Explore Collective Magazine Articles By Topic

Browse our growing collection of articles from current and previous issues of both the Comox Valley Collective and Strathcona Collective magazines by topic.

WE CAN DANCE IF WE WANT TO

Dance is a language that transcends borders, barriers, and abilities. We use it to share stories, communicate ...

Two stories exploring different perspectives on this passionate, beautiful art form.

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DISCOVERY

An enlightening interview from our last issue led me down a rewarding rabbit trail. The conversation was an ...

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LIVING YOUR ZEST LIFE

Welcome to our ZEST issue, which has nothing to do with citrus fruit and everything to do with gusto, enjoyment, ...

As Bill Nye said, “Everyone you will ever meet knows something you don’t.” So keep an open mind..

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MOUNTAINS AND MOTHERHOOD

All of us who love the alpine have our own reasons for getting out there. A hiker I once passed in the Kweishun ...

Not every new mom’s to-do list includes summiting 53 peaks over 6000 feet.

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LITTLE VALLEY: FARRAH RUSSELL

When your family moves to Spain for a year, there’s a lot to learn My name is Farrah. I am eight years old ...

Our young residents reflect on the home they’re growing up in

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BALANCING NATURE AND NEW ENDEAVOURS

Articles in this issue (my first as editor) feel like a love letter to our region. A testament to the vast melting ...

Opening Introduction

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Respect, Protect, Flourish

Does the phrase “you are a product of your environment” sound familiar? Many cultures have long recognized the ...

HOW TO LIVE WITH THE LAND, NOT JUST ON IT.

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Migration of the Grizzlies

Vancouver Island has remote valleys, salmon streams, and mountainsides that, in summer, are ripe with plump ...

AN EXERCISE IN WILDLIFE ECOLOGY SPECULATION.

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Saying Yes to South East Asia

When I think of innovation, I think of the external: technology and system upgrades that make our lives better. ...

Words & Photos By

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A PRESSING MATTER

Although Cumberland-based Black Cat Skateboards is a relatively new entity, its founder’s love of skateboarding ...

The story of Black Cat skateboards.

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LITTLE VALLEY: JUSTIN YARETZ

Our young residents reflect on the home they’re growing up in.

Words by

Justin Yaretz

In partnership with School District 71, skilled timber framers are teaching their craft to Comox Valley youth.

Words by

Randy Churchill

Randy Grey

IN HER ELEMENT

Through the push and pull of turbulence and peace, strength and submission, a surfer awakens.

Words & featured photo by

Laurissa Cebryk

Gallery photo by

Mélina Lamoreux

PROTECTING THE BALANCE

Roughly one-sixth of Denman Island residents are a member of the Association for Denman Island Marine Stewards, an organization doing work on the ground for the sake of surrounding waters.

Words by

Mac Newton

Photo by

Keith Clark

THE RETURN OF GIANTS

Following a decline due to the West Coast’s whaling history, the humpback population around Vancouver Island is making a massive comeback.

Words by

Sarah Hauser

Photo by

Brandon Hamilton

CRUMBLING CANNERIES

The profits from a thriving fishing industry dried up, and businesses moved on. Some of the sites left behind are in hazardous decay, polluting our oceans and tarnishing BC’s coast.

Words & Photos by

Oriana Smy

AQUA MAN

The original underwater superhero swims the waters of the Pacific Northwest.

Words by

Mike B.

Photo by

John Kelsey

CURRENT DEMAND

The nutrient-rich waters of Baynes Sound provide the ideal conditions for oyster harvesting, drawing workers to the Valley’s steady industry.

Words by

Dave Flawse

Photo by

Mike LeBlanc

CRUCIAL AND COMPASSIONATE CARE

The Vancouver Island Hospice Society provides assistance for people with terminal illnesses and the families that surround them. One woman takes to the bike to provide support in return.

Words by

Ellissa Prendergast

Photos by

Leah Hull

CONTINENTAL DRIFT

During a kayaking trip to Ecuador, a local photographer’s interests converge with like-minded North American adventurers.

Words & Photos by

Dave Prothero

A LIFE THAT BENEFITS OTHERS

Now a permanent resident of the Valley, A Tibetan Buddhist Monk has turned hardship into a teaching legacy.

Words by

Bevin Clempson

Photo by

Gordon Ross

THE WATERS WITHIN

Reflecting our past through a lens of sustainability to voice our hope for the future.

Words & Photos by

Paige Brown

ABANDON SHIP

Orphaned by their owners, a number of derelict boats litter the shores of Comox harbour. Due to murky jurisdiction and a lack of accountability, they’ll remain indefinitely.

Words by

Ryan Stuart

Photo by

Sara Kempner

IN THE FIELD

Words by

Jen Groundwater

Featured photo by

April Bencze

UNLIKELY SHIPMATES

A coast dweller and her dog navigate life's currents aboard a small sailboat.

Words & Photo by

April Bencze

HOME BASE

The history of CFB Comox tells of the West Coast’s strategic landscape and Canada’s defence strategies dating back to 1942.

Words by

Camille Douglas

Photo by

Jenn Dykstra

PLAYING THE LONG GAME

A lot of change comes with the passing of multiple decades, but a committed gathering of floor hockey players shows that some good things stay the same.

Words by

Dave Nowak

Photos by

Jenn Dykstra

BEARING WITNESS

Just across the Salish Sea, only 70 kilometres from Campbell River as the crow flies, the Xwémalkwu (Homalco) people share the land with dozens of grizzly bears—and awe-struck visitors.

Words by

Jen Groundwater

Photos by

Jenn Dykstra

LITTLE VALLEY: CADENCE HERRON

Our young residents reflect on the home they’re growing up in.

Words by

Cadence Herron

In a rapidly growing community, development sprawl and the preservation of common space is a tense subject. Despite new demands and changing ownership, our old habits are hard to break.

Words by

Andrew Findlay

Photo by

Dave Ingram

WHAT TIME LEAVES BEHIND

The Trent River’s unique ecology has made its banks host to many exciting fossil discoveries, by palaeontologists and casual visitors alike.

Words & Photo by

Pat Trask

WINTER FUN FOR EVERYONE

Vancouver Island Society for Adaptive Snowsports strives to make the joy of skiing and snowboarding accessible to all.

Words by

Peter Gardiner-Harding

Photos by

Chris Baikie

SMOOTH MOVES

Through hard work and distinct vision, a network of local trail builders are carving out the future of mountain biking in Cumberland.

Words by

Ryan Stuart

Photos by

Jenn Dykstra

A CUSHY ARRANGEMENT

Life on the back eddy of a ski attracts a revolving cast of characters.

Words by

Neil Borecky

Photo by

Morgan Callison

A CHILLING TURN

For a pair of spirited river surfers, a surge of excitement for ideal conditions quickly turns dangerous.

Words by

Curtis Parker

Photo by

Ali Marie Parker

IN THE FIELD

Words & Photos

Ross Bodenmann

WHAT MOVES US

The rivers of the Comox Valley have the power to carry us home.

Words by

Mike B.

Photo by

Jenn Dykstra

LONG MAY YOU RUN

Dancing In Gumboots is an intimate portrait of a bygone era on the coast, telling the tales of bold and inventive women arriving to the Valley in the '60s and '70s.

Words by

Allie Jenkinson

Photos courtesy of

Jane Wilde

AN ELEGANT STRUGGLE

The tranquil experience of our riverbanks betrays the life-and-death cycle that is central to the health of our forests and watersheds.

Words by

Kristen Walters

Photos by

April Bencze

UNIVERSAL LOCAL

Dancer and teacher Cathy Stoyko’s many cultural contributions include a multi-purpose space in Cumberland dedicated to inclusivity and creative freedom.

Words by

Zoë Cooper

Photo by

Shane Philip

A PLACE UPSTREAM

Words by

Allie Jenkinson

Photo by

Ross Bodenmann

WITH CHILDLIKE WONDER

With nostalgic food, a coastal road trip, and unforgettable animals, a family trip to South Africa reunites generations.

Words & Photos by

Andy Phillips

THE GEM OF ISLAND MOUNTAINEERING

Three locals tackle Mt. Colonel Foster to find that it has more lessons to teach than a single climb can provide.

Words & Photos by

Tyler Bellows

STANDING TALL

Karver Everson and Randy Frank are resurrecting a style of totem pole carving traditional to the K’ómoks people. Their Guardian poles continue to be raised on unceded traditional territory throughout the Valley in honour of First Nations History and the path we must all walk toward reconciliation..

Words by

Roger Albert

Photos by

Sara Kempner

CREATIVE CONTROL

Considering the perpetual excellence of Cumberland-based musician and producer Corwin Fox.

Words by

Archie Pateman

Photo by

Jodie Ponto

ON THE RISE

The techniques and ingredients used in old-world bread baking are better for you, from starter to finish.

Words by

Bevin Clempson

Photo by

Danika Mcdowell