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.

PEER OUTREACH WORKERS

The tent is the kind you stand up in, that families use for car camping. There’s a flat of bottled water and small ...

Part of a family bound by shared experience, suffering, and heartache

Words & photos by

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FUNKANOMETRY’S JACKSUN FRYER

Jacksun Fryer vividly remembers the exact moment when he got turned on to hip hop dancing. He was six years old, ...

Popping and locking happiness

Words by

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FUNGI’S POTENTIAL ON OUR REMOTE COASTLINE

The wild mushrooms of Vancouver Island hold extraordinary secrets—from life-saving medicines to underground ...

A mysterious world of wonders

Words by

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Illustration by

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WILD CORTES

Humans have an innate longing for the wild. It is our true home. We evolved in wild places, and our mental and ...

The origins of a special exhibit

Words by

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THE DRIVING FORCE BEHIND MYSTICAL TAILS

My business, Mystical Tails, embodies the deep connection between humans and dogs. This journey began with my two ...

Bridging souls

Words & photos by

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CUMBERLAND’S WOODSTOVE FESTIVAL

How we all make magic at the Woodstove FestivalFestival attendees lined the sidewalks in front of all the ...

Fall in love, I dare you…

Words by

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GARRET T. WILLIE

Old concert tapes, rewound and replayed, were the gateway to classic rock for 23-year-old guitarist and vocalist ...

Having a hell of a good time on stage

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CUMBERLAND’S REVAMPED JUMP PARK

We all need a place to play. For dirt jumpers, that place is simple: a few giant piles of soil are the key to a ...

The merchants of dirt

Words by

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RESTORING CRITICAL EELGRASS HABITAT

“Estuaries are extremely important for biodiversity and the significant driving factor is salmon,” says Jordon ...

Collaboration and conservation in the Campbell River estuary

Words by

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THE TIMELESS APPEAL OF TINTYPE PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY

A tintype, also known as a melanotype or ferrotype, is a photograph made by creating a direct positive. This is ...

A memory set in metal

Words & photos by

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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

Resurrecting a style of totem pole carving traditional to the K’ómoks people

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

VOTING FOR VITALITY

While the political process can be disenchanting to voters, the accessibility of local politics allows us to get closer to the roots of democracy and play a direct role in shaping the future of the Valley.

Words by

Andrew Findlay

Illustration by

Ian Adams

THINKING BEYOND BUSINESS

Much more than a local accommodation, a lodge in BC’s oldest national park trains outdoor educators and guides while acting as a steward to the surrounding environment.

Words by

Laurel Sliskovic

Photos by

Jenn Dykstra

ON ANY GIVEN THURSDAY

Dropping in on the members of the Comox Valley Horseshoe Club, where simple pleasures are honoured and everybody’s welcome.

Words by

Dave Nowak

Photos by

Jenn Dykstra

THE CLARITY OF GLASS

A New Zealand artist reclaims herself through the sensory joys of a Campbell River studio.

Words by

Suzanna Weimer

Photos by

Vince Kehn

PREPARING FOR THE PRESENT

Paying attention, being aware, and having presence of mind is habitual.

Words by

Mac Newton

Photos by

Jenn Dykstra

SHUT IT DOWN

Words by

Allie Jenkinson

Photo by

Jenn Dykstra

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