JANUARY PROPERTY SALES: Market returns to action PAGE 10
$1.50
inc. GST
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2023
ARTS SCENE
VOL. 49 NO. 08
BIUndercurrent
BowUndercurrent www.bowenislandundercurrent.com
Mini Gala, Tir-nanOg, New Exhibit PAGE 11
Snug Cove House hopes to clear financial hurdle
“WE’VE NEVER BEEN SO CLOSE” ALEX KURIAL Editor
WE CAN FIX THAT SNOW PROBLEM: Realizing winter is far from over, Michael Sidelman (left) brought his snowblower to last weekend’s Fix-It Fair for some attention.The right person for the job was on-hand, as Steve Elves (right) worked his magic to fill the BICS gym with the roar of the machine. And just in time too - snow hit the island mid-week, with more anticipated this weekend.To see more of the items saved at the fair, as well as many of the handy helpers, check out our Photo Gallery on Page 12. / Alex Kurial photo
The society in charge of trying to bring a seniors’ residence to Bowen say they’re closer than ever to making the long-envisioned Snug Cove House a reality. But the next few months will be the deciding timeframe in seeing if the housing project – in the planning stages for decades now – can finally break ground this year. The Snug Cove House Society (SCHS) has recently been granted a loan worth $11.6 million. Along with $3.6 million raised by SCHS over time, they’re just $2.4 million short of the $17.6 million total price tag for the building. “We’ve never been so close. I mean we are so close. It’s the last mile,” says SCHS board chair Graham Ritchie. The sizeable portion SCHS is able to contribute has been collected over many years thanks to strong community support for the project. Memorably in 2004 the society fundraised enough money to buy the $150,000 plot of land along Miller Road where they hope the residences will one day sit. “It’s been a long time but the community support has been relentless… You have the stalwart givers like Knick Knack Nook and the Legion… and we have individual donors who have been keeping us going,” says Ritchie. “The community wants it. We had 178 letters from the community in support… just fantastic. We’ve done our own surveys where two-thirds of the respondents said yes, we would consider going into a residence like this, and yes we can afford to pay what you’re asking,” he adds. CONTINUED ON PAGE 3
Everything you need this Spring and if we don't have it, we'll get it! Framing Lumber & Plywood Finish Lumber & Flooring Doors, Windows, & Skylights Treated Lumber & Decking Cedar Lumber, Decking & Fencing Concrete Products, Bricks & Pavers Engineered Wood Products Roofing & Gutters Air Liquide Gases & Supplies
Gardening Tools & Supplies Heating-Electric, Propane, Wood, Pellet Plumbing and Electrical Supplies Hand & Power Tools Household, Automotive Cleaning Items Paint Department Drainage Materials Water Tanks & Storage Septic Tanks
Celebrating over 50 years of helping islanders
BOWEN BUILDING CENTRE 1013 GRAFTON ROAD • 604 - 947- 9622 Open Monday to Friday 8 - 5 pm Closed Saturday & Sunday