Keep Calm and Carry On ~

A lovely little video to enjoy, click here.

Jeannine Caldbeck

FAC ~ Feb 2013 Updates

Click here for Brian Hollingshead Summary & Response, 

here for Traffic Graphs

and here for Traffic Stats.

Keith Rush

New Page ~ St. Margaret's Cemetery

Click here for contact information and Mission Statement.

Also information about Lives Behind the Headstones

20th Anniversary Edition will be coming out in May.

Spring Catkin with Visitor

Dickie Gallery

Soup's On ~ Wednesday, March 13th

Forbes Hall 11:30AM ~ 1:00PM or 'til we run out!

Menu:

Tuscan White Bean with Kale Soup (vegetarian)

Homemade Bread

Deep Chocolate Brownies

Tea & Pot of Gold Coffee 

by donation ($5 suggested)

See you Wednesday.

For more information on Soup's On, click here.

Seniors Dinner ~ Sunday, March 17th

Forbes Hall  -   Seating at 5:30 PM

Dinner fee - $18 paid at the door.

Wine, liqueur, port & sherry sold at the bar.

Reservation deadline is 5 PM Wed, Mar 13th email donella123@aol.com or via a Drop Box note to Dee - Box 16-2.

MENU FOR THE EVENING

Garden Vegetable Soup with Bread

Savory Meat Pie in a Flaky Crust

Served with Maple Baked Yams,

Steamed Asparagus & Harvard Beets.

Dessert is a Rainbow Delight!

Pot of Gold Coffee - Tea - Juice

donella123@aol.com

for more info, click here.

Shoreline Workshops

GREEN SHORES FOR HOMES & SHORELINE MAPPING WORKSHOP

Wednesday March 13, 1:30 - 4:30 pm at Forbes Hall 

Learn about recent shoreline and watershed maps developed for Thetis, eelgrass mapping and conservation projects, and how using the Green Shores for Homes approach can improve properties and our coastal ecosystem. 

Speakers: Paul de Greeff, Murdoch de Greeff Inc; Brian Emmett, Archipelago Marine Research; Kate Emmings, Islands Trust Fund; Nikki Wright, SeaChange Marine Conservation Society

SHORELINE PROTECTION FOR THETIS – a community workshop

Wednesday March 20, 1:30 - 4:00 pm at Forbes Hall

The Thetis Island Local Trust Committee is seeking community involvement as they start to look at possible tools and mechanisms that the community can use to protect our island’s shorelines. This interactive workshop will be facilitated by James van Hemert of HB Lanarc - Golder.

Thank you!

Aleksandra Brzozowski

Island Planner

Ferry Unloading Procedures...

New Ferry unloading procedures - do you like it ?

It's temporary - if you don't like it -  SPEAK UP !   

Write to:    harjinder.jangu@bcferries.com    who is the Senior Master for our route.

I don't like it because:

- cars getting damaged by people with strollers,  large suitcases, backpacks (think summer camps) making their way to the front.  It's a fact that people have to lift strollers between cars in order to  get out of the waiting room or to the front of the boat.

- slow people on the ramp = delays = overtime = more $$  (walk-on ramp in Chemainus is too narrow, on busy days foot passengers have no choice but to walk up the car ramp.) There are a lot of people  who can't walk very fast. They will feel pressured to hurry up the car ramp in order to get out of the way of the cars. With the old system they could take their time going up the foot passenger ramp. Not too mention how this will slow everything down - it's a long, steep hill.

- People having to stand in the rain and car fumes while waiting to get off (covered area is not big enough) or having to hurry out of the waiting room at the last minute - again feeling pressured to hurry up       

- Dangerous situation when cars are driving up behind foot passengers who might decide to cross to the waiting room in Chemainus at the last minute  (or even worse when the people have to walk around a truck delivering to 49th in Chemainus while the cars are driving up behind them)

Summer is coming: think ahead to busy summer schedule with 80 kids getting off and 50 getting on.....  Enough said: if you agree,  TELL THEM YOU WANT THE OLD SYSTEM BACK.

Simone Luckham

Chemainus Fire Victims seeking Assistance

Cowichan Neighborhood House Association IS seeking donations for victims of a recent fire in Chemainus.   Please phone (250) 246-3203 if you have any items to donate.

Thank you

Myla Frankl

Islands Trust Council Approves 2013-2014 Budget

On March 6th at its meeting on Thetis Island, the Islands Trust Council approved a 2013-2014 budget of $6.9 million. The budget represents a $101,269 increase in expenditures and will result in a 1.3% increase in Islands Trust property taxes in 2013. A typical property assessed at $450,000 is expected to see a tax increase of approximately $4.

The approved budget supports current service levels, improves bylaw enforcement resources, provides a new permanent position to manage the website and other computer applications for trustees and staff, and supports the following projects: 

·         Further research and advocacy for sustainable and affordable ferry services;

·         Nearshore mapping (eelgrass and forage fish); and 

·         Riparian areas mapping to meet the provincial regulation that requires local governments to protect potential fish habitat. 

The 2013-2014 budget will complete or advance programs to address land use planning issues in all local trust areas in consultation with islanders. Examples of these initiatives are affordable housing, farm plans, groundwater and shoreline protection. Each of these topics includes public consultation activities. 

Islands Trust Council Chair Sheila Malcolmson reflected, “During our budget deliberations, we were challenged with a reduced 2013-2014 contribution from the province and increased wages negotiated by the province under the BCGEU collective agreement. Before proposing this budget, Trust Council’s Financial Planning Committee carefully considered the options for keeping taxes as low as possible while providing the many projects islanders ask for and meeting mandatory obligations facing local government. Trust Council carefully considered input from trustees and constituents before making its final decision.”

Click here for full budget details.

Eleanor Culver's 95th Birthday

Hello all,

I am Noni Fidler, Eleanor Culver's oldest daughter, and I am making a memory album of greetings and remembrances for Mom's 95th Birthday.   Mom and Dad lived on Thetis for 18 years so I am sure many of you remember sharing a glass of wine or one of Mom's amazing meals or walking in her beautiful garden on Clam Bay.   If you have a photo to share or a story or a birthday card you can reach me

by e-mail at nkfidler@gmail.com or

by phone at 250-325-8533, or

by mail at 1440 Barrett Road, Gabriola Island V0R 1X5  

I need some time to mount your submissions so would appreciate it if you can get them to me by the last week in March at very latest.

Thank you

Noni Fidler

TIVFD looking for HO Scale Buildings ~

Your Fire Department is looking for HO Scale buildings (usually used with model train set-ups) to use as training aids at the fire hall.  Let us know if you have any you would like to donate.

Fire Chief J. Caldbeck

cell:  250-252-0544