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Council members respond to one-week transit challenge Travis Paterson News Staff

Obsolete technology finds a new generation of fans at UVic library Computer lab of 1980s on display at Idea Fest Travis Paterson News Staff

On the bottom floor of the McPherson Library is a room of 1980s era desktop computers. Upon boot up the monitors flicker with the yellow and green fonts. Remember inserting a disk to boot the computer? And then another to boot a program?

Welcome to the Obsolete Computing and Media Lab. Yes, there is a Commodore 64, an Apple II (it’s a IIE, not a GS, but hey, you can’t expect the moon) and even an Atari. The lab is open to the public for a rare opportunity during UVic Libraries Idea Fest family open house called Class of 2030: Your UVic Library of the Future. It runs Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., in the main lobby of McPherson Library (they’ll direct you to the lab of obsolescence). In all, there are several interactive stations for kids and adults alike to enjoy, such as bookmaking by hand,

a tech petting zoo (think virtual reality goggles and fun digital gadgets driven by the Raspberry Pi operating system). There are 3-D printing demos, all-ages storytimes with our friends from the Greater Victoria Public Library (10:30 and 11:30 a.m., 12:30 and 1:30 p.m.). Thunder, the UVic’s Vikes mascot, will be on hand for photos. And everything is free. “It’s the second year hosting the family open house during Idea Fest and we’ve expanded it greatly as it was quite popular last year,” said education librarian Pia Russell, who is coordinating the event. Continued A7

Remember when Victoria Coun. Sharmarke Dubow challenged local politicians, including the regional transit commission, to take the bus for one week straight? It was back on Nov. 5 and not many local politicians went to social media to take up the challenge. Or if they did, they didn’t report back to Dubow. “I’m not sure who completed it but I know [Colwood Mayor Rob Martin] had accepted the challenge,” Dubow said. Dubow hoped taking the bus would give councillors the opportunity to have conversations with fellow commuters and frontline workers, and to lead by example. “It’s local government who make decisions on bus lanes and bus shelters, so for them it is a good idea to really experience it,” Dubow said. “If you’re making a decision about buses, you better get on the bus, then it gives you an idea of what you’re voting on.” Oak Bay Coun. Andrew Appleton not S en i o r s S only accepted the ave challenge but also off completed it. FebYo u r p urchase ev ruary marked a deery Wednesday of every mFirst cade that Appleton onth. *Some has ridden his bike exceptions year-round from his apply. see in stor home near Winde for details sor and Monterey. * LIVE W He interrupted the ELL W ITH bike commute to ride the bus, using For Ev EARN different routes – Your FamilyerNyteehing You & POINTS d to Live W ell & SAVE! though it did take 25 0 -598 -338 0 • him longer than 22 0 0 Oa o k B ay Av wa wkwb.oaaykb pa enue hyp arm harm a sa one week as he asa ve ve.c.coom m was out of town.

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John Durno, a UVic library technologist and part-time digital archaeologist, in one of his favourite places, the Obsolete Computing and Media lab. The lab is open to the public for a rare opportunity during UVic Libraries Idea Fest family open house, Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. (Travis Paterson/News Staff)

“It took longer than five straight days, but I did it,” Appleton said. “I thought it was a great idea by Sharmarke to put it out there, as it behooves any elected official to know their active transit system and even though I ride my bike, which is sustainable, I don’t have a lot of experience with BC Transit.” Appleton, a biologist, works in a provincial building in the Selkirk village. He tried a few options including adding one with a connection. “I took the No. 2 from the village and transferred to the No. 11. And I did learn something. I missed the connection. It took a while.” The best route for Appleton was the No. 8 which left Oak Bay Avenue and stopped right beside Selkirk at Gorge and Jutland. Mayor Kevin Murdoch also took up the challenge but not for a whole week as he had no need to bus each day. “I took it down to meetings downtown, otherwise I pretty much ride my bike locally,” Murdoch said. Continued A7

A2 Wednesday, March 4, 2020

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Wednesday, March 4, 2020 A3

First heritage conservation area in the books Items stolen Travis Paterson News Staff

Following Oak Bay council’s meeting on Monday night a group of residents from the Prospect neighbourhood took to the Penny Farthing for a celebration. Some of them have known each other a long time. Others have grown close since they came together to develop Oak Bay’s first Heritage Conservation Area in August of 2016. Council made the final approval in a unanimous vote on Monday. After the pub they all made the short walk back to their homes. Except for the bylaw nothing in Oak Bay had really changed. And that’s the point. The true effect of The Prospect heritage conservation area is it will preserve the charm and character of what was built in the early 1900s, mostly by architects Frances Rattenbury and John Gerhard Tiarks. There are about 50 homes in total, including three Rattenbury buildings on the Glenlyon Norfolk school campus. The bylaw applies to the exterior of homes and structures over 10 square metres, and to a series of landscape and yard features such as non-permeable pavement and rock walls. Michael Prince, a Prospect resident who brought a lot of energy to the HCA working group, believes it is unlikely to have any effect on the current housing crisis as it will take

Michael Prince and Karen Wallace-Prince, in 2017, when they proposed Oak Bay develop a Heritage Conservation Area to protect the Prospect neighborhood. (Black Press Media File) years for another HCA to be created. “The next stage is to make sure it’s implemented in an effective way,” Prince said. “It’s as much about the public realm as it is the private property, it really puts some new responsibilities on the district staff, engineering, public works to [learn the bylaw process].” The bylaw applies to the exterior of homes and structures over 10 square metres, and to a series of landscape and yard features such as non-permeable pavement and rock walls.

Therefore, single-family homes could still be converted to into multiunit rentals such as 1558 Beach Drive without the HCA interfering. Rather, it’s about the ornate detail of the homes, and the protection of rock walls and gravel driveways, that the HCA is meant for. “We’ve been contacted casually over the last few years about what we’ve been doing,” said Prince, who has lived in his 1908-built home for 30 years with partner Karen. Though the City of Victoria has 13

of the province’s 60 designated heritage conservation areas, he doesn’t see another HCA popping up soon in Oak Bay. “It’s been hard work and it’s not a fast process,” Prince said. “It might be faster the second time around, it’s not a template, there’s no cookie-cutter process.” Theoretically, a derelict house in an HCA could still be razed pending advisory panel and council approval, though none in The Prospect currently fit that description. But like Prince, Coun. Hazel Braithwaite said that there are many places that could be the next HCA in Oak Bay, if the neighbours are willing to get together and do the work. Otherwise, it will likely be a long time before another HCA shows up, she said. “It will be hard to find another group putting in this amount of time and effort, but it would be interesting to see if another group can come together,” Braithwaite said. “The greatest thing is how that community came together, people who didn’t know each other, renters and owners, are all fast friends now. It formed a camaraderie.” In addition to the current council Braithwaite and Prince acknowledged the previous mayor Nils Jensen’s support of the HCA. Jensen, who died in April 2019, visited the Prince household in the summer of 2016. reporter@oakbaynews.com

Fake Mountie scams local resident out of $10,000 An Oak Bay resident is out $10,000 after a scammer pretending to be an RCMP officer, told the victim his credit cards were compromised and they would help him get his money back. Oak Bay Police Deputy Chief Ray Bernoties issued a reminder to the public on Monday evening, stating that “these scammers are very sophisticated and are well rehearsed in their craft.” According to Bernoties, the

scammer obtains a person’s cell phone number through a variety of means. Scammers pretend to be from the bank, BC Hydro, Revenue Canada, a police officer, a family member or a business. “As they speak to you, they gather snippets of personal information that they can put together and paint a bigger picture of who you are,” Bernoties said in a statement. Scammers use many different tactics, but the common

one is to get the victim to purchase gift cards. The scammer then asks the victim to scratch off the covered area on the back of the gift card and once the scammer obtains the serial number, the cash value of the card is immediately drained. If the scammer feels the person they’re targeting is still vulnerable, they will continue to manipulate that person to purchase more gift cards until their bank card is drained.

In this case, Bernoties says the victim had been scammed once before and the scammers called back to try again. “Remember, these financial institutions will not call you this way and have you purchase gift cards,” said Bernoties, adding that if you don’t recognize the phone number — don’t answer it. “If you do answer … and they start asking you questions about financial issues, or tell you your bank account

has been compromised — or even your grandchild is in jail — immediately hang up.” Bernoties recommends blocking the number first, then calling the agency or financial institute the scammers are pretending to be by obtaining the real phone number from online or a phone book. Change your passwords immediately. Don’t use simple passwords and use various passwords for different devices.

from church Travis Paterson News Staff

Reverend Christopher Page is baffled as to what the thieves will do with pieces of St. Philip Church’s functioning but out-dated sound system. Thieves broke into the church on Eastdowne Road over the weekend and stole several items including parts of the public address system and a projector. As a result, the congregation was unable to include its usual musical performance during Sunday’s service. “It’s very odd as the sound system is old, and you wonder what on earth would people do with it, what will they even get for it,” Page asked. “And who breaks into a church and steals stuff from a church? It’s very sad.” The church is facing a high insurance deductible to replace the goods. Police said there are no suspects and the investigation is ongoing. An abandoned motorcycle on the 2300-block of Mid Downe Road was among the more curious calls that Oak Bay police responded to last week, from Feb. 24 to March 1. Police concluded the Suzuki motorbike was previously stolen from Victoria and was without valid insurance. “No suspects have been identified and the motorcycle has been returned to the owner,” said Oak Bay Police Deputy Chief Ray Bernoties. On Friday a resident reported their black-coloured Specialized Hardrock commuter bike, with green details, stolen from Oak Bay Village. It was locked in the 2200block of Oak Bay Avenue and is now missing. On Sunday a resident in the 2100block of Fair Street reported their bike was also stolen. The cable lock of the bike was cut in the carport of the residence. The bike has since been located.

A4 Wednesday, March 4, 2020

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Millions of people are expected to pour into Victoria as the tourism season begins, begging the question: what will be done to prevent any chance of the spread of the COVID19, or coronavirus? A majority of visitors to the capital come from B.C., where seven cases of the virus have been confirmed, with others coming from Alberta, Ontario, Washington state and California. Collectively between Canada and the United States there have been 63 confirmed cases of COVID-19 as of Feb. 26. Local agencies such as Destination Greater Victoria and Island Health are taking cues from provincial and federal agencies, such as the BC Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC) and the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC). Black Press Media reached out to the BCCDC but did not hear back at the time of publication. At a media conference on Feb. 24, PHAC Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Theresa Tam said that government agencies are working together to determine protocols. “I know other departments are engaging the tourism industry as well so we can prepare together. That’s important, so anyone coming into Canada should take precautionary measures. Even tourists have to know about the fact that if they get sick they must self-isolate and call ahead, ” she said. “I think making sure everybody gets those messages and gets the numbers to call if they

should get sick in every jurisdiction, which is what we’re doing now at airports and on websites, is important so we can minimize spread.” Presently 10 airports in Canada have been posted with extra signage to alert people of symptoms and direct them to resources. These include the Vancouver International Airport, the Toronto Pearson Airport and the Montreal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport, which are the three airports most likely to see visitors from China. Other airports with signage include the Calgary International Airport, the Edmonton International Airport, the Winnipeg Richardson Airport, the Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport, the Ottawa International Airport, the Quebec City Jean Lesage International Airport and the Halifax Stanfield International Airport. Along with the signage, which is available in French, English and simplified Chinese, international travellers will need to answer screening questions at new electronic kiosks. Travellers not showing symptoms will also receive handouts with advice. Travellers showing symptoms upon arrival in Canada will be detained by border services officers who will contact a PHAC quarantine officer, who will run a more detailed assessment. Airlines have also been cooperating with government agencies to be better prepared if illness is detected on flights, including stocking extra masks, gloves and sanitizer on board flights. Other busy entry points are also taking their own mea-

sures; BC Ferries told Black Press Media it instructed staff to take extra steps in cleaning touch points on vessels. Locally, the customs area that caters to patrons to Black Ball Ferry and the Clipper Ferry between Victoria, Seattle and Port Angeles is also taking extra measures. “I’ve been made aware that on this side of the boarder if someone appears sick they don’t go on board until they’re talked to by customs,” said Ryan Burles, president of Black Ball Ferry Line. “As far as the ship goes, we are under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Coast Guard and they’ve told us to be vigilant in being clean, wiping things down and using hand sanitizer.” This extra vigilance means that crew members are taking an additional hour each day to wipe down and sanitize the Coho Ferry after it’s made its last trip to Port Angeles. No extra signage has been posted on either side of the border for vessel passengers. Cruise ship passengers are also being advised by the Government of Canada to check with their destination’s entry restrictions, as well as to keep up to date with travel advice and advisories. If the infection continues to spread, however, Tam noted these measures may not be enough. “As more and more countries are impacted, actual specific border measures may not be effective or feasible, and that’s something that we have to be aware of,” Tam said. “We are relying then on much broader health system preparedness and on individual and community preparedness.” nicole.crescenzi@vicnews.com

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Flower count returns to Greater Victoria Nicole Crescenzi News Staff

Flower enthusiasts best start tallying: the 45th annual Flower Count is back. The Greater Victoria tradition welcomes communities to count their blooms this week as part of a friendly competition to discover the “bloomingest” community in the region. Last year the City of Victoria won with a striking 44 billion blooms, dethroning the longtime champion of Colwood. “It is about the community coming together, as well as tradition in Greater Victoria. We certainly aren’t shy about sharing our climactic advantage with our friends around Canada,” said Paul Nursey, CEO of Destination Greater Victoria. “It gives us a chance to, shall we say, poke them a little bit, expressing how much we enjoy living here and perhaps not living there.” From March 4 to 11 communities are asked to tally flowers in their neighbourhoods and submit the counts online. To make things a

Wednesday, March 4, 2020 A5

Acting Victoria Mayor Jeremy Loveday (left), horticulturalist Valerie Murray; Laura Dohan, online marketing specialist with the Butchart Gardens; Paul Nursey, CEO of Destination Greater Victoria; Thandi Williams, director of operations and deputy private secretary to the Lieutenant Governor; Catherine Holt, CEO of the Victoria Chamber of Commerce and Patty Grant, president of Friends of Government House Volunteers are excited about the launch of the 2020 Flower Count. (Nicole Crescenzi/News Staff)

Communication Breakdown? Untreated Hearing Loss aﬀects the ones you love.

bit easier, a small tree full of blossoms equals 250,000 blossoms, a mid-sized heather bush as 1,000 blossoms and trees fully in bloom count for 750,000 blossoms. School kids are also encouraged to get involved, with Grade 4 and 5 students asked to submit entries for a chance for the winning class to get a trip by L.A. Limousines to the Butchart

Gardens. Last year’s winner was Cordova Bay Elementary with a count of 13 billion blooms. “Flowers are iconic to the City of Victoria and to our region,” said acting Victoria Mayor Jeremy Loveday. “I think the Victoria flower count is a fun way to celebrate that.” This year people can also participate on Instagram by

tagging garden and floral posts with #FlowerCount to get a chance to win admission for two to the Butchart Gardens, as well as an assortment of flower seeds and afternoon tea for two. The contest runs from 8 a.m. on March 4 to March 11 at 5 p.m. Submissions can be made online at flowercount.com. nicole.crescenzi@vicnews.com

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‘Be Ready’ series garners award nomination Christine van Reeuwyk News Staff

Dozens of Black Press Media journalists and publications are up for this year’s Ma Murray awards including the Greater Victoria team. The Greater Victoria team has made the top-three shortlist for Feature Series Award for its eight-part look at emergency preparedness in Greater Victoria, The series explores what the region would look like after a devastating earthquake, the probability of a tsunami, the infrastructures that will crumble and the people who are ready to serve. This series is an introduction to

Black Press Media ‘Be Ready’ guide that features even more information. Find the series online at vicnews.com/ tag/greater-victoria-emergency-preparedness. Shalu Mehta, a breaking news reporter at Black Press Media in Victoria, is one of three new journalists of the year. Victoria News reporter Nicole Crescenzi Nicole is up for an Arts & Culture writing award for her story ‘Artwork captures refugee’s journey’ about a famed Syrian artist bringing his paintings created while living in refugee camps to Victoria. Janet Gairdner, publisher of both the Saanich News and Oak Bay News, is up for a pair of awards.

Gairdner, Susan Lundy, Lia Crowe and Lily Chan are up for Special Publication for Tweed Magazine. In the advertising realm, Gairdner and Heather Kohler are among the top three in the newspaper promotion category for the campaign Ignite Your Business with Saanich News. Hosted by the BC & Yukon Community News Media Association, the awards honour and celebrate the work of community journalists across the province for advertising, photography, writing and overall newspaper excellence. The winners will be announced at the River Rock Casino Resort in Richmond on April 25.

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A6 Wednesday, March 4, 2020

Oak Bay News

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EDITORIAL

OAK BAYNEWS For breaking news 24/7 visit oakbaynews.com

The Oak Bay News is published every Wednesday and Friday by Black Press Ltd., 207A-2187 Oak Bay Ave., Victoria, BC V8R 1G1 Penny Sakamoto Group Publisher

OUR VIEW

A cause for concern, not a reason to panic Just how scared should you be of COVID19, the virus formerly known as Coronavirus? The answer lies somewhere between terrified and not at all. That’s helpful, isn’t it? COVID-19 is an infectious disease that can be fatal and it’s spreading around the world, hopping from country to country. It warrants concern as a serious threat. On the other hand, health systems around the world are working hard to slow its spread and develop a vaccine, though that is likely months away yet. In a way, it’s like the Y2K bug. Remember at the end of the last century, we were concerned that computer systems all over the world would all crash as we entered year 2000? But when clocks rolled over to Jan. 1, 2000, planes failed to fall out of the sky, bank machines didn’t start randomly spitting out money and, well, civilization continued on much as before. The failure of civilization to end led some to believe that Y2K had been a hoax all along. Nowadays, people would no doubt be shouting “fake news.” Nope. Y2K was a very real threat. But a lot of money was spent, and there was a lot of hard work to patch or update vulnerable systems. The same goes for COVID-19. Left alone, it would likely become pandemic quickly. So the time is now to take measures, not to sit back and pretend it isn’t going to be a problem. Luckily, some of those measures, like washing your hands, are pretty simple and you should be doing anyways. COVID-19 is about 20 times as deadly as the flu that we deal with every year. It’s about as deadly as the 1918 Spanish flu — but that’s only about a two per cent fatality rate. In various Ebola outbreaks, death rates ranged from 25 per cent to as high as 90 per cent. But even at a two per cent death rate, the Spanish flu was responsible for an estimated 40 to 50 million deaths. That’s nothing to mess with. Especially here in Canada, there is no reason to panic. But ignoring the potential of COVID-19 would be just as poor a response. Now is the time, individually and as nations, to take all steps necessary to prevent us from getting to that stage where there is reason to panic.

READER’S

PIC A seal out for a swim in the Gorge Waterway. (Photo by Annette Olsen) If you have a photo you’d like to feature in the Oak Bay News, send a high-resolution .jpg image to editor@oakbaynews. com. Please include your name, contact information, where you took the photo and any other details.

Pipeline actions signal need for true reconciliation

Actions by and in support of the Wet’su- ever obtained the consent of the Wet’suwet’en wet’en land defenders are as much about hereditary chiefs and their supporters.” government failure to resolve issues around That’s partly because governments have failed Indigenous rights and title as they are about to resolve issues around Indigenous rights and pipelines and gas. title, unless forced to after lengthy court battles, as with the 1997 DelSome Wet’suwet’en hereditary chiefs and their people are defending gamuukw decision and the 2014 their rights to traditional practices, Tsilhqot’in decision, which recogclean air and water and a healthy nized Indigenous title over unceded environment. They say the Coastal territories. GasLink pipeline threatens those If the principles set out in the rights. The $6-billion pipeline, to Truth and Reconciliation report, ship fracked gas 670 kilometres the UN Declaration on the Rights from Dawson Creek to Kitimat for of Indigenous Peoples and court liquefying and export, is part of a are to have meaning, both David Suzuki decisions heavily subsidized, $40-billion LNG levels of government must resolve Science Matters issues around Indigenous rights and Canada project. The hereditary chiefs suggested an alternative title and respect for Indigenous law. route, but the pipeline company nixed it as too One complication is that few people truly costly. The company and government point to understand Indigenous governance systems. As support from elected chiefs and councils along Sayers writes, “The Wet’suwet’en were never the pipeline route, many of which have signed defeated in a war, never surrendered their lands benefit-sharing agreements as a way to gain and never entered into a treaty.” Hereditary much-needed money for their communities. chiefs have jurisdiction over traditional terriBut, as Judith Sayers (Kekinusuqs), Uni- tories, whereas elected chiefs and councils have versity of Victoria adjunct professor from the authority on reserves. Hupacasath First Nation, writes in the Tyee, Some see the hereditary systems through a “Neither the elected chief and band councils colonial lens — as monarchy or divine right that support the pipeline, nor the federal or — but they’re much more representative and The OAK BAY NEWS is a member of the National provincial governments, nor Coastal GasLink consensus-based than many realize. Newsmedia Council, which is an independent organization established to deal with acceptable journalistic practices and ethical behaviour. If you have concerns about editorial content, please contact: editor@oakbaynews.com or call 778-7464010. If you are not satisfied with the response and wish to file a formal complaint, visit the web site at mediacouncil.ca or call toll-free 1-844-877-1163 for additional information.

Now that actions have spread across the country, blocking rail lines, bridges, roads and ports, complaints about inconvenience and disruption are rife. But colonial society has been inconveniencing and disrupting Indigenous lives for hundreds of years. Now the RCMP, acting on behalf of extractive industries and government, are forcing Wet’suwet’en off their own territory. Politicians rant about “protesters holding the economy hostage.” But Canada has held Indigenous people hostage up until the last residential school closed in 1996 — and longer through an unfair foster care system. All Canadians should learn about Indigenous history and culture. We need to move beyond our narrow, extractivist, endless-growth mindset. We’re in a climate crisis, yet governments and industry are hell-bent on tearing up the landscape with fracking, immense oilsands mines, seismic lines, access roads and forestry to reap quick profits by selling it all to other countries. Governments must work with Indigenous Peoples to resolve issues around rights and title where treaties haven’t been signed and honour the treaties that have been. Until then, major resource projects that potentially infringe on these should be put on hold. Written by David Suzuki with contributions from senior editor and writer Ian Hanington.

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Wednesday, March 4, 2020 A7

Developer defends plans for Old Town block Participants can learn to bind handmade book

Nina Grossman News Staff

The developer behind a hotel proposed in Victoria’s downtown core says it is working to balance structural resilience and heritage retention in the Old Town block. Chard Developments became the University of Victoria’s development partner after the institution was gifted the properties at 1306-1324 Broad St. by Michael Williams. The proposal spans the 1892built Duck’s Building and the adjacent “Canada Hotel” – both of which would be demolished save for several masonry walls. Chard’s current hotel proposal for a five-storey building along Broad Street and six-storey building at the corner of Broad and Johnson streets received unanimous support from the City of Victoria’s Heritage Advisory Panel. On Feb. 6, Victoria council voted 5-3 in favour of pushing the design ahead to a public hearing. In response to concerns of local Old Town conservation advocates, Chard points to plans for “rehabilitation of the historically significant elements” of the old buildings on the block, including retaining the east and west exterior walls of the Duck’s building and the western rubble stone wall of the Canada Hotel. According to Chard, full retention of the historic buildings is impossible thanks to an “unusually large floor plate” and recent changes to the BC Building Code. Chard also says interior renovations and a fire have made any kind of restoration

The University of Victoria development partner behind a hotel proposal in Victoria’s historic downtown says its most recent designs are within Old Town Design guidelines. (Artist rendering/Chard Developments)

difficult. While the buildings won’t be retained in their entirety, Chard says the design for new construction meets the City of Victoria’s Old Town Design Guidelines by being “complementary yet subordinate” to historic elements, allowing the Duck’s building to “truly take centre stage.” Dave Chard told Black Press Media that seismic upgrades will preserve what remains of the original structure. “This building currently does not meet any sort of seismic requirements,” he said. “It’s a building that has aged and it has not been overly well maintained. “Under the new B.C. building code and seismic requirements we are building this building up to 100 per cent of the current code.” Chard said his team will also try to

salvage other interior features, such as “brick, timber floor joists, subfloors, flooring, doors, trim work and decorative elements” for reuse in the updated building or elsewhere. Earlier editions of the developer’s proposal sought variances up to 7.5 metres but the proposal has since been revised to only one foot above the Duck building’s current height. “It would bring more than 134 much-needed hotel rooms plus supporting retail to Old Town,” the developer writes in a document given to Black Press Media. “It would bring economic vitality and significant employment benefits to the City, creating 156 full-time jobs for Victorians.” A date for the public hearing is yet to be set.

Councillor finds it more convenient to ride her bike Continued A1 Coun. Tara Ney, a professor at the University of Victoria, did not take up the challenge. “Where I live and go to work, it’s faster to bike,” said the cyclist. Coun. Eric Zhelka, who is known for coming in hot to Monday night council meetings, drives a Nissan Leaf to his job with Emergency Management B.C. in Central Saanich. “I just wouldn’t have time

to bus there, bus back and get back in time [for council or dinner],” Zhelka said. “But both my children have bus passes. My daughter uses B.C. Transit to get to school.” For Couns. Esther Paterson, Hazel Braithwaite and Cairine Green, the challenge would have meant getting on the bus for no reason as all three are retired. “It was an easy challenge for me, I use and support public transit, but my sched-

ule as a retiree is more flexible than those who need to travel to work or school,” Paterson said. Braithwaite has been walking everywhere to help train for the Pacific Crest Trail she plans to hike with her husband later this year. She did use the bus a half dozen times in the last year, before her official retirement. Green noted she was a daily bus commuter from her former home in North Saanich to her job downtown be-

tween 1995 and 2003. “It was an express bus that got me to my desk on Superior Street at 8 a.m. every morning,” Green recalled. “There is a real social sub-culture that develops when you ride the same bus with the same people for years. We celebrated birthdays and other special occasions, met for lunch, and stayed in touch even after many of us left the workforce.”

Continued A1 Among the many giveaways and prizes are the chance to bind a handmade book with learning and research librarian Michael Lines. Participants take the empty book home and fill it out there. Binding uses a needle to poke a hole in the spine and Lines demonstrates how to thread the pages of colourful and textured paper. “There’s an element of literacy that comes with the bookbinding process,” Lines said. As for the computer lab, there are plenty of classic video games, a question many want to know, said volunteer Jacob Lower. They have Oregon Trail, and semi-famous Mario knockoff Jumpman Junior and Tetris clone Nyet. “The younger audience love the analog feel,” said Lower, who interned two summers with the project and soldered many of the machines to bring them back to life. “They love seeing the floppy disks and how they go into the computer.” Many are intrigued by the lesser-known models among the 30 functioning classics, such as the Zenith Data Systems Z150. Lower is generally on the

hunt for missing parts that he needs to rebuild another machine from the first generation of household computers. What’s ironic about the computers is that most of them originally sold for prices over $1,000 US back in the late 1970s and throughout the 1980s. The cutoff for the lab is around 1999. In the early 2000s, when millions of people finally accepted the realization the dusty Macintosh Classic on the garage shelf would never be useful again, computers like these weren’t fit to give away. And yet, a functioning IBM, Tandy, or Atari computer in 2020 is a rare find, said John Durno, the UVic Libraries technologist and part-time digital archaeologist who started the Obsolete Computing and Media lab. “Most people love it when they visit here, people who remember these computers, that is,” Durno said. “It’s surprising how much appeal old equipment still has.” Idea Fest runs from March 2 to 7 with 35 events on research, art, and innovation. For more information visit uvic.ca/ideafest2020 and for the open house visit uvic.ca/library/featured/ events/index.php. reporter@oakbaynews.com

Capital Regional District Notice of Meeting

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Oak Bay News

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Oak Bay High Youth Philanthropic Initiative members Matt Graff, Alex Zhao, John Contogiorgis and Hudson Board. The group raised money for the Victoria Youth Clinic Society for its work supporting youth mental health in Greater Victoria. (Ben Turner Photo)

Young Oak Bay philanthropists provide support for mental health Travis Paterson News Staff

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IMPORTANT NOTICE BC and Yukon Youth Innovators

Each year Oak Bay High’s Youth Philanthropic Initiative, a group of Grade 11 students, chooses a local organization as the recipient for a $5,000 grant. This year the group of John Contogiorgis, Matt Graff, Hudson Board, and Alex Zhao chose the Victoria Youth Clinic Society. It’s never an easy choice for the students, but this year two of the four members went into the decision with previous experience. “We chose the Victoria Youth Clinic Society because they had helped two of our teammates, [myself] and [Board], with some problems they were facing regarding mental health,” Contogiorgis said. “They gave them someone to talk to and helped them find the means to get better,” Contogiorgis said. “We wanted to give back to them and raise awareness for the work they did

to help our teammates.” The non-profit Victoria Youth Clinic started in 1998 offering primary health care services such as mental health and addiction care for youth aged 12 to 24 years. The clinic has an extensive team of nurses, counsellors, psychiatrists, outreach workers, youth support workers, a parent support worker, wellness navigator and administrative staff. “One thing that they insisted throughout our entire interview [at Victoria Youth Clinic] was how important it was to take care of your own mental health,” Contogiorgis said. The team left with a fresh reminder, and experience, of what many people forget, which is to take care of their own mental health issues, he added. “They showed us a bit of what it is like behind the scenes at the charity,” Contogiorgis said. “We were able to gain a deeper understanding of how

they work and how much they rely on everyday donations from people around the community. The Youth Philanthropic Initiative is a national program that provides the funds, and the purpose, for high school students who then select a social service in their community. It is a process that involves interviewing multiple organizations. Teacher Roxanne Taggart credits the Toskan Cascale organization for their sponsorship of the program at Oak Bay High for nine years. This year’s Oak Bay YPI grant recipient is an organization the winners highly recommend. “They deserve a lot of praise for what they are doing and trying to achieve,” Contogiorgis said. “If you or a loved one is feeling not entirely 100 per cent, we highly suggest that you go to the Victoria Youth Clinic.” reporter@oakbaynews.com

Think you could be the next Currie, Jobs, Tesla, or Edison? The Science Fair Foundation BC wants to showcase your innovative solutions to industry, academia and investors at the 2020 Youth Innovative Showcase. Young innovators from B.C. and the Yukon between the age of 12-24 can learn more and submit their ideas at: www.tinyurl.com/YouthInnovationShowcase Questions? Please email: register@youthinnovation.ca Deadline for submissions is April 30, 2020. youthinnovation.ca | info@youthinnovation.ca | 604.602.5262

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Oak Bay News

Wednesday, March 4, 2020 A9

Canada captures medals at Pan Am Cross Country Cup Shalu Mehta News Staff

Runners and their supporters from 12 different countries took to Bear Mountain in Langford on Saturday for the Pan Am Cross Country Cup. The championship race, which is held every second year, attracts teams from North, South and Central America and the Caribbean. The last cup was held in El Salvador. This is the first time Canada has hosted these championships which take place on a challenging, hilly course at the Westin Bear Mountain Golf Resort and Spa. Saturday opened with a five-kilometre community race at 9 a.m. After, the U20 women competed in a six-kilometre race for the Pan Am XC Cup. Brooke Rauber, representing the United States, took gold in the U20 competition with a time of 23:12. Canada’s Sadie Sigfstead took silver with a time of 23:23 and Jhenifer Melchor of Peru won bronze with a time of 23:46. The U20 men competed in an eight-kilometre race with Corey Gorgas of the United States coming in first with a time of 27:15. Evan Bishop, also representing the U.S., took silver with a time of 27:20. In third place came Alejandro Alania of Peru in a tie with Cesar Daniel Gomez Ponce of Mexico with a time of 27:27.

The Pan Am Cross Country Cup took place on Bear Mountain on Feb. 29 with athletes from North, Central and South America and the Caribbean. (James MacKenzie/News Staff) Senior women and men both ran a 10 km race for the Pan Am XC Cup. On the women’s side, Genevieve Lalonde of Canada took gold with a time of 37:37. Carrie Verdon of the United States took silver with a time of 38:09 and Lizaida Thalia Valdivia from Peru won bronze with a time of 38:12. On the men’s side, Johnatas De Ol-

iveira Cruz of Brazil took gold with a time of 32:50. Anthony Rotich of the U.S. clocked the same time and took Silver and Paul Ramirez of Peru took bronze with a time of 33:11. There were 117 athletes at the Pan Am XC Cup from the Bahamas, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guadeloupe, Mexico,

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Panama, Peru, Puerto Rico and the United States. Canada’s senior women’s team was led by Genevieve Lalonde, Natasha Wodak and Maria Bernard-Galea while John Gay, Connor Black and Jean-Simon Desgagnes led the senior men’s side. “We are very excited to be competing on home turf and in such a

high-performance sport environment like Greater Victoria,” said Hilary Stellingwerff, coach of the Pan Am Canadian team. “We have very strong teams in all the categories, with our top athletes racing and contending for medals, individually and as teams.” Canada and the United States had the largest teams with 24 runners on each. Canada swept both the men’s and women’s races in the Can Am Challenge, with University of Victoria student Graham Cocksedge taking first with 12:24 in the 5k. Similarly, Victoria’s Jen Millar took home top title with 20:34 for the 5k. The Pacific Northwest Youth Cup showcased the top high school runners in the region. Victoria’s Jonah Brost won the boys race with 18:13 and Coquitlam’s Ella Madsen won the girls race with 19:23. Overall, Surrey won the championship, with Victoria taking home the boy’s division and the girl’s for Vancouver, respectively. The Nations Cup saw more than 175 kids from 22 schools run a 1.6km loop, including grades K-8 in several waves. Each school was given a Pan Am country to run their country’s colours. The day ended with Canada taking second, with U.S. heading home with the top title and Peru in third. shalu.mehta@blackpress.ca

A10 Wednesday, March 4, 2020

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Oak Bay News

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Oak Bay News

Wednesday, March 4, 2020 A11

International Women’s Day luncheon aims to inspire Shalu Mehta News Staff

International Women’s Day is around the corner and to celebrate, Bridges for Women Society will be holding its annual luncheon in celebration of women and self-identified women. This is the 10th annual luncheon for the non-profit organization that aims to inspire women impacted by trauma to reclaim their lives and become economically stable. About 600 to 700 women graduate through the six-month program with Bridges for Women Society which involves one-on-one counselling as well as a course where they learn employment skills. “These women come in and work with us for the six months and they really become attached to each other but also to learning and strengthening their own capacity and internal recognition systems for who they really are,” said interim executive director for Bridges, Valerie St John. “It’s life-changing for them.” The organization’s goal is to help women who work through its program to enter the workforce as financially independent,

self-sufficient members of the labour market while being free from the impacts of trauma and abuse that once held them back. On March 6, ahead of International Women’s Day, Bridges for Women Society will host over 200 community members for an afternoon of lunch, networking and inspiring speeches. The theme for the event is creativity and the arts in relation to healing. Keynote speakers include celebrated singer-songwriter and actor from Vancouver, Frazey Ford, Victoria’s inaugural Indigenous artist in residence Lindsay Delaronde, University of Victoria professor Darlene Clover, Bridges graduate and storyteller Tiffany Joseph and former Bridges counsellor and member of the Victoria Storytellers Guild Diane Gilliland. “This is hands down one of the most moving and powerful parts of this event every year because it speaks to the power of our programs and how much progress women make as they work through the program,” said Bridges development manager Heather Forbes. “It’s all connected to their own power.” Forbes said the emphasis on the event

being a celebration is important as well because it features a community of people who have been supporting Bridges, have graduated from it or are new to it. “It’s inspiring to come together to recognize the unique strength that women and self-identified women have,” Forbes said. “There’s not a lot of space in the world to celebrate that.” Attendees of the luncheon are of all genders and backgrounds and all proceeds from the event directly support women impacted by violence and trauma by sustaining the programs offered by Bridges for Women Society. To purchase a ticket, visit eventbrite. ca/e/10th-annual-international-womens-day-luncheon-tickets-92081764035. To purchase a table for 10, call the Bridges for Women Society front desk at 250-3857410. Those who can’t attend but want to help can purchase a ticket for a Bridges student as well. The Bridges for Women Society 10th Annual International Women’s Day Luncheon is on March 6 from 11 a.m. to 2 Valerie St John and Heather Forbes hold up paintings by Sheryl Fisher that will be auctioned at the Bridges for Women Society 10th Annual p.m. Tickets are $85. shalu.mehta@blackpress.ca International Women’s Day luncheon. (Shalu Mehta/News Staff)

Victoria Foundation teams up with local grocers to fight food insecurity Five local grocery stores and the Victoria Foundation are working together to tackle food insecurity within the Capital Region. The campaign, Island Food Caring, is targeted to feed 50,000 residents facing food insecurity. “Over the years, this movement to help feed our most vulnerable residents has been growing and growing, and the partnerships and impact we’ve seen as a result are truly inspiring,” said Victoria Foundation CEO Sandra Richardson. The Island Food Caring campaign will run in participating grocery stores throughout the capital region from Feb. 27 to March 22. People can donate at the till or via the program’s website. Funds raised go to The Mustard Seed and to support the Food Share

Island Director. The campaign also welcomes the Greater Victoria Rotary Clubs as the campaign’s Vol-

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Oak Bay News

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Figure skating legend Kurt Browning set to dazzle Victoria crowds Nina Grossman News Staff

Beloved champion figure skater Kurt Browning hits the ice in Victoria next month. Browning, a figure skating world champion, Olympian, choreographer and more, performs his best acts for Victoria crowds at the Archie Browning Arena for one of the biannual

shows hosted by the Racquet Club of Victoria Skating Club. Organizer Deena Beacom used to train with Browning at Edmonton’s Royal Glenora Club and calls him a close friend. She says it’s taken years to nail the busy athlete down for a Victoria show, but says his performance – supported by the Victoria Racquet Club’s talented skaters – will be well worth the wait.

“To have Kurt come and perform – it’s super exciting. I think he’s the best performer in the world,” she says. “He’s kind of like the Wayne Gretzky of figure skating.” Beacom said the show will essentially be the best of Kurt Browning – with the four-time world champion and renowned performer skating through his classics, including Singing in the Rain, The Clown, Bring

Him Home and more. In 1988 Browning became the first figure skater in the world to land a quadruple in competition. He won four world titles, including three straight between 1989 and 1991. He was inducted into the Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame in 1990 and the World Figure Skating Hall of Fame in 2006. The show is aptly named The Greatest Showman on Ice.

“To us he really is the greatest showman on ice,” Beacom says. “I don’t think anyone will come away from this event being disapointed.” Additionally, the glass will be taken out of the arena for the first time in 16 years, offering a more intimate experience. Kurt Browning: The Greatest Showman on Ice runs March 14 to 16. Tickets can be purchased online at racquetclubofvictoria.tickit.ca.

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Ah yes, a New Year and all those resolutions you don’t keep. Attending to your eye health is one resolution you should keep. A complete eye examination is your most valuable tool in ensuring a lifetime of healthy eyes and clear vision. To provide you with the best eye and vision care, your Optometrist needs to know a few things about your health, how you use your eyes, and any unusual symptoms you may be experiencing. Make it clear what you want or what is bothering you at the beginning of the exam. Some people wait until the very end of the exam to mention what is really worrying them. Perhaps this is from embarrassment or the feeling that the complaint is trivial, but the Optometrist will be better able to give the problem the time and attention it requires if it is mentioned early. Few complaints are silly and even minor symptoms can be important. Know your medications or, even better, bring a list. Knowledge of your family history of eye disorders is extremely helpful. If you have a complaint like a headache, try to describe it as accurately as possible: time of onset, duration, frequency etc. Be able to describe your work environment. Knowing the distance to your computer or desk makes it much easier to prescribe and design the appropriate spectacle lens. Consider the hobbies and sports in which you participate.You may use your eyes differently for recreational activities than you do for your job, or you may require suitable eye protection. Don’t forget to bring the glasses that you wear every day along with any old ones that you still may use. Any other old glasses may be brought in and donated for use in third world countries. Do not wear a lot of eye makeup. If you wear contact lenses, inquire if the optometrist will want you to wear them to the exam. This varies from one optometrist to another and with the purpose of the visit. Ask if your eyes will be dilated. If the answer is “yes”, avoid driving yourself to the examination and consider bringing sunglasses. And finally, relax! Eye examinations are not painful, and can even be fun.

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Oak Bay News

Wednesday, March 4, 2020 A13

COMMUNITY CALENDAR Wednesday, March 4 Musical Theatre- Oak Bay High School Musical Theatre presents Fiddler On The Roof at 7:30 p.m. Tickets cost $12 and can be purchased at the school office or at Ivy’s Books in Oak Bay. Show runs every night until March 7. Lenten Lunchtime Concert Series- St. Mary’s Oak Bay Church, 1701 Elgin Road, presents Curt Bergen on organ and Pamela Whiston on piano. This is one of five in a concert series taking place on Wednesdays, 12:10 to 12:50 p.m. Admission is by donation in support of Victoria Hospice Bereavement Fund. Bring your lunch, coffee and tea are provided. Science is for Everyone- Photography exhibit running until April 17 at Royal Roads University Library. The exhibit spans 10 years of Royal Roads University NSERC PromoScience projects and shows the art and science of connecting communities with science experiences, participation and career pathways. Presented by marine geologist Audrey Dallimore and photographer Dan Anthon.

Thursday, March 5 Idea Fest- Join thinkers, innovators and artists from UVic and beyond for a week-long festival of research, art and innovation. Over 35 events set to capture your imagination. All Events are free. Event runs until March 7 at UVic. Please visit https://www.uvic.ca/ideafest for more details. Piano Concert- The UVic School of Music’s 12th anniversary celebration as an all-Steinway school continues with a solo piano concert by guest artist Mark Anderson. Concert starts at 8 p.m. at the Phillip T. Young Recital Hall at UVic. Admission by donation. Art by Donation- Visit the Art Gallery of

Greater Victoria from 5 to 9 p.m. for entry Spring Book Sale- Book sale from 9 a.m. to 2 by donation. p.m. at St. Mary’s Church, 1701 Elgin Road in Oak Bay. Thousands of fine-quality pre-owned Friday, March 6 books on all topics. Books are unpriced, each Art from the Heart- Jo-Anne Silverman’s is available in exchange for a cash donation to background in community service comes for- St Mary’s for charity work. Piano Concert- Take an afternoon break to ward in her solo exhibition LUSH at the Gage Gallery until March 21. Each of the 16 works enjoy a concert of varied repertoire featuring at Gage Gallery are offered to customers on UVic School of Music piano students. Concert a “Pay as You Can” basis. Proceeds go to the at the Phillip T. Young Recital Hall at UVic at Cool Aid Community Arts Program. 12:30 p.m. Admission by donation. Dance Night- Irish themed dance night at 7 Sunday, March 8 p.m. at the Scottish Folk Dance Centre, 1229 Calrd Road, next to the Brentwood library. Dancers 4 Kids- D4K is a unique one day All ages welcome. First time free, for members fundraiser that brings performers of all ages and genres together to celebrate dance while drop in costs $3. Spring into Wildlife- Fundraiser for the B.C. contributing back to the community. Event SPCA at the Beach House Restaurant, 5109 starts at 2:30 p.m. at Oak Bay High School. Cordova Bay Rd. Tickets cost $60 and can Proceeds go to pediatric oncology support on be purchased online at www.spca.bc.ca. This the Island. special evening brings wild animal lovers and Women take Climate Action- To celebrate supporters together to celebrate the life-saving International Women’s Day, the Advocacy work of Wild ARC on Vancouver Island. Committee of the Canadian Federation of University Women is partnering with St MarSaturday, March 7 garet’s School and TD Bank for a community Persian Music Concert- Caravan World presentation and discussion on climate change. Rhythms presents an awe-inspiring Persian Guests will have the opportunity to have coffee, music concert, “Mystery of Love”, centered visit exhibitor displays and gather information on the works of one of Iran’s most esteemed about their products, services, and/or initiatives. musicians, Saeed Farajpouri, and the ancient Event starts at 1 p.m. at St. Margaret’s School. Persian poetry of Hafez. Show starts at 8 p.m. Orcas and Eco Comedy Night- Author, filmat the Oak Bay United Church. Tickets can maker and orca activist Mark Leiren-Young, be purchased at Munro’s Books, Ivy’s Book- talks about the past, present and future of the store, by calling 1-855-842-7575, or visit www. critically endangered Southern Resident Killer caravanbc.com. Whales and what we can do to help them. Event Garden City Wanderers- Five to 10 km walk. starts at 7 p.m. at UVic in room A102 of the Meet at Running Room, Broadmead Shopping David Turpin Building. Tickets cost $20 and Centre, 777 Royal Oak Drive. Registration is at can be purchased at the door. 9:30 a.m., walk at 10 a.m. Contact is Marion Gwaii Haanas Urban Orientation- Learn at 250-477-9851. about Gwaii Haanas during a free orienta-

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tion delivered by a Gwaii Haanas team member. Attending a Gwaii Haanas orientation is mandatory before you can visit the nationally protected area. Event takes place at the Shaw Centre for the Salish Sea, 9811 Seaport Pl. at 5:30 p.m. Admission is free. For more information, contact Anna Maria Husband at 250559-6322 or annamaria.husband@canada.ca. Singles Game Night- Join local singles for an evening of fun and games at the Interactivity Board Game Cafe in Victoria. Admission is $16 in advance, $21 at the door. Sign up by visiting https://www.freshconnections.ca/singlesevents.html.

Tuesday, March 10 Surviving with Cancer Workshop- A free, practical workshop which can help people living with cancer to help overcome daily challenges and maintain an active, fulfilling life. Participants learn about skills to help them gain confidence and motivation to manage their health and feel more positive about their lives. Workshop starts at 10 a.m. at the Cook Street Village Activity Centre in Victoria.

WING’S RESTAURANT EAT IN, TAKE OUT or DELIVERY Daily Lunch & Dinner Buffet Combination Dinners for 1 to 8 Seafood and Deluxe Dishes Licensed Premises Open 11 am - 10 pm daily Free Home Delivery with min $20 order

90 Gorge Rd. West 250-385-5564

A14 Wednesday, March 4, 2020

Oak Bay News

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Wednesday, March 4, 2020 A15

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A16 Wednesday, March 4, 2020

Oak Bay News

know what you're thinking.

“Miracle in a Bottle" seems like an exaggeration. Complete hype. Just another marketing ploy to separate you from your hard earned money. Except it's not. Here’s why... Imagine for a moment friends are about to show up at your doorstep when suddenly something horrible lands on your beautiful area rug.

www.oakbaynews.com

Local Company Creates “Miracle In a Bottle” “Not only does it save rugs from spills and stains, it’s also helping to save the lives of hundreds of pets” District 61 disputed the Division’s decision to not clean the classroom area rugs, Luv-ARug stepped in and cleaned them for free (a $90,000 value).

Maybe it was red wine. Perhaps something dark & greasy. Or maybe your pet decided to have a nasty accident on it.

With charitable acts like this, it’s no wonder Luv-A-Rug is the most LOVED area rug washing company on Vancouver Island.

Whatever the case, having the right cleaner on hand will save you from any embarrassment. Now most store-bought cleaners have one of three problems. Either they are toxic to pets and people, contain chemicals or enzymes that damage natural fiber (like wool) or they push the problem deeper into the rug only to become an even bigger problem later. But that's not the case with LuvA-Rug's New RugLover's Spotter. Dusty Roberts, president of LuvA-Rug, BC's most loved rug washing company has seen firsthand the damage regular spot cleaners can do to rugs. "I got so fed up with seeing beautiful rugs get damaged from store-bought cleaners” says Roberts, “I decided to create my own formula. Our RugLover's Spotter can safely remove up to 97% of all stains on a rug. It is formulated to be safe on all types of rugs - especially on natural fibers like wool. It's completely non-toxic, has no harsh chemicals and is completely safe for children and pets."

But saving your rug and keeping you from being embarrassed is just the start. It’s what Luv-A-Rug does with its RugLover Spotter that’s the real miracle.

How This RugLover Spotter Is Helping To Save Hundreds Of Pets Even though the real-world value of Luv-A-Rug’s Spotter is $19.95 you cannot buy it. It’s not for sale anywhere. You will never find it on store shelves, in any big box stores or in an online store. The only way you can get this powerful RugLover Spotter is by coming down to Luv-A-Rug and making a coin donation (no purchase necessary). All donations are given directly to the local Victoria BC-SPCA in order to keep the animals in their care healthy and happy until they

Just some of the 400+ SD61 school area rugs Luv-A-Rug cleaned for free

are adopted by a loving family. This simple act of charity is quickly becoming recognized by Victorians as being part of LuvA-Rug’s DNA.

More Than Just A Rug Washing Company Over the past few years, Luv-ARug has contributed to the community in ways that are creative, surprising and always appreciated. For example, when the wildfires of BC displaced hundreds of horses, Luv-A-Rug sent out the word that they would clean and repair horse blankets for free as long as the owners gave a donation to the Horse Council BC. When Syrian refugees came to Victoria, Dusty Roberts opened his home to give a Syrian family a place to live.

To get your own bottle of Luv-ARug’s RugLover Spotter, just come to 445 Beta St (near Mayfair Mall) and make a coin donation of any amount to the SPCA and Dusty Roberts would LOVE to personally thank you by giving you a FREE a bottle of Luv-A-Rug’s “Miracle Spotter”.

Luv-A-Rug 445 Beta St (near mayfair mall)

Tuesday through Friday 6 a.m. till 1:30 p.m. Saturdays 8 a.m. till 3:30 p.m

CALL or TEXT Luv-A-Rug right now to get an INSTANT estimate on your rug cleaning:

(778) 533-7847

When the teachers of School

Get A FREE bottle of Luv-A-Rug’s RugLover Spotter To get your own FREE bottle of the “miracle” RugLover Spotter, just visit Luv-A-Rug at 445 Beta St (near Mayfair Mall) and make a donation of any amount to the Victoria BC-SPCA! Offer Valid Until Mar 17-2020 Restorative Rug Washing ~ Authentic Hand Woven Rug Repair ~ Rug Appraisal We also clean Boat Tops & Sails, Sports Equipment, Stuffed Animals, Horse Blankets, Outdoor Furniture, Luxury Hand Bags