Special Features - Best of the City 2016

Voted

The Best of the City 2016 Results

Bestty Ci of the

FOOD SERVICE 1 Thrifty Foods 2 Save On Foods 3 Red Barn Market

AS VOTED BY THE READERS OF VICTORIA NEWS, OAK BAY NEWS, SAANICH NEWS AND GOLDSTREAM NEWS GAZETTE, APRIL 2016

S A NEW I R O VICT

RECREATION

Best grocery store

Favourite local sports team 1 Victoria Royals 2 Victoria HarbourCats 3 Victoria Shamrocks

2016

Best bulk food store

AR YE

nd

22

Best vegetarian/vegan

Best ice cream/gelato

1 Rebar 2 Be Love 3 Sizzling Tandoor

1 Beacon Hill Drive-In 2 Cold Comfort 3 Marble Slab Creamery

1 Canoe Club Brew Pub 2 Glo 3 The Local Kitchen

Best wings

Best sports bar

Best “all you can eat” 1 Sizzling Tandoor 2 Shiki 3 Masala Bites

Best Indian

Best business lunch

1 Sizzling Tandoor 2 Masala Bites 3 Varsha

1 Moxie’s 2 Cactus Club 3 Sizzling Tandoor

Best Thai

Best for your sweet tooth

1 Baan Thai 2 Sabhai Thai 3 Little Thai Place

1 Dutch Bakery 2 Crust Bakery 3 Fol Epi

Best for breakfast

Best coffee/latte/ cappuccino(independent)

1 Blue Fox 2 Shine 3 Jam Cafe

1 Cafe Fantastico 2 Discovery Coffee 3 Habit Coffee

Voted

Best City

of the

3

VICTORIA NE WS

YEAR

201 6

22nd

1 The Tartan Toque 2 Heckler’s Bar & Grill 3 1550’s Pub Style Restaurant

1 Bulk Barn 2 Costco 3 Save On Foods

Best patio bar

1 Thrifty Foods 2 Glenwood 3 Red Barn Market

1 Shark Club 2 Tally Ho 3 Sticky Wicket

Best for produce 1 Root Cellar 2 Thrifty Foods 3 Red Barn Market

1 Irish Times 2 Garricks Head 3 Spinnakers

1 Bin4 2 Pink Bicycle 3 Big Wheel

Best organic grocer 1 Root Cellar 2 Red Barn Market 3 Lifestyles Markets

Best for scotch

Best pizza

1 Clives 2 Bard and Banker 3 Argyle Attic

1 Pizzeria Prima Strada 2 Romeo’s 3 Famoso

1 Oak Bay 2 Saanich Commonwealth 3 Juan de Fuca

1 Thrifty Foods 2 Finest at Sea 3 Cowichan Bay Seafood

Best pub

Best burger

Best rec centre

Best for seafood

1 Clives 2 Veneto 3 Little Jumbo

1 Barb’s Fish & Chips 2 Red Fish Blue Fish 3 Haultain Fish & Chips

1 Moksana Yoga Center 2 Moksha Yoga Victoria 3 Bikram Yoga

Best for meat

Best for a martini

Best fish & chips

Best yoga studio

Best bakery 1 Cobs Bread 2 Dutch Bakery 3 Fol Epi

Best gym/fitness studio Best specialty deli 1 Charelli’s Cheese Shop, Delicatessen & Catering 2 Fig Delicatessen 3 Ottavio Italian Bakery & Delicatessen

Best local brewery/winery 1 Phillips Brewing Company 2 Hoyne Brewing Company 3 Spinnakers

Best wine store 1 Everything Wine 2 Cascadia Liquor Store 3 Vessel Liquor Store

Best for making your own wine 1 The Wine Maker 2 Thirsty Vintner 3 Happy Homebrewer

1 Happy Homebrewer 2 Bedford Brewing Co Ltd 3 West Coast Brew Shop

Best 18-hole golf course 1 The Westin Bear Mountain Golf Resort and Spa 2 Cedar Hill Golf Course 3 Cordova Bay Golf Course

Best swimming pool 1 Saanich Commonwealth 2 Crystal Pool and Fitness 3 Oak Bay Recreation Centre

THANK YOU VICTORIA! We look forward to serving you for years to come!

Best for Meat Voted

Best City

of the

Best for Produce

1

Best Grocery Store

WS VICTORIA NE

R YEA

2016

d

n 22

Voted

Best City

of the

1

VICTORIA NE WS

Voted

of the

2

2

WS VICTORIA NE

et a Mate e m o t e c la P t s Be

nd

22

Best of the City Summer 2016 • 25

22

22nd

R YEA

Customer Care 250.544.1234 | For culinary inspiration visit thriftyfoods.com/recipes

nd

R YEA

Best for Seafood

Best City

of the

2016

WS VICTORIA NE

Voted

YEAR

Best City

201 6

Best Flower Shop

2016

24 • Best of the City Summer 2016

Best U-Brew

1 Steve Nash 2 YMCA of Greater Victoria 3 Saanich Commonwealth

2016

Best City

of the

Discover the best as voted by our readers • Dining • Attractions • Fun! • 100 plus

categories

Thank You

Victoria!

Proud to be YOUR Auto Service Specialists Meet the LANGFORD TEAM

250.727.6561

Voted

Best City

of the

1

VICTORIA NEWS

250.361.3152

Voted

Best City

of the

nd 22

R YEA

2959 Douglas Street

1

VICTORIA NEWS

nd 22

R YEA

2016

250.381.5055

nd 22

R YEA

801 Royal Oak Drive

1519 Admirals Road

1

VICTORIA NEWS

2016

2 • Best of the City Summer 2016

of the

2016

SCOTT BASTIEN Service Manager, View Royal

Voted

Best City

nd 22

R YEA

250.721.1125

Meet the VIEW ROYAL TEAM

1

VICTORIA NEWS

3993 Cedar Hill Road

Meet the DOUGLAS ST. TEAM DAN ROBBINS Service Manager, Douglas St.

Best City

of the

2016

TOM HUNTER Service Manager, Royal Oak

Voted

nd 22

R YEA

250.474.2291

Meet the ROYAL OAK TEAM

1

VICTORIA NEWS

Westshore Town Centre

Meet the CEDAR HILL TEAM GARY SANWALD Service Manager, Cedar Hill

Best City

of the

2016

NOEL O’LEARY Service Manager, Langford

Voted

Blanshard St Winery 661 Burnside Rd East Ph: 250-475-3800 W I N E MAK I N G F O R W I N E LOV ERS

www.blanshardstreetwinery.com

Make any Premium Batch of Legacy Wine for Only

99

$

95

Reg. $199.95 Value

Makes 30 x 750ml

Check out the link below for complete product listing www.vinecowine.com/products/legacy Limit 2 per household, for new customers only. Must be 19 or older. Valid for on-site wine only.

Corks, shrink caps, and labels included. Bottles and tax not included. Upgrades available. 100% Guarantee locally owned and family operated. We will match any competitors price, coupon or discount.

Call 250 475 3800 for complete details. Expires August 31, 2016

RECENTLY AWARDED BEST WINEMAKING STORE IN ALL OF CANADA

Best of the City Summer 2016 • 3

OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK Mon - Tues 10-6 / Wed - Fri 10-8 Sat 9-5 / Sun 11-4

Victoria Tourism

Tourism industry undergoing a renaissance The tourism industry in Greater Victoria is undergoing a renaissance and the underlying drivers run much deeper than a favourable currency exchange or reputation for great weather.

Government, businesses and the general public are learning what people in the tourism sector have known for a long time.

This is a massive industry.

However, we need to stay focused and make sure we continue to build on our strong momentum.

In Canada, the tourism sector was worth more than $80 billion in economic activity in 2015.

Breaking that number down, 17 million international visitors contributed nearly $17 billion in new export revenue to the Canadian economy. According to Statistics Canada, the tourism sector in Canada contributed to more than 190,000 tourism enterprises, directly supporting 637,000 Canadian jobs. Clearly the stakes are high, but this is a sophisticated global industry.

The United Nations World Tourism Organization Forecast expects a sustained annual growth trajectory of four to six per cent.

We’ve seen evidence here in Greater Victoria, where the tourism

Delta flight that seamlessly connects Victoria International Airport with the world’s largest global airline network.

We have also seen an increasingly vibrant restaurant and retail scene, many festivals and events and tens of millions of dollars in investments into hotels that not only serve visitors but also locals who use them for business functions, weddings and special occasions.

We have also seen massive government investment in infrastructure such as the Belleville Street Steamship Terminal.

All of these have been driven, in part, by the rebound in our tourism industry.

These improvements in our region will serve us well over the long run, and help Greater Victoria continue its transformation into a year-round, globally recognized destination.

— Paul Nursey, president and CEO of Tourism Victoria

Tourism Victoria CEO Paul Nursey at the Inner Harbour.

sector has rebounded from a low mark in 2011 and is now reaching record highs.

Over the last year, we’ve seen how truly beneficial tourism can be

— not only for our economy but for the quality of life Greater Victoria residents enjoy.

We have seen new transportation linkages, such as the new

Thank you Victoria for years of faithful business!

From the Jim Pattison Toyota & Lexus Victoria Family

Voted

Best City

of of the the

1

TESTIMONIAL

We had a wonderful meal at their Bistro while waiting for the oil change on our Camry.”

JPToyotaVictoria.com 3050 Douglas Street, Victoria, BC | (250) 386-3516

st

1nndd 2 2 2 2 2

R R A A E YE Y

2 20 01 16 6

44 •• Best Best of of the the City City Summer Summer 2016 2016

VICTORIA NEWS VICTORIA NEWS

TESTIMONIAL

Wonderful experience. Your lounge was wonderful to wait in with fresh coffee.”

JPLexusVictoria.com 623 Finlayson Street, Victoria, BC | (250) 386-3700

Best Best the ofofthe City City How to contact us: How to Press contact us: Black Black 818 Press Broughton St. 818 Broughton Victoria, B.C. St. Victoria, B.C. V8W 1E4 V8W 1E4 Phone: Phone: 250-381-3484 250-381-3484 Email: Email: editor@vicnews.com editor@vicnews.com Web: vicnews.com Web: vicnews.com Group Publisher Group PennyPublisher Sakamoto Penny Sakamoto Pubisher Pubisher Mike Cowan Mike Cowan Associate Pubisher Associate Pubisher Oliver Sommer Oliver Sommer Editor Editor Pamela Roth Pamela Roth Photo Editor Photo Editor Don Denton Don Denton Production Manager Production Manager Janice Marshall Janice Marshall Winners in the 22nd annual Victoria News Winners 22nd Best of in thethe City annual Victoriawere News supplement Best of thebyCity chosen Capital supplement were Region readers chosen by course Capital over the Region of onereaders month. over thevotes course of Their were one month.

Theirby then tabulated votes were then our promotions tabulated and and ranked department inranked order to in determine order to first, secondfirst, and determine third place. second and third Black Pressplace.

Vancouver Island Black Presshas sole copyright Vancouver Island over written hasany sole copyright material over anyorwritten images in this material or publication. images in this Inpublication. the event of an error occurring In the event ofinan any advertisement, error occurring in the of Black anyliability advertisement, Press shall not the liability of Black exceed Press the shallcharge not ofexceed space actually the charge occupied the item of spacebyactually inoccupied question.by the item in question.

77

28 28

FEATURES FEATURES

Deuce Days captures Deuce Days draws 6 6 thousands the imagination to Inner

Peering into the past Peering into the past 20 20 atatthetheRoyal Royal B.C. B.C. Museum Museum

Harbour

Greater Victoria’s Greater Victoria’s 12 12 hidden hidden gems gems

We sent out our reporters to find We sentofout reporters toknown find some ourour region’s lesser some of our region’s lesser known outdoor getaways outdoor getaways

33 33 A star is born A star is born 37 37

You won’t find all of Victoria’s You won’t findsky all–ofwe’ve Victoria’s stars in the produced stars the sky – we’ve produced someinpretty good human ones too some pretty good entertainers and sports heroes too

The evolution of And the results are...

The evolution of And the results are...

41 21 41 Fisherman’s 21 Fisherman’s Wharf Wharf The much-anticipated Best of the The much-anticipated of seven the City Survey is coveredBest with City Survey is covered with seven pages of results pages of results

Inner Harbour a Explore Victoria’s Golf legends coming Inner Harbour a 19 Explore Victoria’s Golf legends coming 34 45 19 treasure treasure trove of First 34 45 thriving microbrewery to Victoria for PGA trove of First thriving microbrewery to Victoria for PGA Nations crafters Nations crafters

culture culture

Seniors tour Pacific Links Championship

THE SHELBOURNE PLAZA deep in the

of the Shelbourne Valley

Shelbourne at Cedar Hill X Road

A&W TD Canada Fairway Grocery & Bakery & BakeryGrocery & Bakery Restaurant Trust Grocery Frontrunners Cards Cards&&Gifts Gifts Cards & Gifts Sports Sports &&Bikes SportsMarket & Bikes Lizzy Lee &Bikes Me

Heart Pharmacy

Cobs Bakery

Grocery & Bakery

Grocery & Bakery M&M Meat Shops Cards & Gifts

Booster Mac’s Cycle Ink & Toner Medic Little Thai Liquor Oregano’s Pizza Grocery & Bakery Grocery Grocery & Bakery Grocery & Bakery Grocery &&Bakery & Bakery Juice Wild&& Birds Centre Place City Nails Merit Cards &Bakery GiftsGrocery Sports & Bikes Cards Gifts Cards & Gifts Cards Gifts Sports Bikes Sports Bikes Sports & Bikes Sports & BikesDistribution Br. Cards Cards &Travel &Gifts Gifts Cards Gifts Sports Sports & &Bikes BikesSports & Bikes and& Bistro Unlimited

Scotiabank

Grocery & Bakery

Starbucks

Cards & Gifts

Best of the City Summer 2016 • 5 Best of the City Summer 2016 • 5

orts & Bikes

43 43

Squeaky’s Sports & Bikes Laundromat

“COME VISIT US AT SHELBOURNE PLAZA. AFTER ALL, WE’RE FRIENDS AND NEIGHBOURS!”

FEATURING

CEVICHE ocean wise TM lois lake steelhead, sustainably harvested prawns, red onions, thai basil, mint, cilantro, nuoc cham

honoured to be a finalist

6 • Best of the City Summer 2016

BEST LUNCH | VICTORIA NEWS BEST OF THE CITY

Greek Cuisine in a casual, comfortable setting

COOK STREET VILLAGE

“Thank you Victoria for your support during our first year in Business!”

Serving Lunch & Dinner. Dine In & Take Away.

101-1075 Pendergast Street (corner of Cook & Pendergast) 250-592-7373 I www.thevillagetaverna.ca

FLAMAN FITNESS FLAMAN FITNESS Find more great deals at www.flamanfitness.com TODAYS THE DAY!

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WAS $1699 WAS $1699

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$

EXTERIOR1199 2899!

WAS $3499

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$

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149 exercise data to help track

• Automatically records your your workout

$

1249

Squat WAS $1699 Lifespan Bowflex Stands TR1200i Treadmill Extreme SE

1099

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• Quieter, frictionless fan • Foot straps on self$ for balancing pedals greater motion control WAS $1699

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149

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Building Healthy Communities.

One Y at a Time.

The YMCA-YWCA of Vancouver Island recently welcomed two new facilities to our region. The Westhills YMCA-YWCA/ Langford Aquatic Centre and the Eagle Creek YMCA-YWCA in View Royal. The recent expansion to the communities of Langford and View Royal are just the first stage in the long-term expansion strategy to deliver outcomebased growth through partnership development and innovation.

8 • Best of the City Summer 2016

The Westhills YMCA-YWCA/Langford Aquatic Centre offers a state-of-the-art fitness facility, fitness studios, multipurpose space, teen centre, licensed

child care services and a remarkable Aquatic Centre with a lazy river, pool slide, lap pool, warm water therapy pool and wave pool.

The Eagle Creek Y, View Royal will provide licensed child care with designated infant and toddler spaces as well as a health and fitness centre.

The Y remains committed to its flagship Downtown Victoria location and will continue to offer the same extensive programs and services including Health, Fitness & Aquatics, Child Care, Youth and Young Mom’s Programs.

Victoria Downtown Y

Langford Westhills Y

View Royal Eagle Creek Y

250-386-7511

NOW OPEN

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www.VancouverIslandY.com

here& there ESQUIMALT

Finger lickin’ good It’s sure to be a finger-licking good time.

The annual Esquimalt Ribfest is returning to Bullen Park in the fall.

This year’s three-day event includes a number of ribbers, including Boss Hog’s, an Ontario company that provides authentic barbecue, musical performances, family-friendly events and craft beer and cider. All proceeds from the event go towards the Esquimalt Firefighters Charitable Foundation, which will distribute the funds back into the community. Over the past two years, the event has donated $24,000 to the foundation. Ribfest runs Friday, Sept 9 to Sunday, Sept 11 at Bullen Park.

OAK BAY

For the love of cars

Chef Declan Killeen shows off some of his ribs at the Boss Hogg’s barbecue stand at 2015 Esquimalt Ribfest in Bullen Park.

The Oak Bay Collector Car Festival celebrates vintage and collector cars of all makes and models.

On Sunday, Aug. 7, Oak Bay Avenue will be transformed into a pedestiran walkway as 250 to 300 cars are showcased to admiring spectators and aficionadors. Not-yet finished cars and the shiny and spotless begin arriving on the avenue at 8 a.m.

BC’S LARGEST INDEPENDENT USED CAR DEALER

It’s no wonder that Galaxy Motors has once again been nominated for Black Press’s Best of the City Award.

They’re Vancouver Island’s largest independently owned car dealership and consistently offer customers the largest inventory of used cars and trucks in Victoria. They have an average of 750 cars and trucks on the lot at any given time, and with five locations on the Island, they really can find exactly the right car for every buyer. But it’s not just the great selection that keeps customers coming back to Galaxy Motors – it’s the family atmosphere. Galaxy has been family owned since its humble beginnings when the family took out a $10k loan and started operating out of a portable trailer on a small plot of land just down the road from their present location, across from the Juan de Fuca Recreation Centre.

Voted

Best City

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ING!

D COUNT

EARS AN INESS 25 Y

3

60 7 8 7 4 0 25

IN BUS

COLWOOD • NANAIMO • DUNCAN • LANGLEY • COURTENAY

Best of the City Summer 2016 • 9

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From the beginning their philosophy has centered on great customer care.

“Take good care of your customers, and they’ll take good care of you,” said Colby Perkins, Victoria’s General Sales Manager. “Our client base is very loyal, because we care about their continued satisfaction, and we care about the community.” That sentiment is reflected every year through Galaxy Motors generous commitment to local charities. “This is our home too, and we’re proud to give back when we can.”

Another part of Galaxy Motors’ customer satisfaction stems from their first class service centre. “Our expert mechanics are there to service what we sell, but folks who have cars that they didn’t buy here come to us for service as well,” said Perkins. “We know that a lot of them will be looking to Galaxy Motors for their next car or truck.”

The staff at Galaxy Motors extends their thanks to all their friends…customers who have once again supported them as the Best of the City - Best Used Car Dealership.

Thank You Victoria & West Shore For Your Votes!

and for nominating us for “Best of the City”

Come support your Island Grown Everyday Specialty Store!

West Saanich • Mattick’s Farm • Vanalman Latoria Walk • Oak Bay • Esquimalt 2017

www.redbarnmarket.ca

Busker Yuki Veda focuses on juggling with flames at the Victoria International Buskers Festival held in the Inner Harbour at Ship Point in mid July.

ADVERTISING FEATURE

Voted

Best City of the

2

S IA NEW VICTOR

nd

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2016

Customers to thank for Fig Deli’s success

22

When Yasser Youssef opened his first store in 2002, he had less than 800 square feet to store his wide array of Mediterranean foods.

For more than 13 years, Youssef ran Lakehill Market (later renamed Mediterranean Specialty Foods) on Quadra Street, serving the community fresh bread, dips, meat and cheeses.

Bestofofthe theCity CitySummer Summer2016 2016 1010• •Best

BUSINESS PROFILE: Fig Deli

BEST of the CITY FINALIST

“It was very personal, very intimate with the customers,” said Youssef. “They told their friends, and their friends told their friends, and we outgrew our space there.”

Then, in 2014, Youssef rebranded as Fig Deli and took his family-owned business to a 4,000-square-foot location in

Cedar Hill – big enough to store his 47 varieties of olive oil, as well as hundreds of other flavourful delicacies from his home country of Lebanon.

“We built a phenomenal kitchen in it and we put in a stone oven to enable us to make very traditional Lebanese-style pizzas like the manoushi,” said Youssef, whose menu includes moussaka, donairs, spanikopita and baklava.

Youssef credits the word of mouth for building up his deli from a tiny shop to a full-blown specialty storefront. Even some of the menu items are from suggestions of customers.

“Some people came in asking about Moroccan tagine,” recalled Youssef. “I never knew anything about Moroccan tagine, so I sourced it and I researched it and I cooked it, and now we sell the ingredients for it.

“The biggest ‘thank you’ is for my customers. There’s a great bond between us and the customers – a sense of trust. A lot of people will look at me or my son and point at a product, and if we nod our head, they’ll buy it.”

Youssef said being recognized with a Best of the City award means a lot to him, as it reflects on the relationships he’s built with the community over nearly a decade and a half.

“It’s really phenomenal,” he said.

“I cannot thank my customers enough.

“When we give service, we offer service from the heart. We’re very genuine about what we offer, and the customers understand this.

We have this great relationship with our customers and I’m very thankful and I’m honoured.”

Jacob Zinn News Staff

Yasser Youssef showing some of the beautiful and delicious products he imports for his customers.

1551 Cedar Hill Cross Road 250-727-3632 figdeli.ca Hours: Open 7 days a week: Mon-Sat 9-7 & Sun 11-5p Shelbourne

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Cedar Hill Rd.

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Deuce Days attracts thousands to harbour The event started in 1998 with 100 cars. It only happens every three years, but since that time it has captured the imagination of Victorians in a way no other car show can even hope to achieve.

It’s called Deuce Days and it takes place on July 24 around the Inner Harbour and Legislative grounds. On that day car enthusiasts will thrill to the spectacle of 1,160 vintage automobiles, with a special emphasis on the 1932 Ford Deuce.

What’s so special about the Deuce — aside from the iconic Beach Boys song that made it famous?

“It’s the first eight cylinder car Henry Ford ever made,” explained Al Clark, event organizer. “They were very fast and people started racing them at the Bonneville Salt Flats.

I guess that’s where the reputation started.”

Reputation aside, Ford only manufactured the cars for a scant eight months before moving on to a redesigned 1933 version of the car.

“It was totally different then,” said Clark. “I guess that’s what makes the ’32 Deuce so special.”

They’re special enough to draw Deuce enthusiasts from all over the world. This year’s registrations come

from as far away as Norway, Sweden, Australia and New Zealand. Twentyfour American states are represented and the cross country caravan that will start in Toronto and pick up cars all the way across Canada, bringing a total of 108 Canadian registrants to Victoria.

And it’s not just a matter of going to see the cars as they’re parked downtown; you can expect to see these amazing vehicles driving all around Greater Victoria. There’s a group of 400 heading to Butchart Gardens and another 400 participating in a poker derby on the streets of Victoria. Some will be winding their way to the Bear Mountain golf course for a tournament for the car owners.

But it’s the Sunday display of cars that makes this one of the choices for Best of the City. On that day, 1,160 cars will be on display at no cost to those who want to come and marvel at the legendary beauty of the vehicles.

“You can walk around and see original ‘32s that have never even been restored. They look like they came of the showroom floor. There are reproductions and hot rods…and they’re all different,” said Clark. “That’s what makes it such a great show.”

A line of 1932 Fords leaves the Black Ball Ferry Terminal on Belleville Street after arriving on the Coho ferry from Port Angeles for Deuce Days.

THANK YOU VICTORIA BRIAN

SYLVIA

JESSICA

EVAN

MATT

PAUL

LLOYD ANIL

...for allowing Dodd’s Furniture to give you our BEST for over 30 years!

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VICTORIA NEWS

APRIL

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R YEA

BEST QUALITY ON THE ISLAND!

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Best City

Behind the scenes

2

VICTORIA NEWS

Greater Victoria’s 10

YEAR

20 16

22nd

SALE ON NOW Goo Goo Goggles 761 Fort Street, Victoria

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Hidden Gems The Capital Region is an outdoor lovers paradise, especially in the summer when the days are long and even the rain takes a vacation.

Check out some of the region’s lesser outdoor getaways to escape the sun-loving crowds.

Little Saanich Mountain/Observatory Hill

1

You can see the top of the white orb of Observatory Hill from miles around but did you know the 98-year-old Dominion Astrophysical Observatory is actually the top of Little Saanich Mountain?

The winding road up the hill has become popular with cyclists but the short 20-minute hiking trail, which is cushioned by nature, reveals one of the best panoramic views of the Lower Island.

The elevation gain is a little over 130 metres to the very top, with a clear trailhead at the end of the chain-link fence on the north side of Observatory Road.

Finnerty Gardens

2

Tucked into a quiet corner of the University of Victoria, Finnerty Gardens is a year-round public garden filled with horticultural treasures. Founded in 1974, the 2.6-hectare garden features one of Canada’s best rhododendron collections, with more than 1,500 rhododendrons and azaleas and a spectacular array of artistically displayed companion plants.

Moss Rock Park

3

Nestled between residential properties, this rocky public park overlooks picturesque Fairfield in all its undisturbed post-war glory.

The backdrop of the Olympic mountains across the Strait of Juan de Fuca makes for an epic picnic or afternoon reading spot.

Matheson Lake, Metchosin

Voted

Best City

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4

This takes a while to get to — off Happy Valley Road, then down Rocky Point Road, but is worth the drive. Amatheson Lake Regional Park is a quiet oasis set amongst a thick rainforest at the base of a steep coastal mountain. Encompassing 157 hectares, hikers can enjoy the loop trail around the lake in any season, or explore the Galloping Goose Regional Trail, which leads to adjacent Roche Cove Regional Park and points further afield.

Helping people attain optimum health.

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e m

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Voted

Best City

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Perfectly Fresh Food The Highest Quality Produce From farm to table, the farm fresh produce is overflowing at Pepper’s. Working daily with local farmers to bring you the freshest, locally grown produce available, Pepper’s is focused on putting the highest quality produce on your table. Join us in supporting our local farmers and keep our community vibrant and growing.

Finnerty Gardens

Glencoe Cove-Kwatsech Park

5

Kwatsech is the Songhees name for the area known as Gordon Head as told by Songhees elders Sophie Misheal and Ned Williams.

It holds a camas field and panoramic views of the Salish Sea, with some moderate trails to stretch the legs. Another of the lesser known beach accesses on the east side of Saanich, the Kwatsech site was once a prehistoric village or summer camp of the Salish Lekwungen people as far back as 1,600 years ago. Automobile access from Shore Way has two regular parking spots and one handicapped spot, with three more regular spots and one handicapped spot at Gordon Point Drive.

From crunchy green lettuce to bright red Saanich tomatoes, you will find Pepper’s shelves bursting with local goodness.

Visit us today and taste the difference local makes.

Phyllis Park View Point

6

It’s a small park, but it’s big on views.

Its easily missed access off Arbutus Road keeps this park a lesser known gem amongst the quiet of Ten Mile Point. Moderate trails boast a sweeping view of the Salish Sea, Gulf Islands, Mount Baker and more. There’s some parking along Arbutus but be courteous, the trail access on Phyllis doubles as a driveway.

Colquitz River and Centennial Trails System

7

For some, the Colquitz River Trail and Centennial Trails system is a go-to route, a natural path for cyclists and pedestrians to bypass the busy roads of West Saanich. For those who don’t know, the weeping willows dropping over the Colquitz are a charming sight to behold.

Jump on at any point: Hyacinth Park, Panama Hill Park, Copley Park and other entries to the Centennial Trails system. At Mann Avenue, the Glendale Trail heads west and farther north. At Lindsay Street, the Royal Oak Trail heads east to Brydon Park.

Conversely, take the original Colquitz River Trail that was developed in the late 1970s in Cuthbert Holmes Park and Portage Inlet. To the east, connect with the Swan Creek Trail.

Rockcrest Park (Esquimalt)

8

This one hectare park is the smallest natural area in Esquimalt.

Wildflowers such as camas and shooting star appear each spring nestled among Douglas fire tree and in a small Garry oak meadow.

The panoramic views offer a reason to stay for the afternoon.

Knockan Hill Park

9

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Anderson Hill Park

10

Offering scenic views of Victoria’s sprawling coast line, this undeveloepd natural area within a residential neighbourhood features rock outcrops, Garry Oak ecosystems, open spaces, native flora and fauna and non-native shrubs and plants.

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Best of the City Summer 2016 • 13

Shared by Saanich and View Royal, this is one of those cool rocky places that has tons of wildflowers and various climbing options.

The park has been popular with many generations of local families as a picnic spot, viewpoint, playground or destination for school outings.

Government House gardens a labour of love

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Best City

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1

VICTORIA NEWS

YEAR

20 16

22nd

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Entering the gates of the rose garden at Government House is like stepping into a scene from Alice in Wonderland.

On a sunny Tuesday morning, dozens of different types of roses line the walkways in full bloom. Trees loom large in the background and a large water fountain, that has become home to three yellow rubber ducks, sits at the centre of the garden.

Visually, the garden seems to have an almost magical element, transporting people into another world, yet it also provides a sense of calm and serenity.

A handful of volunteers work amongst the bushes, deadheading — the act of removing dead flowers from a plant to encourage further blooming.

“It’s a really lovely group to be with and there’s a great satisfaction seeing something come out of nothing,” said Nairn Hollott, who is the coordinator of garden volunteers and coordinator of the rose garden. “To me, it’s giving back (to the community.)”

Hollott is one of hundreds of volunteers who help with the maintenance of the gardens at Government House, the official residence of the Lieutenant Governor of B.C., on Rockland Avenue.

There are 16 gardens including the vegetable, rose, herb, country, rotary, and Rockland one and two gardens, as well as the woodlands that span 32 acres.

In 1992, then-Lieutenant Governor David Lam started a garden volunteer program, which began as a small group and has since blossomed into a cohort of dedicated volunteers called Friends of the Government House Gardens Society.

From March to October, volunteers (some of whom work yearround) are responsible for the maintenance of the hundreds of different types of plants, weeding, deadheading, fertilizing and planting.

Every Tuesday and Thursday between 9:30 a.m. and noon, roughly 245 volunteers gather in their respective groups, head to their gardens with their tools and continue with the maintenance of the area. All of the gardens are completely looked after by volunteers, who have put in more than 17,000 hours of work this year alone.

The work, while gruelling at some points, draws people from all walks of life who continue to volunteer anywhere from three years to more than 25 years, many of whom have become good friends. The average age is roughly 70 years old.

“We all love just being here in the atmosphere. We enjoy doing the work. We have a lot of hands doing “It’s a fabulous public park enjoyed by everybody. It’s great to feel a part of this community and the garden,” said volunteer Janice Drent. “It’s a beautiful property that needs to be maintained and it’s fun to do that.”

THANK YOU

for voting for Saanich Parks and Recreation.

We’re finalists in the following catagories: Voted

Best City

of the

1

VICTORIA NEWS

Mount Douglas Park

Best Recreation Centre Saanich Commonwealth Place

d nd 22n Y E A R

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2016

2 0 1 6

Best Urban Hiking Trail

Best Gym/Fitness Studio Saanich Commonwealth Place

Best Golf Course Cedar Hill Golf Course

Best Swimming Pool

14 • Best of the City Summer 2016

Saanich Commonwealth Place

saanich.ca/parkrec

I belong here, celebrating community.

THANK YOU VICTORIA!

1

Voted

Best City

of the

VICTORIA NEWS

R YEA

2016

nd

22

Little London Buck and his father Joshua Buck take in the sights and sounds of the Blethering Place Collector Car Festival in Oak Bay.

THANK YOU VICTORIA for nominating the Inner Harbour in these great categories:

BEST TOURIST ATTRACTION • BEST FREE FUN BEST PLACE TO SPOT A CELEBRITY

Silhouetted by the morning sun Dave Coleman and his two-and-a-half-year-old twin boys Ethan (centre) and Eli take in the view while standing in the shallow water off of the beach at Witty’s Lagoon near Metchosin.

BEST SEA FOOD Finest At Sea Red Fish Blue Fish BEST FISH N CHIPS Red Fish Blue Fish Barb’s Fish & Chips

CHECK OUT GREATER VICTORIA HARBOUR AUTHORITY AT OUR WEBSITE: WWW.GVHA.CA

Best of the City Summer 2016 • 15

CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR CLIENTS for these great nominations.

Be sure to go down and try them all!

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Ready-Mixed Concrete Concrete Accessories Victoria’s Only Liquid Colouring System Gravity Wall Blocks Gravel Mart OPEN MONDAY-SATURDAY 765 Industrial Way • 250-478-0555 • www.iconcrete.ca

Voted

Best City

of the

1

VICTORIA NEWS

R YEA

2016

nd 22

Thank You Victoria!

From All the Doctors and Staff at

Hillside Veterinary Hospital Dr. Jennifer Chan, Dr. Sylvie Abrioux Dr. Glynis Newman & Associates

Open 7 Days A Week Victoria Royals goalie Coleman Vollrath keeps his eyes on the action despite the presence of Kamloops Blazer Garrett Pilon in his crease. The junior hockey team’s season came to an end in a nail-biting game seven of the Western Conference semifinals. The Royals finished first in the WHL regular season.

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Voted

Best City

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VICTO RIA NE WS

YEAR

20 14

Voted

Best City

of the

20th

1

VICTO RIA NE WS

YEAR

20 15

21st

Voted

Best City

of the

L-R: Luke, Edie, Ruth, Dave, Meagan, Madison, Bob and Norma

1

VICTO RIA N EWS

Check us out on: WWW.BEACONDRIVEIN.CA Walking tours of the Craigdarroch Castle are open to the public. The landmark castle is located on Joan Crescent off Fort Street.

SAUNDERS SUBARU 1784 Island Highway, Colwood

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Best of the City Summer 2016 • 17

YEAR

20 16

22nd

Stop in at Saunders Subaru and feel the excitement again.

Even if you aren’t buying a Red Sports Car.

Make the most of three hours in

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Most visitors to Victoria travel here for a vacation, a business trip or to attend a conference, and they know what they want to experience while here.

However, there are times when people arrive in our destination only intending to stay a short while: curious day-trippers from Vancouver or Seattle coming to 250-658-4444 the region for the first time, cruise ship passengers stretching their legs on shore, or perhaps relasystem developed by Destination tives stopping in for a visit before Canada and used by Destination carrying on to that distant cousin’s B.C. and Tourism Victoria. wedding.

The EQ system looks at psy Tourism Victoria’s Visitor chological characteristics that Centre in the Inner Harbour is provide clues to the types of one of the busiest in the network experiences a person enjoys. Are of centres that dot British Coyour visitors free spirits, cultural lumbia. In 2015, 340,300 people explorers or authentic experienccame through the Victoria centre’s ers? doors to speak with staff and learn If you know, you can suggest more about our destination and a great meal, whale-watching adthe hundreds of attractions and venture or a trip to a gallery, and experiences available. know they’ll have a great time.

With so many choices, having Of course, there’s even betlimited time can make for tough ter advice for someone who asks decisions. One way to help people “What can I do in three hours?” find experiences that suit them Tell them to make plans to return is to determine their Explorer for a longer stay!

Quotient. Also known as EQ, it is To find your EQ type, search a proprietary market segmentation online for Quiz.Canada.Travel.

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RUSSELL BOOKS Thanks Victoria for letting us know we stack up!

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AR YE

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Inner Harbour a treasure trove of First Nations crafters Take a tour of Victoria’s Inner Harbour on a hot summer day and you’ll come across a treasure trove of First Nations crafters and artisans. They’re perched along the south side of the lower causeway where they produce and sell traditional native art to the hundreds of thousands of locals and visitors who stroll along what is one of Victoria’s most scenic vistas.

It’s an initiative of the Greater Victoria Harbour Authority in partnership with the Songhees First Nation. The entire south side of the lower causeway in the Inner Harbour is reserved for the production and sale of traditional carvings and artwork by First Nations artisans. Coordination of this part of the Inner Harbour market is overseen by the Songhees Nation, but representatives of almost every First Nation can be found, working side by side while displaying crafts that are unique to their particular nation.

Calvin Louie is with the Ahousaht First Nation and has been down at the Inner Harbour for 10 years, creating exquisite native figures and scenes from blocks of wood indigenous to the Island.

“I get a lot of questions about my work,” said Louie. “People come and listen to the First Nations music that I have playing and they ask me about my work and my culture.” Those questions go a long way to creating a greater

Regina Haasjes displays her jewelry in Victoria’s Inner Harbour.

understanding and appreciation of his culture, added Louie.

Just down the causeway, Regina Haasjes sits under a large umbrella, working on another set of beaded earrings which, when completed, will join the collection of intricate beadwork already for sale. She’s been beading for 15 years and is proud to carry on

the traditions of her culture in the work that she does.

“People come by and ask me a lot of questions,” she said. “Not just about my work, but about where I come from and about my culture. It’s a wonderful way to create a more accepting and understanding world.”

Vancouver Island is home to a

Voted

Best City

of the

vast array of First Nations cultures, representing the original residents of the Pacific Northwest.

The First Nations Causeway Artist’s Program is one way to help create awareness and appreciation of those cultures, sharing the beauty of their arts and crafts while giving Victoria yet another unique attraction.

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Bestof ofthetheCity CitySummer Summer2016 2016• 19 • 19 Best

Peering into the past at the Royal B.C. Museum It’s a special place that grabs the imagination of visitors in a vice-like grip and doesn’t let you go.

At the Royal B.C. Museum, visitors can immerse themselves in tales of the past while strolling through the permanent exhibits.

Whether it’s the gigantic woolly mammoth, peering down at visitors from its rocky perch or the tar-scented ropes of the HMS Discovery — a realistic representation of an 18th century sailing ship, the displays are designed to transport visitors to times and places they’ve only ever imagined. They can walk through Old Town’s wood cobbled streets and enjoy its shops, take in an old time cinema, or visit the turn of the century railway station.

The Royal B.C. Museum is truly one of Canada’s greatest cultural treasures — and it turns 130 years old this year. Throughout that period, the museum has consistently strived to broaden our understanding of our own province, inspiring curiosity and wonder in both out-of-town visitors and local members alike.

Millions of visitors have toured its halls, and the proof of their fascination is demonstrated by the high rate of repeat visitors.

The museum also has a proud tradition of providing visitors with stunning feature exhibi-

A man takes a detailed look at Lyuba, a 40,000-year-old baby woolly mammoth on display as part of the new exhibit Mammoths: Giants of the Ice Age at the Royal B.C. Museum beginning June 3.

tions. Starting in June and ending in December, the museum will give the public a rare opportunity to see a larger than life exhibition. The exhibition is entitled Mammoths! Giants of the Ice Age and, in cooperation with Chicago’s Field Museum, it will offer visitors a glimpse into a world when giants walked among us.

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a dynamic and fresh retelling of B.C.’s own Ice Age history through new interactive displays.

Visitors will see dramatic new evidence in the form of a radiocarbon-dated mammoth tooth from the Colwood Delta that has given the museum a completely new understanding of Vancouver Island’s Ice Age.

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Visitors will have a chance to see Lyuba, a 40,000 year-old baby woolly mammoth, touch mammoth tusks and mastodon teeth, and learn about some of their fierce neighbours such as dire wolves and sabre-toothed cats. The exhibition opening coincides with a dramatic update to the Royal B.C. Museum’s Natural History gallery, featuring

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2016 RESULTS The Best of the City

Voted

Bestty Ci of the

AS VOTED BY THE READERS OF VICTORIA NEWS, OAK BAY NEWS, SAANICH NEWS AND GOLDSTREAM NEWS GAZETTE, APRIL 2016

NEWS A I R VICTO

Best free fun

nd

AR YE

2016

1 Beacon Hill Park 2 Dallas Road/breakwater 3 Inner Harbour

22

Best place to worship 1 St. Andrew’s Cathedral 2 Christ Church Cathedral 3 Glad Tidings Pentecostal

Best Museum 1 Royal BC Museum 2 Maritime Museum 3 Sooke Regional Museum

Best adventure tourism A crow at Beacon Hill Park

LEISURE & ENTERTAINMENT Best tourist attraction 1 Royal BC Museum 2 Butchart Gardens 3 Inner Harbour

Voted

Best City

of the

2

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2016

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22

1 Prince of Whales Whale Watching 2 Adrena-line Zip lining 3 Wild Play

Best place for afternoon tea

Best place to walk your dog

Best place to meet a mate

1 The Fairmont Empress 2 White Heather 3 Murchie’s

1 Dallas Rd 2 Beacon Hill Park 3 Thetis Lake

1 Downtown 2 Thrifty Foods 3 Beacon Hill Park

E H T E R ’ U O Y k n i h

Local celebrity you’d like to invite to dinner 1 Ed Bain 2 David Foster 3 Steve Nash

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The Best of the City 2016 Results AS VOTED BY THE READERS OF VICTORIA NEWS, OAK BAY NEWS, SAANICH NEWS AND GOLDSTREAM NEWS GAZETTE, APRIL 2016

Best bookstore 1 Bolen Books 2 Munro’s Books 3 Russell Books

Best used bookstore 1 Russell Books 2 Penelope’s Bookstop 3 Munro’s Books

Best place to spot a ghost 1 Ross Bay Cemetery 2 Chinatown 3 Bastion Square

Best urban hiking trail 1 Mount Douglas Park 2 Galloping Goose Trail 3 Thetis Lake Park

SHOPPING Best shop for vitamins & nutrition 1 The Vitamin Shop 2 Lifestyle Market 3 Popeye’s Supplements

Best flower shop 1 Browns the Florist 2 Poppies 3 Thriftys Foods

Best garden shop 1 Garden Works 2 Dig This 3 Marigold Nursery

Best thrift store

Best new car dealership

1 Home Depot 2 Home Hardware 3 Canadian Tire

Best kitchen shop

Best used car dealership 1 Galaxy Motors 2 Metro Toyota 3 Howie’s Car Corral

Best for motorcycles/ scooters 1 SG Power 2 Action Motorcycles 3 Steve Drane Harley-Davidson

Best boat/marine 1 SG Power 2 Sherwood Marine 3 Trotac

1 Value Village 2 Salvation Army 3 Victoria Women In Need Community Cooperative

Best RV

Best consignment shop

Best eyewear

1 Baja Rosi’s Consignment 2 Good Things 3 My Sister’s Closet

Best for hardware (chain)

1 Jim Pattison Toyota 2 Campus Honda 3 Saunders Subaru

1 Arbutus RV 2 Peden RV Superstore 3 Triangle RV Centre

1 Cook Culture 2 Capital Iron 3 Penna & Co Kitchen & Giftwares

Best bicycle shop 1 Oak Bay Bikes 2 Russ Hay’s The Bicycle Shop 3 North Park Bike Shop

Best for your pets

Best for hardware (independent) 1 Capital Iron 2 Home Hardware 3 Castle Building Centre

1 Bosley’s Pets 2 Pets West 3 Pet Smart

Best for appliances 1 Sears 2 Trail Appliance 3 Brick

1 Maycock Optical 2 Goo Goo Goggles 3 Costco

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Best independent shoe store Best furniture store (chain) 1 The Cobbler 2 Footloose 3 Heart & Sole

Best fashion boutique 1 Still life 2 Flavour 3 True Boutique

Best farmers market 1 Moss street 2 Red Barn Market 3 Root Cellar

Best for window coverings 1 Ruffell and Brown 2 Budget Blinds 3 Island Window

Best for flooring 1 Island Flooring 2 Home Depot 3 Hourigans Carpets & Lino

Best for lighting 1 McLaren Lighting 2 Pine Lighting 3 Home Depot

1 The Brick 2 Sears Canada 3 Urban Barn

Best mattress store 1 Sleep Country 2 Dodd’s 3 Sears

Best paint store 1 Cloverdale 2 Home Depot 3 General Paint

Best for pool/spa 1 Capital Iron 2 Borton’s Spas & Pools Ltd 3 Twilight

Best for barbeques 1 Capital Iron 2 Canadian Tire 3 Home Depot

Best for musical instruments 1 Long and McQuade 2 Larson Music 3 Tom Lee

Best for jewellery 1 Peoples Jewellers 2 Paul Mara 3 Violette Boutique

RESTAURANTS/ FOOD & DRINK Best new restaurant 1 Bin 4 2 Famous Original 3 Varsha Indian restaurant

Best old school diner 1 Floyd’s Diner 2 John’s Place 3 Pluto’s

Best for first date 1 Bin 4 Burger Lounge 2 Milestones 3 Brasserie L’Ecole

Best Chinese

Best Italian

1 Don Mee 2 JJ Wontons 3 Mings

1 Il Terrazzo Ristorante 2 Pagliacci’s 3 Romeo’s

Best Greek

Best Japanese

1 Ithaka 2 Opa 3 Il Greco

1 Japanese Village 2 Ebizo Sushi 3 Shizen Sushi

Best seafood

Best Mexican

Best furniture store (independent)

1 Nautical Nellies 2 Red Fish Blue Fish 3 Ferris’ Oyster Bar

1 La Taquisa 2 Cafe Mexigo 3 Tacofino

1 Dodd’s 2 Luxe 3 Chesterfields

Best for steak

Best Vietnamese 1 Pho Vy 2 Green Leaf Bistro 3 Saigon Night

1 The Keg 2 Brasserie L’Ecole 3 Nautical Nellies

Voted BEST Retirement Community Creating a wonderful environment where residents enjoy exceptional services from friendly staff is The Berwick WayTM. From its carefully planned location and layout to the smallest design detail, when you choose Berwick Retirement Communities you will enjoy an unparalleled standard of living at a superior value.

Find out more about The Berwick Way™ – Ask one of our Senior Living Experts Today!

Voted

Best City

of the

1

VICTORIA NEWS

R YEA

2016

Be r wick Royal Oak: 4680 E lk Lake Dr., V ictoria, 250 .386.4 680 Be r wi ck House: 4062 Shelbourne St., Victoria, 250 .7 21.4 0 62

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Best of the City Summer 2016 • 23

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The Best of the City 2016 Results

Voted

Bestty Ci of the

AS VOTED BY THE READERS OF VICTORIA NEWS, OAK BAY NEWS, SAANICH NEWS AND GOLDSTREAM NEWS GAZETTE, APRIL 2016

WS IA NE R O T C VI

Best barbershop

AR YE

2016

nd

22

Best custom home builder

1 Victory 2 Status 3 Brothers

1 Abstract 2 Vilamar 3 Verity

Best spa

Best condo development

1 Willowstream Spa at Fairmont Empress 2 Sante Spa 3 The Spa Magnolia

1 Janion 2 Bayview 3 Travino

Best manicure/pedicure

Best retirement residence

1 Willow Stream Spa at Fairmont Empress 2 Deco De Mode 3 Sante Spa

1 Berwick Retirement Communities 2 Wellesley of Victoria 3 Amica

Best tattoo/piercing parlour 1 Urge Studios 2 Government St. 3 Wolf Sheep Arthouse

Best hair salon Best for martial arts 1 Fierce 2 Merge Combat & Fitness 3 Mijo

SERVICE Best hotel 1 The Fairmont Empress 2 Oak Bay Beach Jotel 3 Westin Bear Mountain

1 Chatters 2 Staerk Hair 3 Hive

Best tire store 1 Canadian Tire 2 Kal Tire 3 West Coast Tire

Best shoe repair 1 Stevenson’s Shoe Clinic 2 Oak Bay Cobbler 3 Hillside Shoe Clinic

Best pharmacy 1 Shoppers Drug Mart 2 London Drugs 3 Pharmasave

Best for photo finishing 1 London Drugs 2 Costco 3 Wal-Mart

Best place for picture framing 1 Michaels 2 Options 3 London Drugs

Best automotive service (chain) 1 Canadian Tire 2 Midas 3 Kal Tire

Close enough to visit... far enough to get away.

Voted

Bestty 1 Ci S NEW of the

ORIA VICT

26 • Best of the City Summer 2016

AR YE

2016

nd

22

250.391.3920 santespavictoria.com 1999 Country Club Way | Victoria, BC

Th

The Best of the City 2016 Results

Voted

Best City

of the

VICTO RIA N EWS

Best bank/financial institution

1 Searles Auto 2 Galaxy Motors 3 Simoes Automotive

1 Coast Capital 2 TD Bank 3 RBC Bank

Best place to improve your smile

Best local TV personality

1 Adams Storage 2 U-Haul 3 Millstream Self Storage

1 Ed Bain 2 Gordie Tupper 3 Astrid Braunschmidt

Best moving company

Best pet clinic 1 Hillside Veterinary Clinic 2 Mckenzie Veterinary Services 3 Lifeline Animal Clinic 1 Weight Watchers 2 Curves 3 Jenny Craig

1 Ed Bain 2 Dylan Willows 3 Robin Farrell

Best storage company

1 Hillside Mall 2 The Bay Centre 3 Cactus Club

Best weight loss cente

Best local radio personality

1 Coast Capital 2 Megson Insurance 3 BCAA

Best public washroom

22nd

BEST LOCAL PERSONALITIES

Best for insurance

1 Academy Dental 2 Bowker Creek Dental 3 Signature Dental

YEAR

Best automotive service (independent)

2 0 16

AS VOTED BY THE READERS OF VICTORIA NEWS, OAK BAY NEWS, SAANICH NEWS AND GOLDSTREAM NEWS GAZETTE, APRIL 2016

1 2 Burley Men Moving 2 Hendra Moving and Storage 3 U-Haul

Best politician

Best for art

Best place to spot a celebrity

1 Elizabeth May 2 Murray Rankin 3 Andrew Weaver

1 Art Gallery 2 Luxe Home Interiors 3 Opus

1 Inner Harbour 2 Downtown 3 The Fairmont Empress

WE  YOU

Thanks for nominating us

BEST FURNITURE STORE in Victoria!

Voted

Best City

of the

VICTORIA NEWS

R YEA

2016

nd

22

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Best of the City Summer 2016 • 27

visit us at uptown!

Thank you Victoria

Thank You! Voted

Best City

of the

VICTORIA NEWS

R YEA

2016

nd

22

Larsen Music is proud to be your local Music Store!

We are a locally owned and operated, Victoria, BC based music store, specializing in acoustic and electric guitars, orchestral strings, brass, woodwinds and more!

Check us out on:

1833 Cook Street, Victoria 250-389-1988 www.larsenmusic.ca

Voted

Best City

of the

1

VICTORIA NEWS

R YEA

2016

nd 22

#1

For voting us for the past 7 years.

For over 56 years we have served the community as a family owned and operated business.

We are the leaders in LED lighting, offering the largest selection in Western Canada.

We have the largest selection and inventory of lighting on Vancouver Island with showrooms in both Victoria and Nanaimo.

Voted

28 • Best of the City Summer 2016

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18

Best City

of the

Voted

1

VICTORIA NEWS

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17

Best City

of the

1

VICTORIA NEWS

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19

R YEA

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VICTORIA NEWS

VICTORIA NEWS

VICTORIA NEWS

20

Voted

1

2010

1

Voted

Best City

of the

R YEA

1 R YEA

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VICTORIA 3400 DOUGLAS ST 250.475.2561 mclarenlighting.com

st 21

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2013

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1

2014

VICTORIA NEWS

Best City

of the

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Voted

Best City

2011

1

Voted

2012

Best City

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Voted

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Finest At Sea A MOST WARM HEARTED THANK YOU TO OUR EVER LOYAL CUSTOMERS & COMMUNITY Thanks to your continued support, our home grown commercial fishing company has been able to proudly provide wild, local & sustainable seafood, direct from our fishing fleet to our seafood boutique here in James Bay for many years.

27 Erie Street, Victoria, BC V8V 1P8, Phone: (250) 383-7760

JAPANESE VILLAGE Voted ed

Vot BBeesstt 11 CCitityy S TORIA NEW

of theof the

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R A R E A Y E Y

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Barber Jimmy Pavlidis poses in his Fort Street shop with fellow barber Rejean Beaulieu sitting in the customer chair.

Legendary barber has many stories to tell correct,” said one customer with a laugh. “He has great magazines, the waits are short and you get to hear his stories and sometimes his commentary about the prettier girls passing by the large store front windows.”

Jimmy himself loves the interaction with customers and his big personality has as much to do with bringing people coming back as do the great cuts and the reasonable prices.

“I have stories, sure,” he laughed. “In Greece, I was cutting hair and who comes to my village but Charles DeGaulle. I gave him the best haircut, and I’ll never forget how he thanked me.”

The atmosphere in Jimmy’s is light and fun and the haircuts are basic with a traditional flair. You still get a traditional razor trim on neck and sideburns and, if you’re lucky, a short massage to loosen up those shoulder muscles.

It all comes together to, year after year, making Jimmy’s one of Victoria’s best barbershops.

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Best of of the the City City Summer Summer 2016 2016 •• 29 29 Best

“This is a barber!”

That’s the enthusiastic online Yelp review offered by one satisfied customer and it pretty much sums up the feeling of the clientele in Jimmy’s Barber Shop. The legendary shop at 728 Fort St. has been in the same location for 24 years, but Jimmy Pavlidis has been cutting hair for much longer. He’s been at it for 53 years and at 78 years of age, he has no plans to retire any time soon.

Jimmy’s is a small shop in comparison with some of the large, trendy hairstyling salons that have popped up in the past few years, offering five chairs in an unabashed traditional atmosphere. The shop offers no pretense. There are no stylists here, only barbers and they love what they do. It’s an attitude and an approach that has its origin with the owner.

“It’s a place you come for a haircut…a great haircut…at a reasonable price and where you can still have a fun conversation without having to worry about being politically

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Sooke Region Museum A Proud Part of the Community

Beacon Hill Children’s Farm celebrates more than 30 years It’s first thing on a Thursday morning at the Beacon Hill Children’s Farm.

The sun is peeking through the trees, the ground is damp from the rainfall the previous night and the air is thick with the smell of sawdust and hay. A rooster crows continuously in the background.

Suddenly, dozens of white, black and brown goats come stampeding through the farm, twisting their way around the fences.

They’re on a mission: going from the main farm to the petting area some metres away. So begins the day for the goats at the children’s farm.

Twice a day — first thing after the farm opens and near closing — the goats stampede through the farm into their pens.

For Lynda and Dennis Koenders, the last 31 years of their lives have revolved around the goats and the dozens of other animals at the petting zoo in Beacon Hill Park.

“It’s the joy of working with the animals, seeing the kids’ faces.

Everybody goes out with a smile on their face. There are very few grumpy people. If they’re grumpy when they come in, they’re happy when they go out,” said Lynda. “It’s a happy place to work.”

The Koenders family initially opened a petting zoo in Coombs (approximately 10 kilometres west of Parksville), but after a few years of slow business, they eventu-

“If your will is strong enough, it will work.”

Over the next few years, the family persevered and grew the farm to include alpacas, roosters, guinea pigs, chickens, rabbits, peacocks, donkeys, miniature horses, turkeys, ducks and pigs.

This year, the farm is celebrating more than 30 years in business and the Koenders love the farm just as much as when it first opened.

Their love for the farm and its animals is infectious and has spread to its employees, many of whom come in on their days off as well.

“I like the animals. They’re all like my little pets,” said Claudia Laube, who has worked there for the past five years. “Being in the city, especially kids, but even people of all ages don’t grow up around animals, especially farm animals. It’s a big piece of education here for the kids and for the adults it’s therapy.”

Now, the farm sees roughly 150,000 visitors annually, 70 per cent of whom are locals.

Siblings Cate and Cole Pontefract Goats race down a pathway at the Beacon Hill Children’s Farm in Beacon Hill first started coming to the petPark during the daily morning goat stampede. ting zoo four years ago when they moved to Victoria. ally decided to bring their pets to spending seven days a week caring “We get to pet the goats and it’s Victoria. for the animals. Lynda admitted she fun seeing all the animals,” said On June 12, 1985, the Beacon was ready to throw in the towel, but 10-year-old Cole, noting they come Hill Children’s Farm was born.

Dennis wouldn’t hear it. three to four times a year.

The next two years proved dif“I’m a dreamer. I could see the “You get to see animals that you ficult for the family of five, survivpotential of it and so I just didn’t don’t see in nature,” added eighting with very little money (the want to give up and quit. When year-old Cate. farm runs solely on donations) and you give up, you lose,” Dennis said.

J&J WONTON NOODLE HOUSE

VICTORIA NEWS

nd

R YEA

Thank You Victoria for voting J&J Wonton Noodle House as one of your favourite restaurants!

Best City

of the

2016

!

A I R O T C I UV O Y K N A TH

Voted

22

Tues-Sat, lunch from 11-2 & dinner from 4:30-8:30

1012 Fort St. • 250-383-0680

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Best of the City Summer 2016 • 31

Located on Fort St. between Cook and Vancouver, J&J Wonton Noodle House specialises in Cantonese and Szechuan food. Using as many local ingredients as possible could be a reason for them receiving the title Best of the City more than once! The ingredients are incredibly fresh and there are a many daily specials. A good selection of Gluten-free and vegan-friendly options available. Bring the whole family. Reservations recommended.

Voted

Best City

of the

1

VICTORIA NEWS

R YEA

2016

nd 22

Thank you Victoria for your continued Support Now serving brunch 9am daily 1200 Government St. Victoria, BC 250.383.7775 ✣ irishtimespub.ca

9am - 1am Tues - Sat ✣ 9am-12am Sun - Mon A golfer watches his shot from the seventh hole at the Royal Victoria Golf Club.

Victoria is known as a golfer’s paradise.

Voted

Best City

of the

1

VICTORIA NEWS

3232••Best Bestofofthe theCity CitySummer Summer2016 2016

R YEA

2016

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Ghostly walks showcase Victoria’s haunted past At 9:30 p.m., the entrance to Market Square on Johnson Street has an eerie feel. It’s dark and the only sounds come from the slight rustle of leaves and light footsteps that seem to echo throughout the courtyard.

This is where the Ghostly Walks begin. Ghost walk guide Chris Adams, appropriately dressed in black with a black hat and a cane with a skull on the handle, leads a group of roughly a dozen people through downtown Victoria’s most haunted hotels, streets and alleyways.

One of the most haunting and spinechilling true stories begins just a stones throw down the road on Store Street.

In the 1890s, Johnson Street was known as the red light district of Victoria. A 44-year-old woman named Agnes Bing worked at Pilgrim Bakery (where Paboom Home Imports currently sits).

To get to her home on Russell Street in Vic West, Agnes normally hopped on a street car that travelled over the Point Ellice Bridge. While it was a long way to get home, it was safe.

But on the night of Sept. 22, 1899, she decided to take a shortcut across the railway tracks where the Johnson Street Bridge now exists.

But as Chris tells, she didn’t return home that night.

Her husband called the police and at first light they found her body along the tracks.

“The police in Victoria here were seasoned crime scene investigators.

They’d seen many things before, but

Chris and his father, local historian John Adams, have collected more than 500 local ghost stories in the 16 years they’ve been doing ghost tours.

nothing could prepare them for what they found when they found Agnes,” Chris explained.

She had been strangled, her clothes ripped off, and she had been cut open and disemboweled. Her heart, kidney, liver, spleen had been ripped out and placed beside her body.

The murder was reminiscent of London’s serial killer Jack the Ripper, which sent locals into a panic, leaving them to believe the infamous killer had come to

the Island.

However, there was no other killing like that locally and the murder of Bing remains one of the most gruesome unsolved murders in Victoria.

“We may never know if it was Jack the Ripper or not. But what we do know is that Agnes Bing’s ghost has come back to haunt the place where her body was found, which is now the Delta Ocean Pointe,” Chris said.

Now, people in the lower hotel

restaurant by the water may be able to see a shadowy woman drifting along, pacing back and forth. Some people can even hear her screams.

This is just one of more than 500 local ghost stories, involving the Empress and Bedford Regency hotels, Fan Tan and Helmcken alleys, and Bastion and Market squares along with countless others, that Chris and his father, local historian John Adams, have collected in the 16 years they’ve been doing the family-run tours.

Each tour includes a range of stories from well-known events such as the death of 55 people after a street car crashed through the Point Ellice Bridge in 1896, to lesser-known ones such as the death of a caretaker in the basement of the Strand Hotel (now the Green Cuisine), in which the caretaker’s body can still be seen floating and yelling at people.

The events have been confirmed by research, and of the roughly 10,000 people who participate in the tours annually, a number of skeptics and psychics said they’ve had ghostly encounters of their own on the tours.

“The idea of telling ghost stories, especially recently, has increased in popularity,” said John. “I’m not exactly sure why, although I think the adrenaline rush, the excitement and the mystery of the unknown, I think all of these things combined help make people really fascinated by ghost stories.”

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Explore Victoria’s microbrewery culture With a van full of 14 people from Victoria, Alberta, the United States and New Zealand, Elton Walker hits the road, making his way towards Phillips Brewing, the largest craft brewer on Vancouver Island.

“Is everybody ready to drink some craft beer?” he says enthusiastically. The passengers reply with a quiet “Yeah.”

During the drive, Walker talks about the history of Victoria’s craft beer scene — one that dates back to 1856 when the Victoria Brewery opened on the corner of Government and Discovery streets.

The city has since become the craft beer capital of B.C., which Walker says is in a craft beer revolution. At the start of the year, there were 93 breweries throughout the province, but that number has since jumped to slightly more than 100.

Victoria is home to at least a dozen.

“It’s a pretty good sign of where the industry is at for craft beer,” said Walker, who hails from New Zealand and conceived his business, West Coast Brewery Tours, about three years ago thanks to visits from family and friends.

During the next three hours, we’re slated to tour two other microbreweries — Lighthouse Brewing Company in Esquimalt and Moon Under Water in Rock Bay, where the bulk of the city’s microbreweries are located.

The afternoon isn’t just about

B

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sampling various flavours of craft beer, but also getting behind the scenes to see how the beer is made — a process that’s more complicated than most people think. Making craft beer involves four main ingredients: yeast, hops, water and barley, which typically go through five main steps that takes weeks to complete.

“Most people are shocked at how much technical elements go into making beer. They think it’s just four different ingredients together, but no,” said Walker, noting craft beer isn’t designed to stay good for more than three to five months since there’s no preservatives.

“People come away with a whole new appreciation and amazement with what it takes to make good craft beer. My goal always is to try to convert non craft beer drinkers into craft beer drinkers. It’s not hard to switch once people try it.”

At Lighthouse Brewing, we’re guided through the back of the brewery filled with various equipment and beer cans stacked to the roof. We’re handed a handful of hops that smell skunky, then taste two different roasts of barley — one that tastes like coffee — while sampling another selection of flavourful beer.

Clay Potter is one of the owners of Moon Under Water. Originally a biochemist, Potter set up a lab for a home brewery and fell in love.

BEST of the CITY FINALIST

Clay Potter, left, one of the owners of Moon Under Water, and Elton Walker, owner of West Coast Brewery Tours in Victoria.

Potter brewed for Lighthouse for several years, then moved to Europe and got his masters in distilling.

Three years ago, his family opened their own microbrewery in Victoria, which now brews 1,000 litres a day,

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Back in November 2010, when Sizzling Tandoor first opened the doors to its Johnson Street location,

owners Gurinder and Narpinder Bawa never imaged that in 6 short years they would be the proud owners and operators of two successful locations, let alone that they would be about to open a third. After the successful opening of their location in the Uptown Shopping Centre back in December 2012, Gurinder and Narpinder are proud to announce the opening of the third Sizzling Tandoor Restaurant, which will be located in Langford’s popular Westshore Mall in the fall of this year. The Bawa’s and their staff are extremely excited about the expansion of this family owned and operated business and the opportunity’s that it will most certainly bring.

Sizzling Tandoor continues to prove itself popular with the lunch crowd. With its fairly priced all you can eat buffet full of everyone’s favourite Indian dishes infused with fresh, delicious ingredients, Sizzling Tandoor is a staple in not only the central downtown area but the beautiful and bustling Uptown Shopping district as well. With our team of talented chefs constantly preparing fresh and tasty food as well as perfectly cooked naan bread, the buffet is always fully stocked and in its best form. Throughout lunch, patrons also have the choice of ordering off the menu or even taking the buffet to go, this way every customer gets the exact food they want

with the freedom to enjoy it in the comfort of their home or office if they wish.

During dinner, Sizzling Tandoor offers a relaxed, more intimate atmosphere featuring specialty cocktails, a well curated Bollywood music playlist, and of course Narpinder’s delicious Indian cuisine. The restaurants staff prove to be friendly, efficient, and full of recommendations and knowledge about Sizzling Tandoor’s take on North Indian cuisine. Favourites include the stuffed naans, appetizers like pakoras, mussels, and samosas and a beautiful array of delicious entrees such as Tandoori Fish, Tikka Masala, Lamb Kebab and many others, including everyone’s favourite, the Butter Chicken. If your looking for a twist on a more Western dish Sizzling Tandoor has that covered with it’s wildly popular Butter Chicken Poutine as well as their Chicken Tikka Alfredo.

about five days a week.

“Every day you look forward to coming to work because you’re creating something new all the time,” said Potter. “You never get bored.

You never make the same beers.”

BUSINESS PROFILE: Sizzling Tandoor

Sizzling Tandoor prides itself in providing a safe environment to dine for those with allergies or dietary restrictions. This restaurant proves to be an excellent choice for those who are vegetarian, vegan, and gluten and/or dairy intolerant. More than 90 percent of the menu items are gluten-free for people who keep a gluten free diet or who are celiac. In addition to this, many items on the menu are easily customizable to exclude dairy products. The menu at Sizzling Tandoor features a wide variety of vegetarian options, the majority of which can be made vegan if they are not already. With a simple request any and all naan breads and/or tandoori rotis can be made with organic coconut oil instead of butter, making them vegan and equally as delicious.

Since Sizzling Tandoor’s opening, takeout orders have been a huge part of the restaurant. Since their partnership with the ever so popular Dine In Victoria, Sizzling Tandoor is proud to offer both pick up and delivery of their food.

Over the past few months, Sizzling Tandoor has made a community conscious effort to switch to

environmentally friendly take out packaging.

Sizzling Tandoor is the only Indian restaurant whose containers are made from renewable resources and are one hundred percent biodegradable, completely diminishing the use of styrofoam. In addition to this, Sizzling Tandoor has implemented a recycling discount to promote their new recyclable paper bags that are designed to encourage customers to reuse their previous take out bags while giving them a ten percent discount on their entire order.

Both Gurinder and Narpinder, along with their daughter Kirn, who is celebrating her one year anniversary with the company this month, are honored to be a finalist in The Best of The City 2016, and hope to see everyone at the grand opening of their Langford location.

Gurinder, Kirn and Narpinder Bawa welcome guests to Sizzling Tandoor.

To keep up to date with us, like our Facebook page: Sizzling Tandoor Victoria follow us on Instagram: @sizzlingtandoor_ or visit our website: www.sizzlingtandoor.ca.

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Things to see:

Esquimalt Despite its somewhat compact size, the Township of Esquimalt is blessed with a diverse landscape that delivers many special places worth exploring.

Popular outdoor choices range from the glorious waterfront gardens and paths at Saxe Point – inspiration to innumerable plein air painters – to Memorial Park in the heart of the township, but what about some of the other must-see places worth exploring?

1.

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Highrock Park — the highest point in Esquimalt, offering 360-degree views - is a 7.1-hectare natural oasis whose Garry Oak habitat is brimming with swaths of the spring-blooming purple camus, red-barked arbutus and Douglas fir. Get away from it all within the heart of Esquimalt’s Rockheights neighbourhood.

2.

For a waterfront view — the West Bay Walkway is a fully accessible pathway with arbutus and Douglas fir trees, picturesque glimpses of the marina and harbour, and rest stops with benches. Access the walkway in Esquimalt from the foot of Head Street, or make the township your ultimate destination by starting off along downtown Victoria’s West Song Walkway. Taken together, the two allow for a 2.9 kilometre walk.

3.

CFB Esquimalt — For history buffs, a visit to the CFB Esquimalt Naval & Military Museum at Naden is a must. Turning 30 this year, with a special celebration planned for July 5, the museum explores several distinct military groups that have made an impact on Canada’s history and heritage: Canada’s Navy on the West Coast; Canadian Women’s Army Corps; Women’s Royal Canadian Naval Service; and the West Coast Defences.

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Esquimalt Gorge Park — The Japanese Garden is a beautiful place of inspiration or quiet reflection. The park has a long Japanese heritage, beginning in 1907 with Takata Japanese Tea Gardens – North America’s first Japanese Garden, Esquimalt Parks and Recreation notes. The municipality set about re-creating elements of this historic space, including an ornamental stream, traditional Japanese bridge and Japanese entry gate.

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Famous Victorians

City boasts its share of stars and sports heroes JAMIE BENN

Victoria has played a significant role in the lives of many who have gone on to make a name for themselves in the world of the business, sports and the arts.

Benn captured this year’s Art Ross Trophy as the NHL’s leading scorer. The captain of the Dallas Stars also brought home Olympic Gold with the Canadian men’s team at the Sochi Games.

Benn grew up playing hockey for the Peninsula Eagles minor hockey association and attended Stelly’s Secondary School as a teenager.

STEVE NASH

Nash was an eight-time NBA All-Star and a two-time recipient of the NBA Most Valuable Player Award. Nash moved to Victoria when he was very young, going on to star in basketball, soccer and rugby at St. Michaels University School.

DAVID FOSTER

NELLY FURTADO

Furtado has sold more than 20 million albums worldwide and won numerous awards and accolades, including two Grammy Awards, 10 Juno Awards, three MuchMusic Video Awards and a star on Canada’s Walk of Fame. Furtado was born in Victoria and graduated from Mount Douglas Secondary.

JEFFREY MALLETT

Mallett is a Canadian entrepreneur and investor, best known for building internet giant Yahoo.

Mallet grew up in Victoria, attending Mount Douglas Secondary and playing baseball and soccer in Gordon Head before going on to the University of Victoria.

Jamie Benn

Foster has won 16 Grammy Awards and has produced albums for the like of Christina Aguilera, Michael Bublé, Whitney Houston, Jennifer Lopez, Rod Stewart, Madonna and Barbra Streisand. Foster was born in Victoria and attended Mount Douglas Secondary.

ROY HENRY VICKERS

Vickers is one of Canada’s most celebrated artists. Vickers – class of ‘65. The world-renowned artist’s work can be found in private and public collections and galleries around the world including the National Museum of Man (Ottawa, Ont.), University of British Columbia’s Museum of Anthropology (Vancouver), the McMichael Canadian Art Collection (Kleinburg, Ont.) and the National Museum of Japan (Osaka). Vickers, who

graduated from Oak Bay High, has been awarded the Order of B.C. and Queen’s Golden Nelly Furtado Jubilee Medal.

PIERRE BURTON

Burton was one of Canada’s most prolific and popular authors. Along with writing 50 books, Burton was also the managing editor of Macleans and appeared in numerous TV shows. His family moved to Victoria when he was 12 and he went on to graduate from Oak Bay High.

EMILY CARR

David Foster

Carr is a legend in Canadian art. Carr is remembered primarily for her painting. She was one of the first artists to attempt to capture the spirit of Canada in a modern style, with nature and aboriginal culture being a predominant theme in her work. Carr was born in Victoria. The Carr home was on Birdcage Walk, (now Government Street) in James Bay.

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season came to an end in a nail-biting game seven of the Western Conference semifinals. The Royals finished first in the WHL regular season.

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Rugby Canada calls Victoria home Mention a team sport with a ball and increasingly, the game you’re talking about is rugby.

The sport has captured the imagination of residents of Greater Victoria with more young people taking up the oblong-shaped ball for what will become a lifelong obsession for some.

“Once you’re a rugby person, you’re a rugby person for life,” said Mike Wyatt, president of the West Shore Rugby Football Club.

“With Rugby Canada being located here on the West Shore, it’s given the people of Greater Victoria an exposure to the game that they just couldn’t get anywhere else in Canada.”

It should be noted though, that it’s not just a West Shore phenomenon. Rugby clubs are thriving across Greater Victoria.

The recent success of Canada’s women’s rugby team has added to the fascination of this exciting game. They’re heading to Rio this summer to compete in the Olympic Games and Wyatt likes their chances. He also said the women’s example is doing a lot to inspire girls across Victoria to take up the sport.

“Rugby is definitely a women’s

sport as much as it is for the men.

In fact, everyone can play, regardless of size and body type…there’s a place for everyone in the game.”

One of the fastest growing groups showing interest in rugby is the youngest. Although teams have formed for every youth age group, from eight to 18, the biggest growth is for the U8 (under 8) age grouping.

Winston Stanley, a head coach for the organization, explained a lot of national team players have gotten involved in coaching and have managed to pass on their passion and love of the game to large groups of young players of both genders through school programs and special camps. He said there are at least as many young girls taking part as there are boys. Part of the attraction is the affordability of the sport where no expensive specialized equipment is required and registration costs are low.

“It’s a great team sport — a sport where we build a camaraderie, a real family mentality,” said Stanley. “The parents and other fans love the game as well. Win or lose, it’s always exciting. And it’s fun.”

Karen Paquin of Canada drives through a French defender as Canada lost 1412 in the quarter finals en route to taking fifth place at the second annual HSBC Canada Rugby Sevens at Westhills Stadium in Langford April 16 to 17. Canada finished fifth overall.

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The evolution of Victoria’s Fisherman’s Wharf When David Leff opens the patio door of his 1,300 square-foot home, a small boat is floating at his feet, ready for action.

Upstairs, the views of Victoria’s Inner Harbour couldn’t get any better thanks to a wall of windows that encompass the living room and kitchen. On the outside, a pair of kayaks hang on a wall a few steps from the ocean where two seals bob in the water close to shore.

This is life at Fisherman’s Wharf, where Leff has lived with his wife for the last three-and-ahalf years. Sharing a passion for the water, the couple fell in love with the community while visiting from Ottawa and started putting the wheels in motion to find a new home.

“We love it. In terms of lifestyle and community, it’s beyond our expectations,” said Leff, president of the Fisherman’s Wharf Community Association.

“My wife just loves being down on the dock conversing with the tourists. She says she gets to travel all over the world through their eyes.”

The last few years have brought significant changes to the community of Fisherman’s Wharf. In the spring of 2014, the float homes were zoned to officially recognize the area as a legal float home community, giving residents confi-

Voted

Best City

of the

David Leff and his wife Susan moved from Ontario to Fisherman’s Wharf threeand-a-half years ago. The pair couldn’t be happier living in a float home.

dence to make improvements and additions to their homes, rather than wonder if they’ll be booted out with nowhere to go.

Zoning the community of 33 float homes and 10 businesses (which mainly consist of food) has

also allowed for increased commercial development on the main dock, which caters to more than 150,000 tourists each year. In the last three years, Leff estimates tourism has grown by at least 30 per cent largely due to an increase

in cruise ships coming to Victoria.

Leff admits he gets tired of being asked the same questions by people curious about the homes, but nothing beats living on the ocean with the best views in the city.

“You do have to have a certain personality. It’s not for everyone,” said the 55-year-old, noting the homes are less affected by waves and more by wind, which twists them from side to side.

“You have to have sea legs. It’s not like a sailboat where you’re rocking back and forth, but it does move. You get used to it.”

In order to get some privacy from the curious crowds, many of the float homes have bedrooms on the main floor and living space on the second. The lower you are to the water, the less the homes sway, which Leff noted is better for sleeping.

The population of Fisherman’s Wharf is around 50 people. Many of them are single women or couples, ranging from their early 30s to 70s.

The homes are connected to sewer and water from the city and run on propane that’s delivered to their door. The largest home is around 1,600 square feet and the smallest is around 400.

An average of two to three homes are put up for sale every year.

A t Tr u e B o u t i q u e . . .

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VICTORIA NEWS

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2016

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• Faux Wood Blinds • Draperies YVEoA6teR d 2 BeIsN tA S 0 • Faux•Wood Blinds • Draperies • Valances Wood Blinds CRiOtWy 1 1 • Wood Blinds • Valances 6 2IA N 4 V • Venetian Blinds • Roman Shades YEA6 ICTOR2 EWS YEARS • Venetian Blinds •Draperies Roman Shades 0 IN ARS •• Faux Wood Blinds • 0 RIN A Faux Wood BlindsShades ••Draperies 1 RO • Pleated • Drapery Rods • Pleated Shades Drapery Rods OW W 1 •• Wood •• Valances Wood Blinds Blinds 4 4 • Cellular Shades •Valances InteriorShades Shutters •• Venetian Blinds • Roman • Cellular Shades • Interior Shutters 22 Venetian Blinds • Roman Shades 2 7 • Woven Woods • Motorization YEA •• Pleated Shades • Drapery Rods 0 Pleated Shades Woods • Drapery Rods • Motorization IN RS • Blinds Woven ROWA •• Cellular Shades •••Interior Shutters • Roller Upholstery 1 Cellular Shades Interior Shutters •• Woven Woods •••Motorization 5 •Price Roller Blinds • Upholstery • Best Policy Repair & Service Woven Woods Motorization •• Roller Blinds •••Upholstery • Sheers Soft Shadings Roller Blinds Upholstery • BestPolicy Price •Policy • Repair & Service •• Best Best Price Price Policy • Repair Repair & & Service Service •• Sheers •• Soft • Sheers Sheers Soft Shadings Shadings • Soft Shadings

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42 • Best of the City Summer 2016

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Cruise ship facts

Victoria’s cruise tourism industry has grown exponentially with a doubling of ship calls and a tripling of passenger numbers since 2002

For the 2015 cruise season, direct spending by passengers and crew were estimated in excess of $32 million supporting 880 direct and indirect jobs in the region

A record of 227 ship calls came to Victoria during the 2015 season

A record number of 533,000 passengers came to Victoria during the 2015 season

Ogden Point is Canada’s most popular port of call for cruise ships

Voted

Best City

of the

VICTORIA NEWS

2 0 1 6

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Y E A R

THANKS TO OUR GREAT STAFF AND CUSTOMERS, AND FOR ALL THE YEARS OF KEEPING US ROLLING!

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Voted

Best City

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Thank You Victoria

for voting Capital Iron “Best of City”...yet again!

An aerial view over the Bear Mountain golf course. The PGA Tour Champions will tee off at the course Sept. 19 to 25.

Golf legends coming to Victoria for PGA It’s not often that the legends of golf descend on Vancouver Island to put on a show, but this summer that’s precisely what will be happening at the Bear Mountain Resort. PGA Tour Champions and Pacific Links International have slated the 2016 Pacific Links Championship for September 19 to 25 and the event promises to be phenomenal.

Victorians will have the opportunity to watch a field of 81 players — legends of the golf world — as they compete for the $2.5 million purse.

Du Sha, the owner and chair of Pacific Links International, has described Bear Mountain as “an incredible property” set in a spectacular travel destination. This is something that Victorians have always known, but the international recognition and the fact that an amazing field of athletes are coming to the Island has golf enthusiasts very excited.

Dan Mathews, president and CEO of Ecoasis Developments, which manages Bear Mountain, said hosting the event will go

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A centrally located Beauty Bar offering Manicures, Pedicures, Special Occasion and Permanent Makeup, Waxing, Laser Hair Removal and Facials.

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Group booking available for Bridal parties and Spa parties.

R YEA

2016

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Voted

Best City

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a long way to establishing Bear Mountain as one of the finest golf courses in Canada. The tournament will take place on the challenging mountain course, which sits at the base of Mount Finlayson and features panoramic views of Victoria, the ocean, and the mountains in the distance.

The course was, in part, designed by world golf Hall of Fame member, Jack Nicklaus and Nicklaus weighed in on the choice of Bear Mountain for this prestigious event, citing the “incredible backdrop” for the competition and expressing his feeling that golfers will have as much fun competing on the course as he had designing it.

PGA Tour Champions President, Greg McLaughlin also cited the championship-caliber setting offered by Bear Mountain Resort but went on to praise the fan support for the event. He said he was aware of the passion that British Columbians have for golf and expressed his confidence in a wonderful tournament week for fans and players alike.

Best for Barbeques

7

Value Village Cycle

Thank you for voting value village as your favourite thrift store!

Calendar of Events

What’s happening To June 26

Voted

Best City

of the

1

VICTORIA NEWS

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2016

1810 Store Street, Victoria 250-380-9422 www.valuevillage.com

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Victoria Ska Fest. A diverse music showcase featuring the best raggae, ska, dub, jazz, dancehall and punk from across the globe. Features performances by Toots & The Maytals, Australian vocal-loop wizard Dub FX and New Zealand reggae champions The Black Seeds. Shows are all-ages and feature jam-packed lineups. victoriaskafest.ca

June 24, 25

July 2 to Aug. 20

June 24 to 26

Gregory Porter. With an innate gift for melody and songwriting, he has penned most of the jazz and souloriented material appearing on his first three albums: the Grammy-nominated Water, Be Good and Liquid Spirit, which won the Grammy Award for Best Jazz Vocal Album in 2014. Part of Victoria Jazz Fest. rmts.bc.ca

June 24 to July 3

June 25

July 6 to Aug 31

Joe Jackson. With a string of 19 studio albums and multiple Grammy nominations, Jackson rocketed to stardom with a string of hits including Is She Really Going Out With Him?, Steppin’ Out and It’s Different for Girls. Part of Victoria Jazz Fest. rmts.bc.ca

June 26

Now in Eagle Creek Village

The Importance of Being Earnest. The high farce and witty dialogue have helped make 19th century British playwright Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest his most enduringly popular play. Rediscover why being born in a hand bag is just as hysterically funny as it was after more than a century. bluebridgetheatre.ca Brentwood Bay Music in the Park. Outdoor concerts are held Wednesday nights from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. in Pioneer Park. Bring a chair, a blanket, a picnic dinner, or buy dinner from one of the food vendors. Free. brentwoodbay.info.

July 7

A DeVine Evening of Wine & Spirits. Guests will enjoy a four-course dinner, prepared by Castro Boateng Fine Catering and featuring wine and spirit pairings by de Vine Vineyards. Part of the Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce’s Summer Social Series. victoriachamber.ca

Downchild Blues Band. Downchild founder Donnie Walsh loved the blues so much as a teen he launched his own band, gradually becoming recognized as a stellar harmonica player and an expressive guitar stylist.

Part of Victoria Jazz Fest. rmts.bc.ca

July 7 to 30

June 28

July 8 and 9

Case/Lang/Veirs. A one-of-a-kind event from three phenomenal, self-driven artists: avant-rock icon Neko Case, legendary musical nomad k.d. lang, and indie folk star Laura Veirs. Part of Victoria Jazz Fest. rmts.bc.ca

778-265-6033

July 3

July 5 to 24

June 25

victoriadentist.com

Summer Star Parties. Saturday evenings the Dominion Astrophysical Observatory, 5071 West Saanich Rd., is open 7:30 to 11 p.m. Tours of the historic Plaskett telescope, astronomy lectures and presentations. victoria.rasc.ca

TD Victoria International Jazz Fest. A 10-day music festival featuring the jazz, blues and world music of local, Canadian, and internationally acclaimed musicians. This year includes performances by Joe Jackson (June 25), Downchild Blues Band (June 26), Neko Case, k d lang and Laura Veirs (June 28), Tedeshi Trucks Band (June 29) and more. jazzvictoria.ca.

Meat Loaf. Some people think big. His legendary 1977 album Bat Out Of Hell transformed this former stage actor into one of the great American rock ‘n’ roll icons. selectyourtickets.com.

Serving 4 Locations

Victoria Pride Week. See the jewel in Victoria Pride Week’s crown: the parade and festival, along with a lot more fun. Over 150 vendors will be selling food and wares. A beer garden and special performances will cater to the 19+ crowd. Pride House hosts more than 10 different LGBTQ supportive organizations. victoriapridesociety.org.

Feast, Food & Film. Think about your sense of smell with The Empire of Scents, June 24 at the new Victoria Distillers Sidney location. Pairing Victoria Distillers spirits with delicious bites from Toque Catering. Watch Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction while enjoying a Phillips beer and a hypodermic shooter in Phillips’ Backyard, June 25. feastfoodfilm.ca Island Summer Games. Competition this year features basketball, ball hockey, dodgeball and bocce ball tournament. 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. at Topaz and MacDonald Park. islandsummergames.com.

Winner of Best Place to Improve Your Smile 5 Years in a Row!

July 1 to 10

July 1

Sidney Days. Join in the fun at Sidney’s Canada Day community celebrations. A pancake breakfast, a parade and a family fun fair with food, music and free activities starts at 8 a.m. peninsulacelebrations.ca.

Canada Day Fireworks. See the event every Victorian is talking about this time of year. After dusk in the Inner Harbour. Free. victoriacanadaday.ca.

Canada Day at Fort Rodd Hill. Explore coastal gun batteries built over 100 years ago. All day at Fort Rodd Hill & Fisgard Lighthouse National Historic Site (603 Fort Rodd Hill). Free.

Victoria Shakespeare Festival. The Society presents The Winter’s Tale (Tues/Thurs/Sat eve) and Twelfth Night (Wed/Fri/Sat matinee) on the lawns at Camosun College (3100 Foul Bay). Tickets available at vicshakespeare.com Theatre Skam’s Skampede. SKAM’s annual live performance festival, with site-specific short theatre shows by SNAFU Dance Theatre, Gotta Getta Gimmick, Impulse Theatre and more, are all presented on a four-km. stretch of the Galloping Goose Trail. Audiences are welcome to walk, take a scooter, bike or even skateboard from show to show. Starts at Cecilia Ravine Park (475 Burnside E). Info. & tickets skam.ca/bike-ride.

July 8 to 10

Phillips Backyard Weekender. Enjoy music, beer and sunshine in one of our city’s best outdoor live music venues/breweries, with Milky Chance, Bahamas, The Funk Hunters Live and more. Phillips Brewery Backlot (2010 Government St.) Tickets: atomiqueproductions.com

46 • Best of the City Summer 2016

Take the Readiness Quiz Take the Readiness Quiz hatleymemorial.ca/quiz

End of Life Planning Are Prepared?

Get your free score & personalized report EndYou of Life Planning hatleymemorial.ca/quiz Are You Prepared?

Get your free score & personalized report Hatley Memorial Gardens Hatley Memorial Gardens

July 9

July 22 with The Seven Mile Social – a day of Vancouver Island’s biggest and finest homegrown talent. Juan de Fuca Recreation Centre lower fields. rocktheshores.com.

Northwest Deuce Days. More than 1,100 vintage cars from around North America will be cruising local streets and take over the Inner Harbour for the hottest show and shine of the summer. northwestdeuceday.com

Eats & Beats Replay. A free, family event with more hot eats, more local beats, kites, kayaking and all kinds of fun activities happening on the sand, sea and sky in Colwood. Enjoy great food from the hottest local food trucks and cool tunes on the live stage. From 1 to 8 p.m. on Ocean Boulevard. colwood.ca Peninsula Wine Fest. The Anglican Parish of Central Saanich is hosting the Peninsula Wine Fest on the grounds of St. Stephen’s Anglican Church. Eight local wineries will be pouring samples and the food, appetizers and beverages are from local businesses.

This event is family and community oriented, all of the proceeds support community programs. parishcs.ca

July 22 to Aug. 1

July 10 to Aug. 28

Aug. 2 to 21

Sidney Summer Sounds. Sidney’s Beacon Park hosts live music on Sunday afternoons, 2 to 4pm. Bring a chair, picnic and blanket to enjoy the performances.

By donation. peninsulacelebrations.ca.

July 14 to 17

Taste: Victoria’s Festival Of Food And Wine.

Delectable food prepared by local gourmet chefs and fine wine from British Columbia’s wine regions. This is a festival with “culinary conscience” and is a true culinary tourism experience. Come for an extra long weekend of tastings, seminars, and events. victoriataste.com

July 15 to 24

Buskers Festival. One of the world’s most prominent street theatre festivals! Performers from Canada, Europe, Sweden, Australia, South America and the US converge in Victoria for 10 days of incredible fun. Various times and locations downtown. victoriabuskers.com.

July 18

TD Art Gallery Paint-In. The Art Gallery of Greater Victoria’s Annual Paint-In on Moss Street features invited professional and emerging artists from Victoria and area who demonstrate their art to over 35,000 visitors strolling Moss Street from Fort to Dallas. aggv.ca.

July 21

Chris Cornell. Multi Grammy award-winning and Golden Globe nominated singer/songwriter Cornell, is the frontman of three multi platinum bands and the chief architect of the grunge movement. rmts.bc.ca

July 22 to 24

Jaguars on the Island. Admire hundreds of classic Jags at Oak Bay’s Windsor Park. For information see vijaguars.ca Rock The Shores. Come enjoy this popular open air music festival in Colwood featuring City and Colour, Metric, Arkells, Eagles of Death Metal and more. Starting

Sooke Fine Arts Show. An exhibition of fine art showcasing original, west coast art by artists on Vancouver Island and the surrounding BC coastal islands. It is the largest juried event in the region to represent Island artists, attracting more than 8,000 visitors, throughout its 11-day run. sookefinearts.com.

Animal Crackers. A hallmark of Marx Brothers lunacy when it premiered on Broadway in 1928, audiences flocked as critics applauded the antics of Captain Spaulding and company at Mrs. Rittenhouse’s ritzy weekend gathering. Join Groucho, Chico, Harpo, Zeppo and their perennial foil Mrs. Rittenhouse as they tear the stage up with fun and song. bluebridgetheatre.ca

Aug. 4

Beer on the Barge. Set on a barge at Ogden Point next to the iconic breakwater, enjoy a fun evening featuring award-winning craft beer from Hoyne Brewing Co. and Category 12 Brewing paired with gourmet food prepared by Truffles Catering in a breathtaking setting.

Part of the Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce’s Summer Social Series. victoriachamber.ca

Aug. 5

Mike Delamont. Three-time Canadian Comedy Award nominee and Victoria’s own, Delamont became the first local comedian to play the McPherson Playhouse, and Aug. 5, he will be the first to play the Royal Theatre. This performance will be filmed live for his debut comedy special and DVD. rmts.bc.ca

Aug. 7

Collector Car Festival. Oak Bay Ave. is transformed into a pedestrian walkway as 250 to 300 vintage and collector cars are showcased to admiring spectators and aficionados. Starts at 8 a.m.

Free. oakbay.ca.

Cadboro Bay Festival. The ideal backdrop for professional sand sculptors to create giant sea creatures and other works of art. 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Gyro Park (Sinclair Road). saanich.ca.

Aug. 5 to 27

Free-B Film Festival. Friday and Saturday nights at the Cameron Bandstand in Beacon Hill Park, except for two special screenings. Aug. 5, Space Jam (screening at Legislature Lawn); Aug. 6, Galaxy Quest; Aug. 12, Gremlins; Aug. 13, Ladyhawke; Aug. 19, Mars Attacks; Aug. 20, The Poseidon Adventure; Aug. 26, The Naked Gun; Aug. 27, Excess Baggage (shot in Victoria, and screening at Broadmead Village). freebfilmfest.com

Aug. 9 to 28

Mom’s The Word. A new production of the original show, with a new cast of actress/mothers. Over 20 years ago, six theatre artists got together to talk and write about their experiences as new moms. The show grew into a worldwide phenomenon that has played to millions of delighted audience members. belfry.bc.ca

Aug. 12 to 14

Victoria Dragon Boat Festival. The only Dragon Boat Festival in Canada to take place in a working harbour. Watch 90 Dragon Boat Teams from across North America race across a 500-metre water course in Victoria’s Inner Harbour. Free. victoriadragonboat.com.

Aug. 13 and 14

Pet-A-Palooza. Over 35,000 square feet of ocean front welcomes all pet lovers and pets for this two-day festival. More than 70 exhibitors and attractions.

10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Ogden Point. Free. jlasociety.com.

Aug. 21

Fibrations. Held at Fairfield Gonzales Community Place, features a huge collection of vendors sharing their knowledge and enthusiasm through demonstrations and hands-on-activities. fibrationsvic.wordpress.com

Aug. 24 to Sept. 4

Victoria Fringe Theatre Festival. Celebrating 30 years, a 12-day celebration of live performance from around the world, featuring an eclectic mixture of spoken word, drama, musicals, dance, comedy, magic, theatre for young audiences and more. intrepidtheatre.com

Aug. 26 to 28

Integrate Arts Festival. Victoria’s annual art festival will feature an opening and closing celebration, gallery art crawl, music, performance art and independent artist displays. integratearts.ca.

Aug. 26 to Sept. 5

Greek Fest. Opa! Celebrate Victoria’s Greek culture through food, pastries, bake sale and traditional Greek

and Mediterranean dancing. 4648 Elk Lake Dr. 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Aug 26 to 28 and Sept 2 to 5. greekfest.ca

Sept. 2 to 4

Victoria Classic Boat Festival. The Pacific Northwest on both sides of the border is blessed with an enormous number of traditional boats of all descriptions. All weekend at the Inner Harbour. Free. classicboatfestival.ca.

Sept. 3 to 5

149th Annual Saanich Fair. A must for the family. 5,000 exhibits, dog and horse shows, concessions, carnival and games, stage entertainment and more. Kids six and under free. 8am to 10pm. saanichfair.ca.

Sept. 9 and 10

Great Canadian Beer Festival. More than 8,000 people sip and sample brews from across Canada.

Features more than 64 craft breweries, making it Canada’s longestrunning craft-only beer festival. gcbf.com

Sept. 10 and 11

Victoria International Chalk Festival.

Enjoy amazing street art by incredibly talented international chalk artists. Downtown Victoria. victoriachalkfestival.com

Sept. 16 to 18

Luxton Fall Fair. Celebrating 106 years of Fall Fairs in the Western Communities. Come support local history and events. Admission by donation. luxtonfair.ca.

Sept. 21

End of Summer Soirée. Celebrate the last official day of summer with a fun evening featuring signature cocktails prepared by Little Jumbo and award-winning craft beer from Lighthouse Brewing Company as you mix and mingle in the mansion of the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria. Part of the Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce’s Summer Social Series. victoriachamber.ca

Milestones 213: Being Voted best place to take a first date.

thanks for voting milestones.

Join us for Wednesday Date Night at

Milestones Inner Harbour or Milestones Millstream

®

812 Wharf Street, Victoria 250.381.2244 2401 Millstream Road, Langford 250.391.5016

Best of the City Summer 2016 • 47

Dinner for 2 for $50

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