Hi there,

Hope you had a fantastic Family Day long weekend! I was able to get out for a hike on Maple Mountain and despite the grey weather, it was nice to have some warmer temperatures in the forecast.

Also this week, I’ve included a special section in the newsletter to cover the Ladysmith Mayoral Election happening on March 1. If you are an eligible voter who wants to get your vote in early, you can head over to city hall tomorrow from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. to cast your ballot.

Local news and updates.

• North Cowichan Fire Department crews were called out to the waterfront near Daniel Street Park in Chemainus last Friday to rescue a teen who was trapped in the ocean after falling while climbing a tree, the Cowichan Valley Citizen reports. Crews lifted the teen out of the water and up an embankment using ropes and pulleys after failing to rescue the teen from the beach. The teen suffered from a dislocated shoulder and was transported to hospital.

• Water levels in Lake Cowichan have dropped significantly in January due to drier than normal conditions, the Cowichan Valley Citizen reports. A representative from Catalyst Crofton says that the lake is 46 per cent full as of Feb. 6 and outgoing water flows in the river are around 25 centimetres. They hope the recent snowfall in the valley will help rebuild the snowpack around the lake.

• Starting March 17, Canada Post will officially recognize North Cowichan as a valid address for receiving mail. Since its creation in 1873, the Municipality of North Cowichan has not had a distinct mailing address for residents and has been listed as Duncan by the postal service. Residents and businesses will receive letters in the mail outlining the changes from Canada Post, but no action is required.

• A local community activist is looking to help people recovering from addictions find work through a new restaurant, the Cowichan Valley Citizen reports. Doug Mackenzie is opening Options Salad & Subs Meal Prep in Duncan, which is looking to hire three people in recovery to serve salads, sandwiches and flatbread pizza. Mackenzie grew up in the Cowichan Valley and also runs an addictions recovery treatment centre in the Okanagan. 

• Residents of Ladysmith may soon be able to keep chickens and ducks in their backyards as the town looks to amend its animal control bylaw. The amendment would allow single-family properties to keep up to six birds and temporarily bring in goats for vegetation management. The Cowichan Valley Citizen has the story.

Ladysmith Votes 2025

The Eagles Hall in Ladysmith was packed last week as residents gathered to hear the platforms of mayoral candidates. Topics covered ranged from why each candidate was running to economic development, the Ladysmith Maritime Society, taxes and collaboration with Stz’uminus First Nation. You can find more coverage by the Ladysmith Chemainus Chronicle or watch the video here.

You can read more about the six candidates here.

Advanced voting starts Feb. 19 at City Hall. Those looking to cast their vote by mail have until Feb. 28 to request a mail-in ballot. General voting starts Saturday, March 1 between the hours of 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. at the Frank Jameson Community Centre. For more information on how to vote, visit the Town of Ladysmith website.

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Photo of the week.

Ladysmith mayoral candidates, Russ Barling, Deena Beeston, Raymon Travis Farmere, Joe Friesenhan and Terke Hanssen addressed the public in an open forum last week at the Ladysmith Eagles Hall. Photo courtesy of Ladysmith Residents Association.

Community events.

• Tuesday, Feb. 18: 🥕 The Seed Library is back for the 2025 season at the Vancouver Island Regional Library Cowichan Branch. Follow the ladybugs to find heirloom veggie seeds, pollinator-friendly wildflower seeds and a new children’s seed library.

• Tuesday, Feb. 18: 🍃 Executive Director of the Marmot Recovery Foundation Adam Taylor will speak to the Cowichan Valley Naturalists’ Society about the current state of the project. Anyone interested in attending can email cvns@naturecowichan.net for the meeting link.

• Friday, Feb. 21: 🤝 Looking for ways to volunteer? Queen Margaret’s School hosts its 2025 Volunteer Fair where students and the public will have a chance to meet with over 20 local non-profits to learn more about opportunities to give back to the community. Doors open to the public at 3 p.m. at Founders’ Hall.

• From Friday, Feb, 21 to March 21: 🏳️‍🌈 The Canadian Museum for Human Rights and the Vancouver Island Regional Library Cowichan branch presents Love in a Dangerous Time, a travelling exhibit chronicling the dismissal of LGBTQ members from Canada’s civil service, RCMP and armed forces between the 1950s and 1990s.

• Saturday, Feb 22: ❄️ It’s not too late to sign up for Duncan’s 4th annual Coldest Night of the Year fundraising walk. Start a team or walk alone to support unhoused youth through this family friendly event. Donations from the event go directly to the Canadian Mental Health Association Cowichan Valley branch.

• Monday, Feb. 24: 🌲 Learn more about why riparian areas matter and what we can do to help them from local eco-foresters Heather Prichard and Kelly Loch. This free talk will cover how riparian areas support healthy environments and protect watersheds. Doors open at 7 p.m. at the VIU Cowichan campus.

• Monday, Feb 24: 📖 Want to expand your reading horizons? The VIRL Cowichan Branch hosts an adult book club in partnership with the BC office of the Human Rights Commissioner. Each month, the club reads a book selected by the commissioner and meets virtually to discuss it. For more information on how to register visit the Cowichan Branch website.

• Tuesday, Feb 25: 🖋️ Learn how to find a story, prepare it and share with an audience with VIRL Cowichan’s Introduction to Telling Stories for Adults, a workshop with storyteller and teacher Jennifer Ferris. No registration is required!

• Thursday, Feb. 27 to Mar 9: 🌃 The Mercury Players presents Constrellations, a story of star-crossed lovers in parallel universes, at the Duncan United Church. In a unique twist, each performance will alternate between pairs of lead actors depending on the night. Tickets start at $25. For a full schedule of the performances visit the Mercury Players website.

• Friday, Feb. 28: 🇬🇭 Celebrate Black History Month with the Cowichan Intercultural Society at a traditional Ghanaian beading workshop. Learn the art of beading with Arahamatu Zakari and enjoy a taste of traditional African foods. For more information contact nadiia@cis-iwc.org or call (250) 748-3112.