This is the unedited audio from the September 8, 2025 Public Meeting about Cortes Island’s zoning bylaw chaired by Regional Director Mark Vonesch.
Continue reading Unedited audio from Sep 8, 2025, Zoning bylaw meeting in Mansons HallCortes Island will have a public meeting on its proposed Bylaw changes on Monday, Sept 8th, 5pm at Manson’s Hall.
“This is a chance for folks to weigh in on the proposed draft. We’re really looking at a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ decision on this zoning bylaw. There’s almost two years of community consultation and input, and this is what staff have produced and the best, happy medium for what folks are asking for,” explained Mark Vonesch, Regional Director for Cortes Island.
“The public hearing will be a chance for people to express their opinions and their thoughts. Those will get recorded and added to the public record. It’s important that folks show up whether you’re opposed to or in support of this new zoning bylaw. People who show up make the decisions, and this is an opportunity to have your voice heard. If you can’t make the meeting, you can email [email protected] and that will also be included in the public record.”
Continue reading Consideration for Monday’s Bylaw Update Meeting at Mansons HallFrom August 29 to September 14, the Old Schoolhouse Art Gallery will host ‘How Do You Like the Underworld?—Kristen Scofield-Sweet’s final large-scale exhibition.
“This is my retirement party swan song on the wall,” she began. “This is a body of work that’s complete. One of the remarkable things about that is the artist doesn’t usually get to see their work all hung together, obviously, unless they have a show. You’re used to seeing a piece over the couch with the pillows or the throw at the back. To actually see them having a conversation with each other is really special.”
“Every picture tells a story, so you can get all tangled up with how it got painted and why, how I work and yada, yada. In an exhibition like this, the work gets to speak for itself, and that’s really profound.”
Continue reading At the Old Schoolhouse Art Gallery: Kristen Scofield-Sweet’s final large-scale exhibitionThe Cortes Island Food Bank was one of the nation’s first food banks to receive Standards of Excellence accreditation from Food Banks Canada.
The Association’s President, Beatrix Baxter, explained, “Filipe Figueira, our Executive represented us at the Food Banks Canada Conference in Montreal. During the event, Food Banks Canada honoured food banks across the country that have met their rigorous Standards of Excellence. We are proud to share that Filipe was among a handful of leaders recognized. Achieving this standard takes a tremendous amount of work—especially since so many food banks, like ours, are largely volunteer-run. Few organizations have the capacity to dedicate the hundreds of hours required, which makes this recognition even more meaningful.”
Continue reading Cortes Food Bank Receives Standards of Excellence Accreditation from Foodbanks Canada
On August 25, 2025, host Manda Aufochs-Gillespie was joined by Esther Shalev-Gerz, a renowned artist who has exhibited all around the world. Tune in for insights from her work, reflections on art, Cortes living, and what it’s like to be a well-known artist in the world today.
Continue reading Esther Shalev-Gerz comes to Folk U
