ARCHIVES – July & August 2017
Breaking News – Langford, Colwood, View Royal & Metchosin
Thursday, August 31 ~ LANGFORD. A residential break-and-enter in 2700-block Jacklin Road around 3:50 am this morning August 31 was averted by the homeowner and soon after that the police. West Shore RCMP handled in the incident in the wee hours. A 15-year-old teen girl was arrested.
Whereas in the past there have been two Assistant Superintendents reporting to SD62 Superintendent Jim Cambridge, as of August 1 a third Assistant Superintendent joined the team.
Introduced on August 29 at the first public board meeting of 2017-2018 was new Assistant Superintendent (A/S) Stephanie Hedley-Smith. She joins Paul Block and Dave Strange who were both new to the position of Assistant Superintendent for 2016-2017.
Three A/S positions makes it a lot easier to assign one ‘family of schools’ fully and directly under the purview of one administrator. The Belmont family of schools in Langford will be overseen by Hedley-Smith. The Royal Bay family of schools in Colwood will be overseen by Block. The EMCS family of schools in Sooke will be overseen by Strange.
Key aspects of their portfolios include Education Standing Committee, Information Technology and Aboriginal Education (Hedley-Smith); Distributed Learning, Curriculum, and Secondary Counselling (Block); and Alternative Education, Comprehensive School Health, and Elementary Counselling (Strange).
Also new at the board table in his first full year as Chair was Ravi Parmar. The overall meeting had an upbeat feeling not unexpected at the start of a school year. But there was an undercurrent of worries about the increasing cost of bus transportation (see Aug 30 article below). And pressure points are looming due to various ‘moving pieces’ having to do with registration tally unknowns and the space to accommodate all students in the schools.
Schools in SD62 are in Langford, Colwood and Sooke. As many as 19 portable classrooms are being set up this week ahead of the September 5 start of the 2017-2018 academic school year. A Proposed Definition Report (PDR) to justify the cost to expand Royal Bay Secondary by 600 seats (beyond the current 1,200) has been submitted to the BC government for consideration; if approved, design of the addition to Royal Bay (which opened in September 2015) could begin as early as this fall.
Wednesday, August 30 ~ LANGFORD. The growing area of Langford and the west shore of south Vancouver Island overall is pushing the population of students in School District 62 up to its highest level yet for 2017-2018.
At last night’s SD62 board meeting, it was stated by senior staff that at least 10,400 students are expected to be registered for classes in schools that operate in Langford, Colwood and Sooke. The SD62 capital plan is calling for five new schools (four elementary and one middle), and expansion to the existing Royal Bay Secondary in Colwood by 600 seats.
A subset problem within that is the upward push on the SD62 school bus transportation budget. Last year, the SD62 board accepted a lump sum of $358,000 from the BC Government on the condition that all ‘in catchment’ students would have access to no-fee ridership on the school buses. There are 38 buses in the fleet, serving 30 routes that each do two to four loops in a day; about 115 to 120 students are served by each route.
In the 2016-2017 academic year there was a shortfall of $114,000 to service the SD62 bussing system. As the $358,000 grant is — so far — expected to remain the same, with more riders this year the shortfall in the overall general budget will be greater. This takes money away from expenditure in classrooms, it was explained at the August 29 board meeting.
When there was a fee system, about one-third of the student population was taking the bus (3,200 students in 2016-2017). Now that there is no bus registration fee, SD62 Treasurer Harold Cull expects that a greater percentage of students will be registered by their families for the bus service as a “just in case” service (i.e. not all who register will be riding the bus daily).
At the June 9 early registration cutoff there were 2,900 students registered for the 2017-2018 bus service. When registration opened again in July another 600 students signed up, and a wait list was created at July 19. With expected increases in Kindergarten registration the bus ridership demand may increase to 3,500 but the system currently is set up to serve 3,300 riders.
SD62 Trustee Bob Phillips itemized that bussing costs include fuel, driver salaries and benefits, and vehicle maintenance.
This is the second year that online registration has been available for bus registration, which seems to really help expedite signups and deadline management.
There was a general feeling around the SD62 board table that an approach to the new BC NDP provincial government for an increase in bus cost support is a step that should be taken.
The low-key 10am opening today was attended by City of Langford Director of Engineering Michelle Mahovlich, who took the opportunity to see traffic going both ways while standing at the peak of the new section that allows traffic to avoid city-centre traffic areas.
The economic boon of this highway is sure to be seen and felt quickly both in Langford and in adjacent regions.
In a few more weeks the full 3.5 km West Shore Parkway will stretch fully to the Trans Canada Highway (Hwy 1). At that time there will be an official ribbon-cutting ceremony.
Wednesday, August 30. TRAFFIC ADVISORY. Taking advantage of this continued warm dry weather, some line painting is underway on Goldstream Avenue in central Langford today.
From 8 am to 4pm, between Peatt Road and Jacklin Road.
Traffic control will be on site to direct traffic. Expect some delays.
Wednesday, August 30 ~ LANGFORD. This morning a new way to travel the west shore will open at 10 am!
The West Shore Parkway mid-section will allow motorists to travel from Langford Parkway (in the Westhills area) over to Sooke Road (Highway 14).
It’s a 1.6 km stretch of brand new roadway including bike lanes and landscaping. A beautiful statement of new infrastructure that will serve not only transportation needs of the Langford and west shore region but will underpin opportunities for economic growth including jobs. Getting places faster and more easily just makes things better!
City of Langford engineering staff will be on the roadway at 10am for the opening. An official ribbon-cutting with Langford Mayor Stew Young and other dignitaries will take place in October when other sections of the overall 3.5 km hjighway are complete.
A map was released by the City of Langford engineering department yesterday to show the new section of road that opens today.
In addition to breathtaking views at a high elevation, this 1.6 km stretch of brand new roadway will provide quicker access between Langford and Sooke and beyond. Motorists will now be able to avoid going through the main sections of the Langford core particularly the nearby Jacklin Road. To some extent, traffic may also ease up on Veterans Memorial Parkway during rush hour.
As happens probably too frequently, Highway 14 experiences full closures when there are vehicle incidents on that stretch. The West Shore Parkway will be a way to re-route back into Langford rather than sitting in traffic during unforeseen incidents.
The full 3.5 km West Shore Parkway project connecting the Trans Canada (Hwy 1) to Sooke Road (Hwy 14) at Awsworth Road (just east of where the 4-lane stretch of Hwy 14 heads westward to Sooke) was first announced in July 2015, spearheaded by City of Langford Mayor Stew Young. The $22.5 million project has been funded by a 3-way partnership of federal (New Building Canada Fund – Small Communities Fund), provincial, and City funding (the city’s Road Development Cost Charge program) was the creative thrust that moved the project forward.
Mahovlich thanks all the contractors for all the segments of the project, noting in particular the work of BC Hydro crews who also were dealing with wildfires in the interior region of BC this summer.
The rest of the work: Segment 1 is the new signal light and turning lanes on Sooke Road at the West Shore Parkway as completed in December 2016. Segment 2 is the portion within the Glenshire Industrial Park, also completed last December (and as of September 1, 2017). Segment 5 – in Westhills, engineering design by On Point; construction by Windley Contracting, was completed in June of last year.
Segments 6, 7 and 9 – in Westhills and Kettle Creek development area, includes the railway crossing and then coincidental closure of the railway crossing on Humpback Road. Construction has started as of October 2016 and anticipated completion early October 2017. The public is asked not to entire active work areas and to obey all active construction signage for worker-safety.
Overall, the West Shore Parkway project is a significant contributor to lifestyle and economic development in the west shore region. When the business park at the Highway 14 end of the West Shore Parkway is completed, as many as 3,000 jobs are expected to be generated.
Meanwhile, people can travel more directly and more quickly to jobs and families along the new picturesque corridor. Bike lanes also included, and access to the popular playground in Westhills.
Saturday, August 26 ~ LANGFORD. Green Man Bikes opened in July, taking over from the previous shop owner at the same location (3202A Happy Valley Road).
New owner Eric Bushell was the bike service mechanic for years under the previous owner.
New bike sales and repair and restoration services with a friendly smile, that’s what Green Man Bikes offers and is quickly being known for.
The store is located close to the Galloping Goose and enjoys the continued patronage of many long-time customers including Premier John Horgan who lives in the vicinity!
Bushell is concerned about safety issues on that stretch of Sooke Road (provincial Highway 14) near his store and hopes his input to MLA and MP will help get things changed soon.
Friday, August 25. The Pacific Links Bear Mountain Championship will return to Victoria, BC for 2017 during the week of Monday September 11 through Sunday September 17. The event will once again be played at The Westin Bear Mountain Golf Resort & Spa.
Last year, the 2016 event was a great success, with 81 of the top PGA TOUR Champions players competing for one of the season’s highest purses of US $2.5 million. Over 27,000 spectators come out to watch the largest event held on Vancouver Island, with the support from over 600 volunteers from the community that made the event possible. All three competitive rounds of tournament play were broadcast live by the Golf Channel to more than 200 million homes in 84 countries around the world.
This week, six-time major champion Sir Nick Faldo has added international star power to the event He was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1997, having one of the best careers of any European player in golf history. With six major championships, more than 40 tournament victories and a total of 98 weeks as the world’s number one golfer, Faldo has cemented his legacy as the most successful golfer that Britain has ever produced. Through the creation of Faldo Enterprises, the 60-year-old has also become a prolific success off the course. Faldo has also launched a new career as a television commentator, which has resulted in lead analyst positions for CBS and the Golf Channel.
Events like this high-profile golf tournament serve to shed light on the south Vancouver Island region, particularly Langford as one of the fastest-growing cities in BC if not in Canada.
Senior staff in engineering delivered speeches to a quiet attentive room at the Bear Mountain Westin Resort. Around 7pm Langford Mayor Stew Young addressed the crowd of Victor’s family, friends, Langford staff and associates, and community leaders. His short 5-minute speech honoured the hard work and vision of Chen whose legacy is virtually every major project and development in Langford over the past 20 years.
Here are Mayor Stew Young’s remarks, inspiring to the crowd, in a measured tone:
“On behalf of Council, staff and the residents of Langford, thank you for coming here today. We’re all here today to pay respects to Victor Chen and his family.
Victor was one of those people…., one of the originals that I relied on heavily for the vision and the transformation of Langford. And that is what is seen today. He worked on every large project that Langford has completed. His knowledge and expertise was unmatched. He was able to work with developers, residents and business people and was considered a friend to all.
Victor has such a great legacy with his can-do attitude, and his impeccable work ethic. And that’s what we should all strive to do, to be like Victor Chen as we get up in the morning and we do things for our community. He was the number one example. And as I said, one of the originals here in Langford, 20 years ago, that’s why we’re all here today and have such a great outpouring of support for the family.
Joyce, Amy and Andy. You can be very proud of Victor, and his accomplishments as we all are here. We are all here to support your family in this difficult time. You will always be welcome as part of the Langford family. We have a special presentation here. What we do in the city, we give out pins for service. It’s very appropriate, that we have a 20-year pin here for Victor — our very first 20-year pin. Thank you for everything that Victor has done for our community.
Langford’s a great place because of certain people and individuals. I can’t say enough about Victor. He was a great friend. I’m honoured to be here today to tell you we’ll carry on his legacy in Langford in the future. Always make sure that you have respect for your coworkers like Victor did. Have respect for anybody that you work with in daily life. And Victor, he did that. He was such a great guy, and a great friend. Moving forward in Langford, if everybody could do that, we’d all be living in a better community.”
Afterward folks mingled for refreshments and chatter. A book of condolences was available to sign, also available at Langford City Hall.
Wednesday, August 23 ~ WEST SHORE. A suspicious death investigation is underway following the discovery of a body today August 23 in Metchosin. Around noon, West Shore RCMP were led to a scene where they discovered a deceased adult man in the area of Mallock Rd.
The Vancouver Island Integrated Major Crime Unit, with the assistance of the West Shore RCMP’s General Investigation Section and General Duty members, are now investigating this death where foul play is suspected.
This investigation is in its early stages. No further information can be shared at this time. In the meantime investigators would like to hear from anyone who may have information regarding this suspicious death.
Anyone with information about this incident is asked to contact West Shore RCMP at 250-474-2264 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or www.victoriacrimestoppers.ca
Monday, August 21 ~ LANGFORD. Long-time City of Langford employee Victor Chen, Manager, Engineering Construction, died suddenly of natural causes this past weekend.
The City of Langford is holding a Celebration of Life in Victor’s memory on Wednesday, August 23 at Bear Mountain Westin from 4 to 8 pm.
Victor started with the City in May 1997 and was in his 20th year of employment. This afternoon the City lowered their flag to half-mast in Victor’s honour.
“I am deeply saddened to say that the City of Langford lost a long and loyal employee on Saturday when our Construction Manager Victor Chen passed away suddenly in his home with his family,” said Michelle Mahovlich, Director of Engineering.
“Victor worked on virtually all of the City’s construction projects and he touched the lives of all of our local contractors during his tenure at the City. Tributes have already been coming in to the City this morning,” said Mahovlich.
The city estimates about 10,000 to 12,000 people attended the 5-hour walkabout (10 am to 3 pm) to view old classic cars and muscle vehicles. The weather was pretty much perfect for the long stroll along Goldstream Avenue between Veterans Memorial Parkway and Peatt Rd, as well as along Peatt Road. There was sunshine and just a light breeze with a temperature around 23°C.
People enjoyed a wide range of vehicles. Mayor Stew Young said his favourite is the old fire truck that was purchased in finished mint condition by the City. It was displayed center-stage near the fountain on Goldstream, complete with dalmation dog (a stuffie) and fire hydrants.
Next year there will be room for more cars, with pre-registration online where registrants can choose a pre-determined location for their vehicles. This will help with some of the complexities of setting up over 200 vehicles in short order, and avoid having to turn away late arrivals. Next year the cars may also be organized in sections by decade: 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s.
Most of the food and beverage establishments were open for the event, plus food trucks in for the day. Lots of people brought lawn chairs and just sat with their vehicles and people-watched. Lots of families, kids and dogs.
Each year the City staff work really hard to set up the car show, this year arriving at 5 am to make sure everything was in place.
Saturday, August 19 ~ LANGFORD. FEATURE by WEST SHORE VOICE NEWS. Many mountains are moved in Langford on a regular basis, some more quietly than others. Business is always at the heart of it, with jobs and housing as integral components.
The ripping-fast growing city on Vancouver Island’s west shore moves by leaps and bounds, generated largely under the momentum of Mayor Stew Young in one way or another.
A facilitator of business partnerships, just this week Young made the TV news about attracting the interest of Camosun College to bring a post-secondary campus to Langford and seeing Langford end up with an arena and affordable housing or campus accommodation.
If a bid by the Victoria Commonwealth Games committee is successful in achieving funds for its $955 million budget (deadline Sept 30, partnering federal, provincial and municipal funds) that would leave behind both recreational upgrades and an athlete’s village after the 2022 event. Land options are on McCallum Road and Leigh Road. Vancouver-based Seacliff Properties is an interested developer.
The key to Stew Young’s strategies is acting upon the integration of observations, such as seeing transportation congestion problems being alleviated by providing more jobs and education opportunities locally. For years he has talked about bringing government offices to Langford, to save many workers the commute to downtown Victoria. Think big, then do the details.
And for post-secondary, 3,200 students at Camosun (in regular programs and Continuing Education) currently live in the west shore but travel by car, bus or bike to two campuses elsewhere in the region.
“We have had preliminary discussions with Mayor Young to discuss strengthening our presence in Langford and the West Shore,” says Geoff Wilmshurst, VP Partnerships, Camosun College. “We currently run courses at Belmont Secondary with approximately 200 students accessing these courses, but we would like to be able to offer more. “This is all contingent on the provincial government being supportive and at this time we have not had an opportunity to meet with the new government and to learn if they have an interest in Camosun expanding our presence there,” said Wilmshurst on Friday.
Likewise, Langford seeks a commitment from the NDP provincial government regarding funding to start some of those 114,000 affordable housing units that were promised during the 2017 provincial election campaign. About 1,700 units of accommodation could get underway in Langford, starting as an athlete’s village with about half of that then becoming campus accommodation afterward (and the rest available to market as affordable housing). Partnership funding from the BC government would be needed. Langford does know how to build, and it would ably set the stage for launching the NDP government promise with a shining star performance.
To build the 114,000 units province-wide, Young figures it will take about $15 billion. The provincial budget will come in the fall, after the BC legislature resumes. This week NDP Finance Minister Carole James was reluctant to commit BC dollars to the Commonwealth Games bid (a $400 million ask).
Stew Young says it’s important to see “what’s going to be left over in the end”, i.e. the legacy for the community after the Games are done. He sees provincial and federal support for the athelete’s village as important to building Langford where sports are a key activity including training for rugby, cycling, golf and tennis.
“Langford is a place where people and businesses are proud to be a part of,” said Stew Young as part of his remarks at Friday’s move-across-the-street relocation celebration of Expedia CruiseShipsCenters. He thanked the travel agency for choosing Langford for a branch office six years ago and explained that “as businesses grow in Langford, we support you, and that helps Langford be successful”.
Langford has been seen in recent years as offering a welcoming approach to business, such as start-up tax holidays for large incoming retail operations, perpetual (pay only once) business licences for all sizes of business, and amenity fee reductions for developers.
Thursday, August 17 ~ LANGFORD. A popular event in the growing community of Langford… coming up this Sunday, August 20. The weather forecast for Sunday looks good… a high of 20°C and little chance of rain.
The 7th Annual City of Langford Show & Shine, held ‘at the Fountain’ on Goldstream Avenue, will be held from 10am to 3pm. Live band, food trucks on site. As many as 170 classic and muscle cars from 1975 and earlier, on display.
The Goldstream Food bank will be collecting non-perishable food items. The Wounded Warriors Old Timer Race Car will be on site, collecting donations and providing information about their organization.
Road closures on Sunday: Goldstream Ave from Veterans Memorial Parkway, to Peatt Rd. Parking available at City Hall, PM Bikes, & Claude Rd. More: www.langford.ca/carshow
For Wednesday, August 16 ~ TRAFFIC IN LANGFORD:
- Wednesday, August 16 – Irwin Rd between Humpback Rd and Creekside Trail | 9:00am & 4:00pm | Traffic Delay – test holes
- Wednesday, August 16 to Wednesday, September 06 – Peatt Rd between Arncote Ave & Brock Ave | 7:00am to 4:00pm | Traffic Delay – Roadside Construction
- Friday, August 18 – Jacklin Rd between Jenkins Ave and Terlane Ave | 9:00am to 3:00pm | Traffic Delay – Roadside Construction
Tuesday, August 15 ~ METCHOSIN. Talk about fire experiences! The Metchosin Fire Department will host a talk tonight, August 15, by their own firefighters who were deployed to the Caribou Fires in the BC Interior in recent weeks. Free to attend, 7 to 9pm. Everyone welcome, says Metchosin Fire Chief and Emergency Program Coordinator Stephanie Dunlop.
Metchosin Fire holds public information sessions pretty much throughout the year, about once a month on Tuesday evenings. Topics have ranged from earthquake preparedness to fire-smart for rural properties, as well as safe driving. www.metchosinfire.ca
Saturday, August 12 ~ LANGFORD. The 7th Annual Langford Show and Shine is coming up Sunday August 20 in downtown Langford. The event runs 10 am to 3 pm in the centre of town on Goldstream Avenue. There is no fee to attend or register your vehicle. More info: www.cityoflangford.ca/carshow .
Road Closure: Goldstream Avenue, from Peatt Road to Veterans Memorial Parkway, portions of both Bryn Maur Road and Claude Road will be closed to all through traffic from 7am to 4pm. Peatt Road will be congested; use an alternate route.
Bicycles & Pets: Walking or riding your bike will not be allowed in the event area. Bike racks are available on sidewalks. Well-behaved furry friends are welcome but please have them on a leash.
Community Support: Wounded Warriors will be on site for information and promotion. Goldstream Food Bank will be on site to accept non-perishable food items and/or cash donations. The Ready Willing Band will play live 11am to 2 pm at the Fountain.
Register your Vehicle. All Classic and Muscle Cars and Trucks from 1975 and earlier welcome. *NEW* Registration: In lieu of paying a registration fee, non-perishable food and financial contributions for Goldstream Food Bank AND/OR Wounded Warriors will be accepted.
Register early, only 170 spots available! Dash plaques available.Register online at http://apps.cityoflangford.ca/ShowAndShineRegistration or call 250-478-7882 .
Public Parking: Langford City Hall, 877 Goldstream Avenue and on Claude and Danbrook Roads. Registration does not reserve a parking spot, parking is on a first-come basis.
Thursday, August 3 ~ LANGFORD. The heat wave saw record-breaking temperatures yesterday in most parts of BC. It reached 32°C in parts of Langford yesterday.
In Langford today there is a smoky sky air warning, with a temperature of 24°C at 10 am (feels like 26°C), heading up to 27°C by mid-afternoon. A low of 16°C is in the forecast for the overnight.
Today the weather out in Sooke was a bit cooler by the ocean. Ahead of 10 am the temperature was 20°C (dropping a bit to 17°C at 10am due to smoky-sky cloud cover). By mid-day there it will be 25°C (feeling like 28°C).
For your health in such hot conditions: stay cool (indoors or in shade where possible), stay hydrated (drink water before you feel thirsty), and avoid direct sun exposure (wear hat and long sleeves).
If going outdoors, wear sunscreen, as the UV-level is posted as Very High. Also wear UV-protective eyewear.
Weather graphic from The Weather Network, August 3.
[Read this fullarticle in the Aug 4, 2017 issue of West Shore Voice News or continue below…]
The West Shore Parkway is set to open by early October. It will be a corridor for traffic from the TransCanada (Highway 1), across the top of Langford, over to Sooke Road (Highway 14). Industrial and residential developments along the route point to future jobs, economic opportunities, and further housing supply in the rapidly growing City of Langford and surrounding regions.
Indeed, August 2 broke temperature records as the hottest day of the year on Vancouver Island so far, if not for this day on record. Together with the haze and thick air of smoky skies from wildfire debris, and at high noon under very high UV conditions, it was a symbolic statement of the effort that a city – partnered with other levels of government and coordinated with the private sector – will make to foster economic development and security for its community.
“The West Shore Parkway extension will improve traffic in Langford’s downtown core and the West Shore,” says Mayor Young. “It will promote further residential development with a variety of housing options, and provide existing and new residents with a number of alternative transportation choices via the new bike lanes, sidewalks and transit stops,” he said.
At full build-out the industrial park under construction at West Shore Parkway and Highway 14 is expected to produce up to 3,000 jobs. Langford and nearby Sooke are considered two of the most affordable areas to live on south Vancouver Island. The Housing Price Index in July showed $592,300 for a single family home in Langford [actual sales average $670,299], while in Sooke the HPI was $479,100 [actual sales average $519,392], compared to an HPI of $700,800 in overall Greater Victoria [$868,008]. This lower price-point for housing in the west shore region helps when it comes to attracting employees to the region for those new jobs.
The West Shore Parkway extension project (first announced in July 2015) carries a price tag of $22,352,570 as funded in thirds … the Government of Canada and Province of BC are each contributing $7,450,856 with the City of Langford pitching in the other nearly $7.5 million with the support of regional developers.
Under the new BC NDP government, a promise of 114,000 new housing units in BC over the next 10 years is now open to be fulfilled. This is of interest to the Langford municipality that has proven their expertise with fast-tracking permits (48-hours) and zoning/rezoning applications (within three months), and to get cracking with increasing housing supply, including rental units. For over a decade, almost no rental units were constructed in the core areas of Greater Victoria; Langford has in the last couple of years taken the lead in fleshing out the availability of apartment units and multi-family housing (such as townhomes, condos and duplexes).
“BC’s new Premier John Horgan has seen Langford’s housing development up close,” says Mayor Young. “We can work with his government to help him fulfill his government’s housing goals in a region that needs and is ready to support the creation of more jobs and housing supply.” Young also appreciates that Premier Horgan is supportive to expanding Highway 14 – the road to Sooke – to the desired four-lanes all the way between the two communities. Effective transportation underpins the creation of jobs and a variety of housing options.
In the summer sunshine today, Minister Sohi said: “I’m happy to be visiting Langford. The federal government is interested in economic opportunity for jobs and a stronger middle class,” said Sohi. He was keen to get boots on the ground to further understand how municipalities, BC and the federal governments can work together. He was impressed to see how the federal government’s investment in road infrastructure would contribute to community growth, and new residential and commercial development.
A former Edmonton city councillor for eight years, Minister Sohi sees infrastructure as a catalyst for growth. He likes to tour projects in local communities. “We need to be at the grassroots, to meet with local leaders,” he told West Shore Voice News.
Ahead of seeing the road construction, Minister Sohi had met with Langford Mayor and Council in the morning to discuss the impact of infrastructure and what Langford might be seeking to do next. Both Minister Sohi and Mayor Young found the meeting productive. Sohi was excited about how sewer and water infrastructure could rapidly open up the region to supply more affordable housing.
Langford Mayor Stew Young says there are always shovel-ready projects that Langford can proceed with, when grant funds come through for partnership with other levels of government. A priority goal is to receive a grant funding partnership contribution for sewer and water servicing to the business park and residential areas underway for development at West Shore Parkway and Highway 14. “This is important for affordability and the economy in the west shore,” says Young.
Stew Young takes a regional view. Adjacent to Langford are several municipalities with flavours of their own. Metchosin maintains itself as rural with farming. Highlands has its trees and mountains. Sooke offers the getaway lifestyle and overall affordability. In Mayor Young’s view, the two expanding communities of Langford and Sooke are well-suited to accommodate growth where it supports jobs and more housing supply. And that comes back to infrastructure.
“Minister Sohi thinks like we do out here,” said Stew Young. “As a former municipal councillor he understands how hard it is to get things done. He knows how infrastructure contributes to jobs and economic opportunity.” Says Mayor Young about his municipality that is always ready: “We’re not afraid to take anything on,” he said, adding that municipalities are often the biggest hindrance to affordable housing and housing supply development. Young enthusiastically pitched to the federal minister that Langford is a desirable place for federal infrastructure investment, putting some dollars into western Canada where the economic spin-offs could be strong, high-profile and quick.
Also discussed by Minister Sohi and Langford’s mayor and council on Wednesday morning were possibilities for rapid transit (along the E&N) that is “green and sustainable”, said Sohi. “I respect that decisions are made at the local level and that it’s appropriate to understand the realities,” he said regarding infrastructure partnerships with local governments. He says the federal Liberal government is investing close to $20 billion in public transit across Canada, to help build sustainable communities.
Just two days ago, the nearby Irwin Road extension was opened without fanfare. But City of Langford Engineer Michelle Mahovlich says there was a lot of cheering and waving to engineering staff from ‘happy residents’ driving through for the first time. Mahovlich acknowledges and appreciates the hard work of all the local contractors to make that project happen. The extension connects Irwin Road from Humpback Road east to Meridian and then east to the West Shore Parkway.
Opening of the West Shore Parkway right through to Sooke Road may be delayed into October. That’s to await BC Hydro crews that are presently working in the BC interior wildfire zone.
Sohi continued on his infrastructure tour on Wednesday afternoon, heading with his staff to Duncan and Nanaimo. His upisland trip included meetings with new BC Ministers Claire Trevena (Transportation and Infrastructure) and Selina Robinson (Municipal Affairs and Housing). All part of the grid for smart expansion of communities for jobs and economic growth and sustainability. Mayor Stew Young says Langford is open to working on joint island transportation projects with the province, and chatted yesterday with Minister Trevena about that.
Wednesday, August 2 ~ LANGFORD. Early morning, already a hazy smoky sky in the area due to wind bringing over particulate from the BC Interior wildfires. Already 23°C by 7 am, the forecasted high today is as much as 30°C and The Weather Network says the UV Index is very high.
People with heart and lung health challenges are advised to stay indoors (in cool, air filtered conditions if possible), according to an Island Health release yesterday. If outdoors, stay hydrated and avoid over-exertion, and seek shade where possible. Wear sunscreen, hat and UV-protective eyewear.
Monday, July 31. TRAFFIC ALERT. Tonight the new concrete deck for the Galloping Goose Trail bridge will be poured. All travellers — including drivers, pedestrians and cyclists — are advised that McKenzie Avenue will be closed while construction crews pour the new concrete deck as part of the McKenzie Interchange Project.
McKenzie Avenue will be closed tonight, Monday, July 31, between Burnside Road West and Highway 1 from 11 p.m. tonight until 5:30 a.m. tomorrow morning, Tuesday, Aug. 1.
Traffic on McKenzie Avenue bound for Highway 1 will be able to turn onto Burnside Road. Traffic heading toward McKenzie Avenue from Admirals will be directed to turn onto Highway 1.
Travellers along Highway 1 will be able to exit at Helmcken, Interurban or Tillicum instead of McKenzie Avenue.
Please plan to use alternative routes and allow for extra time. For up-to-date traffic advisories, visit: www.drivebc.ca
Thursday, July 27 ~ HIGHLANDS. Today July 27 around 7:30 am West Shore RCMP responded to a two-vehicle collision on Millstream Road near Stewart Mountain Road, in Highlands.
BC Ambulance Service, Highlands Fire Rescue and other assisting emergency personnel responded and determined the collision involved a SUV and motorcycle. The driver of the motorcycle was transported by ambulance to the hospital where he later succumbed to his injuries. The driver of the SUV was not seriously injured.
The South Island Traffic Services Collision Analyst and West Shore RCMP Traffic Section examined the collision scene and will be interviewing witnesses to further the police investigation. The area of Millstream Road near Stewart Mountain Road was closed to traffic and reopened at 12:20 pm. The cause of the collision remains under investigation, says Cpl. Chris Dovell.
Anyone with information is urged to contact West Shore RCMP, or Crimestoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS).
Friday, July 21 ~ WEST SHORE. Cell phone reception issues?
If you’ve been having finicky issues in recent weeks with your Rogers cell phone service, help is on the way!
Rogers says that tomorrow (Saturday July 22) there will be network upgrade work done on the equipment on about half their towers in the south-Vancouver Island area ranging from west of Sooke to View Royal, in Saanich, and out to Brentwood Bay.
In the past six months they’ve had 17 complaint-calls about degrading service in the west shore and south island area. That’s considered a high volume. And so it’s about to get fixed.
Horgan has worked hard to become widely known throughout the province, and seemed notably relaxed, humbly inspired and clearly excited in this new role during the swearing-in ceremony.
The new cabinet includes Ministers in new portfolios such as Mental Health and Addictions as well as an expanded Ministry called Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations, and Rural Development. David Eby is now the Attorney General. Carole James is the Minister of Finance and Deputy-Premier. Heading up the Education ministry is Rob Fleming.
The new Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing is Selena Robinson, who will need to look at housing supply for its immediate and long-term challenges.
Among those attending the special event at Government House were Langford Mayor Stew Young and west shore area developer Jim Hartshorne.
An event at which the public could meet and mingle with their new premier was held later, at the BC Parliament Building after 5pm.
See full feature article about the July 18 swearing-in ceremony on the BC news page of this website (July 19 entry).
Last night at Langford Council the room was packed to the rafters, probably about 100 people. There was concern among some of the public that a particular piece of property at 3130 Jacklin Road was fairly soon going to have 13 subdivided lots and a much higher density than people who bought larger lots in the area had banked on.
Turns out it was just a request for rezoning (Bylaw Amendment No 483) without any plans for subdivision, at the preference of the property-owner applicant. However, the documentation that had been published in advance of the meeting did include the 13-lot sketch which was apparently only for discussion purposes following a discussion between the applicant and city staff.
Langford council meetings are usually perfunctory and swift, even the public hearing portions. But this July 17 meeting ran almost three hours as Mayor Stew Young encouraged as much input as the public wanted to give, and the meeting format fell into a more relaxed mode of back-and-forth with the public than is normally the case at Langford meetings. Skillful management of the meeting flow allowed for all opinions to be tossed into the mix. At the end of it, resolved and approved by Council.
Through it all other details surfaced such as the West Shore Parkway completion date targeted for the end of September which will help with traffic flow between Hwy 1 and Hwy 14 without people having through the Langford core area. That will help ease commuter traffic on Jacklin Road and the stretch of Sooke Road between Veteran Memorial Parkway and Happy Valley Road.
“We make sure we understand our road networks,” Mayor Young told the full room in council chambers. He said that millions of dollars have been invested in the Jacklin Road corridor over the years including bike lanes and sidewalks, and with his trademark visionary style: “Don’t envision Jacklin Road the way it is now.”
The usual swirl of public comment emerges from the public about how Langford is changing. The dust from construction and frequent traffic congestion are frequently protested, as well as the changing density of the town core area with more multi-family developments.
In defense of the growth, Stew Young told the public at Monday night’s council meeting: “Developments have paid for what we’re doing now. You’ll see a market improvement (in things overall),” he said. He also promoted the relative affordability of Langford housing. “We have lower prices here because we’re doing supply,” he said, itemizing small lots and suites. He said a 3% to 5% increase in house values in Langford is a good thing for homeowners, quoting a $463,000 average assessed value of homes in Langford. “That’s what we tax on.”
House prices in Langford are the second-lowest in the Greater Victoria area, with only housing prices in farther-out Sooke being lower. The actual raw sales average of 96 houses sold in Langford in June 2017 was $679,155 (HPI data-adjusted price promoted by the Greater Victoria Real Estate Board is $579,000). In Sooke the raw sales average of 38 homes that sold in June was $469,322 (HPI was $463,500).
Other items approved by Council on Monday night included a 36-month Temporary Use Permit (up from 18 months as recommended by the Planning, Zoning and Affordable Housing Committee at their July 10 meeting) for Victoria Hyundai to have a vehicle showroom in the parking lot at the West Shore Town Centre. This follows in an interesting way along the lines of comments made by Architecture Professor Avi Friedman at an economic forum in Langford last weekend that the role of shopping malls is shifting in the wake of changes like online shopping.
Two resolutions from the June 27th Protective Services Committee (chaired by Councillor Lillian Szpak) were approved by Council — to accept the West Shore RCMP Annual Year End Report and the RCMP Municipal Contract Policing Multi-Year Plan (which will see an increase of four more police officers for a special on-bicycle unit to in particular police the Langford core area). And the Cherish seniors living complex got their liquor licence approved for happy hour.
Another stride forward for Langford took place this weekend. A seminar on community innovation and sustainability through a focus on housing was held on a sunny summer Saturday morning, July 15, at which the enthusiasm for action was palpable.
The presenter for this Economic Forum 2017 was Avi Friedman, Ph.D., a world-renowned Montreal-based Canadian architect whose ideas in housing and design are applied in many cities in a range of development projects. Housing innovation is often the backbone for cities to take the next step forward for improving livability and economic sustainability.
Such is the case for Langford. Friedman had been invited back to Langford this week to once again feed some ideas into the municipal leadership process and development community. In the west shore area of south Vancouver Island, Langford is a fast-growing city with now over 40,000 residents. It is one of 13 municipalities in the Capital Regional District (CRD).
The 1.5 hour presentation followed by questions was an opportunity for learning and exploration for a broad-spectrum audience of elected officials, developers, school board reps, business people and the general public. The gathering of over 100 people viewed a slide show of innovative housing examples from Friedman’s travels around the world, dressed around the edges with Friedman’s missives of inspiration about the changes in today’s society and economy.
Changes in today’s society and economy – notably demographics of people living longer and the upcoming power-surge of the Millennial generation — are driving progressive communities to rethink how people live in increasingly densified communities. And more specifically, about types of housing design that work in a multi-family development framework.
Without exactly specifying this domino effect, Friedman was essentially outlining how design informs function, function informs action, and action is taken by community leaders and ultimately the people. Ultimately, it’s not just about lifestyle options, but that when clustered in larger cities there is a supportive tax base for other services that enrich the region, such as enhanced transportation networks.
In response to the affordable housing challenge, Dr Friedman has written much and designed a lot. The author of 18 books on housing and community design, he is known for concepts like the ‘Grow Home’ concept (offering about 1,000 sqft living area) and the live-work housing style.
In recent years, live-work housing has popped up in Langford. One example is workshop or office space on the full main, with loft-style condo above. As well, there are several apartment buildings going up in the Langford core area, slightly set back to help keep a human-scale walkability in the downtown core along Goldstream Avenue and sidestreets immediately off that main avenue.
So after seeing Friedman invited back to reinspire Langford to the next level – he led a meeting with the City of Langford and west shore developers ahead of presenting to the public – it was important to ask: How much of what you spoke about or recommended five or six years ago have you seen come to pass in Langford on your revisit this week?
Said Friedman to West Shore Voice (WSV): “Many of the ideas and the direction that I suggested in the area of affordable housing have been followed. Langford is one of the most affordable communities in the region. Ideas regarding the urban renewal of the core have also been followed such as maintaining good urban scale, having a strong mixed use aspect, and attractive streetscaping.”
And some other questions for the effusive architect with the showman style (you can almost see the ideas spinning in his head!):
- WSV: Will you be providing specific design ideas to developers in the Langford area, in-line with the concepts you spoke about today (and showed on the slides from other cities)? Friedman: In the past few day I demonstrated several points of reference. I regard these as a “menu” of ideas from which the developers can select the ones most relevant to their sites and capacity to build.
- WSV: When you met with developers yesterday, what sort of designs or other community concepts did they seem most interested in? Friedman: They were very interested in the “green” concepts such as net-zero buildings. We had a long discussion about adopting these ideas and bringing them to Langford.
- WSV: Some of the new live-work homes in Langford are vertically-oriented, i.e. with lots of stairs. In your overall live-work concept, how does that jive with the long-living aging generation … with people still working toward or past the traditional retirement age? Friedman: That’s a good point. All projects can be build with ground floor accessible units for seniors. They may have a ground level floor units without stairs.
And here’s why Avi Friedman speaks so highly of Mayor Stew Young and the progress made in Langford. It’s a mutual playing field of respect and innovation:
In this region, people know that Stew Young is about getting stuff done. “We as politicians and bureaucrats will be able to do more for our community than wasting more money on studies, regional strategy documents, cumbersome regulations that every municipality does and for the most part collect dust on a shelf,” said Young.
“We need to change the old ways if we are to tackle affordability and sustainability,” says Young. “With regular seminars on housing innovation and planning from world renowned professionals like Avi Friedman, this will bring fresh ideas directly to the people of Langford and to the development community.”
“As politicians we can better provide change at a local level along with support from the provincial government to tackle affordability and sustainability,” Mayor Young told West Shore Voice News after seeing – not surprisingly – the level of interest in the seminar and among developers the day before.
“Langford is looking to the future and this weekend’s session is the start of the new way forward. Innovation with action is our future,” said Young with his trademark visionary energy.
The City of Langford has established a pattern of offering tax breaks to developers who innovate and create housing in a more affordable price-range, including rentals. Construction of new rental apartment buildings had come to a virtual standstill in Greater Victoria area in the past 15 to 20 years. In the last couple of years once that long post-recession period finally settled down apartments are being constructed in Langford as fast as they can go up (including some distinctly developed as affordable housing). There is also a range of other multi-family types of development including duplexes, townhomes and condos.
The application process is handled quickly. And recommendations through the Langford Planning, Zoning and Affordable Housing Committee are well-considered then promptly sent on to Langford Council for consideration and approval. By the time proposed zoning and permits have reached Council, all of Council is familiar with the details and benefits to the community based on full reports from planning and engineering staff, and most projects are approved quickly.
Construction of single-family homes and multi-family developments dropped dramatically in Langford during the recession in 2009 and really only started picking up in 2014 (with notable of multi-family in 2011 and 2014, much of that by Keycorp Developments in their various project areas on the west shore). Of the housing built in 2016, over half was single-family homes but a big chunk was multi-family. In terms of volume, construction of new commercial-industrial buildings was fairly consistent during 2009-2016 (with a bit of an uptick in 2011 and 2014).
In fact, the word ‘affordability’ may not always be associated with the housing side of development in Langford, said Mayor Young after Avi Friedman’s presentation this weekend. He proposes that the Langford region can work toward having a range of housing that covers off all price ranges, without having to stigmatize one area of housing or type of housing as ‘affordable’ compared to others.
There was some discussion in the question period following Friedman’s presentation about economic models and how a tax base is structured to provide broader community amenities. While always trying to lower taxes is a political philosophy subscribed to by some, the new way forward will count on people being willing to pay a bit more taxes in taxes if they can see enhanced services from that.
In his closing remarks, Mayor Young thanked Avi Friedman for the presentation and inspiration. As well, Langford’s long-time mayor really honed in on Premier-designate John Horgan’s promise of 114,000 new housing units in BC through an NDP government over the next 10 years. On the campaign trail, Horgan said back in April of this year that the new housing initiative would include new rental, co-op, social, and owner-purchase homes. The housing development funding and opportunities would be created through partnerships with business and developers, and other levels of government.
Premier-designate Horgan has already seen the leading edge of that sort of development up close, as he lives in Langford where he’s been the MLA of what is now the Langford-Juan de Fuca electoral area since 2005.
Says Stew Young: “This is a provincial government that Langford can piggy-back on.” Over 60% of jobs in the Langford area are blue-collar jobs that are directly in or associated with the construction industry, he says.
Earlier this year, the BC Rental Housing Coalition released a report saying $1.8 billion per year would be needed to be invested over 10 years to address the provincial housing crisis. In particular, the group’s report suggested that 7,000 rental units per year would be required over the next decade. At the time, the NDP indicated that new revenues to handle big new expenditures from the public purse could include a 1% hike in the corporate tax rate, reinstatement of a high-income surtax that at one time generated $250 million per year, and a 2% speculation tax.
Attending from Langford city council were long-time Councillors Denise Blackwell, Lanny Seaton, Winnie Sifert, and Lillian Szpak. From the SD62 school board was their new chair Ravi Parmar, and Trustee Dianna Seaton.
There were several business and development community players including Patrick Marshall of Capital EDC and Cathy Noel of Bear Mountain property sales. Several senior staff from the City of Langford attended and helped host the event which was held in the ballroom at the Four Point Sheraton, 10 am to 12 noon.
As well, there will be a public open house from 5 to 7 pm at the BC Legislature to meet and mingle with the new cabinet and Premier. including tours to areas of the legislature that are usually accessible, such as the library and speakers hallway around the chamber.
As Premier, John Horgan will briefly speak just after 5pm in the legislature’s Hall of Honour.
Wednesday, July 12 ~ SOOKE to LANGFORD. Due to a brush fire, Highway 14 (Sooke Road) has been closed to through-traffic both eastbound and westbound since about 3:30 pm this afternoon, July 12. The wildfire was being dealt with in the forest around 4700-block Hwy 14 (near West Coast Tire), just east of Kangaroo Road. One house went up in flames. But no persons, pets or livestock have been harmed.
Five fire departments have sent crews to deal with the brush fire, accompanied by six BC government forestry workers — all with the support of two helicopters. By 6 pm this evening the fire was contained but still active.
The traffic detour along Happy Valley Road, Rocky Point Road and Gillespie Road was still in effect as of 6 pm.
The cause of the brush fire is not confirmed. However, some drivers in the area reported that a motor home was dragging something along the highway, giving off sparks. Langford firefighters reportedly have discovered several little spot fires along a 2km stretch of the highway. Highway 14 is heavily traveled by daily commuters, mobile business service providers, transport trucks, and tourist vehicles.
The fire departments of Sooke, Langford and Metchosin just this week agreed to provide mutual aid to each of the others’ municipal areas, in case of a personnel shortfall. Due to a high number of wildfires in the BC interior (on the mainland), some firefighters may be called to deal with that, leaving Sooke, Langford and Metchosin potentially short-staffed.
Some firefighting personnel left the island yesterday for the BC Interior. Firefighters from North Saanich, Sidney and View Royal will be doing shifts of 6 to 14 days in the interior region.
Today in a daily update from the BC Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations it was announced that one of the reasons 300 firefighting personnel have been brought in from other parts of Canada is to give BC firefighters occasional breaks. That’s to help pace the firefighting resources (personnel and equipment) through what is expected to be a high-incidence summer fire season.
As of today, 183 wildfires are burning in BC. That’s down from over 200 on the weekend. Of the current fires, about 20 are ‘of note’ (large enough to cause concern for possible danger to persons and property, and potentially requiring evacuation).
Wednesday, July 12 ~ COLWOOD. A report of a robbery on the trail system in the 1700-block of Island Hwy (near border of Colwood and View Royal) is being investigated by West Shore RCMP.
Police were notified by a concerned citizen just after 8:00 a.m. this morning, July 12, after encountering a woman with visible facial injuries. The victim reported that she was robbed while travelling on the trail.
Numerous police resources were deployed, including the Police Dog Service, Community Policing Section, Traffic Unit, several plain clothes officer and even the Officer in Charge of West Shore Detachment. The victim’s purse was located by the police service dog Dash [RCMP photo of Dash from last year].
RCMP say the woman was transported to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
Any information can be reported to West Shore RCMP at 250-474-2264 or anonymously to Crime Stoppers .
Thursday, July 6 ~ VICTORIA. BC Premier-designate John Horgan and his cabinet will be sworn in at Government House on July 18, 2017 at 2 p.m.
No MLA names for the new cabinet have been released yet. However it is widely expected that the cabinet will not be comprised exclusively of NDP MLAs, but will also include one or more BC Liberal and BC Green MLAs.
This is part of Horgan’s effort to demonstrate — as he told the Lieutenant Governor — that he has the confidence of the legislative assembly.
“We are excited to deliver on our commitments. That’s why we are working as quickly as possible to give British Columbians the new leadership they voted for,” said New Democrat MLA and transition spokesperson Carole James.
“We’re going to make life more affordable, deliver the services people count on, and create good paying jobs around the province in a sustainable economy that works for everyone.”
Premier-designate John Horgan is the MLA for Langford-Juan de Fuca.
Thursday, July 6 ~ The City of Langford is hosting an Economic Forum next weekend. The featured speaker to lead a discussion on innovation, sustainability and action on housing is well-renowned architect Avi Friedman, Ph.D.
The presentation is free and open to the public, at the Four Points Sheraton, 10 am to 12 noon on Saturday July 15. Light refreshments will be available.
The event is being sponsored by the City of Langford and the West Shore Developers Association. Both sponsors have been active in the forefront of facilitating and developing more housing in the fast-growing Langford area of Vancouver Island’s west shore.
The actual average house sale price in Langford in June was $679,155 (compared to the data-adjusted HPI figure of $579,900). That is still considered more affordable within the overall Greater Victoria area where the average sale price last month was $885,281 (HPI was $691,100).
Wednesday, July 6 ~ Drivers are advised that Hwy 1 (Trans Canada) will be closed overnight between McKenzie Ave/Admirals Rd and Six Mile Rd. The closure will begin Thursday, July 6, 2017, at 11 p.m., and the highway will re-open by 5:30 a.m. on Friday, July 7.
Traffic travelling westbound on Hwy 1 (heading out of Victoria) will still be permitted to turn right off the highway onto McKenzie Ave or left onto Admirals Rd.
That’s to ensure the safety of drivers and construction crews while the old pedestrian-cyclist bridge is removed. This is part of the ongoing work for the McKenzie interchange project.
During this time, drivers are asked to use alternative routes and allow for extra time. The signed detour route for traffic, including trucks, will be via Admirals Rd, Island Highway and Six Mile Rd.
The Galloping Goose Trail will remain open for pedestrians and cyclists but must stay alert for signs and workers.
Traffic advisories: www.drivebc.ca
About a dozen firefighters from the Langford Fire Department, several fire engines and rescue vehicles, a few RCMP officers, and other resources were on scene and required to deal with the mid-afternoon fire today.
A neighbour had seen smoke and called the fire department. The blaze apparently started in the attic of the older home.
The elderly owners sat in lawn chairs with their dog, watching their house continue to burn. They said they were sure their back yard garden would never be the same, after being exposed to the necessary fire-retardant chemicals and impact of the firefighting action. Several neighbours were standing around in support.
The location of the house on Lequesne Ave near the intersection of Knotty Pine Rd is just one block from BC NDP Premier-Designate’s office on Jacklin Road near Goldstream Avenue in central Langford.
There were at least a dozen vehicles parked in close proximity to the burning home, around which firefighters did their work.
Firefighters were on scene for at least an hour, going through a lot of bottled water in the heat in all their heavy gear.
Saturday, July 1 ~ BC. Premier-designate John Horgan will be on both the mainland and Vancouver Island this Canada Day 150. He will be celebrating Canada Day with people at community events in Port Moody, Surrey and Sooke.
11:00 am – Port Moody Canada Day, Rocky Point Park, 2800 Murray St, Port Moody
1:30 pm – Surrey Canada Day, Bill Reid Millenium Amphitheatre, 17728 64 Ave, Surrey
8:00 pm – Sooke Canada Day, Sooke River Campground, 2259 Philips Road, Sooke
On Thursday evening, June 29, Horgan was asked by the Lieutenant Governor if he had the confidence of the legislature, and he said that he does. He and the cabinet he is assembling will be sworn in probably this coming week.
Check out the front page of the June 30, 2017 issue of West Shore Voice News for a summary of how the last few days went down for Horgan in his final steps to the Premiership.
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