Tag Archives: Surge Narrows

Politics, Rivers & Oceans

Robyn Mawhinney: A Wharf Service for Area C

More than eight years have passed since Transport Canada (TC) transferred administration of three wharves to the Strathcona Regional District (SRD). Owen Bay on Sonora Island, Surge Narrows on Read Island, and Port Neville on the northern shore of the Johnstone Strait are all within Area C. The SRD was provided with $2.9 million for maintenance and upgrades that were to be completed sometime during the next decade. These upgrades have not yet occurred. Nor has a service to carry out operations and maintenance been established for Area C. Robyn Mawhinney, the new Regional Director, hopes to have this work well underway before the November 2024 deadline. 

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Development, Politics

‘Should I stay or should I go?’ – Three Decisions for Area C

Editor’s note: Cortes Island’s Director was among those whose vote decided the issue in in all three of the following items.

 “So in 1981 the Clash put out their classic single, ‘Should we stay, or should we go?’ and here I am with you, 41 years later asking you the same question. Should we stay with this initiative or should we take no action and leave it alone,” said Shaun Koopman, Protective Services Coordinator for the Strathcona Regional District.

He was telling the Board about the results of a recent survey in the Outer Discovery Islands, but he could have been talking about any of three Area C initiatives discussed at the Jan 11 meeting. 

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Disaster

Update on proposed Outer Discovery Islands Fire Brigade

A fire broke out at Diamond Bay on Sonora Island, on Thursday, August 12, 2021. It began as a structure fire, but spread into the tinder dry forest. The fire travelled rapidly upslope, threatening 30 other homes in the vicinity. Neighbouring residents converged at Diamond Bay and organized an ad hoc fire control effort. BC Wildfire Service arrived to take command. Four helicopters, a fire response boat and 17 provincial firefighters fought alongside ‘the local Owens Bay Fire Brigade‘ and by the morning of Sunday, August 15 the fire was officially ‘under control.’

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Politics

Mawhinney prepares to become Area C’s new Director

The inaugural meeting of the new Strathcona Regional District (SRD) Board occurs today. All of the incoming and re-elected Directors will be sworn in. Both of the two new Directors from our broadcast area, Mark Vonesch and Robyn Mawhinney, will be among them. Cortes Currents spoke to Mawhinney about her preparations to take office.  

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Animals, Rivers & Oceans

Monitoring Dungeness Crab larvae in Cortes Bay

Last April, Cortes Island became part of an international monitoring project for Dungeness crab larvae. There were 20 light trap stations in the Salish Sea and 17 in the Puget Sound. Three of these traps were within our  listening area. Surge Narrows School had a trap on Read Island. The Hakai Institute and Quadra Island community had another on Quadra Island. Kate Maddigan and Mike Moore coordinated volunteers looking after the Friends of Cortes Island (FOCI) trap in Cortes Bay. 

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