Tag Archives: Water Taxi

Hall Tax Consultation Refreshing

Originally Published on Cortes Radio.ca

On June 6, 2019, Chair Michele Babchuk and three members of the Strathcona Regional District staff caught a water taxi from Campbell River to Cortes Island. Around 80 local inhabitants were waiting for them in Mansons Hall. I doubt anyone could have guessed what was to follow. The resulting Cortes Island Hall Tax consultation was refreshing.

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Cortes Community Consultation Meeting On Tax Service Referenda

SRD sent four representatives to Cortes island by water taxi on June 6th to conduct a community consultation meeting on two tax service referenda:  the long-delayed and controversial hall tax, and the first-responders training tax.  Present at the meeting from SRD were:  Chair Michele Babchuk, CAO David Leitch, Tom Yates (Senior Manager), and Aniko Nelson [Parks and Planning Manager].  Present at the meeting from Cortes were approximately 80 community members.

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The Trail From Pre-contact Toba Inlet

Originally published on Cortes Radio.ca, as part of the Deep Roots Initiative, Season Two.

Toba Inlet is a remote fjord roughly 180 kilometres north of Vancouver. It is geographically closer to Campbell River, though the trip is an hour and 45 minutes by water taxi. A recently discovered arborglyph, believed to be a trail marker, suggests this area was not so isolated in pre-colonial days. Deep Roots story producer Roy L Hales interviews Michelle Robinson and Ken Hanuse, from the Klahoose First Nation, and local historian Judith Williams about a trail connecting pre-contact Toba Inlet to the rest of British Columbia.

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Becoming Cortes Community Radio

George Sirk whispered “Cortes Radio” for years before he found the right pair of ears. This led to a meeting at Manson’s Hall, to  discuss possibilities. Howie Roman attended and, six months after the station was launched, became a DJ. He still is. “My prime interest in Cortes radio is [that] I really enjoy having a show.”  Howie served on CKTZ’s board for five years, the maximum amount allowed by the society’s constitution, and now is the station’s manager. In this morning’s interview, I ask Howie about the process of becoming Cortes Community Radio, CKTZ 89.5 FM.

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Lund Is Soul Candy

By Roy L Hales

The village of Lund is about 20 miles from my home on Cortes Island. There are vantage points on Cortes, from which you can actually see Savary Island. Though only a short distance across the waters, it takes a day and three ferry trips to drive there. The experience is delightful. Lund is soul candy.

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