2024 Comox Valley Collective Summer
In late August 2023, our community turned rainbow-coloured in celebration of Comox Valley Pride Weekend, which included the Valley’s first-ever Pride Parade in Downtown Courtenay. Organized by two volunteer organizations, […]
Words by Jen GroundwaterPhotos by Sara Kempner
2024 Comox Valley Collective Summer
Inside Kumugwe, the Bighouse on the traditional territory of the K’ómoks First Nation, a crackling fire helps to illuminate the two totem poles facing the entrance. The wooden seats lining […]
Words & photos by Sara Kempner
2024 Online Feature Summer
It’s no secret that the Comox Valley is blessed with an abundance of beautiful places to explore and enjoy. It’s quite remarkable how many unique and varied environments are right […]
Words by Zoë Cooper& James McKerricher
2024 Comox Valley Collective Spring
SOAKED AND STOKED Founded in 2017 by friends Marie-France Roy and Alicia Gilmour, the WestCoast Triple Plank (WCTP) is an annual event celebrating sport, community, and environment on Vancouver […]
Words & photos by Sara Kempner
2024 Comox Valley Collective Spring
Cultivating stillness We experience so much in our lives. Sometimes life’s momentum is so fast that we miss the joy in the present moment. We’re living in an unsettling time. […]
Words by Dennyse HarrisPhotos by Meredith Rose
Comox Valley Collective 2023 Fall
A curtain flutters through broken glass as fiery flakes litter the snow-covered ground. Despite the cold, onlookers feel the heat while they watch, helplessly, as the roof gives way. The […]
Words by Bevin ClempsonPhotos by Sara Kempner
Fall/Winter 2023 Strathcona Collective
Seated in one of my college classrooms, I received an email from Canada Olympic Park—a confirmation that I would be joining the team as a snowboard instructor for the season. […]
Words by Ryan de MillianoPhoto by Sara Kempner
Comox Valley Collective 2023 Spring
Although Cumberland-based Black Cat Skateboards is a relatively new entity, its founder’s love of skateboarding began long ago in the parking lots of his hometown of Norwich, England. Ian Bowles’ […]
Words by Andrew PressaultPhotos by Sara Kempner
Comox Valley Collective Spring
Many people might be surprised to learn that one of the most successful astronomy news sites on the Internet is published from right here in the Comox Valley. Depending on […]
Words by Ryan StuartFeatured photo by Sara Kempner
Comox Valley Collective Winter
Curling saved my life. Sounds like an outrageous statement to make, but in 1999, the year I first threw a curling stone, I was in my thirties and a dozen […]
Words by Keith ParryPhotos by Sara Kempner
Comox Valley Collective Fall
Related posts: FEEL LIKE A KID AGAIN MAGIC IN THE DYE POT PUTTING DOWN THE SAWS ART, A HARVEST, AND A BLESSING
Words by Sara KempnerFeatured photo by Meredith Rose
Comox Valley Collective Fall
It’s a lazy Sunday afternoon as I make my way through Alex Blais’ yard, following the sound of laughter toward an outbuilding at the back of the property. Stepping inside, […]
Words & Photos by Sara Kempner
Comox Valley Collective Fall
The very first time I dipped my paddle into the Salish Sea, wedged awkwardly in the belly of a dragon boat, I was smitten. Whether it was the friendly seals, […]
Words by Anne ArseneauPhotos by Sara Kempner
Comox Valley Collective Summer
It’s a lazy Sunday afternoon as I make my way through Alex Blais’ yard, following the sound of laughter toward an outbuilding at the back of the property. Stepping inside, […]
Words & Photos by Sara Kempner
Comox Valley Collective Summer
Like most woodworking spaces, Sandpiper Studio is an organized-but-dusty collection of equipment designed for the exacting manipulation of wood. Surrounding these machines are a myriad of hand tools and neat […]
Words by Mike B.Photo by Sara Kempner
Comox Valley Collective Little Valley Summer
Hi, my name is Darragh Tormey, and this is my love essay. Love can mean a million things, and it means different things to different people. To me, love means […]
Photo by Sara Kempner
Fall/Winter Strathcona Collective
Life on Earth exists from and because of soil, yet many of us go about our lives with little thought about its importance. Turn your mind for a minute to […]
Words by Susan AntlerPhoto by Sara Kempner
Comox Valley Collective Spring
“Expect mountain bikes, hikers, runners, dogs, children, and elders on these trails.” —excerpt from the Interim Trail Management Strategy for the Cumberland Community Forest Park, May 2021 It’s nine o’clock […]
Words by Dawn CopemanPhotos by Sara Kempner
Comox Valley Collective Little Valley Winter
My name is Ava, and I am ten years old. I was born in Vancouver and moved to Cumberland with my mom and dad when I was seven. I remember […]
Words by Ava ThomasPhoto by Sara Kempner
Comox Valley Collective Winter
I respectfully acknowledge that we are on the unceded traditional territories of the K’ómoks First Nation, and I thank them for the privilege of living on the land and the […]
Words by Britt HansonPhotos by Sara Kempner
Comox Valley Collective Winter
When I wrote The New Brewmox Valley for the inaugural issue of this magazine in 2014, I told a hopeful and optimistic story of three very different new and local […]
Words by Max OudendagPhotos by Sara Kempner
Comox Valley Collective Fall
BECAUSE I AM QUEEN I wear a crown of many eyes that sees right through your bullshit lies. My throne is made from all the bones Of hurtful people […]
Photo by Sara Kempner
Comox Valley Collective Fall
Fighting the urge to crawl back into my warm bed, I force myself to grab my camera bag and head into the chilly night air. Arriving on location, I turn […]
Words & photo by Sara Kempner
Comox Valley Collective Fall
Watching John Waters scramble up a rock face is like watching a monkey climb a tree. A moment ago, he stepped off the ledge at the bottom of Devil’s Ladder, […]
Words by Ryan StuartFeatured photo by Sara Kempner
Fall/Winter Opening Introduction Strathcona Collective
The true meaning of life is to plant trees under whose shade you do not expect to sit. – Nelson Henderson This is why we tell stories. To remember. To preserve […]
Words by Nicole BernsPhotos by Sara Kempner
Comox Valley Collective Summer
Imagine three siblings—Cumberland, Courtenay, and Comox—who tolerate each other, but aren’t exactly brimming with mutual affection. Add in a cousin—the Comox Valley Regional District (CVRD)—who has come to live in […]
Words by Andrew FindlayPhotos by Sara Kempner
Comox Valley Collective Summer
Urban agriculture can mean a number of things depending on who you ask and where in the world it’s occurring. To me, it’s simply the practice of growing food in […]
Words by James McKerricherFeatured photo by Jenn Dykstra
Comox Valley Collective Summer
A few years ago, there was a local kerfuffle because a new sign on the Inland Island Highway proclaimed: “Welcome to Legendary Cumberland.” That’s the difference between old Cumberland and […]
Words by Dawn CopemanPhoto by Sara Kempner
Comox Valley Collective Summer
At the end of a dirt road, minutes from the sea, sits an idyllic farm. Youthful alder, fir, hemlock, and pines stand tall, running shades of green across the property. […]
Words by Bevin ClempsonPhotos by Sara Kempner
Comox Valley Collective Spring
The Comox Valley has long been home to an impressive array of local restaurants that have made highly valuable contributions to our community. Places like Atlas and Locals, to name […]
Words by James McKerricherPhotos by Sara Kempner
Comox Valley Collective Spring
Editor’s note: Rick Zyvitski, now retired, used to fly fighter jets out of Canadian Forces Base (CFB) Comox. We invited him to share some of his experiences in the air […]
Words by Rick ZyvitskiFeatured photo by Sara Kerr
Comox Valley Collective Spring
It is no secret that the Comox Valley offers us a unique opportunity to work, play, and revel in the natural world. Vancouver Island is truly a magical place to […]
Words by Shawn PetersPhoto by Sara Kempner
Comox Valley Collective Fall
When you first look at a Waterman surfboard, you wouldn’t expect it had been crafted by a guy who grew up on the prairies. But every Waterman surfboard is handmade […]
Words by Dave NowakPhotos by Sara Kempner
Comox Valley Collective Spring
Musical wizardry is something I’ve always admired, and after meeting Comox Valley luthier (guitar maker) Wyatt Wilkie, I now understand that the magic of music begins long before any musician […]
Words by Jen GroundwaterPhotos by Sara Kempner
Comox Valley Collective Winter
It’s a Tuesday, and when the doors of St. George’s United Church hall open at 11:30am, Gail, who is 70, comes in with about 100 other people for the Sonshine […]
Words by Mac NewtonPhoto by Sara Kempner
Comox Valley Collective Fall Intro
“I discovered mountain rivers late, for I was a prairie child… All I knew was that it was pure delight to be where the land lifted in peaks and plunged […]
Words by Allie JenkinsonPhoto by Sara Kempner
Comox Valley Collective Summer
For two decades it traveled and camped with couples and families, as most RVs do, but for the past 10 years the big Ecoline 350 has been fitted out as […]
Words by Mac NewtonPhoto by Sara Kempner
Comox Valley Collective Spring
At one time she was probably a sporty trimaran, moored inside Comox Harbour. Then, during a fall wind storm her buoy lines broke. She ghosted across the water and ran […]
Words by Ryan StuartPhoto by Sara Kempner
Comox Valley Collective Fall
Driving on Comox Road along the Courtenay River estuary and through the K’ómoks Nation’s Number 1 reserve, it’s hard not to be struck by the stunning new Band administration building […]
Words by Roger AlbertPhotos by Sara Kempner
Comox Valley Collective Summer
The A-frame is an architectural style that needs little explanation, aptly named for its high peak and steep angles. A-frame popularity can be attributed to a convergence of factors. The […]
Words by Jamie McCuePhotos by Sara Kempner
Comox Valley Collective Spring
Long known as “the cultural heart of Courtenay,” the Native Sons Hall is the most historical and iconic building in the Comox Valley. A prominent landmark that has stood tall […]
Words by Kerry HalePhotos by Sara Kempner
Comox Valley Collective Fall
My first impressions of Peru came on a domestic flight between Lima and Cusco. Bleary eyed after 20 hours of travel from Vancouver Island, I sat on the plane with […]
Words & Photos by Sara Kempner
Comox Valley Collective Summer
At the tender young age of eight, while attending Quadra Elementary School, Cody LaFrance (Beaver) was assigned a school art project using wood. Absent of suggestions from his parents or […]
Words by Dan LafrancePhotos by Sara Kempner
Comox Valley Collective Winter
Navigation is integral to our daily lives. It’s not just for seafarers, mountaineers or explorers, but a learned skill that is used by most of us every day. Whether it’s […]
Words by Mike MccallPhotos by Sara Kempner
Comox Valley Collective Fall
My earliest memory of holding a fly rod was on the Cowichan River, at the age of seven, in April, with a lively 2-pound trout dancing at the other end. […]
Words by Myles ArmsteadPhotos by Sara Kempner
Comox Valley Collective Summer
For those of us fortunate to live in the Comox Valley, we find ourselves encompassed by mountains, lakes, ocean, and rivers on a daily basis. We live, work, and play in […]
Words & Photos by Sara Kempner
Comox Valley Collective Spring
Being outside is one of the most important parts of my life; it’s the only way my body works. I’d crack if I couldn’t just hop on my bike, snowboard, […]
Words by Tao WernerPhotos by Sara Kempner
Comox Valley Collective Collective Efforts Spring
When the dismissal bell rings at Cumberland Community School, the day is far from over. Students gather for mountain bike club, soccer and art programs, or head over to the […]
Words by Sue LovelessPhoto by Sara Kempner
Comox Valley Collective Fall Where
Walking along the old Wellington Railway trail where alder, hard hack and osier dogwood create a bower of beautiful for wildlife, I smell the coal dust still blowing from the […]
Words by Dawn CopemanFeatured photos by Ed Brooks
Comox Valley Collective Summer
The Comox Lake watershed is beautiful. The bird’s eye view is truly epic. Crystal clear icy water flows down from the Comox Glacier and craggy snow topped mountains, over rolling […]
Words by Meaghan CursonsFeatured photo by Sara Kempner
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