Canada Day: Youbou Style
The Youbou Volunteer Fire Department is planning to brighten our stay-at-home Canada Day. Our patriotic first-responders will be rolling out a drive-by “maintenance run” around 10 am on Wednesday, July 1, starting at the fire station and going all the way to Mile 77 Park. Show your support by waving flags from your decks, docks, driveways, and front yards. And, if the spirit moves you, wear your special red-and-white finery to really bring out the smiles.
We hope that as many residents as possible will fly our bright red maple leaf on and before July 1. Let’s show our pride in how well Canada is meeting the challenges of fighting a pandemic. If you don’t already have a flag, shop for one locally to support businesses in our area.
Teams of volunteers will be decorating around Youbou, such as the welcome sign and the church, so hop on your bike or kayak or into your boat or car sometime during the day to see Youbou in all its Canada Day glory.
If you do have fun decorating your home, backyard, kids, bikes, cars, or pets for Canada Day, send your best photo to tanya.kaul@cvrd.bc.ca to enter a local Canada Day contest. You could win one of ten gift cards to local businesses or a sweatshirt sponsored by the Cowichan Lake District Chamber of Commerce. The photo competition closes July 4 and winners will be contacted by July 17.
Youbou Parks Program
From July 3 through August 28, the Youbou Little League Park will be welcoming kids on Fridays as part of the Cowichan Valley Regional District’s Free Parks Program. Children between the ages of 3 and 5 can attend the program from 9:30 to 11:30 on Friday mornings. Those between the ages of 6 to 12 can attend from noon to 3 pm. This will be an outdoor fun program, rain or shine, and will follow current safe-health guidelines. Other parks will be offering the same hours on other days of the week:
Mondays: Mesachie Lake Skydome
Tuesdays & Wednesdays: Little League Park next to Cowichan Lake Sports Arena
Thursdays: Honeymoon Bay Central Park
Fridays: Youbou Little League Park
Summertime at Arbutus Park
The lake-pool is open at Arbutus Park for anyone brave enough to jump in, however, you’ll need to provide your own adult supervision for children playing or swimming this year. Due to Covid-19 health restrictions, it’s not feasible to operate a lifeguard program at the park this summer. Swimming lessons are also not possible. The restrooms and change facility are open.
Also, as noted in the previous issue, the Youbou Regatta, an annual summer rite of passage in town, has also been cancelled because of provincial guidelines. We’ll miss the fire-hall breakfast, the world’s shortest parade, and all the fun and excitement of Regatta Day at Arbutus park. Rest assured, it will be back on track in 2021, bigger and better than ever.
Other Cancellations or Closures
Youbou Community Hall: remains closed until further notice
Youbou Community Church: remains closed until further notice
CVRD playground equipment: parks are open but playground equipment remains closed until further notice
BC Parks and recreation areas: open. Camping by reservation for BC residents only.
Great Eating in Youbou
Both Cassy’s Coffee House and the Youbou Bar & Grill are open for business. While the pub has remained open with take-out service during our shelter-in-place phase, it has recently expanded to include dine-in service as well. The restaurant is open Wednesday through Sunday from noon to 9 pm (closed Mondays and Tuesdays). Kryshelle Langford is the new General Manager and is committed to offering a menu with favourites for all tastes from burgers & chips to vegetarian lasagna, along with daily specials. You can drop in, order take-out or make a reservation at 778-429-8088.
Cassy’s is open from Thursday through Tuesday (closed Wednesdays) from 8 am to 2 pm. On Friday and Saturday nights, you can pick-up take-out meals from 5 pm to 7 pm. To order ahead, you can call 778-429-9009.
Note that each restaurant is carefully following safety protocols and will guide you in how to comply with those practices. Hours can change, so it’s good to double-check before you head out to dine.
Yellow Submarine Launches in Youbou
On Father’s Day weekend, if you think you saw a yellow submarine driving through town, it was not due to your Friday night activities. Naval engineer and homemade submarine builder Mark Guetre brought his banana-coloured submersible from Sooke to Youbou for a test drive. Navy buddy Richard Madill and Lori LaFave invited him to use their Youbou lakeshore property for the experiment. A few helpers were on hand to make sure the rainy day launch proceeded smoothly. According to his 19-year-old son, his Dad had been working on the submarine in their garage for 18 years, so Father’s Day weekend was a particularly happy celebration for the whole family. Now when you hear the famous Beatle’s tune, you can change the wording slightly, “We all lived near a Yellow Submarine, a yellow submarine, a yellow submarine…”
Take the Weir Survey
Share your input on the new weir design for Cowichan Lake. Until July 12, you can take an online survey to express your thoughts on the design, recreational opportunities, and wildlife enhancements associated with the weir. Go to cowichanwup.ca and click on the link to the survey. The development of the new weir design is being funded entirely by the BC Salmon Restoration and Innovation Fund through a grant that was awarded by Fisheries and Oceans Canada.
Boat Speed and Noise
Summer on the lake in Youbou is paradise and we’re all looking forward to warm days on the lake with our safe bubble of friends and family. Unfortunately, summer also brings motor boaters who don’t seem to be aware of speed limits near lakeshore homes and swimming areas, as well as noise restrictions. While we know the problem does not lie with homeowners in Youbou, we’re challenged in finding civil ways to educate guests on the lake. One suggestion: consider posting one of the big yellow speed limit signs on your dock. You can get them at Daly’s Auto Centre. Many residents already have them, but if more are posted, perhaps it could make more of an impression.
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. You can also check our web site at youbouyca.com and our facebook page for the latest information.
Your YCA Board
Chair: Julia Martinusen
Co-Chair: Lori LaFave
Secretary: Randall Wilson
Treasurer: Spencer Day
Social: Eva Fearon, Garry Fearon
Publicity: Allan Gott
Membership: Cheryl Morgan
At large: Jill Bradley
At large: Debbie Smith