$ 25 (incl. GST) HERITAGE WEEK BENEFIT 1 Check out Salt Mahon Hall all-star Wednesday, Spring’s heritage on a evening rocks. February 21, 2007 walk through time. PAGE 27 47TH YEAR ISSUE 8 PAGE 24 GULF ISLANDS DriftwoodYOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER SINCE 1960 Film Festival | inside Island Wheels | 17- 23 [email protected] www.gulfislands.net Pothole Index Arts ............................ 25 Classifieds ................. 39 woes Editorials .......................8 Ferry Schedules ........ 37 Health ......................... 36 spark Horoscope .................. 42 Letters ......................... 9 Sports ......................... 37 paving TV Listings ................. 15 What’s On.................. 3O plan -/24'!'%15%34)/.3 Twelve Salt Spring ASK!RLENE roads slated for spring repaving By STACY ",/ CARDIGAN SMITH Driftwood Staff *"/ –––––––––––– It’s a victory for pothole counters everywhere: 20 Weather kilometres of Salt Spring roads will be resurfaced Cloudy with 40-60 per beginning April 1. cent of showers right The repaving initiative was through the weekend. announced last week by Saa- Highs to 8 C most nich North and the Islands days; overnight lows to MLA Murray Coell, and 3 C on Thursday. includes some of the island’s MASTER FLYERS: Annie Dunning, left, spent time testing her handmade fl utes on pigeons at Timothy most oft-cursed roads. Hume’s Beddis Road Dovecote Studio as part of her University of Guelph fi ne arts masters thesis. See story, Coell toured Salt Spring Photo by Derrick Lundy and Pender Island roads last Page 4. Inserts fall with Mainroad South • Pharmasave Island Contracting Ltd., • Ganges Village Market the company that maintains • Home Hardware roads in the southern Gulf Fire hall strategy back to square one • Uncle Alberts Islands and on parts of Van- • Thrifty Foods By SEAN MCINTYRE voted to cancel a counter- Middleton said engaging Patterson said more pro- couver Island. Driftwood Staff petition process seeking with the public during the cedural information will be Shortly after, he The Salt Spring Island Fire approval to borrow up to $5 fire hall process is funda- available after trustees fi nal- approached Transportation Protection District (SSIFPD) million for land and a new mental to fostering wide- ize their strategy in early North End Fitness Minister Kevin Falcon to will rekindle discussion on a fi re hall at 154 Kings Lane. spread public support for request increased paving for March. 537-5217 new fi re hall during a two- Speaking to trustees dur- whatever plan is selected. In other fi re news: the islands, he said during a day trustee workshop in ing a public forum follow- “An ounce of prevention phone interview Monday. • Fire trustees agreed March. ing the business meeting, is worth a pound of cure,” unanimously to begin a According to a transporta- “We are doing this to participant Roger Middleton he added. tion ministry map, roads to phase-one site assessment of determine what we are doing, urged the fi re district to care- The appearance of secrecy, be repaved include Robin- the proposed Fulford train- why we are doing it and how fully consider the public’s Middleton said, is precisely son, Stark, Walkers Hook, ing hall site. much it is going to cost,” said view when the discussion is what prevented trustees from North End, Sunset, Booth The $2,500 study conduct- Canal, Rainbow, Churchill, acting fi re board chair Bruce reconvened. proceeding with the initial ed by Duncan-based Madro- Patterson during the SSIF- “Hold the public hearing counter petition. Quebec, Beddis, Cusheon ne Environmental Services PD’s monthly meeting. fi rst, before coming up with “You didn’t make a mis- Lake and Rourke. will examine the property’s Twenty km of repaving is The Monday meeting the solution,” he said. “Then take, you just happened to “significantly more than is marks the trustees’ fi rst pub- we are all part of the solu- do politics in the usual way,” FIRE STRATEGY 2 Gil Mouat usually done,” added Coell, lic sitting since the board tion.” he added. 26 Years KNOWLEDGE stating an average of two km of roads are generally Anderson says Kyoto targets can be met (250) 537-4900 repaved on Salt Spring annu- www.gilmouat.com ally. By SEAN MCINTYRE don’t even want to mention what my named Kyoto — and a chance to clarify Coell said Salt Spring’s Driftwood Staff wife would say if I returned to poli- the Kyoto Protocol targets. recent pothole count, which Former environment minister David tics.” “The idea we will have to eliminate garnered a fair amount of Anderson left little doubt he would not Anderson’s decision not to run came all forms of transportation is rubbish,” media attention, likely played be running for a seat in the next federal in spite of strong support from a crowd he said. a role in the decision. election. spanning the political spectrum. In the decade since Kyoto, he said, the “I think the pothole count “My dogs would be upset if I wasn’t Since deciding not to run in the 2006 debate over Kyoto centred on whether was a good thing to do as able to take such long walks with federal election, the former Victoria or not Canada can reach its targets, not well. I think the roads on them,” Anderson told roughly 80 peo- MP and environment minister has had what steps can be done to get things ple attending a speaking engagement more time to walk the dogs — one, like ANDERSON TALK 3 PAVING PLANS 2 Saturday afternoon at Meaden Hall. “I Liberal leader Stephane Dion’s, is also 10% off Tuesdays GANGES GIANT GRAPE EXTRAVAGANZA fresh From Chile (some restrictions apply) VILLAGE MARKET Extra Fancy Large to Extra Large Grapes 97 LOCALLY OWNED & OPERATED Lb • Thompson • Red Globe • Flames • Black 1 4.34Kg OPEN DAILY 8am - 9pm 2 ▲ WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2007 NEWSBEAT GULF ISLANDS DRIFTWOOD 77%347).$$ Bugs clear out island school , 7"" Ê ° By SEAN MCINTYRE Conditions have improved is important.” ents of children attending #USTOM&LOORING Driftwood Staff but attendance is still down Dr. Murray Fife, a medi- Salt Spring Island Middle 3PECIALIZINGINCUSTOM7IDE0LANK Salt Spring residents can between 20 and 30 per cent cal offi cer with the Vancou- School and Salt Spring Ele- #LEAR$OUGLAS&IR officially cast aside hope of the norm. Bennett said a ver Island Health Authority mentary should also take s"RANDNAMEmOORINGAVAILABLE the 2007 flu bug will skip health warning posted on the (VIHA), said it is very rare precautions. s/VER(ARDWOOD3OFTWOODSPECIESINSTOCK over the island because it’s school’s website is intended for infl uenza and norovirus “The best solution is to already here in a big way. to keep parents informed. to occur simultaneously. stay home and stay hydrated,” £nääÈÈÇÓÓÇx The infl uenza virus struck “Public health recommen- “You’ll know if you have he said, adding those who xÊÊ£ä£nÊV >`Ê*>ÀÊ,>`]Ê-`iÞ]Ê the Greenwoods extended dations are that everyone it,” he said. are not sick should make a care facility and the Fern- with this virus stay at home VIHA is monitoring other habit of washing their hands wood Elementary school for at least two days after schools on the island, but frequently. +POJTMPDBM*OWFTUNFOU in early February. To make they feel better,” reads the has so far only issued health Symptoms usually remain "EWJTPSZ4FSWJDFIBT matters worse, the facilities notice. advisories to Fernwood for up to 48 hours, but pre- BOFNQIBTJTPOUIF have since reported cases of “The virus can remain school and Greenwoods. cautions should be taken in stomach fl u, or norovirus. in the body for as long as Cases of influenza have the week following infection IJHIFTURVBMJUZ According to Fernwood two weeks after vomiting been reported at Gulf Islands to avoid spreading the virus. QSPGFTTJPOBMBEWJDF principal Richard Bennett, and diarrhea have stopped. Secondary School but num- Fife added infection rates BOETFSWJDFBMPOHXJUI the combined effect of the Drinking plenty of water and bers remain far below those remain on par with previous JOUFHSBUFEXFBMUI viruses resulted in a close to other fl uids, such as soups or at Fernwood elementary. years and the current out- NBOBHFNFOU 50 per cent absentee rate. juice, to prevent dehydration He said staff and the par- break is no cause for alarm. 1SPUFDUJOH PAVING PLANS From Page 1 BOEHSPXJOH Salt Spring needed attention ber of holes per road. one huge swamp.” uled to start April 1 and take ZPVSXFBMUI and I’m pleased the minis- Last year, 5,161 holes Regarding the paving pro- two and a half months to try is going to give it atten- were counted on 101 roads, gram, Norfolk wrote, “The complete. tion. I think also the winter for an average of 51 holes news about the road pav- “Today’s announcement was particularly hard on the per road. This year’s count ing is just wonderful for the will signifi cantly improve the roads on Salt Spring.” found an average of 62 holes island. Twenty kilometres quality of several important Although the news is per road. isn’t a lot, but it is a start.” and well-used roads on the welcomed by pothole count One couple on Musgrave However, most of the Island,” stated the release. .FFU+POJ(BOEFSUPO organizer Lorraine Norfolk, Road reported 849 holes this feedback she has received “Many of the existing roads she feels more should be year, up from about 600 in has been negative. have passed their original life ,°ÊÊ>`iÀÌÊ Ê * done. Beginning February 2006, said Norfolk. “Almost without excep- expectancy, so our govern- ÛiÃÌiÌÊ`ÛÃÀÊ>`Ê>V>Ê*>iÀ 7, Norfolk asked islanders There were also “count- tion the people who have ment is taking action to ensure xÎÇ£Èx{ÊÊÊÊÊ to count the potholes on less reports of broken and heard about Murray Coell’s that the roads are properly +ÕiÃÌöÊÊÊi>Ê°>`iÀÌJL«V`°V Salt Spring roads.