News
14th annual IoTA Festival registration opens March 11
Gabriola Arts Council As Gabriola Island warmly welcomes the returning light, the Gabriola Arts Council is gearing up for the much-anticipated 14th Isle of the Arts Festival (IoTA), set to take place from March 28th to April 7th. Spring on Gabriola is a time for...
Breaking Bannock – Building Bridges
Gabriola Arts Council The Gabriola Arts Council is breaking out a new series of events this year. Next month we will introduce the first in a series of events with Gabriola’s own Katherine Palmer Gordon, noted lawyer and author, as well as; Bill Yoachim, Snuneymuxw...
Lulu presents Thelema Banana
Alexander Varty Lulu Performing Arts Society Despite having been the kind of child who read the dictionary for fun, I’ve just been introduced to a new word, xenophrenia, which the online Encyclopedia of World Problems & Human Potential defines it as “any state...
Recommendations for Rollo field improvements to be presented to committee February 12
Rachelle Stein-Wotten Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Gabriola Sounder With one or both of the sports fields at Rollo McLay Community Park closed for multiple months of last year due to poor field conditions, Regional District of Nanaimo staff are currently...
Gabriola MP continues to push for Citizens’ Assembly on Electoral Reform
Derek Kilbourn Sounder News Lisa Marie Barron, MP for Nanaimo-Ladysmith, was on Gabriola recently, hosting a session to discuss her motion for the federal government to call a Citizens’ Assembly On Electoral Reform. The session was held at the Phoenix Auditorium at...
Snuneymuxw First Nation and Canada sign historic land reconciliation agreement
Snuneymuxw Chief Mike Wyse and Honourable Gary Anandasangaree, Federal Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations, at the signing of the historic agreement, which will allocate 80.09 hectares of land (the “Camp Nanaimo Lands on Te’tuxwtun”) to be set aside as a reserve...
GERTIE receiving $9,278 share of coastal fund
Derek Kilbourn Sounder News Gabriola’s GERTIE bus system is receiving $9,278 share from a $230,000 Community Passenger Transportation Fund. The one-time fund is being administered by the Island Coastal Economic Trust (ICET) and Vancouver Island Economic Alliance...
A community response to encampments on the Commons
Heather Menzies Special to the Sounder Picking up garbage, clothing, cooking utensils and assorted camping gear from (illegal) encampments on the Gabriola Commons has evolved into a twice weekly patrol in recent months. In the minus-10 cold of a recent Saturday...
No home-field advantage for Gabriola soccer teams
Rachelle Stein-Wotten Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Gabriola Sounder They may be the Gabriola Soccer Association, but at the moment, none of the teams’ upcoming home games will be played on the island. All three of the island’s sports fields – one at Gabriola...
BC Ferries awards contract for hybrid Island Class vessels
Sounder News BC Ferries announced last week that the company has once again hired Damen Shipyards Group (Damen) to build four hybrid electric Island Class vessels. Damen Shipyards built the last six Island Class vessels for BC Ferries. Two of those ships are currently...
Kasahara Residency seeking committee members
Submitted article Since the autumn of 2020, the Kasahara Gabriola Trust Artist in Residence program has been bringing artists to Gabriola Island - to experience the area and community while having a set time to focus on their art practice, and in turn to give the...
Gabriola RCMP approved for Speed Watch funding from ICBC
Sounder News Gabriola RCMP had 81 calls for service in December. Cpl. Jordan Mullen, Detachment Commander for the Gabriola RCMP, thanked islanders for what was a relatively uneventful holidays season for the RCMP. A couple notable events - one was the RCMP cruiser...
Islands Trust and RDN granted funds to adapt to new legislation on housing supply
Rachelle Stein-Wotten Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Gabriola Sounder The Islands Trust and Regional District of Nanaimo will receive $127,336 and $345,913, respectively, out of the latest round of housing funding announced by the B.C. government. The province...
The Chamber’s Business Awards: More Than Recognition
Erin Udal Executive DirectorGabriola Island Chamber of Commerce The Gabriola Island Chamber of Commerce (GICC) is preparing for its upcoming Annual General Meeting (AGM) and Business Award Ceremony scheduled for Wednesday, February 7th at the Agi Hall from 6:30 pm to...
Ministry says Honeysuckle Woods property could be needed for gravel in future
Rachelle Stein-Wotten Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Gabriola Sounder The Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure says while they have no current plans to extract gravel from Barrett Quarry Pit, they still want it available in the future. The 40-acre...
Draft plans released for decommissioning, restoration of Coats Marsh weir
Rachelle Stein-Wotten Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Gabriola Sounder Gabriolans can view the preliminary Coats Marsh weir decommissioning design and ask questions about the project at an information session on Jan. 20. Regional District of Nanaimo parks staff...
New permit, campground fees proposed for RDN parks
Rachelle Stein-Wotten Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Gabriola Sounder Proposed amendments to the Regional District of Nanaimo’s parks bylaw will head to the board in the coming months, including changes to permit and campground fees. RDN staff provided a list...
Film commission’s annual funding sparks passionate debate amongst RDN directors
Rachelle Stein-Wotten Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Gabriola Sounder Regional District of Nanaimo directors defeated a motion to cease funding the Vancouver Island North Film Commission following some passionate debate. Electoral Area C Director Lauren...
RDN requisition for Gabriola bus going up
Rachelle Stein-Wotten Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Gabriola Sounder A funding increase for GERTIE has been approved by the Regional District of Nanaimo board. A motion by Electoral Area B Director Vanessa Craig, that funding for the Gabriola Community Bus...
Makerspace to open in the new year
Rachelle Stein-Wotten Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Gabriola Sounder GIRO’s textile recovery initiative is receiving more grant funding from the Regional District of Nanaimo as it aims to be fully operational by next month. The RDN is providing $300,003 in...
E-scooter use on Gabriola prohibited unless road has shoulder or cycling lane
Derek Kilbourn Sounder News The use of e-scooters on most of Gabriola roads is prohibited. Some exceptions apply, according to the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure (MOTI). Staff with MOTI provided the clarification this past week, after the Sounder...
Directors tell RDN staff not to act on new positions while adopting 2024 budget
Rachelle Stein-Wotten Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Gabriola Sounder Regional District of Nanaimo directors adopted a provisional budget at their last meeting of the year with provisos for staff not to act on some new staff positions before additional...
Elementary School and Rollo McClay sports fields closed for winter
Sounder News The sports fields at the Gabriola Elementary School and the Rollo McLay Regional Park are currently closed. This was confirmed by media representatives of Nanaimo-Ladysmith Public Schools, and the Regional District of Nanaimo. Staff with the Regional...
Three lives lost to overdose on Gabriola by end of October
Sounder News At least 2,039 lives have been lost to unregulated drugs in the first 10 months of 2023, according to preliminary data released by the BC Coroners Service. Three of those lives were lost on Gabriola Island. According to the data provided from the Coroners...
Gabriola Fire District considering options to purchase dual purpose fire engine
Derek Kilbourn Sounder News The Gabriola Fire Protection Improvement District is beginning what will be a two year process to acquire a new firetruck for the Gabriola Volunteer Fire Department. The cost of the new truck looks to be $717,899, if the Board goes ahead...