-7906
Custom Digging p.18 250-413-7685
Deb’s Barbershop p.14 250-391-7566
Doug Read - Pemberton Holmes Realty p.8 250-642-2705
East Sooke Yoga p.8 250-642-2142
Envirotemp Refrigeration p.6 250-893-4530
Felix Irwin - Chartered Accountant p.4 250-642-5277
FOREVER Embroidery p.4 250-642-0446
Fotoprint p.2 250-382-8218
From the Garden... at French Beach p.13 250-646-2425
Hugh Gregory Fine Painting p.14 250-480-8295
James Craven & Associates p.5 250-744-9455
JdF Emergency Program pp.4,7 250-642-2266
JdF Parks & Recreation Commission p.15 250-642-1500
John Horgan - Juan de Fuca MLA p.6 250-391-2801
Juan de Fuca Veterinary Clinic p.5 250-478-0422
KC Natural Homes p.15 250-642-0535
Kimmel Massage Therapist p.13 250-646-2865
Markus’ Wharfside Restaurant p.7 250-642-3596
Marlene Bowman - Seagirt Pottery p.17 250-642-7620
Mosaic West Consulting Services p. 11 250-642-0399
Noella LeDrew, Graphic & Web Design pp.2,19 778-528-2282
Numa Farms p.4 250-474-6005
Otter Point Electric p.8 250-588-4324
Race Rocks Automotive p.5 250-478-1920
Randall Garrison, MP p.7 250-405-6550
Rural Observer - Advertising pp.2,19 250-642-1714
Sage Garden Services p.18 250-217-8797
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Pres. Soc. p.20 250-646-2528
Sooke Harbour House p.17 250-642-3421
Spanish Lessons p.10 250-642-1714
Tale of the Whale p.15 250-642-6161
The Stick In The Mud Cafe p.5 250-642-5635
Victoria Alarm Service p.7 250-721-0266
Walk, Sit & Stay - Dog Walking p.9 250-642-0458
Westside InstaPrint p.16 250-478-5533
Worklink p.5 250-642-9525
December 201219
Vivi CurutchetAdvertising Sales
Ph: (250) 642-1714Email: [email protected]
the rural observer’s publicationschedule for 2013:March Issue - Feb. 28, 2013
May Issue - May 2, 2013
July/Aug. Issue - June 27, 2013
October Issue - Oct. 3, 2013
December Issue - Dec. 5, 2013
CONTRIBUTE TO THE RURAL OBSERVER If you have an activity of a rural nature in the Juan de Fuca area that you would like covered, please send it to us. We cannot promise to print every article, but we try to, if and when space allows. Any thoughts or questions, please email us! [email protected]
December 201220
SHERINGHAMLIGHTHOUSE.ORG
Celebrate
The Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society was established in 2003. The Society is incorporated under the Society Act of British Columbia, File #S47588 - May 17, 2004. The Society is registered as a charity by the Canada Revenue Agency, #858885940RR0001, July 29, 2004.
Go to www.sheringhamlighthouse.org and click on “Celebrate 100 Years”
to find out what’s happening for the 100th anniversary
of the lighthouse.
Please join the Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society.
Every day the Society volunteersare working to preserve
and protect the lighthousebuilding, the accessand the surrounding
property. Yourmembership
can makea difference.
The Sheringham Point Lighthouse is 100 YEARS OLD
100 years of service