What a day Saturday was! Luckily, the Bowen Island Rotary Run was over before the real heat arrived. We were blessed by blue skies and many enthusiastic participants who came out in droves to enjoy the fun.
We are very grateful to our volunteers who come out year after year to support us, also to many sponsors, both financial and in kind.
Here they are: Presman Wealth Management, Bellwater Water Systems, Frits de Vries Architects, Dr Gloria Chao, Bowen Island Properties, Barbara Wahler, and the Ockeloen and Adams families; Snug Cove General Store, Artisan Eats, the Snug Café, Ruddy on Bowen and Savary Island Pie Company.
And we can’t forget the prize donors: Lululemon, Forerunners, Bowen Island Pub, Tippey’s, Phoenix Books, USSC Marina, Catherine and Kathryn at The Burrow and Cates Pharmacy
Without all of the above donors, our run would never be viable; we depend on this event and other year-long donors to sup-
port 15 young women with scholarships for their secondary and tertiary education in rural Rwanda.
All results and many photos are to be found on the komeracanada.ca website. Here are the first few:
We look forward to seeing you all at the 16th annual Bowen Island Rotary Run in August 2026!
Saturday’s top runners included (clockwise from top left) Rachel Milau 1st in Female 5K, Finlay Boggan 1st in Male 5K, Leanne Taylor 1st in Female 10K, and Colin Kerr 1st in Male 10K - crossing with daughter Heidi who was 1st in 9U Girls 1.5K / Robert Ballantyne photos
VIEWPOINTS
EDITORIAL
HappyLabour Day!
Another brilliantBowfestisinthe books! Once again the parade floatsoutdid themselves and it wasreallyneattosee which creatureshold deep meaningtopeopleand why. As abig Lord of the Ringsfan,Bowen Recreation’s‘OneFloat To Rule Them All’was one of my personal favourites,and Ithink we were all impressedbythe majestic Sandythe Heronflyinghighinthe sky. This wasalsoa perfecttheme for the wonderfulanimals and folks of BIHORA, who deliveredanengaging procession as usual.
And howabout ourCitizenofthe Year Steve Edwards-who hadtohop outand help push his ownmotorcade down thefinal stretch! The stalledcar proved no match for Steve(and the many onlookerswho rushedtohelp)and together theywereable to bringthe convertible over the finish line.It wasa fittingexampleofthe rallyingspirit Stevesaidhefinds so incredible aboutour community.
Thethrill of Bowfestalsomeans summer is almostover... There’sstill abit of time left of course, so be sure to make themostofyour Labour Daylongweekend becausenextweek school and Septemberare here!See youthen! -AlexKurial, Editor
THE WRITE STUFF. TheUndercurrent encourages reader participation in your communitynewspaper. Youmustinclude your full nameand adaytime phone number (for verificationonly). The editor reservesthe righttoeditfor clarity,legality,brevity and taste. Please limit to under500 words. HERE’S HOW:Tosubmita letter to the editor,fax 604-947-0148 or mail it to PO Box 130,Bowen Island,BC, V0N 1G0 or emaileditor@bowenislandundercurrent.com
$85 including GST Newsstand (Single Copy)$1.50 per copy,includingGST ISSN 7819-5040
All Advertising and newscopycontent arecopyrightof the Undercurrent Newspaper.All editorial contentsubmittedtothe Undercurrent becomes the property of the publication. TheUndercurrent is not responsible forunsolicited manuscripts,art work and photographs.
National NewsMedia Council.
TheUndercurrent is amember of theNational NewsMedia Council of Canada, which is an independentorganization established to deal with acceptable journalistic practices and ethical behaviour. If youhave concerns about editorial content, please email editor@ bowenislandundercurrent.comorcall 604-947-2442. If youare not satisfied with the response and wish to file a formal complaint, visit the websiteatmediacouncil.ca or call toll-free 1-844-877-1163 foradditional information
VIEWS
Hoorayfor Bowfest!
Dear Editor,
It wasabeautiful sunnyday andanenjoyable crowdfor the49th annual Bowfest thisyear. Iwas grateful to attendthisyear’s festivalasIbelieve it to be oneofthe best island traditions and adefinitehighlight of the Summer
I’dliketoshare apoemIwrote about the experience at this year’s eventand how much Iappreciatedbeingthere
Bowfest
Theunfoldingofapicturesque
And sublimelybeautiful day
Brings forth aweand wonder
As onlookersview the creative
Andoriginallydesignedfloats
In the festival parade
Thevendorsonthe Union Steamship lawn
Sell treasuresthat arespeciallypicked Or lovinglymade by hand
While in the Bowfestfield themusicians Strike up the band
Musicpulses outintothe field
Creatinga feelingofuplifting joy
Theliberation of seeing
Thesmiles on children’sfaces Lights up the spirit
Dear Editor,
While children and adults
Eagerly participateingames
TheLip Sync Contest
TheCountry Fair
And enjoyculinarydelights
Peoplefromall over sharea feeling
Of pure enthusiasm and love
Forthis immenselyenjoyable event
Community booths areset up
To inform and intrigue us
While everyone shares afeeling Of beautifully infectious happiness
Thecrowd is thrilled to experience Thedance partyintothe night
Astunninglypleasing Andlivelymusical delight
Bringing everyone together On this island oasis
As people dance To therhythmofthe music
In an upliftingfeelingofcelebration It brings beauty to thesoul Andinspirationtothe heart
The field is transformed In apalpable embrace Aspeopleeuphoricallyunite
In this wondrousand glorious place
-Laura Sbragia
The49th annual Bowfest wasareally greatexperience foreveryone whosponsored, volunteered,tookpartinthe parade andfield events, enjoyed greatweather,entertainmentand especiallythe continuedfantastic leadership broughtbyJay and Sindyasenergetic and fun co-chairs.
Thankstoall.
-BillGranger
Seekingsomeone whocan do meal prep &light housekeeping forelderly couple 3hrs/day M-FonBowen Island to startmid-Sept. Must haveown transportation (house notonbus route).
604-649-4834 &leave message.
Wednesday, Sept 10 Registration at CatesHill Chapel, 7:00 PM
TUCKER
Tucker,asweet senior patient at Bowen Veterinarian, recently came in for his routine senior check. Despite hisage, Tucker wasingood spirits,wagging his tail andcharming the staffwith hisgentle nature. Duringthe visit,the veterinary team performed athorough exam to monitor hisoverall health, including checking hisjoints, weight,and vital organs. Tucker handled everything like apro, and hisloving personality madethe visita joyfor everyone involved.Regularsenior checkslike this help ensure he stayshappy and comfortableinhis golden years.
Bowenkids areaformidable force in theTug of War. /Margaret Gray photo
VIEWPOINTS
Letter: On theCougar
LOREDANA BRIND
Letter Writer
While Isympathize with your readers’ concerns about the presenceof acougarin our midst and agree that it should be safely relocated on the mainland,Iwonder how many peopleknow that the Wildlife Service will not relocate cougars but kill them. At presentatleast fivecoyotesonBowen feed with theleftovers of the cougar’s deer Once he is gone they will kill smaller animals and pets while breedingintoapack.
They can be more aggressive anddifficult to control.
If everyonewho signed the petition to relocate thecougar, printed in your issue of August15, was willing to donate $10 wecould raise enough funds to entice an experienced animal lover from the Wildlife Serviceand ProtectiontocometoBowen and proceed to cage and rescueour young and so farinnocentcougar andrelocate him in an appropriate environment. Atleast so Ihope.
|1122 Miller Road 778-688-2061 OFFICE HOURS WEDNESDAY10-4ORBYAPPOINTMENT Contact aryana.rayne@gmail.com •www.shirathayam.ca
5:15 am -exceptSundays 6:15 am 7:30 am 8:45 am 10:00am 11:15 am 12:35 pm 1:55 pm 3:15 pm 4:40 pm -exceptWednesdays 6:00 pm 7:15 pm 8:25 pm -exceptSaturdays 9:30 pm 10:30pm 11:30pm DEPART HORSESHOEBAY 5:45 am 6:50 am 8:05 am 9:20 am -exceptWednesdays 10:35am 11:55am 1:10 pm 2:35 pm 3:55 pm 5:20 pm 6:35 pm 7:50 pm 8:55 pm -exceptSaturdays 10:00pm 11:00pm
Where’sthe ferry rightnow?- liveupdatesatwww.bowenferry.ca Schedule changesonstatutory holidays. Stay up to date at www.bcferries.com
TheFairweather Eagle chicks arebeginning to soar high. /Haig Farris photo
TheFabulous Flyers were Bowfest stars as their performanceearnedthem topprize in the Lip Sync Contest.You can see moreof their dazzlinghigh flying featslater on in our Bowfest PhotoGallery. /SheanaStevenson photo
CommunityAmenities
Communityamenities aremeanttoenhancequalityoflife. Think public spaces, trails, diverse housing, community-serving facilities or localcommercial spaces.AtBIP,our passion is to help build an island community, which includes enabling amenities that benefit Bowen Islanders. From ourview,the application enables arange of tangible communityamenities and benefits, including:
Theme Community AmenityCommunityBenefit
Diverse Housing Options
Compact housing like townhouses and multiplexes forresidents at different life stages and income levels.
Local Serving Businesses & Community Programming Spaces for local retail, cafes, hospitality usesand programs for independent and supportiveliving.
Open Spaces Outdoor areas, trails and outdoor gathering spaces.
Environmental Stewardship Development is clustered,allowing less total land area to be impacted by development.
Existing Infrastructure
Suffiicient capacity of services already exists -including water fordomestic andfire fighting purposes, sewer, communicationsand road networks.
Avoidsphysicalimpacts andcostsofnew construction;increases efficiencyandreduces per capitaoperation/ maintenancecosts(avoids taxincreases).
Moving Forward
Together,these amenities show howthe proposal is predicated on the deliveryoftangible community benefits—well beyond any reductionist math that might only emphasize“additional housingunits.” So back to our “fork in theroad”: WillCouncildirectStaff,intheirinterpretationof Policy147,toproceedwithaLandUseBylawamendmentwithoutan OCPamendment?
If theanswer is yes,wewill proceed to consider and negotiate moretangible refinements to theapplication, including:specific permissions related to thetype, sizeand shape of future housing, of scale; types andqualityofamenities; andthe specific staging of development. While Provincial Bill 44 removes therequirement fora formal public hearing on rezonings consistent with theOCP,itdoes not preventopenhouses, information sessions, or other opportunities for dialogue. BIP welcomes theseformsofengagement,asthis application is intended to benefit Bowen Island, and—likeCouncil—we arekeenly interested in hearing thecommunity’sperspectives.
If theanswer is no –and Council directs StafftorequireanOCP amendment –this will move theapplicationinto awider,policy-level discussion that asks:isthis the“right idea”inthe “right place” for Bowen? Already informed by theprinciples of Bowen’sOCP,wewill find ourselves “rightbackwhere we started”, havingpaidaprice: time lost!The delay will have direct, measurable costsand risks, especially tothe communitymembersthat need this type of housing.
Theareaweare asking to rezone is currently subdivided into 9singlefamily lots with no further development allowed. While we could proceed with this as an alternative, theoutcome is far from ourideal (as illustrated in theapplication before Council).Itisour strongopinion that theproposal we’ve submitted provides so much morecommunity benefit and is much more in linewith thecurrent OCP than thecurrent 9 ‘estate style’ lots that exist theretoday.
*The rezoning area is outside areas already covenanted for protection of creeks, wetlands and raptor trees
The Nature of Water
FLEUR SINCLAIR
The Hearth Gallery
The Hearth Gallery is proud to welcome Teryl Mullock and his newest show, Transformed by Water, running from August 27 to September 15.
Mullock is a process-driven artist, known for embracing spontaneity, unpredictability and intuition in his creative practice. Rather than beginning with a fixed image or outcome, he allows his materials to guide the direction of each piece.
In this new body of work, Mullock explores the themes of permanency, individuality, and transformation through a striking combination of liquid, resin, and thin layers of paper. These materials, fluid, light, and unpredictable, interact in complex ways, creating patterns and textures
that cannot be replicated. Each piece is truly one of a kind.
At the core of Transformed by Water is Mullock’s deep fascination with the nature of water itself. Simultaneously constant and ever-changing, water becomes a metaphor for spiritual connection and personal evolution.
His abstract works conjure imagery of melting icebergs, morning mists, and swirling bubbles, fleeting and profound moments in nature. Through these ephemeral visuals, Mullock reveals how water can act both as a connector and a vessel for transformation, one layer at a time.
We invite you to join us for the artist pARTy on Saturday, August 30 from 6 to 8 pm, where you’ll have the chance to meet the artist, enjoy refreshments, and witness water in motion through Mullock’s eyes.
Teryl Mullock creating water in motion. / Submitted photo
