Cowichan This Week – Make way for the new year

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

News and announcements

• Community support and creativity have helped carry the Chemainus Theatre through 2020, The Discourse reports.
• Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry says the first case of a person in B.C. infected with the COVID-19 U.K. variant has been identified. The individual resides in the Island Health region and returned to B.C. from the U.K. on a Dec.15 flight. They developed symptoms while in quarantine. A small number of close contacts have been isolated and public health is following up with them daily.
• The BC Coroners Service is investigating a death in an early-morning house fire that took place in North Cowichan on Christmas Day, the Cowichan Valley Citizen reports.
• A live, virtual open house was held on Dec. 22 to celebrate the new Cowichan Hospice House. Check out a video from the event here.
• The City of Duncan will purchase a paper folding machine for up to $12,400, the Cowichan Valley Citizen reports. The machine will replace manual labour, as well as the cost to pay an employee to fold and stuff envelopes.
• The Somenos Marsh Wildlife Society wants to see a wetland on the property of the North Cowichan/Duncan RCMP detachment once the building is removed, the Cowichan Valley Citizen reports. 
• The City of Duncan is looking for a consulting firm to prepare a Transportation and Mobility Strategy. A request for proposals has been released and the City of Duncan says it wants the strategy to reflect a desire to “encourage sustainable and efficient transportation modes.”
• The South Cowichan Community Policing Advisory Society has been selected by the CVRD to deliver the Cowichan Community Policing Services. There is an annual budget of nearly $123,000 to fund the delivery of community policing services in participating core areas of the Municipality of North Cowichan, the City of Duncan and CVRD Area D – Cowichan Bay.
• A survey was launched in November to help the Government of Canada better understand the daily realities and experiences of LGBTQ2 people in Canada in areas like employment, health care, housing and homelessness and safety. The survey is available until Feb. 28 and can be found online.

Community events

• Saturday, Jan. 2 and Sunday, Jan. 3: 🎄The BC Lions Society and Competition Tree Service’s annual Christmas Tree Chipping event takes place from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Chipping is by donation and proceeds go to the Easter Seals Camps. Chipping is at a different location on each day. Find details on the Facebook event page.
• Tuesday, Jan. 5 through Jan. 19: 🖼 Visit the Cowichan Valley Arts Council Annex in Duncan to see the Off in all Directions Art Show featuring collages, photography and paintings created by four different women.
• Thursday, Jan. 7 through Feb. 4: 🎨 To kick off its 50th year, the next Cowichan Valley Arts Council member show, Then and Now, will look at the creative evolution of artists. Artists can submit two pieces (one old and one new) as well as a statement on how they got from A to B. Visitors can see the detours and inspirations people take in their creative journeys. Visit the CVAC website for more information.
• January through April: 🏃‍♀️The 2021 Vancouver Island Race Series has gone virtual with eight challenges that can be run from January to April. There will be a run challenge and photo challenge. Visit islandseries.org to learn more and register.

What did I miss? Let me know what events are coming up near you by replying to this email. 

Community shout-out

A few weeks back we sent out a survey asking what’s making you feel hopeful, and which people and groups are making a difference where you live.

“All the people in the community who are providing safe housing for those who are struggling, and those who are struggling themselves with small businesses but still do what they can to help their neighbours and everyone around them in these trying times,” writes Rachel Gilbert.

It definitely lifts one’s spirits to see such a helpful community, doesn’t it? [end]