Gabriola - Island of the Arts

Gabriola is well known to many as “Isle of the Arts,” with a great Arts Council which supports many artistic adventures. In addition Artworks is a hub for the many artists on Gabriola to exhibit their work, and for tourists and islanders alike to come and gather in this energetic gallery.

Thursday night, Canada Day, from 7 – 9 pm marks the beginning of the summer shows, one that the Lynch’s are very excited to be a part of. “Measure Up” will run from July 1st – 14 featuring mixed media works of 30 artists each given a ruler to transform into a masterpiece. Randi, Jennifer & Tina were thrilled to each be able to contribute a piece to the show and invite you to come check it out!

Thanks again to Kathy R. and her amazing staff at Artworks for all the work they do in making Gabriola such a vibrant community!

Open House | 155 McConvey

155 McConvey - Open House
Sunday, June 27th

12:00 - 3:00 pm

Come join us this weekend for your opportunity to see this beautiful home situated on south facing waterfront lot overlooking a reef in one of the prime locations on Gabriola. The home is a fabulous master piece built by Chelsom Construction, a well known Gabriola builder. Located on a no thru road it is close to all amenities such as the village shopping, ferry and some of Gabriola's most fantastic beaches, including its own shoreline from where fishing, kayaking or scuba diving can be a daily treat. A long covered sundeck spans the entire length with double doors from the bright and open concept new kitchen, living and dining room. With granite counter tops and wood flooring, the home has an elegant, yet cozy and comfortable feel to it. The great room has a propane fireplace for cozy evenings and the additional room with ensuite could be an ideal bedroom or perhaps a games room. Hot tub on deck & 3 additional bedrooms up (+bonus room), all with ocean views. Double car garage, fenced & landscaped.

If you're unable to make the open house but would like a private viewing appointment, call Randi, Jennifer or Tina LYNCH, Coast Realty Group (Gabriola Village) Ltd. toll free at #1.877.422.8455 250.247.2088 by email at: Lynch@DiscoverGabriola.com or visit us online at: www.DiscoverGabriola.com

Gabriola Home and Garden Tour

On Sunday June 27th People for a Healthy Community are hosting the 12th Annual Gabriola Home and Garden Tour. This self guided tour of island homes and gardens has been a great success in the past and this year looks to be even better. Ten outstanding homes and gardens are being opened to the public for viewing. The weather has been excellent for gardens and everything is in full bloom. See ideas for decorating, green building and spectacular coastal living.

The tour starts at 10:00 am and goes until 5:00pm. Tickets are $20 and can be purchased on Gabriola at Artworks, Lockwood Garden, Wheelbarrel Nursery and the Wild Rose Garden Centre. Tickets are also available in Nanaimo at Buckerfields at Southgate and Dig This on Metral Drive. Gabriola is one of the Gulf Islands that boasts scenery, views and wildlife. Check ferry schedules at http://www.bcferries.com/ and make a day of it.

Tickets are also available on June 27th at PHC locate on the lower level of the Commons, 675 North Road on Gabriola. Drop by and see our community gardens, displays and information about People for a Healthy Community along with sales of art cards and light snacks.

A blind auction for a beautiful giclee print of “His Garden” by artist Sylvie Milman as well as framed photo by Liz McKnight and a painting by award winning artist Jeff Molloy will be available for viewing at various sights on the tour.

This is a fund raising event to benefit the programs and services offered on Gabriola Island by People for a Healthy Community (PHC). PHC is a non profit organization that provides social services to Gabriolans in need. PHC operates the food bank, soup socials, community gardens, children’s grief programs, housing advocacy, a Christmas bureau, emergency funding and a holiday Spirit Feast.

Daytrip to Newcastle Island

The Gabriola Elementary School Kindergarten and Grade 1 students headed over to Newcastle Island Marine Provincial Park for one of their year end events. The ferry to Newcastle Island leaves from Maffeo Sutton Park, near the sea wall in Downtown Nanaimo. During the summer the ferry leaves regularly between 9am and 9pm. Newcastle Island is a 10 minute ferry ride from Nanaimo, and is a beautiful park with great walking trails, camp sites, a dance hall, camp store, concession, biking and no cars.
The students went to Brownie Bay where a marine biologist met with them, had them set up a net in the eel grass and discussed the marine life they found in the net. It was a great day trip from Gabriola and all within walking distance to the Gabriola Ferry, a memorable event for the kids and a great day for the parents that were able to attend.

Gabriola's Newest Website...

We are thrilled to announce that we’ve just launched http://www.gabriolaislandwaterfront.ca/ . Gabriola’s premiere market place for waterfront & ocean view properties offering a fusion of listings, a lifestyle & community blog as well as up to date information to keep your calendar full.

Come Discover… Come Play… Come Live…

Surrounded by sparkling blue waters and sheltered by the neighboring islands, Gabriola is a heavenly place for kayakers, sailors and fishing enthusiasts. With approximately 45 km of rocky & sandy shoreline it offers a great place to explore coves, beach comb or simply relax with a gourmet beach picnic and ocean dip at Olebar Point, this island caters to everyone’s whim.

Have a look around our new site, get to know a bit more about Gabriola, and call us anytime to discover why others have chosen this unparalleled island, as a place to call home!

Septic Systems in Rural Areas

We often have people moving to Gabriola Island from urban areas, one of the topics that comes up early in conversation is about wells and septic systems. All homes on Gabriola are serviced by a private septic system. A conventional septic system includes a septic tank and soil filter called a drainfield. The tanks come in different sizes (current tanks are larger which allows for higher volume), and can be made from concrete, polyethylene or fiberglass.

If you want to increase the longevity of your septic system here are a few things you can do:
* use natural cleaning products
* have your septic system inspected every 3-5 years (or as per your maintenance plan)
* never drive over the drain field
* do not water the grass over the drainfield or plant trees near it
* avoid using powder of flake dishwasher or laundry detergents.
* minimize water use

The Regional District of Nanaimo (RDN) offers SepticSmart Household Information Kits & SepticSmart workshops, visit their website to get a copy of the kit or sign up for the workshop.

Gabriola Student Summertime Employement Opportunities

With summer holidays being just around the corner for students, a couple of job opportunities have been recently posted by People for a Healthy Community on Gabriola Island.

Job Opportunity PHC - Research Assistant – for the Gabriola Guardian Project (housing): 30 hrs/week for 14 weeks. Please see http://www.phc-gabriola.org/ for details. Must be a student. Application Deadline: 5 PM - June 11, 2010. Please send resume & cover letter to info@phc-gabriola.org

Job Opportunity PHC: Food Bank & Garden Assistant: 30 hrs/week for 8 weeks. Please see http://www.phc-gabriola.org/ for details. Must be a student. Application Deadline: 5 PM - June 21, 2010. Please send resume & cover letter to info@phc-gabriola.org

People for a Healthy community offers valuable services to the island. PHC works to support the health and well being of our community: children, families and individuals; offering a Food Bank, Soup Socials, Employment Counselling, Housing Support, Citizen Advocate Consulting and Community Gardens. In addition to these two exciting opportunities there is also volunteer positions available for the; Food Bank, Soup Kitchen, Gardening projects, dining room revamping, administrative support, research projects and more. If you have some time and are interested in voluteering contact PHC at: info@phc-gabriola.org .

Where is the Gabriola Real Estate Market at?

If shopping for a home or property on the Gulf Islands is in your future, we thought you may like to have a picture of what the current conditions are like. There are 79 homes listed on Gabriola Island at the moment and 45 vacant properties to choose from. 41 sales have taken place since January 1st this year, Coast Realty Group (Gabriola Village) Ltd. had the listing on 37 of those sales. The average home sales price is just over $300,000 (not including waterfronts & acreages) and the average time on the market ranges 3 – 5 months. If you’ve been considering a home on Gabriola, we can keep you up to date on the new listings as they become available via an email notification matched to your search criteria – send us an email at: lynch@discovergabriola.com – and we’d be glad to provide you this free service.