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Commonwealth Games family reunites to celebrate legacy Travis Paterson
Panama Flats set for ALR Daniel Palmer
News staff
Twenty years after the 1994 Commonwealth Games changed the face of Saanich, Buncy and Raj Pagley are still fielding phone calls from some of the 15,000 volunteers they worked with during that time. The married couple led the Commonwealth Nations program, which sprouted a series of grassroots events during the three-year build to the Games as the community was buzzing with anticipation. “There were some very big gatherings long before the Games started,” Buncy said. “We had thousands come to the opening of Commonwealth Place.” One of the couple’s many initiatives was arranging a team of 66 flag bearers to represent the Commonwealth countries at leadup celebrations, including Prince Edward’s visit in March 1994 to open Saanich Commonwealth Place. Fittingly, it will be Buncy and Raj bearing the Canadian and B.C. flags on Saturday for the opening ceremony of the 20th anniversary reunion of the 1994 Commonwealth Games, taking place at the Pacific Institute for Sport Excellence. More than 5,000 people are expected to attend the reunion,
News staff
their children have grown up,” Buncy said.
Saanich’s Panama Flats is set to become the latest addition to B.C.’s Agricultural Land Reserve by the end of the year, if all goes as planned. On Monday, council unanimously approved a submission to the Agricultural Land Commission to add the 14.5-hectare parcel to the ALR. Saanich purchased the land in 2011 for $2.4 million. “The whole site is considerably bigger than that, as Panama Hill is already in the ALR,” said Mayor Frank Leonard. “With this parcel, the total farmland would increase to 23 hectares.” Once approved, Leonard said the municipality will lease the farmable land after executing a concept redevelopment plan. That plan includes a system of trails, a floodplain, remediation of a portion of Bowker Creek and a protected area for birds and other wildlife.
PlEASE SEE: Games pool, Page A4
PlEASE SEE: Wildlife well-being, Page A7
Travis Paterson/News staff
Buncy and Raj Pagely, lead volunteers at the 1994 Commonwealth Games, still have the clothes to prove it. On Saturday, they’ll be the flag bearers when an anticipated 5,000 people attend the 20th anniversary celebration of the Games at PISE. signifying the lasting impact the Games have had on Saanich and the Greater Victoria community. The opening ceremony starts at 3 p.m.
“With the reunion coming, I’ve been getting calls from the 1994 flag bearers, they’re calling me now instead of the other way around. And they’re telling me about how
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