Gulf Islands
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Green Edition Sound check Growing more food Valdy turns up the and other features. PAGES B1-5 folk club sound. PAGE B7 A nnivers arary 1960-2010 GULF ISLANDS $ 2525 Wednesday, February 24, 2010 — YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER SINCE 1960 50TH YEAR ISSUE 8 1(incl. GST) BC FERRIES Ferry group nnivers ary raises price caps Riders on course for April 1 fare hikes BY SEAN MCINTYRE DRIFTWOOD STAFF The province’s New Dem- ocrat ferry critic accuses the provincial government of jeopardizing coastal com- munities due to its failure to manage rising ferry fares. “What we’ve seen are sky- rocketing fares and [the BC Liberals] not working within the promise it made to sup- port ferry-dependent com- munities,” said Gary Coons, an NDP MLA representing the North Coast riding. “This is devastating tourism, small business and having a huge PHOTO BY DERRICK LUNDY impact.” CELEBRATION: Carrying in fl ags at last weekend’s Girl Guides of Canada 100th birthday celebration were, clockwise from top left, Emily Annis, Hannah Coons’ remarks follow Grant, Grace Schure and Emma MacRae. See story and second photo on Page B13. the BC Ferries Commission decision to raise the price RAINBOW ROAD POOL cap for fares on routes serv- ing Salt Spring, the south- ern Gulf Islands and other “minor routes” by nearly six per cent. Annual report celebrates pool’s success The price cap increase reflects the maximum Operator warns of challenges ahead he’d ever seen in his 30 years in the business was amount BC Ferries can 33 per cent. increase fares between April BY SEAN MCINTYRE The company operates seven aquatic facilities The PARC commissioners’ discussion 1, 2010 and March 31, 2011. DRIFTWOOD STAFF and arenas throughout B.C. and Alberta. focused on the need to find a data collection The cap does not neces- The owner and operator of Recreation Excel- Watson was on the island to address commis- system that could tell them exactly how many sarily refl ect how much fares lence used Monday evening’s Parks and Rec- sioners in conjunction with the release of the individual Salt Springers use the pool on a will increase in the coming reation Commission meeting to congratulate pool’s annual report. regular basis. operating period, although commissioners and island swimmers on making Despite the good news, Watson said atten- Current data reveals how many people visit BC Ferries commissioner a splash during the pool’s fi rst 21 months. dance at swimming facilities has traditionally the pool each day. Martin Crilly said customers While the Rainbow Road Pool has thrown dropped by up to 50 per cent during the second The distinction is needed to establish what can expect increases “to be Tom Watson’s company some challenges, Salt and third years of operation. percentage of the community is being served by pretty darned close.” That Spring’s creative array of programs and a large He said lap pools historically offer the lowest the pool, said commissioner Stan Shapiro, turned out to be the case uptake from community groups helped usage level of cost recovery when it comes to aquatic “I’m a data person and I would like to see more when BC Ferries announced numbers exceed all expectations. facilities. accurate numbers,” he said. the resulting increases for Surrey-based Recreation Excellence is con- While the average lap pool recovers between Knowing what percentage of islanders use April 1 on Tuesday. tracted by PARC to handle the day-to-day man- 24 and 26 per cent of its costs, he said, Salt the pool, he said, would help justify the roughly Travellers not using Expe- agement, staffi ng and programming at the Rain- Spring so far comes in at around the 29 to 30 bow Road Pool. per cent mark. The highest recovery Watson said POOL continued on A2 FARES continued on A2 Grow INSERTS INDEX North End HENRI PROCTER your • Thrify Foods Arts ................................................................ B7 Green Edition .....................................B1 Fitness • Ganges Pharmasave 250-537-5217 Bus Schedule ...................................... A4 Letters ....................................................... A9 WEALTH • Country Grocer • Sears Classifieds .......................................... A20 Sports ......................................................A17 • Home Depot Editorial ....................................................A8 What’s On.............................................. B6 250.537.1201 • Bosleys Joni Ganderton Ferry Schedule ...............................A17 You Asked ......................................... A16 Investment www.northendfitness.ca Advisor 250-537-1654 email: [email protected] 250.537.9933 website: www.gulfislandsdriftwood.com realtysaltspringisland.com BEDDIS islanders OLYMPIC SECURITY NEW SCHEDULE VALID FROM FEB. 15 TO MAR. 3, 2010 the airline TH Direct Ganges to Downtown: 7:40 am Mon-Sat , 11:00 am & 3:25 pm Daily IN EFFECT FROM JAN 29 ............................................................................................................... ROAD Direct Ganges to Van airport: 8:05 am Mon-Sat, 11:25 am & 3:50 pm Daily Visit our website ............................................................................................................... GARAGE for details Direct Van airport to Ganges: 8:55 am Mon-Sat, 12:15 am & 4:40 pm Daily Repairs to all ............................................................................................................... makes & models Direct Downtown to Ganges: 8:40 am Mon-Sat , 12:00 am & 4:25 pm Daily 181A BEDDIS ROAD 250.537.98802 saltspringair.com CALENDARS NOW IN! 250-537-4122 A2 | WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2010 | GULF ISLANDS DRIFTWOOD CALL GAIL, SEAN OR AMY IF YOU SAWYER’S SERVICE SAVINGS COUPON NEWSBEAT SEE NEWS HAPPENING 2505379933 PresentPresen this coupont this coupon at the at t hetime tim e your Sewing Machine or Serger isy ourbrought Sewing in Machine for a full or Serger service is brough and t in for a Cost of ferry travel up again on April 1 SAVEfull service $15.00 and SAVE off $15.00 the service. off the service. FARES TARIFF Passengers Vehicles VALID UNTIL MAY 30th continued from A1 VALIDVALID UNTIL UNTIL FEBRUARY MAY 30TH 28TH Route 31-Mar-10 01-Apr-10 31-Mar-10 01-Apr-10 rience Card discounts will see the foot 1 TSAWWASSEN - SWARTZ BAY (One Way) $13.50 $14.00 $45.00 $46.75 SAWYER SEWING CENTRE passenger costs rise from $9.45 to $10 2 DEPARTURE BAY - HORSESHOE BAY (One Way) $13.50 $14.00 $45.00 $46.75 SAWYER SEWING CENTRE (return) on the Fulford-Swartz Bay and 30 TSAWWASSEN - DUKE POINT (One Way) $13.50 $14.00 $45.00 $46.75 1-888-229-2266 Vesuvius-Crofton runs, and from $9.80 to 3 HORSESHOE BAY - LANGDALE (Return) $11.85 $12.85 $39.90 $43.20 $10.40 between the southern Gulf Islands 4 SWARTZ BAY - FULFORD HARBOUR (Return) $9.45 $10.00 $28.00 $29.60 250-388-62283400 Douglas3400 St., VictoriaDouglas St. and Swartz Bay, for example. Vehicle fares 5 SWARTZ BAY - GULF ISLANDS (Return) $9.80 $10.40 $31.00 $32.95 rise by $1.60 (to $29.60) on the Salt Spring 5A INTER-GULF ISLANDS $4.90 $5.20 $10.70 $11.35 routes, and by $1.95 to $32.95 for the 6 CROFTON - VESUVIUS BAY (Return) $9.45 $10.00 $28.00 $29.60 other Gulf Islands. 7 EARL'S COVE - SALTERY BAY (Return) $11.85 $12.55 $39.90 $42.15 8 HORSESHOE BAY - SNUG COVE (Return) $9.20 $9.75 $26.40 $27.90 Price caps were set at 2.68 per cent for GULF ISLANDS - TSAWWASSEN (One Way) Regular 9 $7.60 $8.05 $30.70 $32.45 BC Ferries’ three major routes and 5.68 Season GULF ISLANDS - TSAWWASSEN (One Way) Off Peak 9 $7.60 $8.05 $20.25 $21.40 NEW LISTING per cent for all other routes. Season TSAWWASSEN - GULF ISLANDS (One Way) Regular 9.1 $14.85 $15.70 $55.15 $58.30 The Ferry Commission establishes the Season TSAWWASSEN - GULF ISLANDS (One Way) Off Peak price cap by plugging the current Con- 9.1 $14.85 $15.70 $47.60 $50.30 Season sumer Price Index into a pre-determined 12 MILL BAY - BRENTWOOD BAY (One Way) $6.00 $6.35 $14.00 $14.80 LANGDALE - KEATS ISLAND - GAMBIER ISLAND (One formula, Crilly said. Although this year’s 13 $5.70 $6.10 Way) CPI is negative, he added, the price cap 17 POWELL RIVER - LITTLE RIVER (One Way) $11.80 $12.50 $37.50 $39.65 increased because of the ferry company’s 5 sunny, private acres close 18 POWELL RIVER - TEXADA ISLAND (Return) $8.60 $9.10 $20.50 $21.65 projected capital expenses and the pro- to Ganges. $629,000 19 NANAIMO HARBOUR - GABRIOLA ISLAND (Return) $8.60 $9.10 $20.50 $21.65 vincial government’s failure to increase 20 CHEMAINUS - THETIS ISLAND - KUPER ISLAND (Return) $8.60 $9.10 $20.50 $21.65 Kathy Mara its annual transportation subsidy. 21 BUCKLEY BAY - DENMAN ISLAND (Return) $7.90 $8.35 $18.50 $19.55 “That leaves passengers paying their 22 DENMAN ISLAND - HORNBY ISLAND (Return) $7.90 $8.35 $18.50 $19.55 share of the increase and making up the 23 CAMPBELL RIVER - QUADRA ISLAND (Return) $7.90 $8.35 $18.50 $19.55 www.kathymara.com government’s share,” Crilly said. 24 QUADRA ISLAND - CORTES ISLAND (Return) $9.20 $9.75 $21.50 $22.75 250-537-5553 Coons is calling on the province to 25 PORT McNEILL - ALERT BAY - SOINTULA (Return) $9.20 $9.75 $21.50 $22.75 [email protected] follow up on recommendations present- 26 SKIDEGATE - ALLIFORD BAY (Return) $7.90 $8.35 $18.50 $19.55 164 Fulford-Ganges Road ed in last year’s audit by the province’s Comptroller General. Coons called the anticipated fare hikes a “fresh look” at BC Ferries during its 2010 Among those recommendations is that a “fi nal nail in the coffi n” for many busi- throne speech in early February. the province increase its transportation nesses and tourism dependent entities The Trust’s Feb.