13070 Thomas Road, Ladysmith www.littlevalleyrestorations.com CONTACT US TODAY (250) 245 3022 Collision repair you can trust ICBC Valet Accredited repair facility All insurance companies accepted Member of the Quality Assured Collision Group 13070 Thomas Road, Ladysmith www.littlevalleyrestorations.com CONTACT US TODAY (250) 245 3022 Collision repair you can trust ICBC Valet Accredited repair facility All insurance companies accepted Member of the Quality Assured Collision Group Tuesday, July 9, 2013 www.ladysmithchronicle.com Serving Ladysmith, Chemainus and area www.chemainuschronicle.com Chronicle The Since 1908 $1 Bruce Whittingdon publishes new Alaskan guide Roadstars will rock Transfer Beach P. 10 P. 3 More cars than ever expected at Brits on the Beach Nick Bekolay British motoring enthusiasts will roll into Ladysmith Sunday, July 14, as hundreds of British cars and motorcycles converge on Transfer Beach Park for Brits on the Beach. The “all-British car and motorcy- cle event,” hosted by the Central Is- land branch of the Old English Car Club of British Columbia (OECC), returns to Ladysmith for its 14th year with a bigger-than-ever selec- tion of exotic roadsters and classic cruisers. OECC member Steve Wareing said the show attracts, on aver- age, 200 vehicles every year, but with the OECC’s annual general meeting scheduled to take place in Nanaimo July 12-13, event organiz- ers are anticipating their biggest turnout to date. Car clubs from across Vancouver Island are regular participants in the festival, Wareing said, draw- ing significant numbers of Jaguars, Minis, Austin-Healeys, MGs and Triumphs to the event every year. Alongside Britain’s most popular automotive brands, festivalgoers are likely to encounter more rare and exotic cars from the likes of Rolls Royce and Bentley, Wareing added, and a selection of bikes from Triumph, Royal Enfield, BSA, Norton and Vincent, but organiz- ers won’t know what the final lineup will look like until the day of the festival. “Sometimes you’ll get someone who brings a car I haven’t seen in decades,” Wareing said. “It’s al- ways interesting to see what turns up.” Wareing owns a 1972 MGB GT that he acquired in 2007. He’s since welded new sills onto his car be- fore having it repainted. That ex- perience offered him an apprecia- tion for how much time and energy owners invest in maintaining and restoring cars in their collections. Some of the cars on display at Brits on the Beach will be com- plete restorations in near-mint con- dition, Wareing said, while a select few will bear the telltale signs of long yet careful use. “A couple of years ago, out of the blue, we saw a 1926 Bentley Roadster,” Wareing said. “A huge, huge roadster. The owner drove it up from Victoria. It had been in his family since 1936. It was his grandfather’s car, then his father’s car and then his. I couldn’t even guess at the value of the thing, but it was so neat that it had been in the family for so many years. And the other thing was: it hadn’t been restored as such. It was used, so there were some dents on it and some scratches on it and the paint wasn’t that shiny, but the beautiful thing about it was that it was used. In other words, it wasn’t just made to look nice and then put in a mu- seum somewhere. It’s actually on the road.” Wareing encourages anyone who owns a made-in-the-U.K. car, truck or motorcycle to bring it down to Transfer Beach Park for the show Kai Schwarz wields a trio of Phantasticks to help promote the Schwarzes’ family-run toy business to pass- ersby at the Chemainus Giant Street Market Saturday, July 6. More than 100 vendors lined Willow Street offering for sale everything from toys and First Nations art to palm trees and prawning traps. NBSeaSide Lodge Oceanfront living for seniors www.seasidelodge.net 250 -756-8518 See Entrance Page 4 Tuesday, July 16, 2013 www.ladysmithchronicle.com Serving Ladysmith, Chemainus and area www.chemainuschronicle.com Chronicle The Since 1908 $1 2 FOR 1 We’re the Ones to Call 250-245-1111 When Buying or Selling Give Luke or Sue a call for a FREE MARKET EVALUATION Luke Kolk Sue Perrey olk W 2 Sue P 410A First Avenue, Ladysmith www.IslandHomeSales.com Purple Martin open house this Sunday Faith Knelson wins multiple medals P. 15 P. 5 The Central Island branch of the Old English Car Club of British Columbia hosted the 14th annual Brits on the Beach all-British car show Sunday, July 14 at Transfer Beach in Ladysmith. Hundreds of cars such as Triumphs, Rovers, MGs and Jaguars were displayed in the park under bright, sunny skies. Included in this series of photos is John St. John with the British Bobby Restaurant in Parksville, who dressed in an authentic British police officer (or bobby)’s uniform to promote the restaurant. Here, he pretends to write a ticket for a 1962 Sunbeam Rapier Series IIIA convertible owned by Alan and Mary Lou Miles of Richmond. He says the car is about the same vintage as his uniform. PLCBrits on the Beach! Tuesday, August 6, 2013 www.ladysmithchronicle.com Serving Ladysmith, Chemainus and area www.chemainuschronicle.com Chronicle The Since 1908 $1 Singing helped a shy Ken Lavigne Helen Pellerin celebrating 100th birthday P. 3 P. 9 Well Done Ladysmith! 13070 Thomas Road, Ladysmith www.littlevalleyrestorations.com CONTACT US TODAY (250) 245 3022 Collision repair you can trust ICBC Valet Accredited repair facility All insurance companies accepted Member of the Quality Assured Collision Group Tuesday, July 30, 2013 www.ladysmithchronicle.com Serving Ladysmith, Chemainus and area www.chemainuschronicle.com Chronicle The Since 1908 $1 2 FOR 1 We’re the Ones to Call 250-245-1111 When Buying or Selling Give Luke or Sue a call for a FREE MARKET EVALUATION Luke Kolk Sue Perrey olk W 2 Sue P 410A First Avenue, Ladysmith www.IslandHomeSales.com Look for our Ladysmith Days special in today’s paper Don’t miss Theatre of the Mind in Ladysmith P. 10 Parents raising money to keep program going Lindsay Chung A group of Ladysmith parents is turning to the community to try to help a program they value deeply. Parents whose children are attend- ing the Infant and Toddler Program at the Boys and Girls Club are ask- ing service clubs to donate to the program so they can help cover the costs of offering the program. This program is one of only two li- censed infant and toddler programs serving the Ladysmith area, offering 12 full-time spots for children from birth to age 36 months, according to parent Cara Whalen. “This is a service that we rely on as parents, and it is at risk of clos- ing due to financial challenges,” she says in a letter parents are distribut- ing to service clubs. Recently, parents were informed that the program was increasing its fees to cover a deficit and shorten- ing its hours, effective Sept. 1. Prior to the fee increase, fami- lies with children aged zero to 18 months were paying $900 a month, while parents with children aged 19 to 36 months were paying $775 a month. The new fees are now $1,000 a month for all ages up to 36 months. For families of 19- to 36-month-old children, this is an increase of 35 per cent, which Whalen says is not af- fordable to some parents. Parents are hoping they can buy some time to work with the Boys and Girls Club to find solutions. “The Boys and Girls Club is a beau- tiful and welcoming facility that our children are happy and thriving in,” said Whalen. “We want to ensure that they can continue to go to a place that they are comfortable with, as well as continuing to receive the quality care that they deserve.” Whalen says they basically need to raise an extra $100 per child per month. “The nice thing is we’ve been told it would stay with the Infant and Toddler Program,” she said. “We’re working on trying to get donations and discussing getting some fund- raisers going. We’ve discussed par- ents volunteering and parents bring- ing in snacks and art supplies to cut those costs.” As a whole, Infant and Toddler Pro- grams are the most expensive to op- erate because of the low staff ratios, explained Boys and Girls Club of Vancouver Island executive director Ian Kalina, noting the requirement is one staff member per four children. Faced with a deficit, the Boys and Girls Club told parents it would need to look at increasing fees and reducing hours to narrow the gap, he explained. “What we’re looking to do is to cov- er our staff costs,” said Kalina. Kalina says it costs about $1,400 a month just to staff the Infant and Toddler Program. He says they’re also trying to pay their staff a living wage because they don’t want a lot of turnover, as relationships are so important at this age. Kalina has been meeting with the parents to figure out how they can close the financial gap. “The notion of us narrowing the gap is really about working togeth- er,” he said. “If we can work togeth- er, which is the sense I had from our previous meeting, the sense is we can keep this going. We’re not say- ing we’re closing the program — we want to keep this going, and so do the parents.” If anyone would like to contribute, they can contact Cara Whalen at 250- 714-4043 or [email protected]. Josiah plays a game of zombies during Adventure Zone Summer Daycamp Monday morning at Transfer Beach Park. The daycamp is run by Ladysmith Parks, Recreation and Culture staff and featuers a variety of fun activities and outings during themed weeks. This week’s theme is Icky Sticky Science. SCTuesday, July 23, 2013 www.ladysmithchronicle.com Serving Ladysmith, Chemainus and area www.chemainuschronicle.com Chronicle The Since 1908 $1 13070 Thomas Road, Ladysmith www.littlevalleyrestorations.com CONTACT US TODAY (250) 245 3022 Collision repair you can trust ICBC Valet Accredited repair facility All insurance companies accepted Member of the Quality Assured Collision Group Cynthia Davis and Swing That Thing play Sunday Fat Tire Festival comes to Ladysmith P. 11 P. 9 Ladysmith family stranded for hours Chris Bush What was supposed to be a quick outing to a back country lake turned out to be an ordeal lasting several hours when a Ladysmith family found itself stranded behind a locked log- ging road gate on the weekend. Misty Tovey, her three-year- old son and boyfriend thought it would be fun to go check out McKay Lake, located beyond the end of Spruston Road in the hills above Cassidy, Saturday afternoon, but their short out- ing ran into a snag when, not knowing the area, they missed the lake and drove through an open gate on a logging road. “We’re new to the area, and we’d heard about the lake up there, so we thought that after- noon we’d go and try and find it,” Tovey said. “We go through this open gate and we thought we must be getting close to the beach or whatever. Two or three minutes up the road, this truck passes by us, going the other way real slow and wav- ing and smiling and we wave and smile and we acknowledge each other. We drive another two minutes up the road and there’s this great big gate, so we turned around to drive back and they’d locked us in.” Tovey said the other party had been on the road cutting fire- wood. The driver knew they were there but locked the gate behind him, blocking them in. Tovey, her son and boyfriend were a family in a minivan, she was wearing a dress and it seemed unlikely, she said, that they could have been mistaken for another party out cutting firewood who would have had a key for the gate. “I thought they were smiling to be nice, but I feel more like they were smiling because, ‘Aha, we’re going to lock you in,’” Tovey said. The family tried to find an- other way out, but when that search proved fruitless, fear- ing they might run out of fuel, they parked the minivan by the locked gate. Tovey said she is familiar with the bush, and normally, there should be a sign posted on or near a logging road gate warn- ing of potential road closures after certain hours and phone numbers people can call for help if they do become stranded or want a woodcutting permit. She found nothing in the area. Two men finally came by who took Tovey’s boyfriend to get his car, so the family could at least drive home. In the mean- time, she contacted another family member who managed to call two gate security people from Nanaimo Lakes who drove out and unlocked the gate. “They were so nice to us, and they had to drive 40 minutes from their house on a Saturday evening to let us out,” Tovey said. All told, the family was strand- ed behind the gate for more than four hours and an esti- mated 10 kilometres from the end of Spruston Road. They had food and water, but Tovey’s boy- friend has a spine defect that would have made hiking out of the area difficult if not impos- sible for him. Tovey said she wants to warn people that this could happen Children gather around to watch student field assistant Kevin Robinson (left) and biolo- gist Bruce Cousens band baby Purple Martins during a dem- onstration at the Ladysmith Maritime Society Community Marina as part of the BC Purple Martin Stewardship and Re- covery Program’s ninth annual open house Sunday, July 21. If you missed the open house and would like to learn more about Purple Martins or about the recovery program, visit www. georgiabasin.ca/puma.htm. PLCSee Open gate Page 5 Tuesday, August 13, 2013 www.ladysmithchronicle.com Serving Ladysmith, Chemainus and area www.chemainuschronicle.com Chronicle The Since 1908 $1 2 FOR 1 We’re the Ones to Call 250-245-1111 When Buying or Selling Give Luke or Sue a call for a FREE MARKET EVALUATION Luke Kolk Sue Perrey olk W 2 Sue P 410A First Avenue, Ladysmith www.IslandHomeSales.com Music, fun and games at ArtBeat in Chemainus Concerts in the Park with Bluegrass Fever P. 14 P. 11 Patients upset over doctor’s departure Lindsay Chung Patients of Dr. Vivian Kilvert are upset after learning that she will no longer be with the Ladysmith Fam- ily Practice Clinic as of Aug. 9. Joan Etheridge of Ladysmith, who is a patient of Kilvert’s, says she hears Kilvert has been asking for too many tests to be done for the diagnostic and monitoring needs of her patients and consequently is over budget. “We’re upset about our favourite doctor being fired for being too good at what she does,” she said. Ladysmith’s Gerry Yellowlees, who has seen Kilvert when his doc- tor was away, is upset as well, “This doctor is an excellent doctor and she’s being let go because she’s an excellent doctor,” he said. “This is ridiculous.” The Vancouver Island Health Au- thority (VIHA) could not comment on the specifics of Kilvert’s contract. “Vancouver Island Health Author- ity cannot disclose any circum- stances relating to the contractual relationship between any physi- cian and the health authority out of respect for the confidentiality of those involved,” Bruce Patterson in the VIHA communications depart- ment stated in an e-mail. Etheridge and Yellowlees were sur- prised to hear from other patients that Kilvert’s contract was not be- ing renewed. They received a letter from Kilvert July 9 informing them that her time with the Ladysmith Family Practice Clinic would end Aug. 9. They also received a letter from the clinic on July 17. Kilvert has been sharing Dr. Gra- ham Brockley’s practice at the clin- ic for about four years. “As of August 9, 2013, Dr. Kilvert will no longer share this practice and will not have a permanent contract within the VIHA Family Practice Clinic,” states the letter to patients from the Ladysmith Family Practice Clinic, which is signed by site manager Heather Dunne, Kil- vert and Brockley. “We know that many of you will miss Dr. Kilvert, and we know that the most difficult part of this change will be in losing her relationships with her patients that she has so cherished. Dr. Kil- vert has considered it a privilege to have served as your physician and wishes you health and happiness in your future. We, as a clinic, and I am sure I speak for you as patients, wish the same for Dr. Vivian Kilvert as she pursues other avenues in her career and life.” Dr. John Potts, one of the original physicians in the previous Monkey- Tree clinic in Ladysmith, will start in this half-time practice Sept. 2. “VIHA is committed to providing accessible, high quality care to resi- dents of the Ladysmith area,” said Patterson. “We’re pleased Dr. John Potts will join the Ladysmith Family Practice Clinic in September.” Yellowlees said he intended to write to the B.C. Medical Associa- tion and VIHA patient care, but he was frustrated that patients weren’t given very much notice. “What we’d like to do is have the Ladysmith Family Practice Clinic consider the patients in the future with the consequences of their ac- tions and also keep Dr. Kilvert in some capacity,” he said. “We’re try- ing to be positive about this and say ‘how can we turn a negative into a positive?’” Four-year-old Darevin Curnow of Chemainus — who is dressed as a honey bee to promote his family’s Honey Tree Bistro in the Secret Garden — makes some music on Willow Street during ArtBeat Friday, Aug. 9 in Chemainus. LCOceanfront living for seniors S eaSide Lodge www.seasidelodge.net 250-756-8518 Tuesday, August 20, 2013 www.ladysmithchronicle.com Serving Ladysmith, Chemainus and area www.chemainuschronicle.com Chronicle The Since 1908 $1 13070 Thomas Road, Ladysmith www.littlevalleyrestorations.com CONTACT US TODAY (250) 245 3022 Collision repair you can trust ICBC Valet Accredited repair facility All insurance companies accepted Member of the Quality Assured Collision Group Cool classics convene on First Avenue: Arts on the Avenue celebrates 15 years: P. 10 P. 11 Community Services Centre earns green LEEDership Gold Nick Bekolay The Canada Green Building Council (CaGBC) has award- ed LEED Gold certification to Ladysmith’s Community Services Centre, making it the city’s first structure to earn LEED credit. The red- and black-clad structure — located at High Street and Second Avenue — was completed in 2011, City Manager Ruth Malli said, and now houses the Ladysmith Re- sources Centre, the Ladysmith Food Back and the Ladysmith Seniors Centre. The Town of Ladysmith sub- mitted an application fee of $525 to the CaGBC alongside the building’s portfolio “in 2012,” Malli said. An additional $4,144 was paid for “certification fees,” Malli said. The application was submit- ted for consideration in the LEED Silver category, Mayor Rob Hutchins said, so LEED Gold certification “exceeded our expectations.” Building to LEED standards is now part of the Town’s en- ergy plan, Malli said, and all new civic structures exceed- ing 5,000 square feet in size will be built to that standard. LEED certification, or Lead- ership in Energy and Environ- mental Design, is defined as “a third-party certification pro- gram and an internationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction and op- eration of high performance green buildings,” states the CaGBC’s website. Structures submitted for LEED assessment are judged on a variety of criteria with priority given to a candidate building’s energy and water efficiency, the sustainability of the building site, its “indoor environmental quality,” and the materials used in its con- struction. Buildings that measure up are certified in one of four categories: LEED Platinum, LEED Gold, LEED Silver and LEED Certified. City Manager Ruth Malli (left) and Mayor Rob Hutchins (right) announced the city’s first LEED Gold certification Thursday, Aug. 15, accompanied by Jack Mai- er, president of the Ladysmith Seniors Society, and Dennis Lait, executive direc- tor for the LRCA. Ladysmith’s new Community Services Centre —located at 630 Second Avenue and home to the food bank, the LRCA and the Ladysmith Seniors Centre —received the nod from the Canada Green Building Council earlier this year. NBShow & Shine 10th Annual Ladysmith See LEED Gold Page 4 NB/TCTuesday, August 27, 2013 www.ladysmithchronicle.com Serving Ladysmith, Chemainus and area www.chemainuschronicle.com Chronicle The Since 1908 $1 2 FOR 1 We’re the Ones to Call 250-245-1111 When Buying or Selling Give Luke or Sue a call for a FREE MARKET EVALUATION Luke Kolk Sue Perrey olk W 2 Sue P 410A First Avenue, Ladysmith www.IslandHomeSales.com Transit buses coming to Ladysmith You can contribute to a portable mural P. 14 P. 7 Belly dancers from Saidi Sisters Studio in Ladysmith put on a colourful and energetic performance during the 15th annual Arts on the Avenue Sunday in Ladysmith. A wide variety of artists, entertainers and specialty food producers lined First Avenue between Buller and Warren streets in this one-day celebration of local art. For more photos from the event, please turn to page three. LCLindsay Chung The word “driven” comes up often when Neil and Tan- ya Heidelbach of Ladysmith describe their 16-year-old daughter Kaitlin. So do words like “adventurous,” “outdoorsy,” “fearless” and “happy.” Sadly, these words are be- ing used in the past tense after Kaitlin lost her life in a tragic accident late last week. After a long search, Kai- tlin’s body was found by Search and Rescue techni- cians shortly before 9:30 a.m. Friday, Aug. 30 in the Hidden Falls trail area. Search and Rescue crews from Ladysmith, Nanaimo and Cowichan, as well as an RCMP helicopter, had been looking for Kaitlin in the Ladysmith trails since just after midnight. Kaitlin had texted Neil Thursday, Aug. 29 at 6:30 p.m. to say she was going for a walk and that she’d be home in two hours. When her fam- ily didn’t hear from her — which was uncharacteristic — they called the police, and the search began. Kaitlin was born and raised in Prince George, and when her family moved to Ladysmith in 2009, she became the fifth generation of her family to live here. Kaitlin’s parents say she was very driven, and she al- ways wanted to be a doctor. “She was a really motivated girl who chose Queen Mar- garet’s School as her school,” said Tanya. “She decided in Grade 5 she wanted to go to Queen Margaret’s, and we told her if she maintained a straight A average, we would move here and she would be able to go there.” Kaitlin did just that, and she applied to the school. In 2009, she started Grade 7 at Queen Margaret’s School (QMS) when her family moved to Ladysmith from Prince George. “She chose it partly be- cause it was a university prep school,” said Tanya. Kaitlin also loved horses, and the equestrian program at Queen Margaret’s was another big draw for her, noted Tanya. When the Heidelbachs moved to Ladysmith, Kait- lin brought her horse Rocky here to be stabled in Cedar. She had raised the horse since she was 10 and com- peted in many American Quarter Horse Association shows with Rocky. “She excelled in everything she did,” said Tanya. “Any- thing she did, she had to be the best.” When Kaitlin was 12, and her family moved to the Is- land, she found herself a job working in the stables. She recently started a job as a cashier at Walmart in Dun- can, and she had to take an exam to get the job. Tanya says Kaitlin rewrote the exam until she got 100 per cent – which was typical of her drive to succeed. “It was basically all or noth- ing,” she said. “It was like that in everything — sports, school, horse shows. She had to be perfect. She al- ways said she was going to be rich and be a doctor and travel. She had huge dreams and huge hopes.” Kaitlin was going to be en- tering Grade 11 at QMS this year as House Captain and Sports Captain, and Tanya says she was excited to start those leadership roles. Volunteering was a big part of Kaitlin’s life, and when she was 14, she went on a service trip to Nicara- gua with her school. Kaitlin was looking forward to go- ing on another school ser- vice trip to Africa this year, and she was saving up from her new job at Walmart for the trip. Outside of school, Kaitlin loved sailing, kayaking and climbing. “She was a very outdoorsy and athletic teenager who had no fears,” said Neil. Neil and Tanya say Kaitlin was “far from your typical teenager.” They say she was very protective of her sister Dezaray, and she loved to read. “She had her head on her shoulders,” said Neil. “She knew where she wanted to be and how to get there.” Kaitlin wanted to go to Mc- Gill University and then to the University of Oxford to pursue her dream of becom- ing a doctor. “She had her whole educa- tional future mapped out,” said Neil. “She was so driv- en. She was always reading. She would choose reading over TV — unless it was an- ime. She loved anime, and she couldn’t wait until the next series came up.” Tanya and Neil say Kaitlin was a very happy teenager. “She was always laughing, always smiling,” said Neil. “Kaitlin loved the rain. If it was raining, she loved to be outside. She was competi- tive, fun-loving, adventur- ous and very driven. She was a tremendous kid.” The Heidelbachs want to thank the Ladysmith RCMP and Search and Rescue members from Ladysmith, Nanaimo and Cowichan for their tireless work search- ing for Kaitlin. “Everyone was so amazing,” said Neil. “Everybody needs to know they did a great job and helped us out.” “This community as a whole, there were other people in the community who aren’t even part of Search and Rescue who helped,” added Tanya. The Heidelbachs are grate- ful for the support they’re being given. “There was so much help from the community and town and the surrounding areas,” said Neil. “I want to thank everybody. I also want to thank our closest friends who were up with us all night helping us cope. Our friends and family are amazing. Without question, without hesitation, they were there.” The Heidelbach family is setting up a scholarship or bursary through QMS in Kaitlin’s name for students who are pursuing studies in the medical field, and any- one who would like to sup- port the family can donate money to the school under Kaitlin’s name. A bank ac- count is also being set up in the Heidelbachs’ name at Ladysmith and District Credit Union. A Celebration of Life for Kaitlin will be held this Fri- day (Sept. 6) at 1 p.m. at Queen Margaret’s School at 660 Brownsey Ave. in Dun- can, followed by a tea. RCMP Victim Services are available to anyone impact- ed by this tragedy. This free service can be reached by calling the Ladysmith RCMP at 250-245-2215. 13070 Thomas Road, Ladysmith www.littlevalleyrestorations.com CONTACT US TODAY (250) 245 3022 Collision repair you can trust ICBC Valet Accredited repair facility All insurance companies accepted Member of the Quality Assured Collision Group Tuesday, September 3, 2013 www.ladysmithchronicle.com Serving Ladysmith, Chemainus and area www.chemainuschronicle.com Chronicle The Since 1908 $1 Ladysmith ball teams win at provincials Ladysmith Kinsmen earn major award P. 5 P. 15-16 Accident claims life of ‘very driven’ teen Nick Bekolay Students in Ladysmith return to school one day later than their counterparts in Chemainus this year. Today marks open- ing day for the 2013- school year at Cowichan Valley schools while students at Nanaimo-Ladysmith schools wait until to- morrow to attend their first classes of the year. Chemainus Elemen- tary and Chemainus Secondary open this morning with dis- missal scheduled to take place three hours earlier than usual. All students are expected to attend school at Chemainus Elemen- tary today, but only eighth graders and new students are scheduled to attend classes at CSS this morning. CSS reverts to its regular schedule tomorrow (Sept. 4). Students in Ladysmith, Cedar and North Oyster, mean- while, have had their opening day pushed back to tomorrow due to a staff in-service day scheduled for today. Nanaimo-Ladysmith A Celebration of Life for Kaitlin Heidelbach will be held Friday, Sept. 6 at 1 p.m. at Queen Margaret’s School Ladysmith students start school a day later Saturday Sept 21, 2013 7pm Aggie Hall www.ladysmithdowntown.com Tickets only $15 in advance $18 at the door Available at: 49th Parallel Printers the Chronicle & Salamander Books Music by Sunwest DJ, Ages 19 + DANCE and proudly present See Pall Page 8 An overnight search for 16-year-old Kaitlin Heidel- bach ended tragically Friday morning. PSTuesday, September 10, 2013 www.ladysmithchronicle.com Serving Ladysmith, Chemainus and area www.chemainuschronicle.com Chronicle The Since 1908 $1 2 FOR 1 We’re the Ones to Call 250-245-1111 When Buying or Selling Give Luke or Sue a call for a FREE MARKET EVALUATION Luke Kolk Sue Perrey olk W 2 Sue P 410A First Avenue, Ladysmith www.IslandHomeSales.com Ball tournament raises money for food bank A Pretty Girl explores theme of family P. 10 P. 13 Variety of fundraisers support Tour de Rock Lindsay Chung The arrival of the Cops for Cancer Tour de Rock in Ladysmith and Chemainus is still more than two weeks away, but there are lots of ways to support the cause lead- ing up to the main event. In Chemainus, plans are underway for a new fundraising event, The Great Hair Event, which will take place Saturday, Sept. 14 from 1-4 p.m. at the Chemainus Seniors Drop-In Centre. Along with head shaves, there will be mu- sic, games and burgers barbecued by Jen Prunty, a 2013 Tour de Rock (TDR) rider and former North Cowichan police officer, to raise money for Camp Goodtimes, a camp for the children who have survived cancer or are undergoing treatments. Jan O’Neill, a volunteer with the Cowichan Unit of the Canadian Cancer Society and co-chair of the TDR commit- tee, says the Great Hair Event is something new for 2013, as they wanted to “pump things up” this year. “We’re really hoping for a fun day,” she said. Urban Legends is sending two hairdress- ers to the event, and as of Monday, five people had signed up to have their heads shaved — including Chemainus Theatre Festival volunteer Eric Marshall and North Cowichan Mayor John Lefebure. “Head shaving has become synonymous with Tour de Rock fundraisers because so many people, when they undergo chemo- therapy, they lose their hair,” noted O’Neill. Anyone wishing to participate in this head shave can call O’Neill at 250-246-5351 to register or donate towards a shave. Do- nation forms can be picked up from the Chemainus Theatre, and people can do- nate at www.tourderock.ca or at the event. In Ladysmith, the Ladysmith Downtown Business Association (LDBA) is promoting an “adopt a rider” program. For a $50 donation to TDR, the LDBA will provide you with a sign showing spon- sorship of your rider. You, an employee, a friend or neighbour will then be asked to hold up that sign on First Avenue while the riders cycle into town Monday, Sept. 30. Then you can head down to the Ladysmith and District Credit Union (LDCU) parking lot and have a professional photo taken of you and your rider. Anyone who would like to sponsor a rider can contact Cathleen McMahon at info@ mmgrp.ca or 250-668-3338. Local residents can make a tribute to a cancer survivor or anyone who has made a difference in the fight against cancer through the LDCU’s Wall of Heroes mural. For a minimum $50 donation, artist Kelly Everill will write the name of your cancer hero in a rock on the hand-painted mural beside the Credit Union at 330 First Ave. To be included on the Wall of Heroes for the 2013 Tour, donations and names should be received by Sept. 23. Leading up to the TDR riders’ arrival, there are a number of ongoing fundraisers. Vancouver Island Insurance Centre in Coronation Mall is hosting a bike draw to support TDR from now until Sept. 30. Make a donation to TDR and be entered to win one of three bikes. The Junction Bottle Depot is onboard, and people are invited to return their bot- tles and cans to 149 Oyster Bay Rd. and tell the attendant to donate the money to TDR. From Sept. 23-29, Tim Hortons will sup- port TDR through sales of Smile Cookies. NB/CConst. Brigitte Goguen of the Ladysmith RCMP braved the rain Thursday, Sept. 5 to monitor motor- ists passing through school zones near Ladysmith Primary School. Goguen, fellow Ladysmith RCMP officers and SpeedWatch volunteers will be out in full force in the coming weeks in an effort to re- mind drivers to slow down now that students are back in school. See Strict Enforcement on page 8 for more. SeaSide Lodge Oceanfront living for seniors www.seasidelodge.net 250-756-8518 Tuesday, September 24, 2013 www.ladysmithchronicle.com Serving Ladysmith, Chemainus and area www.chemainuschronicle.com Chronicle The Since 1908 $1 2 FOR 1 We’re the Ones to Call 250-245-1111 When Buying or Selling Give Luke or Sue a call for a FREE MARKET EVALUATION Luke Kolk Sue Perrey olk W 2 Sue P 410A First Avenue, Ladysmith www.IslandHomeSales.com Seniors star in Spooktacular Halloween show Ladysmith RCMP seize drugs, alcohol at rave P. 3 P. 14 Tour de Rock rolls into Ladysmith Sept. 30 Nick Bekolay The Tour de Rock entourage rolled out of Port Alice Sunday morning on the first leg of their 1,000-kilometre journey south to Victoria. Following a west coast detour this coming weekend, TDR is scheduled to depart Nanaimo for Ladysmith and Chemainus on the morning of Monday, Sept. 30. In the lead up to TDR’s arrival, local organizers are busy overseeing a multi-faceted fundraising and aware- ness campaign. Front and centre is the Wall of Heroes, a mural locat- ed at the Ladysmith and District Credit Union that will serve as the backdrop for Ladysmith’s welcome cere- mony when TDR arrives Monday afternoon. TDR committee member Kim Judson said anyone in- terested in having a cancer hero’s name memorialized on the Wall of Heroes can do so by donating $50 to TDR. Kelly Everill returns to Ladysmith this Wednesday (Sept. 25) to complete the mural, Judson said, and it may only take a day or two for her to add the 70 names registered to date. As a result, Judson advised anyone wanting to see their hero’s name added to the wall prior to the mural’s unveiling Sept. 30 to register with the LDCU prior to Sept. 25. A second fundraising option is the Adopt-A-Rider program. By donating $50 to TDR prior to Sept. 30, the Ladysmith Downtown Business Association will assign a donor a rider, make up an “encouragement poster,” and provide professional photos. Judson said that rider adoptions can be arranged by contacting Teresa McKin- ley at the Chronicle. Vancouver Island Insurance Centre is contributing to the TDR effort by sponsoring a bike draw, Judson add- ed. By donating to TDR before Sept. 30, donors will be eligible to win one of three bikes up for grabs. To sign up for the draw, contact Adele at Ladysmith VIIC. Local eateries are contributing to the cancer-fighting cause, too, Judson said. Printingdun Beanery at First Avenue and Roberts Street is donating the proceeds of every chicken sandwich sold from now through Sept. 30, Judson added, while Tim Horton’s is donating the proceeds of any Smile Cookies sold until Sept. 30 to TDR. Ladysmith Secondary School will make its contribu- tion via an Open Mic Night scheduled for 6:30 p.m. this Thursday (Sept. 26) at LSS. Admission is by donation, and all proceeds will go to TDR. LSS principal Dave Street, meanwhile, will spend Sept. 28-30 camped out on a scissor lift in the LDCU parking lot to raise money and awareness for TDR, Judson said. Lonely though he may be, Street can count on Ladysmith Fire/Rescue to keep him company as he em- barks on his journey through low earth orbit. Ladysmith Fire/Rescue will host a community barbecue and TDR fundraiser Sept. 28 from 4-7 p.m. in the LDCU parking lot. The grand finale begins when the TDR riders roll into Ladysmith Monday afternoon sometime between 1:30 and 2 p.m., Judson said. After a brief stop at Tim Hor- ton’s, the riders will proceed to the LDCU parking lot where they will be greeted by Ladysmith’s finest. Cadets from Royal Cana- dian Air Cadets Squad- ron 257 Ladysmith lead nearly 300 cadets in a Vancouver Island Wing Squadron and Band Pa- rade along First Avenue Sunday, Sept. 22. Here, they salute reviewing officer Rear Admiral William Truelove, com- mander of Maritime Forces Pacific, in front of the Royal Canadian Legion. Cadets from 10 squadrons from Van- couver Island and Pow- ell River took part in the parade, which was followed by a military inspection inside Aggie Hall. For more photos from the 70th Anniver- sary Event, please see page 10. LCSee Expect Page 4 Tuesday, October 1, 2013 www.ladysmithchronicle.com Serving Ladysmith, Chemainus and area www.chemainuschronicle.com Chronicle The Since 1908 Publications Mail Agreement No. 40010318 $ 1 (plus GST) 13070 Thomas Road, Ladysmith www.littlevalleyrestorations.com CONTACT US TODAY (250) 245 3022 Collision repair you can trust ICBC Valet Accredited repair facility All insurance companies accepted Member of the Quality Assured Collision Group Volleyball season underway at LSS Yellow Point Drama Group presents fall play P. 12 P. 15 Carmen Gibson of Choptsix Salon sheers Corey Cross’s long locks for the Canadian Cancer Society Cops for Cancer Tour de Rock Monday, Sept. 30 as the town celebrates the Tour’s arrival. Cross, an 11-year-old Ladysmith Intermediate School student, raised “just over $4,000” in the process, a sum later matched by Ladysmith’s Coastal Trucking. For more photos from the Tour de Rock arrival in Ladysmith, please turn to page 10. NICKBEKOLAY 13070 Thomas Road, Ladysmith www.littlevalleyrestorations.com CONTACT US TODAY (250) 245 3022 Collision repair you can trust ICBC Valet Accredited repair facility All insurance companies accepted Member of the Quality Assured Collision Group Tuesday, September 17, 2013 www.ladysmithchronicle.com Serving Ladysmith, Chemainus and area www.chemainuschronicle.com Chronicle The Since 1908 $1 Senior cyclists earn three gold apiece Fog greets runners at Terry Fox Run: P. 10 P. 12 Timetable troubles fuel tension at LSS Nick Bekolay Principal Dave Street asks students and parents upset over unexpected changes to their timetables to place their faith in Ladysmith Secondary School’s adminis- trative staff and counsellors. LSS counsellors are working 12 hours a day as they revise students’ timetables and match students to available courses, Street said, and he assured parents and students alike that “we’ve got a handle on things.” Street credited LSS’s two counsellors with working “upwards of 12-plus hours a day to accommodate students’ needs” in spite of being met with “more abuse than they ever have” before. Having to contend with people exhibit- ing “very little tact” when communicating their timetable concerns with the school’s counselling staff means the counsellors “deserve a huge pat on the back for what they’ve been doing.” Traditionally, LSS has always distribut- ed the following year’s completed course schedules to students in June, Street ex- plained, providing students and parents with an opportunity to work with coun- sellors on revised schedules through ear- ly July and the last week of August. This year, however, LSS chose to distrib- LSS principal asks parents and students for their patience Ladysmith Secondary School students Grace Twedt, Alexa Spanevello, Kassandra Webber and Kennedy Hayes say they’re upset over course schedules that failed to meet their expectations, a position they say they share with hundreds of their fellow LSS students. The school delayed the distribution of student timetables until the first day of classes this year, said LSS principal Dave Street, leading to a flood of last-minute requests from students seek- ing revisions to their course schedules. Responding to complaints regarding long waits for scheduling changes, Street said LSS staff members were do- ing everything they possibly could to address the concerns of parents and students. NB/TCSaturday Sept 21, 2013 7pm Aggie Hall www.ladysmithdowntown.com Tickets only $15 in advance $18 at the door Available at: 49th Parallel Printers the Chronicle & Salamander Books Music by Sunwest DJ, Ages 19 + DANCE and proudly present Nick Bekolay As the first full week of classes un- folded at Ladysmith Secondary School, a hefty portion of the school’s students was left biding its time as counsellors scrambled to fill in the gaps in stu- dents’ timetables. Course schedules handed out on day one of the new school year failed to meet the needs or expectations of close to half of the school’s students, and the school hasn’t addressed stu- dents’ concerns quickly enough, say LSS students. Grade 11 student Alexa Spanevello said the writing and English literature courses she thought she’d signed up for failed to materialize, a consider- able inconvenience in light of her fu- ture aspirations. “I want to be an English teacher when I’m older,” she explained. Instead of devoting her time to study- ing Orwell or Shakespeare, Spanevello said she’s found herself in a “place- holder class” that, as of Friday after- noon, had yet to be filled. When she filled out her course survey last spring, Spanevello said she “defi- nitely thought” that by jotting down her course selections, LSS would Students lament unwanted spares, online courses See School Page 4 See Students Page 5 2 FOR 1 We’re the Ones to Call 250-245-1111 When Buying or Selling Give Luke or Sue a call for a FREE MARKET EVALUATION Luke Kolk Sue Perrey olk W 2 Sue P 410A First Avenue, Ladysmith www.IslandHomeSales.com Tuesday, October 8, 2013 www.ladysmithchronicle.com Serving Ladysmith, Chemainus and area www.chemainuschronicle.com Chronicle The Since 1908 $1 Happy Zak’s makes its Dragons’ Den debut Zoning changes affect campground owners P. 4 P. 11 New committee looks at scope of homelessness Nick Bekolay An organization founded in response to the death of a local homeless man last winter is teaming up with local churches and the Ladysmith Resources Centre Associa- tion to feed the hungry today. The Ladysmith Homeless Aid Committee (LHAC), the LRCA and volunteers from Bethel Tabernacle are team- ing up to serve hot dogs and hamburgers to Ladysmith’s “financially vulnerable” at Market Square at 11 a.m., said LRCA program manager Cindy Warren. Volunteers with the LHAC and Social Planning Cowichan will follow up with a survey on low-income housing needs in Ladysmith, Warren added. Founded by Barb Bodaly, Bruce Mason and Tim Sol- loway following the death of their longtime friend and acquaintance David Alton last January, the LHAC’s mem- bership has since expanded to include town councillors, an RCMP officer, MLA Doug Routley and representa- tives from various advocacy organizations, churches and concerned citizens’ groups. “The mission of the committee is to provide cold- or extreme-weather shelter to people who are homeless,” Warren explained. “At this point, we are working with Kevan Griffith, property manager for the Balmoral Hotel supportive housing complex in Nanaimo. They will pro- vide space if we transport people there on nights when there is extreme weather and pick them up the next morning.” Before they can move forward with their project, though, Warren said they “need to know the scope of homelessness in Ladysmith.” Physical outreach will be a key means of ascertaining the housing needs of low-income members of the com- munity, Warren added, and she hopes these efforts will help the LHAC determine the number of people who would use a cold-weather shelter. The plight of Ladysmith’s most vulnerable residents was brought to light when Alton’s body was discovered in a dugout at Aggie Field Jan. 14, 2013. When Alton crossed paths with Mason a few days prior to his death, he informed Mason that he had been evict- ed from his apartment and that he had been left home- less as a result. Mason described his former high school classmate as “obviously not well” the last time they spoke. Alton’s clothes were “falling apart,” and he looked so thin and haggard that Mason didn’t recognize him at first. Temperatures dropped to near zero — and possibly below zero — the night Alton is thought to have died. According to Environment Canada, the final reading for Nanaimo Airport, recorded at 9 p.m. on the night of Jan. 13, reads 0.1 C. Alton’s death was “quite tragic,” Mason said, adding that “it shouldn’t have happened, and hopefully it will never happen to anyone else in town.” Preliminary tests conducted by the BC Coroners Ser- vice (BCCS) were inconclusive, and the results of subse- quent tests were expected “by late spring at best.” The results of those tests are now in the “final editing process,” said BCCS spokesperson Barb McLintock last Thursday, and they will be released to the public “in ap- proximately three weeks.” For more information on this initiative, contact Cindy Warren at 250-245-3079. Ladysmith Homeless Aid Committee and Ladysmith Resources Centre Association feeding the hungry today at 11 a.m. Although the sun was shin- ing, the ground was still sog- gy, as Lloyd Hiebert and his workers harvested potatoes on Hiebert’s Quennell Road farm Sunday morning. Sun- day marked the beginning of Hiebert’s 50th harvest on the farm, which he took over from his parents in 1963. LCOceanfront living for seniors S eaSide Lodge www.seasidelodge.net 250-756-8518 Tuesday, October 15, 2013 www.ladysmithchronicle.com Serving Ladysmith, Chemainus and area www.chemainuschronicle.com Chronicle The Since 1908 $1 13070 Thomas Road, Ladysmith www.littlevalleyrestorations.com CONTACT US TODAY (250) 245 3022 Collision repair you can trust ICBC Valet Accredited repair facility All insurance companies accepted Member of the Quality Assured Collision Group LSS hosts Kwalikum in junior boys’ soccer Chemainus jazz singer gettting plenty of opportunities P. 12, 14 P. 15 Water, sewer connection to Oyster Bay complete Lindsay Chung Last August, MP John Duncan came to Stz’uminus First Nation to announce nearly $1.5 million in federal funding from Aboriginal Affairs and Northern De- velopment Canada (AANDC) to extend water and sewer services from Ladysmith. Last week, Duncan was back in the area, this time to celebrate the completion of that work. Duncan, Stz’uminus First Nation Chief John Elliott and Ladysmith Mayor Rob Hutchins stood on the Stz’uminus Oys- ter Bay Reserve at Oyster Sto’Lo Road beside the Ivy Green Husky Wednesday, Oct. 9 and cut a ribbon to celebrate the completion of water and sewer infra- structure for Oyster Bay. “Your communities have much to be proud of,” said Duncan. Water and sewer services at Oyster Bay will make way for proposed development in the area, and will also secure a safe water source for the Stz’uminus commu- nity currently residing at Oyster Bay. Elliott expressed gratitude to everyone who has worked together on this project and explained that the completion of wa- ter and sewer “will help make an econo- my and build the local area.” “It’s all about working together and mak- ing sure that we do this building of the local area together,” he said, calling this “the start of where we are going for our future.” Calling the day of the ribbon cutting “a significant milestone between those two communities,” Hutchins noted that the Town of Ladysmith and Stz’uminus First Nation signed a renewed Community Ac- cord in May 2012 and followed that up with a Memorandum of Understanding. “Today, we’re actually celebrating the first real physical manifestation of that work,” he said. “We’re actually physically, finally, connecting our two communities together in a meaningful way through water and sewer. This is about the joint communities. This is going to allow the Stz’uminus First Nation to do something pretty powerful on this site. In turn, it’s going to allow the Town of Ladysmith, in partnership with Stz’uminus First Nation, to provide a better water supply, a health- ier water supply, to the community.” “It’s a huge milestone for us. It’s good for both communities, and I’m thankful to be part of it,” he added. “I’m sorry it’s tak- en so long. The next stages will go a lot quicker; we’ve finally figured out how to work together, and we have some pretty exciting things coming.” Water and sewer connection has been one of the top priorities for Coast Sal- ish Development Corporation (CSDC) — the economic development agency of the Stz’uminus First Nation — and, with the infrastructure in place, development of Oyster Bay can begin, according to a press release. Duncan was serving as the Minister of AANDC during the construction of the water and wastewater infrastructure at Oyster Bay, and he “was a huge support for this project in securing a significant funding deal from AANDC, which pro- vided Stz’uminus First Nation with nearly $1.5 million in August 2012,” according to the CSDC. With this infrastructure complete, wa- ter will soon flow from the Town of Ladysmith to Oyster Bay. Development at Oyster Bay will be underway within the next 12 months, according to the CSDC. The planned Oyster Bay Development includes residential housing, commercial space, resorts and lodging, marina and waterfront development, and seniors-ori- ented living on 99 hectares of land. From left, Ladysmith Mayor Rob Hutchins, MP John Duncan — who was minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Cana- da when this work began — and Stz’uminus First Nation Chief John Elliott cut the ribbon to celebrate the completion of water and sewer infrastructure at Oyster Bay Reserve at Oyster Sto’Lo Road. The completion of the water and sewer connection means that planned development on the reserve can begin. LCTuesday, October 22, 2013 www.ladysmithchronicle.com Serving Ladysmith, Chemainus and area www.chemainuschronicle.com Chronicle The Since 1908 $1 2 FOR 1 We’re the Ones to Call 250-245-1111 When Buying or Selling Give Luke or Sue a call for a FREE MARKET EVALUATION Luke Kolk Sue Perrey olk W 2 Sue P 410A First Avenue, Ladysmith www.IslandHomeSales.com Ed Nicholson honoured by Rotary Club Little Theatre’s The Heiress opens Thursday P. 11 P. 5 Petition created to keep École Davis Road open Lindsay Chung A petition is circulating to express support for keeping École Davis Road (EDR) Elementary open. EDR is at risk of closure at the end of this school year as part of School Dis- trict 68’s 10-year Enhanced Facilities for Learning plan. Last spring, the school board extended the consultation on this decision until Dec. 1, and a working group has been created to meet and dis- cuss potential options. A final decision will be made by Dec. 18. In collaboration with the EDR Parent Advisory Council (PAC), EDR parents Jessica Lowry and Graeme Rouse creat- ed a petition to demonstrate the support to keep EDR open. “Its target audience is Ladysmith resi- dents, current Davis Road parents and future parents,” said Lowry. “Our hope is that during this decision making time, this petition can help with a positive outcome for the school, for south-end Ladysmith and the entire Ladysmith com- munity. With a large amount of support, there will be positive pressure applied to the Town of Ladysmith and to the Board of Education to really consider the short and long term effects of closing such a popular school, with a great educational track record and one that serves as the community hub of the growing south end of Ladysmith.” The petition is directed to Ladysmith’s mayor and council and to the board of education and senior administration at SD68. “We hope to gather as much support over the next month or so, to reflect the community’s support to keep Davis Road Elementary open before the Dec. 18 decision,” said Lowry. As of Monday morning, the online peti- tion had 175 signatures, and Lowry says “ a lot of great, personal feedback” has been included. “I think the parents of Davis Road are very aware of the situation and eager to support keeping Davis Road open or ensure that a K-7 French/English school remain in the south end,” she said. “This petition will further inform community members who may not be directly in- volved with the school and especially south-end home owners as to the risk of closing such a well-supported school in a part of town that is only going to see more growth. “Residents need to consider the effects on their real estate should the school close and the loss of a valued community space and all that it offers currently and could offer in the future.” Lowry feels that fostering successful neighbourhood schools like EDR would keep a sense of community in Ladysmith and also keep students and their families here. “I pick up my son after kindergarten, and for an hour or two after school, the playground is brimming with kids play- ing and parents connecting,” she said. “We are all out there saying, ‘There is something amazing at this school. They cannot close it.’ A huge part of that ‘something amazing’ is undeniable com- munity spirit. If these decisions are driv- en by budget and a school needs to be closed to satisfy an operational budget for SD68, it should not be a school that is doing extremely well in a populated, growing area.” The École Davis Road petition is avail- able online at wry.io/save-edr. Anyone who is unable to sign the peti- tion online can leave a message with the PAC at the EDR office by calling 250- 245-7187. If you leave your name, phone number and address, the PAC will ar- range for someone to bring you a hard copy of the petition to sign or direct you to the nearest business in town where the petitions will be available. To mark World Food Day Wednesday, Oct. 16, students, staff and parents from St. Joseph’s School in Chemainus held a food walk through the community. The World Food Day walk is an initiative of the Island Catholic Schools and the Society of St. Vincent de Paul to raise aware- ness of hunger issues around the globe and within the community. Leading up to the walk, students at St. Joseph’s collected about 25 bags of groceries for the food bank. “Our purpose in going downtown is to walk as a community and show the community we care,” said princi- pal Bern Muller. “The initiative is promoting an awareness, not only for our students that oth- ers are in need and we need to share with them, but also with the community that this is an is- sue. I told the children they are empowered — they are actively doing something. This is a way everyone can be empowered without everyone bringing a loonie.” LCTuesday, October 29, 2013 www.ladysmithchronicle.com Serving Ladysmith, Chemainus and area www.chemainuschronicle.com Chronicle The Since 1908 $1 13070 Thomas Road, Ladysmith www.littlevalleyrestorations.com CONTACT US TODAY (250) 245 3022 Collision repair you can trust ICBC Valet Accredited repair facility All insurance companies accepted Member of the Quality Assured Collision Group VIU Nursing students giving back New 49th Parallel Grocery in Chemainus P. 2 P. 3 This Halloween, be sure to be seen Ross Armour Come nightfall this Halloween, many ghosts and ghouls will take to the streets envisioning tricks or treats, but the Ladysmith RCMP is encouraging locals to remain lumi- nous in the dark. Officers’ message to parents is to ensure that youngsters are wearing plenty of reflective gear when scur- rying around town. “One of the main problems is kids just don’t wear enough reflective gear,” said spokesperson Const. Brigitte Goguen of the Ladysmith RCMP. “I’ve covered a couple of Halloweens, and it can be really difficult to move around with the fog. I would love to see more glow in the dark stickers and flashlights while patrolling those dark streets this year.” With the latest foggy outburst seemingly here to stay, Goguen warned the weather can “contribute to inad- vertent run-ins for pe- destrians and drivers.” “I remember last year at the Brown Drive Park area, which is a darkish neighbourhood, I had to drive 20 km/h just to be safe. There’s a lot of kids, and every- body seems to go there.” The RCMP is pushing the use and presence of reflective straps, lights, stickers and glow sticks, amongst others. Officers are warning drivers to expect the unex- pected and to allow for more time when driving residential streets. “A witch’s costume is all-black, so you need to be able to quickly re- spond as a driver,” said Goguen. Another relevant safety topic dur- ing the Halloween buildup annually is fireworks. Regulations on the sale and dis- charge of fireworks are underlined by the Cowichan Valley Regional District (CVRD). The CVRD’s bylaw on its website reads: “Any person or organization may possess and discharge fire- works at a public special event or festival if the person or organiza- tion has a fire safety plan and holds a valid Fireworks Discharge Per- mit for the level appropriate to the nature of the fireworks being pos- sessed and discharged.” Halloween is classed as a “special event” by CVRD, along with Janu- ary 1 and July 1. “Fireworks Discharge Permits will be issued for one day only and must be approved by the CVRD.” Goguen said in an e- mail, “if you are under 18, fireworks and fire- crackers are prohibited at any time or place. If you are over 18, fire- works are also prohib- ited unless you have a permit and you are set- ting them off on private property. Discharging fireworks carries a $100 fine.” RCMP officers will be on “proactive patrol” this Thursday evening making sure all is safe whilst apparently at- tempting to stay in the Halloween spirit at the same time. “I’m sure some of us will be hand- ing out candy to the kids from our vehicles,” said Goguen. Party-goers are also warned to plan their ride home and to not drink and drive. Parents are advised to check out all treats for any cases of tamper- ing and throw out any spoiled, un- wrapped or suspicious items. Three-year-old Peyton Mark of Nanaimo gets into the spirit of Crosstoberfest during the Cross on the Rocks cyclocross event Sunday, Oct. 27 at Transfer Beach. Two hundred and 10 people took part in the race this year. For more photos and information from Crosstoberfest, please turn to page 15. LCOne of the main problems is kids just don’t wear enough reflective gear. Brigitte Goguen RCMP ❞ ❝ Tuesday, November 5, 2013 www.ladysmithchronicle.com Serving Ladysmith, Chemainus and area www.chemainuschronicle.com Chronicle The Since 1908 $1 2 FOR 1 We’re the Ones to Call 250-245-1111 When Buying or Selling Give Luke or Sue a call for a FREE MARKET EVALUATION Luke Kolk Sue Perrey olk W 2 Sue P 410A First Avenue, Ladysmith www.IslandHomeSales.com Ladysmith children have a ghoulish good time École Davis Road football teams off to playoffs P. 19 P. 11 Remembrance Day services full of tradition Lindsay Chung Tradition and community are at the heart of Remembrance Day services in Ladysmith and Chemainus this Nov. 11. In Ladysmith, the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 171 Colour Party and Band will be out in the community in the days leading up to Remembrance Day. The Colour Party and Band visits the Lodge on 4th Thursday, Nov. 7 at 1:30 p.m. On Friday, Nov. 8, the Colour Party and Band visits Ladysmith Secondary School at 1:30 p.m. and then La Rosa Gardens at 1:30 p.m. The For King and Country Re- membrance Day Veteran’s Dinner is being held that night at Eagles Hall. First United Church is holding a Remem- brance service Sunday, Nov. 10 at 10:30 a.m. On Monday, Nov. 11, there will be a Re- membrance Day parade from 10:30-10:45 a.m. from the Legion at 621 First Ave. to the Cenotaph. At 11 a.m., the program be- gins with two minutes of silence, followed by the Remembrance program and the lay- ing of wreaths. Following the service, refreshments will be available for veterans and adults at the Legion Hall, while refreshments for chil- dren participating in the memorial service will be offered at Aggie Hall. The Colour Party will then take part in a Remembrance Day service at Cedar Valley Memorial Gardens Cemetery at 1:30 p.m. Royal Canadian Legion Branch 191 in Chemainus marks Remembrance Day in a number of ways, and many events are tak- ing place in the community.. A White Cross Ceremony took place for the first time Nov. 2 at the Chemainus Cemetery. A Veteran’s Dinner will be held Satur- day, Nov. 9 at the Chemainus Legion Hall at 9775 Chemainus Rd. Cocktails will be served at 5 p.m., and the dinner is at 6 p.m. Dinner is complimentary for veterans and $10 for guests. On Sunday, Nov. 10, a church service will be held at 10 a.m. at St. Michael’s Church, and there will be a Remembrance Service at 1 p.m. at the Chemainus Cemetery on Chemainus Road. The Legion’s Remembrance Day memo- rial service takes place Monday, Nov. 11 at 10:50 a.m. at the Chemainus Cenotaph. Following the service, there will be an open house at the Chemainus Legion Hall and Lounge, as well as children’s refresh- ments at the Chemainus Senior Drop-In Centre at 9824 Willow St. The first Remembrance Day was conduct- ed in 1919 throughout the Commonwealth, according to Veterans Affairs Canada. Orig- inally called Armistice Day, it commemo- rated the end of the First World War on Monday, Nov. 11, 1918, at 11 a.m. Paulette Browning (left) and Julie The- berge string lights on the trees along First Avenue in Ladysmith during the Festival of Lights setup workparty Sunday, Nov. 3. Tons of volunteers turned up to help string lights, set up rooftop decorations and prepare the town for Light Up, which takes place this year on Thursday, Nov. 28. For more photos from the workparty, please see page 5. LCTuesday, November 12, 2013 www.ladysmithchronicle.com Serving Ladysmith, Chemainus and area www.chemainuschronicle.com Chronicle The Since 1908 $1 13070 Thomas Road, Ladysmith www.littlevalleyrestorations.com CONTACT US TODAY (250) 245 3022 Collision repair you can trust ICBC Valet Accredited repair facility All insurance companies accepted Member of the Quality Assured Collision Group Yellowpoint Christmas Spectacular starts Dec. 6 École Davis Road creates community library P. 4 P. 13-14 Empty Chair honours Poulain Lindsay Chung In introducing the Empty Chair during Friday night’s For King and Country Remembrance Day Veter- an’s Dinner, Ladysmith Mayor Rob Hutchins described it as “our salute of gratitude to our veterans.” And this year, that salute went to Adolphe Louis (Don) Poulain, who was killed July 23, 1943, at the age of 22 while serving in Sicily. “As part of our Veteran’s Dinner, the Empty Chair at the head table stands as a silent tribute to a man from the Ladysmith area whose name can be found on the Ladysmith Cenotaph,” Hutchins said during the dinner, which was hosted by the Ladysmith Rotary Club and the Ladysmith Le- gion. “The Empty Chair bids us to remember those who would never return home, those men and women who gave their lives so that others could enjoy freedom.” Poulain was born Feb. 6, 1921, in Extension, a twin brother to Martha Edith, who lives at the Lodge on 4th, and a younger brother to Rosie, who lives in Vernon. “Your father, Louis Joseph Poulain, was a coal miner who had followed his father, Adolphe, into the coal mines of Wellington after emigrating from Belgium,” said Hutchins, ad- dressing Poulain during the Empty Chair ceremony. “We know little of your childhood in Extension, but life could not have been easy. Your mother passed away on May 31, 1928, when you were just seven years old.” Poulain’s father married Alice Thomas in 1931, and the family moved to Ladysmith. In September 1933, just after Pou- lain entered Grade 6, his family ex- perienced another tragedy when his father confronted a young man who was attempting to break into his sis- ters’ bedrooms, an altercation that resulted in the younger man’s death by stabbing. Poulain’s father was sentenced to two years in prison. He abandoned the family after getting out of prison. In 1935, Poulain received a con- ditional pass into Ladysmith High School. The class register indicates he quit school April 24, 1936, not long after turning 15. He began working for family friends who owned the Ladysmith Laundry and later turned up in Victoria. “Shortly after Canada declared war against Germany in September 1939 at the age of 18, you were one of the first to enlist in Victoria with the Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry,” said Hutchins. They were among the first Cana- dian troops to be stationed overseas, departing Halifax December 21, 1939. They were stationed in England with the 1st Canadian Infantry Division as part of the Shore Defence Forces. On July 10, 1943, Poulain’s unit landed in Sicily as part of the British 8th Army. Private Poulain was severely wound- ed while fighting the way up towards Leonforte on July 22, 1943. “You were hit, apparently shot in the stomach,” said Hutchins. “We can only imagine how painful and fright- ening the next 24 hours were for you. You died of your wounds the next day during the German withdrawal. You and your Canadian comrades num- bering in the hundreds were buried in the village of Agira, just northeast of the town of Leonforte where you were killed.” Four-year-old Henry Hunter England places a poppy on a cross during the Ladysmith Remembrance Day service Monday, Nov. 11. For more photos from the service in Ladysmith and the Remembrance Day ser- vice held in Chemainus, please turn to page 3. LCSeaSide Lodge Oceanfront living for seniors www.seasidelodge.net 250-756-8518 Tuesday, November 19, 2013 www.ladysmithchronicle.com Serving Ladysmith, Chemainus and area www.chemainuschronicle.com Chronicle The Since 1908 $1 2 FOR 1 We’re the Ones to Call 250-245-1111 When Buying or Selling Give Luke or Sue a call for a FREE MARKET EVALUATION Luke Kolk Sue Perrey olk W 2 Sue P 410A First Avenue, Ladysmith www.IslandHomeSales.com Ninth Cinnamon Bun Fun Run takes place Dec. 1 It’s a Wonderful Life opens Nov. 22 in Chemainus P. 13 P. 17 Skaters are one step closer to nationals Lindsay Chung Early next month, Ladysmith figure skat- er Sarah Kedves and her pairs partner Lu- cas Pallard from Nanaimo will compete at one of the top levels of competition, mov- ing one step closer to the nationals. Kedves and Pallard will represent Brit- ish Columbia and Yukon Territories at the Skate Canada Challenge, which will take place Dec. 4-8 in Regina. The Skate Canada Challenge is a quali- fier for the Canadian Championships. Kedves and Pallard, who are members of the Fuller Lake Skating Club, qualified for the Skate Canada Challenge by finish- ing second at the Sectionals earlier this month. “It felt different,” Kedves, a Grade 8 stu- dent at Ladysmith Secondary School, said of qualifying for the Skate Canada Chal- lenge. “It was an achievement, but I was also nervous.” Pallard, who goes to Nanaimo District Secondary School, says it doesn’t really feel real. “I never really thought about it, so it’s kind of hard to believe,” he said. As Kedves and Pallard prepare for the Skate Canada Challenge, they are doing a lot of extra training and skating almost every day. “We’re really trying to get our double throws,” said Kedves. “We’re starting to work on our double twist, but I don’t know if it’s going to be ready for the com- petition.” Kedves says that when she thinks about representing B.C., “it’s kind of nerve- wracking.” “I don’t want to let B.C. down,” she said. Pallard says his goal for the Skate Can- ada Challenge is to finish in the top four. “Being able to compete against more than two or three other teams I haven’t competed against before is going to be different and interesting,” he added. “It will be fun.” Kedves and Pallard, who train in Nanaimo and Victoria and have been skating pairs together for almost a year and a half, both feel their strengths as a pairs team are their work ethic, motiva- tion and dedication. They both say they’re motivated by themselves and by their coaches. “I want to see myself do better each time we compete,” said Pallard. It will cost a lot of money for Kedves and Pallard to get to the Skate Canada Challenge, and an online fundraising page has been set up for anyone in the community who would like to help them get there. “A large part of the cost of this trip is not only their own flights, meals and ho- tels, but they have to pay the costs of the coach as well,” it states. “Please help sup- port these two great kids, who not only skate almost every day, but also both get straight As at school.” Anyone who would like to support Kedves and Pallard can donate online at https://fundrazr.com/campaigns/8dlw3/ ab/32Fes8. Sarah Kedves of Ladysmith and Lucas Pallard of Nanaimo have qualified for the upcoming Skate Canada Challenge. They are currently raising money to cover the costs of travel and coaching. P, LIC13070 Thomas Road, Ladysmith www.littlevalleyrestorations.com CONTACT US TODAY (250) 245 3022 Collision repair you can trust ICBC Valet Accredited repair facility All insurance companies accepted Member of the Quality Assured Collision Group Ladysmith will Light Up Thursday Lindsay Chung Just days before the 26th annual Festival of Lights gets underway, Cliff Fisher says he is surprised how calm ev- erything is. Fisher is the president of the Festival of Lights Soci- ety, and as the community gets ready for the big Light Up celebration this Thursday (Nov. 28), Fisher says things are going well, with just a few small fixes needed here and there before the big day. “It’s going fine,” he said Monday. “I’m really surprised when it gets down to the wire and it’s calm.” Volunteers will start putting up barriers and blocking off areas Wednesday night, and they’ve been going around town making sure all the lights work, and the exten- sion cords are all fine. “It’s really neat because we get lots of volunteers who help,” said Fisher. “Usually you have to rework a few things, and without all that help from the community, this would never happen — absolutely never happen.” New this year, Fisher is excited that Skellig will be performing at the main stage. The band will take over for Fred Izon, who performed for more than a decade. “We thank Fred very much for his contribution over the years,” said Fisher. Another new piece this year will be parking control along Second Avenue. Festival of Lights Society volunteers and Ladysmith Fire/Rescue members will be notifying all Second Avenue residents living from Symonds Street to Strathcona Road to keep a fire lane open. “We will restrict parking down there,” explained Fish- er, who says they are very thankful the fire department jumped in and offered to help. “That street gets quite tight, with cars on both sides.” The 26th annual Light Up celebration gets underway Thursday at 3 p.m. with the annual Community Spaghetti Dinner at the Eagles Hall. The Christmas Craft Fair at Aggie Hall also begins at that time, while street entertain- ment and food concessions get going at 4 p.m. Entertainment downtown and in front of Aggie Hall goes from 4-6:15 p.m., and Santa arrives around 6:30 p.m. to light up our town. The Kinsmen Parade will begin at 6:45 p.m. and travel along First Avenue to Aggie Hall, where the Chuck Per- rin Christmas Tree will be lit, and the fireworks show presented by the Ladysmith and District Credit Union will begin. First Avenue will be closed Thursday from approximate- ly 3-10 p.m. for Light Up. Ac- cess to and from the Island Highway at Bob Stuart Park at the entrance to town will be closed from 5-10 p.m. The Ladysmith Festival of Lights project initiated in 1987 when Bill Fitzpatrick and a couple of Ladysmith merchants agreed that new and more festive street deco- rations were needed to com- plement Ladysmith’s success- ful heritage/revitalization project. Light Up night now attracts up to 20,000 people. Priscilla Brewer of The Fern and Feather Studio and Gardens on Yellow Point Road creates a winter wreath during the 25th annual Country Christmas Self-Guided Tour in Cedar and Yellow Point. Brewer is a broom buster, and she uses the broom to create these wreaths, which are 100-per-cent compostable because they have no wire. For more photos from the tour, please turn to page 14. LCServing Ladysmith, Chemainus and area Chronicle The Since 1908 $1 Operation Red Nose looking for volunteers Ladysmith swimmers finding success P. 17 P. 13 Duncan 250.737.1508 Nanaimo 250.753.5105 Save 10¢ /Litreon Home Heating Oil from now until April AFDFuels.ca We’re here throughout the holiday season and beyond to assist with all of your real estate buying and selling needs. Where dreams come home 250-245-1111 www.IslandHomeSales.com 410A First Avenue, Ladysmith Luke Kolk Sue Perrey Light Up 2013 draws crowd of 22,000-23,000 Lindsay Chung The 26th annual Ladysmith Festival of Lights Light Up celebration is being hailed as a huge success, with reports of one of the biggest crowds and of the biggest parade. “We had perfect weather, large crowds and no accidents,” said Cliff Fisher, pres- ident of the Festival of Lights Society. “It was really neat. I’m so proud of it.” Fisher says the Ladysmith RCMP has estimated that between 22,000 and 23,000 people converged on First Av- enue to take in the Light Up festivities this year. “That’s one of the largest crowds I’ve seen in my eight years being involved,” he said. With a crowd that large, Fisher says they always have parking issues be- cause they don’t have enough volun- teers to control parking, but they had a lot of help from members of Ladysmith Fire/Rescue, who volunteered to con- trol parking along Second Avenue. Fisher noticed a lot more participation from the Ladysmith RCMP and Auxil- iary Constables this year, and he feels that contributed to a “very well-behaved crowd.” He expressed gratitude to all the volunteers who helped control crowds and keep everyone safe. “I thought it went really well,” he said. Fisher was impressed by this year’s fire- works display, sponsored by Ladysmith and District Credit Union. “The fireworks were spectacular — they always are, but when you have no wind and a clear night, wow,” he said. “Ron Burrows sure puts on a fantastic show.” This year’s craft fair at Aggie Hall is be- ing considered a success, and vendors are already asking to get on the list for next year’s fair. “There were more people in there ear- lier, and they were buying,” said Fisher. “Lots of crafters are very happy.” This year, Skellig performed for the first time as the downtown entertain- ment, and Fisher thought they did a great job of engaging the crowd. This year’s Kinsmen Parade was the biggest one yet, according to Kinsmen member Duck Paterson. There were 65 entries in this year’s parade along First Avenue, and partici- pants put a lot of work into their floats. “Some of the floats were just absolutely amazing,” said Paterson, who agrees with Fisher that this year probably at- tracted one of the biggest crowds. “The cement truck added more stuff this year. It was a good show.” Fisher was impressed with the quality of the floats, and also with the behav- iour of the children watching from the sidelines. “I walked up and down often, and I didn’t see anything but smiles on kids’ faces and lots of food going into their mouths, lots of popcorn,” he said. “When Santa Claus flipped the switch to turn on the lights, no kid was not watching.” The famous cement truck from Cum- berland Ready Mix makes it down the parade route along First Avenue dur- ing the 26th annual Festival of Lights Light Up celebration Thursday, Nov. 28. It’s estimated that one of the largest crowds so far turned up to kick off the Festival of Lights in Ladysmith. For more pictures from Light Up, please turn to page 13. ALTuesday, December 3, 2013 Serving Ladysmith, Chemainus and area Chronicle The Since 1908 $1 Cinnamon Bun Fun Run breaks records Celebrate second Old Tyme Christmas Friday P. 6 P. 17 Duncan 250.737.1508 Nanaimo 250.753.5105 Save 10¢ /Litreon Home Heating Oil from now until April AFDFuels.ca 13070 Thomas Road, Ladysmith www.littlevalleyrestorations.com CONTACT US TODAY (250) 245 3022 Collision repair you can trust ICBC Valet Accredited repair facility All insurance companies accepted Member of the Quality Assured Collision Group Tuesday, December 10, 2013 www.ladysmithchronicle.com Serving Ladysmith, Chemainus and area www.chemainuschronicle.com Chronicle The Since 1908 $1 Karl Schutz honoured LSS launches White Ribbon Campaign P. 5 P. 6 Campaign launched to revitalize historic Travellers Hotel Staff Writer Canada’s Historic Places states that “the large and highly detailed Travellers Hotel building speaks to the prosperity and optimism that existed in pre-war Ladysmith,” and now, there’s a new optimism growing around the Edwardian building. The Travellers Hotel Co-oper- ative has launched a campaign called “The Heart of Ladysmith Beats Here,” referring to the 100-year-old building that stands vacant and decaying on Lady- smith’s First Avenue. Currently owned by Mainland residents, the building is in dire need of revitalization, according to a press release. A proposal by Ladysmith resi- dent Cathleen McMahon that the community come together and de- velop a co-operative has received growing support, and the process is continuing throughout the holi- day season. Why a co-operative? “The opportunity to have the community own the building and be active in deciding what they want and need for entertainment, evening socialization and accom- modations is vital,” McMahon said in the release. “Over the years, I have heard many stories about the Travellers Hotel and the joy it brought to the community. It seems that the place to start on revitalizing the downtown core would be to start at the beginning.” The official name of the co-op- erative is the Ladysmith Hotel Co- operative. This allows it to con- tinue to revitalize other buildings and keep the growth of the tourist and accommodations going. Ladysmith is known for its “Heri- tage by the Sea,” but with a large portion of the heritage buildings boarded up and standing empty, it is hard to actually see what makes up the town’s namesake, McMa- hon notes in the press release. McMahon moved to Ladysmith in 2008 and married a local resi- dent just over a year and a half ago. She has become an active part of the community in a very short time. “My husband Ryan and I decided when we moved here that this was it. This is the place where we are going to live our life, retire and hopefully be laid to rest, just like the generations before us,” she said. “And if this is the place I’m going to live in for the rest of my life, then it better have everything I need to live a fulfilling adventure of music, art, theatre and culture.” The plan for the hotel in its in- ception is to host live entertain- ment in a lounge setting with set fine dining food offerings. The restaurant design team has developed a number of seasonal events, from CrabFest and Oys- terFest to SalmonFest and Prawn- Fest to showcase local seafood, and the bar would be stocked with the makings of local wineries and craft breweries. “There are so many reasons for St. Joseph’s School student Fil was part of the live nativity during the second annual Old Tyme Christmas and Candlelight Walk Friday, Dec. 6 in downtown Ladysmith. For more photos from Old Tyme Christmas, please turn to page 15. SCOceanfront living for seniors S eaSide Lodge www.seasidelodge.net 250-756-8518 See New Page 3 We’re here throughout the holiday season and beyond to assist with all of your real estate buying and selling needs. Where dreams come home 250-245-1111 www.IslandHomeSales.com 410A First Avenue, Ladysmith Luke Kolk Sue Perrey New option for SD68 keeps Davis Road open Ross Armour The Ladysmith Extended Consultation Working Group has constructed and sub- mitted a third option to School District 68 with regards to school reconfiguration. The most notable point of the new Op- tion C is that École Davis Road Elemen- tary (EDR) would remain open. The move by the working group comes following two public meetings in late No- vember, which saw numerous Davis Road parents come out and voice their con- cerns over the possibility of their school closing. “Option C speaks to the theme and shows a genuine willingness that we’ve looked at the public feedback,” said Aaron Stone, an active participant of the working group and member of EDR Parent Advisory Council (PAC). “Sure there’s strengths and weaknesses but there’s a much lower risk in terms of enrollment and erosion compared to Options A and B. It provides the best long-term view for the Ladysmith zone. Davis Road presented a good argu- ment.” The working group, which also includes Ladysmith Mayor Rob Hutchins and Da- vis Road principal Doug English, has been looking at options specific to the Ladysmith area after SD68 announced its intentions to shake things up last year with the release of its 10-Year Enhanced Facilities for Learning Plan. Option C sees North Oyster Elementary close in June 2014 and the students there move to either Ladysmith Primary or Ladysmith Intermediate. Following the public meetings, the working group decided Option B was “problematic” and decided to remove this option from any further consideration and instead incorporate the feedback received into a third option, which is Option C. The French Immersion program remains at Davis Road under Option C. Under Op- tions A and B, Davis Road would have closed at some point over the next couple of years, and French Immersion would have been moved to North Oyster. “A lot of the public feedback from the meetings, not just from Davis Road par- ents, shows how important that school is to the Ladysmith zone. It is a school that continues to grow and Option C recogniz- es the value of that,” said Stone. Davis Road, at the south end of Ladysmith, currently has 250 students with a capacity of 112. Under Options A and B, parents who wished their children to remain in French Immersion would have to drive 10 kilome- tres one way to North Oyster. North Oyster has only 90 students with a capacity of 275. But Davis Road has been noted to have the worst school facilities in the entire district, while North Oyster holds the best in the Ladysmith area — but Stone thinks that’s a “red herring” and doesn’t believe the location issue was taken seriously with the first two options. Stone and other Davis Road parents also believe there would be no guarantees people would follow French Immersion to North Oyster anyway. “Many children and families would Mahayla Elrix was an angel in Calvary Baptist Church’s live Nativity scene during Saturday’s Little Town Christmas in Chemainus. Little Town Christmas featured a wide variety of fun, family activities at Waterwheel Park, including Christmas crafts, games, live music, a visit with Santa Claus and much more. For more photos from Little Town Christmas and the Chemainus Christmas Walking Tour, which was held the same day, please turn to page 13. LCTuesday, December 17, 2013 Serving Ladysmith, Chemainus and area Chronicle The Since 1908 $1 Ken Lavigne is Home For Christmas this Friday Chemainus basketball season begins P. 15 P. 9 Duncan 250.737.1508 Nanaimo 250.753.5105 Save 10¢ /Litreon Home Heating Oil from now until April AFDFuels.ca Is a Real Estate career for you? • If you’re self-motivated • A people person • An achiever • Competitive • Of positive nature • A networker Then the Real Estate world is for you. Call Barry Clark 250-245-2252 or Travis Carmichael at 250-756-1132 NANAIMO REALTY See Trustees Page 5 13070 Thomas Road, Ladysmith www.littlevalleyrestorations.com CONTACT US TODAY (250) 245 3022 Collision repair you can trust ICBC Valet Accredited repair facility All insurance companies accepted Member of the Quality Assured Collision Group Tuesday, December 24, 2013 www.ladysmithchronicle.com Serving Ladysmith, Chemainus and area www.chemainuschronicle.com Chronicle The Since 1908 Publications Mail Agreement No. 40010318 $1 (plus GST) Ho Ho Ho! Happy Holidays! Dr. Vivan Kilvert honoured P.8 Duncan 250.737.1508 Nanaimo 250.753.5105 CALL FOR DETAILS Save 10¢ /Litre on Home Heating Oil from now until April AFDFuels.ca Merry Christmas Tuesday, July 2, 2013 www.ladysmithchronicle.com Serving Ladysmith, Chemainus and area www.chemainuschronicle.com Chronicle The Since 1908 Publications Mail Agreement No. 40010318 $ 1 (plus GST) 2 FOR 1 We’re the Ones to Call 250-245-1111 When Buying or Selling Give Luke or Sue a call for a FREE MARKET EVALUATION Luke Kolk Sue Perrey olk W 2 Sue P 410A First Avenue, Ladysmith www.IslandHomeSales.com Creating socially engaged art LSS grad working with UN, travelling world P. 8 P. 12 More consultation for North Oyster and École Davis Road Lindsay Chung THE CHRONICLE North Oyster Elementary School will stay open for 2013-14 and a decision about the future of École Davis Road has been delayed. Nanaimo-Ladysmith School Dis- trict trustees decided on a number of the proposed elements of the district’s 10-Year Enhanced Facili- ties for Learning Plan during pub- lic meeting June 26 in Nanaimo but also extended the consulta- tion process on two proposals that have a big impact in this area. At the meeting, trustees took a number of steps, including: • Approved a bylaw to close South Wellington Elementary on June 30, 2013. The South Welling- ton school attendance area will be merged with Woodbank Pri- mary and North Cedar Intermedi- ate, with parent/student choice of Chase River Elementary. • Approved a bylaw to close Cedar Community Secondary on June 30, 2014. The school attendance area will merge with John Barsby Community Secondary, with a par- ent/student choice of Ladysmith Secondary. Transportation will be provided to John Barsby Commu- nity Secondary as per the district’s transportation policy. • For North Oyster Elementary, which was proposed for closure this year, the board passed a mo- tion to extend the consultation period to Dec. 1, 2013, to allow time to consider alternatives, with a proposal to close the school on June 30, 2014. • For École Davis Road Elemen- tary, the board passed a motion to extend the consultation period to Dec. 1, 2013, to allow time to consider alternatives, with a pro- posal to close the school on June 30, 2014. • Approved a motion to reconfig- ure Ladysmith Secondary School as a Grade 7-12 school in Septem- ber 2014. Ladysmith Intermediate and École Davis Road Grade 7 stu- dents will relocate to LSS, and LSS will offer a Grade 7 and 8 French Immersion program. • Approved a bylaw to close Woodbank Primary and North Ce- dar Intermediate in June 2015. The two schools will be consolidated into the renovated Cedar Second- ary building in September 2015. District staff will now prepare the final facilities plan for submis- sion to the Ministry of Education, including the motions approved June 26, along with the proposals for years three to six in the plan. Fiona Steeves, co-chair of the North Oyster Parent Advisory Council (PAC), says parents are excited that their school will stay open another year and that the consultation period has been ex- tended for their community. “I think it’s great; that’s what we were hoping for,” she said. “We didn’t feel 60 days was enough time to come up with the ideas we wanted to do. We’ve been say- ing all along that North Oyster is a good facility; it’s not one of the 50-year-old deteriorating build- ings, and it should be used. Our numbers are low, so we need to figure out some programs to draw people back from our catchment and even from other catchments.” Steeves says the community has come up with lots of ideas that could turn North Oyster into a magnet school that draws students in with its enhanced programming, such as an arts program or First Lucas Pangborne-LaHue, who is eight and a half, makes a patriotic sand castle during Monday’s Canada Day celebrations at Transfer Beach. For more photos from Canada Day in Ladysmith and Chemainus, please see next week’s Chronicle. LISE BROADLEY/CHRONCILE See Grade 7s Page 3 2013 In Review 2013 In Review Tuesday, January 7, 2014 www.ladysmithchronicle.com Serving Ladysmith, Chemainus and area www.chemainuschronicle.com Chronicle The Since 1908 Publications Mail Agreement No. 40010318 $ 1 (plus GST) Duncan 250.737.1508 Nanaimo 250.753.5105 CALL FOR DETAILS Save 10¢ /Litre on Home Heating Oil from now until April AFDFuels.ca Buddy Holly kicks off Chemainus Theatre season Record registration for Polar Bear Swim P. 10 P. 9