He settled on Cortes just after BC Ferries started serving the island. John Sprungman became one of the principal voices behind the 1978 – 80 renovation at Mansons Hall. He went on to serve several terms as President of the Southern Cortes Community Association. In this morning’s interview he talks about the origins of Mansons Hall, its role in the community and why it needs core funding.
Continue reading The Mansons Hall StoryOriginally Published on the Cortes Tideline
During all the fire and fury over Cortes’ proposed “Hall Tax,” it occurred to me that the problem of increasing difficulty in operating and maintaining our Community Halls can hardly be unique to Cortes. Surely other communities are facing similar challenges; it would be worth finding out how (or whether) they were solving the problem. So I set out to investigate the funding basis of as many coastal community halls as possible, in communities not too different from our own: smallish, rural-ish, remote-ish.
Continue reading Cortes Is DifferentOriginally Published on Cortes Radio.ca
On June 6, 2019, Chair Michele Babchuk and three members of the Strathcona Regional District staff caught a water taxi from Campbell River to Cortes Island. Around 80 local inhabitants were waiting for them in Mansons Hall. I doubt anyone could have guessed what was to follow. The resulting Cortes Island Hall Tax consultation was refreshing.
Continue reading Hall Tax Consultation RefreshingSRD sent four representatives to Cortes island by water taxi on June 6th to conduct a community consultation meeting on two tax service referenda: the long-delayed and controversial hall tax, and the first-responders training tax. Present at the meeting from SRD were: Chair Michele Babchuk, CAO David Leitch, Tom Yates (Senior Manager), and Aniko Nelson [Parks and Planning Manager]. Present at the meeting from Cortes were approximately 80 community members.
Continue reading Cortes Community Consultation Meeting On Tax Service ReferendaBy Roy L Hales
Connected Coast came to Mansons Hall, Cortes Island, on June 19. This was the seventh in a string of local consultations in which Victoria Smith, brought a team to explain how rural communities could benefit from better internet access. Cortesians were also given time to ask questions or comment.
Continue reading Connected Coast Comes To Mansons Hall
