Friday November 4, 2022 | SOOKE, BC [Updated 4:38 pm]
by Mary P Brooke | Island Social Trends
Today the District of Sooke announced that they have moved their sandbag station from the Parks Yard on Kaltasin Road over to the parking lot at Ed Macgregor Park at 6751 West Coast Road (Highway 14).
In that location closer to Sooke town centre, the sandbags will be more accessible for residents. The new location is just west of Otter Point Road (a main commercial intersection).
The station is self-serve, open 24 hours a day, with sand and bags provided by the District and Emergency Management BC. Residents are asked to bring their own shovels to fill the bags and are encouraged to take only enough to meet their needs so that supplies are available for others, said the District of Sooke today.
Historically, the station has been set up intermittently during weather events at the Parks Yard. That yard location limits access and requires additional staffing which increases the costs to operate the station.
Changing climate:
“With the changing climate and greater need for a sandbag station, combined with continually increasing cost pressures, the District is always looking at how to improve service without added expenses to our taxpayers,” said Mayor Maja Tait in today’s news release.
Rainfall has been heavy today in the west shore and Sooke areas of south Vancouver Island. Sandbags are used to help prevent flooding in low-lying or waterway areas.
The municipality will monitor the use of the Sooke sandbag station in its new location through the coming months to address any issues before determining if the move will be permanent.
===== ABOUT ISLAND SOCIAL TRENDS:
Island Social Trends is an online news portal at islandsocialtrends.ca covering news of the west shore and Sooke since mid-2020.
Island Social Trends emerged from the previous West Shore Voice News (2014-2020), Sooke Voice News (2011-2013), and MapleLine Magazine (2008-2010).
The founder and editor for all these publications is Mary P Brooke.
===== RELATED:
Regional traffic news (Langford, Colwood, Sooke).
