Issuu

TUESDAY DECEMBER 23, 2014

Black Press C O M M U N I T Y

N E W S

M E D I A

www.pqbnews.com

BCYCNA

Silver 2013 General Excellence

KICKSTART A RESOLUTION

LAST MINUTE LOCAL GIFTS

Beth Alden’s gym started from humble beginnings

A French Creek artist who says she was inspired by Edgar Allen Poe

A15

A13

RE-STARTING PASSENGER RAIL SERVICE

Safety is number one ICF still waiting for the bulk of the funding it needs for the rails JOHN HARDING editor@pqbnews.com

The Island Corridor Foundation’s plan to re-start passenger rail service is now in the hands of the B.C. Safety Authority. ICF CEO Graham Bruce has consistently said the service could be restarted with $21 million of funding from the regional districts, the province and Ottawa. The ICF has about $7 million from the regional districts and is awaiting the balance from Victoria and the federal government. “The ministry has completed its review of the Island Corridor Foundation’s business plan,” a B.C. Ministry of Transportation official told The NEWS last week. “The B.C. Safety Authority has engaged a consultant to review the upgrade plan. Viability of the service requires that both plans be considered together because financial predictions in the business plan will depend upon the upgrade and long term maintenance requirements.” Passenger rail service was suspended in 2011 due to unsafe track conditions. Parksville-Qualicum Beach MLA Michelle Stilwell echoed the comments of the transportation ministry spokesperson. “The province’s position has been really clear: we’re committed to supporting the corridor, but plans for rail service have to prove that service will be both safe and sustainable,” said Stilwell. “Safety is my first priority no matter where or when the train travels.” Stilwell also didn’t rule out a different use for the corridor. “I want to see the island corridor used in a way that has the most positive and long-lasting impact for the people and businesses in our community and all of the other towns and cities that have a stake in this process,” she said.

The Year in Review

Remember the explosion in Dashwood? How about the local people who appeared in front of the Dragons? Or the emotional debate about school closures? The past year has been full of news — good, bad, inspiring and otherwise. Starting today on page A5, and continuing in our next three editions, our staff gives readers a look back at stories from every paper we published in 2014. Thanks for all of your support in 2014. — John Harding

AUREN RUVINSKY PHOTO

SPREADING A GOOD MESSAGE: Local Grade 4-7 students hand decorated 1,000 paper bags to help the government liquor stores spread the message of drinking responsibly over the holidays. “It really supports our goal of promoting social responsibility,” said Wembley Mall store manager Rich Cordocedo, above at right. “It gets the conversation started,” said Oceanside RCMP Const. George Minshull, who organized the project.

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Tuesday, December 23, 2014 The Parksville Qualicum Beach News

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The Parksville Qualicum Beach News Tuesday, December 23, 2014

Page Three

www.pqbnews.com

THE PQB NEWS TEAM: John, Candace, Jessica & Auren E-mail: editor@pqbnews.com Phone: 250-905-0019

STARTING POINT

Black Press buys Star, other Island papers

Black Press, the owner of The NEWS, has acquired a number of newspaper titles and related publications and digital properties from Glacier Media, including the Parksville-based Oceanside Star. Other papers purchased include: The Nanaimo Daily News, The Harbour City Star, The Alberni Valley Times, The Cowichan Citizen, Tofino/Ucluelet Westerly News, The Comox Valley Echo and Campbell River Courier on Vancouver Island as well as Surrey Now, Langley Advance and Maple Ridge Times in the Lower Mainland. Black Press will take over operations in Courtenay-Comox, Ucluelet/Tofino and at the Oceanside Star on Jan. 1 and the remainder of the publications and their websites on March 2, 2015, according to a news release from Black Press. In a separate transaction, Black Press is also selling the Tri-City News, Burnaby New West Newsleader and the Richmond Review to Glacier Media. They will assume operational control of these operations on March 2nd, 2015 as well. “While we are pleased with the acquisitions, we are disappointed to be selling these excellent community newspapers,” said Black Press president and CEO Rick O’Connor. “We believe in the value our Black Press colleagues at these newspapers have created and the many long time staff members will be missed. However, as we move through these changing times in media, it is important that we align our strategic interests to better position the company for the future. We are great believers in community newspapers and the value they provide. With these changes, we believe readers and advertisers will be better served and the company will be stronger moving forward.” — NEWS Staff/Black Press news release

INSIDE Arts & Entertainment . . A13 Classifieds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A17 Business Profile . . . . . . . . . . . . A15

Opinion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A10 Letters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A11 Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A19-A20

WHAT’S ONLINE?

www.pqbnews.com Get the full story. Watch for these icons in our regular articles, then go to www.pqbnews.com for extended content. ONLINE www.pqbnews.com

Add your COMMENTS at www.pqbnews.com

PETER MCCULLY PHOTO

Rick Hopkins installs cabinets at the new Qualicum Beach Kiwanis Co-op Housing Project while Dominique Genereux, middle, presents her $100 donation to Walter Hoogland, left, and Pat Webber of the Kiwanis Co-op Housing Society.

STUDENT DONATES SOME OF HER UNIVERSITY SAVINGS

‘She’s a pretty good kid’ JESSICA SKELTON reporter@pqbnews.com

Dominique Genereux, 17, donated $100 from her university savings to the Qualicum Park Village Affordable Housing Project last week and she’s daring others in the community to match those funds. “It’s $100; a lot of people could make that in Qualicum Beach,” said Genereux. The KSS student said she wanted to make the donation an amount that was small enough for people to match, but big enough to make a difference. Her $100 came from the money she earned working at a part-time job to help pay for university expenses like books. Genereux, who’s mother is a director on the Kiwanis Housing Society board, knew that the

Fill that stocking!

Follow us on Twitter: www.twitter.com/ParksvilleNews and Facebook: www.facebook.com/PQBNews HOW TO REACH US: General: Phone 250-248-4341; Fax 250-248-4655 Publisher: Peter McCully . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . publisher@pqbnews .com Editor: John Harding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .250-905-0019 - editor@pqbnews .com Advertising: Brenda Boyd . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .250-905-0013 - bboyd@pqbnews .com Production: Peggy Sidbeck . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250-905-0016 - team@pqbnews .com Circulation: Laurie Fairbanks . . . . . . . .250-905-0017 - circulation@pqbnews .com Classified display: Pauline Stead . . . . . . . .250-905-0012 - office@pqbnews .com Community Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . events@pqbnews .com

Affordable Housing Project was the avenue in which she wanted to help the community as soon as she went to the site. “When I saw it I thought, ‘This is so great.’ Qualicum needs this,” she said. “It’s great for the community.” “She’s a pretty good kid,” said Genereux’s mother, who is proud of her daughter’s donation. “She’s going to do good things in this world.” Genereux aims to go to UVic next year to take applied sciences in the hope of becoming an engineer. Michelle Genereux said if people want to take on her daughter’s challenge, they can donate their $100 though Pat Weber, president of the Kiwanis Housing Society, at 250-951-1159 or they can donate online at: qualicumaffordablehousing.com

$115,000

$71,111

The SOS Caring for Kids at Christmas Campaign aims to provide all local children with a gift to unwrap on Christmas morning. The program also distributes grocery store gift cards to families and individuals of all ages so they can look forward to a special meal at Christmas. In order to meet the needs of everyone who registers for the program, the SOS needs to raise $115,000. Check this page every Tuesday until Christmas, as The NEWS posts an update of the money raised, displayed on this stocking. Please give if you can, your community does need you. Donations can be dropped off or mailed in to PO Box 898, 245 West Hirst Ave, Parksville, V9P 2G9 or online: www.sosd69.com. Thank you for caring!

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Tuesday, December 23, 2014 The Parksville Qualicum Beach News

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The Parksville Qualicum Beach News Tuesday, December 23, 2014

www.pqbnews.com

2014 — YEAR IN REVIEW

January-March: the flu and civil disobedience Editor’s note: our staff has spent some time looking back at 2014 and we are pleased to present highlights from The NEWS in this 2014—Year in Review special. Today, we look at January through March. In our next edition, we will feature April through June, followed Dec. 30 by July through September and Jan. 2 by October through December. Thank-you for all your support this year and best wishes to all for a happy and healthy 2015. Jan. 2 • Christmas is over and if you’re looking for a place to dispose of old trees, the World Parrot Refuge in Errington is a good place to start. “Parrots are comparable to beavers when it comes to chewing wood,” said WPR supervisor Stephanie Martin. “So we’re asking people to bring their used trees here for the parrots.” • A bold and boisterous 10-piece band is bringing Afro-beat, funk, Latin and hip hop to the Errington Hall Jan. 11. The Vancouver based Five Alarm Funk’s live performance has been described as “a blast of aural power, spiriting away any inclination listeners might have to sit back and relax.” Jan. 7 • The Regional District of Nanaimo is holding a public hearing on proposed bylaws that would accommodate new federal laws around growing medical marijuana. If adopted, two new bylaws will allow medical marijuana production facilities, licensed under the new Federal Marihuana for Medical Purposes Regulations on some specific types of land. • It took a few days, but Parksville Qualicum Beach finally welcomed the first baby of 2014. Jack Schultz came into the world on Jan. 3 at 11:56 p.m. — all nine pounds, eight ounces of him. “He’s perfectly healthy,” said the newborn’s mother Janice, beaming with a natural glow. Jan. 9 • The president of Compliance Energy says the company will re-submit its application for the Raven coal mine project by the end of March. In May 2013, the B.C. Environmental Assessment Office rejected the application for the proposed mine near Buckley Bay, less than 50 km from Qualicum Beach, saying “the application does not contain the required information and (the EAO) has decided not to accept the application for detailed review.” • Incandescent light bulbs are still available in many local stores, but not for long. A long discussed federal ban on inefficient light bulbs went into effect across the country Jan. 1, favouring more efficient and expensive alternatives like Would you like delivery of the PQB NEWS? Getting the PQB NEWS & want to hold your delivery? Call today to start delivery of the PQB NEWS, or to schedule your hold and restart dates, before you travel.

LAURIE FAIRBANKS Circulation

Phone:

250-905-0017 Email:

circulation@pqbnews.com

LISSA ALEXANDER PHOTO

BRRRR: A huge crowd of brave souls turned out to take part in the Polar Bear Splash Jan. 1 in Parksville. There were 290 people registered for the swim and many others of all ages who got down to their swimsuits and skivvies and plunged into the cold waters.

light emitting diodes (LED) or compact fluorescent (CFL). Jan. 14 • Local pharmacies have run out of vaccine in the middle of what’s become a bad year for the flu. Island Health reports it distributed more than 200,000 doses of vaccine, a 12 per cent increase over last year. Since Dec. 1 there have been 57 people in Island Health hospitals who have tested positive for influenza. • Mayor Chris Burger says he believes school closures are coming to Parksville Qualicum Beach soon and he is trying to start the conversation about how these facilities may be utilized by the community. The school board is expected to act on public feedback and reports at its Jan. 28 meeting. “I think it is, certainly to the extent we have 4,000 students and 6,000 capacity, we’re going to see some facility closures — I think that is a fait accompli,” said Burger. The facility closures “are going to have to ultimately occur.” Jan. 16 • For the second time in three elections, Qualicum Beach voters may be asked to

increase the size of their town council. Mayor Teunis Westbroek gave council notice that he will put a motion forward to ask the public to increase the size of council to seven members (six councillors plus the mayor) from its current five. • The $40 million water service project in the works for Parksville and Nanoose Bay is about six months behind schedule, but a $400,000 grant announced Tuesday shows it is still rolling along. “We applied for it, so we knew the application was in, but it’s definitely a pleasant bonus,” said Englishman River Water Service program manager Mike Squire of the federal Gas Tax Funds disbursed Tuesday. Jan. 21 • An outbreak alert in a residential home in downtown Parksville saw five residents on quarantine and four staff members on sick leave. Vancouver Island Health Authority declared the alert in Stanford Place Care Campus Jan. 13 and lifted it Jan. 17. VIHA spokesperson Sarah Plank said all five of the affected resident’s symptoms have resolved.

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• The first blueprint for a retirement home in Bowser was drafted last week. “It’s a big step,” said Dick Stubbs, president of the Bowser Seniors’ Housing Society, a volunteer-based charitable organization determined to develop affordable senior housing. It comes after eight years of planning, two needs-assessment studies, public focus groups and plenty of internal meetings. Jan. 23 • The beach at Eaglecrest is disappearing and Qualicum Beach will follow suit, says resident Jim Cross. A breakwater shaped like a hook at French Creek Marina may be to blame, said Cross, who has owned his property in Eaglecrest since 1987. • Deep Bay’s Greg Boulton said he’ll turn to civil disobedience to protect his beloved shoreline, now occupied with track vehicles and workers hauling mounds of seaweed. “If we don’t stop it now we’re in trouble,” said Boulton. “We’ve been raping the planet long enough.” CONTINUED ON page A6

www.pqbnews.com

Tuesday, December 23, 2014 The Parksville Qualicum Beach News

2014 — YEAR IN REVIEW

Hundreds of Community event photos online at:

January through March

facebook.com/PQBnews

CONTINUED FROM PAGE A5

Silent Night Holy Night

The Christian Churches of the Oceanside Ministerial wish you a joyful Christmas.

We invite you to join us to celebrate the birth of Christ, God’s gift of love, at any of the following special services. Knox United Church

Our Saviour Lutheran Church

Christ’s Church Oceanside

Anglican Network in Canada. Services held at

Christmas Eve Contemplative Service 4:00pm Christmas Eve Family Candlelight Service: 7:00pm Christmas Eve Service With Candlelight & Communion: 11pm www.kucparksville.ca

795 W. Island Hwy, Parksville 250-248-6644 “Home of the BC Mission Boat”

Wednesday, December 24 Candlelight and Carols: 7pm Thursday, December 25 Carols and Communion: 10am www.oursaviourlutheranchurch.ca

Wed., Dec. 24 Holy Communion 7:00pm Thurs., Dec. 25 Holy Communion 10:00am www.christschurchoceanside.org

St. Columba Presbyterian Church

Catholic Church of Ascension

Wednesday, December 24 Candlelight Service: 7:00pm Sunday, December 28 Morning Worship: 10:30am

Christmas Eve, December 24

Corner of Pym and Humphrey Streets 250-248-3927

921 Wembley Road, Parksville 250-248-2348

Nanoose Place, 2925 Northwest Bay Rd. 250-752-2942

Qualicum Baptist Church

600 Beach Road, Qualicum Beach (behind the train station)

887 Wembley Road, Parksville 250-248-3747

❄

Wednesday, December 24 Christmas Eve Candlelight Carols Service: 6:30pm

Masses: 5:00pm, 7:30pm & 10pm Christmas Day, December 25 Mass: 11:00am

✳

❆ Arbutus Grove Church 170 W. Hirst Ave., Parksville 250-248-6474

Christian Fellowship Centre

❄ ❄

825 Village Way, Qualicum Beach 250-752-5513

Wednesday, December 24 7pm - Christmas Eve Service No Christmas Day Service.

Christmas Eve, December 24 Candlelight and Carols: 8pm

arbutusgrove.org

www.cfcchurch.com

St. Stephen’s United Church

St. Mark’s Anglican Church

150 Village Way, Qualicum Beach 250-752-9831

138 Hoylake Road West, Qualicum Beach 250-752-5414

Christmas Eve Services Family Service: 4pm Carols & Candle Lighting: 7pm & 9pm

Tuesday, December 24 Holy Communion with Carols: 7:30pm & 10:30pm Wednesday, December 25 Holy Communion (no music): 10am

www.ststephensucqualicum.ca

www.stmarksqualicum.bc.ca

✺

❆ ✳

❅

Jan. 28 • School District 69 administration staff is recommending the closure of Parksville Elementary, Qualicum Beach Elementary, Winchelsea Elementary and French Creek Community School in Coombs. The recommended plan would eliminate middle schools in the district altogether and instead run Kindergarten through Grade 7 at remaining elementary and middle schools and Grade 8 through 12 at both high schools. • Prime Minister Stephen Harper has appointed Qualicum Beach resident Deborah Grey as the chair of the Security Intelligence Review Committee. Harper made the announcement after the weekend resignation of Chuck Strahl. Jan. 30 • The Town of Qualicum Beach vows to continue its lobbying efforts to keep its elementary school open. Talk of the proposed closure of Qualicum Beach Elementary School dominated town council’s meeting Monday night. A delegation of parents and council members spoke passionately about the school’s downtown location and its place in the “heart” of the community. • Rotting wood, rusting metal and no sign of ownership characterize 15 derelict vessels littering the waters of Deep Bay Harbour in Baynes Sound. VIU Deep Bay Marine Field Station manager Brian Kingzett has been trying to address the “unsightly” vessels for years, with little luck and lots of strife. “It’s a problem that’s getting worse and worse,” he said. Feb. 4 • Police are asking for the public’s help to nab “brazen” thieves who broke into two Qualicum Beach residences in broad daylight Friday. Oceanside RCMP said between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. Friday, two daytime break, enter and thefts occurred in Qualicum Beach, one in the 100 block of Hoy Lake Road and the other in the 600 block of Eaglecrest Drive. • A library board budget increase of seven per cent has two Qualicum Beach politicians concerned.

“These types of increases aren’t acceptable,” said Coun. Dave Willie, who is calling for more accountability and transparency in terms of library board spending. Feb. 6 • A Qualicum Beach residence set up like a “grocery store” of drugs and alcohol for youth was recently dismantled by police. Staff Sgt. Brian Hunter told Qualicum Beach council Monday night an arrest was made Jan. 24 at a home on Mill Road after a search warrant had been obtained. • Move over Goats on the Roof — some of your cousins may soon be munching Scotch Broom on city boulevards. Parksville city council heard Monday night from a business that wants to set up shop in the city, a weed service of sorts that employs hungry goats. Feb. 11 • A 34-year-old man was sent to hospital with a collapsed lung after what police are calling a targeted stabbing in Parksville at approximately 1:30 a.m. on Thursday, Feb. 6. According to Oceanside RCMP, the victim, who is known to police, was walking along Corfield Street towards downtown Parksville when he was allegedly approached by two males in their late 20s to early 30s. • The school board is looking for input on their plan to address empty seats and budget shortfalls through school closures. A 90-day consultation period, required by the province and board policy 3040, has started and the Board of Education of School District 69 (Qualicum) is hosting the first public meeting tomorrow. Feb. 13 • Those who manage the water systems of mid-Island communities say they aren’t pushing any panic buttons, but they are watching this dry winter with an eye to the water supply in the summer. Water system managers from Qualicum Beach, Parksville, Lantzville, Nanaimo, the regional district and EPCOR Water Services met last week to talk about the low levels of the snowpack and rainfall being experienced this year. CONTINUED ON page A7

Seasons Greetings & Best Wishes for the New Year Phone: 1-866-870-4190 • www.ScottFraserMLA.com

Scott Fraser, MLA

The Parksville Qualicum Beach News Tuesday, December 23, 2014

www.pqbnews.com

2014 YEAR IN REVIEW

January-March: local faces Dragons CONTINUED FROM PAGE A6

• Part one in a three part series by Lissa Alexander on poverty: The real trouble began five years ago when Hugh Baker was unable to work. Now he’s unable to find a job, his shelter costs eat up most of his income assistance, and sometimes he has to eat food that makes him sick, because it’s all he can get. Feb. 18 • Parksville Mayor Chris Burger says Vancouver Islanders are getting a raw deal from senior governments and he wants a group of his colleagues to make some noise about it. Burger was the guest speaker at a chamber of commerce dinner Thursday night at The Beach Club. • Arrowsmith Search and Rescue officials say they were called out around 6 p.m. on Saturday to rescue a family of five that had gone for a hike at Englishman River Falls that afternoon. According to ASAR, the family got lost and eventually became stuck on the riverbank much further downstream, across the river from Steelhead Place. Feb. 20 • Coun. Al Greir has a perfect record in his attempts to end the grants-in-aid program at Parskville city hall: 0-6. For the sixth time in his six years on council, Greir introduced a motion Monday night to scrap the system that allows community groups to plead their case for taxpayer funds. Greir’s motion

specifically exempted groups that organize the Beachfest and Canada Day events in Community Park. His motion was defeated 5-2, with only Coun. Bill Neufeld voting alongside Greir. • Late fees may be a frustration of the past, according to Vancouver Island Regional Library Parksville Branch customer service librarian Darcy Crum. VIRL recently went digital, and Crum said the sweeping changes will revise the landscape of literature as we know it. Feb. 25 • The death toll of animals continues to rise in Hilliers, and the list now includes a couple of dogs and a llama. Two dogs, one with a bullet wound, were destroyed by the Regional District of Nanaimo’s animal control contractor Feb. 14 after the owner voluntarily gave them up when faced with evidence they killed a llama at a neighbouring property, according to the RDN’s Tom Armet. • RDN director Julian Fell said he “simply disregarded” a demand made by the Island Corridor Foundation to apologize and retract comments he made in a memo to mayors, MLAs and First Nations last July. Despite ICF’s threat to take Fell to the Supreme Court of B.C. upon non compliance with the demand, made clear through a Sept. 24 letter written by Duncan-based lawyer Andrew Lacroix, Fell said no legal action has since

transpired. Feb. 27 • A local man who will face the Dragons may have the answer to a beast of a problem facing local shellfish producers. An industry that’s worth $32 million to the B.C. economy and employs 1,000 people — half of them in Baynes Sound — is in jeopardy due to high acidity levels in the ocean. • At a standing-room-only RDN board meeting Tuesday night, three passionate delegations addressed Bowser/Deep Bay’s seaweed harvest, calling for board members to put a stop to the harvest — or at the very least, to lend a helping hand. March 4 • Island Health is apologizing for a breach of privacy that put personal information of its clients up for sale at a local thrift shop. The NEWS broke the story of the breach in its Thursday edition. A local woman purchased file dividers at the Parksville SOS Thrift Store which had tabs containing the names, addresses, phone numbers and provincial health numbers of Island Health clients. The dividers were for sale for 10 cents each. • The management team at the Town of Qualicum Beach will be reduced to seven from a high of 11 in 2010, after the town announced Friday that corporate administrator Trudy Coates would be leaving her position. CONTINUED ON page A9

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www.pqbnews.com

EARLY DEADLINES FOR THE HOLIDAY SEASON THURSDAY, JAN. 1, 2015 ISSUE

Delivered Jan. 2 Display: Wednesday, December 24, 9:00am Classifieds Display: Monday, December 29, 12:00am Classifieds Word: Monday, December 29, 2:00pm

Have a Wonderful Holiday Season! Black Press C O M M U N I T Y

N E W S

M E D I A

#4-154 Middleton Ave, Parksville 250.248.4341 • pqbnews.com

Our office will be CLOSED Thursday and Friday, DECEMBER 25, 26 & Thursday, JANUARY 1, 2015. We will also be CLOSED 2pm Wednesday, DECEMBER 24 and 2pm Wednesday, DECEMBER 31.

AUREN RUVINSKY PHOTO

Unlike many neighbouring areas, schools were open on a Monday in late February in School District 69 (Qualicum) but buses were not running and many took a snow day to enjoy the projected 15 cm of slushy, white stuff, which slowed driving but sped up toboggans on the famous Parksville Community Park hill, where Alexis and Mya Mercier (above) had some fun.

2014 — YEAR IN REVIEW

January through March CONTINUED FROM PAGE A7

March 6 • Work on the heritage building in the Qualicum College Heights development will be postponed, but the developer will have to finish the exterior of the building on schedule. Developer Dean Pomeroy told town council Monday night “sales are not there at this time for me to go ahead and build it all.” • Two septuagenarians will be packing tonnes of herring into the hold of their vessel this week, just like they’ve been doing every year for more than three decades. Wally Piatocka, 79, and Barney Dudoward, 70, will once again be part of the herring roe fishery on the waters off Parksville Qualicum Beach, which opened Wednesday for gilnetters. March 11 • B.C. teachers have given a strong strike manWe Have Happy Advertisers! Contact me today.

date because they are frustrated with the lack of bargaining progress, said Mount Arrowsmith Teacher’s Association President Debbie Morran. Eighty nine per cent of the 29,301 teachers who voted March 4-6 voted yes. BCTF president Jim Iker said in a news release that the result “sent a very clear message to the B.C. government; it’s time to negotiate in good faith, take back the unreasonable proposals, and offer teachers a fair deal that also provides better support for students.” • One local fisherman had a wet start to the herring season Thursday when his boat started taking on water in the Strait of Georgia. But things “did go about as good as it can go,” said Gord Gibb, officer in charge of the French Creek Coast Guard station. CONTINUED ON page A12

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A10

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Tuesday, December 23, 2014 The Parksville Qualicum Beach News

commentary

THE NEWS is published every Tuesday and Thursday by Black Press Ltd. #4 - 154 Middleton Ave. Parksville, B.C. V9P 2H2 250-248-4341

Nanoose treaty

bout 170 years ago, James Douglas was put in charge of the new trading post of the Hudson’s Bay Company (HBC) in a place called Fort Victoria. Soon after that development, the British colonial office designated a new colony called Vancouver Island and promptly leased the territory to the HBC. Richard Blanshard was installed as the colony’s governor, but it was generally understood Douglas had all the power, seeing as most if not all of the people living in this colony worked for the HBC. Douglas started buying up territory for the HBC, exchanging cash, clothing and blankets with First Nations leaders for land, including land in the area we now call Nanaimo, Nanoose Bay and Parksville. These deals became known as the Douglas Treaties. To say these were unfair deals that have forced difficult modern-day negotiations is a gross understatement. The Snaw-Naw-As (Nanoose First Nation) is currently trying to work its way to a new treaty with the provincial and federal governments. The results of these negotiations could change the boundaries, tax bases and budgets of Parksville and the Regional District of Nanaimo. Nanoose First Nation Chief David Bob is not in an apologetic mood. No reason he should be. In fact, he’s talking tough. He made sure he used the word “finally” when he addressed the fact that Parksville city council has acknowledged it operates on the lands occupied by Bob’s people since long before any European settler or Hudson’s Bay Company worker stepped foot here. He told us some lands that are currently within the boundaries of the City of Parksville might end up with the Nanoose First Nation when the current treaty process concludes. He also told city council that when it comes to negotiations with the province and the feds, the Nanoose First Nation is going to stand its ground. He said “we can talk... or we can fight.” This region, its people and its political leaders will face many important decisions in 2015. All of these issues may pale in comparison to the effects of what transpires between the province, the feds and the Nanoose First Nation. — Editorial by John Harding

THE PARKSVILLE QUALICUM BEACH NEWS (THE NEWS) is published every Tuesday and Thursday by Black Press. THE NEWS is distributed to more than 15,500 households in District 69. THE NEWS is 100 per cent B.C. owned and operated. THE PARKSVILLE QUALICUM BEACH NEWS #4 - 154 Middleton Avenue, P.O. Box 1180 Parksville, British Columbia, Canada, V9P 2H2 Office hours: Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Phone 250-248-4341; Fax 250-248-4655

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QUESTION OF THE WEEK

LAST WEEK’S QUESTION

Are you having a happy holiday season?

Has all the wet weather impacted you negatively? YES 16 %

Vote at: www.pqbnews.com before MONDAYS at noon

NO 84%

PUBLISHER EDITOR OFFICE PRODUCTION CIRCULATION Peter McCully John Harding Pauline Stead Peggy Sidbeck Laurie Fairbanks publisher@pqbnews.com editor@pqbnews.com office@pqbnews.com team@pqbnews.com circulation@pqbnews.com SALES: Brenda Boyd, Steve Weldon, Lori Hague, Grant De Gagne, Lorie Nielsen EDITORIAL: Auren Ruvinsky, Candace Wu, Jessica Skelton, Tyson Taylor PRODUCTION: Tracy Paterson, Brad Everest, Terri Reid, Jeff Westnedge CLASSIFIEDS: Pauline Stead

The Parksville Qualicum Beach News is a member of the British Columbia Press Council, a self-regulatory body governing the province’s newspaper industry. The council considers complaints from the public about the conduct of member newspapers. Directors oversee the mediation of complaints, with input from both the newspaper and the complaint holder. If talking with the editor or publisher does not resolve your complaint about coverage or story treatment, you may contact the B.C. Press Council. Your written concern, with documentation, should be sent to: B.C. Press Council, P.O. Box 1356, Ladysmith BC V9G 1A9. For information, phone 888-687-2213 or go to www.bcpresscouncil.org.

The Parksville Qualicum Beach News Tuesday, December 23, 2014

www.pqbnews.com

Letters THANKS FOR SUPPORT AT CHRISTMAS Thanks to you and your readers, children in this community will wake up on Christmas morning and see a coloured parcel under the tree with their name on it. Their hearts will light up as they imagine how it got there, how their name got on this shiny present, and what could be inside it. They will feel the magic of Christmas. And once they’ve opened that present, they will have the opportunity to enjoy a special meal with their family, to take in the wonderful smells of food cooking in the oven, and to go to bed with their bellies full and happiness in their hearts. Thanks to our community, the SOS Caring for Kids at Christmas Campaign collected enough toys and money to ensure our local families in-need will have gifts and food this holiday season. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for making these dreams come true. We hope all of you have the opportunity to enjoy some meaningful moments, and that you go to bed on Christmas night with love in your heart, knowing you helped deliver the magic of Christmas. RENATE SUTHERLAND, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, SOS Parksville

MAKE QB EVEN MORE FRIENDLY Residents of Qualicum Beach pride themselves over the town’s friendliness. Shopkeepers, waiters and clerks are very friendly and neighbours are easy to get to know. There are, however, a couple of simple ways to be even friendlier. One way is, when meeting someone walking, running, or bicycling, to make eye contact and say “Hi” or “Beautiful day, isn’t it?” It’s even possible that over a period of time, your greeting will be reciprocated. As another simple gesture of friendliness, say “Thank you!” with a wave, tip of the hat or a smile to the driver who has

QUOTABLE:

“Safety is my first priority no matter when or where the train travels.” MICHELLE STILWELL, see story page A1

ALMANAC Government Contacts PROVINCIAL:

stopped to allow you to cross the street, whether or not you’re in a crosswalk. Although a person in a crosswalk has priority over vehicles, he should, at a minimum, look both ways before beginning to cross the street. A parked vehicle may block the driver’s view or your clothing may appear to be full camo to the driver. It’s also not uncommon to see pedestrians being indecisive over whether to cross the street, only to suddenly step off the curb and begin to cross. By law, the vehicle must stop for pedestrians, but the pedestrian has an obligation, also, to help protect themselves from harm. It’s the little things that make the community friendly. WARREN BAILEY Qualicum Beach

SUPPORT RAIL TO TRAIL INITIATIVE Earlier this month, Okanagan residents celebrated the purchase of an under-utilized CN rail line, which will be converted to a walk and bike trail from Vernon to Kelowna. When completed, the trail will compliment a series of Okanagan cycling and walking trails, creating a stunning network. So? What about Vancouver Island and its very own vagrant rail line? It does appear that many Islanders would like to see a rail revival. But under a financial microscope, it is easy to see, rail has been pushed aside by road systems. So, why not turn our rail into trail? If Islanders banded together and supported a Rail to Trail initiative, soon we could have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to preserve a continuous, regionally-significant walk and ride corridor from Nanaimo to Qualicum with the potential to provide long-term public health, recreation, and economic benefits for residents. The specifics of such a deal might be complicated, but, if it can be done in the Okanagan, why not here? And I do not propose this as a frivolous

vanity project. As we all know here, we have world-class mountain biking, skiing, kayaking, beaches and sailing right out your back door, right in our cities. We must develop these recreational resources to buttress our local economy. Exploiting our natural beauty and recreation opportunities could open the region to world-wide recreation buzz. Build the trail and let private investment create the complimentary business spin offs. BRIAN BRENNAN Parksville

SCOTT FRASER, MLA, Alberni-Pacific Rim

MICHELLE STILWELL, MLA, Parksville Qualicum

1-866-870-4190 e-mail: scott.fraser.mla@ leg.bc.ca

250-248-2625 e-mail michelle. stilwell.mla@ leg.bc.ca

FEDERAL:

QUALICUM:

JAMES LUNNEY, MP,

TEUNIS WESTBROEK Mayor,

Nanaimo-Alberni

Town of Qualicum Beach

1-866-390-7550 e-mail: nanaimo@ jameslunneymp.ca

250-752-6921 e-mail: mayor@ qualicumbeach.com

SHOP LOCAL, GET A WARM GREETING

Many of us live in Qualicum Beach, a beautiful and unique town that we love to call our own. We sometimes forget that our local business owners, trades people and professionals are our neighbours, acquaintances and yes, friends as well. Perhaps before you head off to Nanaimo, Courtenay or elsewhere to shop, please consider shopping locally first. Shops in our town create local employment and these people in turn spend in the community. Also, our local businesses are very generous in their support of local charities, service clubs and events, all of which make our community a great place to live. We have wonderful shops, cafes and other businesses where you are greeted warmly and perhaps even called by your first name. Not a regular occurrence in the busy and somewhat impersonal world we live in. Sometimes you may pay a little more, sometimes a little less but as an added extra you will most likely receive a warm greeting and great customer service as our local shops and businesses survive by their reputation and repeat business. EILEEN MCMURCHY Qualicum Beach

PARKSVILLE: RDN:

MARC LEFEBVRE, Mayor,

JOE STANHOPE Chairman,

City of Parksville

Regional District of Nanaimo

250-954-4661 e-mail: mayor@ parksville.ca

250-390-4111 e-mail: corpsrv@ rdn.bc.ca

Rules to write by

All LETTERS TO THE EDITOR must be signed and include your full name, home town and contact phone number. Those without these requirements will not be published. Letters must be 300 words or less and are subject to editing. The NEWS retains the right not to publish submissions.

Send them in

VIEWS IN THE NEWS We asked: What do you want for Christmas this year?

A11

Mail: Box 1180, Parksville, B.C. V9P 2H2 Fax: 250-248-4655 E-mail: editor@pqbnews.com Online: www.pqbnews.com

Peace would be nice. GREG REEKS Errington

Money to help with tuition. JESSICA PAQUETTE Parksville

A one-way flight to Germany. I’m moving to Stuttgart in the summer. ADRIAN BURROUGHS Duncan

Peace on Earth. RORY O’BRIEN Parksville

A12

www.pqbnews.com

Tuesday, December 23, 2014 The Parksville Qualicum Beach News

2014 — YEAR IN REVIEW

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Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, from our Family to Yours.

We would like to thank our dedicated staff and cherished customers for a wonderful 2014! We will be closed Christmas, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day so our staff can enjoy time with their families.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE A9

March 13 • An explosion in Dashwood caused by what police are calling “a clandestine, illicit, drug-production operation” sent three men to hospital Monday, including two who were in bad enough shape to be air-lifted to Royal Jubilee in Victoria. Dashwood Fire Chief Nick Acciavatti who was the first on the scene at the rural property on Nahmint Road, off Corcan Road, soon after the 1:45 p.m. call, said he found the three severely burnt men in the yard, unable to tell him much. • RCMP say 44-year-old Robert Gordon Davidson of Qualicum Beach has been charged with attempted murder, assault causing bodily harm and breach of recognizance after police responded to an incident in a rural area outside Qualicum Beach where they found a 66-yearold man suffering from “severe” injuries resulting from a serious assault at his residence. March 18 • The Regional District of Nanaimo is “looking for answers” as to how a $45,000 geothermal heat pump system at the Nanoose Fire Hall discharged 4.7 million litres of well water in less than six weeks. From Nov. 7 to Dec. 17, 2012, the Nanoose Fire Hall consumed an average of 117,840 litres of water per day, confirmed Randy Alexander, the RDN’s general manager of regional and community utilities. March 20 • A new tax law at city hall has the Parksville Curling Club concerned about its future. Members of the club made a detailed presentation to city council Monday night, explaining how the disappearance of their tax exemption will cost them about $16,000 a year. • The City of Parksville has been notified about the plans for a medical marijuana growop on agricultural lands within the municipality. Director of planning Blaine Russell told The NEWS on Wednesday there’s not much the city

can do about the plans on property that fronts Stanford Avenue, even if it wanted to fight or support the application. March 25 • The Island Corridor Foundation’s days may be numbered. The Regional District of Nanaimo’s board of directors will receive a notice of motion tonight suggesting the “RDN board has lost confidence in the existing administrative function of the ICF” and a “task force of experienced individuals” should be formed to “assist in reinvigorating the ICF.” • Soap created in Qualicum Beach is now being sold on shelves around the world. As a painter, Christie Carter-Tokairin has always struggled with finding environmentally friendly cleaners for her brushes. When she opened Revived Vintage in Qualicum Beach last year, one of the things she wanted to stock for her customers was a natural soap for cleaning paint brushes. March 27 • There is a special commemorative award available to Korean War veterans, and local Legions are looking for vets. Legions are looking for anyone who served in Korea from 1950-55 and their families, to apply for the Korean Ambassador for Peace Medal, an expression of appreciation from the Korean government to Canadian service men and women. “It is very important to the people of Korea and it meant a lot to me to get it,” said Qualicum Beach resident Lee Faulkner, who served in Korea in 1952-53. • With spring break wrapping up this weekend, the 90-day consultation period on school facilities and possible closures enters its final stretch. The Board of Education of School District 69 (Qualicum) is holding numerous meetings with school staff and various stakeholder groups, including staff, parents, unions, government of all levels and others to help gather as much feedback as possible.

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ARTS &LIFE

The Parksville Qualicum Beach News Tuesday, December 23, 2014

www.pqbnews.com

A13

DO YOU HAVE LOCAL ARTS NEWS? Contact: Jessica Skelton Email: reporter@pqbnews.com Phone: 250-905-0028

OCEANSIDE VILLAGE ARTISTS’ GALLERY ON RESORT DRIVE

Gallery showcases creative collaborations Edgar Allan Poe inspired multi-media raven BRENDA GOUGH NEWS Contributor

Last minute Christmas shoppers don’t have to leave town to find the perfect gift. Shopping locally is one of the best things you can do for the economy and potter Dee Aguilar is hoping people embrace the idea of supporting the area’s artists whose survival depends on their patronage. Aguilar is just one of the many artisans who can be found at the Oceanside Village Artists’ Gallery on Resort Drive in Parksville. The gallery has all kinds of beautiful artwork created by local artisans adorning the walls and shelves and with prices ranging from $15 to $15,000. Aguilar said there is something to wrap up for everyone on Santa’s nice list. Aguilar, who is the heart and soul behind the gallery, started the cooperative business for artists in the area. Each of the artists takes a shift manning the floor at the gallery, but it is Aguilar who juries the work, promotes it and spends a lot of time selling it. The majority of art at the gallery is from artists in the Parksville Qualicum Beach area including Val and Jai Kealy’s unique pieces.

The husband and wife team designs and carves wood, soapstone and leather. Together they are known as Q.B. Arts and many of their West Coast inspired pieces reflect Jai’s Cree and Sioux heritage. Jai puts glass, soapstone and leather into some of his original designs and Val paints some of his carvings and incorporates realistic features into them with her leatherwork. An example of the collaboration is a piece she calls Poe, named after Edgar Allan Poe. The famous American writer, critic and editor was well known for his tales and poems of horror and mystery, including his best seller The Raven. Val’s shiny black life like raven is carved out of alder and has realistic feathers made out of leather. She said she made her scavenger come to life by adding a lot of fine details. “Every single one of Poe’s feathers is cut out of leather and flattened. The little lines are burned in with a wood burner … then I die them and buff them with soft cloth to make the sheen,” she explained. Val said she likes to incorporate leather into her pieces because it creates realistic texture and she is still discovering new techniques with the medium. “I started doing leather because I wanted to use something other than bark that has texture. I thought about clay and I have a kiln but I don’t know how to run it,” she admitted.

BRENDA GOUGH PHOTO

French Creek artist Val Kealy spent more than 350 hours creating this raven. Kealy is one of the many local artisans who has work for sale at the Oceanside Village Artists’ Gallery on Resort Drive in Parksville.

It wasn’t until she found a book on leather from the 1970s in a thrift store that set her on new artistic path. “The book had information on different types of leather. I had to learn what you can use and what you can’t use. I still haven’t learned everything … I learn as I go.” See PROJECTS, page A14

Local artists to clear out their work closets First-ever White Sale will offer local art at discount prices JESSICA SKELTON reporter@pqbnews.com

JESSICA SKELTON PHOTO

Parksville-based acrylic painter Nancy Day is pulling a handful of her earlier canvases out of storage to sell at to the MAC’s January White Sale.

Informed consent requires getting the information & having a choice. 10 years healing Oceanside.

Christmas will be over soon and you’ll find some post-holiday bargains with an artistic twist at the McMillan Arts in their first ever January White Sale. “It’s kind of a free for all,” said MAC administrator Linda Matteson-Reynolds. According to a news release from the art centre, the sale offers local artists an opportunity to sell original artwork at discount prices. Matteson-Reynolds said this is ideal for artists who have older work that is “competing with the dust bunnies” in their studios. Each seller, who must register for the event, can bring up to 10 pieces. Matteson-Reynolds said the call to enter is open to OCAC members and We provide the highest level of service in a professional & affordable manner, without compromising our commitment to reliable & respectful service to our families.

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non-members, and there are already more than 20 people signed up to show and sell their work. One of those people is Parksville-based artist Nancy Day. Day, who is not an OCAC member, said she is bringing a handful of her earlier large-canvas acrylic landscape paintings to the event. “You end up collecting a lot of your own work,” she said. “It’s time to move them.” Day is one of the TOSH 10 painters, who display work in that gallery, and she has also shown her canvases in Edmonton, Calgary and Montreal. The January White Sale will be her first time showing work at the MAC, however. “I’m quite looking forward to it,” she said. The January White Sale will run from Jan. 7-31, 2015. The event kicks off with an opening reception on Jan. 7 from 1-4 p.m.

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THE ROYAL CANADIAN www.pqbnews.com LEGION BRANCH 76

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Tuesday, December 23, 2014 The Parksville Qualicum Beach News

FRENCH CREEK PUB

Enablers play Boxing Day gig New drummer joins four-man group JESSICA SKELTON reporter@pqbnews.com

If you’re looking for something to do on Boxing Day, the Enablers will be playing a gig at the French Creek pub that evening. “It’s a weird day, but you never know,” said the band’s guitar player and vocalist Wes Weldon. “People might want to come out.” The gig will also give audiences an opportunity to meet the band’s new drummer, Nanaimo-based musician Bob Moffat. “He’s been playing for

PHOTO SUBMITTED BY THE ENABLERS

The Enablers will play the French Creek Pub this Boxing Day and Dec. 27.

about a million years,” joked Weldon, who had seen the multi-instrumentalist play on-stage several years before. “We’re pretty confident that he knows what he’s doing.” Moffat has replaced percussionist Greg Harford, who

Projects include other bird-centric work CONTINUED FROM PAGE A14

Currently she is working with fish leather to create a mermaid. “The carp leather was brought in from Japan. It is an ocean blue-green colour and each scale is raised … it is really cool. I have to carve the tail and I will do her hair with little twists of leather.” Val also carves cottonwood bark harvested from dead trees into whimsical houses. She said the bird houses are a big seller and she enjoys hearing about the tenants that have

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Weldon said is now playing gigs on cruise ships. Rounding out the band are Colin Perry on sax, flute, keyboard and vocals, and Stuart Parenteau on bass and vocals. Together the four-man group will play their usual set of rock, blues, reggae, country, southern rock, blues rock, disco and more. “There will be a bunch of dancing going on,” said Weldon. We can’t wait.” Friday’s show starts at 7 p.m. and goes until 10 p.m. There is no cover charge. The band will also play a second gig on Saturday, Dec. 27 at the same venue from 8:30 p.m.–12:30 a.m.

moved into them from the people who have put them in their yards. “The houses are made for wrens and chickadees, but people who have bought them say they have humming birds nest in them. One house had a tree frog that came three years in a row,” she reported. If you are looking for an original gift, check out the gallery located at the Oceanside Village Resort at 1080 Resort Drive in Parksville. It is open seven days a week from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Notice Board Appointments The Regional District of Nanaimo is now accepting applications to the following advisory bodies:

Electoral Area ‘E’ Parks and Open Space Advisory Committee -Nanoose Bay

2 year term

3 Members

Electoral Area ‘F’ Parks and Open Space Advisory Committee -Coombs, Hilliers, Errington

2 year term

1 Member

Electoral Area ‘G’ Parks and Open Space Advisory Committee -French Creek, Dashwood, Englishman River

2 year term

2 Members

Electoral Area ‘H’ Parks and Open Space Advisory Committee -Shaw Hill, Qualicum Bay, Deep Bay, Bowser

2 year term

3 Members

District 69 Recreation Commission -Electoral Areas ‘E’, ‘F’, ‘G’, ‘H’

3 year term

Agricultural Advisory Committee -All Communities in RDN

2 year term

Grants-in-Aid Advisory Committee -All Communities in RDN

1 year term

Liquid Waste Management Plan Monitoring Committee -All Communities in RDN

2 year term

Nanaimo Airport Planning Process Advisory Committee -All Communities in RDN

1 year term

4 Members1 from each area: Electoral Areas ‘E’, ‘F’, ‘G’, ‘H’ 2 MembersAgriculture Organization 1 MemberAquaculture Organization 2 Members- All Areas 1 Member- District 68 1 Member- District 69 2 Members- General Public 2 Members- Business Community 10 Members

For a complete list of vacancies, and to obtain an application form, please visit www.rdn.bc.ca, or contact Corporate Services at corpsrv@rdn.bc.ca, 250-390-4111, or toll free at 1-877-607-4111. Application forms must be submitted by 4:00 pm, Monday, January 5, 2015.

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The Parksville Qualicum Beach News Tuesday, December 23, 2014

www.pqbnews.com

Business

A15

We deliver The NEWS! Britany Kyle, Carrier

BUSINESS PROFILE

Kickstart Fitness comes a long way in 8 years What started out as a mobile gym is now a 5,500 square foot facility in Parksville Qualicum Beach CANDACE WU news@pqbnews.com

Fitness coach Beth Alden said she sometimes looks around and thinks “Is this real?” Alden now owns one of the biggest gyms in Parksville Qualicum Beach, Kickstart Fitness, which sits at an impressive 5,500 square feet along Springhill Road. She has more than 600 clients, who she affectionately refers to as her “family.” And her gym won the prestigious title of ‘Business of the Year’ at the Glassies in spring. Alden said she sometimes looks around and thinks “Is this real?” But business wasn’t always booming. From humble beginnings, Alden started her fitness career in a “big, red handicapped van packed with weights, balls, steps and bands.” Alden explains she had a mobile gym, where she would haul work-out equipment around in a van and host classes at different venues each day — such as Parksville Beach, the Qualicum Beach Civic Centre and the Bradley Centre to name a few. “It took me probably 20 minutes to unpack everything,” she recalls with a chuckle, adding that she looks back on the early memories fondly. Alden had just 12 clients at the time, who were taking part in a self-designed Biggest Loser Challenge — a program that still exists today and is extremely popular with around half of her clientele participating in it. The big red van eventually retired as Alden realized she needed a stable location. She opened in Pine Tree Centre and recently moved locations to where Kickstart currently sits along Springhill Road. The new building is equipped with a gym, two studios, a lounge, juice bar and day care centre. And she’s looking at expanding in the new year, yet again. Alden said weight-loss has always been her primary focus as a fitness trainer — something that’s close to her heart. You wouldn’t be able to tell by Alden’s slim physique, but she was once 60 pounds heavier. And she had a personal trainer who taught her everything she didn’t want to be, which may have actually helped shape and define her career more than it ever hurt her. “I had this trainer who always made me feel like a failure,” she told The NEWS candidly. “I don’t ever want to make anybody feel like that.” Since then, she’s dedicated her life to helping people lose weight and get their lives back on track.

Chris Mohr

Donna Watson

ple transform is life-changing for me.” Alden calls Kickstart Fitness “a community” rather than a gym. She said it offers many elements of group based fitness and works to create a sense of community within the membership. A daycare centre, she said, is offered to remove barriers to fitness. The lounge, which is dotted with little bistro tables, is there to create a place where people can meet and build relationships. Kickstart offers bootcamp, personal training, small group sessions, boxercise, TRX classes, spin and hot yoga among many others. Alden is constantly expanding and adding new classes and fitness regimes. She’s come a long way in less than a decade, but her fitness philosophy has stayed constant. “I want to give people back their quality of life,” she said. “That’s what makes it all worth it.” Kickstart Fitness is located at 1530 Springhill Road. For more information, call 250-586-2011 or visit http:// kickstartyourfitness.ca/.

We look forward to serving you in 2015. Brian Hagedorn

Shelly Olsen

She said fitness is more about the mental outcome than the physical results. “Losing weight is secondary, it’s really about finding out what’s going on up here,” she said, pointing to her head. “You don’t just wake up one day hundreds of pounds overweight because life is good.” Alden’s first step to helping clients lose weight is finding out what isn’t right in their life. “Food addiction is just like any other addiction, be it alcoholism or crack addiction,” she said. “It’s not about what’s wrong with addictions, it’s about what you aren’t getting on your own.” She said weight loss can be a tremendously emotional struggle. “Blood, sweat and tears happen here,” she said. “Weight loss is a personal issue and there’s not one person here (at Kickstart) who hasn’t cried at some point.” Alden said one of the most rewarding parts of her job is being welcomed into people’s intimate lives. “I hold a lot of secrets,” she said. “To watch other peo-

We wish all Oceanside communities a very Merry Christmas & Prosperous New Year.

Neil Watson

Carol Plaisier

CANDACE WU PHOTO

Fitness coach Beth Alden, who owns Kickstart Fitness, has come a long way since operating out of a bright red van jammed with weights, balls, steps and bands.

Located in downtown Parksville 174 Morison Ave. West (250) 248-2399 HollisWealth is a division of Scotia Capital Inc., a member of the Canadian Investor Protection Fund and the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada. ™ Trademark of The Bank of Nova Scotia, used under license.

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Tuesday, December 23, 2014 The Parksville Qualicum Beach News

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COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS

INFORMATION

Advertise in the 2015 - 2017 BC Freshwater Fishing Regulations Synopsis Please call Annemarie 1.800.661.6335 or email: ďŹ sh@blackpress.ca DID YOU KNOW? BBB Accredited Businesses contractually agree to operate by the BBBâ€™s 8 Standards of Trust. Look for the 2014 BBB Accredited Business Directory Eedition on your Black Press Community Newspaper website at www.blackpress.ca. You can also go to http://vi.bbb.org/directory/ and click on the 2014 BBB Accredited Business Directory

NEW to the area? Call for your FREE package of info, gifts & greetings. Bev: 250-248-4720 PV Ann: 250-248-3390 QB Pat: 250-248-7119 NANOOSE New Program: Plus 50 . You donâ€™t have to be new to the Oceanside area to receive a visit from Welcome Wagon! You just have to be over the age of 50! Contact Pat.

The most Famous Baskets in the World! www.welcomewagon.ca

LEGALS

1-855-310-3535

BY VIRTUE of the Warehousemanâ€™s Lien Act and on behalf of French Creek Harbour Authority we will dispose of goods, namely: (1) Boat â€œAura Leeâ€? (reg:6K17587); debtor â€œMike Anstisâ€? to recover $1,592.38 plus accruing storage and any/all other expenses related. This unit will be made available for sale after December 31, 2014. Unit is currently being stored at French Creek Harbour Authority. Contact 1250-897-2131 for further information.

FAMILY ANNOUNCEMENTS

DEATHS

IF YOU WANT TO DRINK, thatâ€™s your business. Want to STOP, we can help. Alcoholics Anonymous. 1-800-883-3968

Your Community, Your ClassiďŹ eds.

Franklin Douglas (DOUG) Hill

Loving husband, amazing father, wonderful brother, playful grandfather and greatgrandfather, loyal friend who was always dedicated to being the best person possible, Doug died on December 9, 2014 after a year-long battle with lung cancer. He is survived by his wife, Nina (nĂŠe Baer), three daughters Marci Dell (Steven), Heather Doty (Terry), Haley Hill (Helen), grandchildren Bryan, Dustin (Mikayla), T.R., Devan, Kyra, Sumner, Evan, Marin, Amy and Megan, as well as great-granddaughter Kayleigh, all of whom he loved deeply and who adored and respected him. Doug was pre-deceased by his parents, Frank and Wanda Hill, and his sister Diana, and is survived by his sisters Mary and Nancy, brothers Don and Ken and many nieces, nephews, great-nieces and greatnephews as well as many loving relatives on Ninaâ€™s side of the family. Born in Oregon on February 9, 1944, Doug married Nina on November 9, 1963. Daughter Marci was born in 1964 in Illinois, Heather in 1967 in California and Haley in 1971 in B.C. He always believed that if anything was worth doing, it was worth doing well, which he proved by being a devoted husband for 51 years, serving in the US Army, building a home like a pioneer in a remote community in Northern B.C., lovingly raising three girls, working for the Natural Gas company for 20 years, retiring to Vancouver Island, and volunteering with B.C. Lung for 27 years. Over the years he was also involved in Rotary, Air Cadets, RCMP auxiliary and was a volunteer fireman. Â He loved children, travelling, sun and spending time with family and friends. Over the last three years, he was able to realize his lifelong dream of travelling in an RV with his wife. Doug (Papa, Papa Doug) was adored by all who knew him and will be greatly missed. Anyone lucky enough to have known him is better for it. A private family service will be held at his request. It was his wish that in lieu of flowers, you would please consider donating to the B.C. Lung Association (www.bc.lung.ca)

COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS

PERSONAL SERVICES

HOME/BUSINESS SERVICES

PERSONALS

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GARDENING

MERCHANDISE FOR SALE FIREARMS

MEET SINGLES right now! No paid operators, just real people like you. Browse greetings, exchange messages and connect live. Try it free. Call now: 1-800-712-9851.

FIREARMS: ALL types wanted, estates, collections, single items, military. We handle all paperwork and transportation. Licensed dealer 1-866-9600045. www.dollars4guns.com.

LOST AND FOUND

FUEL/FIREWOOD

LOST YAMAHA trumpet in a soft black travel case. Last seen at Kwalicum Secondary School. Call (250)713-4004.

TRAVEL TIMESHARE

Wes-Coast Yardbirds 250-752-9444 Landscaping, Gardening, Clean-up, Hauling. Pressure Washing, Irrigation, Carpentry, Hardscapes, Tree Pruning, Topping, Removal. Please call

CANCEL YOUR Timeshare. NO Risk Program. STOP Mortgage & Maintenance Payments Today. 100% Money Back Guarantee. FREE Consultation. Call Us NOW. We Can Help! 1-888-356-5248.

ARE YOU $10K Or More In Debt? DebtGo can help reduce a significant portion of your debt load. Call now & see if you qualify. 1-800-351-1783.

TRAVEL

HOME/BUSINESS SERVICES

RV LOT Rentals $8.95 a day. 362 days of sunshine, pets, events, classes, entertainment. Reserve by 11/01/2014. Visit: www.hemetrvresort.com. Call: 1-800-926-5593

CLEANING SERVICES

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES THE DISABILITY Tax Credit. $1,500 yearly tax credit.$15,000 lump sum refund (on avg). covers: Hip/knee replacements, arthritic joints, COPD. For help applying 1844-453-5372. WORK FROM Home & Operate a Mini-Office outlet, flexible hours. Free on-line training.www.freedom-unlimited.info

Clean Burn Pellet Fuel Okanagan Pellet Fuel And Animal Bedding

Chris McLean 250-757-9232 or 1-877-581-3311

cfmclean@shaw.ca We Deliver!! COASTAL MOUNTAIN FIREWOOD- Call 250-468-9660. 1-866-768-8886 (Nanoose). WEST COAST FIREWOOD seasoned firewood. Volume Discount. 1-877-380-9663

SANDICLEAN Services are looking for clients in this area. Call Sandi at 250-248-3321. WANTED - We are looking for cleaners for our Qualicum Beach Offices. We have 2 small offices at the same location that require cleaning twice a month during normal business hours. Please contact Karen at 250-752-8336.

DRYWALL Taping/ Texturing/ Painting. Reno & Repair Specialist. 30 years of fast friendly service. Wayne 250-752-4658 QB

GARDENING

HOBBIES & CRAFTS HAULING AND SALVAGE WAYNEâ€™S HAUL-AWAY & Snow Removal. Bondable. Call 250-752-1639.

HOME IMPROVEMENTS FULL SERVICE Plumbing from Parker Dean. Fast, reliable, 24/7 service. Take $50 off your next job if you present this ad. Vancouver area. Call 1-800-573-2928.

CAREER OPPORTUNITIES

A STROKE ABOVE PAINTING would like to wish past, present & future clients a happy, safe, holiday season!

JULIANâ€™S PAINTING Fast professional service- $18/hr. â€˘ 250-594-6611 â€˘ 250-951-8511 scryne@gmail.com

Port Hardy, BC. Busy GM dealership looking for two full time positions to be filled immediately. CertiďŹ ed GM technician Ticketed Bodyman Very competitive pay scales, benefits, and flexible schedules. Send resume to cory@klassengm.com

ART/MUSIC/DANCING PIANO LESSONS; Formal or informal, all ages, a variety of methods to suit individual needs. Christmas Gift certificates! Inquiries welcome. Call Gina (250)927-3005.

#,!33)&)%$Ă–!$3Ă–7/2+ $BMM

RENTALS APARTMENT/CONDO

TRADES, TECHNICAL

PERSONAL SERVICES

MISCELLANEOUS FOR SALE STEEL BUILDINGS/metal buildings 60% off! 20x28, 30x40, 40x62, 45x90, 50x120, 60x150, 80x100 sell for balance owed! Call 1-800-4572206 or visit us online at: www.crownsteelbuildings.ca.

PAINTING

MEDICAL TRANSCRIPTION is an in-demand career in Canada! Employers have work-at-home positions available. Get the online training you need from an employer-trusted program. Visit: CareerStep.ca/MT or 1-888528-0809 to start training for your work-at-home career today!

SKILLED trades! Experienced welders and completions team members needed in Grande Prairie, AB. Welders, B-Pressure Welders, Painters with Steel experience. Fly in - Fly out with 1 week at home a month. Accommodation provided. Alberta wages without the high rent! Send resume to: hr@wester nmanufactur ing.ca www.westernmanufacturing.ca

GRINSHEEP FIBRE Productions. Felting, spinning, knitting & weaving supplies. Tues Sat., 1 - 5 or by appt. 250-2486306. grinsheep@gmail.com

POIRIER PAINTING: Residential / Commercial. Fully insured, Guaranteed Workmanship, WCB, Call Dan at #250240-3528.

MERCHANDISE FOR SALE

BEACH CLUB Residencesluxury 1 bdrm condo w/lots of amenities, pool, sauna, fitness rm. Long term lease required. Avail Jan, 2015. $1100/mo. Call 250-752-3813. CENTRAL QUALICUM Beach- Steps to all amenities, 1 bdrm 766sq ft apt in quiet, civilized building. Balcony, parking, NP/NS. $875/mo. Please call Bill (250)752-6997 EMERALD ESTATESAvailable Jan 1. 1 bdrm, in 55+ building. Comes with housekeeping, meals optional. $1050/mo. (250)248-2445.

MOILLIET MANOR 2 brm, third floor New Dura-deck patio Clean, quiet, secure Heat/hot water included $900/mo NS/NP

Call 250-248-9322

The Sharp Design Landscaping Group- Call 250.248.3835

OCEANSIDE Lawn & Garden. Hedge trimming & shaping, tree cutting, trimming. Mowing, gutters. Fall clean-up specials! Call (250)240-1116. STILL TIME. Pruning, Fruit & Ornamentals. Fall & Winter yard clean-up. Over 25 years exp. Call Ted (250)228-6682.

$/Ă–9/5Ă–/&&%2 (/-%Ă–3%26)#%3 Ă– 0VS SFBEFST BSF MPPLJOH GPS ZPV %PO U CF NJTTFE QMBDF ZPVS BE UPEBZ

APPLIANCES

BELLEVUE RECONDITIONED APPLIANCES Sales & Service. FULL WARRANTY. Large Showroom

1040 BELLEVUE ROAD Parksville 250-248-8251 STAINLESS STEEL sxs ice and water fridge, 25 cu ft, looks beautiful, works perfect, $300. Call (250)757-9606.

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PARKSVILLE- TOTALLY renoâ€™d, ocean view, 2 bdrm apt. Free storage & parking, quiet bldg, heat/hot water included. Quiet tenants need only apply! Refs reqâ€™d. Available Jan. 1. $875. Call 250-248-3350.

âœąAvailable January 1. Spacious 3 Bdrm, 2 Bath Townhome 2 patios, covered parking. Walk to Qualicum Village. Quiet, adult complex. $1250 per month + utilities. Call 250-752-5233

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Tuesday, December 23, The Parksville Qualicum Beach News A182014 www.pqbnews.com

65%OFF

o Up t

ON SELECTED STYLES OF WINDOW COVERINGS

facebook.com/ PQBnews

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CONTRACTOR PRICING EVERYDAY!

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RENTALS

APARTMENT/CONDO

SHARED ACCOMMODATION

QUALICUM 2-BDRM Condo, short term, 5-12 months. Heat, H/W, insuite laundry incld. Ground level, wheelchair accessible. 40 yrs +. $890./mo. Avail now. (250)752-8258.

COOMBS. FURNISHED room. Shared kitchen & bath. Laundry, cable, internet & utils incld. N/P, Refs reqâ€™d. $425./mo. (250)248-8101.

COTTAGES

Hundreds of Community event photos online at:

Call Andrea today to book your appointment at Slegg Lumber.

RENTALS

Qualicum Beach Cottage suited for 1 mature adult. $800/mo N/S, Pet neg. Avail immed. 250-937-0381.

MOBILE HOMES & PADS QUALICUM BAY: Large fifth wheel with slide, immaculate condition, large patio, carport. Very private large lot. $530 incldâ€™s power per month. Small pets allowed. Call (778)4247784 no later then 8pm.

HOMES FOR RENT PARKSVILLE: (3 mins from)2 bdrm+ office, older home. Electric heat, oil furnace. Cat ok, no parties, N/S. Refâ€™s reqâ€™d. $750/mo. Avail. now. Call Kathy (250)951-9886.

7187 Lantzville Rd

250-390-1207

WATERFRONT COACH House (Bachelor suite), totally redone in Columbia Beach. Lrg deck, own entrance. N/S, N/P, incl., cable, hydro & internet. $750/mo. 250-752-7173

ITâ€™S HERE! OUR LEGENDARY

Boxing Week 80%

FF O SAVE UP TOY NO TAXES!* PLUS PA REWIDE* TO S y o B Z a L e On all Genuin

ALL YOU NEED IN PRINT AND ONLINE

STORAGE MORE SPACE FOR LESS Storage Containers Currently available: 8â€™ x 20â€™ $105. + taxes. Open storage for RVs, cars, boats, trailers: $40. + taxes for first 20â€™ $2 each additional foot.

250-248-7100.

SUITES, UPPER PARKSVILLE: NEW 1-bdrm suite. Private entr., sun deck, rural setting with mountain view. Hydro, cable, wi-fi, parking incld. Avail Jan 1. $800. NS/NP. Call 250-248-2806.

WANTED TO RENT SENIOR MANITOBA couple looking to rent or house sit need a condo/apartment from Jan 15 to Apr 15, 2015. Call Mike, (204)721-1347 or email: kuff@mymts.net

"59).'Ă– Ă–2%.4).' Ă– 3%,,).' $BMM VT UPEBZ UP QMBDF ZPVS DMBTTJmFE BE

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SERVICE DIRECTORY Get ready for your JANUARY SERVICE DIRECTORY Call The News 250-905-0012 TODAY! Landscaping

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911 Church Rd., Parksville Tel: 250-248-3693 Cell: 250-616-3876

Tree Services

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Peace, Happiness, & Joy in 2015 Free Estimates. Insured.

752-6154

Monday-Saturday 8am-4:30pm

Serving our area since 1972.

Tree Services

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LARGE ITEM PICK-UP SERVICE

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In the Oceanside area. Reasonable rates.

for details

Home Improvements

Exclusive Homes Exclusive Kitchens & Design Kitchens / Bathrooms / Reface or replace Cabinets

Island Owned & Operated Âˇ Visit us online at: www.la-z-boyvi.com Island Owned & Operated Âˇ Visit us online at: www.la-z-boyvi.com Ronald McDonald House CharitiesÂŽ

Courtenay Victoria Nanaimo

2937 Kilpatrick Ave 3501 Saanich Road (at Blanshard) 3200 North Island Hwy (Country Club Mall)

BOXING WEEK HOURS:

DEC 24-25: CLOSED

DEC 26: 11-5

DEC 27: 10-5:30

DEC 28: 12-5

(250) 871-6074 (250) 382-5269 (250) 756-4114 DEC 29: 10-5:30

or Toll-Free 1-855-203-0857 or Toll-Free 1-877-452-5269 or Toll-Free 1-866-756-4114

DEC 30: 10-5:30

DEC 31: 10-5:30

JAN 1: CLOSED

*See store for details. Financing on Approved Credit. An amount equal to the GST & PST (12%) will be deducted at time of purchase. Cannot be combined with any other offers. Hot Buys Excluded. No price adjustments Dec 26th or 27th. Although every precaution is taken, errors in price or specification may occur in print. We reserve the right to correct such errors. Not all items available at all locations. Offers in effect until January 5th, 2015 or while supplies last.

With a vast 35+ years experience in the renovation & addition business for both residential and commercial projects, consider me an expert, a specialist in the field. Carpentry, cabinet making & all aspects of construction. From design to completion or any task in between. An acute eye for the finished product, a finely developed sense of style, form and composition combine for the proven ability to give your project that professional look you desire, the look you expect.

Chris Knox

250-752-2155

The Parksville Qualicum Beach News Tuesday, December 23, 2014

Sports &Rec

www.pqbnews.com

A19

DO YOU HAVE LOCAL SPORTS NEWS? Contact: Tyson Taylor, Sports Reporter Email: sports@pqbnews.com Phone: 250-951-3809

KWALIKUM SPORTS

KSS developing soccer excellence

In its second year, centre for excellence is growing and showing results in its students

It’s been fantastic, both as a teacher and a coach, to see the development with this group of students. BUTCH GAYTON

T YSON TAYLOR sports@pqbnews.com

In their second year, the Kwalikum Secondary School Centre for Soccer Excellence continues to draw students. KSS students are enjoying the program for the second year now, after a successful and well-received debut last year. Kwalikum athletic director Butch Gayton is pleased with the amount of positive feedback from both students in the program and others that are interested in joining. It’s a positive sign that the program has the potential to expand its numbers even more and with sponsors starting to get on board, things are looking up. “It’s a pretty neat thing we’ve got going,” Gayton said. “We’re able to get out to Arbutus Meadows to use their artificial pitch, we’ve got professional coaches and the kids out there are so talented. They love it a lot.” Students are getting daily instruction in the game of soccer, both on and off the field. In the classroom, they’re learning about the ins and outs of stay-

TYSON TAYLOR PHOTO

The Kwalikum Secondary Centre for Soccer Excellence, now in it’s second year, has been getting positive feedback from students and lots of inquiries from other students looking to join next year. The program was able to utilize the turf field at Arbutus Meadows as part of their training curriculum.

ing fit, eating healthy and injury prevention, to name a few. On the field, coach Sjell Broadsgaard is lending his years of professional experience in the game to help coach the students along to the next level. “You can see the improvement from all the kids,” Gayton

said. “They’re out there on the pitch two times a week and in the gym once a week, working on their games. They step out on the pitch for their teams they play on in the community and you can see everything they’ve been working on coming to life.” “It’s been fantastic, both as a

teacher and a coach, to see the development with this group of students.” With the addition of Grade 8 to the high school system, Gayton sees the potential to have even more students joining up for the KSS Centre for Soccer Excellence. “Our students that are here

right now will be back again next year,” Gayton said. “It’s nice because they’re young enough to start out and really pick it up right away and then as they progress, they can still utilize these skills in the community league and during soccer season at school too.” “We’ve been getting a lot of interest from Grade 8 and Grade 9 students with this thing and we’re always looking at the possibility of expansion.” Expansion is something that’s becoming more and more of a realistic situation with the sponsor interest. With a few in the works, the KSS Centre for Soccer Excellence has been lent a 15-passenger van from Vancouver Island Goalkeeping. “We’ve got A Batt Above, who’s been helping us out with sponsorship,” Gayton said. “They’ve been a tremendous help for us. Also, the van from the Goalkeeping School is a godsend. That gives us a chance to get all the kids there at one time both to and from where we need to get to. Of course, we’ve got parents that are always willing to lend a hand but this goes a long way in helping us out too.”

BALLENAS SPORTS

Whalers senior girls basketball in B.C. top 10 Parksville high school team is unbeaten in first nine games of this season and pre-season’s action T YSON TAYLOR sports@pqbnews.com

The Ballenas Whalers senior girls basketball team is off to a hot start in their season and, after winning a tournament in Victoria this past weekend, are ranked in the top ten in B.C. The Whalers girls are unbeaten on their season so far, having three wins in league play in three games so far. They also had six wins in exhibition and tournament play for a 9-0 start, earning a rank-

ing of tenth in were made of. We showed what we were B.C. (AA Senior Marching made of though and held Girls Basketstraight to our own on their floor. ball). the finals, the Last weekWhalers beat DARYL BRITZ end, the senior Winston Churgirls squad was chill (Calgary) in Victoria for 64-44 to win the Victoria Christmas Tourna- the Gold Division of the tourment. nament. Playing their first game “We were a little nervous against Lambrick Park, who with playing against the home had home court advantage, the team,” head coach Daryl Britz Whalers were up for a challenge said. but quickly showed what they “Lambrick Park is always

a strong program and to go in there and have our opener against them, it could have gone either way. We showed what we were made of though and held our own on their floor.” The Whalers would go on to win their opening game by a score of 73-34. Four different players scored in the double figures and it was just an hour later against Pitt Meadows that the Whalers played their second game of the tournament.

Having another four players scoring double figures, the Whalers went on to win 68-22. “We’ve instilled a new play, we’re working hard on that,” Britz said. “Our defense is coming along too, still a few things to work out there. Things have been going well though, starting off unbeaten is nothing to overlook,” he said. “But we know that we’ve got a lot of tough basketball coming in the New Year.”

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Tuesday, December 23, 2014 The Parksville Qualicum Beach News

KWALIKUM SPORTS

KSS girls basketball

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Qualicum Beach team is doing well at the start of their season with a 2-1 record and showing improvement T YSON TAYLOR

they’re showing great amounts of improvement since the beginning of the year.” The Kwalikum Secondary School senior Coming off a good showing at a tournament girls basketball team is having a good start to last weekend at Vanier Secondary in Courtetheir season, winning two out of three league nay, the KSS senior girls team earned victories games so far and showing imover the AAA Dover Bay DolWe had... a close, tough provement with each passing phins (Nanaimo) and host battle against Eric Hamgame. Vanier Towhees. ber, who was your typical Tuesday night, the Lady “It was a good learning mainland team, smash Kondors took on the Barsby experience for the girls,” Bulldogs out of Nanaimo and mouth and physical. It was Bate said. showed their improvement, a great weekend though, a “It’s always challenging lot of fun. earning a 59-27 victory. going against AAA teams BOB BATE In total, 10 out of 11 players (being a AA team). We had on the team ended up on the two big wins against two solscore sheet, with Jenna Milne id teams and our third game and Shea Carmichael leading was a close, tough battle the way with 16 points each. against Eric Hamber (Vancouver), who was “We’re a young team with a steep learning your typical mainland team, smash mouth curve,” head coach Bob Bate said after the win and physical. It was a great weekend though, on Tuesday night. a lot of fun.” “The girls have been playing great defense, The girls team now heads into the winter which speaks volumes to the style of game break with a schedule showing lots of practicthey’re playing. It’s a really tough league and es and a game in the Alumni Tournament on the girls will take some bumps and bruises but December 27 (4:30 p.m.). sports@pqbnews.com

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