WEDNESDAY
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May 2, 2012
A division of
Vol. 27 No. 35
COMOX VALLEY RECORD Your community. Your newspaper. www.comoxvalleyrecord.com
Practising CF-18 jet hurts ears
CARTOON KING
Erin Haluschak
Bob Castle is an award-winning cartoonist. ■ 5
BANZAI BACK
Champions again. For the 18th time in the 30-year history of the Royal LePage Comox Valley Snow to Surf Adventure Relay Event, the Westerly Hotel Brian McLean Banzai men’s team was first to ring the bell Sunday at the Comox Marina. They covered the approximate 80-kilometre course in an unofficial 3:17:19. “We took a year off and then came back and had a real tight race,” said Banzai team captain Bill Brett, 53.
... Complete story on ■ 26
FINDER ■ Weather
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■ Arts
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■ Editorial
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■ Opinion
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■ Village in the Forest ■ Living Spaces
INSIDE INSIDE
Record Staff
Residents living in Kin Beach say noise from the CF-18 jet practising at nearby 19 Wing Comox is “way beyond normal.” Floyd Trotter explained he, along with his wife and neighbours, are concerned with noise produced by the plane, which is training with the Snowbirds for the next week. “I measured the noise outside and it registered at 115 decibels,” Trotter explained. “(At that level), you’re risking hearing loss.” He added the plane flies near their home close to the base twice a day, and he nor his wife can have a conversation, talk on the phone or watch TV inside their home. Trotter noted the Snowbirds pass by his home and register only 88 decibels. He said the base in the past has been good working with their neighbourhood, but wishes they could do something about the jet training overhead. “They’ve worked with us well for the last 10 years, but you would think with all of the technology, they could make their machines a lot quieter,” he noted. Lieut. Trevor Reid, public affairs officer at 19 Wing Comox, explained due to the low cloud cover over the airfield Monday, the sound may have increased near ground level due to a blanketing effect. “We do take steps to minimize the limits of activities of the demonstration teams within normal daytime and working hours. We try and limit the Snowbirds practice to 45 minutes and the CF-18 from 20 minutes to half an hour,” he said, and added the base does employ tactics to minimize noise disturbances to area residents. The Snowbirds and F-18 will practise over the Comox Valley until May 5. photos@comoxvalleyrecord.com
LENORE COOK UNDERWENT open heart surgery in February. The 82-year-old will attend the First Open Heart Society of BC Comox Valley chapter’s annual Walk for Hearts this Sunday. PHOTO BY RENÉE ANDOR
These hearts need some help Renée Andor Record Staff
The community is invited out to the sixth annual Walk for Hearts fundraiser this Sunday. According to the Comox Valley Walk for Hearts chairperson Bernie Poole, the money raised will stay here with the majority going to St. Joseph’s Hospital Foundation to help support cardiac care initiatives. But the walk is also to create awareness about the Comox Valley chapter of the First Open Heart Society of BC (FOHS), according to director Lenore Cook. “It isn’t just the money we raise,” said the 82-year-old Comox resident. “It sort of shows to the community that we’re there, and that if anyone needs support they don’t have to join us, they don’t have to be a member, they don’t
have to pay anything for the meetings, they just come to the meetings if they’re interested.” The monthly meetings are designed to help support heart surgery patients through what can often be a frightening time in their lives, according to Cook. And she should know since she underwent open heart surgery in late February — for the second time after having surgery 10 years ago. She said the support services of the society are important to her, and to many others in the Valley. “It’s important to have support if you do have heart problems and to understand the importance of keeping fit,” said Cook. She added recent cardiac surgery patients should start walking programs to help get their strength back slowly, noting this is the reason for the ‘walking’
fundraiser, rather than some other activity. Registration for the walk starts at 10 a.m. in the Evergreen Lounge at the Florence Filberg Centre. The walk starts at 10:30 a.m. and walkers will go to and around the Courtenay Airpark and back. Participants can walk as much or as little as they can. Last year the walk raised almost $6,000. Poole hopes to beat that number this year. To get a pledge sheet, call Poole at 250339-5349. Or, donations can be given to FOHS at the time of the walk. FOHS meets every third Wednesday of the month, except for June, July, August and December, at 7 p.m. at the Comox Recreation Centre, at 1855 Noel Ave. The group has various guests speak on a variety of topics. writer@comoxvalleyrecord.com
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