January 31

In January, ASK Salt Spring has hosted some weighty conversations: 

• Difficult conversations guided by Restorative Justice (https://asksaltspring.com/2025/01/10/restorative-justice-difficult-conversations-face-to-face-one-conversation-at-a-time/),
• FireSmarting our homes (https://asksaltspring.com/2025/01/17/a-firesmart-salt-spring/), and 
• Complex School District 64 decisions (https://asksaltspring.com/2025/01/24/education-101-learning-lots-about-our-school-district-64/).

Seeking a break and a bit of fun, after our Territorial Acknowledgment, we considered what simple projects could make Salt Spring life just a bit better. While you may have suggested totally-different ideas, our small group of problem-solvers offered these:

1. Family Game Centre,
2. A Dinner Activity Club,
3. Easy Opening of Those Annoying Pill and Food Containers, and
4. Visitor Funding for Salt Spring Services and Infrastructure? 

1) So, what do you mean by Family Game Centre? The idea began with a year ‘round ping pong table for all to enjoy. Soon the idea grew into an area with not only a ping pong table but also horseshoes and a bocci ball court. 

Where? While many ideas were kicked around, the eventual consensus was that Centennial Park was by far the best location. 

Challenges: 

• The Local Community Commission would need to agree that this was a good idea,
• Location: Ping pong would need to be protected from the winds sweeping up the harbour. (What about on the other side of the washrooms or protected by a simple wind fence?)
• Funding? The choices of games, ping pong, bocci ball, and horseshoes, are among the least expensive to maintain. Good family activities, like badminton, were rejected due to maintenance issues (as well as space considerations). The group suggested asking one of our generous local groups, like the Lions, Rotary, Legion, Salt Spring Island Foundation, or. . . to partner for needed funding. 
• Access to paddles, horseshoes, bocci balls? A high priority of this group was to avoid labour-intensive ideas whenever possible. It was suggested that a local merchant, like Foxes Board Game Shop, could sell inexpensive balls, paddles, and horseshoes. Could there also be a container near the games for players to leave their unneeded play items for the next user? 

Is this an idea worth pursuing? Only time will tell. Are the challenges too big for the simple opportunity for folks to play games together in a public space? Maybe. 

But, as we concluded this conversation, we were reminded of the importance of play. We can watch children at the playground, skateboarders at the skate park, bikers and disk golfers at Mouat Park. But, is there a need for some simple, all age-appropriate, game opportunities in Ganges? Would family and friends pause for a fun break from errands? Would visitors long-remember that unplanned ping pong or horseshoe game while exploring Ganges? 

We were reminded that in Vancouver, some streets are closed to vehicles during the summer months, given over completely to pedestrian and family activities. Maybe a small Family Game Centre in Ganges is not such a huge leap? 

2) What about A Dinner Activity Club? How many of us fear winter driving on our dark, curvy, wet roads, many without centre and shoulder paint to guide us? And, how about those blinding lights of the new cars approaching (https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/headlights-led-driving-safety-night-1.7409099)? 

One might think that the easy solution is to make sure all our roads have adequate safety markings, but this is actually an extremely complicated discussion (https://saltspringexchange.com/2018/08/25/rant-road-work-salt-spring-style/). Many, many are trying to solve this seemingly-simple safety marking issue. But, until then, our residents, especially seniors, must decide whether to risk that very real danger of winter nighttime driving to attend an event – maybe a very special ArtSpring performance. . .or remain safe, but isolated, at home. 

Of course, one could always take a taxi, but it was concluded that too many are simply not willing or able to pay that price to attend an event. A number of ride share ideas were tossed around (https://www.ruralhealthinfo.org/toolkits/transportation/2/ridesharing-models), with hope that a nonprofit group will take on this important access issue. This group, however, landed on something quite different: What if a ride/dinner/event program could work financially? 

• Dinner Location? Would the event host allow use of their space for this group to enjoy dinner together before the event? For example, would ArtSpring allow use of one of their rooms adjacent to the theatre for this group to eat their dinner together, maybe even offering coffee? 
• Vehicle? Would one of our local businesses who have a shuttle be willing to explore possibilities? The group identified seven shuttles owned and operated by various Salt Spring groups. As they are likely to be under-utilized during our winter evenings, would any of these owner/operators be interested in beginning a conversation ? 
• Cost? Costs have to work for those needing a ride and as well as all providers. How much would customers be willing to pay for a worry-free ride to an event and dinner? As winter events are often not at capacity, could the event organizer offer a discount, concluding that getting an extra group of guests, even at a discount, was better than empty seats? It was agreed that adding the dinner portion was the most likely way to make the funding for providers work. Would a local business be interested in such a catering opportunity during their less busy winter evenings? Lots and lots of questions. But, a participant, coincidently a food marketing expert, was so inspired by this plan to combat winter isolation that he offered to draw up a proposal and assess interest. 

3) Opening Those Annoying Pill and Food Containers: Even if you see yourself as young and strong, are you often frustrated by jars and bottles that seem impossible to open? And, what about those of us getting a bit older, losing strength, and struggling with arthritis? Some suggestions:

• Tightly-sealed Pickle Jars. . . .Holding it upside down before trying to open it does actually help. Putting hot water on the lid does help as well. . . .Why? A participant told us that it is all about reducing the pressure in the jar that you are trying to open. Interested? Watch the Cool Contraption Guy on Youtube. No time? In summary, the easiest method is to put a spoon under a small area of the lid; press the spoon handle down gently until the pressure seal breaks, making a slight “pop;” open the jar with ease.    
• But what about Pill Bottles? Did you know that the simple answer is as close as your pharmacy? Country Grocer staff have free, easy to open caps to replace those ***&%$ child-proof lids that can be so hard to open. If you ask, they will put the easy-to-open lid on the bottle for you. And, even easier, if you request a note to be made on your record, your pills will come with easy-to-open lids every time without even asking.  
• Too Many Pills? If you have a dizzying number of pills to remember, your pharmacy can also give you a Bubble Pack (also known as a Blister Pack). Each bubble contains a dose of one or more medications and is marked with the time it should be taken. 

Voila. . .some pretty easy solutions, yes? 

4) Visitor Funding for Salt Spring Services and Infrastructure?.

As our the together was nearly over, brief mention was made of a not-so-simple issue, the CRD 2025 budget. The portion under the authority of the Local Community Commission had received its final approval at the meeting the day before our ASK Salt Spring gathering. Gayle, a participant, Local Community, Commissioner, and also the writer of this report, expressed her concerns about rapidly-increasing costs. She asked the group about a possible route to help reduce rising costs for our transit system as well as other local infrastructure expenses. 

The group landed on visitors as a possible source of this needed funding. Tourism, a significant source of funding (second only to pension income), is clearly essential for the economic sustainability of Salt Spring. Indirectly, tourism income supports our community by the higher taxes paid by businesses and the 2% accommodations tax collected by the Southern Gulf Islands Tourism Partnership (https://southerngulfislands.com/about-us/) for regional marketing and affordable housing. 

But, visitors who enjoy our free parking do not directly contribute to our infrastructure needs. What about convincing BC Ferries to charge $1 per car for vehicles (possibly only non-resident) coming to Salt Spring? This money, passed directly to Salt Spring, would support escalating local transit, transportation, and infrastructure costs. 

This idea that has been batted around for years. (Thanks, John Cade and Gary Holman for already trying!) Those in the know respond that, while it may be a good idea, it would be nearly impossible to accomplish. Maybe. . .but, the numbers are promising. For the last six months, from April – September 2004, 386,329 vehicles used the Fulford and Crofton routes. An additional 194,479 used the Long Harbour route (Salt Spring specific statistics did not seem to be available on this site) (https://www.bcferries.com/web_image/hd2/h28/9025305608222.pdf. 

Cognizant that this $1 per car total would decrease significantly if only non-residents were charged, it is still highly possible that this minimal charge to visitors could offer significant Salt Spring tax relief. A simple solution like opening a pickle jar? Absolutely not! Worth considering? Maybe. . . .

Our time together over, we stacked the chairs and said “goodbye,” pleased with a fun conversation and possibly even some solutions.