PENINSULA Family seeking help for their son
YEP, it looks good
A former Sidney/North Saanich man is out of a coma, facing an uphill battle to recovery, page 9
A youth employment program in Sidney is gearing up for the summer, page 13
NEWS REVIEW
Watch for breaking news at www.peninsulanewsreview.com
Friday, March 1, 2013
Sandown owner to revive plan Former racetrack land in North Saanich touted as potential site of shopping centre Steven Heywood News staff
Retail plans for 12 acres of the Sandown racetrack property in North Saanich are being revived after almost a year of inactivity. Owner of the property, William Randall and development company Omicron say they are going to bring their proposed land deal back to the District of North Saanich, 10 months after councillors rejected, in April 2012, a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the municipality, the owner and the Agricultural Land Commission (ALC). That majority vote essentially killed the matter, as council decided not to proceed over costs to “It’s the same taxpayers and alleged proposal as last year. ALC interference in the district’s business. No housing, just Peter Laughlin, Omiretail.” cron’s director for Vancouver Island, says they – Peter Laughlin want to bring the same deal back to council, after negotiating with district staff some of the sticking points of the MOU. “We are just starting to talk with the district,” he said. “It’s the same proposal as last year. No housing, just retail.” In conjunction, he said they are testing the waters, seeking interest in the shopping mall and retail community in such a project. That’s the root of a property listing being circulated by concerned North Saanich residents this week, which states the property “will be converted to a shopping centre, located in the Sidney area of Victoria.” PLEASE SEE: Land issues must be resolved, page 4
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Devon MacKenzie/News staff
Red Seal Welder Travis Hancock shows students some of his skills during the Trade Expo at Parkland Secondary School on Feb. 27. The expo, which saw students from all three high schools in the Saanch School District attend, served as a way for youth to get a taste of the various trade programs offered through the District.
Deer hunting rules to change A regional deer population control strategy takes on different forms Steven Heywood and Devon MacKenzie News staff
Control of deer populations on the Saanich Peninsula will include new fencing options, anti-feeding bylaws and some significant differences in where hunting the deer will be allowed. The Capital Regional District is taking its proposed deer management strategy to the districts of Central and North
Saanich, as well as the District of Saanich. The CRD is seeking implementation of ways to control what is seen as increasing numbers of deer in the south Island. Already, differences in what each municipality will allow are becoming evident. The District of North Saanich has rejected options for public hunts and professional sharp shooting and asked staff to research bow hunting and the use of third parties in its crop protection
hunting bylaw. In Central Saanich, council asked their municipal staff for bylaws to allow public hunting, amendments to provincial hunting regulations, align provincial and local permitting processes for crop protection, revisit deer bag limits, look into the use of sharp shooters and investigate a bounty. PLEASE SEE: Passing the buck, page 3
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Move In Spring 2013