Bowen Island Undercurrent August 25 2022

BOWFEST EDITION: Check out the full event schedule PAGES 912

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THURSDAY, AUGUST 25, 2022

THE LOVE TREE

VOL. 48 NO. 31

BIUndercurrent

BowUndercurrent www.bowenislandundercurrent.com

Bowen brothers begin a new venture PAGE 8

E. coli clearing up at beaches SANDY BEACH BACK OPEN FOR SWIMMING AS BACTERIA DROPS

ALEX KURIAL Editor

CITIZEN OF THE YEAR!: After much deliberation, the annual honour of Bowen’s Citizen of the Year has been bestowed upon Basia Lieske for all the work she does in the community.To read more about her many endeavours over the years - which continue in force to this day - turn over to Page 7. T

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947 Village Drive | $1,849,000 I felt prioritized the entire way through this process. Your dedication to the sale of the house and your patience with us as we navigated the process was phenomenal and much appreciated.” C.S.

tim@rhodesonbowen.com rhodesonbowen.com

Bowen’s beach closures have been cut in half, with just Snug Cove Beach remaining off limits due to E. coli levels in the water. Sandy Beach was also closed for swimming this summer following high E. coli levels of its own, but received the all-clear last week after several weeks of low readings. Vancouver Coastal Health conducts a pair of readings at Metro Vancouver and Fraser Valley beaches each week. Levels above 200 E. coli per 100 mL of water are considered unsafe for human ingestion, and can cause “gastrointestinal illnesses and skin/eye infections,” according to VCH. On Bowen, VCH also tests at Pebbly Beach, Mothers Beach, Bowen Bay, and Tunstall Bay. All four have remained open all summer. As for the source of the bacteria, while nothing has been confirmed there are plenty of possibilities for how the E. coli spread. Municipal manager of environment and parks planning Bonny Brokenshire spoke to some of the confirmed and potential origins. “During the high counts in Mannion Bay (Sandy Beach) there were a lot of geese seen in the area. Geese, of course, can contribute to higher counts,” says Brokenshire. Goose feces can contain E. coli. CONTINUED ON PAGE 3

T LDAGEN O S S ER’

Y BU

572 Smugglers Cove Road | $499,000 NT LDAGE O S ER’S

Y BU

404 Venture Road | $1,425,000

OVE 3 BDRM | 1.5 BATH | 3,111 SF | OLD BOWEN CHARM IN SNUG CO JUST STEPS FROM FERRY, MARINA, BEACHES, & SHOPS 207-150 E 15th St., N. Van. | $699,000

Tim Rhodes REALTOR® 604.341.9488