About Southern Gulf Islands, BC

This beautiful, "almost finished" home appealed to the buyers I brought from Vancouver. Its modern, loft-style feel is highlighted by stunning, south-facing ocean views from the wrap-around deck.

Don't let another gorgeous Pender Island home pass you by! View my listings, then contact me for more information. I would love to show you your dream home or getaway, and I enjoy touring people around Pender, to show them everything that our unique island community has to offer.

Contact info:

• Email: Howard@HomesOnPender.com

• Cell: (250) 222-HOME (4663)

• Toll-free: (866) 629-3166

Best Regards,

Howard on Pender

Welcome to all of our visitors who have come over to spend Spring Break with us here on Pender! I know that many more of you will be coming over in a couple of days for Easter. Here's some of what's up this looong weekend:

Thursday, March 20

• Special Easter holiday ferry schedule in effect Thursday, Friday & Monday.
• 7:30pm - Film Night at the Hall presents: Across the Universe. Admission by a suggested donation of $5.

Friday, March 21

• 2:00pm - Easter Concert: The Confession Stone (Songs of Mary) - Anglican Parish Hall
• 6:00pm - Friday Night Dinner at the Legion -- Turkey!
• 6:30pm - Hawaiian Luau Dinner at the Pistou Grill. 4 course set-menu for $55/person. Phone 250.629.3131 for the menu and reservations. Highly recommended! (Also on Sat, March 22)

Saturday, March 22

• 9:30am - Farmers' Market opens for the season. Until 1pm at the Community Hall. Drop by for local produce, flowers and arts & crafts.
• 7:00pm - Bonfire, music, Great Vigil for Easter - Anglican Parish Hall
• 8:00pm - Dance at the Community Hall, featuring the Big House Voodoo Blues Band. Admission $15.00. Kids under 12 FREE. Licensed. Until 12am.

Sunday, March 23

• 12:00pm - 9th Annual Easter Art Walk. Walk, bike or drive and visit the studios and galleries of South Pender Island. Watch for the yellow balloons!
• Easter fun at the Driftwood Centre:

1:30 - Easter Egg Hunt for kids up to 12
2:00 - The Easter Bonnet Parade - Wear your homemade bonnet and compete for prizes! Categories include: funniest bonnet, most artistic bonnet, and bonnet most representative of Easter.
2:00 - Egg Painting Contest

Now that's a lot of stuff to do!

For more about Pender Island real estate, visit Howard Sanders online @ www.HomesOnPender.com

Contact info:

• Email: Howard@HomesOnPender.com

• Cell: (250) 222-HOME (4663)

Best Regards,

Howard on Pender

Please take a visit to my new virtual tour of Pender Island!

While you're there, have a look at the rest of my site. If you have any questions about Pender Island, or the listings available on my site, please contact me for more information.

Email: Howard@HomesOnPender.com

Cell: (250) 222-HOME (4663)

Toll Free: (866) 629-3166

Best Regards,

Howard on Pender

PS. If you have trouble viewing or loading the tour, I would appreciate your feedback.

Southern Gulf Islands, British Columbia

British Columbia's Gulf Islands and Sunshine Coast communities are drawing more and more people who want a piece of the stunning physical beauty, gentle climate, and rural charm. Steadily increasing demand for land in these areas is resulting in higher property values and taxes. More development also means more pressure on sensitive island ecosystems that are frequently home to rare and endangered species.

The Natural Area Protection Tax Exemption Program (NAPTEP) is a property tax incentive program designed to encourage landowners to protect the natural features of their land. Launched by the Islands Trust and the Islands Trust Fund in 2005, NAPTEP got a facelift in early 2008 in response to landowner feedback. I encourage all island landowners in the Southern Gulf Islands and Sunshine Coast to take a fresh look at NAPTEP today!

The program currently operates in the Galiano, Gambier, Mayne, North and South Pender, Saturna and Salt Spring Island local trust areas and may expand to other parts of the trust area as regional districts agree to become partners. It provides landowners who permanently protect natural features of their land with the opportunity to receive a 65% exemption in property taxes on the protected portion of their land.

Eligible Lands and Features

To qualify for NAPTEP a landowner must be willing to permanently protect, through a NAPTEP conservation covenant, one or more of the eligible features on their property. Eligible features include:

• Areas relatively undisturbed by human activity that are good examples of important ecosystems such as forests over 80 years old, woodlands, water features, sparsely vegetated natural areas, coastal bluffs, etc.
• Areas relatively undisturbed by human activity that are key habitat for rare native plant species or plant communities.
• Areas that are critical habitat for native animal speciesin relation to breeding, rearing, feeding or staging.
• Special geological features.

There are no minimum or maximum lot size requirements. However, the program may not be beneficial for small properties with a low assessed value. Each situation is unique based on a landowner's personal tax circumstances. Properties must be classified as "residential" by BC Assessment to qualify for the program.

For more about Pender Island real estate, visit Howard Sanders online @ http://www.homesonpender.com/

Contact info:

• Email: Howard@HomesOnPender.com

• Cell: (250) 222-HOME (4663)

Best Regards,

Howard on Pender

Another one of my random photos from my Pender Island/African Photos page. Here we have the Pender Island Highlanders performing for the Canada Day celebration. In the background you will also see our island RCMP officer dressed in full regalia for the occasion.

It is so great to live in a small community like the one here on Pender. Celebrations like Canada Day take on a whole different meaning when you gather with a group of friends to take some time off and enjoy each others' company -- rather than running off to the mall to get some shopping in on a statuatory holiday. (Not that we don't sometimes take a day to go off island and get some errands accomplished -- I just find that I take more easy days here on Pender than I did in my "previous life.")

Although February is sadly void of statuatory holidays, there are lots of things going on in this last full month of winter. Here is a sampling of this week's happenings:

Monday, Feb 18

10:00am - Art Society Colour Workshop at the Anglican Parish Hall

Thursday, Feb 21

2:00pm - African Aids Angels angel-making workshop to 4pm

7:30pm - Film Night at the Community Hall presents Sharkwater - debunks historical stereotypes and media depictions of sharks as bloodthirsty, man-eating monsters and reveals the reality of sharks as pillars in the evolution of the seas.

Friday, Feb 22

6:30pm - Valentine's Set Menu at Pistou Grill. Chef Pierre's annual tradition had to be postponed this year due to illness. (See my previous post for details on the menu.) Also on Saturday, Feb 23. 6:30 cocktails, 7:00 dinner.

Saturday, Feb 23 & Sunday Feb 24

10:00am - Pender Island Children's Festival. Last year's festival was such a hit that they're back again this year for 2 days of family fun on Saturday from 10-4 and Sunday from 12-4. This year's theme is Under the Sea. Saturday activities include a pancake breakfast, music, dance, drums, storytelling, games, crafts, fun science and Spilt Milk Comedy Theatre from Victoria, BC.

On Sunday, enjoy children's entertainer Rick Scott, a closing dance party with DJ Doc Watson, pizza and prizes! Free admission -- donations gratefully accepted.

For more about Pender Island real estate, visit Howard Sanders online @ www.HomesOnPender.com

Contact info:

• Email: Howard@HomesOnPender.com

• Cell: (250) 222-HOME (4663)

Best Regards,

Howard on Pender