Chemainus Residents Association

Blog

  • CRA initiating Emergency Planning Committee

    As well as showing the impact of an earthquake and tsunamis on coastal BC, the movie Preparedness Now advises people on the types of supplies they should have on hand

    The CRA will be meeting with the Cowichan Valley Regional District’s Emergency Program Coordinator Sybille Sanderson later this month to talk about forming a Chemainus Citizens Emergency Response Team.

    The idea is for neighbours to be in a position to help neighbours and themselves during an emergency or when disaster strikes, and help is either not able to get to people or professional emergency services are swamped. The kinds of things that could be considered: an assistance centre that would be activated in the event of an emergency; help for shut-ins; help for people without necessities.

    The team will only be formed if there is support in the community.

    Contact membership@chemainusresidents.ca for more information on this initiative. You can also find out more, or sign up to participate, at the Chemainus Residents Association table at the 49th Parallel Grocery, Saturday, Aug. 10 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

    For a perspective on the possible impacts of an earthquake and tsunamis hitting coastal BC, and the measures people should take in advance, see a video, Preparedness Now, and visit the Cowichan Valley Regional District’s Local Emergency Response Neighbourhoods page.

  • Seen any nesting herons?

    Great Blue Heron at Chemainus Lake. Herons in the Georgia Strait basin are under pressure due to habitat loss and nest attacks by eagles. The Ministry of Forestry: Ecosystems wants to know if people have sighted nesting herons in the area.

    Biologists with the BC Ministry of Forestry: Ecosystems want to know if anyone in Chemainus has seen herons nesting this past spring/summer in the mid island area.

    Herons are a bird of concern in the Georgia Strait basin as they are having trouble with habitat loss and eagles who have developed a taste for their young.

    Such is the sad case this past spring with the large nesting colony at the Chemainus mill. It was decimated by eagles attacking and eating the young herons in their nests.

    It’s hoped the herons may have moved to another location and tried to nest again. So, if you have seen any nesting herons could you please give the info ( location, number of nests or birds, etc.) to Saltair District Ratepayers Association board member Jane Cole Walton, who will pass the information on.

    Her contact info is waltonjc@shaw.ca

  • Community Plan update ‘journey’ announced

    The Municipality of North Cowichan launched its Official Community Plan (OCP) update process in the July 25 information release below…

    (July 25, 2019) – What is an Official Community Plan and why should I care? An Official Community Plan (OCP) establishes the vision for how our community will grow in the future and provides guidance on how to get there. It sets out goals to shape our future in a way that is healthy and sustainable and provides a high quality of life for current and future residents. Essentially, it’s about who we are and where we want to go.

    North Cowichan’s OCP was last updated in 2011 and it needs a refresh. This project was identified as a top priority in the 2019-2022 Council Strategic Plan, and Council is excited to be kicking it off this summer.

    “The backbone of a successful OCP is community support,” says Mayor Al Siebring. “An OCP guides all of us towards a goal, towards a desired future. There will be many opportunities for citizens to tell us what they envision for the future, and we invite all North Cowichan residents to get involved in this process. It’s only with YOUR input that we can together create a shared, meaningful plan.”

    This summer, there are two important ways to get involved in launching the OCP Project:

    1. Become a member of the OCP Advisory Group or Community Ambassador Team!
      a. OCP Advisory Group: Seeking residents with experience and knowledge in key business and community sectors to provide advice to staff through all phases of the OCP Project process.
      b. Community Ambassador Team: Seeking residents that represent the various geographies and neighbourhoods across North Cowichan (i.e. Quamichan, Berkey’s Corner, Maple Bay, Crofton, etc.) to inform the OCP Project by liaising with their neighbourhoods and providing community-specific information through the process.
    2. Help design the OCP Project logo and tagline in a friendly community competition!
      a. Between July 25 and August 14, we invite North Cowichan artists and residents to submit suggestions for a logo and tagline that will be used on all OCP materials for the duration of the project. Following the submission period, all entries will be posted on PlaceSpeak, North Cowichan’s online engagement platform, for North Cowichan residents to vote on their preferred option. A $250 prize will be awarded for the chosen logo, and another $250 prize will be awarded for the chosen tagline.

    There will be ongoing opportunities to learn about the OCP Project and provide your input over the coming months. Please be part of shaping the future of this community!

    Resource Documents

    ·        Application form for the OCP Advisory Group and the Community Ambassador Team

    ·        Logo and tagline contest rules

    ·        OCP Project Webpage

    ·        Sign up for the “Official Community Plan Project” Newsletter for ongoing OCP updates

    -30-

    For more information, please contact:

    Al Siebring, Mayor

    Municipality of North Cowichan

    T 250.710.3416

    Emayor@northcowichan.ca

  • Looking out for our town

    CRA Board members: Lia Versaevel, Chair; Lorraine Taylor, Treasurer; Carolyn Jerome, Membership; Bernie Jones, Vice Chair; Lana Halme, Secretary; Craig Spence, Communications

    Chemainus is a great place to live. It’s small enough not to need a traffic light, big enough to offer most of the services and amenities we need. People know their neighbours here, they say hello to one another in the street. And tourists flock to our little town to take in its main attractions, the famous art works of Mural Town and the high calibre performances of the Chemainus Theatre Festival. For anyone who wants a sense of community, it’s got a lot to offer.

    But, like most towns, Chemainus has its challenges. Affordable housing, air quality, water quality, economic development, cultural and recreational amenities, adequate policing… there’s plenty of issues that will have to be addressed if we want to maintain the type of lifestyle it’s so easy to take for granted here.

    That’s where the CRA steps into the picture. We follow developments at the Municipality of North Cowichan’s council table; listen to the concerns of residents; share information in meetings, though our periodic newsletters, on social media, and now, on this web site and its blog. We hope you’ll join us and ‘Give a hoot for our little town’ – membership is just $5 per year.

  • Come say hello at 49th Parallel