tite hanna atts ‘Netti pela vette bette Dobe CEN eS LY APOE, eS a a a a a a a a Sp on in = ae 2% Opinion Sidney’s Jazz Festival: Lots of room for expansion Last weekend’s reception of Sidney’s Sixth Annual Dixieland Jazz Festival was proof that separating the event from Sidney Days was a good idea. Now, organizers can be confident that the event is enough of a draw to be self-sufficient, free from having to rely on others with a fear of losing money. The executive of the Sidney Jazz Society is optimistic about the future and is contemplating taking steps to improve and expand the festival for next year. ~The executive committee is looking at ways of expanding the festival and making it more accessible to other musical groups, and of more interest to the general public,” Sidney Jazz Society president Bert Stevens said. That’s a good idea although it could result in the word Dixieland being dropped from the festival’s title. Dixieland jazz is wonderful, traditional, toe-tapping music. But it’s not the only kind of jazz listeners want to hear or dance to. One of the highlights of the festival was the Sunday moming Gospel Service, demonstrating soul with an empha- sis on audience participation. There's room for more soul, a sprinkling of Tagtime, a touch of bluegrass and a generous helping of thythm and blues. That’s uncharted territory for the Sidney Jazz Festival but it can also be the recipe for a full-blown event the whole Peninsula can get involved with. The new executive, with a core of about seven people and 25-30 volunteers, actively began work on the 1990 festival about three months ago when some members of the previous © executive graciously declined to do the time-consuming and exhausting job for the sixth time in as many years. Faced with the option of taking it over or seeing it fold three months ago, the new executive has done extremely well. It’s also leamed from the old executive. ‘“We’re looking at ways to open the window of interest in the community,” Stevens said. The society knows it’s got a good thing going, and it’s going to run with it. Planning for next year’s festival will start in November. Getting more of the Peninsula community involved is the goal. Disirici nips loose lips The body count caper It took two long-distance phone calls and the type of investigative reporting that television journalists build ratings on — but The Review is now able to report 60 people attended the Capital Regional District’s open house at Sanscha Hall on Thursday. Last Thursday the receptionist at the open house thought she’d be able to report the exact number of warm bodies that wandered in the door between 2 p.m. and 8 pm. By Monday, the dictate had come down on high, sealing her lips and the lips of her boss — indeed the lips of everyone except Commissioner Doug MacKay himself, who lives in Vancouver. The CRD staff were very helpful — offering to call Vancouver — long-distance at taxpayer’s expense — and track down sufficient authority to reveal the numbers. The frequency with which newspapers encounter this problem makes us wonder how ordinary citizens cope with wonning information out of government staff trained to refer every question to someone else. Volume 76 Issue No.40- ~- TheReView Wednesday, September 5,1990 — A6 Th: YES... 1 KNOW NViCTORIA \S HAVING GOOD RESULTS WITH Tree BICYCLE PATROLS.» f TheReview Serving The Saanich Peninsula Since 1912 9781 2nd Street Sidney, B.C V8L 4P8 or PO. Box 2070 Sidney, B.C V8L 3S5 Second Class Mail Registration #0128 Published every Wednesday 656-1151 Publisher: Vic Swan Editor: Glenn Werkman AN ISLAND PUBLISHERS NEWSPAPER New docks anger charter operator Editor: We run a bareboat charter sail- boat business in the San Juan Islands and are based at Lopez Island. In the past we have recom- mended the town of Sidney as a destination for our customers. During the last seven years many of our customers have taken our advice and travelled there. We have been aware for a long time that something needed to be done with your city dock, but are very upset with what has occurred. At most city docks and the majority of the private ones, the people in charge are able to distin- guish between visitors who plan to stay all night and those that just wish to shop for a few hours. However in Sidney that is not done. I hope you and the mer- chants are aware that when a person comes into your city dock they are told that if they stay over 30 minutes, they will have to pay $5. I am sure you are aware that 30 minutes is not enough time to even walk around a bit let alone spend any money with your merchants. When we discussed this situa- tion with people, both from B.C. and the USS., they all felt the way that we do and they do not plan to visit Sidney as they have done in the past. We are changing our charter manual to explain the new situa- tion and we also will discuss this with visitors to our booths at the Portland and Seattle boat shows. Bill McKinney President McKinney Marine Inc. Lopez Island, WA Good start for Sidney Museum Editor: Re: Sept. 26 editorial in The Review criticizing museum. The editor of The Review obvi- ously did not do his homework, did not talk to museum staff or current volunteers of the museum, and did not talk to Town hall staff. The editorial’s opening remarks are in sharp contrast to the Provin- cial Museum exhibit staff who were at the opening. Review staff obviously did not interview them or the tourists/residents who have made the following comments: — good start, — obviously not fin- ished, but great start, and — very well designed exhibit space. In fact, there were residents of Friday Harbour in the Museum, and their comments were that Sidney’s Museum was much bet- . ter than Friday Harbour Whale Museum, and did we have a Friends of the Museum they could join? In addition, the models are not plastic, and there are not a few photographs; there are over 70 and many are unique, which a reporter could have found out by talking to Museum staff. There are signs posted through- out the museum explaining exhib- its are in progress. I could also point out that the Provincial Museum started out with one room of stuffed animals, and look where they are now. The community volunteers are still with us, and in greater num- bers than previous years. Last year, . with only the old Museum operat- ing, we had 10-12 volunteers. This year we have 15-17 volunteers. Six of those volunteers worked throughout the winter putting three full days a week for a total of over 5,000 hours. These people have done a large variety of jobs, from boiling bones to cataloguing, in addition to meet- ing and greeting the public. The total construction costs were $202,000, not $500,000, and $150,000 of that was funded by a grant from the Expo legacy fund. The rest was funded through dona- tions from Sidney residents and businesses. Museum staff wages are not what was quoted. The director’s wage is $35,000, not $45,000, and the assistant curator’s wage is $25,000, not $35,000. Calvor Palmateer Director, Sidney Museum Thanks for sight Editor: At Thanksgiving time, we should be thankful for some of the wonderful human senses that we too often take for granted. lam a beekeeper, and I teach the subject at Fanshawe College. One task in beekeeping is checking to find whether there is a laying queen in each hive. » The eggs are minute. Good sight -is required to see them. I am apt to assume that all of my Students can see the eggs, but this may not always be the case. Sight is so valuable and to be blind is a tragedy. Yet, $25 from a caring Canadian citizen can fund a ; sight-restoring cataract operation in the Developing World through Operation Eyesight Universal. On an annual basis, this regis- tered Canadian charity funds an average of 190,000 cataract opera- tions in countries like Peru, India, Kenya and Haiti. As a volunteer for Operation Eyesight Universal, I feel very proud when I think that mothers cured of blindness can see and care for their children again, that farmers can work in their fields and that tradesmen can once more eam a living. There are estimated to be thirty- two million curably blind people in the world today ... most of them in Third World countries. The need is always great, yet imagine how much $25 can do when donated to help someone receive their sight! $25 not only pays for the catar- act surgery; it also covers the cost of dressings, medication, post- operative care, food and eye- glasses. And that’s not all ... someone whose sight has been restored can once again function and become an asset in the community. Caring Canadians can make a difference to so many destitute lives. All donations to Operation Eye- sight Universal are eligible for t2@Qi credit and can be sent to Box 123, . € q & % Station M, Calgary, Alberta T2P 2H6 (Tel: 403-283-6323). Harold Killins London, Ontario Maybe not such a good 4-H deal Editor: In the September 12th issue of The Review an article on the 4-H cattle sale at the PNE appeared under the heading of Business beef). Like all business ventures, some Continued on Page A8 (Club members get good deal Oe va