What's Happening…
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Bus Service on Salt Spring Island
A public bus service is
scheduled to commence operation on Salt Spring Island on January 8 2008.
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Salt Spring Island Eco-Home Tours
June 16th 2007 (Saturday) Getting Around Salt Spring (GASS) Fair. 9:30
am - 3 pm
June 16th 2007 (Saturday) Transportation Forum, 7 pm at Meaden Hall (The
Legion)
June 17th 2007 (Sunday) Salt Spring Eco-Home Tour, 10 am - 4 pm. Visit 10
Eco-homes The Eco-Home Tour features 10 ecological homes focusing on
what each person can do to reduce their energy use, and help turn the tide
of climate change. Tickets at Salt Spring Books, the SSI Conservancy
office, on the website at
www.saltspringconservancy.ca, and on June 17th at Gulf Islands
Secondary School, 252 Rainbow Road from 9 am - 1 pm. Tickets: $25 or
carpool 4 tickets for $90. Discounts for hybrid, bio-diesel and Smart
cars, and cyclists at the Conservancy office. Meet at Gulf Islands
Secondary School to park your car and carpool at 9 am. The Fair includes
workshops on bicycles, electric bikes and scooters, electric cars, and a
"critical mass" ride. The Forum features Todd Litman of the Victoria
Transport Policy Institute who will speak on pedestrian and bicycle
oriented communities. For more information call 250-538-0318
or send email to ssiconservancy@saltspring.com
or visit
www.saltspringenergystrategy.org |
Mt. Erskine
Mt.
Erskine with an elevation of 448 metres, contains arbutus and coastal
Douglas fir forest (which B.C.'s Conservation Data Centre classifies as an
"ecosystem at risk") and offers spectacular views, as well as providing
the largest habitat for the beautiful hairy manzanita on Salt Spring
Island, after which Manzanita Ridge is named. A growing number of people
hike the trails to the top of Mt. Erskine to see the unique views offered
from the top. Most people are unaware that the summit is actually on
private property, but the Salt Spring Island Conservancy is coordinating a
fundraising effort to buy 100 acres on the top of Mt. Erskine. Although
this is a major undertaking, much of the required funds ($650,000) have
already been pledged. Combined with the adjacent, already-protected
properties, it will provide permanent protection to a large contiguous
undeveloped area of up to 240 hectares (600 acres). Visit the
Salt Spring Island Conservancy or
www.mounterskine.org for more information.
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Music and Munch
Held at All Saints Church by the Sea at 110 Park Drive in Ganges, these free musical
performances have been nearly full to capacity on a few occasions. The free performances take place on Wednesdays
throughout the summer at 1210 pm with a light (& delicious!) lunch provided by the Anglican Caterers following for
$5.50.
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Salt Spring Pool Association
The goal of SSPLASH has been to raise funds and campaign for an indoor pool on Salt Spring
Island. Nearly everyone agrees that an indoor pool would be a good thing. Land and operating funds would be needed
as well as the initial cost of construction. This group has provided the catalyst to make it all
start to happen.
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Municipality Referendum
A referendum to decide if Salt Spring Island would become a municipality was soundly
turned down in 2004. With a turnout of 3,617 voters, about half of those eligible, about 70% said NO to the proposal to
incorporate and form a municipality. The no vote got 2,537, and the yes side got 1,080 votes. While this
referendum was soundly defeated, the subject will surely come up again when there has been more discussion and
less chance of disaster under the current provincial government. The Campbell government which has been busy with
deep cuts in many sectors will be finalizing their Community Charter legislation in just a few months. When the
Community Charter is in black and white, it may be more apparent what a yes vote would mean.
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ADSL
High Speed Internet finally
arrived on Salt Spring Island in 2003. At first service was only available only in Ganges and along Fulford-Ganges Road
nearly as far as Slegg Lumber and just down the hill from there on Beddis road.
ADSL became available in Fulford Harbour in 2004. That same year, Telus
successfully tested new "long loop" DSL technology up to 8-9 km from the
central office in Surrey, BC. In late 2004, Telus began stringing fibre
optic cable around much of Salt Spring Island. ADSL service was available
in the Cusheon Lake area about the end of April 2005. Like many companies,
they place a fair bit of importance in the "apparent demand" for ADSL in
deciding what new areas will qualify for the needed upgrades, so if ADSL
isn't available where you live, be sure to email Telus at adsl_access@telus.net
or call 310-4638
to let them know that there is a demand for it here!
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Fall Fair 2007
The Fall Fair will take place on September 15 and 16 2007 at the Island Farmers
Institute on Rainbow Road.
Click here for more information about the Fall Fair.
This will be the 111th Fall Fair since it started
in 1896.
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Canada Day
July 1 is Canada Day. Join the Chamber of Commerce and Royal Canadian Legion as they
host this event at Centennial Park just before noon.
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Robert Bateman receives Order of British Columbia
June 2001: Robert Bateman, a well known
wildlife artist and environmental activist. has received the Order of British Columbia. This is the highest honour
that can be bestowed by the Province. Mr. Bateman is one of the world's foremost wildlife artists. He has been
painting full time since 1976. He also holds the Order of Canada and 9 honorary doctorates from Canadian and
American universities.
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Gary Oaks Deal Successful
On June 21 2000, it was announced that the $3.5 million purchase of 250 hectares of
threatened Gary Oak woodland had been purchased from Texada Land Corporation. This removes the threat of logging
or other development that was in the works for this sensitive ecosystem. Texada Lands purchased large tracts of
land on Salt Spring a several years ago and now has a full scale clearcut logging operation on some parts of the
Island. The Gary Oak woodland is on the north shore of Burgoyne Bay and stretches far up the hillside on Maxwell
below Mount Maxwell Provincial Park. The Forest Renewal BC bought the land through funding from their private
forest biodiversity program.
Over $1.1 million was raised by the Salt Spring Appeal through the sale of the now famous
calendar. The province of BC has committed $20 million
to acquire land in the Gulf Islands – including Salt Spring Island – for the purchase of park land. The struggle
to raise funds was helped by many residents of Salt Spring Island including well known names such as Arthur Black,
Elizabeth White, Robert Bateman and Andrea Collins. MLA Murray Coell and Kip Woodward can also be thanked.
Negotiations are underway to purchase land around Maxwell Lake before it is logged. This area on the shoulder
of Mount Maxwell (actually Baines Peak) supplies drinking water to Ganges and the surrounding area. Texada Lands
will sell it, but there is a substantial difference in the asking price between the land intact with the trees and
with them "harvested." With the trees cut down, the quality of the water from Maxwell Lake will be seriously
degraded for years to come.
garry oaks |
Foxglove Farm & Garden Supplies
Annual Spring Garden Show
The Foxglove Farm & Garden Supplies 14th Annual Spring
Garden Show was held on March 2004 was a great success. Thanks to everyone that attended. Foxglove is located
at 104 Atkins Road in Ganges.
Call 250-537-5531 or email
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Saturday Market
The Saturday Market runs from the middle of April to the middle of October. Growers of
produce, artists and artisans, and other home businesses show and sell their wares at the Farmer's Market
each Saturday from about 8:30 to 3:30. This event happens every Saturday through the summer months - rain or
shine. Check out the Saturday Market web site (which happens to be for
sale for $25,000 or so.)
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Referendum 2000
 There was a referendum held
September 30, 2000 to decide whether or not land will be purchased and funds allocated to create a capital reserve
fund for parks and recreation on Salt Spring Island. It passed with a vote of 1350 in favor and 764 against. The
question asked was :
"Are you in favour of the Capital Regional District Board adopting Bylaw No. 2809, Second Salt Spring Island
Parks and Recreation Local Service Establishment Bylaw No. 1, 2000" to raise a maximum annual requisition, in each
of ten years ending on December 31, 2010, of $111,000, or $.092 per One Thousand Dollars of taxable assessments to
acquire real property, service debt, and make contributions to a capital reserve fund for parks and recreation on
Salt spring Island. YES or NO?"
The community has indicated that it wants an indoor recreation facility. Before that can be built, the debt on
land purchased in 1996 must be paid off. A second goal is to have a reserve fund to be used to purchase
recreational land when the opportunity arises.
PARC (Parks and Recreation Commission, or Parks Arts Recreation) acquired a 7.82 acre parcel on Rainbow Road in
1996 for an indoor recreational facility. Recent changes to the Municipal Act now require this debt ($450,000) be
paid off by the end of 2005.
There are those that believe the PARC referendum came about from bad planning and wrong financial decisions
several years ago when the land in question was purchased. Although the property in question is adjacent to the
High School, it requires a zoning change before an indoor recreation centre can be built on it, and there are
other larger properties available for considerably less than was paid for Rainbow Road property. The PARC property
is also in the agricultural land reserve.
You can view more information at the Capital Regional District web site at
crd.bc.ca/ssiparc. PARC can be reached by phone at (250) 537-4448, or by email at
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Government News
- The BC Government has announced legislation that
protects drinking water in BC.
- The B.C. government has agreed to protect significant valleys within the
internationally recognized Great Bear Rainforest and
is entering into a unique agreement with First Nations on land.
- The governments of Canada and British Columbia on March 31, 2001 announced an
agreement that will result in the establishment of a
national park in B.C.'s southern Gulf Islands, additions to the provincial parks system in the Gulf Islands,
and a formal offer to purchase and permanently protect Burns Bog.
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