The January Elphinstone Community Association (ECA) meeting was well attended and people posed many questions to guest speaker Allison Farrell who grew up in Elphinstone but now lives in Victoria. Her master’s research compared the green space of the High Line Park in New York City to the proposed revitalization of North East False Creek in Vancouver and she discussed how green spaces support social connection and contribute to our overall well-being. Allison pointed to the ideas of noted evolutionary biologist Edward O. Wilson who wrote a book about biophilic design, exploring the importance and benefits of spending time in nature.
Think forest bathing. A celebrated scientist and evolutionary ecologist, Wilson taught at Harvard University and his many books in the field are backed by extensive research and evidence.
Having only recently passed away at age 92, one of Wilson’s ideas, expounded in a 2016 book, was that for our survival, humans must set aside half the planet for all other life and limit ourselves to half the land and ocean. There’s now an organization dedicated to this idea – half-earthproject.org/. Given our absolute dependence on and our need for direct connection with nature, it’s an idea whose time has come.
Also at the Zoom meeting, Area E director Donna McMahon gave her usual extensive and newsy report covering everything from her talks on community television, to climate change and storm-water runoff. Check out her website everythingelphinstone.ca where she covers everything from soup to nuts and many interesting topics in between. Donna urges people to use the Gibsons Pool, which is now open on Sundays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. There is a lifeguard shortage but in order to give Gibsons and area (that’s us Elphinstonians) a chance to use the pool on the weekend, the Sechelt pool will close on Sunday and the Gibsons pool will be open. If you enjoy swimming, please use this opportunity! The Gibsons pool hours: Monday it is open 6:30 a.m. to 1p.m., 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. and 6 to 8:30 p.m. Tuesday to Friday it is open 6 a.m. to 1p.m. The pool is closed Saturday. Sunday it is open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
MLA Nicholas Simons’ office, after a request by the ECA committee established to protect Reed Road Forest (DL1313), recently discovered that the SCRD has not applied for its protection to the Ministry of Forests, etc. (FLNRORD). It was a surprise to the committee, which has appeared before the SCRD several times over several years, and was assured that the SCRD supports the protection of this important natural, older forest. Simons noted that, “Solutions to protect DL1313, are for the SCRD to make the application for either a Sponsored Crown Grant for park or other purposes, or a Conditional Withdrawal designation for conservation purposes.”
At one time, this forest on the lower slopes of Mount Elphinstone, where several tributaries of Chaster Creek originate, was designated a community watershed. Its sudden appearance on BC Timber Sales plans to be logged in 2013 led to community protest and the formation of the ECA committee to save the forest. Said committee has once again applied to appear as a delegation before the SCRD on Feb. 17.
Got Elphinstone news? Let me know at: [email protected].
