News

Steve Earle Gabriola Community Bus Foundation For the last eleven years, the Gabriola Community Bus Foundation (GCBF) has been operating GERTIE (Gabriola Environmentally Responsible Trans Island Express). This non-profit, run by dedicated volunteers and a few paid...

Rachelle Stein-Wotten Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Gabriola Sounder Regional District of Nanaimo staff will engage with the province over the voting strength of board directors in anticipation of a growing population resulting in the need for more directors...

Rachelle Stein-Wotten Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Gabriola Sounder More field space at Rollo McLay Park is on its way as the parks and open spaces committee voted in favour of adding an all-weather playing space while supporting staff to look into locations...

Rachelle Stein-Wotten Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Gabriola Sounder Introducing larger organics carts to allow for curbside collection of more yard waste is on the public consultation docket as the Regional District of Nanaimo is reporting an uptick in usage...

Dangerous goods vehicles wait to leave Gabriola on May 15. Derek Kilbourn photoDerek Kilbourn Sounder News A shortage of space on the Gabriola Island Class ferries for Dangerous Goods haulers meant both shipments for the marine fuel docks in Silva Bay were not...

Framer Elana Evans in her happy place watering vegetable starts in the new propagation house. Photo courtesy Elana EvansRob West On behalf of Gabriola Nature Education Society, and People for a Healthy Community A vision of food security, nature education, and local...

Sounder News The Canada Infrastructure Bank (CIB) has reached financial close on a $75 million loan to BC Ferry Services Inc. to help finance the purchase of four zero-emission ferries and install the required charging infrastructure. This will directly impact the...

Rachelle Stein-Wotten Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Gabriola Sounder Nanaimo Ladysmith Public Schools is one of three districts in B.C. receiving provincial funding this fall for before and after school care, which will enable the district to expand its...

Rachelle Stein-Wotten Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Gabriola Sounder Data collection is underway to develop the Regional District of Nanaimo’s parks biodiversity plan, scheduled to be completed in June. The RDN has hired McTavish Environmental Consultants to...

Rachelle Stein-Wotten Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Gabriola Sounder The parks and open spaces advisory committee has voted not to move forward with a planned wildfire safety demonstration plot in 707 Community Park, effectively putting the park’s fuel...

Yarrow Koontz (left), Artistic Director for the Japanese Canadian Legacies Project at the Gabriola Historical and Museum Society, speaking with Joan Merrifield, Museum President in front of the exhibit opened to celebrate Asian Awareness month. Derek Kilbourn...

Greg BleeSustainable Gabriola The Community Hall was buzzing on May 11, with over 70 people cultivating neighbourhood connections at the “Gabr’hoods” event.  A giant map of Gabriola was laid out in masking tape on the floor, and participants stood at their house...

Rachelle Stein-Wotten Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Gabriola Sounder BC Ferries says they are expecting a record number of passengers this summer, and has made some changes following last year’s high season issues. “I think we’ve made some major strides,” BC...

Rachelle Stein-Wotten Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Gabriola Sounder Is the Village Way Path meant for cyclists? At its May 13 meeting, the Electoral Area B parks and open spaces advisory committee contemplated what modes of active transportation are...

Rachelle Stein-Wotten Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Gabriola Sounder School trustees will discuss the district’s policies for tree planting at schools following challenges a Parent Advisory Council (PAC) has experienced in enhancing an elementary school’s...

Rachelle Stein-Wotten Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Gabriola Sounder A kilometre off Gabriola Island’s shore are what look like a couple clothing irons bobbing up and down with the waves – or at least that’s what they remind Vicky Scott of. They’re marbled...

Rachelle Stein-Wotten Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Gabriola Sounder Pickleball enthusiasts as well as the pickleball curious now have more opportunity to play on Gabriola following a new schedule set up by the Gabriola Recreation Society and Gabriola...

Sounder News BC Ferries says it will be resuming in-person meetings with Ferry Advisory Committee (FAC) members and coastal communities to begin to tackle ideas and requests from ferry users up and down the coast. The in-person FAC meetings were all put on hold in...

Derek Kilbourn Sounder News At the May 1 meeting of the Gabriola Fire Protection Improvement District, Chair Paul Giffin expressed concern with an article printed in last week’s Sounder. The article, entitled, “Accessing historical RDN and most Trust records does not...

Derek Kilbourn Sounder News The Gabriola Fire Protection Improvement District has passed a bylaw which would allow the District to lease land to Rogers Communications on Fire District property. This is a five year lease, subject to renewal. The bylaw to enter into...

Rachelle Stein-Wotten Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Gabriola Sounder Representation on the Regional District of Nanaimo’s fire services advisory committee has expanded to include service areas not operated by the RDN. A new terms of reference for the advisory...

Rachelle Stein-Wotten Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Gabriola Sounder The B.C. government has provided nearly $13 million to rural economic projects in the second round of its Rural Economic Diversification and Infrastructure Program (REDIP). Forty-one projects...

Sounder News Regional District of Nanaimo Area B Director Vanessa Craig, the Regional District of Nanaimo recently posted about potential changes coming to the picnic tables at Orlebar Point. She said she knows there is a lot of interest in what is going to happen...

Derek Kilbourn Sounder News With the concerns voiced by the Gabriola Fire Protection Improvement District about the ongoing costs of Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy (FOIPP) requests for District records, the Sounder reached out to two other local...

Derek Kilbourn Sounder News The Chair of the Gabriola Fire Protection Improvement District says as of the start of April, the District had spent $16,994.00 to cover the costs of responding to Freedom of Information (FOIPP) requests. These are monies spent since the...