20 years ago in the Undercurrent
- Two groups were putting their collective heads together to create affordable housing on Bowen. Together, members of the Bowen island United Church and the Orchard Commons Housing Co-operative had been gathering to asses needs and alternatives to create affordable housing options. The feeling was the time was right to get a project underway if Bowen was to maintain the economic and social mix of people that made the Island unique. Efforts were underway to apply for Ministry of Housing grants and to secure land as a building site.
- Cove coliform counts remained steady at less than one fecal coliforms per 100 ml. Health officials warned that a count in excess of 200 fecal coliforms may pose an increased risk of illness for persons who bathe.
15 years ago in the Undercurrent
- Judge Ken Page found Richard Littlemore not guilty of assault in charges brought against him by Tony Sorangese. Page called Littlemore’s use of force justified when trying to prevent angry protestors from entering a private meeting between local representatives and B.C. Ferry officials. Littlemore was quoted as saying, “I’m glad it’s over but it’s hard to leap up and down because I don’t believe I should have been here in the first place”.
- In three separate police reports, local RCMP reported on two break and enters and pending assault charges against three individuals. The assault charges stemmed from aggressive behaviour following the annual Dock Dance when the individuals were asked to dump their open alcohol. The break and enters occurred at Twiggleberries, in Artisan Square, and at the Oven Door Bakery in the Cove. At Twiggleberries, thieves made off with about $100 in cash and a camera. The Oven Door was lucky in that nothing was stolen but when police arrived they noticed smoke coming from the oven. The vandals had evidently left some buns in the oven before fleeing the scene.
10 years ago in the Undercurrent
- The Undercurrent reported on the municipality conducting GVRD surplus land discussions behind closed doors. The idea for the closed-door meetings was a grey area. Wording in the community charter is murky. “It’s a ‘may’ language,” said Mayor Barrett. Meaning that the mayor and council could choose to hold certain meetings as closed doors and be well within their rights to do so. The frequency of these meetings had been called into question by members of the public with one source stating, “The surplus land discussions do not deal with details of negotiation that might necessitate a closed meeting….the meetings should include the public. The GVRD surplus meetings were necessary to discuss land uses for Snug Cove planning.
- In her community column, Lois Meyers-Carter bemoaned the fact that Bowen Island needed a Kay Meek to donate 2 million dollars for a dedicated community space. West Vancovuer’s Kay Meek centre was just about to open it’s doors and much accolades had been given to Ms. Meek and her generous gift to the community.
5 years ago in the Undercurrent
- Bowen Island Fish & Wildlife club claimed that a significant number of coho and chum salmon as well as cutthroat trout – along with other aquatic life- died in a dried-up Terminal Creek early on July 19. The municipality failed to notice the water from the Grafton lake Dam had stopped flowing into the creek and as a result the creek had gone dry from Grafton lake to the hatchery and beyond. There were conflicting reports about the number of affected fish and the length of time that the creek was dry. At a meeting with all parties on July 30 and temporary solution had been reached but further work would still have to be done.
- RCMP confirmed to the Undercurrent that they had busted an indoor marijuana grow up on the Island. Officers would not confirm the location of the grow op nor how they discovered it.
