Tag Archives: Kate Maddigan

Gleanings from the May 7 Community Meeting: Island United’s proposed Quarry Expansion

Around 100 people packed into Mansons Hall on May 7, 2026, for a community meeting on the proposed expansion of the Island United Quarry on Cortes Island. While most appeared to be opposed to the project in its current form, some added that Cortes Island needed a smaller quarry more in line with the island’s needs

Neither Howard Nielsen, who owns Island United, nor his wife were present. Regional Director Mark Vonesch explained, “ It’s their 15th wedding anniversary and they’re on a trip.” 

Mike Moore, who MC’d the event,  added, “First of all this is a meeting that is for information. We’ll have a question and answer period at the end of a few little presentations. It’s not a protest by any means. No profanity (audience chuckled); no derogatory comments. We’re here to look at the Island United Quarry expansion in Whaletown.”

Continue reading Gleanings from the May 7 Community Meeting: Island United’s proposed Quarry Expansion

Folk U: Revenue Diversification for Social Profits

On October 3 2025, host Manda Aufochs-Gillespie was joined by Kate Maddigan, Bruen Black, Amy Robertson, and Genevieve Cruz, for a special group discussion on revenue diversification for rural non-profits. Tune in for talk of circular economies, transportation, a brainstorm on creative revenue solutions, and updates from the Cortes Natural Food Co-op, CCEDA, and the Cortes Housing Society.

Continue reading Folk U: Revenue Diversification for Social Profits

Wave And Range Cortes Island: Broadening Out Into The Community

Wave and Range Cortes Island has decided it’s time to go public. 

“This year we’re going to be putting on the Cortes adventure challenge, essentially a Cortes triathlon:  It’s a kayak or a canoe, a swim and a trek.  We’ve got a short course, and a long course. That’ll be on the 12th and the 21st of July, tentatively. I’ll need to confirm those dates with you, but  we’ll advertise that. We’ll do a little bit of lead up training for that,” explained Kay Hope.

“There’s an opportunity with where we live to have not so much a love affair, but like a marriage with the physical place that we live in.  I think  a majority of us are really disconnected from our biophysical reality. All sorts of things have unfortunately corrupted a lot of people away from a connection with their body  and the environment. I’m just trying to foray back into that. I think there’s a big opportunity for all of us to just keep doubling down on hiking up Easter Bluff, going to Mansons Lagoon, getting a sweat on, but then exploring in, around and up Desolation Sound. The beauty we have around us, it’s really underutilized by us as a community together.  I don’t want to go out and just be exploring by myself. I’d love to go out on the weekend and see more kayaks than I see power boaters. That’s my wish, and my wish for my baby boy.”

Continue reading Wave And Range Cortes Island: Broadening Out Into The Community

This Week: 2025 Rural Islands Economic Partnership Virtual Forum

The 2025 Rural Islands Economic Partnership (RIEP) Virtual Forum is coming up on Thursday, March 6 and Friday, March 7. Two of the organizers, Francine Carlin and Kate Maddigan are my guests today.

“ It’s going to be a jam packed two half days, 9:15 AM to 12:30 PM.  Our virtual events are really unique because we all live on islands or remote coastal communities and don’t have the opportunity to get together as a collaborative regional grouping. So it’s important to have these virtual events that bring together people from all across the coast and the islands, up from North Island as far as Alert Bay, to Sooke and beyond. So we have a pretty broad reach and this year it’s really important, particularly with the events in the world around economic  issues that relate to  our local  economic and social wellbeing,” explained Francine Carlin, Chair of the Rural Islands Economic Partnership

Continue reading This Week: 2025 Rural Islands Economic Partnership Virtual Forum

Folk U – Vital Signs Round Table

On January 30th, Kate Maddigan, Rose Fitcyk, and Sadhu Aufochs Johnston joined host Manda Aufochs-Gillespie, to talk about the state of Cortes Island, the recent Vital Signs survey, CHS’ Rainbow Ridge housing project, and the stories and data of “now”. This is an important community update!

Continue reading Folk U – Vital Signs Round Table