Nov/Dec 2026

New Year's Eve, Youbou style

Ring in the New Year at Youbou Hall to the dancing tunes of Maxwell Smart. Doors open at 8 pm, the music starts at 9 and continues until the next year.

Besides a night of great hits, tickets include party hats, photo booth, soft drinks, coffee and tea, snack buffet at intermission, and a free shuttle home. (Alcoholic drinks will be available for sale at the cash bar and cash is best.)

Tickets: still $50 each. Tickets are on sale online at yca.tickit.ca as well as in Youbou at the Youbou General Store, Daly's Auto Centre, and Youbou Bar & Grill, plus Ed's Coffeeshop in Lake Cowichan. Youbou Community Association Board members are also selling tickets. Shuttle details are below.

In this issue

• New Year's shuttle
• Christmas Craft Fair
• Witch Way
• Frankly Halloween
• From the Director's Desk
• Mill site update
• Goodbye, Arise
• Our firefighters
• Holiday workshops

Dates: November

• 1: Artist Trading Cards, CLAC, 10 am
• 7: Block Printing Xmas Cards, CLAC, 10 am
• 10: CVRD Swearing-in, 9:30 am
• 11: Remembrance Day, no bowling
• 12, 26: Sew Thursday, Church, 10 am
• 21: Moroccan Dinner, Pub
• 28: Christmas Craft Fair, Hall, 10 am
• 28: Live Music, Pub

Dates: December

• 4: Wreath-Making Soiree, CLAC, 7 pm
• 5: Cookie Decorating, Pub, 2–4 pm
• 10: Sew Thursday, Church, 10 am
• 19: Holiday Drag Show, Pub, 7:30 pm
• 20: Holiday Drag Brunch, Pub
• 24: Christmas Eve Service, Church, 6 pm
• 24, 26: Live Music & Turkey Dinner, Pub
• 31: New Year's Eve Dinner, Pub
• 31: New Year's Eve Dance, Hall, 8 pm

Ongoing

• Fri & Sat: Open Bowling, Lanes, 7 pm
• M/T/Th/F: Pickleball, Hall, 9:30 am
• Tue & Thu: Evening Pickleball, Hall, 7 pm

Holiday season: Crafts, pub cheer and a ride home

Youbou Christmas Craft Fair

Peruse the annual craft fair at Youbou Hall on Saturday, November 28, for holiday gift and decorating inspiration. You'll find homemade treats, creative handmade crafts, and home-party show items.

If you wish to sell your wares, call Lake Cowichan Recreation at 250-749-6742 to book a table ($20 each; $40 for 2 tables). Please specify whether you're selling homemade items.

Doors open for sellers at 8:30 am and for shoppers from 10 am to 2 pm.

Meagan and Haden, formerly of Arise Café, will be offering the lunch concession this year.

New Year's Eve: Free shuttles

Two free shuttles run on the night: one for Lake Cowichan pick-ups, one dedicated to Youbou. Lake Cowichan patrons need to reserve seats by following the directions on each ticket.

Youbou guests need no reservation. The shuttle stops, in order:

1. 7:55 pm: Creekside
2. Miracle Way mailboxes
3. Swordfern mailboxes
4. Price Road mailboxes
5. Arnold Road
6. Bremner Road mailboxes
7. CLAC Art Gallery
8. Youbou General Store
9. Daly's Auto Centre

The shuttle swings back once for anyone still waiting. After the dance, ask the driver to drop you at your home.

Pub holiday happenings

The Youbou Bar & Grill is gearing up for holiday celebrations. In November, you can experience a Moroccan Dinner on the 21st and live music on the 28th.

On December 19, Sheila rivals the Rockettes for a holiday drag show, followed by a drag brunch the next day (advance tickets on Eventbrite).

Christmas Eve will offer live music, along with a turkey dinner that night and on Boxing Day. The pub will also serve a special New Year's Dinner (with time to spare for the big hall shindig).

Winter hours: The Youbou Bar & Grill is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays for the winter season.

Silent night, holy night

Gather at Youbou Community Church on Christmas Eve for a special candlelight service to commemorate the birth of Christ. The service will start at 6 pm and all are invited.

Sew, a needle pulling thread

Move your sewing goals to the front burner every other Thursday. Join Youbou's stitchers and knitters as they ready their projects for the holidays.

The Sew / Quilt / Crochet / Knit group will meet on November 12 and 26 and December 10 (before a holiday break), from 10 am to 3 pm in the church's lower hall. Bring your lunch and project and sew on.

October in review: Witches afloat, a monster upstairs

Witch Way

Youbou's witches and warlocks were treated to a spell of enchanting weather for the fourth annual Witch's Paddle. On Saturday, October 10, about two dozen pointy-hatted paddlers launched from the beach at Arbutus Park. The watery parade floated around the bay, basking in the sun, mist and colourful fall foliage.

Hot chocolate, coffee and spookily decorated treats awaited the costumed revelers back at the park, as well as prizes for the best costumes and paddlecraft.

Julie Madden of Intention Wellness Space and the Youbou Community Association co-hosted the event and thank everyone for participating, especially the safety boat drivers: Kim and Margie, and Darrell. No one took a spill, nor got a chill.

Winners

• Best adult costume: Jane, Amy and Teresa
• Best children's costume: Ellie and Theodore
• Best decorated paddle board: Stella, Cathy and Wendy

Prizes from

Daly's Auto Centre, Youbou Bar & Grill, Intention Wellness Space, Ed's Coffeehouse, Wind and Wave, Brewberry Books and Swordfern Boutique. Thank you!

Frankly Halloween

Frankenstein came to life in Youbou's famed haunted house this Halloween. Monster creator Connie Vaughn wants to thank all the volunteers who helped construct, decorate, paint, install batteries, and act on Halloween night.

For the littlest monsters, the YCA again offered the always-lucky ghoul-fishing pond in the merry pumpkin-land downstairs.

Over 100 daring souls entered the costume contest for all ages and sizes, with prizes awarded by the CVRD. The Youbou Volunteer Fire Department masterminded the fireworks to wrap up another homespun Halloween.

From the Director's Desk

Thank you, Area I

By Stephanie Harper · CVRD Area I Director Elect

By the time you read this, our region will have wrapped up two full, back-to-back election cycles for our community. First and foremost, a heartfelt thank-you to the community for selecting me as your CVRD Area I Director.

And thanks to everyone who came out to our Community Reconnect at the Youbou Pub on election day. The energy in the room was supportive, but more importantly, it gave me the chance to sit down and listen to what matters most to you. It was wonderful seeing our community gathered under one roof — year-round locals, seasonal residents, and neighbours from Marble Bay, Woodland Shores and Creekside alike.

CVRD directors & next steps

New directors are undergoing a comprehensive onboarding and training schedule with regional district staff to ensure we're ready to hit the ground running. The official swearing-in ceremony takes place on November 10 at 9:30 am, when a new CVRD Board Chair will also be elected.

The nine Electoral Area Directors for the 2026–2030 term will include four returning incumbents and five new directors. The CVRD Board also includes seven municipal representatives: four from North Cowichan and one each from Lake Cowichan, Ladysmith and Duncan. These representatives are appointed annually by their respective municipal councils, bringing the full Board to 16 directors.

An Electoral Area Director serves as the primary local government representative for our unincorporated rural communities, addressing residents' concerns, local land-use planning and community services. At the regional Board table, we also share responsibility for regional policies, budgets, and the delivery of services such as parks, utilities and emergency management.

Following the inauguration, appointments will also be made to the various committees, commissions and external organizations where the CVRD has representation. This is another important part of a Director's responsibilities. The work extends well beyond attending regular Board meetings.

Directors are expected to come prepared, participate actively, ask questions and stay informed on the issues being discussed. These appointments provide opportunities to understand broader regional challenges, contribute to decisions and bring that knowledge back to the Board table.

With nine rural Electoral Areas and four municipalities, we have many shared priorities, but also distinct local needs. Understanding both is essential to making informed decisions that serve our communities and the region as a whole.

2026–2030 term: Electoral Area Directors

• A: Shane Ryan, New
• B: Kyle Cheveldayoff, New
• C: Mike Wilson, Returning
• D: Hilary Abbott, Returning
• E: Clayton Frost, New
• F: Ian Morrison, Returning
• G: Jesse McClinton, Returning
• H: Jessica Barnett, New
• I: Stephanie Harper, New

Swearing-in: November 10, 9:30 am, with election of a new Board Chair.

A clinic, a school and the mill site

West Cowichan healthcare win

Exciting news from down the lake! On October 14, I attended the grand opening celebration for the new Lakeside Clinic in the Town of Lake Cowichan. With a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) finalized by the Town to support clinic operations, a huge thank-you goes out to Dr. Newmann and his dedicated team for investing in our region's healthcare.

This is a tremendous win for our entire West Cowichan region. Moving forward, I'll be actively exploring how we in Area I can help support and expedite the recruitment of additional nurse practitioners and physicians to serve our communities.

Looking for a family doctor? Register with Health Connect, not the clinic.

Citizens looking to access primary healthcare need to register at healthlinkbc.ca/find-care/health-connect-registry rather than directly at the clinic.

On the planning front

The former Yount School

A revised application and third staff report are tentatively scheduled to appear on the December 2, 2026 Electoral Areas Services Committee (EASC) agenda. I will keep you posted once the meeting agenda and staff report are published.

The Old Mill Site (Youbou Lands)

As many of you know, this property is currently under a court-ordered sale process. An offer with conditions has been accepted. If those conditions are removed, the sale will proceed to the court for formal approval. The process could still see other interested parties step forward with competing offers, or the current owner bringing forward the necessary funds.

I've talked directly with several interested parties. Notably, none of those I've spoken with believe the current high-density development plan for the 674 acres is feasible or appropriate for our area. They recognize that any future proposal would need to be significantly scaled down to suit the location and character of our community.

Most encouragingly, those conversations have identified common ground around preserving significant portions of the property as greenspace, maintaining public access, and ensuring the community is directly involved in discussions before any formal development applications are finalized.

These are encouraging discussions, although the outcome of the sale and any future development plans remain uncertain. Stay tuned as this situation evolves.

Looking ahead

Get ready for a new era in Area I. I'm bringing a pragmatic, can-do attitude to the Board table — realistic about the steps we need to take and deeply optimistic about our shared future.

I look forward to working with our community, fellow directors and regional district staff to build on what we have done well and address the challenges ahead. If you have questions, ideas or community concerns, please reach out. Keeping communication open and making sure residents are informed and heard will remain a priority.

Reach Stephanie

• Email: connect@stephanieharper.ca
• Facebook: facebook.com/StephanieHarperDIRECTORAREAICVRD

An official CVRD email address will be available soon.

Notices: A new roof, a grant and a goodbye

New roof at Youbou Hall

Our string of lovely fall weather days allowed the roofing project at Youbou Community Hall to proceed briskly. We now have a new roof, a significant $300,000 investment in our community by the CVRD. This will let us safely plan events at the hall for years to come.

CVRD broom-busting grant

$4,800 for Area I parks

The Youbou Community Association has earned a $4,800 grant from the CVRD for broom-busting efforts in our Area I parks and public lands. In 2010, Cowichan Lake Holdings, the developer of Woodland Shores, made an amenity contribution that has now reached over $60,000.

These funds are governed by CVRD Bylaw No. 3384, the Nature and Habitat Fund Establishment Bylaw, 2010, which supports projects that environmentally enhance this service area, specifically dedicated to the protection, restoration or enhancement of habitat locations within Area I.

Thanks to Kim Miller and his YCA board volunteers for writing the proposal. Stay tuned next year as we elevate efforts to fight this Scottish scourge.

Goodbye, Arise

From Meagan and Hayden

Arise Café will be closing its doors after just over two years of service. The decision did not come easily, and we appreciate all the community support we've received throughout the years.

We, however, aren't leaving town… at least not for now. We'll be at the Youbou Christmas Craft Fair, and we have more plans to use the Upper Youbou Hall as part of our new catering venture. If you'd like to keep up to date, you can send an email to arisecafeyoubou@gmail.com to be added to our list.

Thank you all, once again. Happy Holidays!

— Meagan & Hayden

Good to know

• Pub winter hours: Youbou Bar & Grill is closed Mondays and Tuesdays for the winter season.
• No bowling league November 11: Men's and ladies' 10-pin evenings take Remembrance Day off.
• Primary care: Register for a family doctor through the Health Connect Registry at healthlinkbc.ca, not at the clinic.

Youbou Volunteer Fire Department

Hats off to our firefighters

They support our community in so many ways, from events such as the regatta breakfast and Halloween fireworks to year-round weekly training sessions. No matter when, they are there for our darkest days, as the recent house fire proved. Youbou thanks our volunteer firefighters:

• Orest Smycniuk — Chief
• Dave Sutfin — Deputy Chief
• Preston Schedel — Captain
• Justin Vaughn — Captain
• Todd Vaughn — Captain
• Cole Bailey
• Jillian Bradley
• Bill Cheal
• Grant Daly
• Jarret Hambly
• Faron Harvey
• Lori LaFave
• Richard Madill
• Kim Smycniuk
• Elijah Vaughn
• Emily Vaughn
• Cam York
• Jack Thomas — Junior
• Jady Thomas — Junior

Learn & play: Holiday workshops, lanes and pickleball

Cowichan Lake Arts Centre

For holiday gift-giving, check out the locally hand-crafted items at the CLAC gallery from Wednesday to Sunday, 10 am to 2 pm. And if the artistic spirit moves you, sign up for any of the holiday-themed workshops below. To register, go to cowichanlakeartsandculture.org.

Artist Trading Card Workshop with Kathie Fielding

Sunday, November 1, 10 am

ATCs (Artist Trading Cards) are mini works of art created by individual people. The only rule is they must be exactly 3.5 x 2.5 inches in size. You can make them by painting, drawing, collage and mixed media, stamping, calligraphy, decoupage, paper weaving, printing… anything goes!

Block Printing Xmas Cards with Kathie Fielding

Saturday, November 7, 10 am

Making your own Christmas cards using block printing is a creative and fun way to tell people you care over the holidays. Join a fun-filled class with Kathie, who will have all of your supplies. You can make up to 10 personal Christmas cards, depending on time.

Wreath-Making Soiree with Kim Kotanko

Friday, December 4, 7 pm

Join us for a guided workshop where we'll walk you through creating a beautiful 16-inch holiday wreath. All supplies are included, but please bring your own secateurs and scissors (we'll have a couple of extras). You'll choose from local greenery, then top it off with a lovely bow.

Bowling fun

Men's and Ladies 10-Pin Evenings (16+)

Meet new people and practice your bowling skills at these fun and social 10-pin evenings. No experience and no personal equipment is needed. Guests and drop-ins may participate by paying a drop-in fee. No session November 11.

Drop-in Bowling

Friday and Saturday night drop-in bowling continues as always, at 7 pm. Lane reservations for Friday or Saturday nights are available online at reccowichan.ca (bowling, lanes) or 250 749-6742 ext 0.

Bowling Rentals

To schedule a private bowling event during non-school days or hours, please call Cowichan Lake Recreation at 250 749-6742 ext 0.

Pickleball at Youbou Hall

Youbou Hall is open for pickleball Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday mornings, from 9:30 to 11:30. For those who prefer to play in the evenings, the hall is also open for play on Tuesday and Thursday nights from 7 to 9 pm.

• Annual membership: $125
• 6-month membership: $85
• Drop-in: $4

The association

Are you a YCA member?

The Youbou Community Association is involved in helping community activities happen, such as the monthly newsletter, Halloween, 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, head to our membership sign up page.

Family lifetime membership: $10. One-time fee per household. Get a vote at the annual meeting and the newsletter in your inbox every month.

Got news?

If you'd like to contribute news for the newsletter about a public event 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

• Julia Martinusen — Chair
• Steve Watt — Treasurer
• Randall Wilson — Secretary
• Adam Khomsi — Web & Design
• Cheryl Morgan — Membership
• Dave DePape — Board member
• Rebekah Ell — Board member
• Allison Peacock Giles — Board member
• Bee Greenway — Board member
• Kryshelle Love — Board member
• Debbie Smith — Board member

Youbou Connector
November / December 2026 · Published by the Youbou Community Association · youbouyca.com