District of Sooke Community Open House

Event report: May 6, 2009

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More plans, more development: a community on overload

by Mary P. Brooke

[The District of Sooke has had so many open houses and community meetings this year that turnouts are relatively low now, exacerbated by repeated errors in meeting location/date announcements. At the May 6 open house there was an almost overwhelming presentation of information for which Council and Staff sought community input. Even with low turnouts and minimal public input, these projects must move ahead or, in some cases, grant funding will be lost.]

1. Liquid Waste Management / Sewers

At the May 6 open house there were easel-board displays of maps showing the proposed locations for sewer expansion. Public input is invited but the costs to install sewer services in various areas speak for themselves. Will Council choose the ones they can afford (in the budget) or the ones that Sooke cannot afford to do without (in terms of service).

2. Ed McGregor Park upgrade

At the May 6 open house there were easel-board displays of sketches and proposed designs for two ways provide a performance area and user-friendly garden area in the District's showpiece Ed McGregor Park -- one primarily with a wood/timber theme and the other primarily in rock and stone (resident input was invited). Construction will begin August 17 after all the summer activities in that park, and must end by October 31 (to be within the grant funding time period).

3. Sidewalks

Other than areas (in the downtown core) for which the District of Sooke has received provincial and/or federal grant funding support for sidewalk construction, the installation of sidewalks is being tied by the District to housing development (entirely for cost reasons). In other words, developers will be asked to underwrite the cost of sidewalk installations as they build homes. This is a good financial strategy for the District but perhaps a small deterrent to developers. With this strategy in place, it will be a long while until Sooke has adequate pedestrian safety on most of its residential streets.

One engineer at the May 6 community meeting suggested that a gravel walkway could be installed along the west side of Maple Avenue, to connect the small bits of sidewalk that currently exist adjacent to new developments.

Perhaps it is time for some local groups of residents on various streets to do some fundraising and (with those funds at the ready) ask the District to move ahead with pedestrian safety on our streets?

4. SEAPARC Renovations

The SEAPARC Leisure Complex is proposing renovations that would increase taxes per resident. The proposed expansion is to: add a weight room; an aerobics and fitness class area; additional/expanded dressing rooms for the arena; and program space for staff. A second level would include a viewing lounge plus new rooms near the pool and entrance.

The May 6, 2009 District of Sooke Community Open House was held 4 pm to 8 pm at the SEAPARC Leisure Complex arena. Heavy rainfall (as well as mix-ups in print advertising about the Open House location) may have contributed to a relatively low community turnout.