Plus, a history of Lions Bay Trailblazing: Part One Official opening of the Totally Unnecessary Trail (now the Erin Moore Trail) June 1, 2001. Photo by John Dudley Sharp-eyed residents may have noticed a recent plea in the Lions Bay Village Update for new blood on the Trailblazer's Team. Founder John Dudley put out a call for "enthusiastic people who don't need replacement parts" and who are interested in seeing our local trails remain in good condition to reach out to the gr

Words of wisdom from LBSAR photo by Scott Mackenzie With the onset of dark and dreary days most people pack away their hiking boots and dream of balmy summer days to come. Most — but not all. For those who do make the decision to brave the elements, the experts have some advice to share. "The main issues we repeatedly see, especially coming into dark and cold season are related to navigation," says Brent Calkin, Lions Bay Search and Rescue Manager. He says the issues include:

Village Christmas Craft Fair Today Today's the day! Lions Bay Arts annual Christmas Craft Fair is on from 11—3 at the Village Hall. Come out and support local artists, get your gift shopping done and order a Christmas tree in support of the Curly Stewart Scholarship Fund. The Watershed will be there, so come say hello! Lions Bay Christmas Craft Fair Broughton Hall 400 Centre Road, Lions Bay, BC November 22, 11 a.m. — 3 p.m.

New protections set for local marine refuges Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) is setting new boundaries for local marine refuges, and residents and protectors of Átl'ḵa7tsem / Howe Sou nd get to have a say. The Marine Conservations Target Initiatives Update (MCTIU), which can be read HERE, was developed and released this fall by DFO in order to receive First Nations and other stakeholder input on the Glass Sponge Reef-Rockfish Conservation Area (GSR-RCA) project, along wi

Council decries online abuse: Police notified The second regular meeting of Council got off to an unusual start when Chief Administrative Officer Ross Blackwell delivered a statement on behalf of Council. The statement decried online harassment and threats made to three councillors, noted the damage done by such actions and said a report has been made to police. No further comment on the subject was made, and regular meeting routines resumed. Council members were all present

Police notified about abusive posts Members of Lions Bay Council have been targeted in social media posts with language so threatening that the matter has been referred to the RCMP. In an unprecedented opening to a Lions Bay Village Council meeting, Mayor Ken Berry asked Chief Administrative Officer Ross Blackwell to read a public statement on behalf of Council. Public Statement Regarding Online Conduct and Respect in Our Community Council would like to address the community

Cash and carry at Christmas Craft Fair A long-established tradition continues this weekend with the return of the Lions Bay Christmas Craft Fair on November 22 at the Village Hall. Sponsored by Lions Bay Arts (LBA) Council, this is the 12th Christmas Fair, which every year marks the beginning of the gift giving season in the community. Attendees can expect "a warm welcome, a sweet treat, local musicians playing favourite Christmas tunes, and an array of local artisans ready t

Increased protections help ensure the health of the Sound Glass sponge reef photo courtesy Marine Life Sanctuaries Society. Council is poised to finalize a response to Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) this week on a new initiative designed to increase protection for endangered species within Átl’ k a7tsem / Howe Sound. The Marine Conservations Target Initiatives Update (MCTIU), was developed and released this fall by DFO in order to receive First Nations and other stakeholde

Discussions wrap up on schedule for first time this term November has been a busy month for members of Village Council, with public hearings and special meetings on top of regular committee and council meetings. The ongoing budget discussions mean that councillors have met for the fourth and fifth times in November to address balancing the many needed expenditures with the limited funds available. Financial Officer Joe Chirkoff led the fourth review of the budget planning pro

November's Coastal Canine is an adorable adolescent Adorable Alice is floppy-eared and long-tailed, and has kind brown eyes. She was adopted from the SPCA in 2024 as a small easy-to-carry pup, but has since grown into 70-plus pounds of sweetheart. With a half Great-Dane, half German Shepherd mama (and an unknown dad) her family isn't really surprised. Alice is shy around new people, but is almost always excited to meet new dogs when out walking. She is only a year and a half,

Trail usage nearly doubled in August from 2024 Members of LBSAR ground team search for stranded hikers on November 5, 2025. Photo by Scott Mackenzie. While a few die-hard winter hikers continue to seek out back-country trails, the mid-November rains generally mean the bulk of the 2025 hiking season is over, and it's time for a look back. The process of keeping a good record of numbers of hikers in the watershed above Lions Bay was hampered this year when vandals damaged exist

Tree Sales benefitting Curly Stewart Scholarship almost sold out November 21 Update: Last chance to order. Scan the QR code on the poster above, or speak to committee member Neville Abbott at the Lions Bay Christmas Fair on November 22. Evening Update from committee member Neville Abbott: Noble Fir Premium – Sold Out Noble Fir Classic – Limited Availability Douglas Fir – Sold Out  Please order Christmas trees today or tomorrow. Our supplier is almost sold out of stock – don’t

Recognizing all who served Lions Bay will remember those who have given their lives in service of Canada with a ceremony held beginning at 10:15 a.m. on Tuesday, November 11 at the Village Hall. In recent years, the nature of remembrance in Canada has grown to include Indigenous Veterans Day , celebrated every year since 1994 on November 8. This date stands to commemorate not only the sacrifices of Indigenous Veterans, but also to address the historical injustices many faced

Public hearing focus falls on short-term rental amendment Residents came out in force to have their say at the public hearings into the amendments of two elements of the Village's Zoning and Development bylaw . Nearly three dozen residents were present for the hearings both online and in person, with many clearly just out to learn more of the proposed changes. In his disclaimer before each hearing, Mayor Ken Berry noted that questions would not be entertained, as the purpos

LBSAR pushed to limit on Unnecessary Mountain photo by Scott Mackenzie Lions Bay Search and Rescue (LBSAR) was called into action on Wednesday after two young hikers lost their way on Unnecessary Mountain and were stranded overnight on the mountain's west ridge.     Team manager Brent Calkin said that the twin systems of intense rain and high winds combining in the air over Lions Bay meant that initial attempts to reach the hikers by helicopter were thwarted. "In the face of

Committee issues arise, Mayoral initiative defeated The stormy weather of November was reflected inside at the first regular Council meeting of the month, as Council members exchanged heated words on a number of topics throughout the evening. All Council members were present, with Councillor Jaime Cunliffe attending online. The evening's agenda   passed, and included a number of additional items suggested by both Mayor and councillors. The gallery topped out at 10 members, w

Ceremony begins at 10:15 a.m. The Village of Lions Bay will commemorate Remembrance Day on November 11 beginning at 10:15 a.m. this year. The event is expected to be well-attended, and organizers suggest arriving early to get a good seat. The Lions Bay Remembrance Day Ceremony committee has organized the program in memory of those who have given their lives in service to Canada, with a focus this year on peace. Local Member of the Legislative Assembly Jeremy Valeriote is expe

It's not just unwelcome plants moving into town Image courtesy BCISC, Invasive species come in all shapes and sizes, and not all of them have roots. In addition to unwelcome plants that have moved into the region and taken over native habitats, a few invasive animal species have ecologists concerned. According to the Sea to Sky Invasive Species Council (SSISC), invasive animal species that already have a presence in this region include goldfish and red-eared slider turtles.

CAO confirms that public hearing will be accessible online This evening's public hearing into bylaw amendments affecting short-term rentals and oceanfront property setbacks will be accessible online, CAO Ross Blackwell confirmed today. As reported last week, Lions Bay Council is seeking public input into two separate amendments to the Village's Zoning and Development bylaw (520, 2017). The property setback amendment is a semantic clarification applicable to terminology used

The loss of young humpback troubling A small group of Lions Bay residents gathered at Kelvin Grove Beach on Thursday to mark the death of a young humpback whale. The whale's body was found near Keats Island on October 26, and is being investigated by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO). The Marine Education and Research Society (MERS) identified the whale as Wisp (BCY1464), a whale born in 2021 to Ghost (BCX1333). A Hello Ferry reported striking a whale the previous