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.

LITTLE RIVER: ANNA ENGLAND

Life in motion: Balancing competitive sports with family-first adventuresMy name is Anna England. I am 13 ...

Reflections from a younger resident

Words by

ACF field type unsupported

Photo by

ACF field type unsupported

CLIMATE HOPE

In the face of increasing environmental challenges, many of us feel frequent anxiety about the planet’s future—but ...

We have the power to make change. Hope helps us act.

Words & illustration by

ACF field type unsupported

FROM PLASTIC IN THE SEA TO ART INGENUITY

We all know the adage “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure.” I’ve always loved this saying because it a) ...

Lost buoys

Words by

ACF field type unsupported

Photo by

ACF field type unsupported

FEATURED ARTIST: BRITTANY WEST

Brittany West, the creative visionary behind Lijn Design Co, is establishing her name in the Canadian art ...

TALES FROM WITHIN AN OLD SAUNA’S WALLS

I began my life as a giant cedar in the upper reaches of the Cruikshank River. When I was felled, I envisioned a ...

Hot in here

Words by

ACF field type unsupported

Photos by

ACF field type unsupported

GOLD RIVER AND ELK RIVER COFFEE CO.

Gold River, 2024: a new chapter in my family’s legacy begins. The rugged coastal mountains rise, jagged giants ...

A tale of two rivers

Words by

ACF field type unsupported

Photos by

ACF field type unsupported

Hornby Island fossils

He finds seashells by the seashoreMost tourists who visit Hornby Island make a beeline for the warm waters ...

One man’s decades-long hunt

Words by

ACF field type unsupported

Photos by

ACF field type unsupported

SHELTER POINT’S LOCALE-INFUSED WHISKIES

Sparking memories of StrathconaAbout ten minutes south of Campbell River, an eye-catching wood building sits ...

Salt, sun, and soil

Words by

ACF field type unsupported

Photos by

ACF field type unsupported

CRAFTING A ONE-NIGHT DINING EXPERIENCE

Fleeting flavoursOpening night at any restaurant is a beast of its own. It’s the culmination of months, ...

The pressures—and pleasures

Words by

Photos by

ACF field type unsupported

CLEANING OUR COASTLINES

During a beach cleanup on Vancouver Island’s West Coast, Jeff Ignace notices a familiar sight—a luxury cooler. ...

The life cycle of our marine debris: from flotsam to recycled and beyond

Words by

ACF field type unsupported

Photos by

ACF field type unsupported

No results found.

COOL AND COLLECTED

The upcoming Farmers’ Market differs from the summer season, but provides an equally valuable way to fill your fridge and pantry.

Words by

Meagan Roberge

Photo by

Bill Jorgensen

ABOVE AND BEYOND

Words by

Ryan Stuart

Featured photo by

Ryan Stuart

REBUILDING A HERITAGE HOME

After a Cumberland home catches fire, local professionals help the owners pay homage to history.

Words by

Jenn Laing

Photos by

Joanne McElroy

PROPHETS AND HARBINGERS

While we mostly live in harmony with owls, our fascination with these highly evolved predators is well represented in literature and mythology.

Words by

Neil Borecky

Photo by

Alexandra Stephanson

IN THE FIELD

Words by

Jen Groundwater

Photos by

Jenn Dykstra

STROKE OF MAGIC

Accessing a glacier for a spring paddle board session is leagues above one couple’s regular adventures.

Words by

Alaina Vesper

Photo by

Bastian Fleury

DIFFICULT TERRAIN

Comox Valley Ground Search and Rescue trains for innumerable circumstances in order to return people to civilization. But some challenges are more than physical.

Words by

Brad Kilgour

Photo by

Allan Sawchuck

WHERE YOUR HEART IS

Words by

Allie Jenkinson

Photo by

Sara Kempner

FILM FOR THE FUTURE

Words by

Krista Tupper

Photo by

Dan Peruzzo

FASHION FORWARD

How one small business is making an environmental sea change with thoughtfully crafted swimwear.

Words by

Bevin Clempson

Photos by

Matt Meredith

ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT

With the Federal Government on the verge of legalizing recreational marijuana use, Comox Valley municipalities drag their heels on implementing non-medicinal dispensaries while consumers find out-of-town alternatives.

Words by

Ryan Stuart

Photo by

Ultimate Grow

THE BRIGHTEST PATH

A serendipitous trip to New Zealand provides soothing reprieve from the west coast winter.

Words by

Nora Bingham

Photos by

Meredith Rose

MARKINGS OF THE MIND

A designer and artist utilizes his craft to break down the barriers of schizophrenia.

Words by

Ryan Stuart

Photos by

Ian Mckenzie

STOLEN MOMENTS

Time slows and memories collect and blur together while climbing amongst the Valley’s age-old terrain.

Words by

David Benton

Photo by

Jenn Dykstra

LITTLE VALLEY: ARLO FLEENOR

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

Words by

Arlo Fleenor

One of our community’s most crucial water sources is right under our feet.

Words by

Tim Ennis

Photos by

Jenn Dykstra

FORTUNE FLAVOURS THE BOLD

Add depth and novelty to the summer season by branching out from your standard wine selection.

Words by

Ashley Shelest

Photos by

Yolanda Holderness

GENERATION GAP

Words by

Andrew Findlay

Photos provided by

Cumberland Museum & Archives

WHEREVER HELP IS NEEDED

Celebrating 10 years in the Valley, the Comox Bay Care Society’s mobile Care-A-Van continues to drive forth positive values in our community.

Words by

Mac Newton

Photo by

Sara Kempner

ADAPT OR DIE

Boomer Jerritt’s long history with photography represents the unique combination of skills needed to succeed in a saturated industry.

Words by

Jenn Dykstra

Photos by

Boomer Jerritt

REMARKABLE SOFTNESS

Yarn bombing, the spontaneous act of applying textiles in public spaces, liberates both artist and observer from expectation.

Words by

Leanne Prain

Photos by

Jeff Christenson

AN ISLAND OF SOUND

Now 38 years in, the team behind the Hornby Festival continues to do world-class their own way.

Words by

Dierdre Atkinson

Photo by

Jennifer Armstrong

BENEATH THE HIGH

Microdosing has become popular in places like Silicon Valley to increase productivity and creativity. Can taking a hit expand our thinking, or will it just mess with our minds?

Words by

Mike B.

Photos by

Sareh Puetz

GROWING CONSCIOUSNESS

Whether for our health, our planet, or the simple joy of food, the benefits of plant-based eating have become impossible to ignore.

Words by

Sally Podmore

Photos by

Joanne McElroy

IF THESE WALLS COULD TALK

The economic boom of the early 20th century brought more than coal to the surface. This is the tight-lipped history of the Comox Valley sex trade.

Words by

Christa Petch

Photo by

Jenn Dykstra

IN THE FIELD

HIDDEN RICHES

Long before it became a popular tourist destination, two adventurers stumbled upon the unexpected while exploring the Upana Caves.

Words & Painting

Nick Hutton-Jay

ON A WING AND A PRAYER

The misunderstood sport of speed flying requires practiced skill and careful calibration. It can also take a leap of faith.

Words by

Kyle Hansen

Photos by

Marc Jardine

BREAKING THE SURFACE

Vol. 20 Intro by

Allie Jenkinson

Photo by

Scott Bell

IN SEARCH OF THE SIMPLE LIFE

Through an ever-changing landscape, a visual artist finds direction with a four-month road trip in a customized Chevy school bus.

Words & Photos by

Andrew Talbot

CURIOUS CREATURES

Catch-and-release aquariums provide a unique learning experience, sparking deep appreciation for the natural world.

Words by

Christa Petch

Photos by

Justine Adams

FRIENDLY COMPETITION

As well as a destination trail race, The Cumby is a fundraiser to protect the forest it winds through.

Words by

Cathy Clark

Photos by

Lorenz Jimenez

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

No results found.