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ASK Salt Spring with CRD Director Gary Holman on Centennial Park, COVID Numbers, Water and More

Welcoming CRD’s Gary Holman, 10 gathered for this week’s ASK Salt Spring. During the discussion, there were some creative suggestions about enticing larger numbers of Salt Springers to join these weekly gatherings with our elected officials. While it was agreed that the information-rich reports are read by many Salt Springers each week, most agreed that it was a lost opportunity for those who do not participate. While between 20 and 30 gathered each Friday in the Meadow last summer, fewer typically participate in the Zoom gatherings. While averaging about 20 each week during the winter, spring numbers have dropped. It was surmised that Zoom Gloom had impacted many, understandably enticing folks outdoors to savour spring weather. And, that ASK Salt Spring was designed as a face-to-face gathering to share ideas (and cookies.) with Zooming about together only a temporary adaptation. While confident that participation will increase when protocols allow ASK Salt Spring to host…
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What to plant; flowers in the garden; gardener resources

This colder than usual spring seems to be taking forever to warm up (I was breaking ice out of the bird bath again this morning!). Over the next few days, however, the forecast is for the kind of warming we have all been waiting for. Remember, though, that the soil is still pretty cold because so many nights recently have been close to freezing. Peas and early cauliflower that I planted out in in the last couple of weeks have hardly grown at all--which is just reminds me of the joys of overwintered vegetables. With winter cauliflowers, purple sprouting broccoli, kale, spinach and other greens, the last of the carrots, beets and Brussels sprouts, there can still be lots of fresh veggies from a garden at this time of year. Assuming the weather warms as predicted, I expect to be able to transplant onion and leek seedlings to the garden by next weekend. Also starts of broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage as well as lots more peas, which I am continuing to sprout first indoors in th…
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COVID-19: People aged 55+ invited to register for vaccine

A new vaccine registration schedule will provide certainty for more than 1.3 million British Columbians aged 40 and older, as B.C.’s Get Vaccinated program moves forward. A new schedule for age cohorts to register ensures people know when it is their turn: Monday, April 12 – registration opens for people aged 55 and up Wednesday, April 14 – registration opens for people aged 50 and up Friday, April 16 – registration opens for people aged 45 and up Monday, April 19 – registration opens for people aged 40 and up The fastest and most effective way to register is online. Registering online takes approximately two minutes. People need their personal health number (found on their CareCard or on the back of their driver’s licence or BC Services Card), postal code, first and last name, date of birth and an email address that gets checked regularly or a phone number that can receive text messages to register. Registration is the first step. Once registered, peo…
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Islands Trust Trustee Laura Patrick Provides an Update on Local Initiatives

It’s reasonable to assume that the Islands Trust is endeared by many but may not be everyone’s cup of tea.  As one of your hard-working trustees, I’ve encountered seemingly endless criticism that at times can be disheartening. I do this job because I love these islands just like many of you. We want to maintain our island culture and its uniqueness, but we also want to sustain our communities, economies and quality of life, ALL within healthy, fully functional ecosystems. These things are not at cross purposes to each other, because they are all dependent on each other. To be very clear – I am not saying do one at the expense of the other. In its March 2021 meeting, Trust Council affirmed its understanding that the mandate of the Trust, which is embodied within the Islands Trust Act, includes the concept of, and protection of, healthy and inclusive communities including (but not limited to) housing and transportation. This affirmation is not a shift in direction or a reorder…
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Obituary: Roger Warren

Roger Stewart Warren was born in Epsom, Surrey, England, on the 16th of August 1941. He emigrated to Canada with his parents as a teenager and grew up in Ontario. In 1984 he moved to Salt Spring Island, BC, where he established Chickadee Pine, a handmade furniture business. He participated in the restoration of Mahon Hall, belonged to the Folk Music Club, and was active in the arts community. He also began sculpting, seeing the forms of birds and animals in collected pieces of wood. He retired on six forested acres at the south end of the island, where lived his final fifteen years in a sprawling house that he built and filled with his handmade furniture and carvings. He died on the 6th of March 2021 at Lady Minto Hospital on the island and will be missed by many, including two ex-wives, Maggie Warren in Ontario and Judi Underwood of Victoria, BC; his step daughter Cyndy Spiers of Newmarket, ON; his cousin Sue Rehill (husband Ken) of Parksville, BC, and their son Kevin Re…
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Watch: New Film About Creating a Resilient Salt Spring Released Online

Salt Spring Solutions is a group of volunteers who care about protecting our incredible natural environment while ensuring we maintain a vibrant, diverse, and fair community for all. Like many, we care deeply about ensuring our island is resilient in the face of the many big challenges facing us in the 21st century. Yet in order to get there, we need to first talk about the sometimes big gap between what we think we are as a community - green, progressive, fair, and low-impact - and what the reality is. We made this short film, ‘Making A Stand in the Salish Sea’, to highlight some amazing local leaders and thinkers working on solutions, explore what’s standing in their way, and spur discussion and action. We want to invite us all to imagine new ways of thinking about how Salt Spring can be a beacon of hope and action, and ignite a collective fire to work together to create the solutions our community needs to become more equal, more just, and truly sustainable. We n…
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ASK Salt Spring Everything You Need to Know About Electric Vehicles (EVs)

ASK Salt Spring welcomed Jim Standen, Salt Spring’s passionate and energetic electric vehicle (EV) expert, as well as lead of Transition Salt Spring’s Electric Vehicle Working Group. If you want to know anything about electric vehicles, Jim is your man. This was clearly illustrated by the information-filled and fascinating discussion in this ASK Salt Spring gathering. After our Territorial Acknowledgment, our learning about electric cars began. In general, we learned a lot about the reasons behind the rapid growth in electric car ownership, what one might want to know if considering an electric car, and everything that we wanted to know about charging stations. The rapid growth in electric car ownership: We began by asking if it was myth or truth that Salt Spring boasts the highest per capita EV ownership in North America. It is true - verified! BC has the highest ownership of EVs in North America. And, to the distress of the extremely-active and cheerf…
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COVID-19: Province shifts to Phase 3: millions to book vaccine appointments online

All eligible adults in B.C. will soon be able to follow an easy, three-step process to register and book their vaccine appointments online, as the Province moves to Phase 3 of B.C.’s COVID-19 Immunization Plan ahead of schedule. “British Columbians faced the countless challenges of this past year with incredible courage,” said Premier John Horgan. “Today marks a major milestone in our fight against COVID-19, and we ask everyone to wait their turn and follow three steps to help put this pandemic behind us.” There are three easy steps to register to book your vaccine appointment: Register: First, register when it is your turn and get a confirmation code. Book: Book a vaccine appointment when you get an email, text or phone call telling you you are eligible to book, based on your age. Get vaccinated: Visit a vaccine clinic to get your vaccine dose. Starting at 8 a.m. (Pacific time), on Tuesday, April 6, 2021, people born in 1950 and earlier (71 and older), Indi…
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