Committees & Services

Committees:

Bill Mee Park

Constructors and custodians of Bill Mee Regional Park and Boat Launch. The boat launch is located at the south end of Denman Island. Click For More Info >>>

Climate Action

Newly formed Climate Action Committee with the overall goal of getting to Carbon neutrality on Denman by 2025. Click For More Info >>>

Community Dock and Denman West Boat Launch

The purpose of this committee is to build and maintain a community dock at the site of the old Denman Community Dock. After many years of fundraising and hard work by the Committee, the grand opening of the new Community Dock was held on August 20, 2011. Click For More Info >>>

Graham Lake Swim Dock

The objective of this committee is to create and maintain neighbourhood swimming facilities at Graham Lake on behalf of the residents of Denman Island. Click For More Info >>>

Marine Guardians

The objective of this committee is:

To communicate and work with all other organizations, ministries, local residents, agencies or Governments to protect and preserve Denman Island beaches, and foreshore areas.
To research possible remedies or initiatives to prevent any further erosion of fish habitat, and all areas of Denman beaches up to legal boundaries of upland area.
To bring recommendations forward to Denman residents for consideration.
To undertake protection initiatives either independently or in partnership with other DIRA Committees, NPO’s, or Ministries which may include fundraising initiatives.

Email – diraguardians@gmail.com. New members and ideas are always welcome. Current members (2015) include Liz Johnston, Edi Johnston, Dorrie Woodward, Pat McLaughlin, Shelley McKeachie, John Johnston, Howard Stewart, Barb Mills and JoAnne Shepherd. Click For More Info >>>

Neighbourhood Emergency Preparedness

Purpose – Encourage personal preparedness and organize volunteer Neighbourhood Coordinators (NC’s) who will promote neighbourhood preparedness.
Goal – Enable individual neighbourhoods to become more resilient in the face of adversity caused by natural disasters.

During a disaster our neighbours will be our most reliable and immediate source of help, until assistance from first responders arrives. In a major disaster, first responders will be overwhelmed and may not be able to get to individual households for days, even weeks. First responders have priority response goals set out through the BC Emergency Management System.

Roads may be impassable and ferries may not be running so “sheltering in place” will be more manageable when working with neighbours which allows us to build up our own resilience through resource and skills sharing rather than remaining as independent households.

FMI~ Edi Johnston

250 335-2689

edijohnston@gmail.com

Old School

The purpose of this committee is to administer, coordinate and manage the Marcus Isbister Old School Centre. This committee is completely self-supporting from revenue received from the property tenants including Waste Management, Denman Conservancy Association, DI Spinners & Weavers, DI Women’s Outreach Society, Denman Islands Trust Committee and Farmers’ Market. The Old School Committee follows the guidelines and principles agreed upon with the Islands Trust Council who is the title holder. Click For More Info >>>

Parks

The objective of this committee is to assist the DIRA membership in making informed decisions regarding present and proposed parks. Click For More Info >>>
The Joy of Walking

Pesticide Free

The purpose of this committee is to seek information, explore options and develop a plan of action for encouraging Denman Island to be pesticide free, and promote toxic free living to the greatest extent possible. The Committee shall develop a plan to provide information about pesticides and alternatives to pesticide use in the community. Click For More Info >>>

Trails

The objective of this committee is to plan, build and maintain trails on Denman Island for non-motorized recreational use by the general public. Click For More Info >>>

Waste Management

Coordinates activities related to recycling and waste collection, promotes waste reduction through education about the 3 Rs (reducing, reusing, recycling), manages the Recycling Depot, Reusable Store & Bottle Depot and the garbage pickup service. Click For More Info >>>

Wildlife Advisory

The purpose of this committee is to deal with wildlife concerns on the island, specifically with the harassment of wildlife by uncontrolled dogs, illegal and unsafe hunting practices, rescuing or dealing with distressed or injured wildlife and the confirmation and reporting of bear and cougar sightings and acts as a central agency concerning lost or stray dogs. Click For More Info >>>

Services:

Recreation Grants Recommendation Process

The purposes of the Denman Island Recreation Grants Committee are:
1. To advertise and distribute application forms on Denman Island for the recreation services grants provided by the Comox Valley Regional District (CVRD) in accordance with Regional District Bylaw No. 2624, 2004 the “Denman Island Recreation Service Establishment Bylaw”,
2. To review all recreation grant applications received, and
3. To recommend at a public meeting of the residents of Denman Island called for this purpose, which applicants should receive grants and for what portions, in dollars, of the total amount available in the current year. Click For More Info >>>

Independent Organizations that Regularly Report at DIRA Meetings:

Denman Island Volunteer Fire Department – Chief: Don Manering.

The DIVFD’s officers include: a Chief, a Deputy Chief, four Captains, a Training Officer, a Safety Officer and an Administration Officer (Secretary). In addition to the officers, the department currently has about 24 members and seven auxilliary members. Ten of the DIVFD members are trained as First Responders, who can provide immediate assistance in medical emergencies.

Denman Works!

Denman WORKS! (Denman Economic Enhancement) is committed to improving the socio-economic health of Denman Island by supporting community organizations whose work is compatible with that mission. Operating as a Society, under an Agreement with their funding partner, the Comox Valley Regional District, Denman Works! aims to leverage their tax-funded budget to obtain the maximum benefit for islanders.

Hornby/Denman Ferry Advisory Committee – DIRA Representative: Chris Danks

A representative reports back to the Denman Island community regarding issues with BC Ferries.

Islands Trust

The Islands Trust is a federation of independent local governments which plan land use and regulate development across the Islands Trust Area. Denman Island Local Trust Area Trustees: David Graham (denman53@outlook.com) and Sam Borthwick (leumaas@gmail.com)