Garage Sale
Mark your calendars for Saturday, May 6, for the annual Youbou Community Garage Sale. Let us know if you’re having a sale by emailing Julia@raedwulf.org. We’ll post a map and distribute balloons so eager shoppers know where to find your treasures.
Fun at the Pub
Take a break from garage sale hunting by checking out the Drag Brunch at the Youbou Bar & Grill on Saturday, May 6. Purchase your tickets ahead through Eventbrite, then call the pub to reserve a table and order your brunch choice.
On Friday, May 12, it’s your turn to take the stage at Karaoke with Julie from 7 to 10 pm. Then celebrate Mom by taking her to a special afternoon tea on Mother’s Day, Sunday, May 14. And during the long Victoria weekend, catch some live music—Monte and the Pythons play on Saturday from 7 to 10 pm.
Youbou Clean-Up
If you don’t sell everything at your garage sale, or if you have items that need the heave-ho, tote them to Meade Creek on Saturday, May 27, when we’ll be offering our once-a-year deal on tipping fees for Area I residents. Just show an id with your Area I address and we’ll cover up to $30 of tipping fees per household. This clean-up is funded by the Youbou Community Association.
Trail Day at Christopher Rock
We’re planning another work day at Christopher Rock, since rain cancelled the day planned in April. Please join us on Sunday, May 28, at 9:30 am, behind Youbou Hall in the upper parking lot. We’d like to thrash out a switch-back to get around a steep, slippery section. Additionally, we need to plant 5 posts at various points on the hill. Cowichan Lake Trail Blazers Society (CLTBS) volunteers have already erected signposts on the lower part. The more help on hand, the more we can accomplish. Volunteers will receive a free pair of work gloves, and new members will get a CLTBS patch. If you can’t volunteer, but want to support this beloved Youbou trail, please consider joining the Society at cowichanlaketrailblazers.com/membership.
Youbou Greens Play Ball!
Volunteer coach and player Al Capeling has succeeded in rounding up a roster of ringers for the Youbou Greens slowpitch softball team for adults. The name Youbou Greens is rooted in Youbou’s Sports Hall of Fame, so players will all be donning our village’s traditional green for game days. The team will be facing stiff opposition around the Lake, so come out to cheer them on. The team’s games at the Little League Park in Youbou at 6 pm are: May 3, 5, 8, 10, 15, 17 and 26.
Earth Day Project
We celebrated Earth Day on April 22 in Youbou by clearing up little Lubin’s Park near Utility Creek. Volunteers picked up trash and pulled out invasive blackberries, creating space for a couple of cars to park. This community greenspace was donated by a local family and is an inviting spot to spread out a blanket and enjoy the creek.
Quieting Load Boats
As we launch into boating season, you might be interested in the progress of the Decibel Coalition in regulating overly loud boats. The Decibel Coalition is a group of concerned lake citizens from across Canada working with Transport Canada to establish reasonable noise limits for boat motors. The Youbou Community Association is a coalition member and shares the following from the last update:
“…Transport Canada is taking the issue of excessively loud boat motor noise seriously and is actively engaged in the process of creating decibel regulations. It is also clear that the Decibel Coalition is respected and recognized as a very strong advocate from the users of waterways from across Canada. We had requested that both operators and manufacturers be required to comply with the new Decibel regulations and Transport Canada has come out in support of that, in spite of opposition from some. At current course and speed, we can expect regulations to come into force by 2025.”
From Karen’s Desk
By Karen Deck, CVRD Area I Director
I attended the Association of Vancouver Island Coastal Communities conference in mid April. Aside from the informative workshops, there were great opportunities to network with people from other municipalities and areas. There was also time to spend with colleagues from the Cowichan Valley and to get to know them on a more personal level.
At the conference’s trade show, I met Colleen Woodger, from ICBC. She is the South Island staff person in charge of Speed Watch and a vast array of safety programs. She will provide the training, equipment and support for our Speed Watch volunteers. Just as I came to her booth, she was finishing off an ad about Speed Watch that will be coming to newspapers and social media in our area very soon. She suggested interested residents should go to the reception desk at the Lake Cowichan RCMP detachment as the first step toward becoming a Speed Watch volunteer. However, while federal public service in on strike, only essential services are being provided, so we’ll have to wait to complete that part of the process. In the meantime, you can email me at Karen.Deck@cvrd.bc.ca and I’ll keep a list of Speed Watch volunteers who are committed to help keep our busy roads safer for pedestrians and drivers.
Colleen told me that she also gives presentations about the process of license renewal for seniors when they reach 80. It sounds like the information she provides eases the apprehension and answers questions that many seniors share.
May 4th is International Fire Fighters Day. We have a dedicated and skilled group of volunteer fire fighters in Youbou. I want to express my gratitude for their service on behalf of the Cowichan Valley Regional District.
News from Mosaic
Pam Jorgenson, RPF | Land Use Forester, Mosaic Forest Management
We wanted to our first community update of 2023 with Area I residents.
Big Coast Carbon: We are pleased to announce that our carbon project is actively underway, with all phases of verification and preparation complete. Mosaic has deferred harvesting for at least 25 years on nearly 40,000 hectares of private land in Coastal BC in order to sell carbon credits on the voluntary market. Some of this deferred area includes some lands above the community of Youbou. Harvest units A-D, which were presented to the community in June 2021, are not in the carbon project.
Christopher Rock and Trail Blazers: In early 2023, Mosaic and the Cowichan Lake Trail Blazers Society renewed their access agreements for trails to Christopher Rock, Eric’s Bluff and the Fair Service hiking/biking trails near Lake Cowichan. Please come out to celebrate the new trails and support these volunteers at the Fair Service Fun Festival on June 11.
Recent and Upcoming Activity: Units A and B (on the east side of Youbou) have had roads built, and units have been adjusted to distance them from the woodlot harvesting that took place in 2022. Works could commence in these units as early as June 2023. Unit D, is planned for harvesting in the fall of 2023. We hope to commence road building on Unit C in fall 2023. All activities are subject to crew availability and weather conditions and could be pushed back further.
Road Maintenance on Mosaic Private (Northshore) Road: Mosaic is planning road upgrades on the paved private road west beyond Youbou. We will be doing shouldering work and installing more gravel in pull outs. We are also communicating with Ministry of Transportation and advocating for maintenance and sweeping on the public road.
As always, please feel free to reach out to me if you have any questions at Pam.Jorgenson@MosaicForests.com
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.
Dates
May 4: International Fire Fighter’s Day
May 6: Youbou Community Garage Sale, 9:30 to 2 pm
May 6: Drag Brunch, Pub, Reservations needed
May 12: Karaoke with Julie, Pub, 7 to 10 pm
May 14: Mother’s Day Tea, Pub
May 20: Monte and the Pythons, Pub, 7 to 10 pm
May 27: Youbou Clean-Up, 9:30 to 2 pm
May 28: Christopher Rock Trail Work, 9:30 to noon
July 22: Crabfest, Youbou Hall, 5 pm.
May 3, 5, 8, 10, 15, 17, 26: Youbou Greens games, Little League Park, 6 pm
Mondays: Rivernotes Singers, 2 to 4 pm, Church
Tuesdays: TOPS: 10:30 am, Church
Your YCA Board
Chair: Julia Martinusen
Secretary: Randall Wilson
Treasurer: Steve Watt
Membership: Cheryl Morgan
At large:
Monica Ash
Joelle Belanger
Sandra McAfee
Pat Miller
Debbie Smith
Joe Tatham