The last Elphinstone Community Association (ECA) meeting on June 9 before summer break featured guest speaker MP Patrick Weiler. He talked about climate-based initiatives like federally-sponsored investment in natural gas, hydrogen research and battery technology and pointed to significant investment in protecting wild Pacific salmon, referring to an announcement made on World Ocean’s Day. MP Weiler stayed on the Zoom call to answer questions from the many in attendance for over an hour. The lively discussion included issues like proportional representation, plans to combat the climate emergency and federal money for BC Ferries. People had questions about federal jurisdiction to protect salmon-bearing streams and prevent ever-more plastic from entering our ocean. Weiler was open to the notion of rural governments being included in the implementation of the Pacific Salmon Strategic Initiative. I was later informed that Weiler presented a petition in Parliament two days after our meeting, calling on the government to protect endangered old-growth forests.
Most ECA members stayed on the Zoom call afterwards to hear about local updates including SCRD director Donna McMahon’s report. There’s now a plethora of neighbourhood associations which are encouraged to attend ECA meetings and share their news with our wider community. Ocean Beach Esplanade Neighbourhood Association representative Michael Unger talked about this group that has been meeting for a year to discuss the many concerns residents there have, and Sandra Cunningham of the Woodcreek Park Neighbourhood Association spoke about developing their emergency plan. People heard about the Nicholas Sonntag Marine Education Centre grant to clean up areas in the Salish Sea that also includes the large tote left on Gower Point Beach following the cleanup there two years ago. Locals have been collecting and depositing beach trash and it is now completely filled.
With farm gates in full swing, have you visited the one on Russell Road near the corner of Henry Road – the Gibsons Farm? Originally owned by the Hollands, Fred Holland also worked at the Cooperative jam cannery. His son Steve and wife Betty ran the farm for some time, eventually selling the productive acreage to Dawn and Paul Myers. The new, young owners, Jordan Maynard and Robin Friesen, are developing the historic farm around “ecosystems and sustainable food production and education.” Their well-stocked farm gate includes tasty greens, radishes, berries, flowers and eggs, available most days this time of year. In addition to raising chickens, they are currently grazing sheep and even sell apple trees. Jordan noted that the Shortcut Food Truck beside the farm stand has now added “choose-your-own berries” smoothies to the menu.
The couple are qualified teachers, specializing in Montessori, Outdoor Education and Farm Education, so it was a natural to develop the farm along educational lines. For several years they ran Southlands Farm in Vancouver, but their farm in Elphinstone, with Chaster Creek flowing through one corner, gives them more scope for their vision of providing a farm experience for groups of children. They have just finished a chick hatchlings program with four classrooms at Gibsons Elementary and also ran a fruit tree grafting program at Elphinstone Secondary. Most of their Summer Farm Camp programs are full, but they added a few more so you may be lucky enough to still enroll a child by going to: www.gibsonsfarm.ca/summer-farm-camp. They will also be running a Girls’ Empowerment Camp in July.
Happy summer, everyone! Send me Elphinstone news at: [email protected]
