Cowichan This Week – That fall feeling

Welcome to Cowichan This Week, your source for the latest local news and events. Sign up to get this in your inbox every Thursday.

As COVID-19 numbers continue to rise in B.C., provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry has urged all of us to reduce close contact with others. “It is time for all of us to cut back on our social interactions. This is what we all need to do now,” she said. 

That’s particularly true because many people are returning to school and work this week. Increasing contacts in one area should be offset by reducing in another. 

We’re still in a relatively good position on Vancouver Island. But that doesn’t mean we can’t all do our part. September, for me, is naturally a time of slowing down, turning inward and staying closer to home. I’m leaning into that fall feeling, and looking forward to cozy evenings with my closest ones.

News and announcements

• Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry has ordered the closure of nightclubs and banquet halls in B.C., due to ongoing COVID-19 exposure events related to those facilities. Additionally, restaurants and bars must end alcohol sales by 10 p.m. and close by 11 p.m., unless meal service continues. To reduce the need to speak loudly, noise from televisions or music cannot be louder than normal human speech.

• A B.C. program seeks to facilitate lease agreements between farmers and landowners to boost local food production. Read about a success story on The Discourse. 

• This week in Vancouver, a judge will review North Cowichan’s decision to deny a development permit to the Vancouver Island Motorsport Circuit to expand its driving track, the Cowichan Valley Citizen reports. 

• Multiple departments tackled a human-caused wildfire at the Woodley Range Ecological Reserve north of Ladysmith on Tuesday, the Ladysmith Chemainus Chronicle reports. The fire is now under control. 

• Documents obtained by independent journalist Larry Pynn with sixmountains.ca show that North Cowichan left residents partly in the dark on its reasons for pausing consultations on its municipal forests.

• The federal government will contribute $300,000 towards the construction of a marina on Cowichan Lake by the Ts’uubaa-asatx Nation (formerly the Lake Cowichan First Nation), according to a news release.

• The COVID-19 Vulnerable Population Cowichan Task Force is asking BC Housing to fund modular homes to transition people from existing tent sites to supportive housing that has yet to be built, the Cowichan Valley Citizen reports.

Community events

• Sept. 11, 12 and 13: 🏆 The Cowichan Exhibition presents The “UN”FAIR-20. Registration is required to come check out exhibits in diverse categories in this modified fair. 

• Saturday, Sept. 12: 👗 Join Ay-Lelum – The Good House of Design for a virtual launch of its fall/winter 2020 collection of Coast Salish fashions. 

• Saturday, Sept. 12: 🌊 The Cowichan Estuary Nature Centre is looking for volunteers for a physically distanced group photo encouraging water conservation in the Koksilah watershed. Register to take part. 

• Tuesday, Sept. 15: 🌿 The Shawnigan Basin Society is hosting a native plant seminar, featuring the wisdom of nature interpreter Genevieve Singleton and master gardener Dorothee Kieser.

• Wednesday, Sept. 16: 🎵 Etienne Siew and Graham Strang will play the Duncan Showroom as part of their Better Days Ahead tour. Limited seats are available, and the show will also be live-streamed on YouTube.

• Wednesday, Sept. 16: 📙 Join Medicine Wheel Education and the Orange Shirt Society for an online classroom and book launch. Orange Shirt Day, on September 30, is a day to honour and remember the children sent away to Canada’s residential school system.

What did I miss? Let me know what events are coming up near you by sending me an email. 

Photo of the week

Have you ever heard an elk scream? It’s rutting season, and out in Youbou where I live you can hear the eerie cries of bull elk if you leave a window open at night. 

This time of year, the elk are more likely to be found around town, chomping on apples and other seasonal treats. I caught this big boy in my neighbour’s yard, jumping for a apple that was just out of reach. 

Do you have a photo that showcases life in Cowichan? Send me an email, I’d love to see what this place looks like through your lens. 

In your words

We’ve gotten some great responses to intern Rashika Srivastava’s newsletter from earlier this week, about the process of preparing wool for Cowichan sweaters. 

“So great that you researched and followed up on this!” Brandy wrote. “Thank you so very much for doing this and then sharing your journey of discovery with me!”

Thanks for that feedback! It’s amazing to be part of this curious community.

Thanks for reading,

Jacqueline [end]