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Celebrate our Estuary – Sunday, 4 September 2011

Posted By: Pieter

Join the K'omoks First Nation and Project Watershed Society in celebrating our Estuary

Sponsored by the K’όmoks First Nation and Project Watershed Society

The K’όmoks First Nation (KFN) and the National Historic Site Committee (NHSC) would like to extend an invitation to all Comox Valley residents to take part in an historic signing ceremony. The signing is a celebration between KFN and the NHSC to launch a community bid for National Historic Site Status for the ancient Aboriginal fish trap systems in the Estuary. In addition, the Board of Directors of the Comox Valley Project Watershed Society and the KFN have reached a Memorandum of Agreement to work together for the protection and preservation of the Courtenay River Estuary.

The event will be held on Sunday, September 4th at the Puntledge RV Campground located on Condensory Road, at the upland end of the Estuary. The event will start at 3 PM with a welcome and traditional dancing by Kumugwe Dancers. This will be followed by the signing ceremony at 3:30pm.

Emily Spiller, Vancouver Island Music Awards 2011 female vocalist of the year, will perform at 4 PM and again at 5 PM. The announcement of the official bid for National Historic Site Status for the Estuary Fish Trap Systems will be made at 4:30pm.

In addition, the afternoon will feature Aboriginal art venders, traditional first nation’s food, Project Watershed Displays on the Estuary, the KFN I-Hos canoe and more.

“We hope the entire community can join us for this historic celebration,” says Paul Horgen, Chair of the Historic Site Committee and of the Board of Directors of Project Watershed, and Melissa Quocksister, KFN member on the Historic Site Committee.

Look for the signs!

Fabulous new website showcasing Comox Valley maps

Posted By: admin

The Mapping Centre, the social enterprising arm of Project Watershed, has a new website that showcases the different kinds of maps we have been producing over the last few years. Most maps focus on the Comox Valley but there are some from other locations on the Island.
Check it out maps.projectwatershed.ca.

Fluid Bar and Grill supports Project Watershed with cw$!

Posted By: Pieter

Project Watershed recently visited Fluid Bar and Grill's blog and found this article about their involvement in the community way initiative:

http://blog.fluidbarandgrill.com/supporting-our-community-with-cw

Here's a little teaser:

"…we are proud to be one of the original participating community way businesses and pleased to tell you about how we are helping several community organisations, who in turn support local businesses. This is our contribution to a sustainable economic future for our community." Read more…

As a recipient of Fluid's contributions to our community, we at Project Watershed can fully support their sentiment. We encourage local businesses to consider joining this progressive initiative and gratefully welcome any and all cw$ contributions.

Any Comox Valley business interested in learning more or wanting to join the initiative can contact Valeri Diamond at volunteer@projectwatershed.bc.ca or 250.703.2871.

CVRD Initiative on a Courtenay River Estuary Management Plan

Posted By: admin

Kent Leontowich of the Comox Valley Regional District’s Planning Department is coordinating a steering committee that includes members of Project Watershed’s Estuary Working Group. In 2000, a Courtenay River Management Plan (CREMP) was released but never adopted by any of the local governments. In 2009, when the Regional Directors of the Comox Valley Regional District put a moratorium on development along the Dyke Road and other parts of the Estuary in the Regional District, they also directed CVRD staff to update the 2000 CREMP to reflect the situation as we enter the second decade of the 21^st century. Times have changed and local governments are cooperating. The Courtenay River Estuary plays an important role in the Regional Growth Strategy soon to be adopted for the Comox Valley and Management Plan updating is underway.

The Courtenay River Estuary Management Plan Steering Committee was put together including representatives from the relevant provincial and federal ministries, BC Nature Trust, Ducks Unlimited, Courtenay Fish and Game Association and Project Watershed. Planning Manager Tom Knight often joins the group at its sessions as the team reworks the original sections of the 2000 document and adds important new sections like Archeology and Climate Change. The group has been meeting every 5 or 6 weeks for over the past year and the draft document is anticipated to be completed by March of 2011. It then will go to the governments of Comox, Courtenay, Cumberland, the CVRD and K’omoks First Nation and the public for consideration and final approval.

You can see the original CREMP here on the Regional District's website. Watch Project Watershed’s News Bulletin or the CREMP page on our Keeping It Living website for updates as this important local government-community initiative moves forward.