Tag Archives: Mark Lombard

Mid August 2025 Housing Update from Rainbow Ridge

Mark Lombard from the Cortes Housing Society recently gave an update on progress at the Rainbow Ridge Affordable Housing Project.

“At this point we’re well along the way of building a community building with an office for the housing society. It’ll have: 

  • a utility space that has controls for the water systems and filtration to send water to all the homes. 
  • the controls for the battery and solar system that will provide backup power for the water and sewer for the buildings.
  • a laundry room that’ll serve the women’s shelter and other people on the south end who need it. 
  • a guest bedroom that people who live in the seniors village or at Rainbow Ridge will be able to rent for a modest price per night. 
  • a lounge area with a kitchenette that people can have a little birthday dinner or a card game, or if the Housing Society board wants to meet, there’ll be a big table that can be used for that.”

“We’re putting the siding on right now, and working on the interior finishing.”

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2025 Forest Trust For the Children of Cortes Island Society AGM

This broadcast opened with the Klahoose Singers chanting a blessing to the forest and the land in general,  at the Forest Trust For The Children of Cortes Island Society AGM on Saturday, April 5, 2025.   

As many of you are aware, the Society was set up to try and obtain 624 acres of forest adjacent to Carrington Bay Regional Park on Cortes Island, that are currently managed by Mosaic. Around 40 people were present when Chair Chris Dragseth announced they were making progress in the negotiations for 261 acres. 

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FireSmarting Rainbow Ridge

Part 3 of 3

There hasn’t been a major wildfire on Cortes Island for decades, but this could change as our summer’s grow hotter and drier. The Rainbow Ridge Affordable Housing project is being designed with this in mind.

“The main idea is to try to have more of a FireSmart community and get rid of the conifers that are much more prone to embers catching fire and then catching the neighbor’s houses and vehicles on fire, like we saw in the California fires this winter,” explained Mark Lombard, speaking on behalf of the Cortes Housing Society. 

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Rainbow Ridge Phase One: What’s Going To Happen To the Logs And Branches

Part 2 of 3

A four acre clearing was carved out of the forest in downtown Mansons Landing to make way for the Rainbow Ridge Affordable Housing Development. A crew was busy piling the last of the logs when Cortes Currents arrived on site, and the ground was covered with branches, wood debris and stumps. Construction on the first building is expected to start in a month, which means a lot of wood is going to have to disappear. 

What is the Cortes Housing Society going to do with it? 

Continue reading Rainbow Ridge Phase One: What’s Going To Happen To the Logs And Branches

Phase One At Rainbow Ridge: Boundaries With The Senior’s Village And Firehall

Part 1 0f 3

There were a couple of changes in the plan for the Rainbow Ridge Affordable Housing Development as the site was cleared. A small parcel of land along the northern border of the property was given to the Cortes Island Fire Department, to enable it to expand. Plans for a hedge of trees between Rainbow Ridge and the Cortes Island Senior’s Village were altered.

Continue reading Phase One At Rainbow Ridge: Boundaries With The Senior’s Village And Firehall