ARCHIVE – Langford-Colwood-Metchosin-ViewRoyal breaking news [Sept & Oct 2017]
Friday, October 27 ~ LANGFORD. Last night the Best of the West Shore awards gala was held at Bear Mountain Resort. About 300 business people and guests sat through a few hours of the proverbial drum roll as winners and runners-up in each category were announced at the event hosted by the West Shore Chamber of Commerce with the Goldstream Gazette as their media partner.
West Shore Voice News (Vancouver Island media partner with the Canadian Federation of Independent Business during Small Business Week last week) was one of the several in-kind sponsors of the event.
Various business owners were called up to present awards, with lots of promo to go around while people continued with the buffet dinner, dessert, coffee and cash bar.
Momentum was maintained through the evening by the West Shore Chamber’s Josh Schmidt who was witty and upbeat as the emcee.
Over 22,000 votes had been cast online over a five-week period in the late summer up to early September to produce the winners.
Best New Business, Best Business and Best Customer Service all went to Cascadia Liquor for three of their six island locations – Colwood, Langford and Eagle Ridge. Financial Services top award was claimed by Coast Capital Savings. Best New Development was won by Westhills, followed by Royal Bay and Spirit Bay.
Always a big presence in the awards each year is food and entertainment. Best for Breakfast went to Floyd’s Diner, Best Restaurant was claimed by My Chosin Cafe, and Best Ethnic Cuisine was won by Sabhai Thai. Best Independent Coffee Shop this year went to Poncho’s Coffee House, with Pilgrim Coffee House and Serious Coffee as runners-up. Best for Entertainment went to Elements Casino, followed by Cineplex Odeon and Western Speedway. Best Pub was won by Darcy’s Pub. Best Golf Club was won by Olympic View Golf Club, with Westin Bear Mountain and Royal Colwood as the runners-up.
In the fitness zone, Best Bicycle Shop was claimed by Goldstream Bicycles, and Best Martial Arts was won by Clark’s Taekwondo. Best Yoga was won by Moksha Yoga Westshore. Best Place for Fitness went to YMCA-YWCA Langford-Westhills. For health support services, Best Wellness/Health Practice went to Mandala Center for Health & Wellness and Best Dental/Denture Clinic went to Colwood Dental Group.
In the pampering department, winners were Santa Spa Victoria (for Best Spa/Aesthetics), Cabello Salon (for Best Hair Salon), and Brown’s The Florist (for Best Flower/Garden Shop).
Best Pet Clinic was won by Juan de Fuca Veterinary Clinic, with runners up Glenview Animal Hospital and Belmont Langford Veterinary Hospital.
And the basics: Best Grocery Store went to Thrifty Foods, Best Retailer went to Winners/HomeSense, and Best Storage went to WestShore U-Lock Mini Storage. Best Auto Service was won by Alpine Auto Repair & Tirecraft, with runners up Great Canadian Oil Change and Glen Lake Automotive Centre.
Best First Nations Business was won by the Indigenous Perspectives Society with M’akola Group of Societies as the runner-up. Favourite non-profit was Coast Collective Arts Centre.
Including Mother Nature in the mix, the best beach was won by Esquimalt Lagoon, followed up by Witty’s Lagoon and Thetis Lake. Best Hiking Trail went to Thetis Lake, while Best Fishing Spot went to Langford Lake.
Other sponsors of the event were Peninsula Co-op, Royal Roads University, Elements Casino, University of Victoria, Bear Mountain Resort Community, Coastal Community, Camosun College, Brown’s the Florist, Pacific Coastal Airlines, Wilson Marshall Law Corporation, Coast Capital, Seriously Creative, TELUS, SOHO, Bubbles Balloons, Brookes Westshore, Heritage House Trophies, and My Chosin Cafe.
Speeches that got the most attention amid the din in the room were ones that commented on the importance of women starting and building businesses, and the growth of indigenous-involved businesses.
Wednesday, October 25, 2017 ~ BC. Local governments throughout BC have until November 1, 2017 to provide feedback on the provincial discussion paper, Cannabis Legalization and Regulation in British Columbia.
The Province will draw upon feedback obtained through the engagement process as it considers key policy decisions that will form the foundation of its legalized cannabis framework, it was stated today by the Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM).
UBCM encourages all local governments to provide submissions to ensure that feedback provided to Province represents the diversity of our membership. Local government responses to the discussion paper will be considered as a separate cohort among the feedback provided.
Many people across Canada already use cannabis products for medicinal reasons. Recreational users often incur criminal records for simple possession, something that will likely fade away after the federal government brings in their new laws and regulations in July 2018.
Considered by pretty much all stakeholders to be a positive aspect of the upcoming legislation is to keep marijuana products out of the hands of youth (for health and safety reasons), and to control or eliminate the current black-market and criminal element of marijuana sales. The federal government will gain tax revenues under the new legislation. Provincial and municipal governments also stand to gain financially under the new laws and regulations.
For many, a major concern remains about road safety related to cannabis use. While for alcohol consumption the roadside blood-alcohol level testing has become mainstream, the ways and means for testing one’s state of clarity while operating a motor vehicle under the influence of marijuana remains to be fully determined.
Presently on the west shore of Vancouver Island:
>> In Sooke, a few marijuana-product outlets have already been operating in the town centre area for almost two years. About that… Sooke Council has had discussions but is essentially waiting for federal legislation to come into effect. Today Sooke Mayor Maja Tait (who sits on the UBCM executive) told West Shore Voice: “We received a staff report on Monday and will send a response summarizing the highlighted concerns within. These regulations and the Provincial request pertain to the Federal Government’s legalization of non-medical cannabis, that was the focus of our Agenda.”
>> In Colwood, the City of Colwood Council has had discussions about cannabis legalization and regulation, as well as participating in discussions at the Association of Vancouver Island Coastal Communities and Union of BC Municipalities conferences. “The City will adhere to the current Colwood Land Use Bylaw and Business Bylaw until such time as the Federal and Provincial governments provide direction regarding legalization,” said Colwood’s communications manager Sandra Russell today. The Colwood Land Use and Business Bylaws currently prohibits marijuana dispensaries other than a licensed pharmacy or premises licensed under the “Marijuana for Medical Purposes Regulations”.
>> In Langford, a few marijuana product outlets that have opened have been quickly shut down through bylaw-related mechanisms. No statement on this topic was provided from the City of Langford today.
Link to the Cannabis Legalization and Regulation in BC discussion paper: http://engage.gov.bc.ca/app/uploads/sites/217/2017/09/Cannabis-Legalization-and-Regulation-in-BC_Discussion-Paper.pdf
Tuesday, October 24 ~ LANGFORD. Five years ago tomorrow, a 13-year-old Langford boy was hit by a pickup truck on Sooke Road and died later in hospital from his injuries.
AJ (Adam Jessie) Wakeling was crossing the provincial highway (Sooke Road / Hwy 14) between Glenshire Road and the Slegg Lumber parking lot entrance at about 7 pm that evening, October 25, 2012. He was struck by a small pickup in the eastbound lane.
Wakeling had been a student at Cedar Hill Middle School in Saanich, and had recently relocated to Langford with his mother and brothers.
A roadside memorial has since been maintained by the teen’s mother Yannick Aubin and others.
AJ’s twin, who was with his brother but did not cross, witnessed the accident.
The collision occurred at the crest of a hill and around a sweeping curve just east of Glenshire Drive, according to West Shore RCMP. The driver was never charged, with RCMP noting at the time that it was dark, the teen’s clothing was dark, and the driver was travelling at the average speed on a dry road. Poor lighting was considered to be a contributing factor.
Safety improvements including better lighting have since been done.
Sunday, October 22 ~ HALLOWEEN is coming up on the West Side of Vancouver Island! It’s a big party for families on the west side of Vancouver Island each year!
Bonfires will be bright against the night sky on Tuesday October 31 at Colwood fire hall (6:30 to 8:30 pm) and at Camp Barnard in the Sooke area (starting 6:30 pm, with fireworks at 7:30 pm by Otter Point Fire).
In Langford check out Halloween festivities happening October 31 at all three fire stations: 2625 Peatt Rd, 3205 Happy Valley Rd, 2872 Sooke Lake Rd from 5:30 to 8:30 pm.
Earlier in the day in the Sooke retail areas swarms of kids and teens will visit stores for candy handouts.
The Sooke Fire Dept reminds anyone who plans to set off fireworks to purchase a fireworks permit for $10 at Fire Hall #1 at 2225 Otter Point Rd. “We encourage everyone to have a safe and happy Halloween!”, says Mount.
For many years, families in Sooke have enjoyed the ‘Safe Halloween’ event and haunted house presented by the Sooke Fire Department and volunteers. But this year, Sooke FD priorities have shifted to a municipal-issues open house coming up this Wednesday, as well as the Santa Run and Santa Claus parade, says Sooke Fire Chief Kenn Mount.
Fire departments remind trick-or-treaters to choose flame-resistant, high-visibility costumes. When decorating, be FireSmart and that means avoid open flames. Trick-or-treating with family or a buddy in well-lit areas with flashlights or glow sticks is a smart Halloween choice. Parents should approve treats before kids get into them.
Friday, October 20 ~ LANGFORD. The City of Langford has now submitted its bid to become home to the new Amazon HQ2, a second headquarters for the online retailer that would be similar in size to their existing headquarters in Seattle. The bid intention was first announced last month by Langford Mayor Stew Young (see page 1 in the September 22, 2017 issue of West Shore Voice News).
As one of the fastest growing and innovative cities in Canada (population now over 40,000), the City of Langford has the resources, political will and business climate to ensure Amazon’s HQ2 is a resounding success.
The actual bid document that met the October 19 submission deadline has not been made public, but apparently identifies a number of serviced, development-ready areas within and around the City of Langford that would meet the needs of Amazon. Amazon would require 8.1 million sq ft of operational space. The bid also highlighted the capacity for Langford’s neighbourhoods — including Westhills and Bear Mountain — to continue to grow and accommodate the influx of anticipated workers arriving over multiple years.
Prepared in partnership with the BC Ministry of Jobs, Trade and Technology, the City of Langford’s Economic Development Committee, the Sooke Economic Development Commission, the Malahat Nation, and multiple businesses and regional partners, the bid showcased the capacity of the region to be home to any global enterprise.
The bid also underscored the ability of the south island region to lure the best and brightest. “With competitive wages, affordable and high quality housing, and world-class recreational opportunities, our post-secondary institutions and tech sector are leaders in developing, attracting and retaining first-class talent,” said Dale Gann, Chair of the Amazon HQ2 Bid Committee.
The bid spoke to Langford’s proven track record for successfully partnering with business. “We always have been, and always will be, open for business,” said Mayor Stew Young. “Langford will continue to expedite the permitting process and minimize red tape to ensure that all businesses, including Amazon, can grow and thrive.”
Building HQ2 will generate $5 billion for the successful host community just in construction alone, with jobs and economic spinoffs after that. Langford is up against major cities through Canada and the US for a chance at this big project.
The video component of Langford’s bid to Amazon can be viewed online comprising a 1 minute, 40-second overview of housing, post-secondary and affordability aspects of the west shore area in which Langford is central.
Friday, October 20 ~ LANGFORD. An expansive collection of classical music can now be streamed by Greater Victoria Public Library cardholders. The Naxos Music Library holds over 132,000 albums and two millions tracks including a selection of world, jazz, pop and rock.
As an educational resource, Naxos also provides composer biographies, a musical terms glossary, opera libretti, and a junior section.
The service officially launches on Saturday October 21 at the Langford Heritage Branch from 11 am to 3 pm in their shared complex at 1314 Lakepoint Way in Westhills. Musicians from the Victoria Conservatory of Music will be playing at the library through the four-hour event. The public is welcome.
“This new collection will give music lovers access to recordings by major performers from around the world produced by prominent record labels like Sony Classical, RCA and Deutsche Grammophon,” said Maureen Sawa, CEO, Greater Victoria Public Library. “October is BC Library Month, and we are celebrating with the universal language of music.” Funds for the collection were provided by a generous donor who wishes to remain anonymous.
“The Victoria Conservatory of Music is thrilled to be a part of the Naxos launch, and this is just one great example of the creative synergy that comes with sharing such an amazing space in Westhills,” said Christine Gross, manager of marketing, communications and social media at the Conservatory.
GVPL’s launch of Naxos coincides with an announcement that the Pacific Opera Victoria will be joining the library’s Culture and Recreation Pass program, which lets library cardholders borrow passes to local attractions and facilities. The first passes will be available for POV’s February production of Puccini’s La Bohème. More details will be announced in early 2018.
“Pacific Opera Victoria looks forward to sharing the opera experience with the community through our partnership with the Greater Victoria Public Library,” said Ian Rye, CEO, Pacific Opera Victoria.
“Patrons can borrow a culture pass to see a live performance, and continue listening with Naxos recordings,” said Rob Martin, chair of the Library Board and municipal councillor for Colwood. “The library has it all. We support learning experiences that enrich our lives and expand our minds.”
Friday, October 13 ~ COASTAL. An open house on a proposed national marine conversation area reserve in the Southern Straight of Georgia will be hosted by Alistair MacGregor, MP (Cowichan-Malahat-Langford) on Sunday, October 15. There are currently only four other national marine conservation areas in Canada.
“This is the first time that the general public will be able to have a conversation with Parks Canada officials about this every exciting project,” says MacGregor.
Alistair MacGregor will introduce presentations by James Gordon, MBA (Parks Canada, Project Manager) and Lisa Joe (Parks Canada, First Nations Coordinator). Members of the audience will be welcome to ask questions.
The event runs 1 to 3 pm in Duncan at 140 Trans-Canada Highway.
Wednesday, October 11 ~ WEST SHORE. The upgraded View Royal Casino — to be known as Elements Casino — is getting some on-the-ground promotion in the west shore area. Two recent events hosted by the West Shore Chamber of Commerce … a business showcase with 31 exhibitors at Eagle Ridge Arena on October 1 and tonight October 11 a business mixer at Darcy’s Pub, offered different angles on the promotion.
At the business showcase over 100 job applications were filled out by eager potential employees for the expanded facility. And at the mixer, BC Lottery Corporation (BCLC) director of public affairs Greg Walker spoke to those gathered about the new facility and how gaming grants support non-profits throughout the province. BCLC co-hosted the October 11 mixer.
Walker said that the community gaming grants “are one way we give back”. Municipalities rely on BCLC gaming grants to help with general operational budget support.
The View Royal casino will be more than doubled in size with a major upgrade (adding 42,000 sq ft), becoming Elements Casino aiming to open by in spring 2018.
There will also be 12 new table games with live dealers, to add to the current 15, and new dining venues such as a buffet, casual lounge and bar.
Some of the jobs for which people applied this month include servers and bartenders, chefs, cage cashier and count team attendants, card dealers, security officers, surveillance operators, and operational roles in finance, human resources and marketing.
Last year View Royal Mayor David Screech called the View Royal expansion project good news. “I’m thrilled with the announcement and the confirmation that View Royal clearly will remain the premier gaming facility in the region,” he had said. The gambling operation generated $71.8 million in revenue in the 2015-16 fiscal year, with $4.1 million going to West Shore municipalities. View Royal and Langford get about 45% each, with the remaining 10% shared among five other jurisdictions, said Screech.
The Government of BC founded BCLC over 30 years ago with the stated purpose of giving back to the citizens of BC and helping communities grow. Since 1985, their customers have helped invest $19 billion in health care, education and community programs. BCLC says that 88 cents of every dollar goes back into provincial tax revenues.
Sooke School District 62 (SD62) Superintendent Jim Cambridge is retiring from his 36-year career. While that eventuality been known in education circles for a while, the formal announcement from the school board came October 4. Cambridge will begin his next adventures in August 2018.
With SD62 since 1981, Cambridge has been a classroom teacher and school administrator, as well as holding various administrative positions at the board office (in the top position as Superintendent and CEO since May 2009). As Superintendent, Cambridge has in recent years led schools, teachers, students and parents during an unprecedented growth period.
In August this year, his senior executive support expanded from two Assistant Superintendents to three, to keep up with student population growth which has now reached 10,400 as more families move to the west shore.
Back in January, Cambridge co-hosted the Canada 150 BC schools launch by BC Lt Governor Judith Guichon at Edward Milne Community School in Sooke.
Behind the scenes over the past few years, Cambridge was instrumental in various areas of discussion with the BC Government to help morph the understanding of school budgets and funding requirements.
Jim Cambridge is well liked and highly regarded both within SD62 and in the broader community. He’s in his element at the board table and always enjoys getting back into schools for visits. Cambridge has always seemed to enjoy the job despite its many challenges.
In his role at chief administrator, Cambridge has weathered various storms including teacher strikes, the construction of two new high schools in two years, and several years of budget cuts. Even the decision required to call a ‘snow day’ is also significant, as many sectors are impacted.
Keven Elder Consulting Services will recruit and select the next SD62 Superintendent and CEO. That process will begin with stakeholders this fall; the new posting for the position is expected in December.
=== Article first published on page 3 in the print/PDF edition of the October 6, 2017 issue of West Shore Voice News
Saturday, October 7 ~ WEST SHORE. Duality in Greater Victoria real estate this fall season. Real Estate Analysis by Mary P Brooke ~ West Shore Voice News
There’s been a stone-cold drop in activity and a significant cooling in prices in many average-price areas of the Greater Victoria real estate market in recent weeks.
But in three areas actual sales price averages jumped dramatically between August and September: Langford was up by $55,150, East Saanich was up by $42,565 and North Saanich prices skyrocketed by $152,407. Prices in high-end Oak Bay notably dropped by almost $94,000 (only post-peak stock may have been available).
In September there were 18.1% fewer properties sold than a year ago. East Saanich is normally the bell-weather of pricing trends, and Langford seems to be following suit.
The Victoria Real Estate Board says the market is “trending slowly towards more balanced conditions and overall price increases are levelling”. But their own stats tell a different story. The trend is not slow. prices are ‘acting out’, and the most stable areas (East Saanich and Langford) show distinct upward pressure.
Two Bank of Canada interest rate hikes this summer cut the legs out from under the lower end of the market, hurting entry-level buyers and sellers of modest homes.
Housing inventory rose in September 2017 (up 3.1% from August) as properties have become more difficult to sell. In the fast-growing City of Langford the actual sale price of single family homes surpassed $700,000 last month while Colwood and Sooke prices plummeted.
This article was first published in the October 6, 2017 issue of West Shore Voice News.
Now that the summer peak travel period is over and traffic volumes are lower, the BC Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure (MOTI) says it will be reducing the Malahat section of Highway 1 (Trans Canada) to one lane in each direction. That’s in the Malahat Village area between Aspen Road and Shawnigan Lake Road.
That traffic pattern change will take effect after the Thanksgiving long weekend and remain in place 24/7 until the May long weekend in 2018.
MOTI says this will help ensure that blasting activities can be completed safely and to provide clear and consistent lanes for drivers through the project during the winter months when visibility is often reduced by weather conditions. Intermittent traffic stoppages are also required for blasting but will occur outside peak periods (6 a.m. to 9 a.m. southbound and 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. northbound).
Drivers can still expect delays of up to 20 minutes during construction. The ministry asks motorists to please be attentive for workers and obey the construction speed zone of 60 kph at all times. Drivers are asked to use both lanes up to the merge point and then alternate when merging (like a zipper) for best efficiency. For current conditions and up-to-date traffic advisories: www.drivebc.ca
Improvements to the Malahat have been taking place in phases for the past couple of years. Adding meridians to separate northbound and southbound traffic has been a significant part of the work. In July 2016, $34 million was committed for the Malahat Safety Improvements project ($20,000 from BC and $14,000 in federal funds). An $18.5-million construction contract was awarded to Emil Anderson Construction Ltd for construction that began in spring 2017 and now runs through summer 2018.
A significant achievement for the City of Langford, a milestone for Langford Mayor Stew Young, and a boon for the economy of the entire west shore region… today the opening of the full West Shore Parkway celebrated all that. Under bright skies on this crisp fall day, about 300 people gathered along the brand new roadway and up close for the formal announcement. That was at 10 am. And around 11 am the full West Shore Parkway from the Trans Canada Highway (Hwy 1) over to Sooke Road (Hwy 14) saw its first through-traffic.
But not before a motorcade of classic cars took a symbolic first-drive on the newly-opened 3.5 km road. Leading the pack was Mayor Young, cruising in his pale blue 1956 Buick Special, nicely appointed and car-show ready. That was the end of the long-awaited, much-anticipated October 4 official opening event. Ahead of that there were speeches, acknowledgements and the ribbon-cutting.
Foremost was the reminder to all that the key success of this new roadway was an infrastructure partnership by three levels of government. The Government of Canada (by the work of then-MLA for Courtenay—Alberni, John Duncan), the Government of BC (under then-Minister of Transportation & Infrastructure Todd Stone), and the City of Langford (by way of developers in Langford) each contributed $7.5 million to the $22.5 million project.
“Thank you to the business community for stepping up and funding the Langford portion,” said Mayor Stew Young as part of his remarks at the microphone. “Opening this road creates a great economic opportunity for Langford. It gets people in car from workplace to home earlier, spending more time in your community with your families. And that’s what infrastructure is all about,” he said, as well as reducing greenhouse gas emissions with cars not idling as much in traffic congestion.
Mayor Young says the “next big project” is to “start to push to get that highway fixed into town” Young is promoting the need for high-occupancy lanes on Highway 1, to improve commuter travel times. “Let’s get some pressure and some support, and fix that highway for people living in the west shore.”
“This is a complete community job,” said Stew Young about the completion of the West Shore Parkway. “We’re so excited about having this open and the cooperation with everybody—that’s how you get things done — working with business, working with government. And that’s how we’re going to continue doing things in Langford.”
City of Langford Director of Engineering Michelle Mahovlich set the vehicle procession in motion.
Also taking part in the event was Mitzi Dean, MLA (Esquimalt-Metchosin) representing Premier John Horgan (MLA, Langford-Juan de Fuca), saying “our government is committed to solving broader transportation challenges in our region”.
Federal Infrastructure and Communities Minister Amarjeet Sohi was in Langford earlier this summer to see the West Shore Parkway construction in progress. On August 2 (one of the hottest days of the year) he took a tour of the construction site with Mayor Stew Young, saying it was an opportunity for him to see up close how federal infrastructure dollars are being spent.
Today’s official opening of the parkway was held by the non-used E&N Railway line where it crosses the parkway. To media, Young reiterated a view he’s held for some time, that shifting transportation issues from the non-profit area (presently E&N Railway issues are handled by the Island Corridor Foundation) to the provincial level is the right way to go now. And the federal government has funding for this, he added. “Getting the business community on side to show the importance of improved transportation” is important now.
Frequently brief, Langford council meetings often wrap up in 15 to 20 minutes, with rapid-fire approval of sometimes a long list of Planning committee recommendations and zoning and variance approvals
The October 2 meeting had that quick-approval pattern at the end. But the public hearing ahead of that lasted over an hour and a half. Mayor Young took heat for the discomfort that residents are feeling about the increasing cost of housing (the average sale price in September for a single family home in Langford was $710,110) and rental accommodation (now about $1,400 for a 1-bedroom rental apartment, or about $1,200 for just a studio), in-town traffic congestion, and protracted travel times for job commuters to areas of Greater Victoria beyond Langford.
It could be argued that Langford is now central to the Greater Victoria area, considering that population growth is ‘west-heavy’ into Langford, Colwood, and Sooke. About 500 to 600 housing units per year are built in Langford, and as many of those attract young families now even the schools are overflowing their students into portables and teacher shortages in SD62 are looming. And even that is apparently not enough to keep up with demand.
Long the pitch and hope of Stew Young that provincial government offices will eventually be built in Langford (as a key way to boost the tax base and reduce or eliminate commute times for workers), he’s been assembling the pieces for a long time. More housing, larger population, more immediate jobs in the region, attracting young families to the area, constructing another traffic route (West Shore Parkway, which fully opens this week), and pushing along BC Transit for more and better bus routes to and through Langford. Around the edges have been the other essential ingredients built such as town beautification and recreation.
Several public comments noted how 300 more units being added in a development on Claude Road will cause further traffic congestion to Peatt Road which serves as a thoroughfare within and through Langford. As people move to the suburbs they are not abandoning their cars for use of the bus to the degree that transit planners would hope.
At the tail end of the meeting, Mayor Young, Councillor Lanny Seaton, and Councillor Denise Blackwell left the room a few times (to avoid conflict of interest) over motions to pass developments on Meaford and Dunford and regarding a tax exemption for the Cherish Seniors Facility at Jacklin and Jenkins.
One member of the public had earlier noted that Langford Council listens but pushed things through anyway. It’s in this manner that Langford has been built to now a burgeoning town of over 40,000 people, poised as the shining urban jewel that puts Langford at the centre of it all.
Developer Jim Hartshorne of Keycorp Developments Ltd and developer Ron Coutre who is president of the West Shore Developers Association – both of whom stand much to gain by last night’s changes to Langford’s Official Community Plan — were present for what ended up being a 2-hour meeting on October 2 . Neither contributed any public comment.
The land swap “put us in an area where the clash of values disappeared,” said Robert Janes of JFK Law, who handled the complex paperwork involved.
Presenters Metchosin Mayor John Ranns, Beecher Bay Chief Russ Chipps, Janes, and developer Seamus Brennan collectively repainted the picture of how Mayor Young’s bird’s-eye view of the eventual land swap led the way for relatively rapid negotiations between the two municipalities and the first nation to all benefit financially.
When asked by the audience about the key ingredient for success of the deal compared to the slow progress of other treaty-related efforts, Chipps was particularly vocal about it: “Largely this worked because it wasn’t about the treaty process. To exert my rights and entitlements I don’t have to ask anyone,” said Chipps, in supporting Ranns in the declaration that it worked because it was a business deal in which everyone’s interests were met.
The private sector was an essential ingredient, fulfilling the profit motive for developers but getting all the desired results for each party.
Beecher Bay will be an enriched community by way of ongoing revenues from the industrial park that is under development along the new West Shore Parkway.
Then-Minister of Community, Sport and Cultural Development Peter Fassbender was also recognized in the presentation for his efforts to open doors and keep things flowing at the provincial level. Indeed, the final paperwork was signed in his office on March 14 at the legislature.
At the start of Monday’s session, BC Minister of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation Scott Fraser said that the treaty process”needs to be dynamic and needs to evolve”.
Later in the week at UBCM, Mayor Stew Young, and Langford Councillors Denise Blackwell and Winnie Sifert received recognition for 25 years of service as elected representatives of their vibrant municipality.
In his speech on Friday, September 29 — joking it would be rivaled as ‘the biggest speech ever’ at a UBCM convention (playing on the spoof popularity of crowd-size assertations on Saturday Night Live) — he went light on specifics about the wide range of deliverables that his NDP government still plans to roll out. Already, in the first few weeks since taking office in July 2017, Horgan and his ministers have been going down the checklist of campaign promises, including increased disability and income assistance, promising to build more housing considered ‘affordable’, and a focus on mental health and addiction.
Today he reiterated what is already in Selina Robinson’s mandate letter as Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, that the promised 114,000 housing units will be in market rental, non-profit, co-op, supported social housing, and owner-purchase housing. However, some specifics included an announcement about 600 modular homes in being available for the Vancouver area, with 150 in Surrey, and more in Smithers “and any other community that modular will fit with your package of solutions”. The Premier described the homes as inexpensive, quick to place, and movable. He told municipal leaders officials: “If you’ve got land and zoning, we’ve got the cans. Let’s get this going.”
And while on the surface it sounded positive, Premier Horgan did level a bit of a blow to his own home riding, where the City of Langford is bidding on bringing the new Amazon Headquarters 2 (HQ2) to south Vancouver Island. As reported in West Shore Voice last week, the Amazon project is an opportunity for some 50,000 jobs and billions of dollars in investment. In the same breath as saying “let’s bring more high tech jobs to BC,” and encouraging all communities to step up to the Amazon bid process, Horgan said the BC government will financially back only Vancouver’s bid for Amazon HQ2, to the tune of $50,000.
Horgan pitched to “work with everybody in this room” to come up with innovative ways — all levels of government working together – for “a better BC for all of us”. He itemized the need for resource jobs, as well as in high tech, tourism, agriculture and manufacturing. “Every corner of BC has something to offer the world. It starts by working together,” Horgan said.
He talked about the opioid crisis, with solutions seen as being in opening up more treatment centres, increasing anti-trafficking in law enforcement, and having already set up a new ministry of Mental Health and Addictions.
Regarding the threat to the BC softwood lumber industry, Horgan gave the crowd in Vancouver some verbal muscle, without specifics: “If the US wants to go to court… we’ve won every dispute we’ve had, and we’ll win this one as well.”
Premier Horgan said he had a bit of fun while in Vancouver by suiting up with professional firefighters of BC at the Vancouver fire operations centre, in the wake of having visited wildfire areas of the BC Interior this past summer. The worst fire season in BC’s history, this past summer saw communities devastated, people dislocated, and small businesses seriously set back. Dealing with the wildfire scenario was Horgan’s first major requirement for action after he became Premier on July 18. ~ WSV
Saturday, September 23 ~ LANGFORD. If you don’t try, you’ll never know. The City of Langford with its go-after-it can-do attitude and team approach has assembled a bid to attract Amazon to the west shore of Vancouver Island.
They’re responding to a tender put out by Amazon on September 7 for a location at which the online retailer can set up their second North American headquarters (HQ2 for short). HQ2 would be a full equal to the company’s main headquarters in Seattle, WA said Jeff Bezos, Amazon founder and CEO, in a statement earlier this month.
After their October 19 deadline, Amazon will be seeing Langford’s pitch in front of them along with at least 50 bids from major cities across North America (likely including, in Canada, these — Ottawa, Calgary, London, Edmonton, Toronto).
If nothing else, it’s good international exposure for Langford, but Langford Mayor Stew Young and senior staff are optimistic.
“We have great transportation routes, an international airport and seaplanes,” said Mayor Young this week. Of course, the $5 billion that the online retailer would spend to build HQ2 would be the first great part of Amazon putting down roots in Langford.
Amazon HQ2 would eventually employ up to 50,000 people full time over a 10-year period. In addition to Amazon’s direct hiring and investment, construction and ongoing operation of Amazon HQ2 would create tens of thousands of additional jobs and tens of billions of dollars in additional investment in the surrounding community.
As well, being in Canada would offer the US company a cheaper dollar as well as trade agreements into Europe and Asia that are separate from NAFTA, which is probably why the Request for Proposal (RFP) was not limited to American cities.
Stew Young was approached by the business community to give this bid a shot, even though the Amazon RFP states the need for a base population of 1 million people. Greater Victoria is about 370,000 people, but the extended region could be seen to include adjacent regions of Vancouver Island, and by ferry-extension, the lower mainland.
In the last few years Langford’s population has surpassed 40,000 and the development community keeps on building houses, townhomes, condos and rental apartments to help Langford try and keep up to housing demand.
Amazon’s headquarters in Seattle is comprised of 33 buildings, in total about 8.1 million sqft. That includes 24 restaurants/cafes and eight other services. Their capital investment in buildings and infrastructure was $3.7 billion. Operational expenditures are $1.4 billion (utilities/maintenance). Employee payroll is about $25.7 billion/yr. About $43 million is paid into Seattle’s transportation system. In 2016 about 233,000 hotel nights were booked by visiting Amazonians and guests.
Amazon estimates its investments in Seattle resulted in an additional $38 billion to the city’s economy (2010-2016) – every dollar invested by Amazon generated an additional 1.4 dollars for the city’s economy overall.
Naturally there is buzz in cities across North America to throw their hats into this enormous ring. Some financial critics say the magnitude of the project could overwhelm a city or region that is not prepared to handle it. On the other hand, it’s an opportunity that likely comes once in a city’s lifetime.
The closing date for the RFP is right around the corner. The entire tech industry and community of municipalities in Canada and the US are keen to see how this one plays out.
This article was first published in the Print/PDF September 22, 2017 issue of West Shore Voice News.
Thursday, September 21 ~ LANGFORD. Some underground utility construction, lane improvements and signal light installations are a composite project by G&E Contracting, CRD Integrated Water Services and the City of Langford in preparation for major construction on the former Jacklin Road Belmont high school site.
The work will periodically impact vehicle traffic flow Mondays to Saturdays (7am to 6pm) at and around the intersection of Jacklin Road (Jenkins to Terlane) and also at Jenkins Avenue (Jacklin to Brittany Drive).
All of that is near the Westshore Town Centre retail area and affecting the major thoroughfare that is Jacklin Road to shops, restaurants and as a connector to the Goldstream Ave business centre of Langford.
The new West Shore Parkway (from Hwy 14 to Langford Parkway, and soon to the Trans Canada Highway) is one route that will help motorists avoid the Jacklin Road slowdowns.
The engineering work will be completed in summer 2018, says the City of Langford’s engineering department. No night work is anticipated for the remainder of 2017. Any changes or significant lane closures will be announced.
Redevelopment of the former school site will include a new 56,000 sq ft Thrifty Foods store as the anchor tenant within the Belmont Market Shopping Centre (a 200,000 sq ft retail complex by Sobeys Developments). All of that bordered by Jacklin Road, Jenkins Road, Brittany Drive and the Galloping Goose Regional Trail. An additional 144,000 sq ft of retail and office space will be situated throughout the multi-acre site with as many as 860 surface parking spaces.
It’s a three-phase commercial project. Phase One of the development (Thriftys as anchor, plus five more retailers with storefronts 5,800 to 13,000 sqft) is the portion aiming to be completed in summer 2018. A 330-unit residential component (including rental apartments and some townhomes) will span the southern perimeter of the property, backing onto the Galloping Goose Regional Trail.
Wednesday, September 20 ~ LANGFORD. Just a heads up for early morning commuters in the Millstream area of Langford. There will be some traffic delays due to a little bit of paving going on, on Monday September 25 in the early morning 5:30 am to 6:30 am. The paving will be done in the downhill lane on McCallum Road towards Millstream (at the driveway entrance to Best Buy).
Long-time pro golfer Sir Nick Faldo, now 60, has had a 13-year career in TV sports media on the CBS golf channel, but said that he still likes competing. “It’s nice to throw some golf into it for a change,” he told reporters outdoors under bright blue skies at the Bear Mountain Resort. He revealed some tips for great golf success, including learning to “pull the right club” and “picking the right shot at the right time”. He explained that in golf you’re making decisions all the time. “You can play well but not land in the right spot” but you can “still make a good shot in the wrong place”.
Last year’s Pacific Links Bear Mountain Champion Colin Montgomerie, 54, said the standards at the Bear Mountain Golf Course are “exceptionally high”. He said that Jack Nicklaus and his son Steve Nicklaus have done “a super job putting together a challenging course” requiring accuracy of the tee and position of the ball. “It’s not a sloggers golf course,” he said. The mountain-side terrain is the defining factor.
This year the 3-day championship tournament of 54 holes will not be televised, due to some funding complexities. “Whether it’s televised or not we’re going to give it 100 per cent,” Montgomerie told media. “The field (of players) is stellar,” he said. There are 78 competitors including five exemptions, three restricted, two unrestricted and four event qualifiers.
Parkins says it took 2 months for Pacific Links International to get ready to host this week’s PGA tournament. “It’s a spectacular place at Bear Mountain. The surroundings are picturesque and beautiful, and it’s a great resort with everything on site. Players don’t require a car or shuttle to get to the course or restaurants, it’s all here with their accommodation on site,” he said. Similarly, Montgomerie had high praise for the Bear Mountain Resort facility, with everything in one spot.
The local economic impact of the event is expected to be one of the largest ever in the Victoria region and certainly the largest ever in Langford. Reports indicate that the spend on hotels, food, beverage and entertainment, local supplier and services purchases, and spin-off benefits can be estimated in the $15 to $17 million range.
About 35,000 spectators throughout the week are expected to attend the event. Over 700 volunteers have been required to help pull off all the various support activities during this week and coming weekend.
A tournament daily pass for Friday-Sunday is $40+tax, including serviced charge — valid any one day of tournament rounds (Friday, Saturday or Sunday). Tickets are available online at www.PacificLinksChampionship.com
As for the region and enjoying apart from golf, Faldo remarked about vacationing on Vancouver Island with two of his daughters. Montgomerie called the overall Bear Mountain and Langford-Highlands area “one of the most beautiful places on Earth”.
The announcement was made with a formal ribbon cutting event today September 11 at the location on Westhills Way where buses on three routes will drop off and pick up riders near the YWCA and Langford Heritage branch library.
VIPs who made the official announcement at the Westhills Terminal under mid-morning bright skies were City of Langford Mayor Stew Young, BC Transit Director Susan Brice, and BC Transit President and CEO Manuel Achadinha.
Mayor Stew Young was appreciative of the working partnership with BC Transit, noting the role of political support toward success of infrastructure enhancements. Stew Young and was pleased about the enhanced transit services for Langford residents who commute to work or school, says that buses are filling up both ways. “Making it easier to get to and from Langford makes the most sense and supports the growth of our community,” Mayor Young said.
Long-time Saanich politician Susan Brice of course see the benefits to UVic and Camosun students and employees of those large institutions, both located in Saanich. “We’re glad to always be working with Langford,” she told the crowd about 40 people gathered for the occasion. In the bigger picture, Brice said that there are eight new buses in the BC Transit system this fall and 20,000 more service hours. She was pleased about increased service to the west shore, with BC Transit aiming to “keep exploring ways to improve and enhance services”.
Bus lanes and priority lanes for moving commuter traffic in and out of the town core was given support in remarks by Brice, which is good news for Langford. Stew Young pitched that an announcement about HOV lanes could be coming soon.
The official opening of the new Westhills BC Transit Terminal on Westhills Way is a jointly-funded project through the City of Langford, the Westhills Development and BC Transit. The new Westhills BC Transit Terminal is providing increased transit service from the Westshore to the University of Victoria, the Department of National Defence (DND) and Dockyard. People who work or study at UVic and Camosun College, and in all parts of Greater Victoria beyond Langford will benefit immediately by this expanded service.
The new routes are #39 Westhills-Camosun, #46 Dockyard-Westhills, and #57 Thetis Heights/Westhills. The terminal started operating last Tuesday, where there is also a park-and-ride area for vehicles. The advantage is about having multiple stops in one location in the rapidly expanding Westhills area which includes the Belmont Secondary School and nearby rugby playing fields.
Mayor Stew Young was joined by City of Langford Councillors Denise Blackwell, Lanny Seaton, and Lillian Szpak for the announcement today as well as engineering and senior staff. Also attending was District of Sooke Mayor Maja Tait who participates on the BC Transit commission as part of a west shore contingent. Westhills staff were also there for the big day.
Friday, September 8 ~ LANGFORD. A new bus terminal is opening up in the west shore!
On Monday September 11 the City of Langford, Westhills and BC Transit will officially open the new Westhills BC Transit Terminal on Westhills Way in Langford. The ribbon-cutting will be at 10 am.
The project was jointly funded by the three partners to provide increased transit service from the west shore to the University of Victoria, the Department of National Defence (DND) and Dockyard.
The new terminal is across from the YMCA building and Langford Heritage Branch library in Westhills.
Wednesday, September 6 ~ LANGFORD. Today the road crew action continues in Langford.
Langford Engineering reports that from 8:30am-2pm there will be some line-painting to remove the turnlane on Sooke Rd eastbound at Glenshire, as part of the West Shore Pkwy project.
As well, today September 6, on Happy Valley Rd at Braeburn there will be some storm drain construction from 9am-to 3 pm.
Minor traffic delays can be expected.
Municipal engineers advised of traffic delays around a small but busy street in the core Goldstream-area of Langford.
Between 7:30 am and 4:30 pm, Monday to Friday, Orono Ave will be closed (Jacklin Rd to Peatt Rd) during Monday August 28 to Friday October 13. That’s for the installation of sewers and storm drainage as well as road repaving.
Drivers are advised to use Van Isle Way for access for local traffic and business. Traffic control personnel will be on site. See traffic advisories at www.langford.ca
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