Looking ahead to an action-packed year This is going to be a big year for British Columbia. Top travel guide Lonely Planet named the province to their list of the the 25 Best Destinations to Visit in 2026, and the world will descend upon us when seven of the 104 scheduled FIFA World Cup matches will take place here in June. That same month, the Squamish Off-Road Triathlon  (swim, mountain bike, trail run) is set for Saturday June 6 at Alice Lake. The Squamish 50 series of t

Readers share Yuletide memories While the holiday lights are still shining and before the year winds down, it's the perfect time to listen to those ghosts of Christmas past.   Here at The Watershed, we love a good story as much as the next person, so we've asked our readers to share memories of past holidays.   Here are a few of our favourites: From Rose Dudley: Desiring a white Christmas, our family decided to spend it at Whistler, and Sam, the one-eyed cat, came along. Bein

'Socktober' just the beginning Squamish Helping Hands Society (SHHS) is hoping you take a moment this holiday season to clean out your closets. They are looking for new and gently-used clothing in adult sizes to help some local folks stay warm this winter. SHHS Volunteer Coordinator  Kesley Burke-Gray reports that nearly 2100 pairs of socks were donated this fall, more than doubling the 1,000-pair goal during the recent 'Socktober' event. Burke-Grey says that her team were so

Friends lay memorial wreath Remembering Barbara and David Enns. Photo by John Dudley. On the first anniversary of the Battani Creek landslide, a group of 13 friends and family members recently gathered together at Brunswick Beach to honour the memory of Barbara and David Enns. The tragic loss of these active Lions Bay community members on December 14, 2024 is still keenly felt by family, friends and neighbours. Earlier this year, Councillor Ron McLaughlin told Council he is i

Donations to Under One Roof welcomed Lions Bay group has a jingle of a time knitting up Christmas spirit. Lions Bay knitters have added a little sparkle to Christmas for local women in need, with a donation of hand-quilted bags, jam-packed with treats and necessities for the season. The Knitting Group, between eight and ten knitters strong, has met Wednesday mornings at Lions Bay Store for over a year. "Since the Knit and Stitch shop in Dundarave closed, I asked Lynne Jacobs

Warmest wishes for a Season full of wonder and delight By Ron McLaughlin From new folks to the Village, to PAC updates and school news, to the Volunteer Appreciation event and beyond, it’s the season when time goes by very quickly. So much is happening as Lions Bay gets into holiday mode. Emily Zamora, Grant Carlson and family. New to Seaview Place last month are Grant Carlson and Emily Zamora, and their three sons Lochlan (five years) Rowan (two years) and Callan (five month

Public Works team to the rescue...again Public Works transforms a worn and moss-caked ditch into a functioning culvert. Photos by Douglas Miller. Story by Douglas Miller It's the time of year when we get almost daily reminders that we live on the “wet coast”.   The westerly flow of air off the Pacific Ocean drops most of its moisture as it rises to cross the mountains of Vancouver Island and then the Coast Range behind us. There are innumerable creeks and rivers on our coast

Seeking story snippets from Watershed readers It's that time of year again. Does all the shopping, decorating and rushing to office party celebrations leave you dreaming of Christmases past? We want to hear about it. Inspired by an idea from Watershed reader (and writer!) Rod Baker, we're looking for a short snippet of your favourite holiday story. Whether it was a classic Christmas, a hysterical Hanukkah or a brutal Boxing Day, we're all ears. We will put any stories we rece

Registration opens at Lions Bay School Who doesn't want to go to school in the woods? Lions Bay School is now accepting registrations for next fall's batch of kindergarten students. This school is a part of the West Vancouver School District , and has been educating Village children in the primary grades (K-3) since 1977. Teachers are now ready to welcome a whole new group of five-year-olds in September, 2026. " Our staff are experienced educators who care for the social and

A bit of history on the house destroyed by fire 239 Bayview Road in the 1970s. In 1976, Horst Stegemann built a house above where the school would be located on Bayview Road, and the family lived there for ten years. Horst's daughter Natasha Stegemann, who says she is gutted by the news of the fire, remembers the house fondly. "I remember my parents building the house. They were so young and vibrant, and they put in an extra floor because they thought I would like it," she sa

What is a Unesco Biosphere Region, anyway? photo by Richard Duncan Have a passion for the natural beauty, incredible biodiversity, rich cultural heritage, and a sustainable economy in the place you live? Like eating lunch? Local resident Ruth Simons has the perfect combo for you. Along with Tourism Squamish, the Howe Sound Biosphere Region Initiative Society is hosting a ' Lunch & Learn' event at the Squamish Adventure Centre on Friday November 7 from noon to 1:30 p.m. Simons

Toasty toes for all this winter How toasty are your toes right now? Let's face it, when you live on the West Coast, cold wet feet are a frequent problem. Imagine how much worse it would be if your feet were never warm or dry? Socktober is your chance to help others who may not have access to the clean, dry socks that you enjoy. According to Squamish's Helping Hands society, as local emergency shelters reach capacity, this donation drive "aims to provide warmth and dignity" t

From in and around the Village, the school and more by Ron McLaughlin Happy almost Halloween, neighbours! David, Magnus and Siri Carver. Submitted photo. Summer is now behind us, and normal routines and cooler weather have returned. It’s a time of year where things begin to speed up. Halloween is followed by Remembrance Day which is followed by Christmas activities and suddenly people are running into frigid water for the annual New Year’s Day Dip’N’Dash. Let’s get you up to

Lessons learned and shared View of the house fire from Douglas Miller's deck, 5 a.m., October 13, 2025 Thanksgiving Monday is now deeply etched in my memory.   I awoke to shouts coming from somewhere nearby. The flickering orange light on my bedroom ceiling had me jump out of bed and peering out the window in disbelief. Our neighbour’s house was ablaze.   A quick call to 911. Shouts to awaken Norma. The immediate assumption was the fire would be quickly spreading to the trees

Serendipity brings pies and butter candles to the same table Beloved Lions Bay baker Jessica Weiss has been making a name for herself since the start of this decade, with her Red Couch pies becoming the instant favourite of anyone who takes a bite. And now, serendipity has Weiss sharing kitchen space with Melt & Munch founder Lauren Gibson, also a Village resident. Lauren Gibson and Jessica Weiss in their shared commercial kitchen space. Photo by kc dyer.   Weiss's business

Taking a moment to be thankful in the face of fire photo by Herb Johnston This morning, in honour of the day, we here at The Watershed had a post ready to thank our readers and especially our subscribers, who help sustain this publication. But after this very busy Thanksgiving Day, one that began for many people just before 4 a.m. when a neighbourhood house caught fire , it turns out we have a few more things to be thankful for. Thank you to the firefighters of Lions Bay Fire

Hikers (and lemons) squeezed for a good cause Brent Calkin and Maria Maria Masiar of LBSAR accept a donation from Archie (centre). After...

Shedding light on the protection of local reptiles Recently a new sign has popped up along Tidewater Way that's got some local residents...

A fond farewell to a long-time Lions Bay resident Josephine Claire Wright August 22, 1952 — September 5, 2025 Josephine Wright, beloved...

Paid subscriptions are now available Thank you for being a reader, supporter and member of The Watershed community! After more than a...