2026 CVRD Draft Budget Meeting
Area I and F residents, as well as those in the town of Lake Cowichan, are invited to find out about the proposed 2026 CVRD budget. The public consultation will be held on Tuesday, January 6, at the Lake Cowichan Council Chambers at the LC Town Hall at 39 South Shore Road, Lake Cowichan, from 4 pm to 7 pm. If you are unable to make it to the meeting, you can visit planyourcowichan.ca/cvrd-budget-2026 and subscribe for updates or submit your questions directly.
YCA Annual General Meeting
The YCA will be hosting its Annual General Meeting (AGM) on Sunday, January 25, at 2 pm, at Youbou Hall. We’ll be electing board members for 2026 and giving our 2025 year-end report, as well as sharing some of our plans for 2026. If you’re interested in serving on the board, contact julia@raedwulf.org. We hope to see you there!
Church Society Meeting
The next meeting for the Youbou Community Church Society (YCCS) is Saturday, January 10 at 10:00 am in the lower floor for the Youbou Church. All are welcome! The YCCS would like to thank everyone who has donated to its ongoing bottle drives, the Country Grocer till-tape program, and all the cash donations received this year. These funds have helped to maintain the building, which is owned by the community.
From Area I Director
By Karen Deck
I want to let you know about upcoming opportunities for information and input as the new year begins, starting with asking you to look at the new CVRD website: https://cvrd.ca/. As you scroll down the home page, you will find a section called “EVENTS”. The following is one I hope you will be able to take part in. It is an invitation to Area I residents (along with those in Area F and the town of Lake Cowichan) to find out about the proposed 2026 budget at a meeting on February 6 at 4 pm at the Lake Cowichan Town Hall.
A few residents have reached out to me regarding hazardous trees. One was thought to be on CVRD parks land but turned out to be a hydro issue. Another person called about maples along a road in Youbou, which is a MOTT responsibility. With the wind and rain increasing the risk of trees falling, please let me know if you have similar concerns and I will try to enlist the appropriate authorities to address the problem. My email is Karen.Deck@cvrd.bc.ca and my phone number is: 250-252-2526.
TOPS Weighs In
In January, the focus gently shifts from holiday trimming to new year slimming, and TOPS is ready to help. You can find positive support and company at the TOPs meeting every Tuesday at 10:00 am at the Youbou Church. TOPS stands for Take Off Pounds Sensibly.
Stitch Switch
Crafters, creators, and quilters: join the thread of conversation as you sew up your passion. Your friends at the Youbou Church are switching Sew Days from Wednesdays to Thursdays in the lower hall. The January Sew Days will be Thursdays, January 8 and 22 from 10 am to 4 pm. Sew Days will continue on the second and fourth Thursday of each month. The church will supply coffee and tea, iron, ironing board, cutting mats, tables, and friendship. You should bring:
1) Your sewing machine and crafting supplies for your project.
2) Your lunch
3) An extension cord and power bar.
4) A suggested cost of $5.00 per day.
Youbou Arts Centre: Shaping Up
Get ready for some fabulous workshops and a shop full of beautiful creative items by local artists in 2026. To give volunteers a well-deserved break, the arts centre will be closed through February 3, 2026. The gallery will re-open on February 4th (regular hours will continue as Wednesdays thru Sundays from 10 am to 2 pm). To register for classes and find more information, go to www.cowichanlakeartsandculture.org
Ode to Robbie Burns
If you’ve a hankering for haggis or Scotch eggs to honour the kilted bard, head to the Youbou Bar & Grill on Burns’ birthday on Sunday, January 25. Meghan DeVald will be the featured entertainer, offering highland ballads and a reading of Burns’ Ode to a Haggis. Reservations are suggested.
Valentine Fun
The Pub is serving a special Valentine’s dinner on Saturday, February 14. It’s always a good idea to book your spot at the pub on special occasions. For the younger set, play time is sweet at Youbou Hall on Valentine’s night. Family-friendly activities, such as crafts and jumbo board games, are planned during evening bowling, from 6 to 9 pm. The cost is $5.50 per individual or $18.50 per family.
Arise Café
The café will be closed the first few weeks of January. Check the café sign and its facebook page for opening dates and special music events.
Pickle Power
Pickleball is game on at Youbou Hall on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday mornings from 9:30 to 11:30 am, with a special welcome for beginners on Tuesdays. For working players, the hall is available for pickleball on Tuesday and Thursday evenings at 7 pm. The drop-in fee is $4.00.
Winter Bowling
New for 5-pin bowlers is a Sunday afternoon session that starts on January 11. For 10-pin bowlers, men start Tuesday, January 13 at 7 pm; mixed adult bowling commences on Wednesday, January 14 at 7 pm; and women begin Thursday, January 15 at 7 pm. Drop-in bowling is open on Friday and Saturday nights. This year, Youbou Lanes will be celebrating 75 years as a 4-lane hand-set facility (no machines, just people setting the pins). Details on an anniversary celebration will be coming soon, but make a resolution to celebrate this special year by bowling at the lane at least once.
For Family Day on Monday, February 17, come for free bowling and open gym from noon to 3 pm. Youbou Lanes is always looking for a few enterprising pinsetters and will train teens to serve in this special alley.
Flash: Youbou Lanes Turkey Honour Roll: In bowling, 3 strikes in a row is called a turkey. In the fall season, the following bowled turkeys: Vicki, Jarret, Jesse Callahan, and Martin Mercier, who actually bowled 5 strikes in a row!
For more information on bowling, to register, or to apply to be a pinsetter, email clrbowling@cvrd.bc.ca or call 250-749-6742.
The 3-Finger Swingers
Yes—the name still cracks us up. We’re a group of local neighbours, parents, and friends who get together on Friday nights to bowl, unwind, and share some good laughs at the alley. What started as a casual hangout has grown into our very own mini-league — The 3 Finger Swingers — and we’re proud of the little community we’ve built! We’ve even had shirts made to prove it. We also jump into the official league nights whenever possible because we truly love being part of the bowling scene in our town. Our core crew includes: Nicole, Jarret, Jesse, Rhiannon, Katina, Cameron, Brian, Nick, and Judy. We’re always excited when our lane comes up — and always happy to meet new neighbours who want to roll a few balls, hang out, and have some fun with us. If you see us at the lanes, come say hi!
Christmas Craft Fair Success
Thanks go to all who made the Christmas Craft Fair such a success at Youbou Hall on Saturday, November 29. Kudos to the exhibitors who shared their winning creations, the Rivernotes choir for regaling the crowd with Christmas carols, Cowichan Lake Recreation for organizing the event, and, most of all, to the shoppers, without whom there would be no fair.
New Year’s Eve, Youbou Style
What a party it was! 2026 started off on a high note with The Joints playing at Youbou Hall on New Year’s Eve. The tables were decorated with party hats, the balloon drop at midnight was timely, and party-goers danced the night away. The 50/50 draw is one measure of success—the pot was $1,100 total, with Jill, a Youbou visitor, winning $550. In a very generous gesture, Jill promptly donated her winnings back to the YCA! We are so appreciative.
Youbou Community Association board members worked for months to plan this event and appreciates everyone coming out to celebrate with us. Many thanks are due to those working behind the scenes to make this event such a success: Steve, Julia, Randall, Debbie, Adam, Carmen, Cheryl Morgan, Cheryl Miller, Allison, Bee, Dave, Kelly, Rebekah, Joelle, Teresa, Nora, Eva, Karen, Kim, Margie, Cathy, Jim, Pat, Dian, Ken, Pibbs, Ron, the Colemans, Deanne, Paul, and Alex. We must give a shoutout to The Joints—Jack, Ray, Jay, Ian—for pouring their talent and energy into making our New Year’s Eve such a memorable night. And special thanks to all the local businesses who supported the event by selling tickets and making this a sell-out: Arise Coffee, Youbou General Store, Daly’s Auto Centre, Youbou Bar & Grill, and Ed’s Coffeehouse in Lake Cowichan. We couldn’t have done it without you!
Looking for New Board Members
Our busy Youbou Community Association board is looking for new board members. The board meets once a month to plan community activities throughout the year, and board members volunteer at events as schedules allow. Our Annual General Meeting is planned for Sunday, January 25 at 2 pm, so it’s a great time to get involved.
Are You a YCA Member?
The Youbou Community Association is involved in helping community activities happen, such as the monthly newsletter, crab fest, New Year’s Eve, and other events throughout the year. While we love our facebook friends, an official family lifetime membership in the organization is just $10 and involves filling out a form. It is a key to knowing what’s going on around Youbou as well as giving you a vote at our annual meetings. We’ll email you our colourful community newsletter every month. To join, reach out to cherylmtutor@gmail.com
Got News?
If you’d like to contribute news for the newsletter about a public event happening (or not happening) in or around Youbou and Area I, please send particulars about date, time and place to julia@raedwulf.org, by the 20th of the month, please. You can also check our web site at youbouyca.com and our Youbou Community Association facebook page for the latest information.
Your YCA Board
Chair: Julia Martinusen
Secretary: Randall Wilson
Treasurer: Steve Watt
Membership: Cheryl Morgan
Marketing: Adam Khomsi
At large:
Carmen Bruce
Dave DePape
Allison Peacock-Giles
Bee Greenway
Debbie Smith
Dates
January 6: 2026 CVRD Budget Meeting, 4 pm, LC Town Hall
January 8: Sew Day, 10 am to 4 pm, Youbou Church
January 10: Kid’s Bowling starts, 1 pm, Youbou Lanes
January 11: Mixed 5-Pin Bowling starts, 3 pm, Youbou Lanes
January 13: Men’s Bowling starts, 7 pm, Youbou Lanes
January 14: Mixed 10-Pin Bowling starts, 7 pm, Youbou Lanes
January 15: Women’s Bowling starts, 7 pm, Youbou Lanes
January 10: Church Society meeting, 10 am, Youbou Church
January 22: Sew Day, 10 am to 4 pm, Youbou Church,
January 25: YCA AGM, 2 pm, Youbou Hall
January 25: Robbie Burns night, Pub
February 4: Youbou Art Centre re-opens, 10 am to 2 pm
February 14: Valentine’s Dinner, Pub
February 14: Valentine’s Day Fun, 6 to 9 pm, Youbou Hall
February 16: Free Family Day Bowling and Gym, noon, Youbou Hall
Tuesdays: TOPS: 10:00 am, Youbou Church
Mon., Tues., Thurs., Fri.: Pickleball, 9:30 am, Youbou Hall
Tues., Thurs.: Pickleball, 7 pm, Youbou Hall
Sundays: Brunch, 11 am to 2 pm, Pub,
Fridays: Drop-in Bowling and Open Gym, 7 pm, Youbou Hall
Saturdays: Drop-in Bowling, 7 pm, Youbou Lanes