Gabriola Island Affairs

Updated Jun. 01, 2024

Mostly unpublished articles that may be of particular interest to Gabriolans.

Photo by Katherine Gordon

Gabriola Contemporary History Notes

History of Affordable Housing on Gabriola, May 2019 - Jenni Gehlbach
Weldwood on Gabriola: Dancing with the Giant, 2013 - Dyan Dunsmoor-Farley
Weldwood. An extract of articles and letters in the Flying Shingle 1991-7
Weldwood. An extract of articles and letters in the Gabriola Times 1993
North End Community Hall. An extract of articles and letters in the Sandstone News 1967-9.

The 707 Community Park

A personal trail map of the 707 Community Park on Gabriola
The 707 Community Park expansion issues, 2019

The 707 Community Park plan comments on draft plan. August 3, 2010
The 707 Community Park comment on its name. August 5, 2009
The 707 Community Park comment on geology. August 1, 2009
The 707 Community Park plan comment on towers. May 28, 2009
The 707 Community Park plan comment on water. April 30, 2009
The 707 Community Park plan comment on forestry. April 28, 2009
The 707 Community Park plan comment on fire control. April 26, 2009.

Coats Marsh Regional Park and adjacent lands

Mallett, Columbia, and Winthuysen Creeks

Mallett Creek observations -- including observations of Winthuysen Creek
Mallett Creek and Winston Road -- survey, June 2015
Mallett Creek, Columbia Creek, and Winthuysen Creek -- hydrogeology, flows, and catchment areas, March 2017.

Other Parks, Nature Reserves, and Natural Areas on Gabriola

Descanso Bay Park choosing its name
Elder Cedar Nature Reserve (S’ul-hween X’pey) – its name
Map of trails on Government Lands
Age of Douglas-firs on Gabriola counting tree rings and measuring diameters
Notes on woods in Section 19 SW-quarter on private land.

The Potlatch proposal (GB-RZ-2016.1)

Submissions to the LTC concerning the Potlatch proposal-especially regarding Coats Marsh, Mallett Creek, and Gabriola hydrogeology
Submissions to the IT Executive Committee concerning the Potlatch proposal and their responses
Church Rd. to Horsehsoe Rd. trail possibility survey notes in connection with GB-RZ-2016.1 and GaLTT trail proposal.

Gabriola Groundwater

Gabriola Groundwater Management Society. Disbanded ca. March 2020, assets to GaLTT, interest in precipitation and groundwater continued by members of Streamkeepers
The hydrogeology of Gabriola groundwater -- an introduction
A critique of the GW Solutions report prepared for Dan Foley
Groundwater Notes SHALE 11, May 2005
Fractures in Gabriola Formation sandstone and their effect on aquifers.

Environment

The daphne laurel invasion of the island - we've lost
Why tansy ragwort grows along Gabriola's roadsides and other notes
Encounter with an elephant seal at False Narrows
Greenhouse Gas Emissions on Gabriola 2008 – analysis by lead author Fay Weller (Island Futures), Bob McKechnie, and myself (Feb. 5, 2010)
Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Gabriola v. Qualicum Beach
Greenhouse Gas Emissions on Gabriola: imports and exports (indirect emissions)
Greenhouse Gas Emissions on Gabriola and the natural carbon cycle
Greenhouse Gas Emissions on Gabriola and the OCP (2010)
A bus-less bus system — just an idea, June 16, 2008
Unpublished submission - Gabriola SOUNDER, August 17, 2000: Snarls — garden refuse on the beach / beach access.

Gabriola Streamkeepers

The official site of this group is here
Names and locations of creeks, lakes, and wetlands on Gabriola
Streamkeepers glossary -- wetland and watercourse terms
Gabriola Island Riparian Areas, Madrone Report 2012
Gabriola Streamkeepers -- summaries of survey results
A method of measuring the volumetric flow of small streams
Personal comments on the GSK mandate -- adapting the DFO streamkeepers handbook for Gulf Island needs
Dick Brook water quality, January 2015
Field notes on creeks and wetlands on Gabriola - winter 2015/2016
Personal GSK Brief Coats Marsh Weir, Jan. 2024

Rainfall on Gabriola 2015/16 -- observations
Rainfall on Gabriola 2016/17 -- observations
Rainfall on Gabriola 1944-2021 -- statistical analysis, with notes on 2022-2023

Gabriola Island freshwater fish -- the "no fish here" myth
Diatoms on Gabriola - by Carol Ann Borden
Fairy shrimps on Gabriola - with Jethro Baker
Sticklebacks on Gabriola - no species-pairs
Introduced pumpkinseeds and introducing sticklebacks - tampering with aquatic ecosystems
Notes from University of Exeter on beaver dam stability.

BC Hydro and our electrical power supply

Notes on smart meters on Gabriola -- privacy, IARC Class 2B, the EPRI study of Itron meters, electromagnetic RF radiation levels inside and outside the house, duty cycles, comparisons with cellphones
Survey of electromagnetic radiation power density levels on Gabriola
Electricity consumption on Gabriola 2001-8 – what do we use it all for?
ZED Inc. MET tower application — September 30, 2008
Unpublished submission - VANCOUVER SUN, May 1, 2007: Dear Editor: More light, less heat — switching off or using low-wattage light bulbs doesn't always reduce consumption.

Texada Aggregate / Texada Goop

The Texada goop / slime problem. Presentation to MOT and EMCON (May, 2008). The old "www.texadaslime.org" site no longer exists.

Who in the world, apart from Gabriola, has roads with the worst potholes? Any island in the Carribean that uses marl. And what is marl? A deposit composed principally of clay with calcium carbonate.

Flying Shingle article end of story? (July 9, 2012)
Letter to the Minister and Company (April 16, 2010)
Reply from the Minister -- We're going to carry on using Texada goop no matter what you say and we're not going to tell you why (April 15, 2010)
Letter and quick reply from the Premier (February 1, 2010)
Reply from the Minister -- another brush off -- and a response (January 25, 2010)
Letter to Minister Shirley Bond (November 9, 2009)
Letter from Minister Shirley Bond (September 16, 2009) not "getting it" again
Comment on the Golder Associates Report (June 2, 2009)
Golder Associates Report (June 2, 2009).

Flying Shingle article comment (February 26, 2009).

Still no sign of a report. (February 20, 2009)
Message from TRAN (MOT) Re-167051, The report is being finalized. (December 22, 2008)
Message from TRAN (MOT) Re-167051, Additional testing has been done on the Texada quarry material, results available soon. (September 11, 2008).

Texada goop on Denman Island (June 7, 2008)
Letter to Minister Kevin Falcon (May 8, 2008 – with a gracious reply August 11, 2008)
Testing summary (March 18, 2008)
“Final” report on Texada goop (February 18, 2008 – “final” was optimistic, four addenda added, the 3rd is important)

First addendum (February 20, 2008 – magnesium silicate scaling in car brakes)
Second addendum (February 20, 2008 – effect of dust control chemicals on the problem)
Third addendum (March 14, 2008 – “limestone” error corrected; Residents & Ratepayers’ acid extraction analysis)
Fourth addendum (March 19, 2008 – Water extraction results added and compared; Islands Trust)

E-mails and response, President & General Manager, Emcon Services (February 18/19, 2008).

Nanaimo Ferry (bridge and island economics)

A bridge? Results of opinion surveys
See also newspaper contributions
Cut-off policy nonsense (September 16, 2008).

Snuneymuxw

Unpublished submission - Gabriola SOUNDER, February 16, 2001: Gabriolans and the treaty talks.

Other Gabriola stuff

Controversy-essay first published in SHALE 23, March 2010
Gabriola. The Isle of the Arts? What about the other half?
Membership of the Gabriola Health Care Society comment on
Review the Islands Trust Act petition comment on
YES to municipal status?