Category Archives: Clothing

A regional model: free stores and other waste reducing facilities

At a time when the average Canadian spends more than $3,000 a year on clothing, many Cortes Island residents are satisying their personal needs and disposing of clothing through the local freestore. Similarly, Creative Deconstruction has supplied materials used in ten new homes on Cortes Island. Mark Vonesch, the Regional Director for Cortes Island, suggests that centres like this may offer a model that needs to be promoted throughout the Comox and Strathcona Regional Districts. 

“I’m just getting back from the Comox Strathcona Waste Management Board meeting. This is a board that I sit on as a director, and we provide guidance and leadership to the waste management services in the Comox Valley District and the Strathcona Regional Districts,” he explained. 

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Peeking into Cortes Island’s past through vintage clothing

On Wednesday, July 19, the Cortes Island Museum offered visitors a rare opportunity to see some of the clothing and accessories from its collections.

The event was organized by Lilly Allen, this summer’s intern, who was inspired by the dress that Margaret Smith wore when she married John Manson in the late 1890’s.

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Small island community Darn Tough on sock warranties

Cortes Island is a noteworthy location for the number of annual warranties claimed through the Darn Tough brand of socks, which are guaranteed for life.

Although the 2022 claims total was only 21 pairs for the island, per capita this is 24.75 times higher than the Cities of Vancouver, North Vancouver and West Vancouver combined. Cortes and Quadra Islands together added up to 43 pairs claimed under warranty in 2022, which is the same number as all of Campbell River, said Carly Murdoch in the warranty department of the Canadian distributor, Interex Industries.

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The 2023 Season begins at Mansons Friday Market

The 2023 season for Manson’s Friday Market kicked off on January 13, 2023.  

“I come here every week that it’s open. I put my face in here, sometimes not for very long, but I always walk around and see what’s happening. It’s a social occasion,” said Andy Vine, a former Director of the Southern Cortes Community Association (SCCA) which looks after Mansons Hall.

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Orange t-shirts provide opportunities for conversations with survivors finally free to speak

Windspeaker, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

The strength of our people to walk that road in silence for so long is amazing. And I’m glad they’re talking about it now though, because those stories really need to get heard.” —Liz Carter

For Devan Carter of Kwikwasut’inuxw Haxwa’mis First Nation, making orange t-shirts is a way to amplify voices that Canada and the churches have tried to silence, he said.

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