Keats Island Tide Lines Volume 7 Number 2

Keats Island Tide Lines V7N2

Keats Island Tide Lines

Winter 2001

Page 1

Winter 2001

Volume 7 Number 2

hose who have parked their boat at Gibsons

Dock since the latter part of the summer have

probably been charged a $5.00 fee for the privilege. This

fee has been imposed by the Gibsons Landing Harbour

Authority (GLHA). The GLHA committee, who are all

relatively new to the job, imposed the fee based on a loss

during the first quarter of 2001 and out of their concern

that the dock area has become excessively crowded. They

judged that the crowding was occurring because some

small boats were abusing the old first-four-hours-free

policy, causing larger boats to be turned away thereby

creating a loss of over-night revenue. Their solution was

one that other harbour communities such as Snug Cove

had turned to and found effective in both increasing

revenue and reducing traffic.

An obvious negative outcome from a Gibsons

business perspective is that the islanders visiting the town

spend a great deal of money on groceries, meals and many

other items and services. This fee will reduce the number

of small boats going to Gibsons and one would have to

assume will also reduce spending in Gibsons. It is very

easy for islanders to bring more of their needs from home

and to find other diversions.

I strongly feel that the GLHA too hastily found an

easy answer to a problem that they have as yet not fully

examined. This new board needs to more completely

analyze both the financial circumstances and the

functional problems at the dock. Although we recognize

the need for financial and functional health, there are a

number of other solutions that could be incorporated into

the plan. For example, the problems created by small boats

filling the births of potential over-night visitors need to be

fully examined and possibly corrected in other ways. The

rate structure of fishing and commercial boats, both of

which are below the regular charges, should also be

reconsidered, particularly if these boats are not used for

their designated purpose.

Within the Regional District, islanders are already

considerably under-served relative to their taxes paid,

when compared to the mainlanders. They should not be

the first tax targets. Unfortunately, for both the marine

visitors and the larger Gibsons community, the imposition

of this charge on only one segment of the community

without any consultation creates an atmosphere of division

and an implication that islanders are a nuisance and are

expendable. It also raises the islanders’ concerns that once

again those on the islands can be exploited financially to

solve mainland problems. This fee may solve a problem

for the dock management but in the long run it ill-serves

the islands and the Gibsons communities.

If this issue concerns you, send a letter or an e-

mail to Mayor Barry Janyk at bjanyk@town.gibsons.

bc.ca

Landing Fee Imposed at Gibsons Dock

by John Hall

he Gibsons Landing Harbour Authority (GLHA)

is a non-profit corporation composed of seven

volunteer directors appointed by the Town of Gibsons.

Three of the directors must make regular use of the wharf

and one must be a regular resident of Keats or Gambier

Island.

Unlike the wharf divestiture program that residents of

Keats and Gambier are familiar with, the Department of

Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) have kept their fishing

harbours. They have created Harbour Authorities of local

users to perform the day-to-day management of the

facilities. The DFO retains ownership and has the

responsibility of taking care of major upgrades and repairs.

The GLHA signed a lease with the Small Crafts

Harbour Program of the DFO. The primary purpose is to

provide a Public, Commercial Fishing Harbour. The

GLHA provides moorage for local commercial and

pleasure craft as well as for transient vessels. The GLHA is

entrusted to set moorage rates and collect the revenue. This

revenue is used to pay the staff, utilities (garbage removal,

electricity and gas, water, etc.) and also to maintain the

floats.

The Gibsons Landing

Harbour Authority

by Fernando Ferreira, GLHA

Page 2

Keats Island Tide Lines

Page 2

Winter 2001

Dogwood Princess News

by Rob Bennie, Senior Launch Operator

he crew on the Dogwood Princess has seen

an interesting change in the traffic patterns

on the Gambier/Keats Island route over the past summer.

We had been expecting a continuing increase in our traffic

statistics as more and more people move to the islands,

either for their weekends, for their summer holidays or for

retirement. In fact, while our general traffic statistics

continue to grow, our peak period (weekend) traffic has

dropped considerably, while at the same time our shoulder

season and mid-week traffic has grown. We see a couple

of trends here.

On one hand, we are finding that more and more

schools are discovering the value of an excursion to the

islands, the most pristine setting that is still located

conveniently close to the city. Sunshine Coast schools

hike to Gambier Lake and Plumpers Cove Marine Park for

Outdoor Education programs. Prince of Wales Secondary

School schedules annual creative writing retreats on

Gambier. Students from all over the lower mainland attend

Sea to Sky Outdoor School’s spring and fall camps at

Keats Camp to learn about the environment and the

natural world. Finally, Keats Camp itself has been

extending its own usage on weekends well into the fall

season. As government looks increasingly toward “user

pay” type service models we are trying to capture as much

of this business as we possibly can, as a way of improving

the viability of the route for its regular users. Generally,

these groups travel outside of peak traffic periods but,

when there is a potential conflict, we try to make extra

sailings for the groups to ensure that our regular customers

are not inconvenienced, occasionally even turning down

the group business. Transporting all these groups has

brought a large increase in our traffic throughout the

shoulder season to the point where we are finding that

business only slows down now for part of December plus

January and February – a very good trend for our route.

On the other hand we have seen a large drop in

usage from Eastbourne weekend cottagers during the

summer months. When we established service to

Eastbourne it came at the expense of Keats Landing. We

reasoned, and our Stakeholders group agreed, that the

main population growth would be at Eastbourne and that

Keats Landing residents would not want to see a huge

increase in cars on their side of the island with Eastbourne

residents driving across island to catch the Dogwood

Princess. Service to Eastbourne, with good connections to

the Horseshoe Bay ferry would alleviate the potential

problem. In the first years of service, this strategy worked

well – too well. It wasn’t long before the Dogwood

Princess was regularly overloading for Eastbourne on

Saturday morning and Sunday afternoon.

Our schedule is set up to try to provide good

connections for all three island stops - New Brighton,

Eastbourne and Keats Landing. Unfortunately, this

becomes impossible when we overload and have to split

our trips up into individual segments to handle the traffic.

So traffic to and from Keats Landing dropped off as

residents used their own boats to limit their waiting time at

Langdale Terminal. Similarly Eastbourne residents

became frustrated when there was an overload and we

couldn’t return for those left until several hours had passed

due to our other scheduled commitments. Eastbourne

residents, not surprisingly, began to opt for direct service

to Horseshoe Bay and traffic dropped off to the point

where we stopped overloading to or from Eastbourne.

So what is the solution? One suggestion has been

to go back to providing the best service for Keats Landing

and simply “write off” the lost Eastbourne traffic.

Another has been to continue with the status quo. A third

solution presented itself when we noticed that Eastbourne

traffic was down

less significantly in the shoulder

season than in the peak summer season. Since the

Horseshoe Bay to Langdale ferry is more likely to be on

time on weekends during the shoulder season, we

reasoned that there might be some willingness to accept

some delay for the lower B.C. Ferries fare so long as the

delay was not too great and was predictable. The Langdale

Terminal Manager is looking at ways to modify the Route

3 schedule to ensure that it can maintain its summer

schedule for next year. If changes are successfully

implemented we will be able to ensure that our

connections for Eastbourne are “good” in more than

theory. There will continue to be residents who are

attracted to the speed and convenience of direct service but

Page 3

Keats Island Tide Lines

Winter 2001

Page 3

we feel confident that those who are attracted to our lower

price, particularly families, will return if their travel time

is within acceptable limits. We will therefore be carefully

evaluating our statistics and discussing this issue with our

Stakeholders group to determine the best course of action

to take.

These problems centred around overloading and

meeting our service demands are showing that the

Dogwood Princess II is nearing the end of its working life.

We are therefore exploring options for a replacement

vessel for the route, perhaps by next fall. While the

Dogwood Princess II has worked well over the years, we

are seeing a need for larger capacity and more luggage

space for groceries, carts and the other household items

that islanders need to make transporting their belongings

as convenient as possible.

In addition to these issues, there has been a slight

change to our schedule this fall. The first morning sailing

now leaves 5 minutes earlier in the morning to allow a

better connection for those passengers who wish to catch

the 8:20 sailing to Vancouver. As Route 3 sailing gets

busier, increasingly our passengers are concerned about

having to rush to get their cars from the parking lot before

the ferry overloads. This takes some of the pressure off

those passengers.

There has also been a gate and fence installed at

the entrance to the Dogwood dock at Langdale Terminal.

The purpose of the fence is to control foot passengers

offloading from the Route 3 vessel, who during busy

commuter trips often mixed with the cars in the exit

lanes – a very unsafe practice. Unfortunately this will

create an inconvenience for our passengers since they will

no longer be able to park their cars at the head of the dock

while unloading their groceries. Instead they can park

next to the waiting room and carry their groceries around

the fence by the Route 3 vessel berth (which will be kept

open when there is no ferry in the dock). We are looking

into getting a cart for those with heavy loads. Wheel chairs

are available for those who cannot walk that far and, in

emergencies, staff can open the gate to allow access. The

Dogwood dock itself is now being locked during those

hours when the Route 3 vessel is not operating. Graveyard

staff has a key for emergency access. If you have any

concerns relating to this last item please contact Gerry

Parker, the Terminal Manager.

Suggestions or comments about any of these

issues I have raised or any other matters are always

welcome. I can be reached at rob_bennie@dccnet.com.

My sincere thanks to Steve Procyk, of Trade Business

Forms, for printing this issue of the Tide Lines at a

reduced price

and to Helen Phillips for her technical

support

. GY

Business Forms & Labels

Tel: (604) 437-5800

Toll Free: 1-800-667-2979

Website: www.tradebusinessforms.com

Page 4

Keats Island Tide Lines

Page 4

Winter 2001

uring the first Phase of the Keats Planning

Review Process, Keats Islanders

overwhelmingly said they wanted the process to

accomplish 6 outcomes: (1) to preserve Keats Island as

much as is possible like it is now; (2) to preserve the

ecological integrity and natural beauty of Keats Island; (3)

to preserve the island’s privacy, peace and quiet; (4) to

encourage and maintain a sense of island-wide

community; (5) to preserve Keats Island’s “unique rural

character”; and (6) to manage growth and development on

Keats Island in a manner consistent with the above 5

goals.

The main challenge for the Gambier Local Trust

Committee, and our planning staff, is to accomplish these

ends using the goals, objectives & policies, zoning and

subdivision regulation tools provided to the Islands Trust

under the Islands Trust Act and Local Government Act. All

of this is to be implemented through the adoption of a new

Rural Land Use Bylaw for Keats Island and surrounding

islets, in a manner consistent with the values and wishes of

the Keats Island community as a whole.

The members of the Gambier LTC have read, with a

great deal of interest, the community input received thus

far. As your local trustees, we are trying very hard to

balance all the interests, desires, aspirations and concerns

expressed to us by Keats Islanders. And as public input

continues to be received and analyzed, certain policies in

the DRAFT RLUB will be modified and revised

accordingly.

As one means of trying to provide clarification on

some of the issues being dealt with in the proposed RLUB,

I will try to answer some frequently asked questions,

related to the Keats Planning Review, and some of the

proposals being considered in the bylaw review process.

1. Is the new Keats Rural Land Use Bylaw proposing

to increase the Island’s density?

No. Under the current zoning bylaw No. 96, and

Subdivision Bylaw No. 103, it’s estimated that Keats,

which is about 1500 acres in size, could eventually have

up to 501 residential lots, if all remaining sub-dividable

lots were developed under the current 10-acre rules.

Technically speaking, the zoning we have now would

allow 391 of these 501 lots each to have 2 dwellings per

parcel (under their Land Use Contract, the 110 lease-hold

lots on District Lot 696 - the Keats Camp property- can

only have 1 dwelling per parcel). This means that under

the current situation, theoretically there could be a total of

892 residential dwellings on Keats Island, or a total

residential density of about 1 primary (or full-sized)

residential dwelling per 1.7 acres.

Under the proposed RLUB, total island density, both

the total number of potential residential lots and the total

number of potential full-sized or “primary” residential

dwellings could actually be reduced, by a number of

voluntary mechanisms, to a maximum density of about

552 primary dwellings, or 1 primary dwelling for about

2.7 acres.

It is proposed that a number of specific zones be

created, based on lot size and the intended use of land. For

example, the Eastbourne Community Association owns 3

lots for community water supply purposes. At Melody

Point, there are 31 upland lots that the people of Melody

Point own in common and wish to preserve as a privately

owned green-space buffer and watershed. Barnabas

Family Ministries owns a 52-acre portion of District Lot

1469 (the Corkum Farm property) and with the exception

of a caretaker’s residence, Barnabas will be using their

portion of property for private institutional camp use, not

residential development. As such, under the proposed

RLUB, the potential number of residential lots on Keats

Island could be reduced by a total of about 39 lots, from

501 to about 462 lots through voluntary site-specific

zoning mechanisms implemented on individual parcels.

It is also being proposed that the residential dwelling

density per parcel be reduced somewhat, in relation to: (1)

the size of the lot and its capability for providing on-site

water and sewage disposal; and (2) whether or not

community benefits such as public trail ways or areas to

be left in a natural state have been voluntarily created by

the owner of the lot.

The new Keats Island RLUB proposes no changes to

the density provisions of the Land Use Contract (ie. 1

dwelling per parcel at Keats Landing). In Eastbourne,

Melody Point, and any other existing lots that are under 2

acres, 1 dwelling per parcel, plus, perhaps a small

"sleeping cabin” of limited size (probably somewhere

under 200 sq. ft) would be allowed. On parcels 2 acres or

more, the permitted density would be 1 “primary”

dwelling per parcel, plus an “auxiliary guest cottage” of

limited size (probably somewhere between 500 and 1000

sq. ft.).

(

Continued on Page 19

)

Understanding the Keats Island Planning

Review Process:

Frequently Asked Questions

by Kim Benson, Local Trustee, Islands Trust

Page 5

Keats Island Tide Lines

Winter 2001

This page intentionally left blank

Page 6

Keats Island Tide Lines

Page 6

Winter 2001

hen I bought my first property on Keats in

1989, I thought I’d died and gone to heaven.

It was October, and Nature had played out her palette,

splashing the trees with inimitable shades of gold and red.

I had just made the gigantic leap from the city, migrating

from the frenzy of Kitsilano Beach to the quiet shores of

Keats Island.

One Saturday morning soon after taking possession of

my lovely house, I was standing on the deck, gazing out

over the water. Two women were strolling by on the

beach below. One of them yelled up to me asking if I was

the new owner of “that property”? I proudly shouted back,

“Yes.” She yelled up that her old aunt used to call the

place, “The House of the Headless Man.” I yelled back

with the obvious question, “W-w-why is that?” The

woman mumbled something about an old tale of a ghost

having been seen stumbling around - a ghost with no head.

Well! Now all I had to do was face the night alone in an

old tumbling down house with a dismembered resident

ghost. Kitsilano Beach with all its raucous human energy

was suddenly looking more appealing than it ever had

before. As it turned out, a few weeks passed before my

headless man saw fit to raise his ugly, uh…neck.

It was 2:00 am – I know, because the first thing I did

when I heard “the noise” was look at the clock. My two

cats heard it too, and jumped simultaneously bolt upright

from their sleeping positions at the foot of my bed, fur

pointing skyward. It was a voice, raspy and guttural,

sounding like it came from a very old man with a very

sore throat. He slowly growled, “Where…are…you?”

I sat, not breathing, straining my ears, listening for the

slightest sound. I heard no creaking of floorboards, and

believe me; a mouse couldn’t cross any floor in that house

without making it creak. Nor was there any sound of dry

leaves crunching underfoot outside my bedroom window.

It was as if the voice had come from somewhere else, in

another dimension. The three of us (me and the cats) sat

motionless for a good ten minutes, but heard nothing else.

The cats relaxed and I slowly settled myself down onto the

pillows. But I lay there wide-eyed, barely breathing, until

sunrise. Only then did I fall into a deep, unfettered sleep.

Over the next couple of months I started meeting other

Eastbourners. It was then I came to realize that practically

everyone on the whole island thought my house was

haunted. (Silly, naïve me. Much like the water situation, or

lack of, when I first moved in. “Water?” they said, “You

expected to have water?”)

Around this time I also befriended the little gang of

Eastbourne kids who seemed fascinated with my haunted

house. One night they told me they had heard there was a

man entombed in the chimney behind the old stove in the

kitchen. I said that I didn’t think so, but that anything was

possible.

At first the kids were in the habit of knocking at my

door on a Saturday night when they had nothing better to

do. Actually, the knocking initially took the form of

“knock and run.” I was eventually able to coax them in for

some hot chocolate, but only after they were certain that I

wasn’t going to dismantle the chimney and add them to

the “booty” behind the wall. I bought a book of ghost

stories and started reading to them around the kitchen

table, candlelight flickering on their impressionable faces.

Some of the kids would sit around afterwards and claim

with bravado that the stories weren’t scary at all anymore;

that in fact, some of them were downright silly. They were

approaching adolescence and living in a high tech world. I

knew I had to step up the horror level if I was going to

hold their interest. So I set out on a quest to find the

scariest ghost story of all time.

I went to my dear old friend, Mrs. Baxendale, who

(Continued on Page 8)

Things That Go Bump in the Night at Keats

by Maureen Phillips

Page 7

Keats Island Tide Lines

Winter 2001

Page 7

This page intentionally left blank

Page 8

Keats Island Tide Lines

Page 8

Winter 2001

(Continued from Page 6)

was a huge source of information and inspiration to me.

She was 85 years old at the time; a writer and intellectual

whom I loved and admired. I told her I was searching for

the scariest ghost story ever written to tell the gang at

Keats. She thought for a moment, then slowly rose from

her chair, shuffled down the hallway into her dusty,

cluttered bedroom and came back with a dog-eared,

tattered book titled, “The Monkey’s Paw,” by W.W.

Jacobs. Bingo!

The following Saturday I put out word that I’d be

telling ghost stories on Maple Beach that night, after dark.

I told them we would have a bonfire and treats, and that

they had better be prepared to have the bejeezus scared out

of them. “Yeah, sure,” they said.

My sister, Mickey, and her husband, Dennis, were

visiting that weekend with my nephew, Luke, who was just

a baby then. (Now ten – not possible!) They had one of

those walkie-talkie baby-minders used for listening to

sounds from a baby’s room. Dennis told Mickey and me

that he had a brilliant idea. He planned to hide the walkie-

talkie under the dinghy, which lay overturned a few feet

from the bonfire. He went down to the beach ahead of time

to execute his plan. The kids started arriving just after dark

and found themselves a place around the fire. We adults

waited to see who would sit on the dinghy. Jason

Puddifant, looking around for a seat, claimed his spot on

the little boat, and I began to read.

“The Monkey’s Paw,” is one of the most chilling ghost

stories ever written. As I read, the only sound besides my

own voice was the crackling of the fire. I could see that

everyone was engrossed. After a few minutes, I noticed

Dennis quietly withdraw from the group. I read on, and as

the plot thickened the tale turned sinister and frightening.

Then suddenly I heard a crackling voice sounding faint and

far away. It was saying, “Get…off…the…boat.” I saw out

of the corner of my eye that Jason was no longer listening

to the story. I carried on reading. Jason was frowning

slightly, but his attention had turned back to me. Then the

voice came again, louder and more menacing, “Get…off…

the…boat!” Everyone heard it this time and turned to stare

at the dinghy. Jason jumped off the boat and stood about

ten feet back, glaring at it. All eyes were on the talking

dinghy. No one breathed, no one moved. Then Jason

courageously ran over and struggled to lift it up. He flipped

it over with adrenalin strength, revealing the little

transmitter crackling away with Dennis’ voice. Everyone

howled with laughter. The interruption was perfectly timed

as the story was building to its horrific conclusion and we

all needed some comic relief.

I knew I had succeeded. I had found a ghost story

capable of sending chills through the blood of even the

most seasoned listeners. As the kids thanked me and

drifted away from the warmth and safety of the bonfire, I

heard them arguing about the arrangements for walking

home. Some of the youngest kids were pleading with the

oldest ones to walk with them. I heard one of the oldest

say, “But if I walk you home, who’s going to walk me

home?”

Finally, the last of the kids disappeared into the coal

black night. Mickey and Dennis took a sleeping Luke up to

the house and went to bed. Meanwhile, I sat on a log at the

beach for a quiet moment alone and made sure the bonfire

was out. I was feeling quite pleased with myself. The night

was dark and still; even the ocean seemed to be sleeping.

Eventually I rose to make my way up the steps to the

house. Just as I reached the door, a chill crept over me.

Was it the wind that gently stirred the hair on the back of

my neck? It suddenly occurred to me that I was entering

the “House of the Headless Man.” Would the ghoulish

apparition of the same name choose tonight to pay me

another visit? I took a deep breath, bravely turned the

doorknob and stepped inside.

Thanks for the memory goes to Kris and Jason

Puddifant, Shawn and Christian Rousseau, Lisa and

Peter Nilsson, Jenny Cardinal, Lindsey and Jamie

Ovens, Joanna and Rebecca McIlveen, Adam and

Shannon McNaughton, Joey Gray, and Keith and

Ryan Steuer.

Page 9

Keats Island Tide Lines

Winter 2001

Page 9

n Thanksgiving Sunday the Keats Landing

community met to worship and to share a meal.

This tradition, though many years old, was in abeyance for

several years. This was the second year of our renewed

tradition. The organization and preparation for the worship

service and the meal involved the work of many in our

community.

About 100 of us met for worship prior to the meal. We

sang Thanksgiving hymns to the accompaniment of piano

and trumpet. We heard the reading of the Bible and Pastor

Paul Beckingham preached the Thanksgiving sermon.

After the service we met in the Keats Camp dining

hall to share our meal. Preparation began the day before

when a crew met to prepare the dressing and six big

turkeys. Others set up tables and made centerpieces from

fallen maple leaves. These were gathered by one of our

younger community members, David Lund age 7.

On Sunday at mealtime each family arrived with a

salad or vegetables and a dessert. The kitchen crew led by

Brian Davies provided turkey, potatoes, gravy and

homemade buns. One hundred and forty people sat down

to a wonderful meal. It was a great opportunity to meet

new people and to renew acquaintances.

Special thanks are due to Ron Sowerby, Graham and

Maxine Davies, George Slade and the many other

community members who helped prepare for and clean up

after our celebration.

A donation was made to cover the costs of the meal.

Costs were covered and a donation was given to Keats

Camps.

A Renewed Thanksgiving Tradition

by John and Joy Richardson

Page 10

Keats Island Tide Lines

Page 10

Winter 2001

t Barnabas Family Ministries our goal is to

strengthen family relationships. We facilitate

this by offering a variety of conferences such as: Family

conferences in the summer, Marriage Enrichment and

Preparing for Marriage conferences in the spring and fall,

Father/Son, and Mother/Daughter conferences in

September as well as other conferences throughout the

year. Families from many parts of British Columbia and

other parts of Canada and the US enjoyed five days here

at Barnabas in the summer, enjoying the beauty of our

Island and experiencing fun in and on the ocean. Being

able to provide a place for people to spend time together

making memories, getting involve in activities, and just

having fun is wonderful.

We have completed bringing in the harvest. Did you

know that there are 16 varieties of apples, pears and

plums grown on the farm? Varieties include: King,

Gravenstein, Cox's Orange Pippin, and Lodi. Our largest

crop is the "Big Reds", an excellent crispy eating apple.

Their origin is thought to be from Nova Scotia - brought

in by Howie Corkum after visiting family, perhaps around

1940. Many of the fruit trees are over 35 years old, and

therefore past their prime. We are currently growing trees

in Richmond, having taken grafts from these historic

trees, and plan to gradually add and replace over the next

several years.

Sheep were the first animals raised on the property

beginning around 1900. The Corkums later changed to

beef cattle. We tried to continue the tradition but after

several experiences of cows getting out and into the

neighbours’ yards, switched back to sheep. Our guests

quite like the ‘little lambs’ and we have found them

generally easy to raise.

We have enjoyed having many of you come to visit

us in our General Store. It is always a delight to welcome

our neighbours and we hope you will come see us again

next summer.

If you haven't been to Barnabas and would like to

visit, drop by and we will gladly give you a tour.

We hope you enjoy the recipe below and send you

warmest regards from the Barnabas Staff.

The Barnabas Family Ministries

by Laura Nelson

Pepto Dressing and Salad

This Salad is a favourite here at Barnabas. The staff

nicknamed the dressing "Pepto" because of its pink

colouring.

2 heads Romaine

3/4 - 1 cup pecans halved, toasted

2 oranges, pealed and sliced or 1 can mandarin

oranges, drained

Dressing

1/4 cup vinegar

1/2 cup sugar

1 cup vegetable oil

1 tsp salt

1 tsp dry mustard

1/4 - 1/2 small red onion, chopped

2 Tablespoons water

Place lettuce, oranges, and pecans in salad bowl.

Combine dressing ingredients in blender and mix

well. Refrigerate. Toss just before serving.

Note: You will not need all the dressing. It’s also

great as a dip for fresh fruit.

Page 11

Keats Island Tide Lines

Winter 2001

Page 11

oland finished last year's racing season with a

disappointing 14th place finish in the Olympics.

This year has been far from disappointing. He has had

phenomenal success with numerous wins - and it's not

over yet.

To better understand Roland's accomplishments a little

history is helpful. There are two main series of Mountain

bike races in the world. The European World Cup Series

known as 'World Cup Races' and the younger North

American Series known as 'NORBA Races'. Roland

competed in both race series and won both the World Cup

and NORBA titles. Points are awarded for each finish so

the rider with the most points wins the series. It seems a

more reasonable way to determine a winner than having

just one shot at the title as riders can have some bad luck

come their way like being blocked by a crash, having a

crash or even a flat tire - known to some as the 'F' word.

In the eight World Cup Races this year, Roland started

off slow in April with an 11th place finish in California but

he's picked up his pace since. The next race in May he

won a Silver in Italy, then a Gold in Belgium. Roland was

now the World Cup Leader!

Roland returned from Europe to thrill his fans in

Victoria to a double weekend win in Road Racing and then

June 23rd in West Virginia a double gold in Cross Country

and Short Track mountain bike events.

What a sweet victory for an athlete to win a gold

medal for his country in front of his family, friends and

thousands of fans. After his recent wins Roland felt strong

and knew he had what it would take to win the 4th World

Cup on Grouse Mountain. He was really pumped with the

race being held on home territory. Roland took the lead

from the very start, setting a very fast pace. He was

clearly the crowd's favourite, the entire crowd chanting

Roland's name. He had put a minute and a half between

himself and the second place rider. He was untouchable

up until the final climb of the race when a flat tire changed

the ending to a perfect race. The second place rider from

Switzerland rode past Roland as he struggled to change his

flat tire and keep his composure with a microphone and

camera filming his moment of crisis. When Roland

remounted his bike there wasn't enough race left to

overtake Sauser and get the lead back. The crowd was in

shock and disbelief not knowing Roland had flatted.

Words cannot express the disappointment we all felt as

Sauser rode across the finish line first with Roland trailing

seconds behind. The day was perfect, the race was perfect

just the ending sucked.

For the 5th World Cup race in Colorado the following

weekend the same script was running. Roland had over a

minute lead after a few laps, and then he flatted. With the

gap he put between himself and the second rider he

managed to hang on to his lead but the second flat tire left

him with a finish of 5th. A 2nd and 5th aren't bad finishes

but when flat tires take your gold medals one can't help but

feel cheated and disappointed. At least the second time

wasn't as painful as the first.

With the amount of training time lost by travelling to

Europe to do the next two World Cup Races, Roland

decided to stay in North America and finish the NORBA

Keats Connections

Keats Island is ‘home’ to many people who have unique and outstanding off-island adventures and accomplish-

ments. I thought it would be enlightening to us all if some of these adventures were printed in the Tide Lines. I would

appreciate your feedback on this idea, and, if you have had or know of someone who has had such an experience please

let me know so that at least one article can be included in each issue.

The following article is the update Candace promised us in her Winter 2000 article, ’There’s an Olympian Amongst

Us!’ about the mountain biking accomplishments of her son, Roland Green. GY

Roland Green Captures Several World

Mountain Biking Titles

by Candace Gayton

Page 12

Keats Island Tide Lines

Page 12

Winter 2001

races and do the National Championships as well. Some

people didn't understand why he would seemingly

abandon a series of the most prestigious races on the

planet when you are the leader. He knew what he was

doing. July 23, Mammoth Lakes California he won back

to back the Cross Country and the Short track and pulled it

off again in Vermont August 17 to capture the NORBA

World Championship title. And somewhere in between he

won the National Championship as well. It's starting to be

a blur!

Now back to the World Cup Series that people thought

he abandoned. It's not over til its over. Roland had

slipped to 3rd place in the World Cup Race points because

he did not do the 6th and 7th races in Austria and

Switzerland. He would have to win the final race and last

year's Olympic gold medal winner, Martinez would have

to come in 5th or worse for Roland to win the series since

Martinez was currently the leader.

The 8th and final World Cup Race was held in Quebec

August 26th - the day Keats Island crowned Michael

Sampson our new Crib Champion. All the big guns were

there. I'm sure there were a few riders with long faces to

see Roland show up for the final race. Richard, my other

son was keeping us posted lap by lap of the race via the

internet. He would phone every time there was an update.

The race was progressing like the last seven races. Roland

takes the lead, sets the pace, then begins to put some time

between him and the second rider. Rick and my stomachs

are in knots. Each time the phone rings we are relieved

there is no bad news and ecstatic he is riding so strong.

Roland puts the hammer down and the gap widens right up

to the end of the race. He wins!

Martinez finished 36th so Roland also wins the overall

title of the World Cup Series! The confirmation of his

overall win comes just as our guests arrive for Keats'

annual marathon of laps around the crib board - just

another perfect day on Keats. This time the ending is

perfect!

P.S. There have been two more races since this writing. One

was THE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP RACE. It is comparable

to an Olympic race, (not connected to a series). One race. One

chance. All the best riders around the world are in attendance. It

was held in Colorado on Sept 16/01. Winning this race earns

the winner a standing yearly invitation to compete in this race for

the rest of their life and THE coveted 'RAINBOW JERSEY'. A

'RAINBOW JERSEY is awarded yearly to the winner of this

race so there have been only a handful ever won. Roland now

proudly wears a 'RAINBOW JERSEY'. His last race was

closer to home - the Checkamus Challenge. It starts in

Squamish and ends in Whistler. He loves to win this race

solely for the trophy that is a monumental 20-lb. soapstone

carving. I promised to take really good care of it for him.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank my

wonderful family for the celebration they planned on

Aug. 25

for my seventieth birthday. What a great

day!

I would also like to thank Eleanor Dick and the

Ladies of the Birthday Club for the delicious

luncheon and many gifts on Mon. Aug. 27

. Another

great day!

I didn’t want to turn seventy but I had such a good

time I wouldn’t mind doing it again (just kidding

folks). Thank you all so much. The gift of having

such good friends and family is truly a blessing.

Thank You from Betty Pay

Page 13

Keats Island Tide Lines

Winter 2001

Page 13

n enjoyable afternoon and evening were spent

at the Benson’s Keats Island home on Saturday,

August 25, 2001. Nearly 100 Islanders attended,

including 15 Benson children and grandchildren.

Guests were from all parts of the Island as well as

from Gibsons and New Westminster. The occasion

was the Benson’s annual salmon Bar-B-Q and Corn

Roast which celebrates Don and Evelyn’s Wedding

Anniversary. This year honoured their 48

year of

marriage.

The highlight of the potluck supper was the 80

pounds of Fraser River sockeye salmon, cooked in

authentic native fashion by Mel Nahanee of the

Squamish Nation.

The evening culminated in “Karaoke” on the big deck

where the ample talent of Keats Islanders was

strongly demonstrated!

The Benson’s Salmon B-B-Q and Corn Roast

A Good Ol’ Fashion Hymn-

Sing

Two dozen Keats Landing Cottagers gathered

for a nostalgic hymn-sing on the Benson’s deck

and were accompanied by Carol Barker on the

keyboard. Refreshments followed and farewells

were said to the Barkers, who are moving to

Mayne Island to be closer to family.

Mel Nahanee and Nelson Point with rack of

delicious salmon

Benson’s Salmon B

Q and corn Roast

Page 14

Keats Island Tide Lines

Page 14

Winter 2001

hen I speak of the early days I'm referring to

the first years of the Baptist Camp facilities at

Keats Island - not quite as early as the tenting years but in

the years following, as leaseholders were building

cottages.

Along the side facing Gibsons, starting near the main

wharf were the Sam Selmans, the Pallots, the Keens, the

Mills, the Steeves, the McLeans, the Binghams, the

Vernons, the Coopers, the Pattisons and behind them were

the Jeffs, the Sparrows, the Bowbricks, Mrs. Palmer, the

Carmichaels, the Andersons (Burnhams), the Cochorans

(Mclhose), the Moores, the Phillips, the Harveys, (the

Grants), the Bulgins, and Charlie Mair in the Bay. Further

along, the Newtons had a cottage and at Sandy Beach the

Peggs and Boltons had cottages. Up above the wharf the

Telfords and Henry Selman had cottages. There were

others whose names have faded from my memory. Mr.

Read was the year-round caretaker.

The main wharf was a ramp down to a string of floats

that serviced the main float against which the Union

Steamships could land. The most frequent ferry was ‘The

Capilano’. Often when the ship bringing campers, backed

away from the wharf to sail to it's next port of call, a few

brave souls would dive into the swirling, frothing water in

the wake of the departing vessel. This practice

demonstrated bravery but gave a strange sensation to the

swimmer, a tickley sensation from the bubbles of air in the

water.

One of the exciting events of the summer for some of

us was to take a boat trip up into Howe Sound in the

direction of Squamish. Some families had rowboats many

did not. The occasional family had an outboard engine.

By the way, how many of you remember the ancient

outboard engine used by Mr. Read to go back and forth to

Gibsons? The engine needed a battery for ignition but not

for an electric starter. On the top of the flywheel there was

a knob for starting the engine by hand. Mr. Read would set

the choke, and then rotate the flywheel vigorously in the

reverse direction to which he wished the engine to start.

The compression would kick back and start the engine

spinning in the right rotation to drive the boat forward.

Harold Newton was the owner of the biggest outboard

engine at Keats Island. It was a magnificent 25-

horsepower engine that made his boat literally fly. He

routinely drove the boat all the way from Vancouver via

the outside passage to Keats Island. When we heard he

would be coming we used to watch for him to come flying

around Salmon Rock and along the shorefront past Sandy

Beach.

But to return to the annual expedition of the brave and

excited campers who wished to go on those voyages of

discovery up into Howe Sound, let me continue. Naturally

we waited for a nice sunny day with a breeze so the

expedition could get under way. For days previous to

leaving, masts and sails made of bed sheets or worn out

canvas were fashioned into sails. (Rowing was for the

birds.) A rudder was made out of an old broken oar.

Usually the boats were loaded with far too much gear. A

lot of stuff was taken, just in case. Once or twice there

were three boats in the expedition.

One or two old photos still exist of the boats as they

departed from the main float. We would set course with

the wind at our backs and head toward Squamish, keeping

to the North West side of Gambler Island. Each time we

got as far as 'Potlatch Creek' it was decided by everyone, it

was time we stopped to have something to eat. It seems to

me that once or twice we camped at that spot over night.

The brave fathers who accompanied the group were Rev.

Adventures by Rowboat in the Early Days of

Camping at Keats Island

by Harold Wolverton

Page 15

Keats Island Tide Lines

Winter 2001

Page 15

A. C. Bingham, Rev. Pattison and Dr. H. A. Wolverton.

The teens included Bingham boys, Jack and Fred, Ronny

Telford, Dave Philips, Newton and Harold Wolverton, and

Bud Pattison. I think Ken Vernon used to come along too.

It was a jolly time. Relationships and how to get along

without things we were used to, were a priority.

We all took part in worship and prayers. Of course, we

worked up incredible appetites and gobbled up everything

edible. I remember A. C. Bingham handing me a container

of what he called 'muddy water'. I hesitated to drink until

he explained that it was lemon aid.

In those days our 'sleeping bag' was a couple of

blankets. I don't think sleeping bags were yet invented, or

were too expensive for the likes of us. So when we stayed

at Potlatch Creek, we explored the territory, selected a

place to make a bed and took time to gather wood for a

camp fire.

On one trip we found an abandoned mine and of

course had to find out how far it went into the mountain.

There was no consideration given as to whether it was

dangerous or not. Now a days you wouldn't think of

entering an abandoned mine, or tunnel, as it might

collapse while you were in it.

Furthermore there might be old explosives lying

around, left years ago by those who had abandoned the

site.

Generally the fathers would have stories to tell and

advice from experiences of life.

It seemed that on those trips, it never failed that the

day we left, the sky was blue, breezes were light and there

was hardly a cloud in the sky. But by day light the next

day, the weather seemed to change. We hardy souls were

not going to return to Keats Island just because it looked

like it might rain. The plan was to circumnavigate

Gambler Island, at least. So when the boats were

reloaded with all our camping gear we would bravely set

off usually rowing. It happened often that on the first day

the wind whipped us along and none of us had to lift a

finger to the oars. But on the second day the skies would

cloud over and there would be a chance of rain and no

wind. In order to get anywhere with the boats we had to

man the oars.

On one occasion I recall we saw a tug and barge

gradually draw near, going our way. The suggestion was

made, "Why don't we hitch a ride?" We changed course to

swing in behind the barge and rowed like mad to keep up.

It was my duty to stand on the front of the rowboat and try

to hang on to the barge. There was nothing to hold on to

except the splintery deck of the barge. Just as I would

think I had a grip the rowing team would slacken off and

all I could do was to try and grip with my fingernails. I

simply could not hang on even though my nails were

breaking. The rowers kept yelling at me to hang on, no

matter what. However, it was just beyond my ability to

hold on and I had to let go. I still have nightmares about

that failure 70 years ago.

Between Anvil Island and the far side of Gambier

Island there is a barren rock that is the nesting place of

hundreds of sea gulls. The island is covered with egg

shells and un-hatched eggs. We stopped to explore and of

course someone picked up a couple of unbroken eggs.

When one egg was accidentally broken we knew then why

some eggs were still unbroken. The smell drove us off the

island in haste.

Eventually by the second or third day we would arrive

back at Keats Wharf, tired, hungry and sometimes soaking

wet. We were a happy bunch, but sure glad to get back to

civilization, a comfortable bed, hot food, warm water and

our regular companions with whom we reveled in those

wonderful summer holidays.

Page 16

Keats Island Tide Lines

Page 16

Winter 2001

FOR SALE

Why wait for spring?

Call now—Before it’s too late!

LOT FOR SALE -

By Owner

Water and Fire Issues at Melody Point

by John Hall

Water Quality

Melody Pointers have been very fortunate to find a more

than adequate supply of water through rock drilling. Both

the quality and quantity of our water has met our

community’s needs very well over the last eight years

since our drilling program. However, our Water Board is

concerned that there not be any opportunity for either

biological or chemical pollution to enter the system as has

happened in some systems over time. To prevent this, we

have developed a water purity plan that includes the

following:

1. Performing a sodium hypochlorite flush of the

system each spring. This chemical is used as a

“shock” treatment in swimming pools and is

effective in destroying bacteria and some parasites.

2. Performing at least one water test per season.

3. Meeting with the Provincial Health Department’s

water purity personnel for further guidance on we

can keep our water pure.

4. Meeting with a commercial water quality firm for

more ideas.

The Water Board feels that it is important to use a

preventative strategy rather than wait for a pollution

problem to occur.

Fire Prevention

We have completed the installation of fire hoses at each

pair of buildings and have encouraged each owner to have

at least one large fire extinguisher in each cabin.

The remaining task is the installation of an alarm that

would call all present to help.

Water pumps have been seen as too expensive and

difficult to move quickly.

Keats Recycling

During Fall 2001 islanders have again

joined together to send our recyclable goods to SCRAPS.

We are meeting at the Eastbourne bulletin board on the

FIRST THURSDAY of each month to self-sort and

transport our recyclables.

Many thanks to all who volunteer and participate in this

program. Your help is greatly appreciated and goes a

long way to keeping our island clean.

For any information or input, please feel free to call

Maureen Forscutt at 604 886-3989.

Page 17

Keats Island Tide Lines

Winter 2001

Page 17

he 2001 Eastbourne crib tournament was held at

Rick and Candace Gayton’s this year. A

questionable honour bestowed on them because Candace

won last year’s tournament.

It was a beautiful July afternoon made even better by

the good food and enthusiastic competition by the 26

tourney entrants. After defeating his father, Sammy, in the

semi-finals, Michael Sampson went on to defeat Rick

Hickman in the final game to win the coveted Eastbourne

Crib Trophy.

For most of us, the sting of being an early casualty

was softened considerably by the companionship,

sunshine, and superb view of Collingwood Channel from

the Gayton’s deck.

Congratulations Michael and thank you Rick and

Candace for the super day. GY

Eastbourne Crib Tournament—2001

Photo by Glen Young

Congratulations to Michael Sampson - 2001 Eastbourne Crib

Champion. Trophy presented by Candace Gayton

Keats Island is Officially Floating 2” Higher!

by Doug Leatherdale

his year saw the second phase of an island

clean-up, thanks to the Sunshine Coast

Regional District. Cathy Kenny, the SCRD Solid

Waste Coordinator, was very supportive in providing

funding for two years, amounting to $18,000 in total.

The second phase of the clean-up had a slightly lower

gross weight of recycled metal (about 80 tons

compared to about 100 tons last year). We had six 30-

yd bins again this year as well as some special bins

for the collection and safe disposal of about 1 ton of

batteries and 3 containers of old paint. Eighteen

fridges were also removed and the freon extracted at a

recycle depot. Keats is now off the list of potential

toxic waste sites in Howe Sound!

A big thanks to all those who contributed by

recycling or safely disposing of these materials; to the

Keats Island Baptist camp who donated their site and

vehicles for the collection and storage; and all those

who helped on the weekend to make the clean-up

such a success. This two-year community effort

makes Keats the special place it is.

Public Notice from the GLHA

The Gibsons Landing Harbour Authority is now

offering six-month permits for frequent users of the

GLHA dock. The $5.00 fee still applies for boats

without permits.

For more information contact the GLHA office at:

Phone: 604 886-8017

E-Mail: glha@sunshine.net

Page 18

Keats Island Tide Lines

Page 18

Winter 2001

musical happening occurred on October 6

the Pedersen residence in Eastbourne.

Approximately 40 people from all parts of the Island

enjoyed the songs and music of great performers.

Roger Holdstock and Dan Kenning who comprise ½

of the Fraser Union Folk Group led the evening. They

have been singing together for the past 15 years and sing

mainly Canadian and topical folksongs. They concentrate

on Canadian material as ‘ it is under-represented in our

daily cultural exposure’, says Roger. Roger and Dan feel

singing is a community-building experience rather than

simply performing and this showed vividly in their singing

and the audience’s reaction to it. Bosses’ Lament, Woman

of Labrador, and The Ghost Program were great hits,

among many others. They are looking forward to singing

again on Keats – next time with their whole group.

By happenstance, Rosemary Campbell was on Keats

visiting a friend and she stopped by to sing several

beautiful songs. Rosemary has been a well-known and

major force on the Vancouver music scene for many years.

She plays many genres of music including standard folk,

jazz and Latin rhythms. She wowed the house with great

guitar playing and singing of Fragile (by Sting) and other

superb tunes.

Danny Shanks, a new cottage owner in Eastbourne,

and an accomplished singer and songwriter sang several

pieces to the accompaniment of his guitar. John Prine’s

Please don’t bury me, City of New Orleans and his own

creation Tell Your Face were real hits. Also Danny and

Jackie Young sang In a Town This Size accompanied by

yours truly on the accordion.

Jenny Forscutt fiddled the Celtic tunes Mucking in

Geordie’s Byre and The Swallowtail Jig and her brother

Cole played Allegro on his fiddle, both accompanied by

me on the accordion. Chanel Pay with Jenny and Cole did

a great job singing Mama Says No Play, which stimulated

thunderous applause.

This evening was a huge success and many thanks are

due to Mel Lehan who sparked the idea and brought Roger

and Dan to Keats as well as to Joan and Ken Pedersen who

opened their home for the event and provided delicious

food and refreshment during the evening.

This event may happen again due to popular demand!

So watch your community bulletin board, dust off that

instrument you have neglected, tune up your voice and get

prepared to join in the fun.

See you next time!

An Evening of Fun and Music on Keats

by Glen Young

Supporting all Islander’s Automotive

and Marine parts needs. Call any

time.

Dan Kenning [L] and Roger Holdstock of Fraser Union

Danny, Glen and Jackie

Rosemary Campbell

Photos by Dave Forscutt

Page 19

Keats Island Tide Lines

Winter 2001

Page 19

(Continued from page 4)

On lots 5 acres or larger, it is being considered that,

where a conservation covenant to protect natural green

space, a public trail easement, or some other form of

community betterment is provided by the owner, then an

extra dwelling might be permitted on the lot as a “density

bonus”. This provision would create a maximum of

another additional 86 dwellings on the island. But this

provision has the potential of protecting an additional 400

acres of land in its natural state, and/or creating public

trails or community benefits where none now exist.

The bottom line is that, under the current bylaws, we

can expect no more than an additional 31 acres of

additional parkland and very few public trail easements to

be created through subdivision of land on Keats Island.

The current bylaws allow 822 “primary” residential

dwellings with very little or no protection of green space

or provision of public benefits.

On the other hand, the new Keats RLUB would allow

for the creation of no more than 552 “primary” dwellings

(including the density bonus dwellings), 104 “auxiliary

guest cottages”, and 243 small “sleeping cabins”, while

creating the possibility for the voluntary protection of

much more in the way of undeveloped natural green

spaces, trail easements and/or community benefits than

could be required at the time of subdivision, under the

existing regulations.

2. What is a Conservation Covenant?

A conservation covenant is a voluntary, written

agreement in which a landowner promises to protect their

land in specific ways. It can cover all or just part of the

landowner’s property. The agreement is between the

landowner and, either the local trust committee, or a

conservation organization such as the Islands Trust Fund.

The covenant is attached to the title of the land, registered

in the Land Title Office, and binds future owners of the

land, not just the current owner.

The purpose of a conservation covenant is to provide a

means for voluntary conservation of privately owned land.

Such a covenant offers a way of protecting land for a

variety of uses such as natural area and wildlife habitat

protection, watershed protection, and low-density

residential use. The landowner retains all rights to the

property that are consistent with the terms of the

agreement, including the right to control access, and sell

or bequeath the title. There is no automatic obligation to

provide public access, unless it is negotiated under the

terms of the covenant, consistent with the wishes of the

landowner. Conservation covenants are a cost-effective

way of protecting land without having to buy it at public

expense.

3. What is being proposed regarding Commercial

undertakings on the Island? Home Occupations?

Commercial Visitor Accommodation? And is

what’s being proposed different from what is

currently permitted under the existing bylaws?

No. The draft Keats RLUB is proposing to “hold the

line” with respect to commercial undertakings on Keats

Island. Under the current zoning Bylaw No. 96, the only

business activities permitted on residential properties are

agriculture, forestry, and “domestic industry” (more

commonly known as Home Occupation). Home

Occupations are, characteristically, some form of

“professional practice, home craft or other occupation,

provided that the use is conducted by the resident, and is

confined to the interior of a dwelling”, where the use is

clearly “accessory” to the residential use of the property.

Uses of property for commercial “retail sale of

goods”, or for commercial overnight “tourist

accommodation” (including bed and breakfast), or

commercial “vacation rentals”, are not currently permitted

on Keats. Someone wishing to establish such a business on

Keats would need to apply for a rezoning of his or her

property. Rezoning would be considered on an

application-by-application basis.

The new Keats RLUB is proposing that the current

situation not be changed, because there is not enough

community consensus on these issues to warrant a change

at this time. This way, the Keats Island Community will

have a say, through the Public Hearing process, as to

when, where, and if such businesses can be established on

the Island, based on the merits of each individual rezoning

application, and on the level of community support for

each proposal.

Long term rentals of properties for residential

purposes, and occasional, non-commercial, short-term

cottage rentals to family or friends is permitted now, and

would continue to be permitted under the new Keats

RLUB.

4. Is the new Keats Island Rural Land Use Bylaw

going to impose an additional layer of unnecessary

regulation and bureaucracy on Keats Island

property owners?

No. The philosophy being proposed within the Keats

RLUB is to recognize and “enshrine” existing and

traditional uses of Keats and surrounding islets land and

foreshore within the new bylaw. This means that routine

applications for development, which are consistent with

the goals, objectives, policies, and regulations in the new

RLUB should proceed with a minimum of “bureaucratic

intervention”.

Where proposals for new development are outside or

beyond the level of development envisioned within the

new RLUB, clear guidelines will be provided for

consideration of applications for rezoning of land or

Page 20

Keats Island Tide Lines

Page 20

Winter 2001

onsidering the size of Keats Island, we have

unusually effective channels of communication.

This has helped us deal with island problems and has

contributed greatly to the development of a stronger sense

of community for the island as a whole. The Tide Lines,

established over six years ago by Dawn-Rae McLaren and

last year taken over by Glen Young, has become a model

small-community newsletter and a “must read” for most of

us. As island or specific community issues have arisen, the

Tide Lines has been a vital means of spreading

information and sharing views.

Last year in conjunction with the Official Community

Plan process, a Keats Island website (www.keatsisland.

net) was developed to facilitate the provision of

information regarding Community Plan issues and to

encourage your involvement and feedback. The website

editors were also interested in forming an on-going

partnership with the Tide Lines regarding island and

community issues and information. To develop this

partnership, the two groups have agreed to work toward a

common purpose through sharing of materials and

cooperation regarding areas of specialization.

However the development and maintenance of the

newsletter and the website takes a great deal of energy,

time and commitment. Glen has found that he is no longer

able to give the time that is required to do all of tasks

required to produce the Tide Lines. We seldom think of

the time required to gather articles, to organize the

materials, to translate them into a computer-based format,

to contract with printers, to arrange for delivery, to find

advertisers to finance the publication and to manage the

costs of the production. Not to mention the important task

of coordinating with and contributing to the island

website.

We all know that finding people to step into these

roles is very difficult because of both the time and the

skills needed. Glen still has a heart for the Tide Lines’ role

in the community. However, he can only remain involved

in some way if there is support from our community to

take on some of the above tasks.

The importance of the Tide Lines, both in itself and as

part of the larger coordinated effort to keep all us up-to-

date, is unquestionable. The task of helping to create it can

be a new and stimulating challenge for a number of you.

Would you consider how you might contribute?

If so, contact Glen Young at 604 886 2834.

foreshore. The requirements for rezoning (including a

public hearing), where a change of land or foreshore use is

being proposed, ensures not that there will be additional

“bureaucratic intervention”, but rather that community

consultation and a public process will be required before

substantial changes or extraordinary expansions in use can

occur. This should provide Keats Islanders with a greater

degree of comfort, compared with the existing situation

where there is little clarity, certainty or guidance regarding

changes or expansions in existing uses.

Let us know what you think about these proposals.

Send written comments to the Gambier Island Local

Trust Committee

c/o Gillian Saxby, Keats Island Planning Review

Project Planner,

Fax: (250) 335-3105

E-mail: gsaxby@islandstrust.bc.ca

Mail Address

: 5277 East Rd., Denman Island, V0R 1T0

Are Keats Island Communications Channels

in Jeopardy?

Page 21

Keats Island Tide Lines

Winter 2001

Page 21

he Water Committee is continuing its quest for a

tax-based, hybrid water system for Eastbourne.

We are working closely with the SCRD as we move this

initiative forward and I am pleased to report that

substantial progress has been made in respect to our

system being taken over. Although it is by no means a

“done deal”, the SCRD accepted the initiative in principal

at their September meeting. This is subject, however, to a

number of technical and financial concerns being resolved.

There are four main phases in this process:

1. Administrative (Political)

2. Technical (Engineering)

3. Process (Formal Community Approval)

2. Implementation (Construction)

The report by Steve Lee, Infrastructure Services

Committee Manager, was again accepted at the October

SCRD meeting. While there are many questions yet to be

answered, the committee agreed to proceed with the

technical phase. This engineering survey work will

commence shortly and is expected to take five to six

months. Steve and his assistant Dave Crosby have met

with us on Keats and have toured our facilities. We are

continuing to stress, and the SCRD is coming to accept,

the principle of a Hybrid Eastbourne System. It is our

intention to work very closely with the SCRD as this

process unfolds.

We have been working closely with Lee Turnbull our

Area F Director and Kim Benson our Islands Trust

Representative both of whom have been most supportive

The proposed system will follow the principles of tax-

based, user pay, distributed storage and water

conservation. Assuming the process moves ahead, the

SCRD has advised that the first step in Phase 4 will be the

installation of a purification system.

In the interim, the water committee and the ECA

executive have agreed to continue in their respective rolls.

As the process unfolds, we will be posting updates on the

official (back) side of the Eastbourne notice board.

Eastbourne Water System News

by J.H. Low, Chair, Water Committee, ECA

Relocation of the Eastbourne Bulletin Board

by Rose Ann Janzen

his ECA sponsored project occurred during the

last weekend in August and the first weekend in

September.

Among the many Eastbourne volunteers, hats off are

due to Tor Fransvaag, the brains behind this engineering

and construction feat, and to Greg Robertson, carpenter

extraordinare.

A big thank you to volunteers Terry Ovens, Lance

Hickey, Rose Ann Janzen, Keir Miner, Brent McIlveen,

Helen Westerberg and Patty Scagel. A very special thank

you to Joe Ortman, who kindly donated his services and

use of his backhoe for the project.

The project was a huge success and all volunteers

were treated to a sumptuous lunch prepared by Lesley

Fransvaag. Needless to say, a wrap-up party followed and

a good time was had by all!

Photo by RA Janzen

Happy Halloween!

Photo by Glen Young

Page 22

Keats Island Tide Lines

Page 22

Winter 2001

Plumper Cove

Keats Landing

Melody Point

Eastbourne

10-Acre Estates

Lamp

Picture frame

Jewellery box

Plant pot

Fridge magnets

Driftwood

Sea shells

Stones

Pinecones

Seaweed

Month

Community

Project

Material

Winter Projects

by Dawn-Rae McLaren

t gets pretty quiet on Keats Island during the winter months. So a group of year-round residents decided to

have a monthly get-together to discuss the members' various winter projects. Each monthly gathering was

hosted by a resident in a different Keats community who explained to the others how his/her project was done.

From the clues provided below, can you determine where and when each get-together was held, which project

was explained and what it was made of?

Clues:

1 The gathering held a the 10 Acre Estates was held at some point after the meeting about fridge magnets, but at some

point before the Eastbourne meeting (which didn't feature a discussion about a project made with dried seaweed).

2 The item made with pretty stones and the project using driftwood were a plant pot (which wasn't discussed in March)

and the project featured at the Plumper Cove meeting, in some order.

3 The Melody Point project was made from pinecones. The fridge magnets weren't made with driftwood.

4 If the picture frame was made with pinecones, then it was discussed at the February meeting; otherwise, the picture

frame was made from dried seaweed, and the jewellery box was made from pinecones and was featured at the gathering

in January.

5 Neither the lamp (which wasn't created by a 10 Acres resident) nor the jewellery box was discussed in March.

See solutions on Page 23

Page 23

Keats Island Tide Lines

Winter 2001

Page 23

Tide Lines Ad Rates

Display Ads

Business Card - 2” x 3.5”

$30.00

Double Card -

$60.00

Full Page

$300.00

All other sizes and shapes quoted at

$15.00 per column inch

Un-Classified Ads

Non-commercial household-type ads & notices are

available free of charge to all Keats Islanders.

For more information contact:

Glen Young

Tel/Fax: 604-886-2834 or

e-mail:glen_young@sunshine.ne

Call for Tide Lines Articles

The next issue of the Keats Island Tide Lines will be published

mid May 2002. Copy deadline is April 30th.

Please support your newsletter by providing your articles, ads

and notices early.

Many thanks to the contributors and advertisers in this issue.

My apologies to those who’s submissions were not included

due to space limitations.

I hope you enjoy this issue. Any feed-back is welcome.

Keats Island Tide Lines

This newsletter is published twice a year in the spring and

fall. It is delivered free to all Keats Island property owners

and lease holders. It is a non-profit publication produced by

volunteers and funded by advertising

Editor • Publisher

Glen Young

Mailing address:

Box 1512 Gibsons, BC V0N 1V0

Telephone: 604-886-2834

e mail: glen_young@sunshine.net

I would like to know how readers would feel about a $5 voluntary annual subscription

to help support this newsletter.

Hopefully, this would reduce scrambling to obtain sufficient advertising to cover costs.

The Tide Lines would continue to be provided to all Keats land owners whether or not they subscribe.

Please let me know your thoughts on this. Phone number and e-mail address are above.

Voluntary Tide Lines Subscriptions?

www.keatsisland.net

Due to space limitations, some articles have not been included

in this issue so they have been posted on the Island website.

My apologies to those contributors.

Please Visit the Keats Island Website

Solution to the puzzle on Page 22:

November, Plumper Cove, Fridge Magnets, Stones

December, 10 Acres, Plant Pot, Driftwood

January, Melody Point, Jewellery Box, Pinecones

February, Eastbourne, Lamp, Sea Shells

March, Keats Landing, Picture Frame, Seaweed

Page 24

Keats Island Tide Lines

Page 24

Winter 2001

The following three-page insert is paid

for and brought to you by the

Gambier Island Local Trust Committee

Islands Trust

Page 25

Keats Island Tide Lines

Winter 2001

Page 25

Keats Planning Review, Fall 2001 Update

by Kim Benson, Local Trustee, Islands Trust

The current Official Community Plan (OCP)

for Keats Island (Bylaw 107) was adopted in January

1977. The Islands Trust is conducting a public review

of the Keats OCP. The end result of the public review

process will be to combine updated and revised Keats

Island Community goals, objectives, and policies

with revised regulations for zoning and subdivision

into one comprehensive planning document, called a

Rural Land Use Bylaw (RLUB).

The new planning document will outline a

shared community vision on how Keats Island should

evolve in the coming years. It will also provide

direction to guide government agencies, current

residents and property owners, and prospective

landowners about existing and future land and

foreshore use and development, and publicly funded

services on Keats Island.

The Current Situation

Keats Island has had the same community

plan and regulations for zoning and subdivision of

land for almost 25 years. The current Keats Island

planning process is about reviewing the existing 3

bylaws, and updating them to reflect the values of

today’s Keats Island community, within the context

of the Islands Trust legislation and the current

legislative framework in the Province of B.C.

The current zoning and subdivision bylaws

for Keats Island (OCP Bylaw No. 107, Zoning Bylaw

No. 96, and Subdivision Bylaw No. 103) total more

than 110 pages. These bylaws are confusing. It’s hard

to relate one bylaw to the next, and to know which

sections are relevant to Keats. These bylaws cover

Keats, Anvil, the Pasley, Trail, and Thormanby

Islands but not Gambier.

While some sections of the current bylaws are

relevant to Keats, many are not relevant to any of the

islands. They have been repealed on those parts of the

mainland that they covered, when the Sunshine Coast

Regional District (SCRD) had the land use planning

function for Keats and other islands. The Islands

Trust acquired full land use planning and regulatory

powers for the islands in 1978, and inherited the

current Keats OCP, zoning, and subdivision bylaws

from the SCRD at that time.

The old bylaws are very blunt and insensitive

to local circumstances in some sections, and very

vague and open to interpretation in others. The new

Keats Island Rural Land Use Bylaw will replace these

documents with a single, streamlined one, totaling

about 65 to 75 pages, which will be tailored

specifically to Keats Island and surrounding Shelter,

Home, and Preston islets. The new Keats RLUB will

recognize traditional Keats Island circumstances, land

and foreshore uses. It will be more sensitive to local

situations, and will include clear policy guidelines

and community processes to handle any future

proposals for new subdivisions or changes in zoning

of land or foreshore in the Keats Island planning area.

The Legislative Process and the

Islands Trust Act

In 1974, the Government of B.C. enacted

special protective legislation for the Gulf Islands in

the Strait of Georgia and Howe Sound. The Islands

Trust Act establishes the Islands Trust as an

autonomous local government for the Islands within

this Trust Area. Under the Act, the object of the

Islands Trust is to “preserve and protect the trust

area and its unique amenities and environment for

the benefit of the residents of the trust area and of

British Columbia generally, in cooperation with

municipalities, regional districts, improvement

districts, other persons and organizations, and the

government of British Columbia”.

There is a local trust committee (LTC) for

each group of islands designated as a local trust area,

and 1 committee for Bowen Island. Keats Island is

within the Gambier Island Local Trust Area. Each

LTC has 3 members – 2 locally elected trustees and 1

Islands Trust Executive Committee member who

serves as Chair. The members of the Gambier Local

Trust Committee, currently serving a 3-yr term, are

Bob Gibson from Gambier (604-931-1455), Kim

Benson from Keats (604-886-9868), and Committee

Chair John Money, a Local Trustee from Saturna

Page 26

Keats Island Tide Lines

Page 26

Winter 2001

Island (250-539-2975).

The Gambier LTC has, with respect to Keats,

all the power and authority of a regional district

board, including preparation and adoption of Official

Community Plans, rural land use bylaws, zoning and

subdivision bylaws, regulation of soil removal and

deposit, and authorization of permits under Part 26 of

the Local Government Act (Management of

Development). This ensures that Keats Island land

use decisions are made by elected islanders, rather

than by a “mainland-oriented” Regional District

Board in Sechelt. And decisions are made with the

“preserve and protect” objective of the Islands Trust

Act in mind. Approximately 9% of Keats Island

property taxes go to the Islands Trust.

The Keats Planning Review Process is being

undertaken in a manner consistent with both the

Islands Trust Act, and the Local Government Act. As

such, the new Keats RLUB must include goals,

objectives, policies, map designations, and

regulations to guide decisions on planning and

management of land and foreshore use for Keats and

surrounding islets.

The content of the new Keats RLUB, must

address the following: the approximate location,

amount, type and density of present and proposed

residential development (including affordable

housing, rental housing and special needs housing,

institutional, agricultural, recreational, public utility,

commercial and industrial land and foreshore uses;

policies relating to the preservation, protection,

restoration and enhancement of the natural

environment, its ecosystems and biological diversity;

location and phasing of any major publicly owned

road, sewer and water systems; location and type of

present and proposed public facilities, including

schools, parks, waste treatment and disposal sites;

and restrictions on the use of land that is subject to

hazardous conditions or that is environmentally

sensitive to development.

Responsibility for certain matters lies outside

the jurisdiction of the Islands Trust and are the

responsibility of individual property owners, or the

Provincial Government, the Federal Government, the

SCRD, or the Coast Garibaldi Health Region. In

some cases, more than one agency may have

overlapping jurisdiction for a matter addressed in the

new Keats RLUB. In these cases, other levels of

government and the public are requested to regard

these policies as the stated desires of the LTC and the

Keats Island community.

The process for preparing and adopting the

new Keats Island RLUB is also being done in

accordance with the Islands Trust Act and Local

Government Act. During the development of the new

Keats RLUB, the local trust committee must provide

one or more opportunities for consultation with

persons, organizations and authorities that will be

affected by the new RLUB. The RLUB can only be

adopted through a statutory process which includes a

public hearing, approval of the Islands Trust

Executive Committee, and approval of the Minister of

Community, Aboriginal and Women’s Services

(formerly Municipal Affairs).

The process is virtually the same as for any

municipality or regional district in the province.

However, the LTC is endeavouring to go “above and

beyond” the statutory requirements for community

consultation through a number of island-wide mail-

outs, holding meetings both on and off the island, and

posting all relevant information on www.keatsisland.

net.

The LTC is also designing the Keats Review

process based on the advice of the Keats Island

Advisory Planning Group (APG). The 8-member

APG is appointed by the LTC to advise on Islands

Trust related matters involving Keats, and has

representation from nearly all the communities on

Keats.

Where’s the Process at Now?

The Process began in June 2000. During

Phase 1, an information mailer, including a

Workbook/Questionnaire about the existing Keats

OCP and a Community Values Questionnaire, was

sent to all Keats Island residents and property owners.

In July 2000, two Orientation and Visioning

community forums were held on Keats and in North

Vancouver.

Phase 2 began in June 2001. A second information

mailer was sent out. It included the First Working

Draft of the Keats Island Rural Land Use Bylaw- Part

1 (Working DRAFT 1 – “Keats Island Goals,

Objectives, and Policies”), as well as a Community

Response Form/Questionnaire seeking input on the

DRAFT 1 policy document. This document was

Page 27

Keats Island Tide Lines

Winter 2001

Page 27

based on community input, legislative and Islands

Trust Policy requirements, requirements of other

government agencies, technical data and data

gathered during Phase 1. Also, two more community

forums were held in July 2001 to provide additional

opportunities for public input.

Since June 2001, approximately 70 Response

Forms and three written submissions have been

returned. This translates into about 187 pages of

written input received during Phase 2, not including

the flip chart comments recorded at the July 2001

forums. About 75 islanders attended the forums.

Gillian Saxby, Project Planner for the Keats

Planning Review Process is busy compiling and

analyzing the input. She will be making

recommendations to the local trust committee

regarding revisions to the DRAFT RLUB based on

this material and additional consultations being

undertaken with the Eastbourne Community

Association, Keats Camp, Barnabas Family

Ministries, other affected individuals and agencies

such as the SCRD.

Gillian has other duties with Islands Trust

besides the Keats Planning Review. She is also the

Project Planner for the Hornby Island OCP Review.

In addition, she does research and policy work for the

Islands Trust Council on groundwater management,

marine stewardship initiatives and other Trust Area

issues.

Thus, Derek Pratt, a consultant with Planistics

Management Inc., has been hired to assemble the first

draft Part 2 of the Keats Island RLUB, which must be

consistent with the policies in the revised Part 1. The

revision and redrafting process will take place

throughout this fall and winter.

What are the Next Steps?

Early 2002. As soon as it’s ready, the Complete

First DRAFT of the new Keats Rural Land Use

Bylaw will be mailed to Keats Islanders for review.

This should occur in winter or early spring of 2002.

Information regarding any public meetings and other

opportunities for community input will be included in

the mailer, posted on island notice boards, and on

www.keatsisland.net.

Spring & Summer 2002. Once all three

members of the Gambier LTC believe that

subsequent revisions have produced a document that

will have broad public support, the Final DRAFT

Keats Island Rural Land Use Bylaw will be

considered for 1st Reading. At this stage, under a

formal statutory review process, the Proposed Bylaw

will be referred to government agencies for final

comment, posted on-line, and mailed to Keats

Islanders. The public will be invited to submit

comments at a formal public hearing, to be held on

Keats, probably sometime in June or early July 2002.

After the Public Hearing, the LTC will decide

to either: (1) give 2

and 3

Reading to the Bylaw;

(2) amend the Bylaw before 2

and 3

Reading; or

(3) amend the Bylaw and hold another Public Hearing

to consider further public comment. Agency

approvals may also be required if revisions are made

to the Bylaw.

After 2

and 3

Reading, the Bylaw will be

sent to the Islands Trust Executive Committee for

approval, to confirm that the Bylaw conforms to the

legislated “preserve and protect” objective, and the

Islands Trust Policy Statement. The Bylaw will then

be sent to the Minister of Community, Aboriginal &

Women’s Services for approval. After Ministerial

approval is given, a 4

Reading and Final Adoption

may be given by the LTC – which implements the

Bylaw. And the Keats Island Planning Review

Process will then be complete.

Who to Contact For More Information

The Gambier Island Local Trust Committee is

seeking the widest possible input of the Keats Island

community in developing the new planning

documents for Keats. It’s not too late to get involved.

The DRAFT RLUB documents, questionnaires, and

all relevant background materials can be found and

downloaded at www.keatsisland.net.

Please send any Community Response Forms, or

written comments to Gillian Saxby:

Phone: (250) 335-1616 or Toll Free (via Enquiry BC)

Fax: (250) 335-3105

E-mail: gsaxby@islandstrust.bc.ca

Mail Address: 5277 East Rd., Denman Island V0R 1T0

Page 28

Keats Island Tide Lines

Page 28

Winter 2001

If Undeliverable, please return to:

Keats Island Tide Lines

P.O. Box 1512

Gibsons, BC V0N 1V0