Shipshape
StunningNorwegian
NVFCU17teamwinshistoric
StunningNorwegian tallshipdraws a crowdin North Van LIFESTYLE 13
‘Canadian love’ West Van barberplans humanitariantriptoGaza
SPORTS 18
NVFCU17teamwinshistoric bronzeatsoccer nationals
NICK LABA
nlaba@nsnews.com
West Vancouvercouncil is escalatingits spatwith the provincialhousingministr y.
OnMonday, thedistrict’s electedofficialsunanimouslyvotedtosenda proposedupdateofitsofficial communityplanto a publichearingonNov. 17. But the proposed versionofthe planfliesintheface of directivesissuedtothedistrict earlierthisyearby B.C.’s Ministr y ofHousing andMunicipalAffairs.
Meanwhile,theministr y haswritten a stern letter to West Van MayorMark Sager stating thatitintendsto order changes tothe district’s bylawsifitdoesn’tcomplybytheendoftheyear
In a staff presentationtocouncil,seniorplanner DavidHawkinsoutlined howthedistrictcanamendits OCPbyDec.31toallowforaround900moreunitstobe built. Those new unitswouldmeetanticipated growth identified inthedistrict’s housingneeds report,according tostaff.
Whilethat part oftheOCPupdateconformswith provincial legislation, itspecificallydoesnotaddress directivesissuedbythe housingministr y inJuly.
“TheOCPinfrontofyoudoesnotestablishfixed OCP CONTROVERSY
BRENTRICHTER
br ichter@nsnews.com
If you were anywhere near the North Vancouverwaterfront over thelast few days, you couldn’thavemissed her –a tallScandinavianbeauty.
StatsraadLehmkuhl, a 110-year-old Nor wegiantallship,arrivedin North Van on Oct.17.At98metresinlengthand48 m in height,thethree-mastedbarqueisone of thelargest(andoldest)tallshipsstill sailingtheseas.
Althoughmostofits careerhasbeenfor use as a trainingvesselwithupto135crew aboard learningtraditionalseamanship, todayitisonanenvironmentalmission, takingpart intheOneOceanExpedition under theUnitedNations’ OceanDecade.
“Theoceaniswhere itallstarts.Once [we]findouthowsickorhealthythe oceansare,then[we]canexplain a lot of theotherthings,” saidCaptainMarcus Seidl. “Ourmissionwithin those10yearsis to tr y togetasmuchattentionaspossible. That’s whywe’re travellingallaroundthe world andatthesametime,gathering everybodyfromambassadorstostate leaders.”
Theshipisladenwith researchequipment,academicsandstudents,making it somethingof a “floatinguniversity,” accordingtoOneOcean. Alongthe wayin its current12-monthcircumnavigationwith stops inEurope,theUnitedStates,Mexico and theCaribbean,ithasbeencollecting reamsofdataonoceantemperaturesand currents,noise,wildlifeandpollution.
Eventually, theenormousdatasetwill be madepubliclyavailable, saidLucie Cassarino, scienceco-ordinator
“The whole purposeoftheOneOcean
Expeditionistobesharing science,sharing knowledge,sharingeverything,because otherwisenothingwillgoforward,”she said.
Althoughmore modernshipscando thesamejobfaster, theysimplydon’tcommandthepublic’s attentioninthesame way, Seidlsaid.
“Whenyoucometo a port with a sailing ship,everybody’s inawe,because a sailing shipeverybodycanidentifywith.That’s the pastoftheocean-goingseafarers,”he said.
OnSunday, whentheshipopened for threehoursofpublictours,theline-up toclimbaboard stretchedalltheway downBurrard Dr y DockPierthroughthe Shipyardsandhalf-wayaroundLonsdale Quay.
Whileintown,StatsraadLehmkuhlwas alsoscheduledtohosta diplomaticevent putonbytheRoyalNorwegianEmbassy and a conferenceofmarine industr y professionalswith a focusonsafeand green maritimeactivitiesintheArctic.
“We coulddo a conferenceatthelocal
hotel.Peoplewouldbebored.They would get on theirphonesimmediately. They’d probablyleave afterhalfanhour, andthen theywouldn’tcare aboutwhat’s being said,”Seidlsaid.“They comehere.They stay, theylisten,they understand.”
Thetripwassomethingof a homecomingforSeidl,whogothisstart sailing in a boathisfathermade intheirNew Westminsterbackyard inthelate1960s. Thefamilylater returned toNorway where hebeganhisformaltrainingtobecome a mastermariner
“[Thisship]hasbeen myhome forthe last40years,basically.I metmywifehere, gotmarried here. Mydaughter andmy wife sailedwithmeinthebeginningonsome of thelongvoyages,”hesaid.“Iwouldnever havethought I wasgoingtobringthisship into Vancouver.”
StatsraadLehmkuhl’s was scheduled toleavethePort of Vancouver on Tuesday andarriveinSeattleon Wednesday.
NICK LABA
nla ba@nsnews.com
Police are seekingwitnessesto a recent roadrageincidentin West Vancouver.
Justafter 5 p.m.onFriday, Oct. 10, twomotoristswere involved in analtercationinthesouthbound lanesof Taylor Way at MarineDrive,accordingto West
Vancouverpolice. A 74-year-oldwomandriving a 2010greyHondaCR-Vwas inthe left-handlane whena greypickup truck turned intothat lane and allegedlymadecontactwithher vehicle.
Bothdrivers gotoutoftheir vehicles, and then themandriving thepickuptruckstartedyelling
andgrabbedthewoman’s arm, policesaid,basedon reportsfrom witnessesatthescene.
Themanthenheldthesenior’s phoneabovehishead,asking ifshewanteditback,before throwingthedeviceacrossseveral lanesoftraffic,police said.The man returnedtohisvehicleand droveoff.
Themaledriver is described asbeinginhismid-50s,aroundsix feettall,withgreyhair,a short grey beard andmediumbuild,police said.Hewas drivinganearly 2000s ChevySilverado pickuptruckwith damagetothepassengerside. Policesaidtheyare lookingto speakwiththepickuptruckdriver.
Astrafficwasheavyand
movingslowlyatthetime, police saidtheyare hopefulthere are additionalwitnessestothe event who canprovidevaluableinformationaboutwhathappened. Anyonewithdashcamfootageor relevantinfoisasked tocall West VancouverPolice Departmentat604-925-7300and quotefile #25-10663.
BRENTRICHTER
brichter@nsnews.com
Inthedayshoursleading upto showtime,MarkDennyand his friends still had the jitters.
Deadlinewaslooming but there was stillmajorworktobedoneassembling Dovercour t Crypt – the biggestandbaddest hauntedhouse on the North Shore.
Byopening night onSaturday, Oct.18, the drivewayandyard of his childhood homein Lynn Valley had beentransformedinto a warren of roomsbefouled bycorpses, ghoulishclowns, a bottomlesspitofskullsandsome thingsmuch, much worse.
Ever y September, Dennytakestime awayfrom his jobas a filmindustry set dresserand putsin a monthof 14-hour daysusing his talentsto the construct the cryptat the cornerofDovercour t RoadandMaginnis Avenue.
The origins might gobackasfaras the 1990s when eight-year-oldDennybegan creating his own gravestonestodecorate the yard.
“Igrewupmakingtreefortsandstuf f sothistypeofconstruction isver yin my blood, where it’s builtfromgarbage,” he said.
EachOctober, the scopeof the project grewand became more elaborate until 2010 when itmore orlessoccupied the
entire backyard.Dennystartedinviting the publicin andgettingfriendsto volunteerasgruesomescare actors In 2017, he got intothe filmbusiness,which gave him accessto a higher qualitystock of materials touse.The fakestonepillars that guestspass throughon their wayin were oncefeaturedon the Syfynetwork’s Van Helsing TV show
“Film is amazinglywasteful. They just tearsetsapar t andif they’re notgoing tobe reused, they just throwthem out,” he said.“If youapproach them nicely and say it’s for a children’s charity event, they’rea littlemore willingtogiveyou things.”
Itwasaroundthattime they began askingvisitorstoputupdonationsfor the BCProfessionalFirefighters Burn Fund. Together with thehelp of the DistrictofNorth VancouverFirefighters CharitableSocietyinmore recentyears, they’ve raisedmore than $37,000.
“They’re foranamazinglygood cause,”Dennysaid
Dawnofthedead
Makeno mistake,Dovercour t Cryptis a hellishcommitment.
“I’m pulling these ridiculouslylong days,andI’m havinganamazing amount ofcaffeine,andoncewe’re open,I’m
Brockton’s Next Open House:Thursday,Nov.6,9–10:30a.m.
“I guaranteeyouhave neverexperienceda school like Brockton,”saysKarenMcCulla, head of schoolandlifelongeducational leader.“Brockton wasestablishedinNorth Vancouver in 2004andsince thenhas groundeditselfasaninternational leader in holistic,personalizedandinnovative education— wherestudentsthriveintheir curricularand co-curricularpursuits.The school’s missionis to inspire thegrowth of outstandinghumans.Itis genuinely aplace whereevery studentmatters, families matter,communitymattersand learningfor life matters.Justimaginethat foramoment.”
Acommonperceptionofindependent schoolsisthattheyareonlyaccessibleto acertain socio-economicgroup.However, at Brockton, diversityisdeeplyvalued. Theschool internally fundssignificant financialaidprograms to make aBrockton educationaccessibletofamilieswho maynototherwisebeable to consider suchanopportunity.Additionally, Brocktonhasbecomeknown as avalued member of boththe localandglobal communitythroughengagement,service andmeaningfulpartnerships.Brockton students, staffand parentsare often recognized fortheirpositiveimpactin theircommunities
McCullaadds, “The worldisfullofchoices andtherighttochoosewhereandhow one educates theirchild is acritical decision.Brockton values itsrelationship withbothpublicandindependentschools andsees itselfasoneoptionamongmany As aheadofschoolandasa parent,I have achoice.Mychildrenare themost important partof my life andfortheir education, IchooseBrockton.”
Brockton offers programs fromjunior kindergarten(for students turning four yearsold byDec.31oftheschool year)throughtograduation.Itisthe onlyindependentschool in British Columbiaofferingall four International Baccalaureate(IB)Programmes— PYP, MYP,DPandCP —providingaseamless, inquiry-based learningjourney.Brockton maintainsanimpressive 6:1 student-to-
Brocktongraduatescelebratea milestone, leavingtheschool as confident, principledandcompassionate leaders.
Outdooreducation at Brockton fostersjoy,discovery andtheholistic developmentofeachlearner.
facultyratio,offersa diverserange of coursestaught byspecialistteachersand includesstrategically designedprograms liketheMiddleYears PODProgram
Withinthisframework,educatorsseek to understandandnurtureeachchild’s unique strengthsandareasfor growth, inspiring students to want to learn McCullanotes,“ Whenone looksat thejourney of learning,itis clearthat earlyengagementisprofound.That’s whyBrocktondevelopeditsJunior Kindergarten. As thejourney continues, eachchild, at differenttimes,will encounterdefining moments in their development. We recognizethese transition stages anddesignourprograms to supportthem,while alsomeeting eachchildwheretheyare. To have one’s childsupportedbymeaningfuladults— teachers, counsellors,coaches andpeers —duringthesemomentscanmake all thedifference. We canallreflect onsuch momentsinou rown livesandthe impact of thosewhosurroundedus.”
Thisdeepappreciationfor each learner allows Brockton to workalongside students in curatingtheireducational paths.Thisapproach works— once again, theschoolboasts a100%graduation rate,with students earningBCMinistry of EducationHonours Standingand achievingexceptionalresults in the InternationalBaccalaureate Programme,
well aboveworld averages.Provincialand internationalbenchmarking assessments furtherdemonstratethatBrockton studentsarethriving
“Ihave been at Brockton my wholeschool life.Thisschoolhasshapedme into an incredibly balancedperson,helping me flourishbothinsideandoutsidethe classroomwhile fosteringastrongsense of community,” says aGr.12 student,soon to join the classof2026.
Withrespecttostudentdevelopment, Brockton aspirestowhatitcalls the Portrait of aGraduate— studentswho leavewitha strongsense of purpose, self-awarenessandresilience,among other attributes.“At Brockton, studentsare treatedlikeadults-in-training:Giventhe spacetoadvocateforthemselves,with guidance andsupportalwaystherewhen theyneedit,” says acurrent Gr.8 parent “Forthe first time, we feeltrulyheard as parentsandourdaughterisgenuinely seen as astudent.”
Families interested in Brocktonareinvited to experience theschool firsthand at the Open Houseon Thursday, November6, from9:00–10:30a.m. , anopportunitytomeetteachers, tour the campusandseehow Brockton inspireslifelonglearners andextraordinary humans. Register to reservea spot.
NI CKLABA nlaba@nsnews.com
Samantha Raynerthoughtitwouldbe a hoottotakeavideoofacuteowlin herneighbourhood.Thenextthing sheknew,shewasdartingunder tr eesforcoverasthepredatorybird beganswoopingatherhead.
Raynerwasoutforanearlymorning run onOct.15alongtheMosquitoCreek trailinNorth Vancouver’sUpperDelbrook neighbourhood.Thenshesawabeautiful owl.
“Lookatthat.Somajestic,”she thought.“Istopped,tookaphoto,took a video,madeeyecontactwithhim,and thenstartedcontinuingtorunalong.”
Butitwasn’tlongbefore shefeltsomethingcomingupbehindher.
“AndIlookedbacklike,‘OhmyGod, he’scomingatme,’”Raynersaid.“I duckeddown.Hejustkindoffluffedover my ponytail–didn’tactuallygetaholdof me.”
Shekeptrunning,andtheowlswooped at heragain,andagain.
“AndthenIwaslike,‘HowdoIgetout of here?’Thisthingischasingmeatthis point,andI realizedIhadtokindofhop
underneathlowerbranches,becauseit couldn’tquiteswoopatmeifI’mcovered bytrees,”shesaid.
LookingbackatherStrava,theactivity trackingappshowsherrunninginloops
andknotsinthearea,tryingtoescapethe wingedcreature
Finally,shegottoasetofstairs,where amanwaswalkinghistwodogs.Atthat point,theowlhadendeditspursuit.
Raynersaidshefeelsluckythatthe birddidn’tinjure her.
“Itdefinitelymadecontactwithme.It didnotscratchme,”shesaid.“I’msureif thisowlwantedto,hecouldhavedonea lotmore damage.”
Beforeherencounter, Raynersaid she’dheardthatowlscanbeterritorial butwasn’tsure whatcausedittochase her.
“Ididclickatit,andImadeeyecontact withit….Maybeitdidnotlikethat,”she said.
Owlsare‘fearlesspredators’
Whilestoriesofpeoplegetting swoopedbyowlshavebeenflyingaround, it’s stilla relativelyrare occurrence, explainsSohaSalem,spokespersonfor WildBird TrustofBCinMaplewoodFlats.
Raynerwasina relativelyurbanarea, buttheowlcouldhavebeenterritorial ofthatsectionofforestnearthecreek, Salemsaid.
AndRayner’sclickingsoundscould haveheightenedthebird’sterritorial attitude,sheadded.
“Drawingattentiontoyourselfinthat way,ratherthanjustmovingalongafter seeingtheowlmightmakeitmorelikely thatyouwouldhaveanencounter,”she said.“[AtMaplewoodFlats]we’renot tryingtoengagewildbirdsinthatkindof wayor aggravatethem,especiallyifwe knowthatthey’reterritorial.”
Salemaddedthatthere’snoway Raynercouldhaveknownthatthebird would reactthatway.
Thebirdinthevideoappearstobea barredowl,whichhavebeenknownto swoopatpeople,especiallyduringnestingseason.Butowlsaren’tnestingright now,soit’smorelikelyapurelyterritorial reaction,Salemsaid.
“They’reprettyfearlesspredators,” shesaid.“Ithink,especiallyifthey’re aggravatedortheyfeelanysortofthreat, they’reprobablymorelikelytodothat.”
Sowhatshouldyoudoifyousense you’reinanowl’sdomain?
“Usuallywhenitcomestobeingin thoseareas,it’sbesttojustkeepitmoving,”Salemsaid.
DistrictofWest Vancouvercouncil andtheMinistry ofHousingand MunicipalAffairsareescalating theirshowdownovergrowth anddevelopment.On Monday, council members votedtoadvanceofficial communityplanchangesthatdefydirectiveshandeddownbytheseniorlevelof government.
We don’tdoubtthatcounciland many inthe communitywouldearnestlyprefer thestatusquoto reignforever,butitisnot realistic.Theprovincehasalready made clearthatlocal governmentscannotartificiallyconstrainthesupplyofnew homes in ahousingcrisisforlargelyesthetic purposes.Morethanexacerbating thehousingproblem, itartificiallyconstrainsthe community as awhole,producinglopsided demographics.
Unfortunately,this game ofchickenwith
theprovincehasas much todowiththe incumbent mayor andcouncil members’ futurere-election campaignsasit doesthe futureof West Vancouver
Thereisanironytothis.Ifsuccessive West Vancouvercouncils hadshown more openness forgradualandsensiblechange, themunicipality wouldnotbefacingthis ultimatum.
Byspoilingforthisfight,councilrisks losingwhat meaningful controlitdoeshave.
Oncethat happens,thereis notelling whatthefutureofthedistrictlookslike.
More housingand commercialspace,yes, butit may bebuilt withoutthethoughtful planningthat makes aneighbourhoodor a streetscapetrulywork.
Andinsteadof beingtheseasidevillage thatsome treasure,itwillinstead beabattlefieldforcouncilandtheprovince,which ishardlythefutureWest Vandeserves.
J AC KIE BATEMAN
Contributingwriter
What alife,tobe awell-cared-for dogontheNorthShore.
Yougetfed,groomed, takenfor lovely walksalongthewaterandthrough mountainoustrails.Thereare dogbeachesand dogparkswhere you make friends. You gettopoopanywhereyoulike,andyour doting human willpickitupandput itina littlebag.Atleast,theyshoulddo.
Some don’tpickupaftertheirdogs,as weallknow.There’salwaysoneonever y street,thatpersonwhopretendsnot to noticeastheir retriever dumpsabignasty onthesidewalk.Then alittlekid,skipping merrilyontheirwaytoschool,steps in the bignasty.
Thekiddoesn’tnotice,perhaps splashingthroughpuddleswhichgetsridofthe bulkofthe mess. Butithassquelched itsway intoallthezig-zaggedgrooves intheirnewrunners.Thekidwalksinto school,leavingtinytracesofdogpoo downthehalls, intheclassroom, andon thechairtheyresttheirfeeton.Thepoo eventuallyhardensinthegroovesofthe runners, making itnearly impossible to extract
I’veseensomebrilliantdogpoopsigns around theNorthShore. Some of my favourites: Poophappens!Pickitupandmoveon Thisisatootsierollandlemonadefreezone Thereisnosuchthingasthedogpoopfair y. Once Isaw amassivepileofdrieddog
poopinfrontof alargesign.
“Keepoffthegrass.Thisis my yard andnotyourdogstoilet.”Thesignwas particularlyobnoxious,notonlydueto the missingapostrophebutbecausetheir grasswasn’teven real.Itwas some kindof fakesoccerfieldAstroturf.Infrontoftheir house.Notonlywasitoffensively bright green,buttheownersdidn’tevenwantto shareitwiththeirneighbours,andleastof alltheirneighbours’dogs.
In response,itseemedthat someone hadgonearoundtheneighbourhood collectingerrantdogdroppings.They had gatheredquitethecollectionandthen placedthehoardrightbythesign. Iadmit thatit made me splur tout my coffee, whichnarrowlymissedtheir microplastic
eco-pollutionof alawn. But Idigress.Dogownersneedtopick uptheoffendingpoo,whereveritlands. There’sajuicy debategoingon amongst dogwalkersandwheeliebinowners.The dogownersbelievethattheyhavethe righttothrowtheirpoopbagsintorandomwheeliebinsinlanewaysandoutside people’shouses.What’sthebigdeal?It’ll get pickedupanyway.Thewheelie bin owners don’tlikethis.The bagsoften reek,especiallyinthesummer,and might sittherefor daysbeforethebingets pickedup. Takeyourbaghomeand putit inyourownbin,theysay Whatsideareyouon?There’salways aside.
LETTERS
DearEditor:
RE: West Van CouncilApprovesFunds to Combat GooseNuisance, Oct 15 news stor y
Yourfeature onPage 5 inlastweek’s editionoftheNorthShore News discusses theissueofpeskygeeseinlocal parks.
Here’s how a retirementcommunityon VancouverIslandhandledtheproblem.
Inapproximately 2010, residents in Qualicum,B.C.hadenoughofgoose poop, sotheyinstituted a “bringyourunleashed dog tothepark”dayoncea week.
Apparentlyitworked!
I amthedaughterof a medical doctor Askidswelearnedearlythat animal feces shouldnot beinclose proximity to humans.
Geeseanddogsdon’tget along–a barkingdogwillscare the average goose into“movingalong.”
Just a thought. Mayeweshould considerthis remedyinAmbleside!
CarolineSutherland West Vancouver
DearEditor:
Walkingdown22ndStreeton a sunnymorninglastweek I wassuddenly swarmedand surrounded by twosmall dogs,barkingandsnappingand running in circlestoattack myquiet,well-behaved Labradorwalking onleadatmyside.
Withinseconds I wasimmobilized, myanklesdoublewrappedinstrong
elastic bands Thesetwoassailantswere attachedto retractableleashes!Asthe owneremergedfromthetrunkofhis car I yelled at him – yellingmadenecessar y bythecacophonyofthelittledogs– “You shouldn’tbeusingthese leads.They’re dangerous!”
Firstheswore atme. Yes,me.Not thedogs!Thenyelledback,“I’vebeen usingthemfor60yearsandneverhad an accident.”
Yet thereI was,an 84-year -oldwoman ina ver yprecariousposition.Fallingwith youranklestiedtogether, like a treeinthe forest, isa prettydangerousevent!
And in factalthoughdistressed,I was unharmed.I instinctivelyknewtostand still.My beautifullabalso remainedcalm. She did not retaliateorpull away
Andso I livetotellthistaleandshout againto all ownersof retractableleads. Donotuse theseleads Theyare dangerous.They leadyoutobelieveandactas if youhaveyourdogundercontrolwhen youdo not,andyourdogknowsthis betterthanyou!
BelIzat
West Vancouver
DearEditor:
I applaudCityofNorth Vancouver council for bringinginpay parking onand nearLonsdale.The way thiswasimplementedwithfreeshort-termandlow-cost parkingmeansmuchbetteravailabilityof parking.Congratulations
Mike Bull North Vancouver
October22,2025
TheMetrotown-NorthShoreBus RapidTransit(BRT)projectisa criticalandtransformativestepfor residentsoftheNorthShoretohelp breakfreefromthechroniccongestion thatoftendefinesthedailybridge commuteandclogsourlocalstreets. AsMemberofParliamentforNorth Vancouver-Capilano, Ihaveheard fromcountlessresidentsfrustrated withthegridlockandyearningforreal solutions.Theanswerisclear:only bold,effectiveinvestmentsinrapid transitcantrulyunlockourregion’s potentialandimproveday-to-day qualityoflife.
Scheduledfora2027launch,the projectstillfacesitsmostdaunting test:funding.Withanestimated constructioncostof$400million,and just aportionofthatinplace,wecan’t affordtoletthisprojectstallforlack offederal,provincialandmunicipal support.
Dog owners – youare notspecial. You havetopickupyour dog’spoojust like everyoneelse.Noone likesdoing it,but you havetodoit Trainyourdogand socializeit – it’s allyourfaultifthey stray. Andbytheway, pickingupand putting it in a bag,thenchuckingitintothe forest doesn’tcount You havejustaddedplastic toour wildernessaswellasanoffensive smell.
I lovedogsandfortunately they seem togravitatetowards me.Thebiggerdogs lean onmeprotectively, atleast I think
that’s the reason.Somewaitbymycaras if theywanttocomehomewithme. I was born in theyearofthedog,soI’vealways thoughtIhave a connectionwiththem,or eventhat I wasonce a dogin a formerlife. If I everbecomeone again,I shall becarefulwhereI poop,justincasemyhumanis one of thosethat doesn’tpickup Except whenthere isoffensiveplasticmicroturf. Then it’s fair game.
North Vancouver’s JackieBatemanisan award-winning author, screenwriter, copywriter, and extremely nosy ifyou gettoo close.jackie@jacbateman.com
WhyBRT istherightmove Traditionaltransitoptions,even withrecentupgrades,havenotbeen abletodrawenoughdriversoutof theircars,leavingusstuckin acycle ofcongestion.Whiletheprospect ofSkyTrainextendingtotheNorth Shoreremainsagoalforthefuture, it’sseveralyearsaway.BRT, however, givesus anear-term,game-changing upgrade:dedicatedtransitlanes runningbetweenMetrotownandPark Royal,bypassingbottlenecksand offeringfast,frequentserviceeveryfive minutesatpeak- rainorshine. Thisisn’t justanotherbus. Internationalbestpracticewillguide thisline’sdesign:larger,comfortable, fullyaccessiblebuseseveryfiveminutes atpeaktimes,shelteredandsecure stationswithnext-busdigitalinfo, andtransitsignalprioritythatlets vehiclesglidethroughintersections. ThesefeaturesputBRTnearlyonpar withrailforconvenience,reliability, andrideexperience -raisingthebar forwhatpublictransitcanandshould deliverontheNorthShore.
AllthreeNorthShoreMPsare committedtopressthefederal governmenttomakeMetro Vancouver’suniquetransportation needs afundingpriority.Thismeans notonlysecuringinvestmentin Ottawabutalsomaking acompelling casenationallythatNorthShore congestionisn’t justourheadacheit’saneconomicandenvironmental bottleneckfortheentireregion.
Politicalpartnershipvital
DeliveringBRT ontimewilldemand everylevelofgovernmentworking together -TransLink,municipal councils,provincialpartners,and,yes, Ottawa.Forelectedrepresentatives, thatmeansnotjustchampioningthis projectbehindcloseddoors,butbeing outinthecommunity,listening,and communicatingtheenvironmental, economic,andquality-of-lifebenefits thatBRTwillbring.
Recentpublicconsultationsshow strongmomentum,butNorthShore residentsmustcontinuetomaketheir voicesheardtobuild arock-solid mandateforthisproject.
BRTisnot adistant“nicetohave”but an urgentnecessity -onewithinour grasp,ifweinsistthatgovernments worktogetherandgetitdone.Let’s seizethisopportunity.
BRE NTRICHTER brichter@nsnews.com
A Burnaby-basedlandscapingcompanyhasbeen fined morethan$27,000afteroneoftheiremployees gotcaughtinanindustrialauger,dealing catastr ophicinjuriestohisleg.
PacificBarkBlowershadbeenhiredtodeliver20 yardsofsandandsoilata West Vancouverhomein January2024,accordingtotheagreedstatementoffacts readoutinNorth VancouverProvincialCourt,Oct.7. Shortlyaftertheworkstarted,themachinery inside thecrew’sblowertruckbecamejammed.Thecrew reversedthebelttogetthingsmovingagainbutthejams continuedoverthenexthour.
Believingthetruckhadbeensettoamodethatdoes not allowtheaugerstomove,employeeGursimranSidhu climbedintothebackofthetruckwithapitchforkto manuallyunclogthejam.Hetoldhiscoworkersto restart themachine,whichwasdonebyaworkerwitha remote control.
Sidhubecamestartledwhentheaugersturnedback on andwhenthesoilshifted,hefellandhisleftleg became entangledintheauger.Hiscoworkersshutoff themachineandcalled911.
Sidhusufferedacompoundfracturetohisleg includingligament,tendonandsofttissuedamagetohis left knee,thecourtheard.Hespent46daysinhospital beforebeing released.Hehashadfoursurgeriessince theincidentandcontinuestolivewithnervedamage that robshimofsensationinhislegandpreventshim liftingthefrontofhisfoot.
“Hefearsthatitmayneverimprove.Hestillneedsto undergoamajorknee reconstructionsurger y, andthe emotionaltolloftheuncertaintyisincrediblyheavy,” saidCrownprosecutorMollyGreen.“Hewasonawork permit whentheaccidenthappenedandhefearsthathis condition mightaffecthisabilitytostayinCanada.”
PacificBarkBlowerswasalreadysubjecttoa2021 WorkSafeBCordertopreventemployeesfromdirectly accessingthebackofthetruckandtoprovidesafety trainingtoemployees,butthoseordershadnotbeen compliedwith,Greensaid.
“Attimeoftheincident,PBBdidnothaveanyhealth andsafetyprogramsormeetings.Employeeswere providedwithon-the-jobtraining,butPBBdidnothavea formaltrainingprogram.Therewerenolockoutorde-energizingproceduresinplace,”shesaid.
Aftera WorkSafeBCinvestigation,theCrownswore threechargesofcontraveningtheoccupationalhealth and safety regulationsunderthe WorkersCompensation ActagainstPacificBarkBlowersandonechargeagainst thecompany’sprincipalGaryNylund.
Nylundappearedonbehalfofthecompanytoplead guiltytooneofthecounts.
GreensaidPacificBarkBlowerswashighlyculpable andthatthecourt’ssentenceshouldsendamessageto otheremployers.
It ’s abou tthe pe ople andenvironmentsthat challenge, suppor t, andinspire.It’swhere fu ture -orientedskills take shape, preparing students notjustfor scho ol,but forlife.
Empowerment: “M ychild ’s confidence transforme d—from separation anxiet yto beingfirstinlinetotry things.” —Liz W., pare nt,Clare nAcade my
Potential: “Theygaveher self-respect and dignit y, andfosteredher talentsand abilities.” —Parent, Whytecliff AgileLearningCentres
12:15PM Unders tandingYourO ptions
Educationexper ts unpack what trulyshapesa child’slearningexperienceand success.
Discover y: “It’sabout thebroader experience —clubs ,activities, outdoor educationprograms, teams.” —Jessica H., pare nt,S t. Ge orge’s Sc hool
Identit y: “Mostofmypersonaltraitsand characteristicsI carr ytothisday were molded there.” —ElijahJ., alum ,B odwell High Sc hool
Grow th: “T he ya ll ow hi sc ur io si ty to le ad hi sl ea rn in gw hi le be in ge nc ou ra ge d, ch al leng ed ,a nd su pp or te d.” —Kat he ri ne C. , pa re nt ,P ea rTre eS choo l
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Ou rK id s. ne t
1:30 PM Parent-to-Parent :RealE xperiences
Families who’ve be en throughitall sharewhat they wish they ’d knownbeforecho osing.
2:30 PM Successful Admissions
Admissionexper tuncoverswhatschools lo ok forinapplicants, andhow to standout
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“Thefineneedstobesubstantial enoughtowarnothersintheindustry thattheoffencewillnotbetolerated,”she said.
BoththeCrownanddefenceagreed afineof$24,000plusa$3,600victim surchargefeewouldbeanappropriate penalty,alongwithnumerousordersto stepupemployeesafetyandtraining.
PacificBarkBlowers’lawyerSteven Shergillsaidhisclienthasalreadyimplementedseveralsafetychanges.
“Thecompanyhastakentheincident veryseriouslyandhasworkedtoensure itisincompliancewiththe regulations andtoensure thatsuchanincidentdoes notoccurinthefuture,”hesaid.
ProvincialCourtjudgePaulSandhu acknowledgedthemental,physicaland economicimpactstheincidenthadon Sidhu,callingita“tragicoccurrence.”
Sandhuagreedtothejointsubmission onsentencing.
“Thestatutoryschemewith respect tothe WorkersCompensationActissuch thatit’sintendedto,firstandforemost, protectemployees,”hesaid.“The reason forthatisthatthesetypesofincidences canhappenanywhere,atanytime,to
anyone,andit’sforthat reasonthatin passingthesentencetoday,Imustconsidergeneraldeterrence.”
WorkSafeBCheadofpreventionservices ToddMcDonald,issuedastatement followingthesentencing.
“Thiscaseservesasa reminderofthe criticalimportanceofworkplacesafety andthelegalobligationsofemployersto protecttheirworkers.Employersmustfollowpropersafetyprotocolsand respect regulatory requirementstopreventworkplaceinjuriesandfatalities,”it read.
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AthousandkidsintheGazaStrip could soonhavefresh haircutsand freesoccercoachingtocheerabout.
MichelIbrahim,longtimeownerofWest VanBarberShop,isplanning ahumanitarian mission tothewar-tornPalestinianterritory fromNov. 23tomid-December
Ibrahim,whohasorganizeddozensof similaraidtripsinpastyears,sayshisgoal is togive1,000freehaircuts,aswellas soccer equipmentandcoachingto1,000 kidsin Gaza.
SinceJune,he’sbeendiscussingtheplan with regularsatthebarbershopandpreparing supplieswhilewaitingforanopportunity to entertheterritory.
“Wehaveallthesocceruniforms. Ihave them here intheshop,”Ibrahimsaid.“We’re ready –justwaitingforthesituationtoopen up inthecrossingbetweenEgyptandGaza.”
Then, onOct. 8, U.S.PresidentDonald Trumpannounced aceasefire betweenIsrael and Hamas.
Now,Ibrahimisputtinghisplanin motion.
“Forthenextfive,sixweeks,weputthe final touchesonourtrip,andhopefully things willgooverwell,”hesaid.
FourotherguysfromIbrahim’ssoccer clubhaveshowninterestingoingonthe mission,butthebarbersaidhe’ll goon his own ifhemust.
“I’vebeendoingthisfor28countries before,sothisisnodifferent.Soifthe guys changetheirmindduetothesituation in Gaza,myplanisthesame,Iwillgoon,”he said.
ButIbrahim recognizesthatthesituation remainsfragile,andthathemayhaveto changehisplansdependingonifandhow thepeaceholds.
“Ofcourse,that’sallunderthepermissionoftheborderofEgyptandtheCanadian government,”hesaid.“Keepinmind,there area millionvolunteersfromaroundthe worldwaitingatRafahcrossingtoenterto do thesame.”
Barber wantstobring asliverofhopeto children whohavelosteverything
Ibrahimsaid hecanbarelyfindthewords to describethedevastationinGazaoverthe past twoyears.
“It’sawfultoseewomenandkidsbeing killed,tosee peoplebeingsufferingwith nofood.Andthisisthe21stcentury.Asa Canadian, Icannottolerateit.AsLebanese, Ihateit,”hesaid.“Fortwoyears,it’sbeen nothing butdestruction …thewholeworld watchingwomenandkidsundertherubble, buildingsbeingbombed,andpeopleactuallysufferingfromstarvation.”
WhileIbrahimsaidhe’sgladthe Canadiangovernmenthas recognized Palestineas astate, heinsistshismissionis not apoliticalone
“Keepinmind,you’reaCanadian. We don’tagreewithwhat’sgoingonoverthere. It’skindof ashamefortheworld,actually,
toallowtogothatdeepandthatfarinthat destructivemode.Thereisnoroom[for that],”hesaid.“Mymissionis ahumanitarian.Ithasnothingtodowithpolitics.”
AsCanadians,weshouldallagreethat thisdegreeofsufferingshouldnothappen, Ibrahimsaid
“Thisis acountry allaboutpeace,and thispeacehastobedeliveredtoothercountrieswhosufferfromcrisesofwar,”hesaid.
Beginningin1991,Ibrahimsaidhe’sgone onnearly150foreignmissionsliketheone he’splanning,andhascoachedsoccerfor around35,000kidsintheprocess.
Sinceannouncinghisplantotravelto Gaza,donationshavestarted rollinginto Ibrahim’sbarbershop,includingonefrom a studentathislocalsoccercamps.
“He’ssevenyearsoldandgave$100,” Ibrahimsaid
InGaza,the64-year-oldbarberwantsto bring asliverofhopetochildrenwhohave losteverything.
“With asoccerball,hecandribbleit betweentherubble,andyouhave asmile on akidwholosthismomanddad,”he said.“Theyneverhaveachancetoseetheir mother,uncle,brother,sister,aliveordead
“Mymissionistoerasethisfeelingand givehimsomehope,givehimsomepleasure inkicking asoccerballorhaving ahaircut, justtogivehimpeaceofmind.It’snot much,maybejustlittledropinthebucket, butatleastitshowsourCanadianlove andassurance forthisgenerationofkids,” Ibrahimsaid.
To donatetotheGazamission,contact MichelIbrahimat michelhd@shaw.ca,orvisit West VanBarberShopat1345MarineDr.
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NOV 7AT6:30PM -9:30PM
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Saturday +Sunday,November 1+ 2
ABBY LUCIANO aluciano@nsnews.com
Local JournalismInitiative Reporter
Looking outoverthewaters of West Vancouver, youcansometimesspot theoccasional orca orseal.But overtheweekend oceangoerswer e treatedtoanevenmore curious sight: a ver y oldhouse,travellingon a barge.
Dozensofpeoplewatched inawe Sunday asa 113-year-old Vancouverheritage housemoved toitspermanenthome in West Van’sCaulfeildCove.
Movers fromNickelBros, a company thatspecializesin residentialhouse moves, tuggedthehouse downtheFraser RiverandacrossBurrard Inlet,arriving atthenew address of4777PilotHouse Rd.Fromthere,workersonlandoperated a cranetoconnect chainstothehouse, pullingthe structure toland.
home,”said Susan Walker, ownerofthe heritagehome.
A horizontalexteriormassing,cedar logpillarsandextended shingles shape thehome’s exterior, whileinsideyou’ll finduniquequirkslike a built-in grandfather clock,hand-madetiles showing animalsandboats, a stained-glasswindow showcasingnativebirds, andsalmon and ravenlightfixturesmade fromfirplywood inspiredby FirstNationsdesigns.
Walkerfirstcameacrosstheheritage house 11 yearsago whenshewas trying tomovebackto Vancouver fromtheU.K. Whensheheard thehousewas facing demolition, Walkerboughtthestructure andmoveditto a temporary holdingsite throughNickelBros.
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Thehouse,originallylocatedat5903 LarchSt.inKerrisdale,was designedand builtin1912byCanadianarchitect William A.DoctorandhisScottishbusiness partner WilliamFraser TytlerStewart. Doctor’s homeisunique for itsCanadian takeoftheinternationalArtsand Crafts movement,characterizedbydesignsthat respondedtochangesbroughtonby rapidindustrializationbetweenthe1890s andthe First World War.
“It’s notyourusual VancouverArts andCrafts [house].It’s quiteanunusual sort ofblend Scottish Arts and Crafts, EnglishArtsandCrafts,Californian and Canadiankind ofsensibilitiesinthe
Theplan wastofind a plotoflandthat couldbethehouse’s permanenthome, with Walkerandher family takingup residencethere andmaintainingthestructure.Butfinding a lotwasn’t easy With noluck after four yearsofsearching for a suitableplotoflandin Vancouver, Walker looked elsewhere andboughttwolotsin West Van duringthepandemic PilotHouseRoadwas a perfect match for Walker, asshegrewupinthearea.
“IdreamtofowningthatsitesinceI was a smallchild,”shesaid.“Iusedto playalongPilotHouseRoad… Itwas kind of a magicalplace asachild.”
The costofmoving and restoring a heritagehomeis roughly thesameprice asbuilding a newone, Walkersaid.And savinganoldhomeislesstaxingonthe
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environment too,bynotsending the building andits materialsto a landfill.
The Doctor residenceisnot theonly home Walkerhastriedtosavefromdemolition, assheiscurrentlyworking with a developertopreserve a century-old Arts andCraftsstylehousein WestPoint Grey. Accordingtothe Vancouver Heritage Foundation, that home isbuiltwithcedar logsthat came fromtheSunshineCoast andlargestonesbargedinfromthe CapilanoRiverforthefoundation,chimney andveranda.
“Ididn’t intendtosaveanotherhouse, butI couldn’tletitbedemolished.Itis that magnificent,” Walkersaid.“Onceyou fallin lovewiththesehouses,you can’tlet them bedestroyed.”
Movers completed the heftytask on Pilot HouseRoadat10 p.m. Sunday. Now, Walkerwillbewaiting onthe finaltouchestoget thehousetoliving condition,including a newfoundation andplumbinginstallation. She’s happyto share herstor y withanyone interestedin following alongwiththehouse’s progress “Ijusthopepeoplecan come, enjoy and appreciateanoldhouseandwatch it duringits restoration,becauseitwill take sometime forittobefully restored,”
Walkersaid.
AbbyLucianoistheIndigenousandcivic affairsreporterfortheNorthShore News. Thisreportingbeatismade possiblebythe LocalJournalismInitiative
Many NorthShoreresidents arefindingthemselves struggling to make theirway forward.Theyneed helpnow. HarvestProject is your community-based partner ‘extendinga handup’. We bringhopeandvital toolstoourneighbours: Coachingand Counsel,Grocery andClothingSupport, andconnections to specialized services, allshared withcareand compassion. Thankstoyou -Northand West Vancouverhouseholds, businesses,and community organizations, we areabletocontinueour work. Together,wecanhelpsavelives.Close to home.
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CARA GORDON
Contributingwriter
Familiesinthe LynnCreekneighbourhoodhaveaccesstomore childcar e optionsfortheirinfants,toddlersand pre-school-agedkids,the province confir medonFridayat a pressconferenceinNorth Vancouver.
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LynnCreek Community Centre’s childcare program,runningsinceAprilthis year, includes37spots – 12forinfantsand toddlersand25forpre-schoolages. Lynn Creek’s programcomesaspart ofmore than950newchildcare spacesacross14 differentcommunitiesinB.C.,supported by a $34millionpartnershipbetweenthe provincialandfederalgovernmentswhich was recentlyextendedthroughto2031.
PhilippaHorton,whosechildattends LynnCreek Childcare Centre, saidaccess to high-quality, affordablechildcare has “changedsomuch”forherfamily.
“It’s helpedusfind a routinethat works andit’s amazingtoseemychild excitedtocome here ever y morning.It’s givenusmore balanceandmore peace ofmind knowing ourson isin a nurturinglearningenvironmentwhere hecan
Minister of EducationandChild Care Lisa Beare slides into actionwith a youngfriend duringanannouncementofchildcare spaces at LynnCreekCommunity Centre Oct. 17. MINISTRY OFEDUCATIONAND CHILD CARE
thrive,”shesaid.
Thenewspacesare particularlygeared towardsfamilieswhomayhave previously facedbarrierstofindingchildcare,suchas singleparents,familieswith youngchildren andthoseinunderservedareas. Lynn Creek’s programoffers reducedchildcare feesthroughprovincialsupport,with thepossibilityof$10 a dayfeesforsome familiesthroughtheAffordableChildcare Benefit.
CaraGordonis a studentintern reportingfor theNorthShoreNews.
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NICKLAB A nlaba@nsnews.com
A North Vancouversoccer squadhas made histor y bybecomingthe firstteaminitsclubto secur ea podiumspotat nationals.
OnMonday, Oct.13,theNorth VancouverFootball Club’s U17Metro BoysteamwonbronzeatCanada Soccer’s 2025 NationalChampionships U-17 Cup in Kamloops.
But theirthird-place finish wasbynomeansguaranteed,as Ontario’s Cherr y BeachSCledNVFC1-0deep into thesecondhalfofthebronzemedalgame.
Withjusttwo minutes left in regulartime,NVFC’s HirokiSurgamatasent a corner kick in frontofCherr y Beach’s net, which team captain Jacob Robsonthumped in with a leaping headerto tie thematch.
NVFCkeeperBehradSharifi thencameuphuge in the shootout, saving threeofthefourpenaltykickshe faced.Onthe attackingside theNVFCshooters were sharp, scoring threeof their firstfourshots.Sharifi’s finalsave, a dive to his lefttoparr ya shoulder -height shot, clinched the win andearnedhis teamthebronze.
Itwas a stunningfinish to a strongseason. NVFC placedsecond in theMetro leaguebutwentonto win theprovincial cup in Julyto qualify fornationals.
Since July2024,the U17teamhaslostjustthree times in cuporleagueplay, including theloss in the nationalsemifinalstoNova Scotia’s SuburbanFC in the eighth roundofpenalty kicks. Suburban wentonto win the championship.
NVFCcoach Mike Robson said hebelieves his team shouldhavewonthatsemifinalgame.
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“We had a couple reallygoodoppor tunitiestoscore and justcouldn’tfinish,” he said. “Theyonlyhad a coupleshotsfrom distance thatourgoalie handled well.Butthen it wenttoPKs,andwelost in the eighth round.”
Becauseofthese high-pressure tie-breakers in tournaments,theteamhadbeenpracticing penaltykicks sinceJanuar y, sotheywere prettydevastatedbythat ContinuedonA19
loss,Robsonsaid.However, the teamwas abletoget backontrack
“I mentionedtothemthat… when you’re driving a car, the windshieldis much biggerthanthe rearview mirror, so we didn’twanttolookatwhathappened behindus. We wanttolook forward to tomorrow,”hesaid.“Thentheboyswere ableto refocus,and came out andplayed reallywellinthebronze medal game.”
Thevictor y washugeforthe team, Robsonsaid.
“It’s thefirst time that ateamfrom NVFChas won a medal at a national event. We’re thefirstboysteamtoeven goto a nationalevent,”he said.
Robsonemphasized thattheteam’s abilityto recoverfromsucha disappointingloss was remarkable.
“It’sa testament tohowgreat these kidsare,thatthey’re becoming fantastic young men,” hesaid.
Inthetournament overall,theteam
scored12goalsandallowedjusttwo infive games Top scorers were Jacob Robson(fourgoals,oneassist),Martin Mastschuch(twogoals,two assists), Finn Montgomer y (two goals,oneassist) andDexterWhite(twogoals,oneassist).
Robsonhighlightedthe team’s solid defensiveplay,which wasledbycentre backsRussellFerguson andJaiden Browning.
The coachalso acknowledgedthe enthusiastic cheersquad,travelling with and rootingfortheNVFC team. Inone game, they were so rowdythatanother teamcomplained.
“TheplayersfromOntariowere actuallycomplaining aboutourfanclub,” Robsonsaid.“Soit’sa fullteam family win when the families are allthere.”
Thespor t is impor tanttotheplayers but alsotothe families, hesaid.
“Ithinkwe’ve made a lotof memories fora lotofpeople, whichisthe whole keything.”
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Monday,November3,2025at6:00pm
Draft2026-2030Financial Plan
PURPOSE: Pursuantto Sections165and166ofthe Community Charter,theCityofNorthVancouver'sDraft2026-2030FinancialPlan willbepresentedforconsiderationattheFinanceCommitteeMeeting, thatformspartoftheRegularCouncilMeeting.
ACCESSTHEDOCUMENTS: ReviewtheDraft2026-2030FinancialPlan at cnv.org/Budget.
PROVIDEWRITTENINPUT: Writtensubmissionsmaybemailedor deliveredtoCityHallandaddressedtotheFinanceDepartment,or emailedtofinance@cnv.org.Allwrittensubmissionsmustbereceived nolaterthan11:59pmonThursday,October30,2025.
SPEAKATTHEHYBRIDMEETING:
InpersonatCityHall: OnNovember3,2025, asign-upsheetwillbe availableinthelobby,outsidetheCouncilChamber,between5:30-5:50 pm.After5:30pm,enterCityHallfrom13th Street.
ByWebexorphone: Pre-registeronlineat cnv.org/PublicMeetings, orbyphoning 604.990.4234 toprovidecontactdetails.Login instructionswillbeforwardedtoyou. AllWebex/phonepreregistrationmustbesubmittednolaterthan12:00pmonMonday, November3,2025.
QUESTIONS? ContacttheFinanceDepartmentat finance@cnv.org.
West VancouverMayor Mark Sagerpresides over a budget committeemeeting Feb. 26. OnMonday, thedistrict’s elected officialsunanimously voted to send a proposed update ofits official community plan to a publichearing.
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heights and densities aroundParkRoyal, it doesnot extendthe high-rise apartmentarea in Ambleside, nor does it force council toadopttheproposedAmbleside [localareaplan],” Hawkinsexplained.
Those directives cameafterthe ministr y appointed an independentadvisor tothe district in Januar y tohelp the municipality getontracktomeethousing targets. In2024, West Van wasexpectedtoproduce220netnew homes,but built just58.
Basedon public feedbacktothetypesofdensity that couldbeaddedtothe district,Hawkinssaid there was highlevelsofsuppor t for infill, including more subdivision, coachhomesand multiplexes
There wassuppor t for “missingmiddle”housing such was row housesandtownhomes,and related zoning couldbeupdatedalongthe MarineDrivecorridor and elsewhere.
Respondentsalsosupported somenewapartment builds,including low-rises, additional rentalandespeciallyseniors housing
Letterfromhousingminister‘insulting,’mayorsays
Addressing thecrowdatMonday’s meeting, Sager said thatheandothermembersof council met with Housing and Municipal AffairsMinister Christine Boyleatthe Union ofBC Municipalitiesconvention in September
Themayor said hethoughtthe meeting wentrather well, until he received a letterfromBoylelastweek.
“Howwould I best describe theletterotherthan, frankly, insulting,” Sager said.
Intheletter, Boyle said sheappreciated previous points madethatthe district hasn’t been resisting housing andhas proactivelyzoned landtoenablefuture supply
“However, while you repor t thatnohousing applications havebeen rejected this term,the advisor’s repor t noted thatduetothe district’s preliminar y development
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proposalandpublicconsultationpolicy, onlyone out of15applicationsproceeded for formaldecisioninthepreviousthree years,” theletter reads.
Boylealsonotedthat the districthas been resistanttotransitimprovements.
“Despite a districtstaff recommendationonJuly11,2025, andfurther considered onSept.8,2025,districtcouncil onlysupported$40,000 ofthe$364,100 available tothedistrictfromthe2025 pool of$4millionin TransLinkfunding,” she said.
Boylealsowrotethatbyimplementing her ministry’s directives, thedistrictcan meetminimum requirementstoaddress gaps inhousingsupply
“Ifthedistrictdoesnot implement the directives,itisforfeitingthe opportunity to furtherinfluencethelocalcontextin the directivesand relyingontheprovince to complete implementation,”she said.
WEDNESDAY,OCTOBER22ND TOSUNDAY,OCTOBER26TH
Ifthedistrictdoesn’tcomply byDec. 31, 2025,Boylesaidsheintendstoask the LieutenantGovernortoenactoramend bylawson West Vancouver’s behalf.
Sagersaidthe directivescomingfrom theprovincialgovernment havecaught the attentionofmunicipalities fromever y corneroftheprovince.
“Iexpectyouwill hearinthenexttwo weeks a concertedpushback,” hesaid.
“I’llgiveyouoneexample:themayorof Surrey advisedusonFridaythattomeet the targetsthattheministr y suggests Surreyshould would resultinclose to a billiondollars incapitalexpenditures.”
MunicipalitiesacrossB.C.are “deeply offended”bytheprovince’s approach, whichunderminesproperland-useplanning,Sagersaid.
“There isno replacementforproper study, andwork, astheprovince hasproposed.ButI’ll have a lot more tosayon this,I expect,inthe nextweek,” hesaid.
•Connectwithneighbours •Getsecurity &safetytips •Stayawareofincidentshappeningnearby •Learnwhenandhowtoreporttopoliceorbylaw •AccesssupportfromBlockWatchoffice
NorthVancouverRCMPDetachment 147East14thStreet •604-969-7553 nvblockwatch@rcmp-grc.gc.ca
Date ofPublicHearings: 6:00p.m.,MondayNovember3,2025
LocationofHearing: CouncilChambers,400Centre Road,LionsBay, BC
Pursuant to theprovisionsofthe LocalGovernmentAct,two publichearingswillbeheld to considerthefollowing bylaws oftheVillage ofLionsBay (the“Municipality”):
Hearing #1 ZoningandDevelopment BylawNo.520,2017,AmendmentBylaw No.650, 2025 -Setbacks
Proposed text amendmenttoSection7.7.2of ZoningandDevelopment BylawNo.520,2017, correcta technicalinconsistencyandclarify theintentofthesetbackaveragingprovision applicable to theBrunswickBeachOverlay Area.
Hearing#2ZoningandDevelopment BylawNo.520,2017,AmendmentBylaw No.641,2025 -Short Term Rentals
Theproposedupdatestothe STRPolicyand ZoningandDevelopment BylawNo.520,2017, are necessarytoachieve compliancewithprovinciallegislationand to strengthenthelegal enforceabilityofmunicipalSTR regulations.Byrefining definitions,clarifying conditions,and eliminatingproblematicprovisions,these revisionsensurethatthepolicyandBylaw function effectively.
ProvideYourSubmission
Thesebylawsapplytoallsingle-family residentialproperties(RS1)withintheMunicipality. All personswho considertheirinterestinpropertytobe affectedbytheproposed bylawwillbegivena reasonableopportunity to beheardortopresentwrittensubmissionsrespectingmatters contained inthebylaw
Writtensubmissions,mailedtoPOB ox 141,400Centre RoadLionsBay,BC, V0N2E0 or emailed to office@lionsbay.ca,willbeacceptedup to theclose ofthehearing,andwill formpartofthepublic record.MayorandCouncilarenotpermitted to receivefurther input following theconclusionof aPublicHearing. Acopyofthe bylawand reports,plansandotherdocumentsareavailableonline at www.lionsbay.ca,orforinspection at theofficeofthe Village ofLionsBay locatedat400Centre Road,Lions Bay,BC, betweenthehoursof9:00a.m.- 4:00p.m.,M-F Theidentityofpersonswhomake writtenor verbalsubmissionswill formpartofthepublic record.
BRENT RICHTER brichter@nsnews.com
DepartmentofNationalDefencecontractorsar e extending theirsurveyof North Vancouver’s BlairRifle Range landsin a bidtoridthe recreational areaofanypotentialexplosivesleftin thesoil.
Unexplodedordnance(UXO)specialistswithmetaldetectorssweptthe areasaroundthetrails andfoundseveral explosivesin2018.DND hadthem returnto theformermilitar y trainingsiteoff Mount SeymourParkwayin2023tofocustheir effortsonthe woodedareas.
Thatworkwasexpectedtowrapthis fallbutthedepartmentnowsaysthe contractorswillbeattheBlairRifleRange landsuntilMarch2026,atleast,focussingonthenorthernendofthesite,with potentiallymore surveyingtobedone up until2027.
“Since2023,the DepartmentofNational Defencehasconducted UXOclearance workonapproximately21.6hectares, basedon a newlyupdatedestimateof54
hectaresat theBlairRifleRange.Over thesameperiod,thescopeoftheproject hasincreasedconsiderablyasmunitions continuetobediscoveredoutsidethe originalclearance area,” a statementfrom DND read.
Onatleasteightoccasions,Canadian Forcesexplosivesexpertshave been called intosafelydetonatemortarshells,illumination roundsandonegrenadeunearthed bytheUXOcrew
Theteamestimates theyhave removed 989kilogramsofmunitionsscrapfrom BlairRifleRangelandsandmore than 10,000kgofotherassortedtrash.
Trailsonthelandcontinuetobesafe forwalking, jogging, orbikingbut,because ofthepotentialforexplosivesstillburied, DNDalwayscautionsagainstdiggingor settingfiresanywhere ontheBlairRifle Rangelands.Anyonewhohappensupon a potentialexplosiveisurgedtoleave the areaimmediatelyandcall911.
Today, thepropertyis jointly ownedby theprovinceand CMHCand isusedexclusivelyfortrailsand recreation.
Onw eekda ym ornings ,S onja helpsher twinsEnderandEllora getready forschool. Enderhas a conditionwherehenever feelshunger. “He co uldeasilyskipmealswithout complaining,” Sonjasays.“So Ineed to be very careful to make sureheeats enough.”
Ou tint he wo rl d, thefamilygoes ever ywherebywalkingortransi t. “I f it ’s coldor rainy, Ibundle Enderinto hiswheelchairponcho.Itclips to his wheelchairsohecanstaywar mand dr y,”S onjasays.Anaccessibleschool bu st akesthe tw ins to We sterman Elementar y, wherethey ’reinGrade2. Ender, whohas cerebralpalsy,autism, andother complexneeds,approaches the wo rl dw ithinve nt iveness a nd a senseofadventure. Ever yw hereh e goes,hisgentle,seriousnaturedraws peoplein.H isclassmatesadorehim, callingout gr eetingsand wa lking besidehiminthehallways.
“Atschool,he’sarockstar,” Sonjasays. Enderuses co mmunication to ols like abuttonwith recordedmessages
andpictureboards.He’sstilllearning, buteach tool giveshim anew wayto connectwiththe worldaroundhim.
By mid-afternoon,Ender andEllora re tu rn hom eo nt he bu s, an d t ha t’s whenthe p ar ty sta rt s. “ Enderlo ve s music,”says Sonja. “Whether it ’s kids’ songs like TheWheelsonthe Busand Row, Row, RowYourBoat, Bolly wood hits,or80sclassics.Heloves togroove andwigglearound to anystyle.”
Aftersupper,Sonjagets Ender ready forbed.Hehasaspecialized tent-bed thatkeepshimsafeandsecurewhilehe sleeps.Withoutit,hemighttry to crawl away duringthenight, puttinghim at riskofinjur y.
“I make sureheh as acouplesof t toys inhisbedand Iplaywhitenoise orcalmingmusic to settlehimdown forthenight,”shesays
“Itur no ffthelightsandsa y goodnigh t, k nowingEnderissaf e, co mfortableandcared fo r. I’ms o grateful to Variet ydonors forhelping meprovide my sonwiththesupports heneeds.”
Va ri et yh asfundedessential equipmentthroughoutEnder ’s life from aspecialized tent bed to asafe, adjustablechangetable,toawheelchair ponchothatkeepshim warm anddry ontransit.Each resource helpsEnder staycomfortableandengagedwiththe world, while givingSonjathe toolsshe needs to helphimthrive.
Ender ’s stor yisj ustone ex ample oftheprofounddifferenc et imely suppor tc an make .R igh tn ow,a s economicuncertainty increases,the cost ofcare isoutofreach for manyfamilies. In BC,somereportsestimate up to 70% ofchildrenand youthwithdisabilities arenot receivingthecriticalhealthcare theyneed.
Nooneshouldbedefinedbecause of adisabilityorhealthchallenge.Yet the realityis, BCchildrenstillexperience
dailylimitationsbecause wa itlists , financial costs,andsystemicbar riers canmakeitharder forthem to access therapie s, medicalequipmen t, or educationsuppor t.
Th at iswh yV ariet yBCr aises millionsofdollarsever yyear to help ki dswith h ealthchallenges a ffor d essentialhealthcar e. Ev er yg ra nt allo ws onemor ec hild to fo cuson discoveringwhotheyarea nd wa nt to bewithou tt helimitationsth at lackofaccesscansooftencreate.
Youcanhelpbethereformorek ids whoarew aiting fo rs uppor t. Ever y donation to VarietyBChelps contribute to abetterfuturefor kids like Ender. From October20-26, youcanalsotune in to GlobalBC to lea rn mo re about Variety’sworktoclosehealthcaregaps fork idswithcomplexhealthneeds.
FridayNigh tCo ncer t
Friday,October31
7:30– 8:45p.m.,MainHall
Doorsopenat7 p.m.
The Payadora TangoEnsemble isanaward-winninggroupwhose electrifyingblend ofArgentiniantango, Uruguayanfolk,andcontemporary jazzcaptivatesaudienceswitha fresh approachtoLatintraditions.
SCANME
Lear nmoreat wvml.ca/events
Libraryconcertsaremadepossiblethankstoa generousbequestfromtheestateofRobertLeslie WelshthroughtheWVMLFoundation.
Thisconcertissponsored by
pullingevenlonger days,”Denny said.“Itcosts me,like, $20,000in lostwagesever y year, anditcosts me probably $5,000 to$10,000 outof pocketthatwedon’t really recoup.”
1950MarineDrive, West Vancouver 604.925.7403| westvanlibrary.ca
a stake through itsheart.Butthe crypt,likesomeof theofhaunted housesweseeonscreen,had a grip onhim.
TheBCProfessionalFirefighters ContinuedfromA5
Duringtheworstyearsof COVID-19,Dennyput thecrypt intosuspendedanimation.Itgave him time reflectonhow muchof a sacrificeofboth timeandmoney Dovercour t Crypthadbecome and hetoyedwith theideaofdriving
“Halloweencamearound,and I was just sodepressed,”hesaid. “It just feltlikeitwas missing something.”
NoneofDovercour t Cryptwould bepossible,Dennyisquickto specify, without thehard workof anundead armyofvolunteers, chief amongthemhis “ver y, ver y patient
partner”LizNaso.Assemblingthe hauntedhousetakestheworkof manyfriends,neighboursandteens from Lynn Valley Andthenthere’s theowneroftheproperty – the single-momwhoraisedhim – Glynis Denny
“Mymomput a lotofworkinto makingholidaysver y magicaland special,”shesaid.“Andshe’s continuedtobeamazingly supportive.”
ContinuedonA25
Termsand Conditions: 40% anyorderof$1000 ormoreor30% anyorderof$700-$1000onany complete custom closet, garage,orhome ce unit. Take anaddit onanycomplete system order.Not validwithanyother er.Freeinstallation withanycompleteunitorderof$850ormore.With incomingorder,attimeofpurchase only. ernot validinall regions.Expires11/30/25.
BurnFund, meanwhile, saystheirsacrificeshavedone alotof good.
“We’re sogratefultoMarkandLiz for pouringtheirheartsintotheDovercour t Crypt.[They’re]helpingsuppor tprogramslikeLittleLionheartsFamilyCamp, whereever ymember ofthefamilygets care andconnectionthroughplaytherapyandbondingactivities,” astatement fromthenon-profitread.“Their generositygivesburnsurvivorsstrength,hope, andcommunityontheirroad torecover y andlong-termhealing.”
Althoughheusuallyloses afew poundsfromthestressofgettingthe event readyeachyear,Denny findshimselfenrichedinotherways.Lastyear,a youngcouple came injustafterclosing time,but afew committedvolunteers wentbackonthejobto givetheman experiencetheywouldn’tforget.
“Andthiscouplescreamed thewhole time. Theboyfriendwas, Ithink,more scaredthanthegirlfriend,andhewas standingbehindherandholdingonto her,”hesaid.“They came outoftheexit at afullsprintandrantotheircar.… Thatfeltlikewe reallygotthejobdone.” Dennyalsolovestoseeyoungerkids comingonweeknights, whentheactors
aren’tonshifttoscarethewitsoutof them.
“Sometimes there’llbeonekidinthe groupthatcan’thandleitandtheother kidswilldragthemthrough,andthen they’ll come around,”hesaid.“Andthen they’llalsobegoingthroughlike20 times.So that’sreallynicetoseewhen thekidswhoaretraumatized bythe wholething,kindof realizewhat’s going onandthen come aroundtoenjoyit.”
Forallofthe jump scaresandgrizzlyimager ylyinginwaitaroundever y cornerof Dovercour tCrypt,thedarkest secretlurkinginthehauntedhouse mightbeDenny’sown:Hewouldnever bethatkid.
“I’mactuallyquite awuss. Ijustlike doingthis. Idon’t reallywatchscar y movies oranything,becauseI’mtoo easilystartled,”hesaid.“Igrewupbeing thekindofkidwho’sabsolutelyterrified ofthedark.”
Dovercour tCryptisnowopentothepublic.“ScareFree” nightswithoutactors run Monday toThursdayandonHalloween between4:30and 6p.m.The“fullhaunt” experience runsFridaytoSundayfrom 6:30to9:30p.m.Admissionisbycash donationwith asuggestedminimumof$10 peradult and$5perchild.
Join aClimateActionDialogue
Asheadlinesspotlightpoliticalandeconomicuncertainty,isclimate actionstillontheradar?Climatewarningsaregrowinglouder,yetthe solutionsare overlooked.
ThisClimateActionDialoguecutsthroughthenoisetoexaminereal progress,strategicinvestments,andemergingtrends.Lookingahead to2030,climateactionisn’tabout retreat— it’saboutfocusingour effortswheretheywillhavethegreatestlocalimpact.
Vancouver | Wednesday, Oct29, 9:00 –10:45am UBCRobsonSquare–Theatre(C300) 800RobsonStreet, Vancouver Online Webinar | Tuesday, Nov4, Noon –1:15pm
RegistertodayusingtheQRcode,orvisit metrovancouver.organdsearch“climate”
NICKLA BA nlaba@nsnews.com
Districtof West Vancouvercouncilis considering aplantofinally redevelop theoldMasonicHallsiteinAmbleside.
OnMonday,Oct.6, amajorityofcouncilvotedtosend apreliminar yproposal tothepublicconsultationphasefor a nine-storey mixed usebuilding at1763 Bellevue Ave.
ButCoun.ChristineCassidydissented,statingthat theapplicant should haveincluded morecommunity use spaceintheplan.
Since2014, West Vanhas rejectedvarious proposals forthesite.Thelatestwas in2021when apreviouslyelectedcouncil quashedaplanfor anine-storeybuildingwith22strataunits,sixnon-market rentalunitsandfive commercial/office units.No community usewasincludedin thatproposal.
Itwasdefeated,with some oncouncil lamenting thatthepropertyhadbeen underutilizedforsolong,whileothers complainedthattheproposalwastoo
Anindependent, co-edIBMiddleSchool onbeautifulNex̱wlélex̱wm/BowenIsland 604-947-9311 info@islandpacific.org
drawingshowstheproposed
dense.Intheend,itwasvoteddown because most council members didn’t suppor tmovingaheadinadvanceof
ContinuedonA28
Middleschoolis messy, magical,andtransformative. For30years we’vegiven curious kids aplace apart fromtherushofthe city to betheirwholeselves— awkward,brilliant, brave, andeverythinginbetween— preparingthemforsuccess inhighschooland beyond. Come see howitfeels.
OVER30YEARSOFREFINISHINGCABINETS!
upcoming changestothe Ambleside local areaplan.
community use.The entiresite is zoned community use,andyou’regiving usone floor,”she said. “Sowhynotmore?”
Inthecurrentproposal,therewould be24strata units andtwostreet-level commercial unitswith a6,775-square-foot community usespacealong with2,300 squarefeetofdedicatedoutdoorspace onanelevatedterrace.
Coun.Nora Gambioli expressedconcernsabout drainageonthe site.
While the Ambleside localareaplan hasnotyetbeenrubberstamped,the district’spolicy statesthatproposals canbeconsidered if theyprovide cer tain communitybenefitsand respondto neighbourhoodcontextandcharacter
Staf frecommendedcouncilsendthe plantopublicconsultation because it includescommunityusespaceandhousing,andcouldallow redevelopmentofan underused site
“Itlooks like anawfully impermeable site. Iguessthat might getchanged a littlebitwith some publicinput,”she said. “But Iwonderaboutthat, given our recentweatherpredictions forthenext 100years.”
Twomembersofthe publicvoiced their suppor tfortheproposal.
Longtime resident DeebaDeChavez saidit’sbecomingincreasinglydif ficult to ignorewhat’shappening in West Vancouver,“acommunity thatspeaksof renewal,buttoooftenstands in theway of it.”
Oneofthe district’sgreatestproblems is development,she said.
Loveyourcabinets,butnothowthey’reworn?GleamGuardoffers asimple,cost-effectivesolution.Wealsorefreshcabinetswhich costslessthan refinishing.
Textcabinetpicturesto1-604-218-7470orcall. www.gleamguardcabinetrefinishing.ca
Communityspeaksofr enewalbut standsinthewayofit, residentsays Coun. Christine Cassidyexplained the site’shistor y, thatJohnLawsonpreviouslyownedthelandandgaveittothe Masons,whobuilttheMasonicHall.
Shepointedoutthatthesitehasbeen zonedfor community use.
“Itseemstobeindecision, andthat indecision is costing usour vitality,our affordabilityandourfuture. Businesses arestruggling togrowonouroutdated policies and limited oppor tunity,”De Chavez said. “Thecostof living keeps rising andyoungfamilies –the foundation ofany thrivingcommunity –are simply pricedout.” ContinuedfromA26
“Andyou’re only giving usonefloorof
Situatedinbustling LonsdaleSquare, our communityoffers ahighlypersonalisedseniorliving experience.Contactus to book atour todayanddiscoverhow our residents receive best-in-classcareaswellasenjoy:
• Arichvarietyofengagingactivitiesandsocialevents
• Beautifulamenityspacesandcontemporaryresidences
• Fresh,seasonalcuisinecraftedbyatalentedchef
• Afarm-to-tableexperiencewithagardenandmicro-farm
Themountainsarecalling,andthis NovembertheCoastMountainFilm Festivalisansweringina bigw ay. Nowinitsthirdseason,thefestival isbringingtogetherworld-classs ki films,amazingprizes,andanaudience thatlivesforsnow,stoke,andstory. Whetheryou’rea die-hardpowder houndorsomeonewhosimplylovesthe mountainculturethatmakesourregion sovibrant,thisyear’slineupissetto deliverunforgettablenightsonthebig screen.
OpeningNight: Armada’sOrnada
Tuesday,November4,2025 CentennialTheatre, North Vancouver
Theseasonkicksoffwitha showcase includinglocalfilmmakerJoeyKraft, thecreativemindbehindlastyear’s acclaimedTheHarvest.Joeysetsthe tonewith abonusshortfilmbefore thelightsgodownforArmada’shighly anticipatedteamproject,Ornada.
Ornadaisn’tjusta skimovie—it’sa statement. You’vebeenwarned.It’s acollisionofartandathleticism,the filmexploresskiingasbothcultural heritageandcreativefrontier. Audiences canexpectsurrealvisuals,live-scored music,andimmersiveartistrywoven throughout.Fromtherawpeaksof AlaskaandBritishColumbiatothe citystreetsandterrainparksthathave shapedmodernfreestyle,Armada’s multi-disciplinaryteamshowsj usthow farthesport—andthestorytelling—can bepushed.
Therosterreadslike awho’swhoof freeskiing.LegendslikeTannerHall, HenrikHarlaut,andSammyCarlson sharethescreenwithnext-gentalent
includingOliviaAsselin,MaxM offatt, andRosinaFriedel.Addinheavy hitterslike TorinYater-Wallace,Maude Raymond,andPhilCasabon,andyou’ve gota castguaranteedtoleavejawson thefloor.
ForNorth Vancouver, thepremiereof Ornadaismorethana screening—it’sa celebrationofskiculture’spast,present, andexhilaratingfuture.
SecondFeature:
AftertheSnowfall
Tuesday,November11,2025
RioTheatre, Vancouver
Aweeklater,thefestivalmovesto CommercialDriveforthe Vancouver premiereof AftertheSnowfall,the latestepicfromMatchstickProductions. Knownfortheirabilitytobalance groundbreakingcinematographywith heartfeltstorytelling,Matchstickhas created afilmthatcapturesskiingini ts purestform.
AftertheSnowfalltakesviewers aroundtheglobe,frombottomless powderdaysinJapantosun-splashed pondskimsinCalifornia,fromthe iconicpeaksofWhistlerandHainesto Norway’sotherworldlyLyngenAlps.It’s areminderthatskiingisn’tjustabout adrenaline—it’saboutconnection, risk,joy,andtheuniversalsearchfor freedomonsnow.
Thefilmfeaturesanall-starlineup includingMarkAbma,Michelle Parker, Nico Porteous,Logan Pehota,Jess Hotter, andKarl Fostvedt,amongmany others.Shotonlocationinlegendary destinationslikeCMHHeliSkiing’s MonasheesLodge, PalisadesTahoe,and Alaska’s TordrilloMountains,thevisuals arenothingshortofbreathtaking.
PresentedbyToyota,withsupport fromTheNorthFace,Ikon Pass,and Stanley, AftertheSnowfallcontinues Matchstick’slegacyofblendingsouland spectacle. ForVancouver’smountainlovingcommunity,thisscreening promisestobe ahighlightoftheseason.
TruetoCoastMountainFilmFestival tradition,botheveningswillfeature prizegiveaways,communityv ibes,and thechancetoconnectwithfellowskiers andriderswhosharethesamelovefor winterculture.Thinkofitast heperfect preseasonkick-off: achancetostokethe fire,swapstories,andgetinspiredfor theadventuresahead.
Withjusttwoshowcaseeveningsthis year,ticketsareexpectedtomovefast. Whetheryou’redrawntotheboundarypushingartistryofOrnadaorthesoulful storytellingof AftertheSnowfall—or betteryet,both—thesenightsare designedtobringthemountainstothe cityinunforgettablefashion.
Sowaxyourskis,callyourcrew, andmarkyourcalendars.TheCoast MountainFilm Festivalisback,andthe stokeisreal.
Backin1974Coordinated KitchenandBathfirst openeditsdoorsonEast 1stStreet,justoffLonsdale Avenue.Inthosedaysthe neighbourhoodwasvery different,norevitalized ShipyardsDistrictand certainlynoneofthe apartmentsandcondos weseetoday.Asthe NorthShorehaschanged, CoordinatedKitchenand Bathhasalsogrown, building areputationas thecommunity’sgoto full-servicequality renovationexperts.
Coordinated’sreputation speaksforitself,few businessescansaythey’ve servedwithsuchdedication acommunityasuniqueand magicalastheNorthShorefor over ahalf acentury.Withone ofCanada’smostexperienced kitchenandbathroomdesign buildteams,theirproject managers,designers,and professionaltradeshave customrenovationscovered fromstarttofinish.From creating aperfectdesignto selectingqualitymaterials andschedulingtrades,they have awealthofindustry knowledgetobringyour dreamstolife.
Whenitcomestocountertops, cabinets,andkitchenand bathfixtures,Coordinated suppliesandinstallsthebest intheindustry.Membersof theBetterBusinessBureau,
theNationalKitchenand BathAssociation,houzz.com prospecialists,andother leadingkitchenandbath organizations,theirdesignand projectmanagementteam workstocreatetheperfect kitchen,bathroom,andhome
Awealthofindustr y knowledge to bring yourdreams to life.
renovationtimeaftertime. Customersatisfactionis paramounttotheirsuccess.
Ifthisisyouryearfor akitchen orbathroomrenovation, callingCoordinatedKitchen andBathis agreatplace tostart.
Visittheirshowroomat 123East1st StreetinNorth Vancouver,checkthemout onlineat
www.coordinatedkitchens.com, oraska neighbour–theymaywellhavea Coordinatedkitchenand bathintheirhome.
LAURAMARIENEUBERT
Contributingwriter
Seven weeks after replacingthelast of our ancient“lawn”withBee Tur f and AlternativeLawnBlend, Igave thelushandfrillygreenscape its first haircut with our rechargeablebatter y-poweredmower.
Thepure delight and satisfaction I felt walking throughthe denseand impossibly greencarpethelpedmeforget,almost,the trialsalong theway There werea few Birdsofcourse,feastedonseed.This was easily remediedwithanover-sprinkling of siftedsoiltobury theseeddeeper – not a bad thing whenlate-summer sowing into sandy soil.
Squirrels,thrilledtoseerare bare earth on ourproperty, dugwith abandon, scattering seed and creating a hilly landscape. Aftermuch re-levellingand experimentation, wediscoveredthathelter-skelter arrangements ofbrightly colouredirrigation flags were effectivedeterrents.
What I was not atallpreparedforwas, ironically, anextreme-climate-initiated mystery fungus thatthreatened the entire project, turning ourbeautiful carpet of wee seedlingsinto a balding patchwork overnight. Shortlyafter germination,under coverofwildfire smokethat hung heavily aboutfor severaldays, theairgrewvery hot,very still anduncharacteristically damp.Nowind, no cool, no escape. GARDEN TO TABLE
Yarrow, Englishdaisy, dwarf California poppy, sweet alyssum,sheep fescue andmicro clover share space in a mixof groundcover seedlings
The animals were doing whatthey alwaysdoonourproperty, living and feasting andgifting uswiththeirlivelypresence. At times,throughoutthe repetitive process of repairand maintenance, I struggledto remaingrateful.
ContinuedonA32
TheNorthShoreNewsisproudofthemenand womenwho areservingorhaveservedour country. We wouldliketopay tributeto asmany NorthShore born-and-raisedmilitary personnelaspossibleinourupcomingRemembranceDay feature publishingonNovember5th.
If youora lovedoneiscurrentlyservingorhasservedour country,weare invitingyou to submit aveteranlistingfor ourfeature
Submissiondetails:
If you’ve alreadysubmittedalistingfor aprevious RemembranceDay feature,pleaseemail kknox@glaciermedia.caandgive usthenameofthe veteran. Mark ‘Veteranlisting re-run’ inthesubjectlineofyouremail.
Ifyouaresubmittinga brandnew listing,pleaseemailthe following to kknox@glaciermedia.ca: •Photoofveteran •25-word max.bioofveteran Pleasemark ‘New veteranlisting’ inthesubject lineofyouremail.
Allemailsmustbe received by 5:00 p.m.,Oct.31st. Inclusionwillbe basedonfirstcome,firstserved andamountofavailablespace in thefeature.
3789RoyalOakAve.| Burnaby, BCV5G3M1 ForestLawnMemorial-Burnaby.com
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and conditionsapply. Seeanassociate fordetails.Third-partyprovider
Patchesofseedlingswere literally melting, smotheredbywhatappearedto besome sort of webbyfungus.Panicset inand much online researchensued.My bestguesswas thatpythiumblight –a difficult-to-treatfungaldisease that affects turfgrassinhumid climates – hadsetin andwould munch itswaythroughour investment.
Unsurprisingly, repeatapplicationsof poisonousfungicidesisthe recommended treatment.There is no published, urban permaculture-compliant antidote for a fungus-affected community ofBee Turfand AlternativeLawnBlend.
I prepared myself towait.
lghfoundation.crowdchange.ca/112649
I experimented with spot-treatinga few affectedareaswiththecure-all mixture of water, baking soda,oliveoilanddetergent-freesoapbut,predictably, this merely suffocatedthetinyplants.
Panicturnedto resignation that things wouldself-rectifyover time, that a predatory fungus orbiologyof some sort would stepinandsetthingsright – eventually.
A true miracle ofnature. hello@upfrontandbeautiful.com ContinuedfromA31
Butthen, a lightbulb moment. Perhaps I couldacceleratethe repairprocessby introducingbeneficialbiology Severalyears ago, a similar searchled me toChristina Cook, a SocietyforOrganicUrbanLandcare certified professional,landscapearchitect andownerofOrganicGardener’s Pantry in Victoria.Thenasnow, Christinaprescribed EM,oreffective micro-organisms, butthis time dilutedatleast1:100in a non-brewed biologically completecompost teaextract, sprayedoverthesoilandseedlings.EM is a liquid mixture ofspecific important beneficial micro-organisms thatare known toworkco-operativelytoprovideunprecedentedbenefitsforsoilandplants.
Ithadtakenseveralyearsfornatural systems tosettleelsewhere onourproperty, forbeneficialandpredatory insects toset-uphousekeepingonbalance,and forexcessanddeficitstoself-correct.As anxious as I wasfor immediategratification,
Christinaassured me thatthe microorganisms would“hangoutinandontothe soilandorganic matter particlesandalso plant roots – likeprobioticyogurt forthe soil,”ratherthanwashawayinthe autumn rain.AfterorderingtheEMand“tested” compost teaextractkits,addingKelpgrow forgood measure, I made theextraction and pump-sprayed generouslytosoillevel until somewhat saturated.Soon,thefungus disappearedandthankstostill-warmsoil, theover-seededpatchesbeganfilling in.
AweeklyglimpseintothepastfromMONOVA:Museum& ArchivesofNorth Vancouver
Demolitionof Knox PresbyterianChurch
Doyou recognizewhere thisphoto wastaken?Thisisthe cornerof Lynn ValleyRoadandDraycottRoadin Lynn ValleyinJanuary 1967,nowthesite ofMapleLeafGardenCentre.
Thephoto,taken by WalterDraycotthimself,capturesthedemolitionof Knox PresbyterianChurch(later Lynn ValleyUnitedChurch)whichhadbeenbuiltin1911.
Thenew owners ofthesitefirstoperatedtheirnursery fromtheoriginalmanse,withthe remainsofthe churchbasement servingasthemainshop.Thebasement foundationstillremains apartofthe storetoday
DiscovermoreoftheNorthShore’srichhistoryatMONOVA.Startplanningyourvisitat monova.ca.Doyouhavea storytotell?Getintouchviaarchives@monova.ca.
7.Throw softly 8.Landunits
Formerspouses
22.Stadiumpart
23.Public votes
24.Hivebuilder
26.Partofa trip
28. Related 29.Bumpinto
31. Tub
32.Hotelemployee
34.Prepareasalad
35.Lassie
37.Takes anap
38.Hauled
39.Ripoff
40.Smallensemble
35.Bottledweller
5. Sickly 8.Muscle strain 12.Floor coverings
15.Beerbarrels 16.Set free
18.Once_ _atime
20.Wordsof consent
21.Musiclover’sequipment 24.Finest
25.Edmontonplayer
26.Wentahead 27.Onthe____(inhiding)
30.Provide for 31.Signoftriumph
36.Easygait 38.Natural capability 39.Pigpens
41.Opinionsample
42.Arrow shooter
44.Crownoflight
48.“It____Me Babe”
49.Gorilla
50.Had adebt
51.Tree-trunkgrowth
52.Ruby-hued 53.Tennis’s Sampras DOWN
1.Exasperate 2. Librarian’s date 3.Omelet need 4.Confident 5. Icyabode 6. Cutofpork
41.Bishopof Rome
43.Soapor candyunit
45.Astonishment
46.Authorize
47.“____onMelancholy”
Crosswordpuzzleanswers useAmerican spelling
ARIES March21-April 19
Youcould make yournext adventurearealitybydreaming bigandapplyingtheprinciples ofattraction. You’ll make certaindiscoveriesthatcould havepositiveimpactsonyour career.
TAURUS April20-May20
Youremotionsarerunning highthis week. Fortunately, thesefeelingswillhelpignite yourcreativity.You’llalsoplay caregiverto alovedone.This willstrengthenyourbondand nurtureasenseof reciprocity thatcreatesoptimismforthe future.
GEMINI May21-June20
It’seasiertonegotiatewhen youremotionsaren’tinvolved. Becareful,asyourchildren maytrytotake advantageof your kindnesstogaincertain privileges.Maintainyour vigilanceanddon’tgiveinto their requeststooeasily.
CANCER June21-July22
Youmay,fornoapparent reason,have asenseof uneasinessthisweek. However, thisdiscomfortcouldprompt youtoconsult aspecialist soonerratherthanlater,so yougetthecareyouneedto improveyourwell-being
LEO July23-Aug.22
You’llaccomplishsomething remarkablethisweekthatfills youwithprideandboosts yourself-confidence.This achievementwillhelpyou flourish.Inaddition,you’llbe justtherightpersontohelp someonenavigate atricky situation.
VIRGO Aug.23-Sept.22
Changingyourdietwillhelp you reachyourhealthgoals. Additionally,theideaofstarting asmallhomebusinessmay sparkyourinterestandgiveyou theenergyyouneedtosucceed
LIBRA Sept.23-Oct. 22
Yourlovedoneswillseekyou outforexcitingmomentsand meaningfulconversations.If you’reina new relationship, you’llhaveseriousdiscussions withyourpartneraboutthe future.Thepossibilityofmoving intogetherorstarting afamily maycomeup
SCORPIO Oct. 23-Nov. 21
At work, apromotionwith a payraiseisonthehorizon. Becautious,though,as some colleaguesmightenvyyour success.Inyourlovelife, a newbeginningwillbringhappy moments.
SAGITTARIUS Nov. 22-Dec.21
You’llspendqualitytime withyourlovedonesthis week. Bymanagingyour schedulewisely,you’llturn evenyourprofessional responsibilitiesinto enjoyableexperiences.
CAPRICORN Dec. 22-Jan.19
This week, you’ll reflectdeeply onyourlifejourney,andyour thoughtswillleadtovaluable insights. Yourcreativitywill enhanceyourwell-being.Don’t forgettostepoutsidetoclear yourmindand rechargeyour batteries.
AQUARIUS Jan.20-Feb.18
Ifyou’resingle,you’ll receive aninvitationtogoonan outingwithyourfriends. Thisinvitationwillhelpyou reconnectwiththemoresocial sideoflife.Socialmediacould alsohelpyou make newfriends orexpandyourclientbase.
PISCES Feb. 19-March20
Challengeswillpileupthis week. Fortunately,your abilitytomanageyour prioritieswill keep you movingforward.Becareful, however,nottoletanxiety abouttimeconstraints overwhelmyourdailylifeor dampenyourmood.
HOWTOPLAY:
Fillinthegridsothat everyrow,every columnandevery 3x3box contains thenumbers 1through 9 onlyonce Each 3x3box isoutlinedwith a darkerline. Youalreadyhave a fewnumberstoget youstarted. Remember:youmustnot repeatthe numbers 1through 9inthesameline, columnor 3x3 box.
Cal lore mailtoplaceyou ra d, MondaythroughFriday8:00amto4:00pm 236-889-6595
ahogan@glaciermedia.ca
Bookyou rado nlineanytimeat glc.navigahub.com/portal/classified /glc/nsn/entry
Asyousharethestoriesandthe memoriesofhowtheylivedthei ivesandhowmuchtheymeant mayyoufindcomfort... r ,
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