People & Places

People Profile: Cicela Månsson

Community People Profiles is a series on the Salt Spring Exchange featuring local personalities on our dynamic Gulf Island. Our People Profiles are short interviews, with one answer questions to share with you a little about what each of the people we will feature are thinking about as they go about their lives living on Salt Spring Island. This weeks featured local people profile is: Cicela Månsson Here's a bit about Cicela; Having lived on Salt Spring for six months I'm enjoying exploring the island and community. I'm finding it a fabulous place to live in terms of the sense of community, the variety of art experiences and the lovely people I've met. What brought you to Salt Spring Island? ArtSpring. I'm the Executive/Artistic Director and am loving every minute! What one thing about Salt Spring would you tell someone who has never visited the island? It is a truly special place. I love that you can pick up hitchhikers, leave your door unlocked and you do…

People Profile: Shawn Walton

Community People Profiles is a series on the Salt Spring Exchange featuring local personalities on our dynamic Gulf Island. Our People Profiles are short interviews, with one answer questions to share with you a little about what each of the people we will feature are thinking about as they go about their lives living on Salt Spring Island. This weeks featured local people profile is: Shawn Walton Here's a bit about Shawn; I was born and raised in a rural farming community in southwestern Ontario before moving to Salt Spring Island where I've resided since 2001. My first jobs on Salt Spring Island were tending bar at the Legion and waiting tables at Calvin's Bistro. I met my wife Elisabeth on Salt Spring, we were married in November of 2002. In 2004 we started Auntie Pesto's Café in the location formerly known as Bouzouki Greek Café, in Grace Point Square on the waterfront. I am a proud father to my boy, Nolan James, who was born in 2005. I believe strongly in communit…

People Profile: Greg Clayton

Community People Profiles is a series on the Salt Spring Exchange featuring local personalities on our dynamic Gulf Island. Our People Profiles are short interviews, with one answer questions to share with you a little about what each of the people we will feature are thinking about as they go about their lives living on Salt Spring Island. This weeks featured local people profile is: Greg Clayton Here's a bit about Greg; I’ve always been drawn to the farm life – tractors, tools, raising a family in a small community with local organic produce, always building & creating. It’s a tough way to make a living though - I guess that is how I ended up finishing university with many years of finance education and working commercial finance in the real-estate industry based in Calgary. In 2014, following spine surgery, the birth of my first son Bodhi Xavier, and connecting with my partner Jaya Genevieve, I found the courage to make the leap. I invested for the long-t…

Video: Dance of the Sugarplum BC Ferries

Primary students at Salt Spring Island's Phoenix Elementary perform their very own, must see version of 'Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy' called 'Dance of the Sugarplum BC Ferries'. This very unique to Salt Spring Island performance is an interpretation of the pas de deux from Act 2 of the 1892 ballet The Nutcracker with music written by Tchaikovsky. This is a classic made on Salt Spring artistic performance re-imagined through our island ferry service, BC Ferries. Thank to you all the staff, students and parents of Phoenix Elementary and especially to the elementary class ferries, orca, station attendant, fuel supplier and of course the traveling public on BC Ferries.

People Profile: Krystle Capranos

Community People Profiles is a series on the Salt Spring Exchange featuring local personalities on our dynamic Gulf Island. Our People Profiles are short interviews, with one answer questions to share with you a little about what each of the people we will feature are thinking about as they go about their lives living on Salt Spring Island. This weeks featured local people profile is: Krystle Capranos Here's a bit about Krystle; Most people recognize me as the face behind their tasty baked treats in the heart of Ganges. My first job on Salt Spring was on FritzRoy Farm hauling cow pies. Now, I’m known to make some of the best fruit pies this side of Mount Maxwell. My time is split between baking up a storm and hiking all the trails of the island with good friends and my sweet dogs. Every day I’m thankful for living in one of the most beautiful places in the world. What brought you to Salt Spring Island? Twelve years ago I was living in Toronto, the city where I wa…

People Profile: Michael Levy

Community People Profiles is a series on the Salt Spring Exchange featuring local personalities on our dynamic Gulf Island. Our People Profiles are short interviews, with one answer questions to share with you a little about what each of the people we will feature are thinking about as they go about their lives living on Salt Spring Island. This weeks featured local people profile is: Michael Levy Here's a bit about Michael; Ever since moving to the island 20+ years ago, I have been fascinated by the extraordinary diversity in the flora & fauna as well as the people. I have been fortunate enough to be able to record this diversity through the lens of my camera, sharing my work through cards, calendars, fine art prints and books. To date, I have published two hardcover photo books of the island with plans to do many more! I also owned The Fritz Movie Theatre for many years and enjoyed being an active part of many community events and fundraisers. Rock climbing…

People Profile: David Norget

Community People Profiles is a series on the Salt Spring Exchange featuring local personalities on our dynamic Gulf Island. Our People Profiles are short interviews, with one answer questions to share with you a little about what each of the people we will feature are thinking about as they go about their lives living on Salt Spring Island. This weeks featured local people profile is: David Norget Here's a bit about David; I first moved to the island 25 years ago and, except for two years spent in Europe, have called Salt Spring home. I now have a great family—my partner Tisha; two kids, Simon age 14 and Amelia age 7; Felix the dog; Tortilla the cat; and a smattering of ducks. My mother and her partner also live active lives on the island. I’ve had many jobs in the human services realm on Salt Spring: family child support work, special education in the schools, and director of human resources at Salt Spring Coffee (saltspringcoffee.com). In June of 2013, I started a…

MI5 spy who foiled Nazi Ring Lived on Salt Spring

The UK Telegraph is reporting a very interesting story today about a former British MI5 spy who foiled a Nazi ring who then relocated to Salt Spring Island after the war. Eric Roberts was not just another normal Salt Spring Island resident according to the Telegraph: To residents of the far flung island off Canada’s west coast he was just an ageing author who liked few things better than relaxing in the shade of a blue garden umbrella sipping his favourite drink. Little could they have imagined, then, that Eric Roberts was actually one of the British security service’s most successful spies, smoking out dozens, if not hundreds of Nazi sympathisers during the Second World War. Now it can be disclosed that Roberts, who on Friday was revealed as the “genius” MI5 spy who posed as a German agent to infiltrate the ranks of British Nazi sympathisers, was a career intelligence officer who left Britain with his family to build a new life as a writer after the war.…

The Islands Trust Experiment

“The Islands” of the title are between Vancouver and Vancouver Island in British Columbia. There are 465 in this archipelago, known collectively as the Gulf Islands. I live on Salt Spring Island, shown in green, the largest of the 13, which have a total of 25,000 permanent residents. Islands Trust is a federation of local governments with land-use authority, tasked with preserving and protecting the area’s unique amenities and environment. This is something so rare that a web search of trusts related to land use yields many references to them as private agreements between non-profit or individual landowners, sometimes working with government, but not integrated into government. In the late 1960s, developers and speculators drew up huge subdivisions of city-sized lots for many of the islands, planning instant new villages, towns, and mega-resorts. The alarmed Social Credit government put on the brakes, freezing lot sizes to a 10-acre minimum. Still, large-scale d…

Video: Grace Islet - Don't Build Your House on My Bones

Alan Moberg and The Friends of Grace are releasing Don’t Build Your House on My Bones, a song written in support of resistance at Grace Islet, on Tuesday Oct 7. The recording includes performances by noted BC musicians Bill Henderson (Chillliwack), Diona Davies (ESL, Po’ Girl) and CR Avery, among others. Songwriter Alan Moberg (member, BC Country Music Hall of Fame) has been a concerned observer of the ongoing dispute at Grace Islet, just offshore from Salt Spring Island where he makes his home. A 4200 square foot house is being built on the tiny 3/4 hectare islet, a traditional burial site of the Coast Salish. Building is ongoing despite breaches of site-alteration permits issued by the archeology branch of the BC government, and despite calls from the CRD, MLA Gary Holman, tribal elders, and concerned citizens, asking the provincial Government to halt the project. Alan Moberg has a long history of writing and singing about the BC coast and it’s traditions, notably the f…

People Profile: Gabrielle Jensen

Community People Profiles is a series on the Salt Spring Exchange featuring local personalities on our dynamic Gulf Island. Our People Profiles are short interviews, with one answer questions to share with you a little about what each of the people we will feature are thinking about as they go about their lives living on Salt Spring Island. This weeks featured local people profile is: Gabrielle Jensen Here’s a little about Gabrielle; Most people know me through my work, I own Gulf Island Picture Framing, and have for more than 21 years now. A fact that I both marvel at and feel pride in. Before this I studied Fine Arts and Graphic Design in Vancouver. Skills I learned in college I use every day in my work as a framer as well as my pursuit as an artist. Finding time for my art is a challenge that I'm still working on. I share my life with a wonderful man and his beautiful daughter. What brought you to Salt Spring Island? I moved to Salt Spring with my family when …

People Profile: Terese Gillen

Community People Profiles is a series on the Salt Spring Exchange featuring local personalities on our dynamic Gulf Island. Our People Profiles are short interviews, with one answer questions to share with you a little about what each of the people we will feature are thinking about as they go about their lives living on Salt Spring Island. This weeks featured local people profile is: Terese Gillen Here’s a little about Terese; Since 1974, I have been teaching Transcendental Meditation around the world — in Canada, Europe, Armenia, Philippines, USA, UK, etc. Seeing this simple technique melt stress from peoples lives, and watching them develop their inner calm, mental clarity and harmony in life has also been truly fulfilling for me personally. What brought you to Salt Spring Island? I fell in love with Salt Spring when I first visited years ago, and have been in love with it ever since. Having moved from country to country for the past 30 years while working …

People Profile: Gary Utter

Community People Profiles is a series on the Salt Spring Exchange featuring local personalities on our dynamic Gulf Island. Our People Profiles are short interviews, with one answer questions to share with you a little about what each of the people we will feature are thinking about as they go about their lives living on Salt Spring Island. This weeks featured local people profile is: Gary Utter Here’s a little about Gary; My passion for the Pharmasave brand is obvious, I served on the Pharmasave Regional Board for over 12 years, and also served on the National Board for over 6 years. Even greater than Gary's passion for Pharmasave and serving customers, is his passion for family. When I am not at work (or sometimes when I am) you will find me spending time with my daughter and wife. What brought you to Salt Spring Island? I originally came to Salt Spring as a teenager when my parents purchased Booth Bay Resort in 1980. What one thing about Salt Spring would y…

Salt Spring Photo of the Day - Sunrise

We love to feature beautiful moments and photos from life on this curious, enchanted, dynamic island and we're delighted to share a photo from David James today. David is the creative force behind the Salt Spring Island Discover Yourself here video. David took this shot at sunrise on Beddis Beach on Sunday morning. Note the moon between their hands. Salt Spring Island is beautiful at all times of the day. Grateful to be living on this island.

Teachers Strike Ends - School Starts Monday

Members of the BC Teachers’ Federation have voted to ratify the agreement-in-committee reached on Tuesday, September 16, 2014, with the government’s bargaining agent, the BC Public School Employers’ Association. In a province-wide vote conducted on September 18, a total of 31,741 teachers cast ballots and 27,275 voted yes, 86%. “We all know this deal isn’t perfect, but it provides some gains for teachers, protects our Charter Rights, and increases support for students,” said BCTF President Jim Iker. “This was a very tough round of negotiations and a difficult time for many of us on strike, but we successfully pushed back against concession demands and we have emerged as a stronger and more engaged union. Through the hard work of our teachers, British Columbians now fully understand the real issues facing our public education system.” In announcing the vote results, Iker thanked teachers for their resilience and commitment. “BC teachers, you have inspired me day i…

Local Government Elections with Mail Ballot Voting Available

The Capital Regional District’s (CRD) General Voting Day for local government elections is on Saturday, November 15, 2014. The CRD holds elections for the following positions: Director Juan de Fuca Electoral Area (East Sooke, Malahat, Otter Point, Port Renfrew, Shirley/Jordan River, Willis Point), Director Salt Spring Island Electoral Area and Director Southern Gulf Islands Electoral Area (Galiano, Mayne, North Pender, Piers, Saturna, South Pender) The CRD also conducts elections on behalf of the Islands Trust for the following positions: Local Trustee Galiano Island Local Trust Area Local Trustee Mayne Island Local Trust Area Local Trustee North Pender Island Local Trust Area Local Trustee South Pender Island Local Trust Area Local Trustee Salt Spring Island Local Trust Area Local Trustee Saturna Island Local Trust Area Qualified residents or Non-Resident electors may place their vote on general voting day, Saturday, November 15, 2014, or at the advance vot…

Terry Fox Run - Running with Terry

It’s 7:00 a.m. and my family lays asleep in bed. The house is quiet apart from the sounding of my watch alarm. I try to sleep through it’s persistent beeping but as I restlessly roll over, something falls off the side of my bed with a thud. It’s the book I’ve been reading, “Terry Fox –His Story”, by Leslie Scrivener. I’m reminded why I’m meant to wake up. “Alright, Terry. Let’s go for a run”. I stretch out the kinks and wiggle my toes. My joints are stiff. “Where’s my oil can?” Terry can relate. Rain falls in heavy pellets. I hate the feel of wet clothes, squishy feet and squeaky shoes. Terry rolls his eyes. “Suck it up. Ever run through gale force winds, snowstorms and 38 degree heat?”. Starting off is slow. I whine, “My shins have been tender to the touch. My hips are tight. My ankles feel bruised”. “I know what you mean”, replies Terry empathetically. “My prosthetic is not fitting properly. The skin has been rubbed raw, the bone bruised. There ar…

2014 Salt Spring Island Fall Fair - Photos

What an amazing Salt Spring Island Fall Fair this year. Thank you to all the organizers, participants, volunteers, locals and off island visitors who made the event what it is. Great weather and great people! We’re excited to share some photos from the event from Salt Spring Island’s very own Derrick Lundy. Derrick is a long-time islander known for his years and years of work capturing the fun and people of this amazing island. Thank you Derrick for sharing your photos with us this year! Photos courtesy of Derrick Lundy Photography.

Photos: Fall Fair Aerial Views

The Salt Spring Island Fair was as busy as ever today, especially during the infamous island Zucchini 500. Jason Pryde of Industry Drones UAV took some incredible photos of the fair from high up using his drone. Check them out.

People Profile: Maggie O'Scalleigh

Community People Profiles is a series on the Salt Spring Exchange featuring local personalities on our dynamic Gulf Island. Our People Profiles are short interviews, with one answer questions to share with you a little about what each of the people we will feature are thinking about as they go about their lives living on Salt Spring Island. This week’s featured local people profile is: Maggie O'Scalleigh Here’s a bit about Maggie: I am a wife, a mother to a wonderful daughter, an attendant to a 99 year old man and just recently "retired" instructor and producer for StageCoach Theatre School...all things I am very proud of! I love producing shows and making "behind the scenes" magic happen, but I occasionally like to step into the limelight with my clown character "Mimi" or take on a musical role in something fun like Mama Priscilla's Cagey Revue (2013) Salt Spring is full of opportunities! What brought you to Salt Spring Island? I moved to Salt Spring from Vic…

People Profile: Bill Turner

Community People Profiles is a series on the Salt Spring Exchange featuring local personalities on our dynamic Gulf Island. Our People Profiles are short interviews, with one answer questions to share with you a little about what each of the people we will feature are thinking about as they go about their lives living on Salt Spring Island. This week’s featured local people profile is: Bill Turner Here’s a bit about Bill: I have been a busy guy since arriving on Salt Spring in 2002 - I actively substituted at GISS for ten years while operating a very successful B&B called Birdsong (which is still going strong). In my 'spare' time I have been very involved as a board member and current president of GLOSSI (Gays and Lesbians of Salt Spring Island). What brought you to Salt Spring Island? A whim! Following a short three-day initial visit to Salt Spring Island my (late) partner Edward and I decided to pack up and move over from New Westminster to SSI not knowing …