1. No big
tourist
influx:
study
MARTHA PERKNS
E D I T O R
A
national park on Bowen
Island would definitely
increase the number of
visitors to the island. But by how
many?
The economic impact study
conducted by Lions Gate
Consulting says that while there
will be an initial bump, Bowen
Island is not about to be overrun
by park tourists.
“We expect a seven to 25 per
cent increase in the total visits
to Bowen Island as a result of
the park,” Steve Nicol, the owner
of Lions Gate Consulting, told
council on Thursday night when
he presented a preliminary over-
view of his study.
This translates into an increase
of 4,000 to 15,000 visitors by
year 15 of the park’s existence.
Those additional visitors would
spend a total of $90,000 to
$360,000 a year on the island by
the fifth year, creating the equiva-
lent of one to four full-time
employment opportunities among
local businesses.
Nicol based his report on three
different scenarios which Parks
Canada came up with last fall.
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Con artist i.d.
Quick thinking by marina staff help
RCMP identify culprit
Off-leash dogs
Parks Canada says it’s willing to
reconsider its rules
Dance recital
Stage at Capilano University taken
over by Bowen dancers
FRIDAY
JANUARY 28 2011
V O L . 3 8 , N O . 5 1
Watch for more online at:
WWW.BOWENISLANDUNDERCURRENT.COM
75¢ including
HST
MARTHA PERKINS
E D I T O R
E
d Booiman was horri-
fied by what he saw when
he went looking for his
dog Penny in Tunstall Bay last
Thursday afternoon.
The Sheltie was a rescue dog
and was nervous about passersby
and other animals so usually
stayed close to the house with-
out having to be tied up. When
Booiman went outside to give
Penny her dinner, however, the
dog was nowhere to be seen.
Booiman went onto Dee Cee
Road to see if he could find the
dog. There, standing over the
prone figure of his Sheltie, was
a large dog which Booiman now
believes was a wolf or some sort
of wolf/dog mix. The creature
was eating the Sheltie.
It looked up when Booiman
approached but kept eating.
Then, when Booiman started
shouting at it, it hesitantly
backed away, keeping a con-
stant eye on Booiman. The closer
Booiman got to Penny, who
was dead, the farther the canine
retreated.
“It didn’t want to turn its back
to me,” he says. “It was guarding
its prey but also nervous of me.”
Finally, with a sidestepping
motion, the animal disappeared
into the forest.
DROP, COVER AND HOLD ON! On Wednesday, students at BICS joined 440,000 other people
across British Columbia for the biggest drill in the province’s history. ShakeOut BC was designed
to make people think of what to do when there’s a major earthquake. Those lessons were not lost
in Geraldine Brind’s class. At 10 o’clock they dropped to the ground, found cover under their desks
(and in the case of their heads, under their arms), and held for the one-minute drill. Martha Perkins
MARTHA PERKINS
E D I T O R
W
hat’s the rush?
That question was
asked in all kinds of
ways, with all kinds of passion,
at Saturday’s open space forum
about the possibility of Crippen
Park being part of a national
park.
“We’re going through a very
divisive process,” said one man,
who said the park initiative was
an example of self-aggrandize-
ment by councillors. “I don’t
think we need this assembly of
people” because the park isn’t
necessary, he said.
“Why is the vote happening
so quickly? What’s driving it?”
asked John Green. He demanded
an appropriate forum to discuss
it with council.
Bruce Russell said, “We’ve
taken 30 years not to come up
with a decision on Snug Cove
and we’re given nine months to
come up with a decision that has
a profound impact on the island.
I defy anyone to squeeze in
enough meetings.”
The three men were at a ses-
sion hosted by Fitch Cady,
Michael Cornelissen and Gayle
Stevenson. They had named their
session “Keep national park out
of Crippen” and it gathered the
largest crowd of the afternoon,
although not everyone was there
to lambaste the national park.
For instance, several members of
council were part of the group to
listen to what people who were
against the park had to say.
Anger about park rises to the surface
continued, PAGE 8
Pet’s death
sparks fear
of wolf or
feral dog
on island
continued, PAGE 6continued, PAGE 8