Upon first glance, Cold Front Gelato, located at 306-60 Commercial Street, is like many of the other shops in the area: cool, funky, and smelling amazing. In some ways, such as their insistence to stay loyal to the local community, they are the same. From the outside, the shop looks Scandinavian in style, with its white tiling, wood paneling, and detailing of soft green light fixtures.
The metallic gleam of the 16 gelatos on display and the polished espresso machine reflect the immaculate creation of the gelateria’s products. Made fresh every day in small batches, the gelato and the ...
Here’s the thing. Letter writing, in its more refined days of thinner paper, messy cursive, and licked stamps, was how people connected. When my grandfather immigrated to Canada from the Netherlands in the ’60s, he landed over 6,000 kilometres from home. The only way to hear from his family still in Europe was to write home. Every other Sunday he would write to his father and account the drastic changes, and wealth of opportunities that Canada gave him. On alternating Sundays, his father would do the same.
Even back then the postal system was a bit spotty, so often they would hear ...
Vancouver Island University will be hosting the 11th annual Vancouver Island Leadership Conference (VILC), March 8 – March 9.
VILC is sponsored by the VIU office of Co-Curricular Engagement and Learning. The conference is also supported by a team of students across multiple faculties and disciplines. Jonah Ferguson, a political science student and social media coordinator for VILC, says the conference will be an excellent opportunity for VIU students.
“I see this conference as an opportunity to expand my leadership capabilities, to network with other like-minded individuals, and ...
Six bald eagles are dead and six others are sick and undergoing treatment in Nanaimo at the VCA Island Animal Hospital.
The eagles were found in North Cowichan around the Herd Road area. The first two were brought in to the Raptor Rescue Society in Duncan on Wednesday, January 16, with the rest being discovered in the following days. As of the last reporting by the Hope Standard on January 25, no more victims appear to have been found.
The Raptors Centre is assisting the Rescue Society with the ordeal, which appears to be an unintentional case of bad grub.
“We suspect that a ...
“If some countries have too much history, Canada has too much geography,” former Prime Minister Mackenzie King said in a 1936 House of Commons speech.
Fast forward to 2019: Canada is still big, and, while we’ve gained 83 years of history since King’s words, the question of what constitutes Canadian identity is still debated.
What does it mean to be Canadian? Is it waiting in long drive-through lines for crappy coffee at the house of our lord and saviour, Tim Hortons? (Hallowed be thy name.) Or maybe it’s consuming a mountain of fries smothered in gravy and curdled milk, and ...
When I hear the words “nothing lasts forever,” I think cliché. We’ve heard those words repeated so many times, but it’s a simple truth. “Nothing lasts forever,” so enjoy the moment while you can.
I came to VIU in 2015 for the creative writing program. I hadn’t been to Nanaimo except for a campus tour earlier in the year, and I had no idea what things would be like. I would write stories, songs, and assignments in my dorm. My bike was my main mode of transportation. The dorm bike shed was always over capacity. Someone put a moped in there once. I hated it, but I loved to explore the ...
The canned stuff is easier, the bagged mix is faster, but if you’re trying to impress someone, making your own sloppy joes is an easy go-to. Pair it with that fancy pan of rice crispy squares you whipped up last issue, and you’ll be looking ridiculously suave.
THIS particular recipe has rules. Rules that have been passed down through friends and tested over and over again. Rule one: you need to eat this on Kaiser buns. Butter them up, maybe toast a bit with some garlic salt, but Kaiser is mandatory. Rule two: any mix that falls out of the bun needs to be scooped up and consumed with a ...
Recent news out of Ontario may look good for students, with the Ford government touting a legislated 10 percent decrease in tuition fees for the 2019-2020 academic year and tuition freezes promised in the coming years.
When examining this announcement closer, one can see that it actually contains funding cuts disguised as a tuition decrease, and will continue to cost students more in years to come.
This includes the elimination of grants put in place by the previous Liberal government that increased the number of grants and made it possible for low-income students to attend college ...
When it comes to the lifestyle decisions of others, I like to think that I’m generally a pretty accepting person. In fact, I’m so accepting that I’ve often been outright disinterested. I’ve never been overly intrigued or appalled by how anyone goes about their lives, no matter how far it lands on my spectrum of familiarity. Before I end up sounding completely apathetic toward others, I should mention that I’ve never been a fan of judgments cast upon others for their lifestyles. From a young age, I learned how being respectful of other people’s beliefs and practices can lead to a greater ...
Bill C-46, which became law in December, allows police to request a breathalyzer test from any driver pulled over for violating traffic laws or passing through a check stop.
Previously, police had to have a reasonable suspicion a driver was impaired (like noticing slurred speech or bloodshot eyes) to request a breathalyzer test.
There are debates about whether Bill C-46, while steeped in good intentions, violates civil liberties and constitutional rights. For one, it is easy to imagine Indigenous people and people of colour being disproportionately targeted and impacted.
These ...
Before attempting to encompass the success and importance of the 2019 Women’s March in Nanaimo, it’s imperative that one understands where the march began. How far our community has come in just three short years is incredible, but there’s still a lot of ground to cover.
The first march in 2017 was ignited by the United States presidential election in 2016, and carried out on inauguration day. The Women’s March on Washington rallied in hundreds of sister cities across the world. Berlin. London. Paris. Nanaimo. Then the voices took to the streets, armed with empowering posters and loud ...
Someone (definitely not our Managing Editor) thought I was writing too many Instant Pot recipes and challenged me to expand my cooking horizons. Jokes on him though—there’s really only one thing I can make outside the Instant Pot at this point: Rice Krispie squares.
Even though this is a ridiculously easy recipe, you do get a little strut in your step when you walk into your study session with a tray of these prepped for devouring. Want to feel real fancy? There are various ways you can “spice up” the recipe and make it your own at the end. Add some lemon extract with your vanilla, ...
A team of 34 Master of Business Administration students were chosen to represent the VIU MBA Association at the 2019 National MBA Games, which were held at Ryerson University in Toronto, January 4–7.
The MBA Games started at Queen’s University in 1988. Since 1997, the MBA Games have been hosted by many schools across Canada. VIU hosted the Games in 2017 and raised a record-breaking $300,000 for the Moosehide Campaign, a charitable organization that is working to end violence against Indigenous and Non-Indigenous women. Each year a new theme and charitable organization is chosen ...
First-year Mariner Brett Witala has impressed many Mariners fans this year with his fancy stick handling skills and goal-scoring prowess. The Kelowna native has not only taken to life on the ice, collecting over 11 goals and 14 assists this season, but he’s also clicked with campus and Island life. He took time to discuss what playing hockey at VIU has been like thus far, and some of his goals for the team moving forward.
How, and when, did you get started playing hockey?
My father got me into hockey at the age of three; as soon as I could walk he put me in skates.
How does it ...
Though the weather may not feel like it, spring is just around the corner. Soccer season has officially ended, and we are reaching the final stretch for our remaining Mariners.
Here’s everything you need to know to get ready for the spring sports season.
Men’s Basketball:
The Men’s team opened 2019 with an impressive two game sweep of the CBC Bearcats on the road. Our team followed up their terrific road showing, bringing the same intensity to VIU gym, achieving victories over the second place Capilano Blues in back-to-back games. Newly acquired guard Landon Radliff has given ...
In the belly of the Blue Moon room, two young prostitutes thrashed on the soiled floor, unable to fall asleep.
“Anna? Anna?”
“Shh. You’ll never fall asleep if you keep talking.”
“Anna, I can’t stop thinking about her.”
“Who?”
“Theresa.”
“Ugh, don’t think about that,” Anna stifled a yawn and sat up, pushing her greasy mat of hair from her face. She glanced at the alien glow of the clock in the corner.
“Go to bed, Sarah. Don’t think about it. We have to be up in... four hours, Jesus. When they said the city never sleeps, they must have meant the hookers.”
Sarah ...
From streaming platforms like Netflix and Amazon to the big screen, 2018 was a huge year for cinema, offering a myriad of great films. While box office dollar figures and percentages from movie review sites like Rotten Tomatoes often dictate the success of a film, Hollywood’s success in 2018 isn’t in the numbers, but rather its recent focus on watershed moments of representation.
Black Panther, the American superhero film based on the Marvel Comic character of the same name, was a highly anticipated movie in 2018—not just by Marvel fans, but by the black community in particular. Jamil ...
Conversari, the current exhibition at VIU’s View Gallery, is sure to provoke some interesting conversation. The display runs from January 11 to February 22 and features an avocado, a pencil, and a mitten; the disparate approaches of three different artists. Yet, there is a unity of purpose that shines through the shape and style of their works. While artists often work largely in isolation to make meaning of the world, here three have united to share their intensity and strive together to probe questions of existence.
The exhibition is a collaboration of VIU alumni Nan Goodship, ...
Nanaimo is brimming with independent retailers who proudly sport local and handmade clothes, shoes, accessories, books, and in some cases, plants. These shops give Nanaimo much of its charm and appeal. From galleries to design boutiques and a plethora of cafés dedicated to the Nanaimo bar, there’s something to be found for everyone.
If you are looking for another unique emporium among the many that appear seemingly overnight across Nanaimo, Plants and Leather might pique your interest.
The vintage shop is nestled on the lower level of Lois Lane just under China Steps, between ...
Happy 2019!
This year is feeling bright, positive, and like big things are going to happen. Now, you might be thinking, who is this girl to tell me how to stick to my resolutions? But bear with me, here’s how I know: I fail every single year. I’ll admit that. Every time I try to make resolutions, I end up breaking them. “Sober January” ends after three days, and I end up cancelling my gym membership by May. Some days I don’t get off my couch except to answer the door when the pizza guy knocks (for the second time that week). But I’m also here to tell you that that’s okay.
We have ...
A Day Becomes a Week
Family Literacy Day is an annual celebration—founded by ABC Life Literacy Canada in 1999 and always held on January 27—that raises awareness about the importance of literacy and encourages families to engage together in reading and other literacy-related activities. At Vancouver Island Regional Library (VIRL), one day never felt like enough, so they’ve expanded the celebration to an entire week, starting on January 20 each year.
Literacy from North to South
From Sidney in the south to Haida Gwaii and Bella Coola in the north, VIRL’s Family Literacy Week is ...
In the wake of Greyhound removing many of their services from Vancouver Island in February of 2018, local company Tofino Bus made headlines by coming forward to cover the gaps Greyhound left. Nearly a year later, and with Greyhound pulling out of western Canada entirely, the island company has continued to grow.
One of the more interesting developments in this story has been the purchase of Tofino Bus by another island company, Wilson’s Group. (WG) is the parent company of Wilson’s Transportation, a company that was denied expansion when Greyhound announced their removal of island ...
VIU History students had the opportunity to share their skills to a broader audience this winter, partnering with Nanaimo Museum to create a local exhibit.
Dr. Katharine Rollwagen’s Public History class, an upper-level history course at Vancouver Island University, pulled their skills and knowledge together to undertake the project. The result of their work is an exhibit for the museum’s Community Gallery on the effects of the 1918 Spanish Flu Epidemic. The Spanish Flu, a strain of the H1N1 influenza virus, infected an estimated 500 million people around the world, reaching even ...
VIU experienced a full network outage January 19 and 20, affecting VIULearn, administrative systems including student records, library systems, VIU WIFI, and all VIU computers. The shutdown was to give IT Operations the ability to conduct the Network Remediation Project (NRP), a project designed to improve VIU’s technology infrastructure. VIU received funding for the NRP from the Ministry of Advanced Education Skills and Training (AEST), this combined with VIU investment is funding the project. The NRP will be a multi-year phased project to update VIU’s IT infrastructure.
Darren ...
