Story by Mary P. Brooke   ~  Photos by Donald C. Mills   |         March 22, 2010

There was a parking lot gathering of mini trucks and cars on Sunday, March 7 in the Sooke Centre Mall, bringing together about 10 local mini-vehicle owners with their vehicles, for two hours (8 to 10 am).

The event enjoyed south-island regional interest with CBC Radio and Shaw TV coverage. Some email inquiries were received from people in Japan, thanks to posting of the event on vehicle-related websites.

“It was a fun event,” says Gord Doucette, who organized the local community event. “It gave people a chance to display their cars and trucks, and for local residents to take a look and hear about the vehicles firsthand from the owners.” The show featured vehicles by Subaru, Honda, Subaru and Daihatsu (a company /brand purchased by Toyota last year).
 

Purple was popular.  Photo by Donald C. Mills. Copyright 2010 MapleLine Magazine.	Green drew a crowd.  Photo by Donald C. Mills. Copyright 2010 MapleLine Magazine.	Blue was dandy.  Photo by Donald C. Mills. Copyright 2010 MapleLine Magazine.

Doucette, who owns the Serious Coffee franchise adjacent to Village Food Markets in Sooke Centre Mall, said he plans to organize other future events for residents and families to take part in.

The event helped diffuse some of the mistrust of Toyota vehicles in the wake of several North America-wide reports about faulty gas pedals on the Japanese-manufactured vehicles. It was a different sort of local event, fun for those who attended.   MM