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A Conversation with Your Local Community Commissioners About Air Quality, Sludge, and Worker Housing
October 13, 2023: Ten gathered for a conversation with our Electoral Director, Gary Holman, and Local Commissioners Brian Webster, Earl Rook, and Gayle Baker. After our Territorial Acknowledgement, a participant began by asking what was actually happening with reconciliation on Salt Spring. We learned from Gary that local governments are legally obligated to consult with First Nations on projects and initiatives. There have been a number of local opportunities for engagement, recently including the North Ganges Transportation Project on Rainbow and Lower Ganges Roads and the under-discussion Islands Trust Bylaw 530 proposing to legalize accessory dwelling units. First Nations engagement will…
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Is the Canadian Dream of Homeownership Dead for Many of Our Youth?
October 6, 2023: Thirteen gathered to welcome MLA Adam Olsen and Outreach Coordinator Laura Parker to this ASK Salt Spring gathering in our new, quieter classroom location, thanks to the generosity of Transition Salt Spring and Restorative Justice. After his Territorial Acknowledgement, we discussed less willingness – and even tolerance – to let our children into our activities. Somewhat shielded from the noisy energy of youngsters outside our gathering room, we discussed the common separation of children from our adult activities. Unlike other cultures and generations, common practice is a distinct separation between children and adult activities. Adam shared his experience as a…
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Worried About our Lack of Worker Housing? Come on, Salt Spring – Become a HomeSharer!
September 22, 2023: We welcomed Janey Rowland, coordinator of our new Housing NOW HomeShare Registry Program, to this ASK Salt Springgathering. We began by being intrigued and charmed by the scattering of Michif phrases in her Territorial Acknowledgement, soon learning that she is of Metis ancestry and reconnecting to her heritage through language. During our time together, we learned a great deal about the Housing NOW Project and the HomeShare initiative Janey is coordinating. While growing rapidly, HomeSharing (https://www.canadahomeshare.com/) is not a new concept. We learned that New Zealand is working to include HomeShare as a federally-funded initiative (https://www.ageconcernauckland.org.nz/media/website_pages/resources/Life-changing-housing-programme-brings-young-and-old-together-(1).pdf). And, that some years ago, Canada had its own federally-funded program,…
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Salt Spring’s Housing Council Changes Direction to Focus on Business-Built Worker Housing
September 15, 2023: Nine welcomed Robin Williams, new chair of the Housing Council, to this ASK Salt Spring gathering. After our Territorial Acknowledgement, Robin began by telling us what excites and delights him: lovingly-renovating homes that others would demolish. He shared pictures of a home on Long Harbour with extremely-serious foundation issues. After a complete renovation, including an extensive seismic upgrade – requiring lifting the home, digging 20 feet to bedrock to anchor the foundation, and backfilling the basement 15 feet – this home met all building codes and was ready to occupy. Pictures of the now-lovely home with charming additions were shared. Not an…
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Completing that Food Security Circle with our Abattoir, Composting, and Root Projects
September 8, 2023: While the information we gained was rich, the turnout to welcome one of our newly-elected Local Community Commissioners (LCC), Brian Webster, was disappointing. After a heartfelt Territorial Acknowledgement, ending with appreciation for the inexplicable forgiveness by First Nations on this journey of reconciliation, we began our time together learning more about three of our most critical agricultural projects, composting, our abattoir, and the Root. Brian began by answering our traditional initial question of what excites and delights him by speaking briefly of his feelings about the onset of fall. For him, September has always been a time of mixed feelings: those of sadness at…
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Island Pathways – Committed to Safer Walking and Cycling for Over Three Decades
September 1, 2023: Only seven came to welcome Island Pathways’ President, Bob MacKie, board member Margaretha Nordine, and Treasurer Luke Campbell of its Cycling Salt Spring committee. While the numbers were small, the conversation was rich, and all had the opportunity to participate. Our Territorial Acknowledgment morphed into a brief exploration of some of the events in our colonial history that set the stage for our need to reconcile injustices. Soon, though, we launched into our topic at hand: the many exciting projects of Island Pathways: (https://www.islandpathways.ca/). Celebrating its 35th year, Island Pathways has been the driving force behind safer walking and cycling on Salt Spring since…
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Roads 101: Welcoming MoTI and Emcon
August 25, 2023: Twenty joined this ASK Salt Spring gathering to welcome Owen Page, our Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure (MoTI) Area Manager, and Andrew Gaetz, Emcon (our roads maintenance contractor) Operations Manager. After our Territorial Acknowledgement, both Andrew and Owen told us that they were thrilled to be with us and, according to Owen, this was the very best part of his job. Andrew’s span of responsibility is the entire south Vancouver Island from Chemainus south and including all the Gulf Islands. Owen’s scope of responsibility is the CRD on Vancouver Island as well as Salt Spring, Saturna, and Piers Islands. Each with different…
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That Difficult Balance: Parking Impacts of Creating a Walkable, Cycle-able Ganges
August 18, 2023: Nine came to this ASK Salt Spring gathering to discuss parking in Ganges. After our Territorial Acknowledgement, a participant expressed deep concern that the Ganges Active Transportation Network Plan (https://www.crd.bc.ca/docs/default-source/crd-document-library/plans-reports/planning-development/salt-spring-island-active-transportation-network-plan.pdf), had been released without specifically reaching out to community members with mobility challenges to get their input. (This plan was presented to the Local Community Commission – LCC – at its July meeting and will be discussed at its next meeting, Tuesday, August 22, 9:00 in the SIMS Boardroom.) She expressed concern about the plan, which could remove as many as 31 on-street Ganges parking spaces without this consultation. Living with…
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Ferries, Trains, Cars, Bicycles, and Pedestrians. . . .Transportation Hits the Headlines. . . Again!
August 11, 2023: Fourteen joined us at this ASK Salt Spring gathering to welcome CRD’s Gary Holman, our Electoral Director as well as a member of the Local Community Commission (LCC) 5 member team. After our Territorial Acknowledgement, Gary began by speaking briefly about his pessimism regarding the reinstatement of the train between Victoria and Nanaimo along the route of the Esquimalt/Nanaimo (E&N) Railway (https://www.encrha.com/). He believes that, in addition to being a very efficient way to move folks, it also has great potential for freight, getting some of the heavy truck traffic off our roads. When one asked – What, trains are from…
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MLA Adam Olsen Challenges Status Quo: Do MLAs Still Need to Sit Two Sword Lengths Apart?
August 4, 2023: Twenty-two joined this ASK Salt Spring gathering to welcome MLA Adam Olsen, assistant Patricia Pearson, and intern Maya Achuthan. After our Territorial Acknowledgement, Adam shared with us things that excite and delight him. He first told us of how delighted he is with the community office and how updated processes have improved its service and productivity. As the Legislature is adjourned until October, Adam spends the summer focusing on us, his constituents. From the smile on his face, it is clear that he loves this role. But, when the Legislature reconvenes, he will welcome his renewed close access to his government,…