Crazy race Families get active Round Salt Spring report PAGE 20 Playbox arrives at Salt Spring Elementary School PAGE 15 GULF ISLANDS $ 25 Wednesday, May 24, 2017 — YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER SINCE 1960 57TH YEAR ISSUE 21 1(incl. GST) WILDLIFE CONFLICT Cougar re-emerges with donkey attack Beloved pet killed at Mount Maxwell farm BY ELIZABETH NOLAN DRIFTWOOD STAFF A 10-year-old donkey named Farley is the latest victim of an elusive cougar that has killed numerous livestock on Salt Spring this year. Caroline and Andy Hickman of Gander’s Hatch Farm lost a beloved pet Saturday night after a veterinarian determined the animal could not recover from its injuries. A tenant of the Mount Maxwell area farm had discovered the grievously wounded animal in his pen along with his companion Maggie the mule, PHOTO BY JEN MACLELLAN who was unharmed. YES, THEY’RE NO. 1: A jubilant Quw’utsun team celebrate winning the coveted Challenge Cup trophy as the top men’s competitive Farley and Maggie made headlines division team at the annual soccer tournament on Salt Spring. See story on Page 19. once before under happier circumstances, when they staged a great escape from the Salt Spring Fall Fair in 2013 and were then HOUSING CRISIS recovered nearby after 16 hours of freedom. Losing him now has left Caroline Hickman depressed and upset. She also feels a cougar that will attack animals of this size won’t be intimidated by people. “This cougar has been killing things all over Housing shortage impact studied the island. They’re cats — they’re the most effi cient killers on the planet after humans,” Delegation to encourage cottage legalization she said. Hickman has narrowed the time of the BY ELIZABETH NOLAN taurant industry, according to information mission meeting that involved local gov- attack down to around 7:30 p.m. Saturday, DRIFTWOOD STAFF that CEDC commissioner Laura Patrick ernment offi cials and representatives from when there was still plenty of daylight. Judg- Salt Spring’s Community Economic collected over the past month. the fi nance sector, Patrick described how ing from the bite and scratch marks the cou- Development Commission is taking on the Patrick was tasked to start a preliminary the research activity was positively per- gar left behind, it must have sprung into the island’s affordable housing problem with investigation into how housing might be ceived. pen from the top of the dammed edged of new research and advocacy work. impacting the economy at the commission’s “They were so pleased we came and a nearby pond directly onto the donkey’s Problems in recruiting and maintaining last meeting on April 20. Since then she has asked,” Patrick said. “Employers were so back. There were bite marks between his ears, workers and the resulting impact on opera- interviewed 18 local employers who repre- passionate about the issue, and the need his shoulders were raked, and there were tions are being felt by all the island’s major sent over 900 permanent workers. was so urgent, it was quite emotional.” scratches on his back legs. employers, from the health and school dis- Speaking at a mini-forum at Thursday tricts to the financial world and the res- afternoon’s economic development com- CEDC continued on 2 COUGAR continued on 2 Protect INSERTS INDEX your BEDDIS WEALTH • Country Grocer Arts ............................................................................................................. 9 People & Community .......................................................... 13 DRIFTWOOD • Ganges Pharmasave ROAD Classifieds ........................................................................................ 18 Sports & Recreation ............................................................... 19 • Thrifty Foods AD PROOF Editorial ..................................................................................................6 What’s On......................................................................................... 12 GARAGE BMO Nesbitt Burns Repairs to all Letters ..................................................................................................... 7 makes & models IMMEDIATE response required Joni Ganderton 181A BEDDIS ROAD 537-1654 [email protected] 250.537.9933 www.gulfislandsdriftwood.com 250-537-4122 Please proof this ad carefully and reply ASAP with your approval or changes. To celebrate bike to work week, May 29 - June 3, come shop at our store on your bike next week and If you have changes, please friend us on respond ASAP thus allowing receive a Reusable Produce Bag at no charge facebook! the production team time to OPEN Daily 8am-8pm | Conveniently located at: and win prizes! make the changes indicated. www.facebook.com/ #110-150 Fulford-Ganges Rd. Salt Spring Island, B.C. V8K 2T9 www.greenssi.ca www.greenssi.ca www.greenssi.ca gul slandsdriftwood If we do not receive a response by MONDAY AT 5 PM this ad goes to press in this format. Thanks very much. GULF ISLANDS Driftwood YOUR COMMUNI T Y N EWSPAPER SIN C E 1960 2 | WEDNESDAY, MAY 24, 2017 NEWSBEAT www.gulfislandsdriftwood.com GULF ISLANDS DRIFtwOOD Conservation office complaints drop off COUGAR “The only thing I don’t know is what the mule did continued from 1 to scare it off. You don’t see, you can only guess,” Hickman said. The B.C. Conservation Officer Service had planned to capture the cougar after a number of livestock kills were reported through February and March, but tracking efforts were not successful. Responding to a Driftwood request for an update on the situation on May 12, conservation officer Mark Kissinger said they had not had any new complaints for some time. The Hickman farm actually experienced a possible attack last week, when a lamb was pulled over the fence by its head — but they weren’t sure at the time what animal was involved. Hickman said the wounds and damage that Farley incurred left no doubt, however. Ted Akerman, who grew up tracking cougars with hounds, confirmed the source and also helped put Farley down after it was known he couldn’t be saved. Sadly, Farley should have had many years left to live as donkeys can reach 30 years of age. “He was young and he was healthy. We’d just done his feet and he was off in the fresh fields,” Hickman said. “We do everything we can to make their lives DRIFTWOOD FILE PHOTO BY JEN maCLELLAN happy and I feel I let him down.” Farley the donkey, seen at the Salt Spring Fall Fair in 2015, did not survive a cougar attack near Mount Max- No one from the conservation office was available for a response as of Drift- wood press time on Tuesday. well Saturday evening. Legalizing suites suggested to ease housing burden CEDC continued from 1 ningham pointed out that many respondents were living in rental can afford to live here, especially Commons micro-homes, all locat- islanders don’t have the space or accommodations, but available those that have been successful ed on or near Drake Road. IWAV’s extra resources required. stock may be decreasing. professionally. But the workers — approved expansion project at In analyzing the data with help “I think it’s unrealistic for “People are selling their homes we’ve not made any accommoda- Croftonbrook will open affordable from her daughter Gwen, a com- employers to come up with appro- and they’re making a lot of money, tion for them.” housing to seniors and the hard to merce student at Queen’s Universi- priate housing,” Cunningham said. and they’re not leaving the area. Participants at the meeting house. ty, Patrick found that local employ- Island Savings branch manager They’re coming out here,” Patrick warned against creating a special Grove suggested a Salt Spring ers are definitely feeling the strain. Jeff Knutson, who attended the said. class of “worker housing” to ware- Local Trust Committee project to Of those reporting in so far, 53 per meeting as a guest speaker, said house specific types of employees, legalize all suites and cottages for cent said that housing had a sig- in his field the housing crunch has “Having ‘workers’ however. They spoke about need- long-term rental accommodation nificant impact on their ability to made it difficult to find staff who ing a more diverse offering to meet will go a long way toward open- recruit and retain workers and 41 have the right skills and educa- housing’ may be a a full spectrum of needs. ing up available units. A pilot proj- per cent found there was a moder- tion for the job. The credit union “There’s a worry that we’re cre- ect that allowed secondary suites ate impact. has a good training program, but trend — but having a ating a have and have-not island, within specific areas and with spe- In addition, 47 per cent found it means extra time is required to and an elitist island,” said commis- cific conditions started in 2013. their operations were directly develop employee strengths. good range of available sioner Francine Carlin, adding this “The low-hanging fruit is cottag- affected by employees’ hous- The effect is not restricted to low- would only increase the problem es. We have way too many empty ing needs. Employers have had income workers like baristas. The housing is a healthier by reducing economic diversity. cottages on the island,” Grove said. to spend more on the recruit- housing shortage impacts the abil- “Having ‘workers’ housing’ may The LTC put the expansion proj- ing process, close business days ity to retain healthcare profession- model.” be a trend — but having a good ect on its list of top priorities in July early or suspend services because als like nurses and care-aides, and range of available housing is a 2016 and then removed it again of not having the necessary staff, more experienced RCMP officers. laura patrick healthier model,” Patrick agreed. this spring, though Grove said he and seen negative effects to their Salt Spring’s CRD director Wayne Community Economic Grove said the Salt Spring Local suspected that was a temporary long-term planning abilities.