The regular monthly meeting of Glacier Probus was held on Thursday, June 6, 2021 at 2:00 p.m. Again we met on the Zoom platform.
President Sandy Dreger welcomed everyone who logged in on such a beautiful summer afternoon. She advised that, in light of BC's reopening plan the Management Committee will soon be meeting to develop the reopening plan for our club.
Sandy also advised that at recent management committee meetings it was decided to defer our AGM until we can (hopefully) meet in person in September.
Our Membership Year runs from June 1st to May 31st each year ~ with renewal dues set at the June AGM. For this year only membership will be extended to September 30th. Membership renewal will be for the period from October 1st to May 31st. Renewal forms will be issued after the September AGM and must be returned by September 30 if you wish to continue membership in the Glacier Probus Club.
Dorothy McGinn shared a You Tube from the Vancouver based Phoenix Chamber Choir. This video was recorded in April 2020 at the very beginning of the Covid 19 pandemic lockdown. It is a parody of Billy Joel's "Longest Time". It was a reminder of how far we have come since the pandemic was first declared and we were all sheltering in place. While the virus has wrecked havoc around the world we are fairly lucky to be on Vancouver Island where restrictions have allowed us some resemblance of normal life. Hopefully we can now see the light at the end of a very dark tunnel.
Dorothy next introduced our guest speaker. Caitlin Pierchalski is the Executive Director of Project Watershed and she brought an update on the Kus Kus Sum shoreline restoration project on the Courtenay River. She was happy to report that the $3.3 million has been raised and the land has been acquired and is held jointly by Project Watershed, the K'òmox First Nation and the Town of Courtenay. Once the restoration is completed and conservation covenants are in place the land will be transferred to K'òmoks First Nation.
Restoration plans call for three years of work. In 2021 all the surface concrete and asphalt will be removed and regarding and countering will happen. It is hoped to repurpose as much of the material as possible. In 2022 more earth work and planting will take and in 2023 there will be continued planting and the all important reconnecting to the Courtenay River with removal of the steel piling wall. The site will look very sparse in 2023 but will be back to a state where natural growth can flourish. People should follow on the Project Watershed sight to be aware of volunteer opportunities to assist with the planting stage.
A brief Q and A followed and Caitlin provided the following additional information:
It will be a complex process to control water during this reconnection stage. Water will have to be slowly introduced to the site before the piling wall is removed.
Caitlin advised that Canada Goose exclusion fencing is part of the plan to prevent this non native invasive species from eating newly planted salt marsh and tidal marsh vegetation.
In answer to a question Caitlin advised that the APEX projection of a possible sea level rise of 1 meter has been factored into the plan. The planned berm beside Comox Road will actually act as a flood barrier.
The site was remediated in 2006 to provincial standards for soil decontamination.
The Project Watershed mandate is to restore the shoreline to its natural state. It will take involvement of the public to encourage the City of Courtenay and K'òmoks First Nation to develop pathways and trails so that there is public access to the site.
Dorothy thanked Caitlin for bringing us up to date on the very worthwhile work Project Watershed is doing in our community.
John McGinn shared a humorous story about penguins while the lucky draw was completed.
The winners of $25.00 gift cards to I-Hos gallery were: John and Dorothy McGinn, Gary Lucas, Michael and Martha Nihls and Ena Fraser.
See you in September - or hopefully before.
President Sandy Dreger welcomed everyone who logged in on such a beautiful summer afternoon. She advised that, in light of BC's reopening plan the Management Committee will soon be meeting to develop the reopening plan for our club.
Sandy also advised that at recent management committee meetings it was decided to defer our AGM until we can (hopefully) meet in person in September.
Our Membership Year runs from June 1st to May 31st each year ~ with renewal dues set at the June AGM. For this year only membership will be extended to September 30th. Membership renewal will be for the period from October 1st to May 31st. Renewal forms will be issued after the September AGM and must be returned by September 30 if you wish to continue membership in the Glacier Probus Club.
Dorothy McGinn shared a You Tube from the Vancouver based Phoenix Chamber Choir. This video was recorded in April 2020 at the very beginning of the Covid 19 pandemic lockdown. It is a parody of Billy Joel's "Longest Time". It was a reminder of how far we have come since the pandemic was first declared and we were all sheltering in place. While the virus has wrecked havoc around the world we are fairly lucky to be on Vancouver Island where restrictions have allowed us some resemblance of normal life. Hopefully we can now see the light at the end of a very dark tunnel.
Dorothy next introduced our guest speaker. Caitlin Pierchalski is the Executive Director of Project Watershed and she brought an update on the Kus Kus Sum shoreline restoration project on the Courtenay River. She was happy to report that the $3.3 million has been raised and the land has been acquired and is held jointly by Project Watershed, the K'òmox First Nation and the Town of Courtenay. Once the restoration is completed and conservation covenants are in place the land will be transferred to K'òmoks First Nation.
Restoration plans call for three years of work. In 2021 all the surface concrete and asphalt will be removed and regarding and countering will happen. It is hoped to repurpose as much of the material as possible. In 2022 more earth work and planting will take and in 2023 there will be continued planting and the all important reconnecting to the Courtenay River with removal of the steel piling wall. The site will look very sparse in 2023 but will be back to a state where natural growth can flourish. People should follow on the Project Watershed sight to be aware of volunteer opportunities to assist with the planting stage.
A brief Q and A followed and Caitlin provided the following additional information:
It will be a complex process to control water during this reconnection stage. Water will have to be slowly introduced to the site before the piling wall is removed.
Caitlin advised that Canada Goose exclusion fencing is part of the plan to prevent this non native invasive species from eating newly planted salt marsh and tidal marsh vegetation.
In answer to a question Caitlin advised that the APEX projection of a possible sea level rise of 1 meter has been factored into the plan. The planned berm beside Comox Road will actually act as a flood barrier.
The site was remediated in 2006 to provincial standards for soil decontamination.
The Project Watershed mandate is to restore the shoreline to its natural state. It will take involvement of the public to encourage the City of Courtenay and K'òmoks First Nation to develop pathways and trails so that there is public access to the site.
Dorothy thanked Caitlin for bringing us up to date on the very worthwhile work Project Watershed is doing in our community.
John McGinn shared a humorous story about penguins while the lucky draw was completed.
The winners of $25.00 gift cards to I-Hos gallery were: John and Dorothy McGinn, Gary Lucas, Michael and Martha Nihls and Ena Fraser.
See you in September - or hopefully before.