Island Homes ...page 40 Garage Sales .... page 36 $ 25 Your Community Newspaper Since 1960 1 (incl. GST) Wednesday, May 12, 2004 44th year Gulf Islands Issue 19 328 Lower Ganges Road, Salt Spring Island, B.C. V8K 2V3 Tel: 250-537-9933 Fax: 250-537-2613 Toll-free: 1-877-537-9934 e-mail: [email protected] editorial: [email protected] Website: www.gulfislands.net THIS WEEK’S INSERTS • Ganges • Thrifty Foods Pharmasave • The Vitamin Well-loved islander dies in plane crash • Mark’s Work Shop Wearhouse • Lady Minto By MITCHELL SHERRIN Bellavance. “He was bigger we’ve heard is that it’s criti- generosity at one point or to perform summer musical • Ganges Village Hospital Staff Writer than life and, in my mind, cal.” another, she said. serenades. Market • Slegg Lumber A flower memorial graced immortal. I think he had a bit Marnée couldn’t hold back “If people want to remem- “He was one of our Salt • Pinnacle Pizza • Uniglobe the parked truck of islander of that in his mind, too.” tears as she talked about her ber him, give their time or Spring characters. It was the Gene Bellavance in Ganges Marnée expressed con- father’s multiple contribu- their money to their favou- perfect place for him,” she after the aviator, welder, cern for Bellavance’s sole tions to the community. rite charities.” said. INSIDE boat builder and community passenger, Mary Steernburg, “He died the way he lived, Among his many contri- Bellavance was well known member died in a floatplane who was taken to Chemainus with love and great passion. butions to Salt Spring, he over the island as the owner crash near Thetis Island Sat- Hospital after the plane Everyone will miss his hugs. installed basketball hoops at of a bright orange 1950s Youth urday. crashed in shallow water at He embraced his life the way Fulford school, fabricated a Cessna Bird-Dog floatplane, “Out of the sky and into Preedy Harbour just after 10 he embraced his friends.” witch to display on the local and a self-made landing craft choir goes the water, the two things he a.m. It would be impossible to fire hall for Hallowe’en and he used for a barge business, on its own loved most next to his fami- “We’re all worried about list everyone who benefit- barged the Salt Spring Con- BELLAVANCE 2 Salt Spring ly,” said his daughter Marnée her. It’s a double tragedy. All ted from the 64-year-old’s cert Band into the harbour Honour Choir members muse about their upcoming con- Fire cert. Page 20. hazard �������������������� �������� already at high Record low levels of pre- cipitation this spring are impacting fire danger levels on Salt Spring and across the Index province. Arts . 15 Assistant fire chief Arjuna Classifieds . 27 George said four incidents Crossword . 37 of out-of-control burn piles Editorials . 8 have already occurred on Horoscope . 38 Salt Spring this year, includ- Letters. 9 ing one on May 8. Sports . 31 “These burn piles got out TV Listings. 17 of hand either because they were unattended or because What’s On. 24 people were not under- standing how dry it is,” he said. “We’re going week by Weather week for fire permits. All machine land clearing has FURRY FRIENDS: Alan and Joy Burrows take some time out with their alpacas — three of which are preg- Increasing sun and been stopped and I don’t see nant. The Burrows and their alpacas were seen last weekend at their St. Mary Lake property. warm weather is fore- it reopening again this sea- Photo by Derrick Lundy cast for the coming son.” week. Highs to 16 C George said that the local Thursday and Friday; hazard rating is bordering on overnight lows to 7 C high for fire danger and that most nights. it could reach extreme levels Pool survey prodded at meeting as early as the weekend. Since April 1, 23 wild- By GAIL SJUBERG of three pool choices: $1.25 million and an annual number of issues that have fires have blazed through Staff Writer • a six-lane indoor pool operating deficit of $40,000 been raised by the public, the coastal fire region, with About 50 islanders attend- with hot tub, therapy/leisure — the current Shelby Pool including an assertion that human activity causing 21 of ed a low-key Monday night pool and tot pool at a facil- net cost. money should not be divert- the fires. Parks and Recreation Com- ity cost of $4.7 million and PARC wants direction ed from the pool facility to According to the B.C. For- mission (PARC) meeting on an annual operating deficit from the community quickly new office space for PARC est Service, the public should the aquatic facility survey estimated at $630,000; so it can apply for a feder- at Rainbow Road. use extreme caution when now underway. • a six-lane outdoor pool al-provincial infrastructure But Lake said a service managing outdoor fires. Commission members with a two-lane indoor pool grant of up to $2 million. building with washrooms Last weekend, 37 com- Bill Curtin, Wayne Fraser and the same leisure com- As explained by Lake, an and changerooms is required munity members attended and Peter Lake explained ponents as above, expected outdoor pool is the “default” there in any event, and “staff FireSmart presentations at the process leading up to the to cost $3.6 million to build option if an indoor one is not should not be running back Fulford Hall and Ganges survey, and the next steps and requiring $580,000 to approved through the survey and forth between Portlock firehall to learn how to pre- to take following receipt of cover its annual operating and then a future referen- Park and Rainbow Road.” vent the start and spread of survey results, which will deficit; dum. Operating costs were also fires. be tabulated by a returning • a six-lane outdoor pool “PARC has decided it will tackled at the meeting. officer, said Curtin. Presentations highlighted with the capacity for pos- build this if the indoor option Lake said 80 per cent of PARC is asking islanders sible expansion or covering is not chosen.” costs to run a pool can be FIRE HAZARD 3 to indicate their preference in future, a capital cost of Lake also addressed a POOL MEETING 3 BUDGET CAR SALES VICTORIA OVER 100 CARS TO CHOOSE FROM • No payments for 6 months • 30 day money back guarantee • No money down • 0% interest for one year Car and Truck Sales 2224 Douglas St., Victoria 1-866-955-5353 � � 2 ▲ WEDNESDAY, MAY 12, 2004 NEWSBEAT GULF ISLANDS DRIFTWOOD FOR THE Driftwood hires summer reporter RECORD The Gulf Islands Driftwood wel- as a full-time lifeguard, and taught After graduation from UVic, McFee comes Jennifer McFee to the editorial swimming lessons and water aerobics, plans to pursue a Masters program in The Salt Spring Island department for the summer months. both in Yellowknife and Winnipeg. Vancouver, which is where her fiancé Fire Protection District’s McFee is a University of Victoria “I am excited to spend the summer lives. 2003 budget was $677,751, student finishing her degree in English on beautiful Salt Spring Island because They are planning a Winnipeg wed- not $1,946.620 as reported honours and professional writing. I thrive on the adventure of being in a ding for September 2005. in the May 5 Driftwood. McFee is from Winnipeg, but lived new environment. I love to travel, and I “I look forward to learning as much The $1,946,620 figure rep- in the Northwest Territories for several spent about two years living out of my as I can about the Salt Spring com- resented the district’s assets years before moving to B.C. backpack in Western Europe, Southeast munity and I hope to meet many new and liabilities as of Decem- She worked at a pool in Yellowknife Asia, India and Nepal.” people this summer,” said McFee. ber 31, 2003. The district’s Jennifer McFee 2004 budget is $726,900. BELLAVANCE: ‘Bigger than life’ From Page 1 ��� cheerfully titled, A Moving ������ Experience. “He could build anything. ‘We’ll ����� “He’s been here nine and � � � � � � � � � � � � � ���������������� a half years, building his use science,’ he’d say” boats on the mountain top,” said Marnée, referring������ to his Mount Maxwell Road prop- “He had a good way of Guard Auxiliary. �������������� ������������������� thinking outside the box, of “It was pretty sobering erty. Up and down���������������������� the coast, coming up with the extraor- when you see something like � Bellavance was known for dinary idea that makes things that.” ������ ��� his skills even more than his work.” By the time Jones arrived vehicles. He was an accom- And McKenzie appreciat- on the scene with Auxilia- plished welder, fabricator, ed Bellavance’s drive to meet ry Coast Guard units from �������������������������� boat builder and diver. �� the highest standards. Ladysmith and Mill Bay, ������������������������������ “Welding was his work . “Just good enough wasn’t rescuers aboard a private Dad was known for building good enough for him.” pleasure boat had already the best skiffs on the coast.” However, Bellavance rescued Steernburg from the �������������������������������� could be difficult to work ������������������������� ������������������������ In addition �������������������to building plane. ���������������������������� �������������������� �������� dozens of boats over his life- with. Previous employees “One woman got out on time, Bellavance even fabri-������� even established a pool to see her own. Gene never did. Gene Bellavance how long McKenzie would cated doors for observatories Driftwood file photo The divers got him out. As ����������� on the Canary Islands and in last.