WIN A WARDROBE UPGRADE from
FATHER’S DAY CLASSIC PRESENTED BY:
VICTORIANEWS • June 21st • HarbourCats VS Black Bears at 1:05 pm • Royal Athletic Park
Sno’uyutth Crowdfunding campaign supports pole carving Page A3
NEWS: Unlocked cars ripe for thieves /A2 COMMUNITY: Aboriginal Festival this weekend /A7 SPORTS: Busy week on the ball diamond /A13
OAK BAYNEWS Friday, June 19, 2015
www.oakbaynews.com
Oak Bay falls into culture Christine van Reeuwyk News Staff
Mike Sheehan photo
Lone Wolf Still with us more than two years after his arrival is the lone wolf making his home on Staqeya, Discovery Island. Campers on Discovery Island first reported a stray or abandoned animal to conservation officers in early May 2012 and it was confirmed that the animal was a wolf in July of that year. While it’s not known where exactly the wolf came from, conservation hoped it would leave on its own.
Culture could come to Oak Bay as early as this fall, when the district plans to add Culture to the Parks and Recreation Commission mandate. “Council is very excited to see culture added to Parks and Recreation. I don’t see any challenges with it. I only see positives that will come from this,” said Coun. Hazel Braithwaite, council liaison to the Parks and Recreation Commission. “Now we can focus on those different groups and pull them into the parks and rec family. It’s more inclusive for residents.” The title change was first bandied about during the official community plan review that finished last fall. During the review, the community expressed the desire for more and better-co-ordinated cultural opportunities. “Council has supported this idea with the approval of a part-time arts and cultural programmer position, providing program funding, and by appointing an arts laureate for the second year,” Janet Barclay, manager recreation
program services, wrote in a report to council. “Currently the Parks and Recreation Department offers arts programs and hosts cultural events. As such it is the logical department to support the continued growth of this area.” Earlier this year, Oak Bay’s former Community Initiatives Committee’s priorities were added to the recreation portfolio, as was their budget, noted Braithwaite. They allowed for a parttime Arts and Culture Programmer to take responsibility for some direct programming of Recreation Oak Bay arts and cultural programs and special events. The part-time programmer would be responsible for maximizing the use of community resources that support cultural participation, identifying arts needs and opportunities, and assisting the manager in facilitating community development in support of the arts. PLEASE SEE: Culture Talks Page A4