No Plot Required: Kimberley's Open Gate Garden

all the views we care to share

 

 

How British Columbia Became a Fairer Place

 

In late September, we sat down with Garry Merkel to talk about the Columbia Basin Trust Act ... its history and and what it might mean for our futures. As a founder and creator of the Trust, Garry is a well-placed source for understanding why the Trust Act was passed and the tools it provides to help us shape our communities. He says that the Treaty Act is much more important than most people realize:

 

 

 

The full program about the CBT's history is here or below:

 

 

Later we will add the second part of our conversation, about what we might want to do with our future.

 

  

The Place In Which We Live:

Columbia Commonwealth

 

Nature, fish, people and other parts of the environment were among the items ignored when the Columbia River Treaty between Canada and the United States was signed in 1964. Power generation and flood control were what mattered.

 

Things have changed. Eileen Delehanty Pearkes has studied and written about the complex ecosystem which is the Columbia River Basin. She has also curated an exhibition on the Columbia River Treaty and its impact on the people and other parts of the environment in the two signatory nations: Canada and the U.S.

 

 

 

Eileen graciously sent us a copy of Treaty Talks: A Journey Up the Columbia River For People and Salmon. It is an excellent way to see and better understand the challenge of the Columbia Commonwealth. We thank Adam Wicks-Arhack for making it available to us.

 

 

 

• • •

  

Our Neighbors

 

Greg Bradley — President, Kimberley Chamber of Commerce

 

Kim McLean — Bavarian Home Hardware

Stan Cuthill — Kimberley Building Supplies

                          
Tara Penner — Pivot Data

 

Grady Pasiechnyk — Wine Works

  

• • •

 

Some years ago, (Sir) Harry Evans quoted for us Lord Northcliffe's incisive comment:

 

“News is something someone wants to suppress.

Everything else is advertising.”

 

Evans repeated that quote at a reception in his honor at the British Embassy in Washington, DC, celebrating the publication of his memoir My Paper Chase in 2009. Harry Evan is simply one of the best reporter/editors we have ever met. If, as do we, you think that authentic, quality journalism is important, read his book. You might also enjoy watching Sir Harry's performance at the reception. It is very informative.

 

There's probably someone out there who would like to suppress something we've presented here, but probably they lack the power or will or sufficient interest to meet Lord Northcliffe's definition. To us, what we publish here does not seem to be advertising, so we will argue for a place between the heaven of journalism and the hell of advertising ... call it neighborly conversation.

 

No Plot Required,,,

You don't need permission and you don't need a plot. Plant, weed, harvest, sit, converse, day dream, watch the world go by … .

Dirk de Geus - Food Sustainability Coordinator/Wildsight

Gardens are irresistible for most of us. Want one but short on time? Or space. Or energy? Voilá! Kimberley’s entire Open Gate Garden is open for all -- no charge -- and wants everyone to be part of it. Plan, seed, weed, water, compost and/or harvest. Participate a little or a lot. Or simply visit. Re-create a sustainable way to live while nurturing relationships. It’s “from everyone and for everyone,” is how Dirk de Geus explains it, a Garden linked with Kimberley’s Aquatic Centre by a tree-lined path. Dirk is Food Sustainability Coordinator for this Wildsight project.

Plant enough to share, as the garden is as open to anyone wanting (or needing) to share in its bounty. There’s something for everyone: a lifetime’s experience might be just what an enthusiastic novice needs; visit with old friends and make new ones under the gazebo or savor the satisfaction of watering thirsty greens; practice the power of sharing any of the Garden’s tools; or smile on school children learning where food comes from.

The Garden’s annual Harvest Party is also for everyone. Press apples volunteers gather from around town, savor the cider and laugh at zucchini races. Another revolution of the seasons is complete when everyone shares in the bounty everyone has made possible, turning “community” into a verb. No charge.

2015 Harvest Party at the Kimberley Open Gate Garden

• • •

Kimberley Farmers' Market

Thursday, June 23rd through September 8

5—7:30 pm

We could characterize a community as the aggregate of the values, habits and perspectives its people share.

For the past 2 years, Erna Jensen has managed the Kimberley Farmers' Market, which has become a substantive contributor to improving the well-being of our community.

Erna is moving on to yet another entrepeneural challenge: owner-operator of de light at de traffic light in Kimberley.

We talked with her about the accomplishments of the first two years. Linda McVetty has stepped up to the challenge of continuing to build this important contributor to Kimberley.

Erna Jensen — (formerly) Manager

Kimberley Farmers' Market

• • •

SunMining

Kimberley continues to be recognized for boldness and imagination in building the SunMine. The case against fossil fuels (and for renewables) is now moving beyond environmental and health concerns to focus on the economic competitiveness of, specifically, solar energy. Here's one example:

Top Solar Energy Myths

Congratulation, Kimberley, Again!

• • •

Crystal Deth

As we shed our winter clothes and discover that all the bulk wasn't just fabric, it's time to revisit the nutritional fairy tales we've been fed for the almost half a century.

The Guardian has revisited the fat myth. Sugar, they say, is the real enemy of our health, not fat. Researchers at the University of Queensland compare sugar addiction to cocaine addiction.

So, while you're rearranging your wardrobe, consider restocking your pantry. Other than that, have a nice day.

• • •

a Celebration Which Includes the Story

of the Origin(al) Deal

Last Tuesday (February 7), the College of the Rockies celebrated its 40th anniversary. At the Aboriginal Gathering Place as part of the celebration, Ktunaxa Storyteller Joe Pierre recounted some of the stories of how our world came to be. One such story includes the deal by which human beings were supported by the animals and plants already living here.

Minutes with the Mayor

SummerTime, and the Living is ... Busy

Gerry Sorensen Way is being paved, Jared du Toit represented Kimberley splendidly to North America golf fans. The City of Kimberley and its employees still haven't agreed for reasons that are easily understood. The SunMine presents both opportunities and challenges for economic development in Kimberley. BC Hydro is one of those challenges. And, how can local taxes support the public services needed in a resort community. (Hint: with some difficulty.)

Mayor Don McCormick

If you prefer, you can listen to this program here.

Earlier editions of our conversations with Mayor McCormick are here.

• • •

While discussing the SunMine and its role in helping Kimberley's economic development efforts, the Mayor mentioned (about 22 minutes into the program) that one of the challenges facing the SunMine and similar projects is that BC Hydro has a surplus of power at a time when demand is falling. Though we did not talk about it in our discussion, that circumstance raises the obvious question of why Hydro and the BC Liberal government is hell-bent on steamrolling the Site C Dam Project to completion. What's the damn rush to leave this 10 billion dollar boondoggle as a legacy to generations of BC taxpayers?

• • •

Among the many activities marking Kimberley's first First Saturday of the year, the Ladies in Frocks again climbed onto their bicycles and rode into the unknown to raise funds for the Kootenay Haven Transition House.  

"Half of all women in Canada have experienced at least one incident of physical or sexual violence since the age of 16." This was a fun ride for a serious purpose. Thanks to the Lady Frocksters and to the generous support of our neighbors, they raised over $700 for Haven House.

• • •

SunMine

The largest solar installation in British Columbia officially signed onto the grid on 27 July, 2015. Built on a reclaimed brownfield site of what was once the world’s richest lead and zinc mines, the aptly name SunMine moves Kimberley, BC decisively toward a sustainable future.

The SunMine Now Has a Year's Operational History

(Em)Powering us since 27 July, 2015

Congratulations Kimberley!

• • •

"Routes of Change"

Markus Pukonen: Routes of Change

There's much more on Markus' website and on all sorts of social media. You can follow the next 4 1/2 years of his journey there as well. We thank our Kimberley neighbor Randy McLeod of the Canadian Wildlife Federation for introducing us to Markus.

Our full discussion with Marcus is here.

  Frontpage 

Audio Bits: 

American author and playwrite E.L. Doctorow died in July. We talked with him in 2005 about his novel The March and about the relationship between writers and readers. These are excerpts from that conversation.

Why we do this

During Kimberley's 2011 election campaign, we made an offer to all the mayoral candidates to produce a regular discussion with the Mayor as part of the communication process everyone was talking about. We renewed that offer in 2014. On April 1, 2015, we recorded the first program. Here 'tis (on the right of this page).

 

This project is based on the notion of democratic dialogue, first introduced to us by Cornel West. Respectful discussions between and among the citizens of a community are the central core of a polity's ability to govern itself. That's why we're including some of our neighbors.

 

*—"Attention must be paid" is a line from Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman. In a conversation with Gay Talese in 2006, he pointed out to us the importance of attending to everyday events and the people who inhabit them.