Zeni Maartman Hosts Jack Layton

Nanaimo-Alberni New Democratic Party candidate Zeni Maartman is hosting an evening with the Leader of Canada's NDP Jack Layton at the Beban Park Recreation Centre, 2300 Bowen Road, Nanaimo, on Tuesday, August 5, 2008. This fundraising dinner begins at 6 pm and the $75 ticket price includes a $50 tax deductible contribution to Zeni’s election. The evening will be a fun filled event for all to relax and enjoy themselves in the company of friends. There will be a buffet catered by Galloping Gourmet Catering, door prizes, a silent auction, and musical entertainment by Full House Minus 2. It’s a unique opportunity to meet Jack Layton and hear rousing speeches by our NDP candidates and representatives. To order tickets, please call Darlene Thorburn 250-816-0309, Marlene Dietrich 250-723-3178, Ken Pierce 250-756-0732, or Linda Tattman 250-758-6670. Let’s all come out to show our support for community activist and businesswoman Zeni Maartman, the next Member of Parliament from Nanaimo-Alberni.

Garth Turner Coming to Nanaimo

Rightwing populist and political maverick Garth Turner is coming to Nanaimo for the Money Expo to be held in the underutilized Vancouver Island Conference Centre, 101 Gordon Street, Nanaimo, from 10 am to 6 pm on Sunday, September 21, 2008. The author of Greater Fool: The Troubled Future of Real Estate, Turner is highly critical of the junk mortgages currently being peddled to Canadian families. Is the housing bubble about to burst leaving tens of thousands of Canadians saddled with impossible debts? Turner believes the housing crisis currently sweeping the US will arrive here sooner than most of us expect. Turner’s presentation in Nanaimo should be entertaining and even enlightening, and tax expert David Ingram will also speak. Exhibitors selling investment services will staff booths. You can pre-register for this event for free through the Money Expo website. (I had trouble printing out the invitation in Firefox and had to open Explorer to do the job.) Frankly, I’d review anything you hear or see at the Money Expo very critically as these people aren’t running a charity, but what the heck, it’s free and probably an amusing way to spend a September Sunday listening to some of Canada’s most polished vendors trying to peddle their wares.

Field Notes Art Exhibition

The Nanaimo Art Gallery, Vancouver Island University branch, 900 Fifth St, Building 330, is presenting the exhibition Field Notes from July 18 to August 23, 2008. This exhibition displays the work of three exceptional women artists whose work examines the complex relationships and dialogues that develop between humans and the natural world. These artists draw on personal experiences in natural sites to explore our changing roles and attitudes towards historical and contemporary landscapes. Using sculpture, photography video and drawing, artists Trudi Smith, Susan Detwiler, and Rachel Evans relay thoughts and observations from their explorations into different aspects of nature past and present. The artists assume the role of explorer, archivist, artist, and animal in this hybridized installation, which becomes part gallery and part natural history display. The opening reception takes place on July 18 from 7 to 9pm. This exhibition will also have an artists talk on Saturday, July 19 at noon. Please call 250-740-6350 for more information.

Jack Layton on Pricing Carbon

Axe the Campbell Gas Tax

Zeni Maartman Birthday Party

Nanaimo-Alberni NDP candidate Zeni Maartman is having a party at 4 pm on Sunday, July 20, 2008, to celebrate her birthday and that of Jack Layton at 5925 Cherryvale Road, Port Alberni. (Take Cherry Creek Road to the four-way stop at Moore Road, turn right, cross a small bridge, and turn left on Cherryvale. Follow the parking sign.) You’re invited to join Zeni for a fun-filled time, with a pot luck barbecue, live music, bocce, croquet, the golfball game, a bonfire, and great friends. Children are welcome. Bring your musical instrument for a sing-along. Hamburgers, hot dogs, coffee, and tea provided for a five dollar donation. Bring along a salad or dessert if you can, your lawn chairs, and warm clothing. Refreshments will be available. Special guests include MLAs Leonard Krog and Scott Fraser. Come out and help make Jack Layton's 58th and Zeni Maartman's ** birthday a great celebration. For more information, please call Marlene at 250-723-3178 or Ken at 250-756-0732.

Body Talk Beyond Hip

The Crimson Coast Dance Society presents Body Talk! 'Beyond Hip' featuring The Chimera Project from Toronto and Nanaimo area Body Talk participants of all ages. Catch this energetic multi-disciplinary performance on Wednesday, July 9, 2008, at 7:30 pm at the Beban Park Recreation Centre Stage, 2300 Bowen Road, Nanaimo. The cost is $15.00 and tickets are available at Falconer Books, House of Indigo, at the door, or online at the society's website. For further information, contact the Crimson Coast Dance Society, 10B - 150 Commercial Street, Nanaimo, BC V9R 5G6, phone 250-732-3230, fax 250-716-3269.

Variations in Photographic Art

The downtown location of the Nanaimo Art Gallery, 150 Commercial Street, is presenting a new exhibition, Variations in Photographic Art, with photos by Dr Neil Fatin of Youbou on Lake Cowichan. The exhibition runs from July 10 to July 31, 2008. The photographer will be in attendance at the gala opening on Thursday, July 10, from 5 to 7 pm.

Using the camera and the computer as tools, Neil Fatin creates images that evoke a sense of place or event as well as expressing content and emotion. On display are original prints (not reproductions), produced using archival inks and materials. Some are available as low number editions and others as monoprints. For more information, call 250-754-1750.

Morden Mine Fall Tour

Tom Paterson, well-known historian, newspaper columnist, and raconteur, will lead another of his very popular "Black Track" walking tours on Saturday, September 20, 2008. The "Black Track" refers to those South Wellington area railway lines informally used by miners and residents as a "public thoroughfare" or walking track. Coal dust so thickly coated the lines that they became known locally as the "Black Track."

As was the case with the “Black Track” tour in May, proceeds of ticket sales will go to support the Friends of the Morden Mine Society in their endeavour to bring about the preservation of Morden Colliery's splendid but rapidly deteriorating 1913 headframe and tipple. These structures were innovative at the time in their use of reinforced concrete, and are the only such remaining above-ground structures on Vancouver Island, in fact in North America. Tom, as usual, is donating his time and fund of historical mining stories.

The tour will concentrate much of its time exploring South Wellington area mining sites and former railway lines. The tour will last five or six hours, and requires reasonable fitness. The complete itinerary will be available at www.mordenmine.com before tickets go on sale Monday, August 18, 2008. Phone 250-714-0377 for reservations. Tickets will undoubtedly be in great demand, judging from previous tours.

MEC Boosts NALT to the Top

Thanks to a grant of $50,000 from the Mountain Equipment Co-op (MEC), the Nanaimo and Area Land Trust (NALT) has now reached its goal of raising $475,000, half the purchase price of the 523-acre regional park on the upper front face of Mount Benson. Appearing with the symbolic cheque are NALT Board Director Dean Gaudy and Claire Pearce from MEC’s Victoria store.

“We are thrilled to receive the news of this generous grant from MEC!” said Gaudry. “We first submitted a letter of intent to MEC last fall, and our application has been working its way through the review process since then.” This grant was one of three land acquisition grants approved by MEC this spring; for a total of $99,360. Such a generous award in support of the Mount Benson campaign is very timely for NALT. It will carry the fundraising over the top, and will complete more than two years of a very visible campaign that has garnered such strong support from residents and businesses throughout the Nanaimo area.

Apart from the MEC grant, every penny of the quarter million dollars raised for Mount Benson has come from the community. Said NALT Executive Director, Gail Adrienne, “More that 1,440 local donors and sponsors have contributed to the purchase of the mountain in small and large ways – from cash donations of less that $20 to more than $95,000 in shares donation by one very dedicated Mount Benson supporter.”

With the MEC grant, this campaign is now officially and successfully completed, and the NALT staff, board, and volunteers can take a breather. Or can they? NALT is calling the campaign to purchase the 523-acre park “Phase I” of the Mount Benson Campaign. Already, there have been informal discussions with other property owners on the mountain, and NALT is poised to begin Phase II. With that in mind, NALT will continue to hold fundraisers and accept donations for the mountain. From now on, all funds designated for the mountain will be deposited in a high-interest account to be applied to future acquisitions.

However, NALT states that Phase II will not entail another high-pressure fundraising campaign. Says Dean Gaudry, “We know that the community that gave so generously this time arouind cannot be expected to dig so deep into their pockets again and again. Any future properties that are negotiated will be over a longer timeline, requiring much smaller sums to be raised annually – less pressure on NALT, and less demand on our wonderful supporters.”

Artfest Originals Only 2008

The Nanaimo Art Gallery will be presenting its fifth annual waterfront festival on August 16 and 17, 2008. The fine art show and sale Artfest Originals Only 2008 will once again take place on Pioneer Waterfront Plaza by the Bastion on Saturday and Sunday, August 16 and 17, 2008, from 10 am to 5 pm. Artfest is the premier art event in the city and one of the largest outdoor shows in British Columbia with close to 50 of the island's finest painters, sculptors and print makers participating. Artfest is devoted entirely to the display and sale of original fine art. Together with the Summertime Blues Festival which will be in the Harbourfront Plaza at the same time, downtown Nanaimo will come alive with music and art. For more information, call the gallery at 250-740-6350.

UPDATE: Unfortunately the number of Artfest registrants was not high enough this year and this art event has been cancelled. For details, please call Chris Kuderle at 250-740-6350. The Summertime Blues Festival is going ahead as planned.

2008 Ballet and Dance Tours to Cuba

Cuba Education Tours warmly invites you to join them in Havana for two epic dance programs this fall. The National Ballet of Cuba celebrates its 60th anniversary from October 28 to November 7, 2008. Cuba Education Tours is hosting the official website for this historic event. Participants will experience a ballet extravaganza on an unprecedented scale including the opening and closing ceremonies, and seven evenings of performances -- the equivalent of season tickets at home. Lucky travelers will have a chance to meet living treasure Alicia Alonso, Cuban prima ballerina assoluta, founder, choreographer and artistic director of Ballet Nacional de Cuba. They'll participate in backstage visits to ballet schools, meet the instructors and the next generation of Cuban dancers. They'll witness ballet exhibits at prestigious museums and libraries. The whole island is gearing up for the spectacular occasion.

While in Havana tour members will stay at the elegant Hotel Telegrafo in the heart of the old city, dine at La Guarida restaurant where the Cuban blockbuster "Strawberry and Chocolate" was filmed, tour a cigar factory, meet painters and artists, and take a trip to the western farm province of Pinar del Rio. Hundreds of representatives of ballet from around the world will be in attendance for this once-in-a-lifetime event. Cuba Education Tours wants you to be there as well.

Baila en Cuba (Dance in Cuba) from November 22 to 29, 2008, is the International Latin Dance and Music Festival. Join in eight days of dance pageantry, competitions and lessons for lovers of Salsa, Rueda, Son, Rumba and Cha Cha Cha. Mornings are filled with lessons taught by Cuban dance masters. Afternoons include guided excursions to caves, botanical gardens, architectural, historical and nature sites, artist studios, visits to a cigar factory and an Afrocuban community, and the white sand beaches of eastern Havana. Evenings are packed with Baila en Cuba gala events where you'll hear a dozen of Cuba's best bands perform just for you and your dance mates. Visit Baila en Cuba to meet your dance instructors and the acclaimed musicians. Baila en Cuba is for students and lovers of Cuban dance and music. Join the group for one magical week, together with hundreds of Latin Dance fans and pros from scores of countries on this unparalleled program of dance instruction, exhibitions, competitions and music.

Come to Cuba with Cuba Education Tours, dance, have fun, and make lasting friends. Experience beautiful Cuba, its art and history, and get to know its kind outgoing people. What better occasion to visit the island? Cuba Education Tours is there to help you go to Cuba and to answer all questions and concerns. Call them toll free at 1-877-687-3817 and ask to speak to Yanelys Marquez and Marcel Hatch, Education Directors, Cuba Education Tours, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

Nanaimo Sports Hall of Fame

The new Nanaimo Museum, scheduled to open in the Port of Nanaimo Centre in July, 2008, will include the city’s first Sports Hall of Fame. The first 10 inductees have just been announced, including Olympic athletes, champion teams, and sporting pioneers. Pictured here is the Nanaimo IWA Timbermen Lacrosse Team which won the Mann Cup in 1956. The other team to be honoured is the Northfield Violets Football Team, the People Shield Canadian Champions in 1914.

Nanaimo’s three Olympic athletes to be inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2008 are Phil Olsen (Javelin), Gerald Kazanowski (Basketball), and Brenda Taylor (Rowing). Radio announcer Larry Thomas, the voice of Nanaimo sports from 1966 to 1980, is being honoured posthumously. Another honoured Nanaimo sportsperson no longer with us is Elwood Wylie of the Nanaimo Track and Field Club. Lacrosse player and leading sportsman Harry Wipper is also on the list.The pioneering Nanaimo FC Rangers, soccer champions in the years between 1890 and 1903, are being recognized. Finally, Hugh (Red) Thompson, a champion runner at the 1936 Olympics, is to be recognized.

John Manning, president of the Nanaimo Museum, commented: “Sports plays a significant and important role in the life of our community. The museum is excited to be opening the new Sports Hall of Fame, and hopefully it will be a catalyst to inspire today’s teams and athletes.” A celebration dinner will be held on September 20, 2008, in the Port of Nanaimo Centre ballroom to honour those inducted into the new Sport Hall of Fame. Tickets ($75) are available directly from the museum (tel. 250-753-1821).

Say No to Cable Bay

Say NO to the Cable Bay Lands Project by signing an Elector Response Form. Here’s some information about Cable Bay:

Where and what is Cable Bay?
Cable Bay is over 500 acres of forest and waterfront southeast of Harmac. 420 acres are in the City of Nanaimo, and 90 acres are in the Regional District of Nanaimo (Cedar). The City wants to take those 90 acres away from the RDN to benefit a developer. The Cable Bay trail extends from Nicola Road to Joans Point. Another trail continues along the shore to the municipal park at Dodds Narrows. The property includes environmentally sensitive areas, including Garry Oak meadows, wetlands and wildlife corridors.

What type of development is currently permitted?
Currently, 5-acre lots are permitted in the City portion and 20-acre lots in the RDN portion for a total of 90 lots. The property is zoned Rural Residential, in keeping with the surrounding community.

What is the proposed development?
An Alberta developer has submitted a proposal to the City to re-zone the property to Resort Development, so that it can build a golf course, resort and 1,876 residential units.

How will this impact me?
1. It may increase your taxes. You will end up paying to provide services to a development far from the City core.
2. It will promote unwanted urban sprawl. Which tract of forested land will be next?
3. It will detract from the revitalization of the downtown core.
4. It will fundamentally alter the Cable Bay trail. It will become a corridor between back yards instead of a path through treed meadows.
5. It will significantly impact environmentally sensitive areas.
6. It will double traffic volume to Cedar. Inadequate rural roads and intersections will require expensive major upgrades.
7. It will provide no affordable housing. A segregated suburb of wealthy people will hardly contribute to the fabric of community.

How can I stop it?
Sign a Elector Response Form to let the City know that you are opposed to this boundary extension. If 10 percent of voters submit the form, the City will have to choose between dropping the request or taking it to referendum.

Obtain a form at: Legislative Services, Nanaimo City Hall, 455 Wallace Street

Drop-off and/or pick-up of forms can also be arranged by calling one of the following contacts:

Beverley Eert Residence, 2094 Gould Road (off Cedar Road), tel. 250-722-2606
Fred Pattje Residence, 2830 Fandell Street (off Bay Street in Departure Bay), tel. 250-758-7575
Sharon Speevak Residence, 2948 Nelson Road (Cedar-by-the-Sea), tel. 250-722-2555
Thirsty Camel Café, 14 Victoria Cres (downtown Nanaimo)

Thank you for caring about your community.