Dear Editor,
In almost every part of Canada, municipal elections are held in the fall. There must be a logic in choosing this particular time of year. We have come to the end of an endless and carefree summer, have watched the bright flowers and leaves in our gardens first fade and then droop before lying in heaps on sodden ground. The air is now crisp and tingling, with a lingering scent of cedar.
There is reality in beginning a new school year, of rekindling the book clubs and other organizations put on hold, of finally beginning projects in abeyance. For me, it is a time when walks around the island take on a deeper, more intense meaning. I tread carefully on slithery maple leaves, linger over new fallen branches and marvel at the depth of green moss. The Japanese have a name for this action, Shinrinyoku, meaning “forest bathing.” Since 1982 the Forest Agency of Japan has encouraged Shinrinyoku as a healthy lifestyle: research has shown that inhaling the essential oils of wood leads to reduced stress levels. On Bowen, we don’t need this scientific evidence to know that our natural places are good for the body and soul. The recent survey by the Economic Development Committee also clearly demonstrates that they are the main focus for tourism.
Whenever I walk in Crippen Park, I mentally thank the powers that were for convincing GVRD to save the land and put in trails. Developers have done their part: John Reid has set aside hectares of beautiful land to build Quarry Park, Headwaters Park, as well as all the trails of Arbutus Ridge, and Evergreen. Wolfgang Duntz has provided much parkland on Cates Hill. Places such as Singing Woods have been set aside as conservation zones and many individuals and organizations on this island have worked to keep these areas unspoiled and intact for wildlife. There is just enough infrastructure in the form of trails, boardwalks, parking, and signage for us to immerse ourselves in the forest without losing our way.
I don’t keep a journal anymore, but remember Peter beginning his exhausting, inescapable chemo journey in November three years ago. And I walk into Fairy Fen, that precious oasis of bright air and water at the end of a steep woodland path, and find solace in a dream realized.
Our last council is almost finished, and a new, revitalized one will pursue worthy and necessary projects such as a community centre, housing and health care. It must also cherish our natural assets and keep safe the less tangible dreams we all share.
Allie Drake
