RUN FOR RWANDA: Rotary planning end of month fundraiser PAGE 9
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THURSDAY, AUGUST 11, 2022
BOWEN CIDERY UP AND RUNNING
VOL. 48 NO. 29
BIUndercurrent
BowUndercurrent www.bowenislandundercurrent.com
Cider House success PAGE 13
Bowen voters to have their say on Islands Trust deal ALEX KURIAL Editor
DIGGER DYNASTY: The Diggers baseball team are once again champions of the Bowen Fastpitch League after knocking off the Brewers in the tournament final on Sunday. It’s the team’s fifth title in the past seven seasons. For more photos, and a look at the Diggers journey, check out Pages 6-7. / Valentyna Gabinyetova photo
New regional park for Bowen Island SWEEPING 97 HECTARE PARK AT CAPE ROGER CURTIS WOULD INCLUDE EXPANDED TRAILS, BEACH ACCESS, AND 100 OVERNIGHT CAMPSITES
ALEX KURIAL Editor Cape Roger Curtis is set to be the site of a massive new
regional park on Bowen Island, Metro Vancouver announced on Wednesday morning. The 97 hectare space sits on the southwest corner of the island, bordering Crown land which includes
the Fairy Fen Nature Reserve and Huszar Creek, and the new Wild Coast Nature Refuge. It is also located within the Howe Sound UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. CONTINUED ON PAGE 10
There will be an additional question on the municipal election ballot this October regarding Bowen’s future dealings with the Islands Trust. The query – officially branded as an opinion poll – isn’t about whether Bowen Island should remain a member of the group. Rather, it’s asking whether the municipality (BIM) should renegotiate the tax formula which commits Bowen to payments now topping $320,000 a year to the provincial organization. The Bowen Island municipal property tax levy is a unique funding source of Islands Trust that collects money from BIM based on the assessed values of buildings and properties on the island. The Trust hiked Bowen’s contribution by four per cent this year, bringing the municipality’s total 2022/23 bill to $323,769. Chief administrative officer Liam Edwards says the formula – which hasn’t been updated since 1999 – is outdated and unfair toward Bowen. “The requisition formula was amended when Bowen Island became a municipality to recognize a municipal government. At that time I don’t think it was contemplated how much autonomy and independence an island municipality would have from the Trust itself.” “So the requisition sections within the act really speak to the municipality still contributing to the core functioning of the administration of the Trust in the same way that any other island would. However, I think BIM demonstrated a higher degree of independence and autonomy,” Edwards added.
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