Halloween is Happening!
Halloween is returning to haunted Youbou Hall, but a little scaled back from the usual indoor haunted house and costume contest. Instead, check out the decorations OUTSIDE the hall from 5:30 to 7:30. The CVRD goblins will be chuting candies to the super-heroes among us and, for the really little pirates and princesses, the Youbou Community Association will again be offering fishing opportunities at the magical ghoul pond, where everyone gets a bite!
For those wishing to avoid the traffic of Youbou highway, trick-or-treating is again happening all along Swordfern Way from 5:30 to 7:00 pm. Thanks to the Swordfern homeowners for creating a safe, fun, and delightfully spooky event. And thanks to all the artistic (or not so much) pumpkin carvers throughout Youbou. Let those flickering faces glow!
No matter where you find your treats, be sure to be back at the Yount School field for the fireworks at 7:30 pm, courtesy of our own Youbou Volunteer Fire Department, with thanks to the new owners of the Yount school for letting this community tradition continue. It promises to be a blast!
Hall Fun and Fitness
Recreational opportunities are returning to the Youbou Community Hall—bowling, pickleball, Qi Gong, and open gym. Pre-registration is usually needed for hall events and changes do occur, so before heading to the hall, check this link: https://issuu.com/cvrd/docs/cvrd_rec_guide_fall_2021_w_cover?fr=sYmVlODE0NzA0ODM.
Ladies’ Bowling is Back!
Ladies bowling is in full swing this fall on Thursday nights. This is where you find out what’s really happening in Youbou. Come to bowl and stay to socialize. No experience is necessary—it’s not about the score, it’s about the fun. Yes, ladies must be vaccinated; yes, we do wear the latest styles in masks; and yes, the bar is open!
Over-Stuffed at Thanksgiving?
Can’t say no to the second helping of potatoes and gravy or just one more piece of pumpkin pie? If Thanksgiving has filled you with a little more than gratitude, consider joining the TOPS Youbou Chapter. Meet the group every Tuesday morning at 10 am at the Youbou Church in the lower hall. No naming and no shaming. Everyone is there to support each other.
Church Society Annual Meeting
The Youbou Community Church Society is hosting its Annual General Meeting (AGM) on Saturday, October 15 at 10 am in the lower hall of the Youbou Church. If you’re unsure if you’re a member, no worries, you can simply pay your dues upon entering the hall.
October Garage Sale
Seek out some gently used treasures at the Youbou Community of Peace garage sale on Saturday, October 9 from 11 am to 2 pm in the lower hall of Youbou Church. Light refreshments will be available by donation.
Trash Schedule
The trash pick-up schedule for Youbou and Area I will switch back to collection every other week in October, resuming the same schedule as the blue recycling bins. The last date for weekly trash collection is Friday, October 8. There will no collection on Friday, October 15.
Price Park Appreciation
Longtime residents George deLure and Bill Gibson were recently honoured with a special bench in Youbou’s Price Park. Bill and George’s families gathered for a commemorative ceremony and memory-sharing to dedicate the bench. Their contributions to our community were many but include lake stewardship work, such as putting up about 50 signs around the lake to protect sensitive fish habitat waterways. They also spent hours creating and maintaining a Mt. Good hiking trail. Take a moment during our lovely fall weather to relax on the bench by the beach. While there, take a moment to remember George and Bill for their many contributions to our community.
Sign Genius Contest
Do you have something fun and Youbou-related to post on the Mile 77 sign? We like to change the posts every three weeks and winter gets a bit slow, especially after the holidays. If you have a joke or inspiration that’s 18 words or less, send it along to julia@raedwulf.org. Your prize? Seeing your brilliance posted on the sign, of course, plus kudos in the newsletter when your post goes up. For example:
Rain, Rain,
We love your spray
But must you come
Every day?
Laketown’s Latest
On Thursday evening, September 9, Greg Adams hosted an open house at Laketown Ranch to share his latest plans for development at Laketown Ranch. Of most interest to community members were an indoor pool that could be open in the winter months to the public for water fitness classes, as well as courts for pickle-ball and sports that could be available on a limited basis. Already available to locals is a small network of trails for hiking and biking that offer spectacular views of the surrounding mountains.
At the core of the planning is a residential community of small houses, designed for one or two people. The development would consist of about 120 year-round homes plus approximately 130 additional small homes which could be inhabited for up to 7 months of the year. Included in the plan would be 5 homes constructed in partnership with Habitat for Humanity to house people who qualify for that program. These homes would be constructed in the hills behind the concert area, so would not affect that venue.
Quiet Water
While it’s been a subdued summer around the lake, it may not have been so silent on the lake. If you’ve been troubled by excessively loud boats (ie: cigarette-type boats), you can do something to alleviate the noise. The Decibel Coalition is asking interested citizens to sign a national petition to deal with excessively noisy boats. If you wish to sign, go to https://www.change.org/p/rbosomworth-gmail-com-excessively-loud-boats-driving-you-crazy
Crusher Cycles Through Youbou
On Sunday morning, September 12, about 80 bicyclists rode through Youbou at top speed, competing in a round-the-lake 100K road race. The fourth annual Gravel Crusher, so named because much of it was on unpaved logging roads, started and ended at the Lake Cowichan arena.
Fall Update from Mosaic
submitted by Pam Jorgenson, RPF/Land Use Forester, Mosaic
Mosaic is ready to provide you with a fall update on our activities in and around Youbou.
Outreach:We have been actively sharing information about our plans for the past several months. We hope you have had a chance to review the materials we mailed to residents, participate in our Zoom meeting, and/or come out for a field walk.
• On June 17, 2021, we hosted a community Zoom meeting to share our plans. In July, we mailed a package to Youbou and Meade Creek residents, in which we included our 2020 Sustainability Report and Youbou Activity Update. If you’ve not received the mailed package and would like a copy, please contact me at Pam.Jorgenson@MosaicForests.com.
• In July and September, we conducted small field tours with interested local residents, members of the Save Our Holmes group, Director Klaus Kuhn, and MLA Sonia Furstenau’s assistant Cole Smith.
Upcoming Activity:As indicated in our previous communications, Mosaic will commence road building this fall on a short stretch of road, starting from Meade Creek Main and heading west toward, but not crossing, Denham Creek. Half of the work is the reconstruction of the existing road. We anticipate other activities this fall and winter to include road construction just beyond the west end of Youbou, commencing near the truck wash.
Christopher Rock Trail:We are pleased that the Cowichan Lake Trailblazers Society has entered into an agreement with Mosaic to manage the Christopher Rock Trail and look forward to the opportunity to work together.
Please 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, holiday decorating, 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. You can also check our web site at youbouyca.comand our facebook page for the latest information.
It’s a Date
October 8: Last Friday for weekly trash
October 9: Church Garage Sale
October 11: Happy Thanksgiving!
October 15: No trash collection
October 16: Church Society AGM
October 17: Mixed bowling league starts
October 22: Bi-weekly trash & recycling starts
October 31: Halloween in Youbou
November 2: Mens’ bowling league starts
Thursdays: Ladies bowling league continues
Fridays: Family bowling and Qi Gong
Saturdays: Adult bowling
MTTF rainy mornings: Pickleball
Your YCA Board
Chair: Julia Martinusen
Co-Chair: Lori LaFave
Secretary: Randall Wilson
Treasurer: Steve Watt
Social: Eva Fearon
Garry Fearon
Publicity: Allan Gott
Membership: Cheryl Morgan
At large: Spencer Day
At large: Debbie Smith