Issuu

o a k b ay l ivi n G

Tweed WINTER 2013-2014

Deep, deep roots

You can’t get much more “oak bay” than Mike Boorman

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Holiday traditions are meant to be shared... There’s a special kind of magic in the air this time of year. A magic that brings people together, young and old, to celebrate the beauty of the season and its message of hope and love. The hustle and bustle that comes with this season can be overwhelming though. Let Oak Bay SeniorCare help you prepare for the holidays. We’ll help you get things done so that you can make the time to share your favourite holiday traditions and enjoy the magic again.

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Tweed

Winter 2013-2014 Volume 1 Issue 5

inside

10 Cover Story Meet Mike Boorman and the many Oak Bay homes in which generations of his family have lived.

D E PA RTMENTS

Historic Oak Bay

Writer Ivan Watson gives a snapshot of wartime Christmas in Oak Bay.

Romancing the Stove

Dogs on the Avenue

Photographer William Shepherd captures the cute, the cuddly and the gangly in Oak Bay canines.

tell

tweed!

Join Pam Grant at the home of Gunter Heinrich.

Tweed Magazine welcomes your Oak Bay suggestions for the next edition. So, do tell! Email editor Susan Lundy at: lundys@shaw.ca

Oak Bay Insider

Christopher Causton highlights Oak Bay United Chruch.

Postcards Home Travel

along through Russia with Gary and Jill Garnett.

Tea With

Tweed editor Susan Lundy chats with Mayor Nils Jensen.

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WINTER 2013-2014

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WINTER 2013-2014

» Those wanting to

kick start the week with a bout of rousing entertainment are encouraged to check out Movie Mondays at the Eric Martin Theatre at Royal Jubilee Hospital. Created by Bruce Saunders, and ongoing now for 20 years, the theatre event encourages interaction between the community and clients at EMP and provides “entertaining and absorbing selections” of films and special events, all by donation. Here are just some of the upcoming movies (for a full schedule visit www. moviemonday.ca): • Monday, Dec. 9: A Hard Light (plus a Q&A via phone with filmmaker Justin Simms in Newfoundland).

• Monday, Dec. 16: Boy • Wednesday Dec. 18: It’s a Wonderful Life with Friends Of Music’s Music Movie Wednesday • Monday, Dec. 23: Intouchables Movies are ongoing through January and February, and Saunders is working arranging

visits with Jack Hodgins and Susan Musgrave in the New Year.

» Philanthropy is alive

and well at Oak Bay High School, and members of a local charity group called African Aids Angels (AAA) are thrilled with money raised by leadership students at this year’s 30-Hour Famine. The annual event, in which students raise money for international aid, took place November 8 at the high school. Students collected $3,000, of which half was donated to AAA. “African Aids Angels was very grateful to receive a cheque for $1,500,” said Barb McGrow, AAA’s high school contact. “This grassroots, local organization assists children in three African countries who have been affected by HIV/AIDS.” Each year the leadership class at Oak Bay High School invites African Aids Angels to be part of their 30-hour famine. By canvassing the community, the students have raised thousands of dollars for women and children who are victims of HIV/Aids in South Africa (Thembalethu Orphanage), Malawi and in Zambia. McGrow also said, “these amazing students [recently] raised $2,000 for the Philippines at an impromptu bake sale on the Avenue!” Leadership students are: Chloe Ducluzeau, Kendra Murphy, Cassie Jenkins and Cetarah Mohsenzadeh-Green.

INTRODUCING THE WORLD’S FIRST ORGANIC TEAPOPS! Oak Bay parents and medical professionals Dionne and Stephen Baker created these refreshing treats for their own children to replace high-sugar frozen novelties and other low-nutrient snacks. TeaPops are full of organic fruit, contain no reﬁned sugars and are available in organic, non-caffeinated herbal and traditional tea varieties.

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TWEED

EDITOR'S LETTER

The

Photo by Danica Lundy

Spirit of

Christmas

eople in my house know not to utter the “C” word before December 1. Even my partner of five years has learned. For example, we were moving furniture around in November and I wondered aloud, “But where will we put the Christmas tree? Bruce looked at me with trepidation, “I wondered too, but I didn’t want to say the word.” I’ve gone through many Christmas incarnations — from Ms. Christmas to Humbug and back again. For many years, I dreaded the season: too much hype, too much work, too many expectations and too much money. Hence the aforementioned rule: don’t talk about it in November! But this year, as I read the Christmas memories submitted by Tweed readers (several weeks, I must note, before the mandated December 1 cut-off date), I realized that Christmases evolve over time and each has its own flavour. First, we taste the magic of the season as children; then, if we’re lucky, we get to savour that magic all over again through our children’s and then grandchildren’s eyes. (Cairine Green expresses this beautifully in her shared memory, “First Christmas.”) For some, this flavour is linked to a specific memory, like the big snowfall of ’96 in Nils Jensen’s Traditions Old and New; or Fire Hall Fun, submitted by the Gill and Bovey families. For others, like Anne and Alvin Hudec, a simple memory has forever changed the meaning of the season. But the flavour can also be bitter as we struggle to manage expectations, spend money beyond our means, face overt consumerism, juggle family and even, for many, combat loneliness. I’ve done Christmases broke and Christmases flush; some with lots of family, others with just my daughters. Usually, it’s green or grey outside, sometimes white. There have been towering Christmas trees, Charlie Brown trees . . . even a decorated jade plant. But through it all, I’ve sought to define the experience of “Christmas Spirit.” It envelops me at times, like in a school gymnasium when one red-nosed reindeer sings louder than 8

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WINTER 2013-2014

the others; or as I drive into a community ablaze with colour. Once in awhile it settles on me like a fuzzy blanket in a store or at a Christmas craft fair, when I have the perfect gift in hand. It definitely struck when my daughter volunteered at the food bank, stuffing Christmas hampers. But now I realize that for me the spirit of Christmas has once again evolved. Between the two of us, Bruce and I have four kids, aged 20-22, away either at university or forging out on their own. Christmas these days isn’t about gifts or decorations or mistletoe (although I REALLY like mistletoe). Christmas is about family; it’s the only time when all of us are together. It’s about setting out place mats for six, not two, at the table; it’s about dominos, walks in the forest, story telling and a house that vibrates with youthful exuberance. It’s about hugging our kids for the first time in months. There’s a lot to savour about the season — and much more — in this edition of Tweed. Enjoy the collection of Christmas memories, and the story about Oak Bay’s first wartime holiday season. Join us as we drop by some art studios; and meet Voodoo, who uses ink-on-skin as the medium of his artistic expression. Also, check out the stories that delve deep into Oak Bay history: meet the descendants of one of Oak Bay’s original settlers, and explore a Samuel Maclure house. And go ahead. Utter the C word early — bring on a new season of memories.

Susan Lundy EDITOR

Born and raised in Victoria, Susan Lundy has worked as a journalist, editor and freelance writer for over 25 years. She is also editor of Soar Magazine and her columns on family life run in several Black Press newspapers. Her first book — Heritage Apples: A New Sensation — was published this spring. Follow her on Twitter: @slundytweet

CONTRIBUTORS ivan watson grew up in Oak Bay and is an alumnus of Glenlyon Norfolk School. He works as a freelance writer, historian and marketing and communications strategist. Follow him on Twitter: @watsonivan

ARNOLD LIM is a longtime photojournalist and videographer whose credits include the Globe and Mail, Sports Illustrated, the Toronto Star and Black Press.

chris causton is a former mayor, restaurateur and hotelier; and current Harbour Ferries Captain and Rotarian. He’s a voracious reader who still enjoys a good game of tennis.

Sharon Tiffin is an award winning photographer who has worked for Black Press community newspapers for 24 years.

ANGELA COWAN is a nationally published poet and award winning fiction author who moonlights as a freelance journalist and feature writer.

DON DENTON has photographed numerous high-profile events, including the Olympics, World Hockey Championships, European Figure Skating Championships and a Royal wedding.

JENnifer BLYTH is an award-winning writer, photographer and editor, whose stories have appeared in BC Business, BC Home, WestWorld and Yes Magazine.

KEN SAKAMOTO is an award-winning photojournalist, whose assignments include Queen Elizabeth II, the collapse of the Berlin Wall, first mission of the space shuttle, major league sports and famous people.

November to January

OAK BAY DIARY Dec.19 Adult Story time: Not Your

Nov. 4 to Jan. 4 Annual Small Works Show at Eclectic Gallery: an array of original artwork by 20 local artists all available for under $500.

Nov. 9 to Dec. 24 Dinner Theatre: It’s Christmas, a “a sparkling, musical, holiday revue featuring historic stories and heart warming music” at the Oak Bay Beach Hotel.

Dec. 5 Tenth annual Oak Bay Gallery Walk 6-8 p.m., sponsored by the Oak Bay Business Improvement Association.

Dec. 7

Director, Sales and Advertising Oliver Sommer osommer@blackpress.ca Editor Susan Lundy lundys@shaw.ca

Creative Design Lily Chan

Oak Bay Avenue, beginning at 6 p.m.

Dec. 7 Oak Bay High School Band and

Circulation Director Bruce Hogarth Cover Photo: Arnold Lim

Dec. 11 www.blackpress.ca 818 Broughton Street, Victoria, BC V8W 1E4 Phone 250-381-3484 Fax 250-386-2624

Holiday Choral Concert, 7 p.m., in the West Auditorium at Oak Bay High School.

Santa Weekend at Oak Bay Recreation Centre. Swim With Santa, Dec. 21, 1-5 p.m. and Dec. 22 from 1-5 p.m. Skate With Santa, Dec. 22, noon to 2:45 p.m. or 3 to 4:30 p.m.

Jan. 4 League starts at Oak Bay Recreation Centre. It runs until March 19.

Jan. 4-5 Oak Bay Firefighters Christmas tree recycling at the Oak Bay Fire Hall

Jan. 21-22 Evenings of Dance in the auditorium at Oak Bay High School.

Dec. 15 Bluegrass Mass at St. Philip

TWEED magazine is published quarterly by Black Press. The points of view or opinions expressed herein are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher of Tweed. The contents of Tweed magazine are protected by copyright, including the designed advertising. Reproduction is prohibited without written consent of the publisher.

Dec. 21-22

Adult Winter Hockey

Lighted Truck Parade on

Choir performs in Estevan Village. Group Publisher Penny Sakamoto psakamoto@blackpress.ca

Grandma’s Christmas at the Oak Bay Library, beginning at 7 p.m. Leave the kids at home and come enjoy some Christmas cheer with a side order of humour, embarrassing moments and awkwardness. If you love the stories of David Sedaris or Laurie Notaro, this is the story time for you.

Anglican Church: bluegrass gospel tunes meshed together with the ancient liturgy of the Christian Church. Worship at 4 p.m. with a free meal at 5 p.m.

Jan. 27 to 31 Kindergarten registration week at L’Ecole Willows Elementary, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

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TWEED

B From left, Sandra Boak Boorman, Mike Boorman, (brother) Dean Boorman and Ian Boorman at the gate that marks the site of Captain McNeillâ€™s property in Oak Bay.

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WINTER 2013-2014

Deep, deep

roots

By SUSAN LUNDY Family photos by ARNOLD LIM

Mike Boorman traces family lineage though collection of houses

Browsing through sketches of two family trees, a chart listing 18 different houses, and notes from a few complicated interviews, one thing emerges clear as a sunny day on Willows Beach: you can’t get much more “Oak Bay” than Mike Boorman. Descended on his mother’s side from Captain William Henry McNeill — one of five original Oak Bay landowners — and on his dad’s side from Harry Boorman (who founded Boorman Investment Company Ltd. 80 years ago), Mike is seven generations Oak Bay on one side, and four on the other. “Oak Bay is home,” he says. “When you come back from travelling, you realize how special it is — the people, the climate, the surroundings and the lifestyle. It offers everything a person could want.” “Home” in Mike’s family takes on a whole new meaning when you consider the number of Oak Bay houses they’ve occupied. Marked up on a chart, the locations read like a scenic home tour of the municipality, winding through streets such as Oliver, Victoria, Newport and St. Patrick in south Oak Bay, and Thompson, Lansdowne and Woodburn, further north. Many of the houses have historical notations. For example, there’s the lovely yellow house at the end of St. Patrick St., once owned by Mike’s great grandparents, Harry and Daisy Boorman, and where his

grandfather, Jack Boorman, kept horses in the garage. Jack was passionate about his horses, running them on the beach at McNeill Bay and, from 1936 to 1939, playing polo at the Foul Bay Fields with the Victoria Polo Club. There’s also the house in which Mike and his wife Maria lived at 652 Oliver Street, located on a portion of original McNeill land, and the same street that Mike’s great grandmother Alexandra and grandmother (Mary Alexandra Boorman) lived on in the 1940s. But there’s more than the houses that link Mike to Oak Bay. “My grandparents, parents and myself all married Oak Bay spouses,” Mike says. “Four generations of Boormans have attended Monterey and Willows elementary schools and three generations have graduated from Oak Bay High.” Many of his family were likely born at the Royal Jubilee Hospital, where Mike himself became baby “Mr. Oak Bay” on Feb. 8, 1970. Born to Sandra Boak Boorman and Ian Boorman (whose wedding write-up in the newspaper noted the merging of two wellknown Oak Bay families), Mike attended Oak Bay Preschool, Monterey Elementary and Oak Bay High (graduating in 1988). He later obtained a Bachelor of Commerce from UVic and a diploma of Urban Land Economics from UBC.

WINTER 2013-2014

Below: Some of the houses in Mike Boorman’s family, from left: 2930 Westdowne, 2820 Lincoln, 2580 Lansdowne, 1358 Victoria, 1158 Oliver, 1017 Monterey, 865 Newport, 749 Island, 652 Oliver and 430 St. Patrick.

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At ages 12-14, he delivered the Oak Bay Star, Penny Saver and Times Colonist newspapers (all at once) on St. David, Windsor, Currie and St. Louis streets, and his first job was at Athlone Court Grocer in 1987. He joined the four-generation family business in 1996, and is now a realtor with Boorman’s Real Estate Sales and Management, frequently selling Oak Bay homes. As a local jock, Mike played soccer with the Oak Bay Bays in the 1970s and rugby for the Oak Bay Wanderers, 1985-1988. He’s also a past coach of the Oak Bay Castaway Wanderers and Willows School mini rugby team. “Family And, of course, like many true Oak Bay-ites, he had his first “legal” drink on his 19th birthday at gatherings are the Snug in the Oak Bay Beach Hotel, carrying on a frequent and Boak family tradition. large! ” In 1999, he married Dr. Maria Payne, who lived as a young child just a few blocks down from Mike’s childhood house at 1358 Victoria Street. Mike BOORMAN Three years ago, the couple moved from south Oak Bay with their two children, Spencer, 12, and Evelyn, 10, to Woodburn Ave., where they have “more house and more property,” and live within walking distance of Mike’s parents in University Woods. “More house” is probably a good thing, considering the number of people that attend family get-togethers. For example, the Boorman family Christmas Eve event typically includes 40 to 50 people. “Family gatherings are frequent and large!”

❝

❞

The family’s history has always piqued Mike’s interest. “In Grade 4 at Monterey, I did a history report on Captain McNeill, “ he recalls, adding with a smile that “both my kids have done that too.” In 1853, Captain William Henry McNeill — Mike’s, great, great, great grandfather — purchased 200 acres (at a pound per acre) of land that now covers the area from McNeill Ave. south to McNeill Bay. A gate still marks the site of the property, and a cairn, located near the corner of Monterey and Beach Drive provides a history of McNeill Bay and the McNeill farm. After the unveiling of the plaque in 2006, Mike recalls, “The family came down and gathered at our house [on Oliver Street]. There we were, still standing on Captain McNeill’s original land.” As a realtor, it’s the houses in his family’s past that truly capture Mike’s heart. Recently, the house in which his mother lived for several years at 2580 Lansdowne, came on the market, and the two were able to tour it. “It was a trip down memory lane for my mother; it was her grandparent’s home as well as her mother’s, so she lived there for about 15 years.” About eight years ago, Mike was also able to take his father through his childhood home at 2930 Westdowne when it came on the market. Mike has photographs of all 18 houses on the chart, including the three homes of his Boorman-side great grandparents at 2027 Runnymede (1920s), 430 St. Patrick (1930s) and 865 Newport (1940s).

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WINTER 2013-2014

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HERE&THERE: What your dollar will buy around the world 2009 custom home in south Oak Bay Listed for $1,699,000 CDN Features: Offering a comfortable 3,239 square feet of living space on a 5,500-square-foot lot, this 2009-built custom home near the Victoria Golf Club is designed to blend outside and in, with expansive windows and doors leading to the private, landscaped rear garden space complete with hot tub, patios and gardens. The four-bedroom, four-bathroom home boasts a chef’s kitchen outfitted with highend appliances, cherry wood custom cabinets and granite counters. Upstairs, the roomy master includes a spa-like ensuite, while the downstairs includes a media room, family room and additional bedroom. Other features include a cement roof, main-floor bedroom/office with separate entrance and a workshop. Source: MLS Listings/Realtor.ca

Edinburgh, Scotland Listed for £1,100,000 ($1,834,000 CDN) Come home to the Scottish countryside with this six-bedroom farmhouse set on an acre of garden. Highlights include a main floor drawing room with marble fireplace, generous kitchen/dining room with patio doors leading to the side gardens, a large sunroom, second dining area and spacious office. Upstairs are four double bedrooms, a large bathroom and second shower room, plus a second floor with two double bedrooms and a kitchen area. There’s also a “granny flat” with separate entrance, generous sitting room, double bedroom, galley-style kitchen and shower room. Outside are two outbuildings and garage. Source: www.primelocation.com Melbourne, Australia Listed for $1,670,000 (AU) ($1,637,000 CDN) This three-bedroom, two-bath, 14th-floor apartment in Melbourne’s Marquise building showcases the Marquise’s elegant lines “inspired by the cut of exquisite diamonds.” Full-height windows surround the living and dining areas to deliver stunning views over Melbourne, enjoyed from the modern, open-plan kitchen and flexible informal dining and study zones. A spacious master bedroom with ensuite, large deck, two additional bedrooms and a central spa bathroom round out the roomy condominium, while amenities include motorized blinds, secure parking for two cars, pool, spa, sauna and gym. Source: www.realestate.com.au

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he magic number of $42,500 has been popping up all over Vancouver Island, thanks to the representatives of Canada’s Reno Rebate Inc. They’ve been spreading the word about government rebates for new home purchases, ownerbuilt homes and substantial renovations to existing homes during the tenure of the HST, and $42,500 is the upper limit a homeowner can receive for a project. Together with the Ontario-based company Rebate4U, Canada’s Reno Rebate Inc. has already helped homeowners apply for rebates totaling $8 million at time of printing. Many clients hesitate on their way out of Canada’s Reno Rebate principal Sean Leitenberg’s Fairfield office, where they have just handed over a sheaf of paperwork and receipts for a major home renovation. “Is this for real?” they ask Sean. That’s the most common question Sean gets, and his answer is a firm, “Yes, this is real.” Sean understands the skepticism, though. He asked the same thing when his brotherin-law in Ontario called him and said, “You might be entitled to a rebate on the HST you paid when you did your reno.” This rebate has been available for the last three years and it’s about to disappear. It must be claimed within two years of the purchase of a new house or condo or completion of an owner-built home or a major renovation. Even if you have sold your home, you are entitled to a rebate if your intention for the build or renovation was to keep the home. “There is a misconception that if your home is worth more than $450,000, you are not entitled to any government rebates, but this is just not true,” says Sean. Canada’s Reno Rebate has teamed up with builders, trades, designers and Realtors to share the good news about

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the potential rebate with their qualifying clients. “We know several contractors and Realtors who are going through their files and calling everyone they helped to fix up or buy a house between July 1, 2010 and March 31, 2013 when the HST was repealed,” he says. It comes down to this: if you built or purchased a new home or did a substantial renovation to an existing home for yourself or for rental during that period, you are entitled to a rebate for a portion of the provincial sales tax embedded within the HST. Canada’s Reno Rebate Inc. handles all the paperwork and follows through with the government until you receive your cheque. Because Sean and his staff know the forms, the processes, and who to call, they efficiently and quickly collect the information and submit exactly what the government agencies need. The company charges no upfront fee and if you don’t receive a rebate, the application costs you nothing. Because all the required paperwork can be done via email and fax, “clients are coming to us from all over this great

province,” says Sean. If you know someone who might qualify, you can pick up a postcard at Glen Lake Liquor & More or the Commons Liquor & More store in Duncan and pass it to your friend; if your friend receives a rebate through Canada’s Reno Rebate Inc., you’ll both receive a $50 gift certificate to help celebrate! “Handing people cheques for thousands of dollars that they had no idea they were entitled to is our goal,” Sean says. “We are happy to answer any questions that potential clients have, so give us a call. What have you got to lose?”

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Living in history Seniors thrive amid cosy comfort at 100-year-old Kildonan House By Angela Cowan Photos by Arnold Lim

T Above: Interior details. At top: Inside view from upper level of Kildonan House. 16

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hroughout its century on Foul Bay Road, Kildonan House has borne witness to the passing of time as a lavish private home, a refuge for the Royal Canadian Air Force, a sanctuary for a Hungarian Count, and for the last 20-some years, as a residence for the Abbeyfield Housing Society for seniors. It’s here today that people like Paul Turmel and Audrey Riller reside amid a cosy community that is well suited to Kildonan’s rich historical tapestry. The building itself is widely recognized as one of famed architect Samuel Maclure’s masterpieces. From the grand porte-cochère draped with trailing wisteria vines, to the original interior panelling of Australian eucalyptus and African gumwood, and the labour-intensive stone foundations both imported

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and quarried on site, it is a stunning example of the opulence that suffused private family homes in the early 19th century. One of 1,500 houses built in Oak Bay during the boom of 1910-13, Kildonan’s foundations were laid in 1913, just before the war halted all construction for several years. The lower levels were quarried from the site itself — the hole in the earth used long since to encourage mosses and native rock and alpine plants — and the main level built with hexagonal stones. This handhewn honeycomb was reportedly installed by the same half-dozen Scottish stonemasons who had built Hatley Castle (now part of Royal Roads University in Colwood) just a few years earlier. Kildonan was eventually completed during the First World War. However, quiet times at the house were disrupted during the Second World War when the Department of Defence employed it as a

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women’s barracks for the RCAF, and the sudden increase in occupants strained both the house and its grounds. A faded copy of a D.O.D. map of the property shows its original eight acres dotted with an orchard, tennis courts, chicken run and a carriage house — and the areas used for soldiers shaded in with hasty diagonal lines. It wasn’t until 1947, when Count Albert De Mezey, a Hungarian engineering consultant, purchased Kildonan that the beauty and ecological value of the property was truly appreciated and protected. De Mezey quickly became entrenched in the gardening community of Victoria and Oak Bay, and worked to establish a native ecosystem on the property. A lifelong member of many horticultural societies, including the Vancouver Island Rock and Alpine Society, the Victoria Rhododendron Society, and a founding member of the Thetis Lake Nature Sanctuary, De Mezey was passionately devoted to preserving native species. “It’s a wild setting,” says Paul Turmel, a resident of the house and former gardener at Butchart Gardens in Brentwood

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Bay. “Not a groomed, cultivated setup. We keep the weeds out and discourage [invasive] plants. We have an incredible variety of plant life.” Kildonan is an exception to the general rule of heritage homes in Oak Bay. Not only was the house designated a municipal heritage site in 1987, but the surrounding gardens and property were as well. This unique ruling ensured that the conservation efforts of Maclure and De Mezey were continued. Both architect and owner preserved the natural balance of the local ecosystem, according to Turmel. “Maclure was known for putting his homes on the land [as it was] — the land wasn’t destroyed,” he says. It was around this same time in the late ‘80s that De Mezey donated the house and property, free and clear, to the Abbeyfield Housing Society, a group that caters to seniors who are still independent, but don’t want to live in isolation. The gift included all the common area furnishings, antique rugs and artwork. After extensive upgrading to replace old wiring, install a camouflaged sprinkler system and ensure all safety codes were met, Kildonan was split into seven, fully independent suites surrounding a welcoming common area. It’s in one of these upper suites, behind a heavy wooden door, that Audrey Riller has found her

little piece of paradise. “The colour’s called ‘Matisse Gold,’” she says, gazing around the high-ceilinged room. “The room faces east, and when the sun comes in, it’s just like a golden temple.” The entire suite used to be a single bedroom; it’s hard to imagine how a single person could need that much space to sleep, she says. Riller has indeed transformed it into a temple, dedicated to her artwork and her travels. The walls are full of paintings done in Malta, Arizona, Australia, Spain, Thailand, her inspiration drawn from the lands, the people, the histories. “I can look around and tell you what instigated the paintings,” she says. There are pieces done in Malta tied together with ancient images of the abundant feminine. The striking canvas above the fireplace is part of her Spots of Time: Australia show, the colours reminiscent of baked, cracking earth and fiery sunsets against a stark black background. Riller has lived several lifetimes’ worth, adventuring all over the globe. The bookshelves are full of treasures: Rodin, Bottero, Kahlil Gibran, a collection of haikus, Nick

Bantock’s Griffin & Sabine series. The walls are full of art, the tables speckled with souvenirs. So why settle in Kildonan, in Oak Bay? “As soon as I got near the ocean, my body melted. I was home,” says Riller. “What alternative did I have?” She adores the ocean view, the character that comes with a heritage home, the Garry oaks overwhelming the back yard. “I was born in Victoria. “ . . . when the Three weeks later they took sun comes in, it’s me to Winnipeg, and after retirement I got out,” she says, just like a golden laughing. temple.” Kildonan is more than just a collection of suites, it’s of Audrey Riller people living their own, separate lives, too. “Every Thursday everyone gets together in the common room. We bring snacks, light a fire in the great room,” says Riller. “It’s a little community.” For De Mezey, so committed to his own community, this chummy group of housemates must be exactly what he had in mind for Kildonan.

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OAK BAY LANDMARKS One:06 features unique Oak Bay landmarks as seen through a roving camera eye. “One” honours the uniqueness of Oak Bay and 06 gives a nod to its history — 1906, the year it incorporated into a municipality. In this edition, photographer Don Denton’s camera eye explored Oak Bay lanes and alleyways, capturing lovely, walkable areas.

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WARTIME CHRISTMAS

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Winter of 1939

Story by IVAN WATSON

Seen here: Photos and newspaper clippings from Christmas 1939 in Oak Bay.

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hen the Second World War began in September, 1939, Oak Bay residents were cheering on participants in the annual Royal Victoria Yacht Club regatta. But it didn’t take long for the atmosphere of war to pervade the municipality. Author and prominent Oak Bay resident Agnes Newton Keith observed years later: “Every war has its tune, a song to make forever sad the hearts of those who have listened. ‘Roll Out the Barrel’ was the enlistment tune [locally] . . . It followed us everywhere.” As winter arrived and Christmas carols temporarily replaced patriotic songs, there was a sense of unreality in the air. With people on edge, Oak Bay Council arranged for guards to watch over the municipal water pumps in the Uplands in case of sabotage by the enemy. However, local Yuletide celebrations helped people shift their thoughts to more pleasant activities. Oak Bay had not experienced a wartime Christmas since December 1917. Then, the municipality was largely rural with a population of scarcely more than a couple thousand residents. By 1939, Oak Bay had grown considerably and was continuing to develop. In December, home prices ranged from $1,900 for a modest bungalow to $15,000 for a seafront estate. The latest “new stucco home” on a leafy “boulevarded street” in Oak Bay was priced at $3,000. Prospective owners were told they could be “comfortably settled by Christmas.” Victoria — including Oak Bay — was considered far removed from the direct impact of war, and hotels such as the Empress downtown and the Old Charming Inn on Beach Drive became “bolt-holes” or safe places for people from around the world to sit out the war. Hotel Christmas parties took on a cosmopolitan air as different European accents could be heard over the clinking of WINTER 2013-2014

champagne glasses. The press sought to reassure that it was “Christmas as usual,” but there existed underlying tension as shoppers searched for the year’s most popular gifts, including tiny model bomber planes and toy soldiers for children. Stores such as David Spencer, The Bay and W.J. Wilson created lavish Christmas displays in their front windows. “What to give the boys in uniform?” became the key question as “mothers, wives, sweethearts and sisters” searched the shops “for suitable gifts for a wartime Christmas.” In 1939, Yuletide festivities in Oak Bay took on patriotic themes. On December 15, students from Glenlyon School hosted a Christmas concert at St. Mary’s Anglican Church. Junior students put on a “pageant of Empire,” featuring “Britannia, the Dominions and Colonies” bearing hand-made shields and coat-of-arms, while choir master G.H. Peaker opened the program with a rendition of “O Canada” followed by traditional carols and a rousing performance of “God Save the King” to conclude the evening. The Guild of Friendship performed Dickens’ A Christmas Carol at 1242 Richardson Street and many Oak Bay residents participated in a Red Cross theatrical performance of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer’s Night Dream to raise funds for the troops overseas. The Women’s Auxiliary to the Canadian Scottish regiment met in Oak Bay at

the home of Major and Mrs. Desmond Crofton, 933 Foul Bay Road, to knit socks, mittens and scarves for men of the battalion stationed around Victoria. On December 20, the Junior Chamber of Commerce hosted its annual “Christmas Caravan.” A massive parade of 722 decorated cars and motorcycles carrying an estimated 4,000 people started from off Oak Bay Avenue on a 22-mile route around Greater Victoria to views entries in the Christmas “home lighting competition.” Local mayors, including Oak Bay Reeve R.R. Taylor, who earlier that week had won re-election by acclamation, were recruited as judges. The procession took over 30 minutes to pass a given point and police officers were on hand to help direct traffic with luminous green lanterns. The Daily Colonist reported that it was considered an “outstanding success from the point of view of those taking part in it,” although it likely “caused other motorists held up at intersections to use hard words.” Softer words of congratulations were offered to C.H. Shanks, of 1017 St. Patrick Street, who won first prize in Oak Bay. On the radio, community leaders pulled out all the stops for the annual “Christmas Cheer” fundraising broadcast on December 21. The aim was to raise $500 for those in need and the final tally of over $1,400 was a welcome Christmas gift. For those children confined to their sickbed at Royal Jubilee Hospital, the “Daughters of Pity” arranged a visit from Santa Claus who gave each child a Mickey Mouse toy. A few days later, nearly 200 baskets of fresh fruit were delivered to the hospital’s children’s ward. There was a more solemn tone to church sermons. Rev. Dredge, from Oak Bay United Church, spoke on “God’s Goodness Pursuing Man” followed by a choral recital of “Lord, for Thy Tender Mercies’ Sake.” Oak Bay residents (with the possible exception of several homeowners in the Uplands whose radios had been stolen a few days previously) tuned in at 7 a.m. to hear King George VI’s Christmas message. The King urged all to “stand calm and firm

and united.” While the popular “New Year’s Eve Ball and Tango Tea” at the Empress provided guests an opportunity to ring in the new year downtown, in Oak Bay, revellers could chose from different entertainment options. The Victoria Golf Club’s formal New Year’s Eve dance featured dinner at 11p.m. and promised dancing into the wee hours of the morning. For more scandalous entertainment on a budget, the Oak Bay Theatre on the Avenue (now the site of a Starbucks) promised something more salacious: a special, one-time only “midnight matinee” of the controversial film Ecstasy which was banned in the United States for showing a scene of Hollywood starlit Hedy Lamarr skinny dipping. During December 1939, newspapers reported daily on the brutal Soviet invasion of Finland, the mass devastation caused by the Turkish earthquake and the Royal Navy’s pursuit of the German Battleship Admiral Graf Spee. The war was only two months old and already Oak Bay residents had a lot to be anxious about — everyone knew that the worst was yet to come, but no one knew exactly what would lie ahead. Undoubtedly Hedy Lamarr’s sly smile on the silver screen or the golf club orchestra’s last slow dance of the holiday season gave Oak Bay residents of 75 years ago a brief escape from that uncertainty. Email: watsoni@yahoo.com / Twitter: @watsonivan WINTER 2013-2014

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Body Art Skin is the beloved canvass of Oak Bay artist By Susan Lundy Photos by Ken Sakamoto

lipping through Voodoo’s portfolio of tattoos is like taking a walk through a fine arts gallery. The images are stunning. In a tattoo inked into the side of a leg, a wolf howls at the moon as the light falls softly on its face. A bird bursts over a shoulder in a flowing tangle of feathers, pursued by fangs and a darting tongue. Eagle eyes and beak peer out from the base of a neck, above a full, upper-back image of resting Samurai warriors. There are faces, monsters, snakes and a whole array of intricate flowers, like a full back creation of cascading orchids. One tattoo on a forearm is particularly mesmerizing — it’s a mechanical eye that appears to be breaking out of the skin. “Aesthetics is everything,” Voodoo says. “My job is to do a beautiful design.” Tall, articulate and covered in tattoos, Voodoo is a warm and welcoming pres24

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ence in his newly opened Oak Bay studio. Tucked away down a set of steps off Oak Bay Avenue near Monterey, the nearlyanonymous studio marks a complete turnaround from his high profile digs in Spain where he spent the last 23 years, establishing and operating Voodoo Tattoo, the largest and best-known tattoo shop in Barcelona. Recognized in many European countries and featured in numerous international tattoo publications and on Spanish television, Voodoo was sought out by the “rich and famous” — especially those in the sports and entertainment business. “I was lucky to be able to tattoo many

famous football [soccer] players from the Barcelona team, including Victor Valdez, Deco, Saviola, Motta and several others, as well as various actors and musicians who are well known in Europe but unknown here in Canada,” he recalls. Now back in Oak Bay, where he spent several years of his childhood, he realizes “it will take time to build that type of notoriety here.” And that’s just fine because it means “when someone walks through my door they are already my client and they have come for my work.” Born in London in 1964, Voodoo’s family immigrated to Canada in 1968. Voodoo attended Glenlyon school as well as private schools in Vancouver, and Harrow in London. Both his parents were doctors and although his mother has since died, his father, Derek Cooper, stepmother Cynthia Cooper and brother, David Cooper, all continue to live in Oak Bay. “What initially drove me away, eventually brought me back — the quiet, and the happy, smiling people. Also, the fact

that Oak Bay is a wonderful and beautiful place to live and work was important in making the decision to open here.” Voodoo returned to Oak Bay with his wife Francina, earlier this year, opening the Canadian version of Voodoo Tattoo at 105-2250 Oak Bay Avenue in June. Although his degree from Queens University is in Psychology, and he has a keen love of English literature, he’s “always been intrigued by art, trying my hand at many styles and mediums. I paint in oils to this day and before tattooing was always enrolled in art classes at my schools. I view the medium of tattooing as just another style of art, done on skin instead of canvas.” Voodoo landed in Spain at age 25 after deciding he

needed to “break out” of an inevitably quiet life in small-town Kingston. Picking up a map, he methodically “discarded countries” until he hit Spain. “I rolled into Barcelona on a Harley Davidson at midnight. I had no money, no friends and no Spanish.” After sleeping two nights beside his bike for warmth, he found his way to a hostel and then an apartment, and eventually found a job teaching English, and finally tattooing. “Before moving to Spain . . . it occurred to me that since I had several tattoos, tattooing might be a viable option. So I sold all my airbrush equipment and bought tattooing equipment before leaving for Spain. I chose tattooing because it was something that I could do without being hired in a shop, and because

❝ Don’t tattoo a symbol. Tattoo a piece of art.

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Above: One of Voodoo’s oil paintings. At right: Voodoo works on client Morgan Hradecky. Below right: Example of a Voodoo tattoo. Previous pages: Details of Hradecky’s tattoo in progress; Voodoo sitting in front of his first oil painting, completed in 2008; and an example of another of Voodoo’s tattoos.

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the language barrier would not really be a problem.” In creating a tattoo, Voodoo looks for negative space, positioning, warm versus cold colour, movement and placement on the body. But most important to him is the design, and he remains confounded by what some people choose to put on their bodies, consistently elevating “significance” over “aesthetics.” “Don’t tattoo a symbol,” he stresses. “Tattoo a piece of art.” A current trend in the tattoo world, especially among young people, is to tattoo phrases. “But this has nothing to do with who you are,” he says, adding that he often asks people to recall the posters that plastered their bedroom walls age 15. “Does this represent who you are now? Anything you put on your body should look good.” There are other considerations. For example, he says, as skin ages, it loses its elasticity, and the lines of a tattoo will spread. “Tiny writing and tiny details will join together. If in five to 10 years it’s not going to look good, don’t do it.” But despite all this, he says, his biggest challenge is coaxing clients out of preconceived ideas and self-created designs. “This is a constant source of stress and difficulty. I have spent 23 years learning how to put a tattoo together in a way that looks good on the skin . . .but sometimes convincing the client to allow me to change or improve the design is a real challenge.” Ultimately, he refuses designs that won’t have a good result. But for those he convinces to change, “the reaction is often so strong

that I have them as clients for life.” Returning to the collection of images in his vast portfolio, it’s not surprising Voodoo can’t name a favourite tattoo. “After 23 years tattooing and probably hundreds of thousands of tattoos and clients, it is impossible to single one out,” he says. “As I strive to constantly improve, my last piece should always be my favorite.” Check out his website at www.voodootattoo.com. WINTER 2013-2014

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ROMANCING THE STOVE

Porcelain & pastry

Romancing the Stove columnist PAM GRANT Photos by SHARON TIFFIN

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Bringing art to the table

s I approach the threshold of his Oak Bay home, I ponder why I haven’t met Gunter Heinrich before, given the number of our mutual acquaintances. One of these shared friends — Elizabeth Levinson — is the reason I’ve been invited to this place, which few people get to see. Born in Jersey (the Channel Islands, not the other one), Elizabeth attended Oak Bay High School. Though members of my family knew her long before I did, we became friends after we both grew up to be writers — a career she’s now left for a new one in the heady world of fine art. As I am greeted with warm smiles I can see the strength of their friendship. Gunter too has strong ties to Oak Bay, having once purchased a pair of derelict houses on the northeast corner of Monterey and Oak Bay avenues and transforming them into a go-to spot, housing the original Winchester Gallery and Ottavio Bakery and Deli. When Winchester Galleries (which he co-owns with Anthony Sam) opened a new gallery downtown, Gunter became a regular visitor to the adjacent Cafe Mela, which Elizabeth had opened with her sister, former Oak Bay councillor, Caroline Macey-Brown. The two named the café for their paternal grandmother — a woman who Elizabeth never met, but who influenced her descendants just the same. Thus began a regular dialogue between Gunter and Elizabeth over coffee — with the occasional slice of the solid but comforting cakes that Mela once baked. In time, the sisters sold the cafe, and Elizabeth now manages Gunter’s WINTER 2013-2014

downtown gallery. Today, she has baked in anticipation of my visit, with the objective of bringing art to the table through the synthesis of her culinary skills, plus Gunter’s passion for fine porcelain and their shared love of beauty. Even so, I am unprepared for what I see as the door opens. The foyer is a gallery of objets d’art so stunning, I hesitate to enter. Besides my utter lack of knowledge about such things, I have a significant deficit in the coordination department, with scars to prove it. Before I can ask Gunter if he realizes he’s inviting somone devoid of physical grace into his home, I’m ushered forward and distracted from these thoughts by the appearance of his partner, Tri Nguyen. The table prepared on my behalf would stop Martha Stewart dead in her tracks. Gunter, who learned things botanical in the family nursery business, has crafted a vibrant array of flowers. It shades a herd of silver mercury glass reindeer and brass candlesticks from the estate of Myfanwy Pavelic. A pair of nodding Oriental figures guard Elizabeth’s culinary labours of love — luscious poppy seed Gugelh-

upf, a tart bursting with Italian prune plums and rich zucchini cake with bittersweet chocolate ganache and apricot glaze. They are solid and unadorned, yet undeniably tempting, serving as perfect visual juxtapositions to the silver and porcelain platters they rest upon. Mela would be proud. Photographer Sharon Tiffin arrives and is similarly unnerved by the potential for explaining a six-figure invoice should either of us make one false move. Gunter says they had intended to use his Georg Jensen coffee service, but changed their minds, and so I’m handed an antique Baccarat goblet of warming Glühwein scented with star anise, cloves, cinnamon and honey. When I think they’re laughing because I’m afraid to put the glass down, Gunter tells me they had attempted to use a lemonade pitcher once owned

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Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands; however, it had sprung a leak. Sometime, we agreed, it’s best to just look at something. Over cake, we discuss porcelain. Developed in China, the finest pieces were reserved for Imperial palaces, but others served as a lucrative export commodity. Porcelain was so valued in Europe, it was known as white gold, and many unsuccessful attempts were made to reproduce it there. August II, Elector of Saxony and King of Poland, was an avid collector of Chinese and Japanese porcelain at the dawn of 18th century. Enter teenage alchemist Johann Böttger, who, unwisely, had spread the word that he’d discovered the secret for making gold. The King ordered him detained in “protective custody.” Although he didn’t produce gold, he is generally credited with the invention of European porcelain in 1708 (although more recent sources ascribe this to his supervisor, Ehrenfried Walther von Tschirnhaus).

Above: Italian plum tart; antique porcelain; and, from left, Elizabeth Levinson, Tri Nguyen and Gunter Heinrich. Previous pages: 18th century Meissen Oriental Nodders; 18th century Meissen Candelabra; desserts, chocolate zucchini cake, Italian plum tart, poppy seed Gugelhupf; and Gunter with floral display.

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The King established the Royal Porcelain Manufactory at in the town of Meissen two years later and named Böttger its first director. Over the next 20 years, rapid experimentation with statuary, figurines, vases and elaborate porcelain dinner services was undertaken, the results of which ultimately graced the homes of those who could afford it. Gunter’s father was raised in privilege, surrounded by fine art, but all was lost in the Second World War. Leaving Germany for Canada, he began a new life, and in time, had a son, who listened carefully to his father’s stories of the family’s lost treasures. Beginning with a $5 purchase at Newberry Antiques, Gunter began his own collection. I leave with a care package of cake, poached figs and candied violets, but what I treasure even more, is that these two intensely private people have shared their bittersweet family stories with me — stories not about cake or porcelain per se, but of history. Perhaps this is what recipes and the genuine appreciation of art truly represent.

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Financial planning services and investment advice are provided by Royal Mutual Funds Inc. (RMFI). RMFI, RBC Global Asset Management Inc., Royal Bank of Canada, Royal Trust Corporation of Canada and The Royal Trust Company are separate corporate entities which are affiliated. RMFI is licensed as a financial services firm in the province of Quebec. ® \ ™ Trademark(s) of Royal Bank of Canada. RBC and Royal Bank are registered trademarks of Royal Bank of Canada. ©2011 Royal Bank of Canada. Used under licence. 45808 (09/2011).

Financial planning services and investment advice are provided by Royal Mutual Funds Inc. (RMFI). RMFI, RBC Global Asset Management Inc., Royal Bank of Canada, Trustand Corporation of Canada andprovided The Royal Financial planningRoyal services investment advice are by Trust Royal Company are separate whichManagement are affiliated. RMFI is31 Mutual Funds Inc. (RMFI).corporate RMFI,WINTER RBCentities Global2013-2014 Asset Inc., Royal TWEED licensed as a financial firm in the of province Quebec. Bank of Canada, Royalservices Trust Corporation Canadaofand The Royal Trust ® / ™Looking Trademark(s) offor Royalcorporate Bank of Canada. and Bank are registered Investment & Royal Retirement Company are separate entitiesRBCwhich are affiliated. RMFI Advice is trademarks of Royal Bank of Canada. ©2011 Royal Bank of Canada. Used under licence. licensed as a financial services firm in the province of Quebec.

Seasoning Oak Bay

readers share holiday memories Compiled by Susan Lundy Photos submitted

Christmas-loving Tweed readers responded enthusiastically to our “call out” for seasonal anecdotes and recipes. Read on to enjoy Oak Bay seasonal flavours in the form of a tasty-looking cranberry sauce recipe and anecdotes that range from a fire hall surprise to an unexpected gift, and from an interesting Christmas decoration to memories of Christmases of the past.

Saucy cranberries — Chris Ash, government communications professional

I’ve made this Cranberry Sauce recipe for the holidays for the past seven years and it’s one of the bigger hits of our Christmas dinner.

Cranberry Sauce (with apple cider and cinnamon) 1 bag (12 oz) fresh cranberries 1 cup apple cider 1 cup sugar 1 whole cinnamon stick 1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg 3 whole cloves 1 teaspoon orange zest 1/8 cup water Place apple cider and water over medium heat in a medium-size pot. Add cinnamon stick and sugar, and stir until dissolved. Bring to near-boil. Add cranberries. Add grated nutmeg and cloves, turn down the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally until about onequarter of the cranberries have burst (about 10 minutes). Remove from heat and chill at least 24 hours or longer to allow flavours to blend. For a little extra flavour, add 3-4 tablespoons of sweet, red port prior to chilling. Chris Ash 32

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Three-tiered Pearson tree — Imke Pearson, artist and active Oak Bay community member

Close to Christmas, after a good windstorm, we head out to gather fallen fir branches — lots of them. Then we create our own three-tiered Christmas tree in our kitchen. Twenty years Imke and Norm Pearson ago we started with three, floppy, insulated-wire wreaths — 24 inches, 18 inches and 12 inches in diameter. Each Christmas we still bind bunches of fragrant fir to these original forms until no wire shows. Three differently sized advent wreaths result! Next we suspend them, one above the other, with the smallest at the top, from a hook in our living room ceiling. The effect is a bushy Christmas tree, a little like the eagle condo nests above the Oak Bay Fire Hall. It is also easy to decorate each “nest” with white lights and handcrafted ornaments by standing in one spot and turning each wreath. The final effect is stunning: fresh fir scent fills the room and we continue to go “green” with our Christmas tradition!

First Christmas — Cairine Green, Councillor, District of Oak Bay

Christmas 1982 in Oak Bay was especially significant because it was our son Matthew’s first Christmas. I love the holiday season at any time but celebrating that year with a ninemonth, added special meaning to decorating and making plans to share Christmas with fam- Cairine Green ily and friends. I also remember that my parents found a Christmas tree decoration “Baby’s First Christmas” and 31 years later, that decoration still adorns our Christmas tree. I recall Matthew’s sheer wonder and delight when he saw his first Christmas tree, opened his first gift, heard his first Christmas carol and, from the living room window, pointed with glee at the houses on our street, as they turned on their Christmas lights one by one. No, there will never be another Christmas as memorable as the first Christmas we shared with our son Matthew.

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Fire hall fun — The Gill and Bovey families

Our families always got together on Christmas Eve. But with the children grown and married and living in different parts of the world, it was an exception to all be together in Victoria in 2012. There were 17 of us, and we decided to walk from our separate abodes and meet up at the Oak Bay Fire Hall around 7 p.m. There the five children, aged one to nine, could admire Rudolph before more walking and hot chocolate. Imagine our delight when the big bay doors opened and the firemen came out to greet us! We were invited in to explore the trucks, fire hoses and fireman’s pole. The children received shiny red fireman’s hats, colouring books and crayons. It was magic! Thank you for the great gift of those wonderful memories, Oak Bay Fire Hall, and Happy 75th anniversary! Merry Christmas!

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The Christmas Gift — Anne Hudec, Oak Bay artist

It was the most precious Christmas gift I ever recall receiving, given to us by total strangers who will never know how their generosity impacted our world. It occurred during the most difficult struggle we had ever faced in our lives. It all started after a wonderful trip to Northern Italy. We were in terrific shape — having hiked and climbed in the Italian Alps for up to 10 hours a day for four weeks. We were exhilarated from the fresh air, beautiful scenery and the joy of living. And then before we could grasp what was happening, our lives turned upside down. Within days of our return home, my husband Alvin came down with what we assumed was the flu. The flu became chest pains, and the diagnoses became acute leukemia. These were devastating words to hear with barely any time to com-

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prehend their meaning. Alvin was rushed into emergency, and then airlifted the next morning to Vancouver for treatment. The following day I almost lost him. Our world became a battle for survival — both physically and mentally. By the second round of heavy chemotherapy we were desperately trying to hold on to any positive news or signs. As Christmas approached, Alvin remained in isolation in the leukemia ward with a lung infection. Our spirits were terribly low; we were tired of the treatment, tired of an unfamiliar city, tired of the struggle. I donned my gown, gloves, mask and goggles day and night to be with my best friend. Then one day the fever broke and the door finally opened; his isolation was lifted and we were at liberty to come and go once again into the ward. And almost like caged birds that suddenly saw

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freedom, we lingered a while in his room — beauty in the world had not ground to a reveling in the thought of this deliverance halt while we faced this unwelcome battle. — yet not quite ready to explore it. The We were in awe at the exquisiteness of this lights dimly poured moment. in from the nurse’s These volunteers had station through the come out on a cold, wet, open door, and while rainy night to the hospiwe sat listening to the tal and gave of themselves whirl of the pumps, we something that held no visheard a commotion. ible reward, instead of going Moments later — about their own busy lives. out of our viewing This simple gesture of genrange — we started to erosity and kindness became hear the most beautiour Christmas celebration ful Christmas song and gift, especially as we being sung by a small were unable to go home to group of volunteers. be with our families for any It sounded like the Christmas festivities. voices of angels. It is Thankfully my husband strange that I don’t eventually recovered, yet Anne and Alvin Hudec, during even recall which carol Alvin’s illness (above) and now. that memory remains deeply it was. But I remember implanted in my mind. And the joy we both felt — in the dark — holdso, in turn — and especially at Christmas — ing hands, with tears streaming down our I remind myself that it is the little gifts of faces, being reminded that there was life kindness that matter that can make all the and happiness still surrounding us, and the difference in someone’s life.

Traditions old and new — Nils Jensen, Mayor of Oak Bay

Our Christmas traditions combine ones from Denmark, where I was born, and the United Kingdom, where my wife is from. Our family (two boys, 21 and 27) have adopted some of the Danish traditions I was born into — we put Danish and now Canadian flags on our trees, we split present opening between the Danish way on Christmas Eve and the Canadian/English way on Christmas morning. One of our boys’ fondest memories of the Christmas season was the snow of ‘96, which blanketed Victoria between Christmas and New Year. It was the most peaceful, restful and family focussed festive season we ever had: we were snowed in — no car, most stores closed and nothing to do but play board games, do jigsaw puzzles and go for walks. The kids played on the snowy street without fear of being run over. It was marvelous.

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Lokier Gardens A HAVEN FOR ALL SEASONS By Jennifer Blyth Photos by don denton and JENNIFER BLYTH

Above: Lokier Garden’s current curator, Linda McGillicuddy. Elsewhere and on following page: Memorial bench and garden details from different seasons. 36

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ucked into a triangular property just north of Estevan Village, Lokier Gardens is a suburban escape still very much connected to the people instrumental in its development decades ago. Just over a third of an acre, the small, developed garden blooms with shrubs, roses, annuals and perennials, while several memorial benches are positioned to capture the beauty of the changing seasons. The garden’s namesake, the English-born Thomas Lokier, moved to Canada at age 12 and retired to Victoria in 1943 after a 60-year career as a cattle rancher. “In 1945 Mr. Lokier built his home at 2455 Hamiota Street, and was a muchadmired resident of Oak Bay from 1945 until his death in 1970 at the age of 101,” notes Oak Bay’s municipal website. While this property at the junction of Musgrave, Hamiota, Estevan and Thompson streets had been earmarked as the original site for Oak Bay’s war memorial, it grew into a weed-filled lot when Cattle Point was chosen for the memorial instead. “With the co-operation of the municipal engineer, Mr. Lokier, whose home overlooked the lot, began to develop a rose garden. He provided money for plantings and a fence, and helped in neighbourhood fundraising for further plantings. He constructed the concrete posts and at age 83 designed and constructed the iron gates. Councillor Murdoch recommended the park be named for Lokier and in 1963 Lokier

Gardens was officially dedicated, on Mr. Lokier’s 95th birthday. Under the care of the Oak Bay Parks Department, Lokier Gardens continues to thrive as a destination of peace and tranquility within the busy Estevan neighbourhood. The park’s current curator, Linda McGillicuddy, has cared for the gardens for about 16 years, getting to know the area families who have grown up with the plants and trees she tends, the seniors who make it part of their daily walk and the students who often visit from nearby Willows School. “It marks the time unbelievably,” she says. “I’ve had people who grew up in the neighbourhood come by and they remember the days when they’d look out and see Mr. Lokier coming up from the beach with wheelbarrows of seaweed for the gardens.” To this day, she notes, those efforts have created a very healthy soil. While the initial gardens featured several rose collections bordered by a yew hedge, over time things have come and gone in the park, which like all gardens is constantly evolving. When two large Cypress trees that had stood sentinel for many years had to be removed, it presented the garden with new possibilities.

“Once these came out it just opened the garden up in a different way,” McGillicuddy says. With the roses struggling, those beds were redeveloped with a variety of shrubs and perennials, complemented here and there with bulbs and annuals. McGillicuddy recalls how — faced with the expensive challenge of filling several now-empty beds — she was able to call on friends in neighbouring Saanich who divided some of their perennials for Lokier. Today, the beds are lush with shrubs, vines, foliage plants and flowers, along with a few specimen trees, like several large blue spruce and two ginkgo bilobas with their stunning bi-fold leaves that turn a cheery yellow come fall. “I try to have something of interest there at any time of year people visit,” McGillicuddy says. Along Estevan, columnar oaks provide a green barrier between park and street, while along Thompson, a continuum of ornamental crabapples showcase their delicate flowers each spring. “They put on a beautiful show of flowers in late April or May, depending on the weather.” From March through July, visitors are

wowed by a succession of rhododendrons in bloom, starting at the apex of the park, near the Estevan Village, and moving through the grounds. The lovely weigela adds its colour to the mix in May and June, along with the proliferation of delicately scented white flowers from the tall philadelphus.

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With summer comes the border hydrangeas, Japanese anemones, oriental and trumpet lilies, a few roses and some distinctive plants like the summer bulb eremus, with its showy flower atop a tall stock. “It’s really spectacular, and a different type of plant,” McGillicuddy notes. Dahlias, fall crocus and the striking amaryllis belladonna carry the colour through the fall, while multi-season grasses, bulbs, annuals and compact perennials create layers of interest year-round. Two huge camellias show off their proliferation of blooms between late December and February, depending on the year, and the cycle begins once again. McGillicuddy likes to include a little surprise here and there. Scotch thistle, for example, may be considered an invasive species, but McGillicuddy uses it strategically for its unique tall woody stem and tufted flower (but she’s careful to catch

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any attempts at spreading). With a finite space in which to grow, plants must make the grade to be considered potential new additions. “Generally I look at the plant itself [and ask]: ‘Is it going to bring anything to the garden? Does it contribute to an empty spot or at a time of year when something is missing?’ The parameters are best defined by what the garden needs.” While locals — and the odd deer — are perhaps the most common visitors to enjoy the peaceful park, Lokier Gardens is also a popular spot for intimate weddings, a use the municipality would like to encourage. Merchants in the neighbouring Estevan Village host their annual Easter egg hunt at Lokier and at Christmas, the municipality adds lights for a little seasonal sparkle. Despite the many years she has tilled the soil at Lokier Gardens, McGillicuddy is hard-pressed to select a favourite element or even plant in this suburban oasis. “I enjoy every bit of it; every plant has its own unique characteristics and nice surprises.”

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oak bay insider

Community Spirit building the united church

hey are as rare as hen’s teeth in the Municipality of Oak Bay, but the United Church has one. And it, the church’s freestanding sign, would have made you smile had you run by it during the marathon on October 13. It read, “Give thanks for our runners,” while at the same time, the minister stood on the steps and shouted encouragement with lots of “way to go’s!” Typical great community behaviour from an organization that in 2014 will have served this municiChristopher Causton pality for 100 years. was mayor of Oak When St. Columba Presbyterian Bay for 15 years, Church decided to build at the corand now works as ner of Mitchell and Granite streets a Harbour Ferries in the early 1900s, it was an inCaptain. He is the spired site selection and the Church founder and former was fortunate to have William owner of Jason’s Henderson as a member. (Camilles) and RatNot only a skilled tenbury’s (Spaghetti architect, with exFactory), and is a perience working classically trained on the Parliament hotelier. He is a Buildings in Otkeen tennis player, tawa, Henderson and member of the was also an alderHarbourside Rotary man on the for 29 years. He is first also working with the VI Spine Trail Association to link trails from Victoria to Cape Scott.

Oak Bay Council, and became the municipality’s second mayor. The cornerstone of the Church was laid on June 13, 1914, before the outbreak of the First World War, and it officially opened on November 8, 1914, at a cost of $20,000. Eleven years later the building and its congregation officially became a part of the United Church. Like all churches, it went through its good times and bad times, but when the municipality condemned the sanctuary in 1994 due to its crumbling foundation, it was a hammer blow to the heart of not only the congregation, but also everyone who loved this old building. It’s hard enough for a family to decide whether to renovate, restore, replace or move. Now imagine that decision matrix with a congregation, board and a ministry. Lots of things were sold or given away. The pews can be now be found in the United Church in James Bay — although I have sat on a pew whilst having a coffee at Olive Olios in Cadboro Bay, and thought it looked familiar.

Gardiner Hall became Church Central, and what was once a tennis court next to the brick building now became an even greater hive of activity. Out of this crisis came leadership. Slowly a consensus formed, and it was agreed to raise the funds and renovate the sanctuary. Opened with a joyous celebration in 2010, the renovations are stunning, with a sound system that enables you to hear the sound of a pin drop. Stop by and check out the Church. Better still, join in the Community Neighbourhood Carol singing that is taking place this Christmas season. Oh, and that free standing sign out front? Approved and installed in 1981 (one of only a few in Oak Bay). The ever-changing messages have often brought a smile to my face. The one in 2014 should probably say: “100 Years. Way to go, United.“ BTW: As a follow up to my article on Trial Island check out the new lights . . . .much improved.

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Intimate art

By ANGELA COWAN Photos by DON DENTON

studio tour gets “up close” with artists and their work.

H Above: Detail of porcelain painter FloElle Watson’s work. At top: Painting by studio tour member Donna Ion called Spring Greens. Opposite page: Tour artist Caroline Hunter. Following page: Flo-Elle Watson in her studio. 40

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undreds of Oak Bay residents and visitors were treated to a visual feast as December dawned with the town’s biannual artists’ studio tour, now at the end of its 13th year. Originally the brainchild of former mayor Christopher Causton, who worked with the Oak Bay Community Artists’ Society to make the inaugural tour a huge success, it went on to become a regular event in the spring and late autumn, and paved the way for others to follow suit. “It was the first community studio tour [in Victoria] to our knowledge,” says artist Claire Christinel. “Now, several communities in Victoria and around the island have followed suit.” Organized by Recreation Oak Bay, the tour is self-guided, leaving the public free to wander, cycle, or drive through the neighbourhood, getting to know the area, enjoying the variety of art on display, and perhaps getting a coffee and goodie in between.

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Porcelain painter Flo-Elle Watson has participated in every tour since its second year. Each spring and fall she welcomes the public into her studio, which is nestled in the downstairs of her home and absolutely full of white ware. A wide variety of dishes rescued from thrift shops and flea markets sit clustered on every flat surface, waiting for their personalities to be revealed. After leaving art school, Watson veered away from other mediums after being introduced to china paintMany people return ing by her mother. At first reluctant, again and again and she fell so in love with the method that she focused all her efforts on start to feel like friends. porcelain painting. But where her mother concentrated on the more CLAIRE CHRISTINEL traditional floral patterns of china painting, Watson approached it with a little more flexibility. “I do a lot more non-traditional painting,” she says, gesturing to a large teapot perched in the centre of her worktable. “I try to paint what the piece tells me it should have on it.” This particular teapot is wrapped with a detailed koi, its black lines overlaid with the colours that Watson mixes herself from dry paint and oil. The fish’s tail swoops up along the belly of the pot, the tip curling over the lid. Each piece is fired in her kiln, making it a permanent painted art piece. Donna Ion joined the tour a few years after Watson. Ten years ago, the retired schoolteacher decided to try painting, loved it, and couldn’t stop. By the time she joined the studio tour, the wall space in her home had rapidly diminished. “I used to go and look at other people’s work and enjoyed it. When I started taking [art] courses, I thought I could maybe get on the tour as well,” says Ion, who has had two shows at Eclectic Gallery since joining the studio tour, and found it a very positive experience. The subject of her art in this year’s tour focused mainly on a new series of tree paintings, reflecting her ever-growing love of forests. “I’ve been doing forest paintings for about three years now.

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Everyone’s walked through the forest, and there’s a feeling to that. Everyone has a different reaction,” she says, and her increasingly impressionistic style speaks to this, opening the pieces to a wider audience. “I started out with really realistic paintings, but all I was really doing was copying a photograph. I’ve gradually become more impressionistic, and I think the paintings are more interesting because of that,” she says. “You’re not telling them everything. You’re leaving bits up to their imagination.” Walking a fine balance between impressionism and realism, Caroline Hunter has only been painting since 2000, but rose quickly through the ranks with her adept use of a very limited palette and focus on negative space. She was elected to Associate Signature Status by the Federation of Canadian Artists in 2009. Her painting Sunset Pathway, recently featured in the Sidney Fine Arts show, illustrates her technique of using negative space. Hunter under-painted the entire canvas

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with dark swathes of blue and red, and then layered lighter colours overtop to carve out the details, setting down dollops of sky last, allowing the trees to emerge in the spaces left behind. “It’s so much fun,” she smiles. “The fewer colours you use, and the more you keep some of the same colour throughout, the more it’s balanced. You don’t know why it feels so comfortable, but it does.” Also remarkable is that as fond of landscapes as Hunter is, she doesn’t use green

paint. Using literally just a handful of base colours, she creates all her greens from scratch, blending and swirling her primary colours until moss, leaf and grass all spring off the canvas. Since her studio is too small to accommodate much traffic, Hunter lines the walls of her home with her artwork, creating a walkthrough with tea and cookies at its end. It’s this kind of cozy hospitality that genuinely represents the welcoming feel to the Oak Bay community and its artists. “Art and culture are such an important and vibrant part of a community,” says Christinel. “It gives me a great sense of community, participating, opening my home and meeting and talking with all the visitors. Many people return again and again and start to feel like friends.” In addition to the veterans, this year Robert and Sarah Amos joined the studio tour as new residents in the neighbourhood, adding their own flavour to this intimate look at the artists of Oak Bay.

OAK BAY BY THE numbers Oak Bay [ohk] [bey] 1. a vibrant community, a world away from the rush of everyday life. Num·ber [nuhm-ber] 1. a mathematical object used to count, label and measure.

380

TRAVEL TIME: The time (one hour) it takes to walk to Oak Bay from downtown Victoria. It is said to be a 15-minute bike ride or 10-minute drive (until you hit the Avenue — then time slows down).

27 1916 GET FIT: The dollar cost of an adult annual pass to Oak Bay Recreation Centre, including unlimited use of drop-in aerobics, aquatics, fitness studio, skating, phone-in duffer hockey, phone-in soccer, table-tennis and badminton.

WEATHER WARNING: The year, states the History of Oak Bay Website, a severe snowstorm hit Oak Bay, leaving many people stranded until the Navy came to the rescue with sacks of coal for heating.

get gardening: The number of allotment gardens adjacent to Bowker Creek on Monteith Street available for Oak Bay residents to cultivate for a nominal fee.

10,000+ 5 63.6% LAND CLAIM: In 1858, five Hudson’s Bay Company landowners laid claim to all of Oak Bay.

BRIGHT LIGHTS: The number of Christmas lights illuminated all at once during Oak Bay’s annual Christmas Festival Light Up.

housing stats: In Oak Bay, 63.6% of private households lived in single-detached houses and 4.8% lived in apartments in buildings that have five or more storeys, according to the 2011 Census.

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post cards home

Through

Russia

with love

Oak Bay couple rides the rivers between St. Petersburg and Moscow

By Jennifer Blyth

rom the reign of the earliest Czars to the trials of revolution, and from the darkest days of the Cold War to the promise of Glasnost, few countries have as long and storied history as Russia. The world’s largest country, with a landscape as diverse as its people, Russia’s welcoming of the West has included tourists — people like Oak Bay’s Jill and Gary Garnett, who recently returned from an 11-day inland cruise between the romantic St. Petersburg and the national capital of Moscow. The Garnetts spent three days in St. Petersburg before enjoying a five-day canal and river cruise to Moscow, where they explored for another three days. Gary visited Russia years ago, during his 38-year career with the Canadian Navy, but despite travels that have taken the couple to such far-flung locations as Antarctica, New Zealand and Africa, Jill had never seen the country. “I really wanted to see St. Petersburg and Moscow. I had read about their literature and history and since everything has opened up travel there is so much easier,” she says. “Right after the Cold War, you could see the everyday citizens of Russia were keen to learn about the West,” reflects Gary, who retired from the Navy as a viceadmiral. Travelling from Sept. 2 to 14, their Athlone Travel-organized tour enjoyed good weather, though the 44

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Garnetts would advise against travelling much later as Europe’s northern areas can grow quite cool and dreary. Thumbing through some of the hundreds of photos from their journey, it’s apparent that many of the highlights reflect Russia’s colourful — if somewhat bloody — history. Both the urban and rural landscapes are dotted with vividly painted domed churches. These survivors of Communist rule are rich with history, like the Church of St. Demetrius of the Spilled Blood, The Hermitage is built in 1692 by Peter the Great quite spectacular… It to commemorate the murder of Prince Dimitri, youngest son of has gold everything Ivan the Terrible; and Yusupov — really over the top — Palace where Rasputin was assasbut fascinating.” sinated. Another in St. Petersburg, the JILL GARNETT Church on Our Savior of the Spilled Blood, was built on the spot where Emperor Alexander II was assassinated. Founded in the early 18th century by Peter the Great but named for St. Peter, St. Petersburg is quite European in its feel, the Garnetts say, with an extensive arts and cultural community. Though perhaps young by European standards, the town boasts brilliant architectural and cultural attractions, the result of a push to have the country’s elite set up residence in the northern city. Itinerary musts include Russia’s famed ballet and the Hermitage, an arts and cultural museum established in the mid-18th century by Catherine the Great, and which includes the Winter Palace, former residence of Russian emperors. “The Hermitage is quite spectacular,” Jill says, adding with a smile, “It sort of makes Versailles look a little shabby. It has gold everything — really over the top — but fascinating.” Leaving St. Petersburg, the tour sailed the group leisurely

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Athlone Travel knows...

BOOK EARLY & SAVE! On this page (from top to bottom): Yusupov Palace where Rasputin was assassinated; 18th century wooden church; Church of St. Demetrius of the Spilled Blood; inside The Hermitage Winter Palace. Previous page: Jill and Gary Garnett at Summer Palace in St. Petersburg; and St. Petersburg’s Church of Our Savior on the Spilled Blood.

SAVE

10%

per person

Book by N JA . 15, 2014

To Book a 2014 Journey to Europe or Britain, please contact Athlone Travel Tel: 250-598-5252 ne o l l h At rave T *Conditions apply. BC Reg 3836.

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Above: St. Basil’s in Red Square, Moscow.

south toward Moscow, stopping during the day at towns and sites, and allowing visitors to explore beyond the two great cities. In the evenings, the Garnetts could plan the coming day’s adventures, following an informative lecture by one of the guides about the region next on their travel calendar. On the island of Kizhi, in Lake Onega, the Kizhi Pogost UNESCO World Heritage Site features the stunning architecture of an 18th century church, built entirely of wood, right down to the wooden pegs — no nails! Other stops showcased the talents of artisans working in traditional media and designs, plus the church where Ivan the Terrible killed his son. While part of an organized tour, travellers could choose to participate in planned group activities, explore on their own, or enjoy a combination of the two. “One evening in Moscow there was a cultural evening and they had every kind of Russian dance you could think of and every culture represented — the dancers were incredible,” Gary says. A visit to Moscow isn’t complete without a stop at the

Kremlin, where visitors can tour the outer buildings, including the armory and churches. “In the Soviet age the churches became museums, but they’re open again,” Gary says. Unique to Moscow was vodka tasting at a shop that boasted an amazing 4,031 different varieties and a tour of the Moscow subway — a must for anyone who has travelled London’s Tube, the New York Subway or the Paris Metro. “It’s like going to an art gallery,” Jill says, pointing to its historic architecture and the remarkable artwork decorating the tunnels and stations. “I expected Moscow would be a lot more austere, but wasn’t nearly as austere I thought it would be,” she adds. Facing the famous Red Square, the GUM store — Moscow’s glass-roofed department store and shopping mall set in an historic 19th century building —is a must-see site, and a good choice for lunch with its third-floor eateries. Cuisine is indeed a significant part of foreign travel, and the Garnetts found options on board the riverboat were plentiful. In the cities, travellers will find both local cuisine and ubiquitous Western imports like McDonalds. The Russian people are courteous and the streets quite safe, the couple notes, and English served them quite well in this increasingly diverse country. It’s that diversity, both among their fellow tourists and the many people they met along the way, that most resonates with Gary. “We always meet some very interesting people — it doesn’t matter where we are in the world,” he says.

“You never know what you might find”

Fabrics & Interiors Doing our part to make Oak Bay beautiful on the inside

RE-UPHOLSTERY • SLIPCOVERS • BLINDS & DRAPERIES 250-598-4011 | 2070 Cadboro Bay Road | morgansinteriors@shaw.ca 46

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Holiday Specialty Auction December 12 Antiques, Fine Art & Jewelry

1115 Fort Street 250-384-6441 www.kilshaws.com

Serving Oak Bay for over 30 Years

Providing comprehensive Physiotherapy Gerry, Terri, Lisa and Ian

Services include • Spinal manual therapy/manipulation • Intramuscular Stimulation (IMS) • Individualized exercise prescription • Acupuncture

FOUL BAY Physiotherapy

220 -1964 Fort St. 250-595-2244 foulbayphysiotherapy.com

First Memorial Funeral Services welcomes Jennifer McEachern as F i rs e m o ri al Advisor. F u ne al S e rrv viic ces Family r stt MService n erra Se w e l co m e s J en a che e nn iiff e r M cE c Ea c h er n a s F a m iillyy S er viice ce A dvvis i sor. e rv Ad o r.

All inquires receive a complimentary A ll in q ui s re e a u irrees r ecie ci evve Personal Planning Guide. c om m een n ta y Pe rrs soona o mppll iim t arry n al

P an n nniiin ng G u iid de Plla ng Gu Gu de ..

250-384-5512 2 50 4 -5 512 5 0-- 38 3 84 - 55

Call Jennifer to book a caring, Ca l l J enn o b o ok e nnii fe ferr tto o k a c a ri n g , compassionate conversation. c o mp a s i o na te co saat io n . m pa io n a c on v er e rs

Thank you for suppo WestShore Go2Guide. P

Oak Bay Village this PDF proof to ensure

With consistent, dependable Personalized …fiAdvice nancial Financial foradvice… youIncome can get there. Retirement Planning. Segregated Funds my Specialty

and layout are correct.

Welcomes You

NOTE: This is a low-resolution final check only. As such, the c may not represent how the ad print; ads will be crisper when

Dale Collins

Everything you Certified Financial Planner need for Christmas. X the approp All in onePlease place. Elder Planning Counselor instructions:

Megan Herlaar CFP EPC Office: 250-589-2250 Fax: 778-265-0031 megan@prosperity-planning.com

o Proof OK as is

Dale Collins CFP EPC

For aorelaxed Proof OK with changes in shopping experience o Revised Proof required Office: 250-818-2616 visit our festive Notes: _______________ Village. Fax: 250-590-5721 Open until 8PM ____________________ Thursdays & Fridays till Email: dale@prosperity-planning.com Special events throughout December ____________________ December 20th. visitoakbayvillage.ca www.prosperity-planning.com

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celebrate the season christmas calendar This December marks the first anniversary of the new Oak Bay Beach Hotel and we are working on a memorable months worth of special events and seasonal celebrations to kick off another successful year! As the holiday’s approach, know that our team is preparing to host you and your loved ones for another traditional Oak Bay Beach Hotel Christmas. With options for any taste, including Dinner Theatre, Spa, The Snug, Dining Room, Movie Night’s, Kate’s Cafe or overnight escapes, our Gift Giving options are every bit as sophisticated as you.

Our complete Christmas guide of events, menus and specials is now available online or at our front desk.

the Oak bay beach hotel chr i stmas cal en dar 12

a christmas tradition

3 4

Christmas at the Oak Bay Beach Hotel has a long community tradition for Victorians and for visiting guests alike. A grand tradition is back again to celebrate the season and one full year as Victoria’s newest landmark. Our Grand Lobby will once again be transformed

Whether looking for a festive get-together within an intimate setting, or even a larger group, our holiday features offer an entertainig mix. Small Business • Join in any one of our Dinner Theatre evenings with a group of 20+ and receive special pricing for a unique Christmas outing. Take The Elevator Home • When hosting your party at the hotel, “Take the Elevator Home” with special room rates.

with touchstones & decorations of Christmases past; including caroling in the Grand Lobby, Boxing Day at The Snug and Christmas Dinner Theatre productions. Reconnect old and new traditions this holiday season.

The Perfect Gift • Our hotel gift cards can be used for hotel stays, Kate’s Café, the Boathouse Spa, Snug, Dinner Theatre, and just about everything else. Treat yourself or someone you know to the Oak bay Beach Hotel.

hotel gift card promotion The perfect gift idea now includes free spa gift with purchases of $125 or $250. Full details online or by calling 250.598.4556.

OAKBAYBEACHHOTEL.COM Call 250.598.4556 for a full calendar of events, to book your reservations this Christmas, or purchase Hotel Gift Cards. Our Best. Always.

KATE’S CAFE | THE SNUG | DINNER THEATRE | BOATHOUSE SPA | THE DINING ROOM

Photo sharon tiffin

TEA WITH NILS JENSEN

Tweed editor Susan Lundy interviews Nils Jensen in the lobby at the Oak Bay Beach Hotel.

Nils Jensen Claim to fame: Mayor of Oak Bay How long living In Oak Bay? 20 years What brings you joy? Exploring the world on a bike with my family. We’ve cycled in five European countries and recently I did short and risky bike tour around Beijing.

Where were you born and who is your family? I was born in Slagelse, Denmark, a small town about 100 km south west of Copenhagen. Immediately after being born in Slagelse — where both my mom and dad’s family had probably lived since the Vikings — my family moved to Copenhagen. Later we lived in Montreal and then Ottawa. My parents are both deceased, but I have a brother who is a professor at Ryerson. My wife, Jean Thomson, is a Montessori School teacher, who was born in Scotland and raised in England. We met in Vancouver, lived in Nelson and married in 1984 in Ottawa. We have two sons, Nicholas (27) studying for a masters degree in Paris at Ecole des Hautes Etudes Commerciales, but currently on a study exchange at Tsinghua University in Beijing; and Stewart (21), a third year mechanical engineering student at Queen’s University in Kingston. What are the highlights of your various jobs/ career path? In university I switched from chemical engineering to law when I came to the realization that I preferred to work with people rather than math and science. Law has opened up many doors: courtroom trials, teaching at UVic and Carleton University and policy work in the government. Law also provided a good grounding for my love of governance and involvement in my community. I’ve had an interest in being involved in my community beginning in high school when I was elected to the executive of the boys’ athletic association.

What has been the most challenging? Finding the right work/life balance. Being driven to do well and serve others impacts family life and friendships constantly. Who are some of the most interesting people you’ve met? A class of Inuit law students I taught in Iqaluit, Nunavut. I’ve never before met such genuinely caring, enthusiastic and engaging students. Each and every one had a strong commitment to helping and improving his/her community. One of them went on to become the mayor of Iqaluit. They were a true inspiration. Also, former Chief Justice of BC, William Esson, a warm, kind and highly respected jurist; and Pierre Elliot Trudeau, an intellectual and visionary statesman who inspired a generation of Canadians. What is on your bucket list? I have no bucket list — I want to avoid disappointment. Life is all about timing: when an interesting or challenging opportunity presents itself, my tendency is to seize the moment rather than check to see if it’s on a list. What do you see as your greatest accomplishment? Raising two inquisitive boys who have a thirst for learning and living. Anything else you’d like us to know? I have a passion and a love for Oak Bay. It is a wonderfully vibrant, innovative and active community. Our community’s core values are strong and will endure. WINTER 2013-2014

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DOGS ON THE AVENUE

Love my dog! Photos by WILLIAM SHEPHERD

Dogs [dawgs, dogs] 1. The best friend of men, women and children, bred in many sizes and shapes. The Avenue [thuh av-uh-nyoo, -noo] 1. A popular destination for those seeking funky eateries, awesome art galleries and trendy stores in Oak Bay.

Seen on this page, clockwise from left, are: Basil, a Weimaraner spending the afternoon with Jennifer; Lobo, a Portuguese Water Dog, seen with Jordan: Abby, a Great Pyrenees and Turkish Akbash cross, belonging to Rick and Joanne Dean; and Sue Taylorâ€™s dog, Willy, a Tibetan Spaniel. Opposite is Gunnar, a yellow Lab, belonging to Shannon Stanley.

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tell

tweed!

Some say that Oak Bay loves dogs so much, that canines are actually considered honorary citizens. Send photographs of your “Dogs on the Avenue” to: lundys@shaw.ca

barkpetboutique.com 2041 Oak Bay Ave., Victoria B.C. 250-590-2822

TIFFANY COLLECTIBLE EVENT ON NOW!

Over 100 Tiffany Styles to choose from!

One-to-One volunteer help to individuals of all ages. Call for help, to volunteer or donate.

250.595.1034 ✧ www.oakbayvolunteers.bc.ca 23” Table Lamp

$139

Floor Lamp

$229

❄ It’s been said, “This is the

❆

world’s best hummingbird feeder.” New high perch for unobstructed bird viewing • Ant-Moat - Blocks Crawling Insects • Lifetime Guarantee • 8 oz and 12 oz Capacity • Made in U.S.A. HIGH PERCH™ • Four Feeding Ports • Easy to Clean • Bee and Wasp Free

❆

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hummingbird

Local business owners proud to call Oak Bay home. 3400 Douglas Street ǀ 250.475.2561 ǀ mclarenlighting.com

❆

❄

FEEDER

250-595-3595

3631 Shelbourne Plaza WINTER 2013-2014

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Meet our Advertisers ATHLONE TRAVEL is a full service locally owned travel agency – serving the community since 1986. Our experienced team would be delighted to assist with all of your travel needs. See ad on page 45

ALISON ROSS B.A., M.A., CPPA, Owner/Auctioneer/Appraiser. Downsizing, estate, art & antique specialist. As seen on History Television’s “Pawnathon Canada.” Kilshaws Auctioneering Ltd. has been serving Vancouver Island since 1949. See ad on page 46

BARK, BATH & BEYOND PET BOUTIQUE A family operated

THE L&P GROUP An award winning full service group with over 40+ years of experience that specializes in all aspects of real estate sales and marketing in Greater Victoria and the surrounding areas. See ad on page 17

ART GALLERY OF GREATER VICTORIA With almost 18,000

Trudi and Kay are the partners of BROWN HENDERSON MELBYE where the focus is family law. Together they have over 50 years experience resolving family law matters. See ad on page 31

LANSDOWNE APPLIANCE GALLERY A Victoria favorite

MORGAN’S FABRICS & INTERIOR has been Oak Bay’s

Mandu Goebl has worked in the Victoria auto industry for over 10 years and is proud to raise his family here. He is delighted to offer quality vehicles to CAMPUS ACURA customers. See ad on page 13

COSMEDICA is one of Canada’s

OAK BAY HEARING CLINIC

LUXE HOME INTERIORS

TIMELESS TOYS, Powered by Imagination. Your local family run toy store in the heart of Oak Bay Village. Neil, Cindy, Nathan and Millie. See ad on page 33

Gurmit Sandhu has owned and operated WEST COAST BREW SHOP for four years. He is happiest when he is helping his customers make award winning wines and beer and playing cricket with the Oak Bay Cricket Club. See ad on page 30

THE MARINA RESTAURANT

Chef Keenliside invites you to enjoy the fresh tastes of the West Coast in a spectacular oceanfront setting. See ad on page 27

Ed Graham at GRAHAM KIA has been in the car business in Victoria for nearly 40 years. Visit the Kia franchise in Victoria; Family Owned, Family Operated, Family Values. See ad on page 19

PEPPER’S FOODS,

M&M MEATS SHELBOURNE

red art gallery is the fun,

business specializing in taking care of your furry ones. We provide everything you need from grooming to foods and everything in between. See ad on page 51

Oak Bay residents, Scott Elias and Darren Ausmus, are the proud owners of Luxe Home Interiors – where Victoria shops for quality custom home furnishings. See ad on page 2

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foremost dermatology and cosmetic laser clinics, offering a comprehensive range of treatments for skin and body rejuvenation. See ad on Page 12

Originally from Calgary, Franchisee Richard Searle has been a proud Victorian resident since 2006. Stop on by the store and discover a vast array of mouth-watering foods to ﬁll your fridge and freezer. See ad on page 30

small and unpretentious gallery where colour rules! Featuring contemporary, original art from award winning Canadian artists. Owners Bobb and Marion will help you ﬁnd a work that will rejuvenate your living space. See ad on page 42

OAK BAY BEACH HOTEL

Swan, has designed, staged and renovated homes for the past 25 years. Combining her staging business, interior design consultation, with original art and funky furnishings for sale; ASGARD is a unique new store on the Avenue. See ad on page 18

DR. SHEREE CHAPELL, Naturopathic Physician has been practising locally for the past 17 years. She feels it is a privilege to help improve the lives of her patients. See ad on page 31

OAK BAY OPTOMETRY has

Whether in Kate’s Café, The Snug, Dinner Theatre or Boathouse Spa, ﬁnd community amongst friends, and a rich tradition of hospitality. See ad on page 48

for 25 years. Family owned and operated offering Premium appliances backed with unparalleled service. See ad on page 33

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been providing eye exams, glasses and contact lenses to the whole family for over twenty years. See ad on page 6

OAK BAY VOLUNTEER SERVICES. We provide one-to-

one direct volunteer support to individuals of all ages in Oak Bay. Drives, visits, repairs, etc. See ad on page 51

works of art, the Gallery has the largest public collection in BC and is a vibrant and active part of Victoria’s arts community. See ad on page 41

premier re-upholstery, slipcover and draperies provider for nearly 40 years. Family owned and operated. See ad on page 46

With her doctorate in audiology and 17 years’ experience, Dr. Wright is well suited to improve your hearing, even in the most difﬁcult listening situations. See ad on Page 26

Celebrating 50 years in the community! See ad on page 56

PURE INTEGRATIVE PHARMACY, blending traditional

pharmacy with complementary remedies to create YOUR HUB OF HEALTH. Come visit us at the corner of Fort & Foul Bay. See ad on page 34

OAK BAY SENIORCARE

“Our award-winning home support services are customized to ﬁt your needs at any time.” See ad on page 3

SAFFRON WINDOW FASHIONS

is a family owned and operated business. The Hunter Douglas showroom gallery is the only in Victoria. Our staff consists of experienced, knowledgeable interior decorating professionals. See ad on page 38

0: The Real Deal Meet our Advertisers

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SCIENCE WORKS

Do you know that 44 gallons of blood gets washed by our kidneys every day! That’s almost 2 bathtubs full. See ad on page 31

GEORGIAN CAPITAL Our mission

WHITE HEATHER TEA ROOM

FOUL BAY PHYSIOTHERAPY

BOORMAN’S 80TH ANNIVERSARY We are family

is to attract the very best investment people, to create and build an environment which is conducive to developing exceptional insight and thought. Private investment portfolios for individuals, families, and foundations. See ad on page 21

CARLTON HOUSE OF OAK BAY

We live in Oak Bay – continuing White Heather’s long tradition of serving delicious lunches & Afternoon Teas to Oak Bay and surrounds. See ad on page 29

satisﬁes expectations for a physicallyattractive, well-maintained and secure retirement residence, while fostering a supportive community of enjoyment, camaraderie and pride. See ad on page 35

has been serving Oak Bay for over 25 years. Ian Catchpole and Gerry Illmayer have over 35 years combined experience and are pleased to have joined Lisa and Terri at the clinic. See ad on page 47

owned and operated providing Real Estate, Insurance and Property Management services. A Trusted Name…it takes generations to build a reputation! See ad on page 6

CHILDREN’S HEALTH FOUNDATION of Vancouver

DR STEPHEN BAKER

OAK BAY VILLAGE

An Ophthalmologist & Oculoplastic surgeon, specializes in eyelid & cataract surgery. Dionne, a Medical Scientist, assists him in the facial rejuvenation. See ad on page 7

Nearly 100 shops, services, restaurants, art galleries and more waiting to be discovered in a vibrant village setting. Find out what’s happening at www.visitoakbayvillage.ca See ad on page 47

JENNIFER MCEACHERN

OAK BAY PHARMASAVE

Island raises funds to support the health and well-being of children and youth on the Islands. See ad on page 47

“Yes, this is real”

— Sean Leitenberg, Canada’s Reno Rebate

Sean Warren is a proud 3rd generation Victoria resident. Sean has been with the CAMPUS AUTO the potential rebateGROUP withsince their qualifying 1999 and has earned clients. a reputation for top quality service selling top quality products! “We know several contractors andHe is an avid car enthusiast with a love of the Realtors who are going through their files outdoors and skiing. See ad on page 5

and calling everyone they helped to fix up or buy a house between July 1, 2010 THE FINISHING STORE Finish T Hand E March 31, 2013likewhen the was an expert withHST top quality repealed,” he says.products, competitive pricing and FINISHING LIKE 60 years of expertise home ANdown EXPERT It comesFINISH toover this: if you builtin or STORE finishing. See ad on page 14 purchased a new home or did a substantial renovation to an existing home for yourself STIRTON Investment orTfor rental duringPHILIP that period, you are HE & Retirement Planning with RBC entitled to a rebate for a portion of the FINISHING Financial Planning. Looking for FINISH LIKE provincial sales tax embedded within the Investment & Retirement Advice? STORE AN EXPERTTalk to me today (250) 882-9033 HST. philip.stirton@rbc.com Canada’s Reno Rebate Inc. handles all See ad on page 31 the paperwork and follows through with the government until receive your BILLyou MURPHY-DYSON, family cheque. Because Sean hisand staff know lawyer,and mediator, arbitrator at COX, TAYLOR, Chair ofto thecall, the forms, the processes, and who Oak Bay Tea Party since 1998. they efficiently andSeequickly the ad on pagecollect 34 information and submit exactly what the government agencies need. The company charges no upfront fee and if you don’t JENNINGS FLORISTS has you receive a rebate, the application costs proudly served the Victoria area nothing. since 1920. Family owned and Because all the required paperwork operated business. Our family is committed offering the finest can be done via email andtofax, “clients floral arrangements and gifts. are coming to us from over See adall on page 17 this great With over 18 years investment experience, Paul Holmes and his pre-eminent wealth management team at HOLMES WEALTH MANAGEMENT GROUP deliver strong, risk-adjusted returns together with the highest level of personalized client service. See ad on page 55

brings years of client service, compassion and insight to help you province,” says Sean. meet your ideal pre-arrangement If you know someone who might qualify, needs. First Memorial Funeral Services welcomes Jennifer as you can pick up a postcard at Glen Lake Family Service Advisor. Liquor & More or the Commons See ad on page 47 Liquor &

More store in Duncan and pass it to your CASSIE KANGAS friend; if your friend a rebate As receives a lifetime resident of Oak Bay, through Canada’s Reno Rebate I am your neighbourInc., and anyou’ll OAKcertificate BAY REAL ESTATE both receive a $50 gift to help EXPERT who you can celebrate! trust to sell your home. “Handing peopleSee cheques ad on pagefor 9 thousands of dollars that they had no idea they were Ron & Greg DIAMOND EYECARE entitled to is our goal,” Sean says. “We after serving Victorians for 20 years are happy to answer any questions that from the Douglas St. store, locally potential clients have, soDiamond give Optical us a call. owned has brought theirto commitment What have you got lose?” to quality and customer service to Oak Bay. See ad on page 9

CANADA’S RENO REBATE INC. has teamed up with builders,

trades, designers and Realtors to share the good news about the potential rebate with their qualifying clients. See ad on page 15

Tony Tucker has operated the store since 1985; he’s very appreciative of his amazing staff and the community of people in Oak Bay that make up his loyal customers. See ad on page 37

CHERYL’S GOURMET PANTRY Cheryl has been providing gourmet take out, catering services, and picnic baskets for over 25 years in Oak Bay. Personal favourite: Roast Chicken dinner. See ad on page 29

MEGAN HERLAAR

Megan has many years of experience specializing in Segregated Funds. For personalized ﬁnancial advice for retirement income planning call Megan. See ad on page 47

MCLAREN LIGHTING

We’re a family owned and operated showroom celebrating over 50 years as Leaders in Lighting. Come in to our Victoria or Nanaimo showroom today for the most extensive lighting selection on the Island. See ad on page 51

778-433-7494Don Wuest, owner at WILD BIRDS UNLIMITED, wants you to have the 1-877-724-4624 best bird feeding experience possible. 1267 Fairfield Road, After all, Victoria it’s the most relaxing, fulﬁlling, educational and exciting Web: renorebate.ca hobby that everyone can enjoy. Email: info@renorebate.ca See ad on page 51

To feature your business in the next edition of TWEED contact:

Locally owned and operated by Michael Hansen, WINDSOR PLYWOOD Westshore strives to bring the most unique products to the market place. From Live Edge Mantels to hardwood ﬂoors we invite you to walk through our doors and walk on our ﬂoors. See ad on page 18

Dianne McKerrell Advertising Consultant

250-480-3205 dianne@oakbaynews.com WINTER 2013-2014

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Parting Shot

Photo by Arnold Lim

TWEED CELEBRATES FIRST ANNIVERSARY

weed is one year old and there’s a multitude of people to thank for its resounding success! It’s been a fabulous year since we embarked on this journey last December. We couldn’t have done it without you — our readers and advertisers — and all the people in Oak Bay, who have so graciously opened their doors and welcomed us into their homes, gardens and studios; some of you even prepared dinner! Our vision at Tweed has been to take a quarterly “romp through Oak Bay,” and we’ve had a ton of fun doing it. We’ve collected lots of positive feedback from our readers, and even picked up national kudos when our very first issue won gold in the best magazines category from Newspapers Canada. We’re proud to publish a purely Oak Bay magazine, reflecting back all that makes this community so unique, vibrant and fascinating. We’re also proud to be a local company: Black Press is based in Victoria and owner, David Black, lives in Oak Bay. We are the largest independent publisher in North America, and the success of 54

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Tweed proves that this local, neighbourhood focus is the place to be in the media world. All this makes Tweed a great place to advertise, and the support of local businesses is essential to our success. We truly couldn’t do it without our advertisers, and we encourage readers to check them out, and support the community by shopping locally. So, cheers! Happy holidays, from all of us at Tweed. Through this Christmas card photo — beautifully captured by our very own, highly talented Arnold Lim — we’d like to say, “Thank you! We wish you all the best of the season. May it be filled with love and laughter.” The Tweed team is, clockwise from left: Bruce Hogarth (Director of Circulation), Oliver Sommer (Director of Sales and Advertising), Dianne McKerrell (Advertising Consultant), Lily Chan (Creative Design), Penny Sakamoto (Group Publisher Greater Victoria), Susan Lundy (Editor). (Missing from the photo is Don Denton, our brilliant head of photography.)

ALL you Conservative Wealth Management customized to you and your family’s needs “I’ve found that consistent returns over time can be achieved when you create a balanced portfolio of securities producing cash ﬂow in the form of dividends and interest payments.” – Paul W. Holmes, MPA, CIM, CFP Portfolio Manager If you’re unhappy with how your investments are being handled and you’ve hit the investment milestone of $250,000, Paul and his team at Holmes Wealth Management would like the opportunity to discuss why their conservative investment approach has stood the test of time.

(250) 389-2131 paul.holmes@scotiamcleod.com Visit our website at

Proudly Serving Canadian Investors Since 1921

holmeswealthmanagement.com ® Registered trademark of The Bank of Nova Scotia, used by ScotiaMcLeod. ScotiaMcLeod is a division of Scotia Capital Inc. (“SCI”). SCI is a member of the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada and the Canadian Investor Protection Fund.

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