At the June 11 council meeting, mayor Jack Adelaar proclaimed July 7 to 15, 2012 as Bowen Island Steamship Days.
"Whereas the reputation of Bowen Island as the Happy Isle, a place of refuge and fun for our brothers and sisters on the mainland, and indeed all over the world, was once the way we were known and whereas there is a heritage of the island as a destination for families, seniors and youth to enjoy the magical setting as a place for healthy games, good food, music and culture," Adelaar said, adding that the heritage has nearly disappeared and has been replaced by an reputation to be an unsustainable bedroom community.
The proclamation went on to say that the Bowen Island Municipality supports fostering an environment where local businesses can have a chance to not just scrape by but thrive and succeed and will do its utmost to support a grassroots event that encourages tourism and traffic to the island.
"Thereby I, mayor Jack Adelaar, on behalf of the Bowen Island Municipal Council, do proclaim the first Saturday after Canada Day and the following eight days Steamship Days and encourage all residents, businesses and institutions to celebrate Bowen Island's great and unique heritage with this new annual event, and to welcome visitors during these nine days with Bowen warmth and hospitality," Adelaar said.
The Steamship Days are sponsored by the Bowen Island Chamber of Commerce. In the audience were Alan Mills, organizer of the event, Rob Wall, manager, and Rod Marsh, president of the Bowen Island Chamber of Commerce.
Marsh said, "The idea of holding the Steamship Days has been greeted with lots of enthusiasm from the community and it is very much a grass roots event. This is not only an opportunity for the community to come together but also to invite others to relive some of the glory days of Bowen as the Happy Isle."
At the May 28 council meeting, Mills had asked council for support in creating an annual summer festival that celebrates Bowen Island's history. The sponsors had also asked for permission to use the north part of the Snug Cove municipal dock for the event and that the municipality assist in promoting Steamship Days by posting an announcement of the festival on the municipal website.
Adelaar said, "I want to repeat that this is a terrific thing and a great start to our summer season."
