In my house, if you want to pitch an idea about something but are unsure about how it will be recieved or if it the idea seems to crazy to truly make happen but you’ve just got to put it out there, here’s what you say: Now, don’t shoot me down, this one’s for the dream board...
Now, I think we can blame the fact that there is in fact, no physical “dreamboard” for our failure to pursue steps that might make these dreams a reality. But it feels good, at least, to express your kooky ideas.
So, I thought that before I start writing about municipal candidates, their visions, and planned undertakings for the island, I should try to create that safe space here in the Undercurrent. I want to know what people want for this place - and maybe these are projects they are working already. Maybe the job of getting these things done requires municipal help - or maybe it doesn’t. However, I would like to think that by putting out the random, sometimes whacky, sometimes straightforward dreams about what would make Bowen a better place maybe some balls can get rolling, or maybe we can just take the opportunity to view our community and its needs with a little creativity.
Personally, I have very long list for the Bowen dream board.
For example, being the owner of a new kayak I’ve realized that simply owning a boat doesn’t mean it’s actually easy to get out on the water. It involves hoisting the kayak on top of a car, finding a beach access that isn’t too steep or too long or doesn’t have a treacherous staircase and then hauling the boat down, then back up again when we get back from our paddle. (Thank you, to Scott Slater who saved me from severely damaging myself on one such return journey from Cates Beach.)
This is not the worst thing in the world. I feel super-fortunate to even live close to the ocean, and also to have a kayak that my family can use just about any time we want.
Don’t shoot me down... but it would be really amazing if there could be public kayak racks where us non-waterfront property owners could keep our boats, on various parts of the island.
In my dream-world, I take this vision a step further, and set-up kayak stations around our shoreline that function something like Car2Go, or like bike sharing systems that have been set up all over the world. Now, don’t shoot me down, Brent O’Malley of Bowen Island Sea Kayaking, I have no desire to put you out of business, but it could really be great. It could make our shoreline truly accessible to the public, and it could really put Bowen on the map.
So there we have it, my idea for the dream board - one (or two, maybe) of them at least. I want to hear yours. So if you’ve got an idea to share, get in touch and we’ll get it out there, and see what happens.
[email protected]
