Telling Island Stories 2023 – Museum Historical Tour

Saturday, September 9, 2023 - Sunday, September 10, 2023
10:00 am - 3:00 pm


Join Us for a Weekend Historical Tour!

Historical Talks

Saturday, September 9th and Sunday, September 10th:  Explore Gabriola’s fascinating history with our four engaging sessions. Choose to attend them individually or purchase a discounted pass for multiple sessions!

Session 1 – Saturday at 10:00 am

Discover the Bedrock Roots of Gabriola with Steve Usher at Sea Girt Rd. Steve Usher is a groundwater scientist who relies on the geology of the island to understand groundwater pathways. He has observed many consistent features on the north shore of the island that may be of interest to people on wells or just want to know more about the bedrock roots of Gabriola. Join Steve on Sea Girt Road on September 9 at 10 am to take advantage of low tide. Steven Usher is a professional geoscientist based on Gabriola but works across Canada on helping people with their groundwater issues. He has a Masters degree in hydrogeology, and his training as a geotechnical engineer has proven valuable throughout his career. From the smallest private residential water well to large municipal wells serving thousands of people, his expertise is much in demand. Steven works for SLR Consulting (Canada) Ltd., and has found himself working across Canada, in Europe and South America for the past 44 years. An engaging speaker, he has many tales and yarns to share along with interesting observations on the physical landscape we inhabit.

Session 2 – Saturday at 11:30 am

Delve into the Archaeological History of First Nations with Dave Bodaly at False Narrows. Saysutshun Cultural Tour guide, Dave Bodaly, will be sharing some of the knowledge of the First Nation’s village site located at El Verano Dr. near the boat launch. He will be presenting the information put together by Elder Geraldine Manson as well as showing a book and photo album about the archeological dig in 1967. This book, no longer in print, was originally published by the Royal British Columbia Museum.

Session 3 – Saturday at 1:30 pm

Poetry by Gerry Bowes and Patricia Ludwick at the Museum. A memorial tree will be planted in memory of Patricia Ludwick and select poems from, ‘A sense of place: seasons on Gabriola’, will be read. Gerry will perform readings from his book, ‘Funny Kind of Species’. Wisdom, courage and symbols credited in “Funny Kind of Species” were collected over time guided by a passion for experiential learning through outdoor education, the workshop theatre model, community work and the way games are played. Poems were written independent of each other and then pieced together in a chapbook format. A rural village resident and elementary school teacher for 30 years, Gerry put his academic/practical mix (BA English & Drama, Masters Outdoor Education) to good use.  He started up a community trails association that built access pathways between land locked areas and around the village pond and initiated Transit Van service, Meals on Wheels and the Tree of Light fundraiser as a Lions Club member, treasurer and president.  He promoted equitable participation by changing the ways games were played, designed and built naturalized gardens with his students and engaged them in script writing and performance in readers theatre productions. Shortly after arriving on Gabriola in 2005, Gerry guided student groups at the Nanaimo Hatchery during the fall salmon run for a couple of seasons then over the next 9 years was an Educational Assistant at North Island Distance Education School and coached Cross Country Running at Gabriola Elementary School … and continues to be energized by this beautiful place.

Session 4 – Sunday at 2 pm

Witness the award-winning, fastest human-powered land vehicle by Georgi Georgiev’s brand Varna at the Museum. In this captivating talk, Georgi, a highly accomplished sculptor and artist will take you on a journey through his remarkable achievements in developing bicycles for differently-abled individuals. He will share his story of designing the world’s fastest bicycle, a groundbreaking innovation while residing on Gabriola Island, demonstrating how creativity and dedication can break barriers and empower people of all abilities to experience the thrill of speed and freedom on wheels. Georgi Georgiev, a Bulgarian sculptor, is a master at blending art and engineering. Motivated by a friend’s tragic accident, he founded ‘VARNA Innovation,’ producing empowering handcycles. His remarkable designs, seen in various VARNA cycles and legendary world record-breaking Human-Powered Vehicles like ‘Mephisto,’ ‘Torso,’ and ‘Black Matter,’ have transformed mobility for people of all abilities, leaving a compassionate and inventive legacy felt on Gabriola Island and around the globe.

Ticket Pricing for Talks:

  • $20 per session
  • 3 sessions for $55.00
  • 4 sessions for $70

Remember to bring your own chairs and water, and wear appropriate footwear for rocky beach conditions.

Historical Tour – Sold Out

Sunday, September 10th: Embark on a captivating historical bus tour led by Danna Lewis and Elder Geraldine Manson. Limited spaces available, so book early!

Tour Highlights:

  • Brickyard Beach
  • Maples
  • Male Que’ (Burial Island)
  • Pages (Japanese history talk by Gloria Hatfield)
  • The Flat Tops

The tour concludes with a catered lunch by Bruno’s Kitchen at the Museum.

Ticket Pricing for Tour:

  • $40.00 per person (includes catered lunch)

Don’t miss this opportunity to uncover Gabriola’s history and explore its remarkable heritage sites. Secure your spot for an enriching and enjoyable weekend!


Buy Your Tickets

Bookings are closed for this event.