New house for Vampire
Members of 19 Wing Comox and the Comox Valley Air Force Museum are hoping to mark the centennial of the Royal Canadian Air Force in 2024 with a very special display.
The DeHavilland Vampire Mark III has been stored in various hangars at the base since May 2000, after the museum took possession of the aircraft. Because of its unique wood construction, the Vampire can鈥檛 be stored outside, explained Maj. Kevin Stevens, project manager.
The goal is to bring the aircraft back into public display at the Heritage Air Park on Military Row with the construction of a pavilion to house the Vampire.
Red Robinson passes
The family of Vancouver radio personality Red Robinson says he has died after a brief illness.
In a statement posted online, Robinson鈥檚 family says he passed away on Saturday (April 1) shortly after 8 a.m. He was 86. Robinson began his radio career in 1954 at Vancouver鈥檚 CJOR, and his website credits him as the first DJ in Canada to play rock 鈥檔鈥� roll music regularly.
It says Red jumped to Vancouver CKWX station in 1957, where he met American singer Buddy Holly and Elvis Presley.
Robinson was born in Comox and was inducted into the Comox Valley Walk of Achievement in 2006. He received the Order of British Columbia in 2016, and was also the recipient of the Canada 125 Award and the Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal.
Mack Laing platform approved
On April 11, the B.C. Supreme Court approved an application filed by the Town of Comox to amend the Mack Laing Trust, thereby allowing for a viewing platform to be constructed where Shakesides sits.
Mack Laing gave the property to the Town of Comox before his death, then bequeathed $45,000, with instruction for the money to be used to turn Shakesides into a nature museum. In her ruling, Supreme Court Justice J.A. Power said 鈥渢he original trust monies in 1982 were never sufficient to turn Shakesides into a museum.鈥�
New housing for those fleeing violence
Local dignitaries gathered for the official ribbon-cutting at Darry鈥檚 Place, the new second-stage housing community in Courtenay. The new 40-unit building provides second-stage housing for women and gender-diverse people leaving violence, including transgender women, two-spirit and non-binary people, along with their children.
The family-oriented development has a mix of studio, one-, two-, three- and four-bedroom homes, including five wheelchair-accessible units.
The project also includes a secure outdoor children鈥檚 play area. Second-stage housing provides short-term accommodation with onsite support for women and their dependent children leaving violence. Residents typically move into second-stage housing after a stay in a transition house (i.e Lilli House, in Courtenay) and then live in the units for six to 18 months before moving to more permanent housing.
Picketing at 19 Wing
More than 200 federal public workers gathered by the entrance to CFB Comox April 19 in the morning as the Public Service Alliance of Canada went on strike after it failed to reach an agreement with its employer - the Government of Canada. Camille Soper, president of UNDE 21007 (Union of National Defence Employees) and strike captain for the PSAC said because the Treasury Board has not met the union鈥檚 demands, a general strike was called April 18.
ARTS
McLachlan to play MusicFest
International superstar Sarah McLachlan will perform at Vancouver Island MusicFest 2023.
McLachlan will headline the Friday night (July 14) lineup. McLachlan is one of the most celebrated singer-songwriters in entertainment with over 40 million albums sold worldwide. She has received three Grammy Awards and 12 Juno Awards over her career and has been inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame.
Landing McLachlan is an achievement decades in the making for MusicFest artistic director, Doug Cox.
Sports
Familiar theme to Snow to Surf
The 2023 Royal LePage Comox Valley Snow To Surf Adventure Race had a familiar theme on Sunday, April 23, as the perennial frontrunners battled it out for glory.
As the canoeists paddled to the Comox Marina dock, Tsunami came out of the water to ring the bell first, taking the title away from Balfe Martin Investment Banzai for Tsunami鈥檚 first win since 2017. Banzai was looking for the three-peat, after winning in both 2019 and 2022.
Tsunami finished second in both those races. (The race was cancelled in 2020 and 2021 due to COVID). On Sunday the tables turned. Tsunami went wire to wire for the win, with Ron Williams and Rupert Wong paddling to the finish line in 3:02:13, two minutes and 45 seconds ahead of their Banzai rivals.
