NEWS ARCHIVE March 2010: Sooke, BC Back to current breaking news. Bi-weekly Sooke ENews pages
News & Business
March 2010
Current news:
Mar.31. Passage of the HST into law in BC is under the attempt to be blocked by the provincial NDP. Finance Minister Colin Hansen seeks to repeal of the existing PST by April 30. HST digest.
Mar.30. A bylaw to lower minimum lot sizes for subdivisions from 800 sq.m. to 600 sq.m. did not get third reading or adoption at the District of Sooke council meeting on Monday night, Mar.29. Council received 79 letters in support of the bylaw but opposition was expressed at the meeting from several in attendance. One resident suggested the zoning should be specific to individual lots rather than blanket zoning. If passed, Bylaw No. 435 would allow duplexes within the sewer specified area on lots 600 sq.m. (6,458 sq.ft. or 0.14 acre) in size, within the Town Centre Residential Zone (RS-1).
Mar.27. Cities around the world turned off lights for 60 minutes Saturday night, Mar. 27, as a form of awareness-raising about climate change. "Climate change is real," says Guy Dauncey, a Victoria-based environmentalist. In Toronto, where power usage dropped 10%, that was the equivalent of taking 250 homes off the grid for one hour, it was reported on the Weather Channel. Last year for this event, Sooke had the highest level of participation in Earth Hour, of all communities in BC, it was reported by the District of Sooke in 2009. This year the overall provincial electrical load dropped 1.04%, says BC Hydro, adding that if the same conservation measures were implemented one hour every evening, the combined energy savings would be enough to power close to 2,200 homes for a year.
Mar.26. The District of Sooke has purchased a 13.8 acre riverfront property on Sooke River Road across from Fred Milne Park, as a public link in the District’s parks and trails system -- for a future Galloping Goose Trail bike transfer station and parking area, bird sanctuary, and nature walkway/boardwalk. The park will be a protected site for the sensitive river marshland. The property was purchased for $765,000 using $365,000 from the Park Land Reserve fund and $400,000 from the proposed sale of three residential lots to be subdivided off the former Pineridge Park on Rhodonite Drive. News release.
Mar.25. A civil dispute between two parties resulted in a
vehicle-related incident on Sooke Road near the corner of Phillips Road
this afternoon around 1 pm. A man in a truck was pursuing an older
couple in their jeep, apparently in an escalated response to a civil
dispute, according to the woman in the car. The couple stopped to
discuss the situation with police who happened to be in the area, when
the pursuer pulled over and was subsequently arrested, said Steve
Wright, S/Sgt., Sooke RCMP. The event has "crossed into a criminal
investigation", Wright said. The elderly man in the vehicle collapsed
from a seizure and was taken to hospital by local paramedics.
Mar.23. Home buyers and sellers may now use some or all of the services of Realtors and the MLS system when transacting a property sale, under new guidelines approved yesterday by the Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA). The change was in response to directives from the federal Competition Bureau. Now a consumer will be able to pay an agent a flat fee (zero is not an option) to list on MLS, where about 90% of home sales take place. Story (Globe and Mail)
Mar.21. The US House of Representatives has voted today in favour of a health care bill that will liberate 32 million of Americans from living without health insurance coverage. The bill required 216 votes to pass in the Congress (219 votes confirmed at 10:44 pm EDT), and now will move to President Obama for signature into law. Continuous live TV coverage has been carried for over 24 hours on CNN.
Mar.21. A public Volunteer Recognition Ceremony hosted by the District of Sooke today recognized 32 award recipients for service in 2009. High profile recipients included Fire Chief Steve Sorensen, Sooke Region Chamber of Commerce past president Scott Gertsma, Sooke Food Bank coordinator Barry Gifford, and rural activist Ellen Lewers. The two-hour event and display of 280 past and present volunteers had been primarily orchestrated by Elida Peers, Sooke Historian. Mayor Janet Evans presided. Story.
Mar.20. Spring equinox, today at 10:32 am Pacific Daylight Time (PDT). This is the first day of spring. NASA says "nature is providing a sky show" in the evening, including a crescent moon and the Pleiades ('seven sisters') in what appears to be a close encounter. NASA story.
Mar.19. Seven solar lighting units on the accessible walkway leading down to the Ed Mcgregor community boardwalk were vandalized last week, and the District of Sooke is hoping to discover who was involved in causing the damage. The pilot project for the solar lighting (intended to aid visibility for pedestrians on overcast days and at night) has been funded entirely by HBM Canada, a local producer of solar lighting and equipment. Photos and story to come.
Mar.18. Changes to the zoning for the building of duplexes in the sewered areas of Sooke town centre were discussed in detail last night at the Sooke Community Development Association meeting. Guest speakers were District of Sooke staff Dave Devana, director of finance and Evan Parliament, CAO. In general, District policies promote increased density in the town centre with the aim of restricting urban sprawl into adjacent rural areas. Regulations for secondary suites were also discussed. District of Sooke Council postponed their final approval of the Official Community Plan based on input from the developers' association.
Mar.13. The Paralympic Games opening ceremony was held in Vancouver last night. The Games run March 12-21, 2010.
Mar.10. At their Mar. 9 meeting, the District of Sooke Sign Bylaw Committee stood by its position that backlit lighting be disallowed in Sooke town centre. This is a drawback for new local businesses who -- unlike established businesses with 'grandfathered' rights to operate their lit signage -- must rely on less effective lighting for signage business/building exteriors. The stance seems counter to the District's oft-stated "open for business" policy.
Mar.9. Businesses in Sooke heard about the 'mechanics' of the pending 12% HST tax straight from CRA reps today, at a meeting hosted by the Sooke Region Chamber of Commerce over the lunch hour. About 28 business people had a range of questions for the two presenters who explained in detail about the HST phase-in which -- in some cases -- will see HST being charged as early as May 1, 2010. BC Government website: business info about HST | Federal HST business transition info | NDP HST calculator
Mar.7. The 6th annual Women's Wellness Show at the Sooke Family Resource Centre enjoyed a record turnout of both visitors and exhibitors at their March 6 evening event. The $12 admission include cuisine by Epicure. Massages, psychic readings and a range of items for purchase (e.g. jewellery, books, skin care products, etc.) were presented by over 20 exhibitors.
Mar.5. In a relatively surprise fashion, the Capital Regional District (CRD) has negotiated to purchase from Western Forest Products more than 2,300 hectares of waterfront and forest land on the southwest corner of Vancouver Island, days before it was to go on sale. The $18.8 million agreement includes more than 3.5 km shoreline along Sandcut Beach, the Jordan River surfing beach and the townsite; it also takes in land beside Sooke Potholes Regional Park and areas (such as Weeks Lake) that will add to the buffer around the Greater Victoria water supply's catchment area. The deal sees 49 of the 61 Western Forest Products land parcels going to CRD which is receiving some financial input from The Land Conservancy. Most of the area will be protected as parkland but some on the inland side of West Coast Road could be sold to help pay for the purchase. The BC government has not yet confirmed if it will make a financial contribution.
Mar.4. A low-key federal budget was announced today, aimed at achieving fiscal austerity and promising to find $17.6 billion in savings over the next 5 years (partly by a slowdown in military spending and a freeze on foreign aid funding) to achieve a balanced budget by 2015. The government says it will focus on "jobs and growth" as a reflection of what it perceives to be the consumer focus.
Mar.1. Housing sales were strong in February (580 residential properties were sold compared to 386 in February last year). The average single-family home sale price was $620,833 last month in Greater Victoria, compared to Langford at $513,839 (33 sales) and $401,948 in Sooke (where 26 sales took place). Stats from Greater Victoria Real Estate Board.
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Community Events
March 2010
Sooke school choirs perform at EMCS. Mon. March 1. 7 pm. Open to the public. At Edward Milne Community School theatre.
District of Sooke ~ Committee of the Whole. Mon. March 1. 7 pm. Municipal Hall. Everyone welcome. Agenda includes Maple Park Terrace, Secondary and Small Suites Legalization Policy, and Community Amenity Contribution Policy. Info.
Effects of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Mon. March 1. 7:00 to 8:30 pm. Open to public. Hosted by Dr. Keith Martin, MP who will also receive comments about the public pension system and supporting Canadian Forces members. At the Archie Browning Sport Centre, 1151 Esquimalt Road. Info: 250-474-6505
Developers Brown Bag Lunch. Tues. March 2. 11:30 am. Council Chambers. Hosted by the District of Sooke.
Sooke Region Chamber of Commerce ~ Executive Lunch Meeting. Tues. Mar.2. 12 noon. At Village Food Markets Upstairs meeting room. RSVP by noon Mon.Mar.1. info@sookeharbourchamber.com
Protective Services Committee. Tues. March 2. 1 pm. District of Sooke. At municipal hall.
Sooke Community Arts Council ~ Regular Monthly Meeting. Tues. Mar.2. 7:30 pm. In the Potlatch Room, Sooke Harbour House. Send agenda items to sookeart@shaw.ca .
Community Meeting to Save the Western Forest Products lands from private sale ~ Wed. Mar.3. 7:00 to 10:00 pm. In Victoria at the SJ Willis Auditorium, 923 Topaz Avenue (between Blanshard and Quadra). Speakers include Chief Gordon Planes, David Anderson, Arnie CAmpbell, Vicky Husband, Calvin Sandborn, and Guy Dauncey.
Sooke Consciousness Cafe ~ Regular Monthly Meeting. Thurs. Mar.4. 7:00 pm. At the Reading Room Cafe in the Evergreen Mall, 6660 Sooke Road. Doors open 7 pm for networking and purchasing refreshments, meeting 7:30 to 9:00 pm. Info.
Women's Wellness Show. Sat. March 6. At the Sooke Family Resource Centre. 5 to 8 pm. Celebrate International Women's Day with an evening of relaxation and wellness. Samples, presentations and displays. Sooke Family Resource Society, 2145 Townsend Rd., Sooke. $12. info: 250-642-5152.
Japanese Mini Truck & Car Show. Sun. March 7. Parking lot at Sooke Centre Mall. 8 am to 10 am. Anyone with a mini Japanese car or truck can participate! In the parking lot at Sooke Centre Mall, 6661 Sooke Road. Sponsored by Serious Coffee. Info. Photos to come.
Learn about the upcoming 12% HST. Tues. March 9 at 12 noon. Open to all businesses. A presentation by Canada Revenue Agency (CRA), hosted by the Sooke Region Chamber of Commerce. At the Village Food Markets upstairs lunchroom. RSVP for the $12 lunch by noon Mon. Mar.8. info@sookeharbourchamber.com | BC Government website: business info about HST | Federal HST business transition info
District of Sooke Sign Bylaw Committee. Tues. Mar.9 - 7 pm. Open to the public. Meeting includes discussion of illuminated lighting. At the District of Sooke municipal hall.
Sooke Community Development Association - monthly meeting - Wed. Mar.17, 7:00 pm. At the Village Food Markets upstairs meeting room. Membership includes developers, builders, trades and others in the property-related industry.
New Notary office opening in Sooke. New Notary Public (Cheryl Vavra) has opened an office in Sooke, mid-March 2010. www.notariesinsooke.ca
Volunteer Recognition Awards Ceremony. Sun. March 21. 1 pm. Public event, posted on the District of Sooke website. At Sooke Community Hall. www.sooke.ca
Sooke Literary Association - monthly meeting - Mon. Mar. 22, NEW TIME: 4:00 to 5:30 pm. Business and planning meeting of the new Sooke Literary Association. At the MapleLine Business Centre, 6707 West Coast Road. Agenda includes membership fee, website development, event planning for 2011.
District of Sooke - Regular Council Meeting - public hearing on Duplexes in RS-1, Mon. Mar.22. At Council Chambers, District of Sooke municipal hall. 7 pm. Also on the agenda: public input for Gatewood Road closure. www.sooke.ca
District of Sooke - Finance Committee - public welcome, Mar.23-25 (4 pm each day). At Council Chambers, District of Sooke municipal hall. 4 pm. www.sooke.ca
MapleLine Journalism Program - Thurs. Mar.25. Regular monthly workshop. Topic this month: Writing about finance. Meeting at the MapleLine Business Centre, 7 pm. Registration required. Program info.
Earth Hour - turning off lights. Sat. Mar.27. 8:30 to 9:30 pm. A request from activist groups to turn off lights for one hour to "demand action on climate change". Earth Hour Canada.
District of Sooke - OCP Public Hearing, Mon. Mar.29. At Council Chambers, District of Sooke municipal hall. 7 pm. www.sooke.ca
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Health, Environment, & Art
March 2010
Awareness & being involved.
Awareness Film Night - Wed. Mar.17 at 7 pm. This is the annual Awareness Film Night Gardening and Farming Gala - ~ and it's child friendly. Browse booths from local farms and gardening groups. Tea and other treats. At EMCS, 6218 Sooke Rd., Sooke. Admission by donation.
Psychic Evening. Sat. Mar.20, 7:00 to 9:00 pm. At the Farmer's Daughter Market. With psychic medium and transformational coach, Ara Parisien. $20. www.araparisien.com
"Canada at 150: Rising to the Challenge" - a symposium to discuss "What Canada should be in 2017?". Being held in Montreal, Mar.26-28, 2010. Liberal Party of Canada holding this discussion, preceded by public consultations across the country.
Earth Hour - Sat. Mar.27, 2010. Turning out lights and turning off unneeded appliances is intended to demand action on climate change. Proponents may not realize the technical challenge that this one-hour protest poses to hydro providers. Story to come.
Food recall - March 9, 2009. Some food products containing salmonella-contaminated hydrolyzed vegetable protein (HVP) have been recalled in Canada and the USA. Full list on the Canadian Food Inspection Agency website.
Western Forest Products land for sale starting March 8, 2010. > The Juan de Fuca Community Trails Association seeks public input to show support for preserving the Western Forest Products land for public access (for recreation, parks, trails and wilderness). "It's not a matter of dollars, but political will," says Sid Jorna, president, Juan de Fuca Community Trails Society. > To contribute your support for 61 parcels of land to be utilized as public wilderness, write to sid2767@shaw.ca . > NOTE: A joint meeting of Dr Keith Martin, MP with John Horgan, MLA, CRD regional Director Mike Hicks and Chief Planes from T'Sou-ke First Nation and Chief Chipps from Beecher Bay was held in February regarding the Western Forest Products lands. They reviewed a UBC plan to use the lands as an experimental forest. More info.
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