Tag Archives: Nanaimo

Housing

SRD Staff Looking Into Temporary Occupancy Permits for Tiny Homes

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At their June 11 meeting, the Electoral Areas Service Committee (EASC) heard a staff report on tiny home initiatives in the Regional District of Nanaimo. This followed an ongoing discussion that began with a motion from Regional Director Robyn Mawhinney, of Area C, last November.

Director Mawhinney:“I noticed that in other regional districts, temporary use permits are being used for a variety of purposes—potentially to permit tiny homes as long-term temporary accommodation, if you want to call it that.

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Arts, Rivers & Oceans

Bringing Campbell River’s Tyee Legacy to Vancouver’s DOXA film festival


A documentary about Campbell River’s historic Tyee fishing culture will be screened at Vancouver’s DOXA Film Festival on Thursday, May 7. In this morning’s interview filmmakers Jevan Crittenden and Nate Slaco talk a little about ‘In Tyee Country,’ and how it came into being. 

Jevan: “When we started this project we expected certain things and a lot of those assumptions were accurate, but there were some surprising things that came up. To me the community aspect is the surprising thing. Peter Wipper talks about having a greater sense of community and home in Campbell River than he does in his own hometown, and he credits that to the community that’s come up around the Tyee Club. It really is a tight-knit group.”

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Politics

Must Quadra Island taxpayers pay for Strathcona Gardens? 

In a 7–6 vote, on March 25th the Strathcona Regional District (SRD) Board moved to have a bylaw prepared that would add Quadra Island to the catchment area for the Strathcona Gardens Recreational Facility. If the bylaw proceeds, Quadra residents could face an additional $558 in property taxes—slightly more than the $526 Campbell River residents pay for their facility. One SRD director was not present when the vote was taken, which raises the possibility that the proposal could be defeated in a 7–7 tie when all 14 directors are present.

Opposition from Quadra Residents

The board faces fierce opposition from Quadra Island residents. Among the 90 or so Quadra residents who crowded the SRD Boardroom and adjoining lobby for the May 25 board meeting, were some of the 1,226 area C residents who signed a petition opposing inclusion in the Strathcona Gardens catchment. Regional Director Robyn Mawhinney of Area C noted that this number represents about 44% of the adult population of her area.

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Food, Gardening

Wildflower Cidery: A Unique Model For A Small Island

In this morning’s interview we hear from Sara Stewart of Wildflower Produce and Cidery, near the southern tip of Cortes Island.

Sara Stewart: “I’m not a religious person, but when you depend on the natural world you become deeply ingrained in it. I used to think I was building connections with the natural world when I lit a fire on Imbolc (the Ancient Celtic beginning of Spring) and celebrated Soma. I now find that rituals or ceremonies can disconnect you from nature. So I try to cultivate the spirituality of a squirrel. I don’t see wildlife celebrating Imbolc—you just notice what’s happening in your body and respond accordingly.” 

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Arts, Indigenous Nations

Tla’amin choreographer brings ‘Wild Man of the Woods’ ballet home to the West Coast

IndigiNews, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

When choreographer Cameron sinkʷə Fraser-Monroe was asked to create a piece for the Royal Winnipeg Ballet, he knew he wanted to tell a story from his home community of Tla’amin Nation.

He chose to feature a traditional oral tale about T’əl, a sinister figure who steals children during the night. In the story, a young woman ventures into the unknown to save her sister from the mythical beast.

Fraser-Monroe’s ballet interpretation of the story — “T’əl: The Wild Man of the Woods” — is now making its West Coast debut in locations across “B.C.” from Jan. 27 to Feb. 10. 

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