Chemainus Terminal Update

Members of the FAC met Stephen Mayall, Project Manager, Terminal Construction from BC Ferries on Friday September 25th, 2015. Below is the latest news on this project.

The trestle, ramp, pontoons and wing walls will be replaced.

The resulting structure will be highway legal at 63.5 tons on 8 axles.

Demolition/construction will begin in September/October of 2016.

The berth will be closed for 8 to 10 weeks, starting in early January 2017.

We had a good discussion on what alternate service might look like:

There will be a 40 to 50 person water taxi that will run (ideally) on the existing schedule and service Thetis, Penelakut and Chemainus. At peak times such as the school runs a second 15 to 20 person water taxi may be added if necessary.

Vehicles will go through the Crofton terminal. The details such as schedule and vessel still need to be worked out. For example it is possible that the Quinitsa, which currently services Denman Island and will be replaced later this year with a cable ferry, will be used. The Quinitsa has a 50 car capacity compared to the Kuper’s 32. Again, this is only a possibility. The travel distance is considerably longer and will need to be dovetailed into the existing Crofton Vesuvius run. The actual sailing times and schedule are still to be worked out.

Next steps: 

Ferries will meet again with the local FAC and other key stakeholders mid to late November of this year in Chemainus, and an initial alternate service plan will be developed.

There will be a series of Public Open Houses in the late winter, early spring of 2016 in Chemainus and on Thetis and Penelakut. The Open Houses are for public feedback as they work through the details of the closure plan. They will be looking for any details unique to Chemainus, Thetis and Penelakut.

Finally in September of 2016 there will Information Sessions on Thetis, Penelakut and in Chemainus. At this stage the project has been finalized. The Information Sessions are to communicate the final plan with all the details well ahead of the dock closure. This way people have plenty of time to prepare for the 8-10 week closure during which they will be using the water taxi and a less frequent and longer ferry run to Crofton.

Construction crews will start to show up in Chemainus in September/October 2016.

Any questions, please give me a call.

Keith

Keith W. Rush RPF (Ret)

keithrush17@gmail.com

Ph: 250-416-0013

Cell: 250-732-2766

Soup's On ~ Wednesday, September 30th

11:30 AM - 1:00 PM, or when the soup runs out, whichever comes first!

Bill of Fare: Vegetarian Soup, Chicken Noodle Soup, Bannock, Baked Goodies, Pot of Gold Coffee, Tea, & Brilliant Conversations.

Thanks to the wonderful Thetis volunteer cooking teams who make these events happen! How about joining a team so we can have these soup lunches every week?

We need help ~ with soup cooking, bread/bun and dessert baking on the following dates: November 4, 11; December 9, 16; January 6, 20; February 3, 24; March 2, 16, 23.

Contact Dee Smith donella123@aol.com

The Soup's On Committee

And the Bridge Group invites you to join them in the Library at 1:00 PM.

Free: Batting Insulation & Rug

10 pieces of batting insulation 8' x 16" X 9"

9 X 12 wool shag rya rug, red to brown, professionally cleaned with padding

250-246-4919 bjstuart612@aol.com

Cedar Beach Pizza ~ closed until October 10th

We will be travelling or otherwise engaged until Saturday, October 10.

Hope to hear from you on or after the 10th.

Thanks, Virginia and Andy

Lunar Eclipse ~ How to Watch

Weather Network's Lunar Eclipse Video

Steve Frankel

Super Moon / Blood Moon Lunar Eclipse

The rare Supermoon, sometimes called a Bloodmoon, lunar eclipse should be easily visible on Thetis Island, starting Sunday night  (Sept.. 27) at 6:58 pm and finishing at 9:27 pm.

The moon will already started passing through the earth's umbra when it rises here, but we will be able to see it in totality.

We should have clear skies Sunday evening.

Jeannine Caldbeck

jollity FARM ~ Open Saturday 9:30AM - 1:30PM

Organically Grown Produce and Handmade Sourdough Bread

Last chance to place orders for perennials for fall plantings.

heuchera, lavender, rosemary, hellebore, rock plants and sedums, digiplexis, salvia, euphorbia, actaea, chrysanthemum

*Call for more info or come by this Saturday to place an order

Islands Trust News Release ~ Conservation Tax Discount Bulletin

Click here to view the news release regarding: Property Tax Discount Program for Land Conservation Reaches Entire Islands Trust Area

Islands Trust Chair Peter Luckham (right) welcoming Bowen Island Municipality Mayor Murray Skeels (left) to the program.

Wanted for Thetis Island Elementary: Portable Cassette Players

Thetis Elementary is looking for 2 or 3 portable cassette players (either the hand held Walkman type or the cassette/CD combo type).  

Please contact Lori at 250-732-7680. Thanks!

News from the Returning Officer in Langford

Several Thetis Islanders are still having difficulties making sure they are registered to vote on Oct. 19th.  Don't assume you are already registered just because you have voted  Federally for the past thirty years. Many of us have found we somehow were cut from the list.  The Returning Officer has no idea why this is happening but it appears to be quite common in BC. Take nothing for granted.

I phoned the Returning Officer today with several questions and took notes:

*It is best to phone in from Thetis Island rather than use the online forms. They can use the first PO Box number but the number after our dash is called the slot number, and sometimes that won't work. Phone them: 1-866-545-0469  - it's toll free.

*If you have moved here from a different riding four years ago, you must sign a transfer form.  You can sign this at the Returning Office in Langford (just outside of Victoria) or bring all your identification to the Thetis Island Poll on voting day and get transferred there.

*The Riding Office for our new riding of Cowichan-Malahat-Langford is at #117- 777 Goldstream Avenue in the Langford Plaza strip mall next to Brown's Social House and a Starbucks.

*Advance Polls if you can't vote on the 19th will be held in Duncan and other locations on the Thanksgiving Long Weekend.  Phone the Riding Office for the location 1-866-545-0469. Please note that the ferry cost for seniors will be full fare on those dates.

*You can request a Special Ballot from the Riding Office and use it one of two ways. You can phone them for the Special Ballot and they will send it to you and you can fax in your  identification they will make sure you are registered and you can mail in your ballot. It must be received before 7 pm on October 19th. Or you can drop in to the Riding Office in Langford any day up to the 16th  of October by 6 pm, and vote there by Special Ballot.

*Please phone the Riding Office with any questions. Toll Free 1-866-545-0469.

*Yes, we will have a polling station on Thetis Island on October 19th from 7 a.m to 7 p.m at Forbes Hall. (Some times will be busier than others, so please be patient.) And remember that your vote is extremely important.

Jeannine Caldbeck

Campfire Regulations on Thetis Island

A friendly reminder for those who can't recall the regulations:

Campfires on Thetis require a permit until NOVEMBER 1st.  Campfires  must be regulation size: smaller than 20" x 20". They must be untreated wood (firewood and not painted or treated wood) and are not garbage or bonfires. These are evening campfires for enjoyment, not a way to wriggle around the yard waste fire prohibition.  Open burning of yard waste can commence on November 1st unless conditions warrant an extension of the ban on Thetis.

TIVFD

Heavy Ferry Loads ~ Thursday, Sept. 24th

On Thursday 24 September there will be a concrete pour.

Departing Chemainus

7:10 AM 2 cement trucks 1 Pumper

10:10 AM 2 cement trucks

Departing Thetis

11:00 AM  2 cement trucks

1:10 PM 2 Cement trucks, 2 pumper

If no DG run that day, there might be an adjustment

Patrick Mooney