From the desk of Regional Director Robyn Mawhinney
Hello,
Tendrils of spring are visible in our lengthening days and the songbird choir is beginning to assemble… I’m grateful winter is in the rearview mirror. This report shares news from the February Board meeting where the 2026-2029 Financial Plan was finalized, another sure sign spring is around the corner!
From the desk of Regional Director Robyn Mawhinney
Hello,
This report is a round-up of info on road concerns & related advocacy, SRD committee news, and a bit about kelp.
Our local MP, Aaron Gunn, is holding a series of town hall meetings in the North-Island Powell River riding. He will be in Courtenay tonight (Feb 17), Campbell River on February 21, Port McNeil on March 16 and Powell River on March 19. Gunn may also come to Cortes Island, but the dates have not been set.
Aaron Gunn: “ We want to come to Cortes, but if I just come to Cortes with no plan – I haven’t really accomplished anything other than a photo op. So we always try to set up some kind of coffee or meeting where people that live there know that I’m coming and if they want to come and engage, they have an opportunity to do so.”
Continue reading MP Aaron Gunn to host town halls; Cortes Island possible stop
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.”
Continue reading Wildflower Cidery: A Unique Model For A Small IslandThe Quadra Island Recreation Society is asking the community for their input into what the Quadra Community Centre and a new pavilion at Blenkin Park should be used for.
Marc Doll, Vice Chair of the Society, explained: “We started by looking at one desperate need for the community centre, which was the lack of a proper kitchen facility. We came up with some solutions, but the price tag came in higher than what we wanted for a very small improvement. So, conversations continued, and we decided that we really had to look at the bigger picture. The Quadra Island Community Centre has been serving the community since 1985, and we felt it was time to go back to the public and ask: what do we need this building to do for the next 20 years?”
“At the same time, we’ve been working with the SRD for the last number of years to get an outdoor pavilion in Blenkin Park. The funding is in place, and we’re looking to start building as early as 2026.”
Continue reading What does the community want from the Quadra Community Centre and the new Blenkin Park Pavilion?
