Tag Archives: Director Area B

Communications

When TELUS Withdraws Pay Phone Service From Remote Communities

The cell phone reception in Village Bay Lake is sketchy.  Up until this summer, the little Quadra Island community’s only reliable telephone access was a pay phone in the Village Bay Lake parking area. Then TELUS removed it. 

When Regional Director Robyn Mawhinney raised this issue at the recent SRD Board meeting, it turned out she was not the only Director dealing with the problems resulting from TELUS withdrawing pay phones.

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Housing

SRD To Meet With Cortes Housing Society About Possible Loan

The Strathcona Regional District (SRD) will be meeting with the Cortes Housing Society to discuss the possibility of making a short term loan to help bring power, water and sewage to some lots in the Rainbow Ridge affordable housing project. 

While the SRD created a Housing Service earlier this year, it has yet to requisition any funds and the request prompted some discussion at the Wednesday October 30 board meeting. 

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Community

Proposed modification of SRD Agreement with Cortes Community Halls

In 2020, the Strathcona Regional Regional District SRD entered into a core funding agreement with the Southern Cortes Community Association  (SCCA) and Whaletown Community Club to support Mansons and Gorge Halls. Up to $80,000 a year could be used from Cortes Island’s property taxes.  This agreement is due to expire on March 31, 2025.

Staff is proposing that the new agreement include a new paragraph stating “The Regional District may contribute funds for capital expenditures at its sole discretion.”

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Community

Deadline for Cortes Island 2024 Grant-in-Aid Applications – Monday, Oct 21

The Cortes Island Community Foundation is helping to review Grant-in Applications again. As in the past, the Strathcona Regional District Board will be dispersing a pool of approximately $25,000 to Cortes Island Social Profits. The average grant award is in the range of $1000 – $5000 and will be dispersed by end of 2024. This year’s Grant-in-Aid funding will prioritize projects supporting Arts, Culture or Environment. Any non-profits or charitable societies who wish to participate sust send their  applications in by midnight on Monday, October 21.  

Manda Aufochs Gillespie, Executive Director of the Community Foundation explained, “We  are working to assist Regional Director Mark Vonesch and the Strathcona Regional District (SRD) with reviewing the grant and aid applications for this year. Most of the nonprofits on Cortes are quite familiar with the fact that we have a bit of our tax money that comes back to us for assisting community groups on the island.”

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Transportation

SRD Applying for Active Transportation Planning Grants on Cortes and in Area D

The Strathcona Regional District (SRD) is applying for a grant to develop plans for walking, cycling and rolling (skateboard, roller skates etc) infrastructure on Cortes Island and in Area D. 

The Ministry of Transportation refers to these as active means of transportation and has made Active Transportation Network Planning Grants of up to $50,000 available to communities with populations under 25,000. 

If their applications are successful, the SRD plans to match the funding with money obtained through the Community Works Fund (better known as the Gas Tax). 

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