Hi there,

On Friday I had the honour of attending a celebratory ribbon cutting ceremony for the new Quw'utsun Secondary School and let me tell you, it’s an incredible space! The celebration took place in the Somena House, a room modeled after a traditional longhouse, at the heart of the school (more pictures of that below). 

Officials from all levels of government attended and there were so many people that there had to be multiple ribbon cuttings to fit everyone in! 

It really brought home just how large of an effort this was and the part this new school plays in the community and also in the ongoing work of reconciliation.

Local news and updates.

• Transit service in the Valley has completely halted as transit workers went on strike Saturday following months of negotiations with their employer, TransDev. Workers are asking for better working conditions around breaks, washroom facilities for drivers, wages and pensions. The strike will affect all buses and HandyDart transit with an exception of medically necessary travel in the Cowichan Valley. For a full list of affected routes, visit BC Transit’s website.

• The Cowichan Valley School District welcomed officials from all levels of government to celebrate the opening of Quw'utsun Secondary School with a ribbon cutting ceremony. Cowichan Tribes Chief Cindy Daniels thanked all involved for their “incredible dedication” to incorporating Quw'tsun culture and language into the design of the building. 

• The City of Duncan has decided to pause work to relocate a sewage outfall pipe amid escalating costs, the Cowichan Valley Citizen reports. Costs of the Joint Utility Board’s Outfall Relocation Project to move a sewage outflow pipe from the Cowichan Estuary to Satellite Channel have grown from $27.5 million in 2016 to $95 million. The city says it will wait for senior levels of government to contribute more funding before proceeding with construction.

• Residents of North Cowichan, the City of Duncan and the CVRD will receive new curbside collection carts this spring as the region moves towards modernized waste collection. Major changes to how waste is collected include new automated collection trucks, new collection carts and the addition of yard waste collection. For more information on how services will change by area, visit the North Cowichan, City of Duncan or CVRD websites.

• The emergency warming centre in the Ramada Inn parking lot has been busy this year, having opened for 65 nights since Nov 15. This is compared to last season when the centre opened for 42 nights, the Cowichan Valley Citizen reports. Emergency Management Cowichan says the facility has seen several nights of full capacity and had no major issues this season. The modular building has 20 beds for people seeking shelter from the cold and can expand to accommodate 30 people when necessary.

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Photo of the week.

“Reconciliation takes ongoing action and partnership. Cowichan Tribes looks forward to continuing to work with the Cowichan Valley School District to incorporate Quw'utsun ways of knowing and Hul'q'umi'num' language and culture into the learning journey,” Cowichan Tribes Chief Cindy Daniels said at the official ribbon cutting ceremony for the new Quw'utsun Secondary School. Photo by Eric Richards/The Discourse.

Community events.

• Thursday, Feb. 13 to Saturday, Feb. 15: 🎭 The Kaatza Lakeside Players present Girls’ Weekend, a comedic farce by Karen Schaeffer at Lake Cowichan Centennial Hall. Tickets for this PG-13 event start at $25 dollars and a special dinner theatre event takes place on Feb. 14.

• Friday, Feb. 14: 🪕 Juno nominated acoustic folk trio The Slocan Ramblers make an appearance at the Cowichan Performing Arts Centre. Tickets start at $38 for adults and $32 for seniors.

• Friday, Feb. 14: ❤️ Time & Space Continuum presents “In The Name of Love,” a glam-themed drag dance party featuring 17 artists on two stages. Advance tickets are $20 or $30 at the door.  

• Saturday, Feb. 15: ☕ Shawnigan Lake Rotary Eco Club and The Shawnigan Basin Society  are hosting a meet and mingle event to encourage folks to give back. There will be refreshments, crafts and opportunities to help out in the community. The event runs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 1760 Shawnigan-Mill Bay Rd. Bring donations and items for the food bank.

• Monday, Feb. 17: ⛸️ This Family Day, the Cowichan Community Centre is the place for free skating! All ages are welcome to dress up as a “tacky tourist” and the best outfit will win a prize. There will be crafts at the Multi Purpose Hall and a visit from the St. John Ambulance Brigade for complimentary training in adult CPR and AED use.

• Monday, Feb. 17: 🛟 Celebrate Family Day in Ladysmith with some nautical fun! The Ladysmith Museum hosts a day of exhibits, entertainment, games and crafts for the whole family.

• Monday, Feb. 17: 🎳 Drop in at the Youbou Community Bowling Alley from noon to 3 p.m. for some free bowling to celebrate Family Day! 

• Monday, Feb. 17: 🥌 The Cowichan Lake Sports Arena hosts a free public skate and a free try-it session of curling from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. All rentals are free of charge.

• 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: 🍃 Exectutive 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.

• 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.