“Soon after I moved to the island I received brochures in the mail from the Improvement Association and the Eco Alliance. I thought that both groups had some good ideas and decided to join both of them. Before long it became apparent that it was like joining both the American Republican Party and the Communist [...]
Also tagged Island Life, OCPWhenever we’ve been off the island for any length of time I read through the accumulated Undercurrents to catch up. The last few have been quite enlightening.
First there was the great council debate about when we should have a community vote on the proposed National Park. Of course Parks Canada (PC) hasn’t actually put forward [...]
“Waiting to exhale.” That’s how we’re ending this year. I know that many of you would argue that pretty much describes how we feel at the end of every year but this is different. There are so many things so close to actually happening that we would really have to outdo ourselves for nothing to [...]
Also tagged Municipal Hall, National Park, OCP, Snug CoveIt’s becoming obvious that Parks Canada would like to turn 5,000 acres of Crown Land on Bowen into a national park. While the details of their proposal are far from being worked out, the numbers being thrown around are pretty impressive. The economic boost that it would give the island would put us in an [...]
Also tagged Island Life, National ParkA couple of weeks ago our Municipal Council gave first reading to a new Noise Control bylaw. In most places this would be a simple housekeeping matter but not on Bowen. Our bylaw seeks to redefine our social responsibilities towards our neighbours. Or, more to the point, seeks to impose penalties on us if we [...]
Also tagged Island LifeThe National Park debate is heating up very quickly. And an excellent debate it is. People whom you would think would be horrified at the prospect of Bowen becoming a tourist destination are in favour of the idea and business people who would prosper with the growth are lamenting the potential destruction of our lifestyle. [...]
Also tagged National Park, Snug CoveThis could be one of those personality tests “which position most closely matches yours?”
Position #1) Snug Cove is an embarrassment. It should be upgraded to look like the entrance to a prosperous community.
Position #2) Snug Cove is great. In a world where every small town feels the need to make itself over into a model [...]
Our OCP Update Committee has released a draft of our new Official Community Plan and in most respects I think that it captures our collective aspirations quite well. The committee working on the Plan spent a lot of time consulting with community groups about what should be included in the update and they included a [...]
Also tagged OCP, Snug CoveWhile the “Burning at Eddie’s Pit” story is quite an interesting tale of a classic Catch 22 it has also brought to the forefront a whole series of discussions about waste management and CO2 reduction.
Also tagged CO2 Emissions, green collar jobs, Island Life, waste management“Addicted to Development” is a phrase that may describe our current municipal condition. Between 2001 and 2010 our budget will have grown by at least twice as much as our taxes have increased. Our island municipality is spending about 8% more every year than it did the year before – but our property tax goes [...]
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