What's Fresh @ Jollity Farm?

Open Saturday 10 to 1

Spinach
Rainbow chard
Kale
Red and green cabbage
Sunflower and Pea shoots
Free range eggs

We'll have some extra bagels available too.

More sausage flavours available: English Banger, Coconut Currywurst,
Apple Bacon

On the Kombucha tap: Elderflower Rose

With thanks,

Jollity Farmers

Pub Specials and Sunday Prime Rib Dinner

We still have our delicious weekend special on offer today. Come down this evening and enjoy any, or all, of the feature courses. The regular menu is also available if you're just craving your usual favourite.

Appetizer:
CARAMELIZED ONION, HEIRLOOM TOMATO AND GOAT CHEESE TART
Topped with dressed arugula and drizzled with balsamic

Entree:
BLUE CHEESE CRUSTED NY STEAK
With a port reduction, bacon and cream cheese smashed potatoes, and pan seared asparagus

Dessert:
BLACK FOREST PARFAIT
A decadent chocolate cake topped with cherry compote, whipped cream, and almond streusel

Wine Pairing:
TRIDENTE TEMPRANILLO
Powerful, full bodied, and tannic, with flavours of chocolate, liquorice, black fruits, violet and tobacco. Pairs beautifully with beef.

And tomorrow, we have breakfast available from 11:30 to 1:30. Join us for:
Classic 2 Egg Breakfast
Seafood Eggs Benny
Ham, Mushroom, and Cheese Omelette

Followed by our first official SUNDAY PRIME RIB DINNER starting at 4:00.
Served in a giant yorkie bowl and smothered in red wine gravy, with slow roasted beef, mashed potatoes, and seasonal vegetables.

Can't wait to see you!
Kelsey and the Thetis Island Pub Team

Free YOGA, 10am, Saturday

This Saturday, March 1st, @ Forbes Hall
Please bring your own yoga mats.

All are welcome, be great to see you!
Karen

Missing: Feeling like Spring but...

...the garden rake has gone astray from Forbes Hall.

TICA is written in marker along the wooden handle.

If you accidently took it home following last fall’s work party, or noticed it in a weird place on the grounds, could you please lean it against the garden shed door and let us know?

Thanks,

Ann Dickie

info@forbeshall.ca

Seeking Sponsorship: New Wave Fibre

Thetis Island's own yarn company, New Wave Fibre, is going to Knit City Montreal, May 16-18, 2025, to display as an emerging artist!

We're wondering if anyone has relevant airmiles and would like to sponsor us by donating them (or sponsor us in any other way!).

Please contact Emily and apprentice Erica if you're interested in supporting us!

Thank you,

Emily

newwavefibre@gmail.com

Ping Pong

Come join us at Forbes Hall for ping pong.
Thursday nights from 7:00 pm till we get tired or 9:00 pm, whichever comes first…

ping pong team

Free Vtech Phone System

In good working order. Vtech big button phone with answering machine plus one portable handset.

Call/txt Deb 250 710-4000.

Free Second-hand Window in Good Condition

We have a 1980s-vintage window (used) to give away.
It's a horizontal slider and includes a removable bug screen.
The window is metal-framed, double-pane glass with 1/8" separation between the panes.

The main frame is 58 1/4" wide x 40 1/4" high; the outer flange is
61" wide x 43" high.

Email: Jonathan Thornburg at (remove -color from the email address before clicking send)
jt.bhbkis@gmail-red.com1

CVRD 2025 Budget (On-Line Link & Info)

Following up on Paul Duncan's comments in yesterday's e-spokes about the 2025 CVRD proposed budget...

If you google "CVRD 2025 budget", the very first link is to the CVRD website.

https://cvrd.ca/3595/2025-Draft-Budget

This web page has a detailed presentation of the budget, including comparisons with 2024 and a link to a short video presentation summarizing the budget.

Looking at the budget documents (see in particular Schedule E, "Average Home Tax Impact"), by far the largest budget increase for 2025 ($54 of the total $80 increase for the average Electoral Area G property) is in the costs of operating our regional recreation centres.

For example, the Cowichan Aquatic Centre, Cowichan Community Centre, Fuller Lake Arena, Cowichan Sportsplex, and Cowichan Performing Arts Centre all have significant cost increases.

Although I'm not an expert in the operation of swimming pools, arenas, sports fields, or community centres, but it does likely that these all have special costs which aren't reflected in the general consumer price index – things like liability insurance, water filtration/treatment for swimming pools, and ice-making systems for arenas.

In the end, we as a community have to decide what services we want and are willing to pay for. I think capping the CVRD's budget increase to the overall BC rate of inflation would likely lead to large service cuts at the regional recreation centres and elsewhere.

I prefer to pay an extra $80 per year (a bit under $7 per month) to allow the CVRD to maintain our valuable services.

Jonathan Thornburg 

(Thetis property owner and visitor/resident on and off since 1971).

Soup’s On - Wednesday, February 26th

Sorry to say, but we’ve needed to cancel Soup’s On for today, due to scheduling difficulties.

Next Soup’s On will be on March 5th.

A big thanks to all the cooks, bakers, and workers for all they do!

Ann Dickie

CVRD 2025 Budget

The Cowichan Valley Regional District (CVRD) will present the 2025 Budget for the information of the CVRD Board today. The Board will be asked to approve this Budget in the next few months.

Your 2025 Property Taxes, that you pay on July 1, 2025, are based on a 2025 Budget of $64.6 million up $5.3 million from last year’s $59.2 million. This is a 9% increase, much more than BC’s annual rate of inflation of 2.2% (January 2024 to January 2025. (Click link below to find: Consumer Price Index by geography, all-items, monthly, percentage change, not seasonally adjusted, Canada, provinces, Whitehorse, Yellowknife and Iqaluit). 

https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=1810000402&pickMembers%5B0%5D=1.26&cubeTimeFrame.startMonth=01&cubeTimeFrame.startYear=2025&referencePeriods=20250101%2C20250101

Board direction was provided on May 15, 2024 for the 2025 Budget: maintain service delivery while looking for cost efficiencies It’s hard to believe that CVRD’s costs to maintain current services is so much higher than our BC cost of living increase of 2.2%. (For Electoral Area G that includes the Gulf Islands, our property taxes will be $2.1 million, up 8%).

Please consider contacting your CVRD Area Director, Jesse McClinton, to explain the Budget increase and to cap our taxes at the rate of inflation 2.2%.

Paul Duncan, Thetis Island Residents and Rate Payers’ Association Member

This Week at the Pub

We've got some amazing looking specials available this week!

On Friday and Saturday, we have an appetizer, entree, and dessert that pair beautifully. Come for just one course or indulge in all three! We're also offering one of our bottled wines by the glass so you can add a wine pairing.

And if you have a regular favourite, don't worry, the whole menu is still available all day.

Appetizer:
CARAMELIZED ONION, HEIRLOOM TOMATO AND GOAT CHEESE TART
Topped with dressed arugula and drizzled with balsamic

Entree:
BLUE CHEESE CRUSTED NY STEAK
With a port reduction, bacon and cream cheese smashed potatoes, and pan seared asparagus

Dessert:
BLACK FOREST PARFAIT
A decadent chocolate cake topped with cherry compote, whipped cream, and almond streusel

Wine Pairing:
TRIDENTE TEMPRANILLO
Powerful, full bodied, and tannic, with flavours of chocolate, liquorice, black fruits, violet and tobacco. Pairs beautifully with beef.

And starting this Sunday, we have a great new weekly event!

SUNDAY PRIME RIB DINNER
Served in a giant yorkie bowl and smothered in red wine gravy, with slow roasted beef, mashed potatoes, and seasonal vegetables.

We can't wait to see you!
Kelsey and the Thetis Island Pub