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Deer management underway in Oak Bay
For years, the recently retired Hazel and Rod Braithwaite have planned to put their entire lives on their backs and attempt the 4,200km Pacific Coast Trail starting March 25. Updated travel advisories are the first hiccup in an adventure sure to be full of them. (Travis Paterson/News Staff)
Travis Paterson News Staff
When Oak Bay police fielded a report of a man with a rifle out walking on Monday morning it wasn’t exactly a false alarm, but it also wasn’t a real rifle. It was veterinarian Adam Hering of the Urban Wildlife Stewardship Society with the organization’s modified rifle that is used to apply immuno-contraceptives and boosters to adult does in Oak Bay. The program started last year and for the rest of March, Hering and team are doing a re-capture of the control group tagged in 2018, but were never given the contraceptive. Hering is checking does for pregnancy, and reapplying collars to does from the control group (that weren’t given contraception) that were tagged as part of the control group back in 2018, but which have now lost their tags. Sixty does were tagged in 2019 and administered the contraceptive. About 17 were in the control group. “We are hecking all the animals and checking if they are pregnant through a blood test called pregnancy-specific protein B,” Hering said. “At this time of year they are far enough along in pregnancy to detect if they’re pregnant without interfering with the pregnancy.” Each day before heading out to find deer in Oak Bay, Hering alerts the Oak Bay Police Department as to what neighbourhood he will be in. He also wears a bright yellow vest. Monday wasn’t the first time residents have called the police. This month’s work is essentially interim. Hering also wanted to respond to public concerns that the collars appeared tight on the animals. Continued A5
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Councillor set to embark on trek of a lifetime Hazel and Rod Braithwaite plan to conquer 4,200-km Pacific Crest Trail Travis Paterson News Staff
Expect the unexpected and be ready for something to go wrong. Hazel and Rod Braithwaite have been preparing for years to hike the 4,200-kilometre Pacific Crest Trail from Mexico to Manning Park. And now they’re finally ready. Hazel, 60, retired in January after 20 years at Coast Capital and three
with United Way. Rod, 63, retired in June after 25 years with Victoria Hospice, many of which were as the CFO and COO. They have planned, re-planned and planned again, having scoured the myriad blogs and how-to guides about the Crest. On average, only about 25 per cent of the trekkers who attempt the Crest trail finish each year. This is not another story about the novel coronavirus. Rather, the novel coronavirus has asserted itself as the first barrier for the Braithwaites to overcome. Put bluntly, “If you do this, you have to be able to tolerate the suck,” Rod said. Last Monday, they were almost sure they could sneak out of the country by plane and find their
way to the Crest trailhead, 80 km returning internationally have been from San Diego. directed to do by the provincial By Friday, things had obviously health minister. Continued A4 changed. “We are going to de- S en i o r s S cide [next week] unless ave the decision is made off for us,” said Hazel, a Your purch fourth-term councilas Wednesday e every First of every m lor. onth. *Some The plan was exceptions to take about 5.5 apply. see in stor months to cover the e for details various terrains of * LIVE W the Pacific Crest ELL W ITH Trail as it winds through CaliforFor Ev EARN nia, Oregon and Your FamilyerNyteehing You & POINTS d to Live W ell & SAVE! Washington. It 25 0 -598 -338 0 • dwarfs the 1422 0 0 Oa o k B ay Av wa wkwb.oaaykb pa enue hyp arm harm a sa day quarantine asa ve .c.coom ve m the Canadians
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Scholarship established in Nils Jensen’s honour Travis Paterson News Staff
The family of the late Nils Jensen are proud to have funded the final piece for the M’akhotso (Mother of Peace) sculpture purchased in his honour outside Monterey Recreation Centre. Jensen died April 7, 2019 due to cancer. On July 26, which would have been his 70th birthday, the community gathered to honour Jensen with the M’akhotso sculpture by Linda Lindsay. Jensen cherished the sculpture, which was part of the Arts Alive initiative he helped create. It sits in perpetuity at the south end of the Monterey Centre parking lot, next to the rain garden he championed. One thing that was missing from the sculpture was a plaque in Jensen’s name, until now. A bronze plaque is ready and will be attached to the M’akhotso sculpture for the anniversary of Jensen’s death, April 7. Jensen was an exemplary community member, working as a Crown
prosecutor, an instructor at the University of Victoria and volunteering as a youth coach, while also serving as councillor from 1996 to 2011 and mayor from 2011 to 2018, 22 years in total. The family, with the help of the community, have also announced a memorial scholarship in Jensen’s name for Oak Bay High. “We are honoured by the outpouring of community love and support for Nils and wish to announce a family-funded scholarship in his name at Oak Bay High,” said Jean Thompson, his wife. “The scholarship will be given out annually, with the first recipient being selected for this school year.” The scholarship is for a graduating student applying to a post-secondary educational institution. Interested students should contact Scott Alexander at Oak Bay High for more information. “Thanks to Michelle Kirby for her help with M’akhotoso project and Rod Sim for his support champion- Nicholas and Stewart Jensen hold the new memorial plaque honouring their father, Nils, that will be ing the scholarship,” Thompson said. affixed to the M’akhotso sculpture in front of Monterey Recreation Centre in Oak Bay. (Jensen Family reporter@oakbaynews.com Photo)
Physician encourages precautions to protect at-risk populations Devon Bidal News Staff
The aging population in Saanich and Oak Bay could be at greater risk if COVID-19 were to spread through Greater Victoria. Dr. Bridget Reidy – a family doctor in Central Saanich with experience in home care, geriatric and palliative care –explained that people who are over 50 or who have compromised immune systems are at a higher risk for mortality when it comes to COVID-19. In 2016, Statistics Canada found that more than 42 per cent of Saanich’s population is over 50. According to a 2019 Housing Needs Study produced by Urban Matters, the median age in the Capital Region District is 44.8 while in Oak Bay it’s 52.4. The study also revealed that while the number of Oak Bay residents under 65 had
declined, the rate of residents over 65 is on the rise. The saturation of an above 50 population in Saanich and Oak Bay means the at-risk population is larger in some parts of the region than others, though Reidy noted that an individual’s risk is still based on their age and health. She also pointed out that while the presumed case of COVID-19 on Vancouver Island is not indicative of community spread, it’s “something to be aware of.” Aside from regular hand washing, avoiding touching the face and staying home when sick, medical professionals are encouraging healthy people to practice social distancing, she explained. This can range from working from home if possible to avoiding crowded public spaces such as theatres, churches and shopping malls, Reidy said. She added that there is no exact defi-
nition of social distancing, but that the goal is to reduce risk. To do this, Reidy recommends following the B.C. Centre for Disease Control’s advice and take extra precautions that are possible. “There’s no harm in doing more,” she said. “The little things everyone does makes a difference because it’s a numbers game.” Staying home when ill is important because even what seems like a mild cold could be coronavirus, she explained. The main symptoms include fever, coughing and shortness of breath but some people experience nasal symptoms as well. Reidy emphasized that residents should prepare for possible quarantine or self-isolation by having a month’s worth of food and medication at home. Patients can call their doctors for extra prescriptions but should be aware that health insurance companies
may not cover the extra medications, she warned. High-risk residents do need to contact their doctors if they have any symptoms, she added. Reidy explained that with COVID-19, personalized treatment is important because medical professionals are finding that some medications for chronic conditions need to be stopped as they could have adverse effects. “We’re learning more every day,” she emphasized. As provincial health officials educate the public on how to prevent the virus from spreading, the effects of a virus outbreak in the region are unknown. The District of Saanich has enacted a level two emergency operations communication and local care homes continue to implement precautions on reducing the spread of the virus. -With files from Travis Paterson
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GVPL closes its doors Nicole Crescenzi News Staff
The Greater Victoria Public Library (GVPL) will be closing all 12 of its branches until further notice. “In light of the recommendations of the BC Ministry of Health, Health Canada and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, we have decided to close the library to help protect the community during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said CEO Maureen Sawa in a statement. All loan periods for items will be extended for six weeks from March 17 until April 28. The GVPL is asking people not to return library items through branch book drops during the closure. In the meantime, digital content, such as e-books, audio books, movies, music, newspaper and magazines will still be available and accessible to all with a library card. Residents can sign up for a library card online at gvpl.ca. The Vancouver Island Regional Library also closed its branches. “In coming to this difficult decision, we paid particular attention to the province’s prohibition on gatherings of more than 50 people, and the strong appeal for everyone to stay home during this critical time,” executive director Rosemary Bonanno said in a statement. VIRL also extended due dates by six weeks and asks customers not to return any library materials until branches have reopened to the public.
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Local musician takes to the web to replace cancelled Oak Bay concert
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Victoria-based singer-songwriter Stephen Fearing has replaced his cancelled Oak Bay concert with a live-stream solo show from the Duncan Showroom this Wednesday night (March 18). Photo by Jen Squires
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With the live performance scene in Victoria and around the country and world in limbo due to the COVID-19 outbreak and bans on gatherings of a certain size, at least one local musician is taking matters into his own hands. Juno-winning singer/songwriter Stephen Fearing had a CD launch concert for his new album, The Unconquerable Past, planned for this Saturday at the Dave Dunnet Community Theatre at Oak Bay High. With that cancelled in keeping with provincial health recommendations for preventing the spread of the coronavirus, he’s performing a free live stream concert this
Wednesday (March 18) at 7 p.m. “Most musicians make their living from live work and since social distancing is something I take seriously, I have had to cancel my album release concert,” he said via email. “However the technology is in place to allow me to stream myself live onto your computer, which is what I will be doing from the (empty) Duncan Showroom via my Facebook page. Tune in for an hour of live music and chat, with Terry David Mulligan hosting.” The Duncan Showroom is well set up do host streams and is supplying Fearing with the venue and a sound tech for free. The live stream is free and an online Pay Pal “tip jar” will be set up, with proceeds going
to Fearing and the Showroom. While performing the CD launch concert with fellow area musicians Shari Ulrich, David Vest and Richard Moody is not going ahead, the Facebook Live show will see veteran DJ and VJ Mulligan and noted musical storyteller Fearing will chat about the new album in between songs. This is the first in a series of live streams Fearing and company are planning for the coming weeks. The plan is to create opportunities for other musicians and businesses that support live music, in a format that entertains and offers the music-loving community another entertainment option. Visit facebook.com/Stephenfearingofficial/ for more details.
Couple hope to begin journey on March 25 Continued A1 Backing up to Wednesday, still a few hours before the first domino fell with the government-instructed shutdown (it really hit with Washington state’s declaration to cancel gatherings over 250 people). Set up in the front of the Braithwaite’s Oak Bay yard that morning was a 1.5-pound all-season tent, with high-tech air mattresses and sleeping quilts. The tent cover is pitched using hiking poles to reduce the weight. Trekking the Crest trail has been whittled down to a science and Rod has all but earned his PhD in preparation. “We’ve bought everything and some things twice,” Rod said. In their life the couple has hiked the Juan de Fuca and West Coast trails, North Coast Trail, Cape Scott, Nootka Trail, and through Naikoon Park on Haida Gwaii. They also hiked Gros Morne Park and the East Coast Trail in Newfoundland and Labrador. Recently, they dragged their new kit up Shields Lake in the Sooke Hills and took a
snow traversing course at Mount Washington where you learn to self-arrest. “Basically we’ll be traversing sloped snowfields in the High Sierra [of California] wearing crampons and carrying an ice pick,” Rod said. “The sole purpose for the ice pick is to stop yourself if you fall and start sliding.” The way the Crest trail works is that there are small outposts within a few hours of the trail which hikers can walk into every few days to re-supply. Along those outposts, they will pick up things like a new pair of hiking shoes that they get mailed there by their daughter. If they do go, the Braithwaites hope to start March 25. Their daughter Lauren, who lives in San Jose, was to start April 26. “She will catch us, that we know,” Hazel said. Hazel will take a leave from council following the budget approval and will time her leave with council’s five-week summer hiatus. The Braithwaites are also raising money through their journey on behalf of the United Way uwgv.ca/h-and-r-walk/ and the Sovereign Order of St. John at sosj-victoria.ca/donate.
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Wednesday, March 18, 2020 A5
Sky’s the limit for golf caddies headed to university Victoria Golf Club caddies earn $200,000 scholarship Travis Paterson News Staff
In addition to making the 4.5-hour trek around Victoria Golf Club to get their “loops,” Lachlan Stewart and Laslo Torok pursued their passion of things that fly. The two Victoria Golf Club caddies are headed to the University of Washington-Seattle to study engineering this fall on scholarships valued at $200,000 US for four years of tuition and housing. The Evans Scholar caddy program is reserved for the children of families who are not members of the Victoria Golf Club and who could not otherwise afford to attend such a prestigious university program. They earned it for their high marks in school, Torok at St. Andrew’s Regional School and Stewart at École Victor-Brodeur. Add to that a well-padded resume of extracurricular efforts, starting with a minimum 120 loops, or rounds of golf, caddying for Victoria Golf Club members. “You also have to show community involvement and leadership,” said
Lachlan Stewart with Berne Neufeld, the Evans Caddie program coordinator, and fellow winner Laszlo Torok. (Alisa Kerr Photo) Stewart, 18. “There’s no guarantee that you’ll get the Evans Scholarship even if you get your loops and get good marks.” For Stewart, that ranged from leading his school’s road cycling team on week-long trips to joining the UVic Rocketry Club as a high schooler and volunteering at the Halt to Poverty Club. He also carries a 4.0 GPA in the school’s International Baccalaureate
program. “The feeling right now is surreal, I’m struggling to describe it to people,” Stewart said. “I started this in Grade 8 which is a bit younger than most of us in the caddy scholar program at Victoria Golf Club. It was a long time but it went fast.” Starting early did two things for Stewart. It eased the pressure on how many rounds of golf he needed to
Victoria reaches record overnight low temperature Travis Paterson News Staff
It’s a chilly start to spring break in Greater Victoria as the temperature hit a historic low overnight between Sunday and Monday registering -2.6C at Victoria Interna-
tional Airport. It’s the lowest temperature for March 16 since temperatures have been documented in Victoria dating back to 1914, caused by an arctic air mass enveloping B.C., according to Canada Environment and Climate
New collars are less cumbersome
Change Canada’s weather summaries. The previous Victoria low was -2.2C set in 1971. It’s part of a cold snap that also set record lows for Campbell River (-7.5), Powell River (-5.0), Bella Bella (-4.7), Blue River (-20.5),
reporter@oakbaynews.com
with his mother and brother from Hungary in 2008, it’s a new stage in a Canadian life that started with him speaking very little English. Torok was driven to work hard in school and at the golf course, undeterred due to his discipline learned through karate, which he has done since the age of nine. Torok also chaperones at summer camps, competes in a badminton league and enjoys military history. He will now study engineering with a goal of being an aeronautical engineer. The Evans Scholars Program at Victoria Golf Club is open to promising young students from financially-challenged families; applications do not require any previous golf experience. The club is accepting applications for the 2020 season until May 30. reporter@oakbaynews.com
Communication Breakdown? Untreated Hearing Loss affects the ones you love.
Clinton (-20.0), the Hope Slide (-9.3), Port Hardy (-4.7) and Sechelt (-2.7). Environment Canada has issued a warmer four-day forecast full of sun with lows of 2C and highs of 13C through to Saturday. reporter@oakbaynews.com
Capital Regional District Notice of Volunteer Opportunity
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Continued A1 “They public were concerned that collars were too tight and we’re catching some of those animals and making sure the necks haven’t changed size and that collars are not too tight,” Hering said. “We’ve caught 10 and all the collars have been appropriate and not too tight.” The new collars are even lighter and less cumbersome. “We think it’s the heavy winter coat that bulges around the collar that may appear to be tight but it’s just the fur but we have seen no evidence of stress, or uncomfort, or that it interferes with their feeding.” Oak Bay was recently awarded a $42,366 grant request made to the Provincial Urban Deer Cost-Share Program in the fall of 2019. The money supports the next phase of the Oak Bay deer management strategy which includes a research component.
work each summer. “Some kids join in Grade 10 or 11 and don’t have a lot of time to get their ‘loops,’” he said. That meant he could revisit what kind of community involvement and other activities he could participate in, such as joining the UVic Rocketry club early. Stewart joined the aero-structure team and though he couldn’t do everything at UVic as he wasn’t a student, he did help build a rocket for last year’s competition. This doesn’t end the caddy work for Stewart and Torok. At university, they’ll live in a house with other Evans Scholars and will caddy as needed in the Seattle area. Stewart will also return to Victoria Golf Club this year where his little sister Holly is now caddying. For Torok, who came to Canada
The Capital Regional District is seeking volunteers to serve on the Solid Waste Advisory Committee. The committee provides input on solid waste management matters and advises on the development of our region’s new Solid Waste Management Plan. There are vacancies for members representing the following communities:
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Virus results in rise in levels of anxiety It’s not the end of times, but it sure is starting to feel like it. After living off a steady diet of nonstop coronavirus stories, cancellations and warnings for the last two weeks, there are signs of people experiencing some unrelenting subconscious level of anxiety. And if you look at the lineups and empty toilet paper shelves at grocery stores, maybe that anxiety isn’t so subconscious. Here’s some good news, folks. The COVID19 pandemic isn’t going to last forever. Yes, there are going to be too many deaths before it ends, but a world-ending outbreak this is not. And in Canada, we can be thankful the medical system reacted quickly and responsibly. Government requests to limit travel and cancel large events have been acted on, in some cases a little too enthusiastically, when we cancel entire seasons or talk about cancelling events that are still months away. This pandemic may be over in a couple of weeks, or it may take six weeks. It’s unlikely to take six months. South Korea, one of the worst-hit countries other than China, is already showing signs they are on the decline when it comes to new cases — in part thanks to their drivethrough testing, which a has allowed them to test 200,000 people. We are going to get through this crisis, but overreacting is as bad as underreacting, in many ways. The stock market will rise again, toilet paper will return to store shelves and the sun will keep rising. We will be able to attend events in groups again. We may even get to the point where people don’t run away if someone sneezes. And though you’ve probably heard the warnings till you’re sick of them, they’re worth repeating, because these simple actions on all of our parts are how we are really going to fight this pandemic: wash your hands often, cover your mouth and nose with your sleeve when you cough or sneeze, stay home if you’re not feeling well and generally, keep your distance from others. For now.
The super moon rising over Mount Baker, taken from Lochside Water Park near Sidney. (Photo by Neil Dickie) 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.
For the record The chart that appeared on page A6 of the March 13 issue incorrectly identified the response numbers. The question was: Are you stocking up on supplies as a result of COVID-19? Responses were 78 per cent yes, 22 per cent no. The News apologizes for any confusion this may have caused.
Effects of COVID-19 pandemic will be long-lasting
The fallout from the spreading COVID-19 Every day, there is news of a major gathering virus could have a profound effect on B.C. It being cancelled or postponed. Sports leagues is likely to last far after the virus has stopped – professional and amateur – have also canspreading. celled games. The two biggest impacts will be The ports, another major driver of the B.C. economy, have alon the economy and the health ready been suffering due to both system. Those effects will become much more obvious in the coming COVID-19 and blockades. Much weeks. The cruise ship season, a of the port traffic is to and from Asia, and there is no sign that it major driver of tourism in both Vancouver and Victoria, won’t will resume its former volume start until at least July 1. anytime soon. This is one of many things that All these factors impact restauwill greatly diminish the flow of rants, service businesses, hotels tourism dollars. B.C. is a tourism other areas of the economy. Frank Bucholtz Itand magnet for people in many parts is likely some businesses will B.C. Views of the world, but both Asia and close permanently. The economy Europe are suffering from major outbreaks of is almost certain to see a decline. the virus and travel is the last thing on most The health care system is already dealing people’s minds. Flights to the U.S. from Europe with COVID-19 and, thus far, is doing a solid have been cancelled for 30 days, and Canada job. Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry could follow suit. The federal government is has been forthright and proactive. Her experialready restricting which airports international ence in Ontario during the 2003 SARS crisis is coming in very handy, and as a province, flights can arrive at. A steep drop in tourist visits will hit hard, we are fortunate to have her. particularly for Vancouver Island, the Lower However, should there be many more cases, Mainland and the Okanagan. our hospitals have little space to accommodate The OAK BAY NEWS is a member of the National Many conventions are held each year in B.C. them. Fraser Health, with 1.9 million residents,
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.
is the largest in the province - but has just 80 intensive care beds. As of March 9, 10 per cent of those were empty. The situation is similar in other parts of the province. The health system is woefully inadequate at times of crisis. Many B.C. residents do not have family doctors, and there are still too few of the badly needed urgent care centres which the current government is starting to set up. Homeless people may have other specific challenges, as their health is often poor and the virus will be able to spread quickly among them. They do not generally get much attention from the health system. In Washington state, the epicentre of the disease in the U.S., most of the COVID-19 deaths have been linked to one seniors’ care home. These people have extremely fragile health and cannot fight off the virus. Should the virus enter a number of care homes, the immediate effect on the health system will be overwhelming. The one COVID-19 death in B.C. (as of March 13) was a resident of a North Vancouver care home. The scenario is changing and bringing new challenges daily. Frank Bucholtz is a columnist and former editor with Black Press Media. Email him at frank.bucholtz@blackpress.ca.
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Greater Victoria bird card project taking flight Rick Stiebel News Staff
A project in Metchosin involving local artists and naturalists that will provide the ABCs of birds common to Southern Vancouver Island is taking flight. The Arty Bird Card (ABC) Project is a collaborative effort that includes the Metchosin ArtPod, the Metchosin Foundation and Rocky Point Bird Observatory. The community-building venture is gathering a flock of local artists to capture at least 35 birds on a set of cards that will feature the artists’ work on one side and information about their feathered friends on the other side, said Memet Burnett, a Metchosin ArtPod programmer who helped get the idea off the ground. “The response from artists has been great so far,” said Burnett, who is co-ordinating the artistic side of the project. “We’ve received about 25 submissions so far and
Metchosin artist Memet Burnett is helping co-ordinate the Arty Bird Card Project, which will feature local birds of South Vancouver Island. The project involves the Metchosin ArtPod, the Metchosin Foundation and Rocky Point Bird Observatory. (Photo courtesy of Memet Burnett) are looking for more. We hope to bring a large group of artists and naturalists together to work on the project.” Naturalists with Rocky Point Bird Observatory have been working with
the Metchosin Foundation on the pertinent data and information that will be included on the back of the cards. “Kem Luther with the Metchosin Foundation and Ann Nightingale with
Rocky Point have been inspirational and helpful,” Burnett noted. “The Metchosin Foundation did a similar project involving local plants about five years ago and they are paying for most
of the printing costs for this project.” Ann Nightingale, vice-president of Rocky Point Bird Observatory, said they are “delighted” to be involved in the partnership. “We’ve been active in Metchosin for 25 years,” she said. “This is a great way to mix science with art.” Burnett said the plan is to have the drawings and paintings completed by April 1 and everything computerized by the middle of the month. The cards will be completed and ready for sale by the end of May. The price will depend on the total number of cards in the deck, she added. “We’re going to host a launch party at Metchosin ArtPod when all of the details have been finalized,” said Burnett, a Metchosin resident and artist who primarily works with clay. For more information on the Arty Bird Card Project, fly over to metchosinfoundation.ca, rpbo.org, and metchosinartpod.ca.
Glenlyon Norfolk School test comes back negative Person at school has not been infected with COVID-19 Devon Bidal News Staff
The Glenlyon Norfolk School in Victoria closed its campuses last week as a precaution after someone was exposed to COVID-19 but test results showed no sign of the virus. On Saturday afternoon, the school announced that the test results had come back negative meaning that the person hadn’t been infected with COVID-19.
In an email obtained by Black Press Media head of school Glenn Zederayko explained to parents and members of the school community that as of March 11, the campuses would be closed early for spring break as a precaution. The Glenlyon Norfolk campuses were closed because a member of the school’s community reported a potential exposure to coronavirus. According to the email to parents, the individual had travelled recently before returning to class and began to feel ill so coronavirus needed to be ruled out. Tests were conducted but the individual didn’t receive their results until the morning of March 13. According to a post on the school’s Facebook page, the test results took longer
than the expected two to three day waiting period due to the recent spike in testing. The tests did not show signs of COVID-19. On Saturday morning, provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry told reporters that B.C. has nine new confirmed cases of COVID19, bringing the total to 73. “We wish to thank our students, parents, and staff for their patience and understanding in this uncertain time,” said a post on the school’s Facebook page. Students are now on spring break until March 29. Both campuses will be deep-cleaned before students return to class. –With files from Travis Paterson and Ashley Wadhwani
Vision Matters Healthy Eyes. Doctor Delivered. Dr. Neil Paterson
Glaucoma... “the sneak–thief of sight” Glaucoma is a disease that is characterized by higher than average pressures within the eye.Those higher pressures can cause optic nerve damage, which in turn may lead to vision loss. Most types of glaucoma do not have any dramatic or painful symptoms, but develop slowly and subtly over a period of time.Since peripheral vision is generally affected first, most patients never suspect they even have a problem. For that reason glaucoma is called “the sneak-thief of sight.” Although the most common type of glaucoma cannot be cured, if detected and controlled early, vision can be preserved. Early diagnosis is of paramount importance as the damage to sight can not be reversed, but its progress can be halted. Who is at risk for developing glaucoma? Risk factors include: • Family history of glaucoma • Being over the age of forty • Elevated intraocular pressure • Diabetes • High myopia (nearsighted) • Being of African descent • Smoking (another good reason to quit) Your optometrist will routinely check your eye pressure, examine the optic nerve at the point where it enters the eye and assess other risk factors. The optic nerve changes in appearance as glaucoma damages the nerve fibers. Visual field testing can be arranged by your optometrist to check the sensitivity of both your central and peripheral vision. If your optometrist suspects that you have glaucoma,you will be referred to an opthalmologist. If the diagnosis is confirmed, treatment will be initiated. Medication to decrease fluid production or increase tdrainage is often used to reduce intraocular pressure. Compliance to the medication schedule is essential for the preservation of vision. The best way to prevent damage from glaucoma is never to let it progress.You should have your eyes examined regularly to avoid this preventable loss of vision.
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Oak Bay News
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COVID-19 causing ‘devastating’ effects to tourism Nicole Crescenzi News Staff
Victoria’s tourism industry is taking a massive hit in light of the World Health Organization’s declaration of a pandemic due to COVID-19, also known as the novel coronavirus. Destination Greater Victoria (DGV) had been looking forward to its busiest year for conferences with 65 booked, but since last week’s pandemic announcement there have been mass cancellations. “So far we’ve had 17 cancellations, with four re-booked and three working to finalize and 10 up in the air,” said DGV CEO Paul Nursey. “I suspect the next three to 10 months will have a devastating effect on the economy.” Nursey estimated the region will take a hit in the hundreds of millions of dollars.
“Our team is working day and night to try to re-book as many conferences as we can.” Nursey worked with Tourism Vancouver during both 9/11 and the SARS epidemic, and is trying to apply what he learned then to now. “It’s going to be very, very difficult,” he said. “But the best thing we can do is be task-focused, be nimble and just get through this.” Conferences are being booked ahead into the next quarter whenever possible, but in the meantime Nursey is worried for local businesses and restaurants, which rely on visitors to sustain them in the summer. “We need policy makers and all levels of government to step in and support them,” he said. “We need people to recognize the importance of the tourism industry – it’s never recognized until it’s gone.” Conferences aren’t the only thing
affected; the federal government announced on Friday morning that all port calls from cruise ships carrying more than 500 passengers will be delayed until July 1, a move that the Greater Victoria Harbour Authority estimated would cost the local economy upwards of $65 million. At a local level, businesses partnered with the South Island Prosperity Partnership (SIPP) have reported ongoing issues to Bruce Williams, director of engagement. “We are hearing varied unique strategies from out members,” Williams said. “One member created a temporary basis paid sick leave for all employees… another said supply chain and movement of goods have been impacted, while another said they are cancelling discretionary gatherings and events.” Downtown Victoria Business Association executive director Jeff Bray
Destination Greater Victoria had been looking forward to its busiest year for conferences with 65 booked, however, 17 have now been cancelled with several more up in the air. (Nicole Crescenzi/News Staff) “We’ll watch and wait,” Bray said. told Black Press Media that many businesses are holding off on their “It’s a nervous time for some of our summer hires as they wait to see what businesses for sure.” nicole.crescenzi@vicnews.com will happen.
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A Victoria fertility clinic has moved its in-vitro services to the mainland, meaning would-be parents will now have an additional expense when trying to conceive. The Pacific Centre for Reproductive Medicine’s (PCRM) Victoria Fertility Clinic at 207-4400 Chatterton Way said in an online statement that it is “expanding its capacity by hiring additional doctors to expedite access to care for patients and our long waitlist.” To manage these shifts, the clinic will be “temporarily moving egg retrieval and embryo transfer procedures to our central Burnaby location.” This will not affect patents who are currently in treatment, and frozen embryo transfer will continue in Victoria. However, people planning to do their in-vitro fertilization treatment – both injections and procedures– in late April and beyond will need to travel to Burnaby. “PCRM VFC will continue to provide all other fertility services without interruption, including monitoring of fertility treatments and pregnancy, and intrauterine insemination. Importantly VFC is hiring more fertility specialists to deal with our historically long waitlists for consultation, as well as expediting services through our other PCRM facilities.” Black Press Media reached out for comment on the decision, but did not receive a response.
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OH list
What’s happening Oak Bay
Original carver’s grandson helps restore Volunteers help make community what it is totem pole at the Royal BC Museum By Mayor Kevin Murdoch For the Oak Bay News
Nicole Crescenzi News Staff
The longhouse at Thunderbird Park welcomed back a long-standing totem after months of conservation efforts. The Kwakwaka’wakw Heraldic Pole was carved in 1952-53 by Martin Mungo, his son David Martin and his niece, Mildred Hunt to commemorate the first legal potlach on site after the Potlatch Ban was lifted. The pole has stood in place as a welcoming pole at the Thunderbird Park Longhouse, known as Wawadit’la, next to the Royal B.C. Museum (RBCM) for nearly 70 years. Martin Mungo’s great-grandson, Chief David Knox, Kwakiutl artist of Fort Rupert and Mervyn Child, son of Mildred Hut, worked on the restoration of the pole. “Walking in my ancestors’ footsteps is unreal, and to be part of it and carry it on is amazing,” Knox said. “We’re making history and working with the museum with a great collaboration. … It means so much to preserve it and carry it forward to teach and educate.” Conservation included replacing nine patches of rotten wood, adding and sculpting new pieces, painting the pole and adding a steel support beam on the back side. Lou-Ann Neel is the repatriation specialist at the Royal B.C. Museum said crests on the pole represent neighboring nations and include a Thunderbird, representing the Awa’etlala at Tsawadi, also known as Knight Inlet; a grizzly bear holding copper, the original ancestors of the Kwagi-
David Mungo Knox stands in front of the welcoming pole he helped restore. The pole was originally carved by his great-grandfather, Martin Mungo, his son David Martin and his niece, Mildred Hunt in commemoration of the first legal potlatch at the longhouse, which neighbours the Royal B.C. Museum. (Nicole Crescenzi/News Staff) ulth, whose village today is at Tsaxis, near what is now known as Port Hardy; a beaver representing the ‘Nak’waxda’xw family from one of the main villages of called Ba’as, also known as Blunden Harbour; and Dzunukwa, the Wild Woman of the Woods, holding her child. The pole was welcomed back in a cleansing ceremony which included the burning of cedar boughs and dropping eagle down, followed by ceremonial dances and speech-
es in the longhouse. The final dance was between Knox and RBCM CEO Jack Lohman “It’s incredibly important,” Neel said. “It’s a way the public can engage and learn about Indigenous people and know that what we have in the exhibitions upstairs are not representative of a dead culture, but just samples of cultures that are very much alive.” nicole.crescenzi@vicnews.com
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It’s my pleasure to write a few words in introduction to the new “Oh List” feature in Oak Bay News, covering local events and local news tidbits. There is always so much going on in our community, and for all ages, so it’s great to have a place to find it all. At one local event just a few weeks ago, I was speaking with a resident who shared how she was helping “old folks” get out and participate in events and daily activities. I was curious about her definition of “old folks” as she herself is 84… it was made quite clear that “old” is an attitude, not an age bracket. She was so happy sharing her adventures, and so full of energy, I was reminded once again of the value of sharing ourselves with our community. As you walk around Oak Bay, you will see evidence everywhere of the contributions made by volunteers. From the Kiwanis Tea Room at Willows (built and operated by volunteers), to the concert piano recently bought at Oak Bay High (through fundraising by volunteers), to
the carved sign over the Native Plant Garden (carved by a volunteer). Our public art, made possible by the work of volunteer Arts Laureate Barbara Adams and volunteer Public Arts Committee is another great example, as is the Oak Bay Tea Party, which is organized and run by volunteers under the leadership of Sandy Germain. In just the last week, Monterey Center hosted a “Volunteer Fair” and Council hosted our annual “Municipal Dinner” in celebration of the many volunteers that contribute to making the District a better place to live. These and other events are reminders of how valuable the gift of time and experience is when shared in service of others, and how rewarding it is to the volunteers themselves. As you look at activities in Oak Bay, I encourage you to consider giving of your time at events, programs, education, or in simply reaching out to neighbours to offer a helping hand. And as you enjoy the community events, talks, and activities, look for one of the many volunteers helping out and thank them. They make our community what it is.
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Greater Victoria homelessness count only sees ‘tip of the iceberg’ Kendra Crighton News Staff
More than 170 volunteers throughout Greater Victoria took part in the 2020 Point-in-Time Count on Thursday, attending shelters, transitions houses and walking the streets surveying people and trying to understand the main driving factors behind homelessness. Diana Gibson, executive director of the Community Social Planning Council of Greater Victoria, says that while much care has been put into locating members of the homeless population this is not a complete picture of the issue in the region. “We know that this is sort of just the tip of the iceberg, there’s a bigger population of homeless people living in situations of housing that aren’t stable, aren’t reliable but they aren’t on the street participating in the survey,” she says. The survey is done every two years across the country and is funded through the federal government’s Reaching Home Strategy. The last survey conducted in Greater Victoria identified over 1,500 people without stable housing living in the CRD. According to Gibson, hidden homelessness can look like couch surfing, living in vehicles, large numbers of people living in small homes — “what it really means is you don’t have a reliable place to stay that’s yours.”
Saanich tallies most blooms in annual count
Fraser Fyfe-Wilson chats with other volunteers about the day’s work. (Kendra Crighton/News Staff) Fraser Fyfe-Wilson, a volunteer, became a member of the hidden homeless population when his rent suddenly jumped $500 and he was forced into transitional housing. “It just blows my mind that I’m working …
Kendra Crighton News Staff
Saanich is this year’s ‘bloomingest’ community according to the 45th edition of the Greater Victoria Flower Count, with a total of 44,955,892,129 blossoms
making good money and I’m not able to afford a place,” he says. “… I’ve had to go through university and maintain a steady job, but not necessarily always have a place.” The last survey found that the two biggest
counted. This year’s count, which ended on March 12, saw almost 46 billion blossoms counted over the week-long event. Victoria took second place, with 564,585,757 blossoms counted. Elementary school participation is a
drivers of homelessness were income and employment, says Gibson, either a person can’t find work or their income is not high enough to afford to live in the city. “We know people who are sleeping on mats at shelter who are homeless and working full time,” says Gibson. Fyfe-Wilson believes it’s important for the world to see how serious this problem is. “It’s not just me that went through it, like everybody does — I was walking along Dallas road putting up posters and almost every second car had somebody sleeping in the back seat, just sleeping,” he says. The results of PiT Count will be analyzed and released in a report that will help with public awareness and identifying the driving forces behind homelessness, along with gaps in services. For Fyfe-Wilson, who now has been able to secure an apartment with his brother, he wants to see a shift in the situation here in Victoria. “People 30 years ago, could work at Home Hardware and put a down payment on a house. Now we’ve got people working government jobs sleeping in their car because they can’t afford rent at an apartment — it doesn’t make sense.” Preliminary results of the number of surveys completed will be available on March 27, with the final report being released later on in the spring.
major component of the count, with Susan Holme’s class at Cordova Bay Elementary School in Saanich taking first place. Holme’s class counted 552,306,340 blossoms, which gets them a trip from LA Limousines to The Butchart Gardens. Saanich Mayor Fred Haynes said he
was proud the District won the Flower Count. “From large public places like Mt. Douglas Park to the many individual gardens throughout the community, it is no wonder Saanich residents submitted the largest count,” said Haynes.
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Raising a family in the shadow of Emily Carr Jan and Michael Ross retiring after over two decades as site managers for the Carr residence Nicole Crescenzi News Staff
When the Ross family moved into their new home in 1995 there were a few things to get used to. The rooms were unusually cold, laundry had to be done out of home, and everyone had to carry around a chatelaine – a ring filled with skeleton keys – to lock and unlock rooms during certain hours when visitors were around. But, that’s what happens when you live in a nationally, provincially and municipally recognized heritage site. The Emily Carr House, located at 207 Government St., was built in 1863; the famed Canadian artist was born in the home in 1871, and continued to live in it until her death in 1945. For the past 25 years Jan Ross, her husband Michael and their daughters Diane and Darien lived in and maintained the house, making Emily Carr an unofficial member of the family. Moving into the home, Ross recalled, came with a few surprises. “There were rats, raccoons, squirrels and even river otters,” she said. “The otters made it all the way up to the attic!” At the time of her death Carr’s reputation was just starting to grow, so for decades after she died the house was sold to several parties who let the property sink into poor condition. In the 1960s it was set to be demolished.
Jan Ross has been the site manager of the Emily Carr House for 25 years. She sits outside the home with a copy of one of Carr’s famous books, the Book of Small. (Nicole Crescenzi/News Staff) That’s when David Groos, a Victoria MLA, stepped in. He’d overheard developers talking about the property’s upcoming demise and, having known Carr because of a shared interest in pottery held by his mother, recognized the significance the house would hold. “He went to the bank and took out a second mortgage,” recalled his daughter, Hilary Groos, advisor at Emily Carr House. “He told my mom a long story about the property and he had her hook, line and sinker. When she asked what was going to happen to the house he said, ‘Well, I bought it!’” Groos purchased the property in
1964, and it was eventually sold to the province in 1970 for a nominal amount. In 1976 it was deemed as a provincial heritage site – after it had already been declared a national heritage site and Carr had been declared an artist of national significance– and became open to the public. It wasn’t until 1995, however, that Ross and her family would move in. Ross had trained at the University of Victoria in art history, and learned how to catalogue and restore art in her training. During her time at UVic she catalogued Carr’s paintings, and continued to be fascinated by her art as she moved to work at the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria. When the request for proposal for a live-in site manger came up, Ross and her husband decided to go for it, with an aim of living there for three
or four years. The upstairs portion of the home, which originally had been the bedrooms of the house occupants, had never been restored, and became the home of the Ross family. The Ross daughters were four and seven years old at the time, but already knew the importance of historical objects. “Just from my line of work, they knew if I called something an artifact to put their hands behind their backs,” Ross said. Growing up in the home wasn’t that strange for her daughters, Ross insisted. Just a couple of extra chores: polishing silverware for the downstairs displays, polishing heritage wood paneling, and sweeping the stairs with delicate brushes. As the girls got older they could do public tours in the home or work in the gift shop for their summer job.
There were, of course, a couple inconveniences: the old water tanks meant that a restored bathtub had to be filled with scalding water and then tempered with buckets of colder water, with fast movement between family members to try to get a warm bath. Additionally, laundry had to be done at Ross’ parents’ house nearby. One room was a “no-touch” zone for the kids, where artifacts and invaluable original paintings from Carr and other artists were stored for featured displays. The downstairs portion of the home often hosted local and esteemed artists, as well as workshops and historian meet-ups. One display that Ross was most proud of was that of paintings made by children while attending a Port Alberni residential school. In this way, she said, the house was carrying on the legacy of Carr, who worked to bridge relationships with First Nations and their cultures. “We’ve had such a wonderful life here,” Ross said. “What were benefited so much by the people who came to visit.” Poets, painters, writers, world-renowned psychologists, ambassadors and celebrities came through, including famed Broadway actress Julie Harris. So many people, Ross said, become captivated by Carr. “They come here for a pilgrimage,” she said. After 23 years living in the home, funding finally came through to restore the upstairs, prompting Ross and her family to move into her parents’ home. Most of the bedrooms were restored, while the area used as the Ross family’s living room was turned into a multi-purpose space with aims of hosting artists-in-residence. Now, two years after moving out, the Ross family has decided to bow out as site managers. They will officially give up their positions at the end of March, with the province yet to find anyone to replace them. In the meantime, Jan and Michael Ross will continue their work in curation and restoration – after taking a little bit of time to relax and playing a few extra rounds of golf.
Island Health opens referral-only COVID-19 testing clinic Kendra Crighton News Staff
Island Health has opened a referral-only COVID-19 screening clinic in Victoria to help support testing people for the virus. In partnership with the Ministry of Health and the B.C. Centre for Disease Control, testing at the clinic will occur by appointment only for people who have been referred by their primary care provider or an 8-1-1 nurse. According to Island Health, the risk to British Columbians and Vancouver
Island residents remains low despite a number of confirmed cases in the province. The province has identified seven new cases as of Thursday, for a total of 53. Island Health asks if you feel you are experiencing symptoms such as a new fever, dry cough or difficulty breathing, you’re asked to contact your primary care provider or call HealthLink BC at 811 to be assessed. People living in Greater Victoria who are assessed as requiring follow-up will be directed to call the clinic. A triage nurse at the clinic will
then assess referred patients over the phone to determine if an appointment for testing is needed. “It is important that people do not call or attend the screening clinic unless referred by a primary care provider or an 811 nurser,” reads a statement from Island Health. According to the statement, Island Health is actively working to open COVID-19 referral-only screening clinics in other regions of the Island including Nanaimo, Campbell River and the Comox Valley.
Island Health is also reminding the public to avoid unnecessary visits to emergency departments. If you’re concerned you may have been exposed to, or are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19, it is important you call your primary care provider or 811 first for assessment and direction. If you are experiencing an emergency and require immediate medical attention, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department. For the most accurate and current updates visit bccdc. ca. People are encouraged to check back regularly.
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Indigenous experts call for return of treasured belongings Brenna Owen The Canadian Press
Countless treasured Indigenous cultural objects and ancestral remains are held by museums in Canada and across the world, and local communities and human rights experts say it’s time they are returned according to the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. “All of the things that would have been interwoven prior to contact and just part of everyday life were torn apart and cast in a thousand directions,” says Lou-ann Neel, a Kwakwaka’wakw artist and repatriation specialist at the Royal B.C. Museum in Victoria. A blanket created by Neel’s grandmother is held at that museum, she added. “On the one hand (it’s) really exciting to find these things, but it still breaks your heart to realize that we’ve had probably five or six generations that have been without,” she said, noting that repatriation is crucial to healing and fostering people’s sense of identity. It’s common for museums to display fractions of their collections, Neel said, and many treasures won’t ever see the light of day. “What’s the point in that?” she asked. “Especially when people can grow and thrive and celebrate and give expression to their living cultures now.”
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Kwakwaka’wakw artist Lou-ann Neel is shown in this undated handout image. Countless treasured Indigenous cultural objects and ancestral remains are held by museums in Canada and across the world, and local communities and human rights experts say it’s time they are returned according to the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. (Royal B.C. Museum)
Neel is among a group of international experts and United Nations officials who gathered for a two-day seminar focused on the repatriation of artifacts and ancestral remains at the University of British Columbia this week. In particular, the seminar explored how repatriation could work under the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, which asserts the rights of Indigenous Peoples to practice their cultural and spiritual traditions, and to control their ceremonial items and ancestral remains. It also recognizes that governments should help facilitate repatriation and provide restitution in consultation with Indigenous communities. The B.C. government passed legislation in November to facilitate the implementation of the declaration in the province. Vince Collison has been working to repatriate treasures and ancestral remains since the late 1980s as a member of the Haida Gwaii repa-
triation committee. “The challenge I want to give to every one of those museums is ‘You thought well enough of us to collect us. Think well enough to help send some things back to a community that really needs it more than you do,’ ” said Collison, who also attended the seminar. “Those things mean way more to us than anybody else in the world,” he said, adding that Haida language and context for each stolen treasure was stripped away and repatriation involves the restoration of their rightful meaning. The Royal B.C. Museum held more than 1,400 ancestors and about half of those have returned home since 2016, said Neel. It still holds about 15,000 treasured objects and artworks. The remains of about 500 Haida ancestors have also been repatriated over the last 20 years, said Collison. The Royal B.C. Museum changed its policies last year and will no longer collect or study ancestral remains. Anything it acquired under
duress and anything acquired between 1885 and 1951, when the Canadian government enforced the potlatch ban, would also be eligible for repatriation. The museum does not collect items that lack provenance, or paperwork, indicating their origins, Neel added. In partnership with the Haida Gwaii Museum, the Royal B.C. Museum also published an Indigenous repatriation handbook that serves as a reference for museums and Indigenous communities in B.C. last year. It drew international attention said Neel, though some museums remain “drenched in the colonial mindset” that Indigenous Peoples don’t know how to take care of their own possessions. Indeed, the most frequently asked question Neel hears is whether a community would be required to build a museum in order to preserve repatriated items. “For the Royal B.C. Museum the answer is, it’s none of our business. These are your cultural treasures,” she said, adding that communities often want to build appropriate local facilities. Royal B.C. Museum policies preclude the repatriation of treasures and ancestors into the care of an individual. Rather, they must be returned to an entity, such as a band council or a cultural centre, said Neel. Repatriation is also costly, Neel and Collison said, and the onus is mostly on communities to come up with the necessary funding. National Chief Perry Bellegarde of the Assembly of First Nations told the seminar he believes the federal and provincial governments are obligated to help identify the resources communities will need to make repatriation a reality. Once treasures and ancestors are returned, Neel said she believes in the potential for museums to facilitate meaningful cross-cultural experiences. The museum of the future will be more interactive and reflective of the people and land around it, she said, suggesting there could be opportunities to meet people first hand, rather than peering at poorly labelled artifacts through glass.
Cirque du Soleil cancels show Spencer What school do you attend? St. Patrick’s Elementary Tell us about your family or pets. I have two supportive parents and a tall 16 year old brother. I used to have a fish named Flush but he passed away. What hobbies and activities do you enjoy? I enjoy biking to school everyday, playing volleyball, basketball, badminton, and I’m just learning to skateboard. I love to swim and I guess I like to play video games every now and then. What is your favourite place or thing to do in Oak Bay? I like to go swimming at the Oak Bay Rec Centre but I also love going golfing with my friend at the Henderson Golf Course. What do you like about delivering the Oak Bay News? I get some exercise and it’s something I can put on my resume when I get older. Plus I get some cash on the side. Anything else you’d like to tell us? If you are someone who has some free time for 45 minutes on Wednesday and Friday I highly recommend finding a paper route to do.
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A Cirque du Soleil performance scheduled for this spring is cancelled due to concerns over COVID-19. The ice show, AXEL, was scheduled to run from May 28 to 31 in Victoria, with shows also scheduled throughout B.C. “In light of the COVID-19 pandemic and following the World Health Organization and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s recommendation of social distancing, all performances of Cirque du Soleil AXEL in
Victoria, Abbotsford, Kelowna, Kamloops and Prince George have been cancelled,” said Cirque du Soleil in an emailed statement. Cirque is currently examining options for the rest of the 2020 AXEL tour. All ticket buyers have been promised refunds; anyone who purchased tickets online or over the phone will have their funds automatically returned. Anyone who picked up tickets in person will need to go to a Select Your Tickets box office to receive a refund. For any questions people can call 1-877-924-7783. vnc.editorial@blackpress.ca
Community calendar on hold Due to the evolving situation surrounding COVID-19, we will not be publishing a community calendar in our print editions until further notice. We do maintain an online calendar under the community section of our website but given the
number of local events that have recently been cancelled, we ask that you confirm an event’s status with its organizers. You can also find more coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic at oakbaynews.com/tag/coronavirus. vnc.editorial@blackpress.ca
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Residents asked to connect with elderly neighbours during crisis
Camosun College celebrates a partnership of industry and education bringing a new marine simulator to the Camosun Coastal Centre. (Nina Grossman/ News Staff)
Terry Farrell Black Press Media
Marine simulator offers immersive training Nina Grossman News Staff
From navigating rough seas to initiating emergency protocols, Camosun College students will soon have a marine simulator to provide a risk-free glimpse of a career at sea. The new Navi-Trainer Professional 5000 simulator, still under construction at the College’s Interurban campus, is made possible through a partnership of education and industry, with $700,000 provided by Atlantic Towing Limited (ATL). “It helps us in the marine community and helps the locals as well,” said Tim Brownlow, ATL’s
director of industry relations. “People from the Island will be able to train on the Island and be able to work on vessels such as ours.” Through immersive, sophisticated technology, the simulator will allow students to experience different weather conditions, various ports, manoeuvres, speeds, and tug and barge handling conditions. And with the simulator, Camosun can offer more courses, including a cadet and bridgewatch program. “There’s a Transport Canada mandate for us to have these simulators in order to train marine captains,” said Gilles Gagnon, vice president of ATL. “This is a fantastic opportunity for us.”
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The simulator is expected to be complete by the end of December. When finished, it will be installed at the Camosun Coastal Centre, located on Songhees Nation territory. Funds will be allocated over three years by Irving Shipbuilding in an agreement brokered by ATL. “Songhees Nation’s economy was intimately connected to the Salish Sea for millennia,” says a statement from Christina Clarke, corporate executive officer of Songhees Nation. “Forming Salish Sea Industrial Services with Ralmax and Esquimalt Nation is one of our strategies for returning to the marine economy.”
The threat of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is impacting lives worldwide, and although it may not yet have reached your community, you can expect it to in the coming days or weeks. One vulnerable group that cannot be ignored is the elderly in the community. Many B.C. communities have higher-than-average population of seniors, based on the popularity of the province as a retirement destination. BC Seniors Advocate Isobel Mackenzie said at times such as this, it’s important to ensure everyone has a strong support system - neighbours helping neighbours. “When the provincial health officer calls on British Columbians to consider what we can we do, obviously taking care of ourselves is number one, but the other thing we can do is reach out to the seniors we know around us and see what extra help they might need right now,” said Mackenzie. “The impact of COVID-19 could mean that their care worker is under the weather and can’t provide help. It could mean that their adult children who would normally help them, aren’t feeling well and can’t help them. It may mean that they really shouldn’t be in crowded situations… somebody else could go do their grocery shopping for them.”
We are going to see a lot more seniors needing help with things… so if we are healthy, we should help. — Isobel Mackenzie Mackenzie recommends exchanging phone numbers with your neighbours (if you don’t already have them) and keeping in contact with each other via phone or text. Mackenzie said a crisis like this tends to galvanize communities, and she expects the most communities will take the time to rally around each other and get through this pandemic together. “From my years in homecare, that is the kind of thing we would see. I was in homecare during the blizzard of ’96 here in Victoria, and the way people came together to help each other out at that time was phenomenal. Now that was a different issue, in terms of why there was a crisis. But the effect on seniors being shut in and not getting what they needed… there is the potential of that, today. “We are going to see a lot more seniors needing help with things… so if we are healthy, we should help.”
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Sinatra and the Count scheduled to return to Oak Bay April 18 concert will support Sno’uyutth Legacy Scholarship Travis Paterson News Staff
Visitors to Oak Bay Avenue might notice a black-and-white lifesized cutout of Old Blue Eyes showed up this week. You’ll have to peer into the Scotiabank branch but there he is, Frank Sinatra, cigarette dangling and all. And when Frank is here, it means big band is coming to Oak Bay High, in the styles of Frank Sinatra and Count Basie on April 18. The show, called Sinatra and The Count, features jazz singer Joe Coughlin with the Phil Dwyer Orchestra, an 18-piece big band. It’s the third time bringing the popular show back to the Dave Dunnet Community Theatre, presented by the Oak Bay Rotary Foundation, with proceeds going to the endowment for the Sno’uyutth Legacy Scholarship. “It might not be normal to sell show tickets at a bank but it’s normal for us,” said branch manager Jamie Talbot.
Dwyer, a Juno Award and Order of Canada-winning tenor sax player, and a who’s who of Canadian jazz [musicians],” Blake said. That includes P.J. Perry of Edmonton, an alto saxophonist who is also a Juno Award and Order of Canada winner. Dwyer put together this all-star orchestra conducted by jazz veteran Bryan Stovell to back Coughlin’s singing of Sinatra-inspired big band arrangements by Billy May, Nelson Riddle and Quincy Jones. “It’s at the point that musicians want to play just because it’s such a good band,” Blake said. Oak Bay Beach Hotel is also supporting the show, by hosting some of the musicians traveling in from out of town. The Sno’uyutth Legacy Scholarship is awarded annually to a graduating Oak Bay High School Student of First Nations, Inuit or Métis descent and has now supported four students’ post-secondary education. Tickets are available at $40 (cash only) from Scotiabank Oak Bay or Bank tellers and managers are volunteering as concert promoters as the Scotiabank Oak Bay branch is selling tickets to the April 18 through the Royal Macpherson Theconcert Sinatra and the Count, a big band show at Oak Bay High’s Dave Dunnet Theatre. Proceeds will go to the Sno’uyutth Legacy atre Society Box Office and online Scholarship fund. (Travis Paterson/News Staff) for $43.50. For tickets and more inSinatra and the Count is a cele- on the critically-acclaimed 1966 re- formation contact McPherson Box “The Scotiabank Oak Bay branch is selling tickets and a group of our bration of the musical collaboration cording, Sinatra at the Sands, said Office, rmts.bc.ca/events or call 250386-6121. employees are going to volunteer by between Frank Sinatra and Count concert promoter Joe Blake. reporter@oakbaynews.com Basie Orchestra that was captured “The Phil Dwyer Orchestra features working the night of the show.”
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Souper Bowls of Hope, an annual charity event in support of the Youth Empowerment Society, has been postponed until the fall due to the evolving COVID-19 situation in B.C. The Youth Empowerment Society sent out a statement on Saturday confirming the event will be postponed until fall 2020 while the Society takes measures to minimize risks to the community, event supporters and volunteers. “As the situation continues to evolve in B.C., Canada and other countries in the world, we are at a critical point in the fight against the virus,” said Michele Davis, event chair for Souper Bowls for Hope. The lunchtime fundraiser fills guest’s stomachs with a hearty bowl of gourmet soup in a locally-made, one-of-a-kind pottery bowl. The event has raised more than $1.3 million since 1998. This year, more than 300 bowls have been created for the event. Davis said the event raised $90,000 in 2019, helping to support vulnerable youth in the community, and hopes supporters will understand the need for the date change. The Youth Empowerment Society offers opportunities and lifestyle alternatives to atrisk Victoria youth. It also operates Helen’s Place (formerly known as the Alliance Club), a downtown drop-in centre that provides youths with basics like a safe space, meals, showers and access to computers.
Vic PD’s Grant Hamilton spent his lunch hour serving up soup at the Souper Bowls of Hope lunch hour fundraiser last year. (Black Press Media file photo) The Souper Bowls for Hope event was originally scheduled for April 15. The event’s website and Facebook page will be updated in the coming weeks with the new event date and ticket holders will be notified directly. Anyone interested in making a cash donation to support at-risk youth can do so at vyes.ca. On Saturday, nine more cases of the novel coronavirus were announced by B.C. health officials, bringing the province total to 73. Every health authority in the province has at least one confirmed COVID-19 case. -With files from Ashley Wadhwani and Nina Grossman shalu.mehta@blackpress.ca
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Black Press Media is the leading North American local news champion with operations across British Columbia, Alberta, Yukon, Washington State, California, Alaska and Hawaii. Over 2,000 talented employees work with us delivering unique community news and information across a full suite of digital and traditional media channels. We value diverse viewpoints, new ways of thinking and a collaborative approach to delivering results.
Transfer Wheelchair, blue, excellent condition, $150 o.b.o. 250-656-3544 UTILITY TRAILER 8’ x 4’ $250.00 Phone: 250-995-2291 White Microwave Shelf on Wheels at $42.00 250-721-0700 Wood Playhouse & swing set $150.00 250-812-6076
Misc. Wanted Galleon Books & Antiques • Antiques • Books • Furniture • China • Collectibles • Jewelry Estates & Private Libraries Purchased. 250-655-0700
Pegasus 4 Wheel Medical scooter, canopy, - $1,000 o.b.o. 250-656-3544
March is
MULTIMEDIA SALES CONSULTANT (VICTORIA, NANAIMO, CAMPBELL RIVER, COMOX) Black Press Media has exciting opportunities for Multimedia Sales Consultants that will be focused on providing digital and print solutions for our local clients. These individuals will be high energy, enthusiastic go-getters to take our leading print and digital advertising solutions to market. You will put your multitasking skills to good use as you balance dayto-day advertising requirements for existing customers with growing business through discipline and dedication to acquiring new customers.
MULTIMEDIA JOURNALIST(PORT HARDY, CAMPBELL RIVER) - GOV’T FUNDED These positions were created through federal government funding via the Local Journalism Initiative, involving full-time terms from Jan. 1, 2020 to March 2021. Those successfully completing their LJI terms will be well-positioned for consideration for permanent jobs in Black Press Media newsrooms. Each position will focus on regional topics such as the economy, natural resources, health care, transportation and social issues. This an opportunity to dig deeper into important issues affecting entire regions of the province, and explore the impact upon communities and individuals.
MULTIMEDIA JOURNALIST(NANAIMO) A multimedia journalist position is available within Black Press Media, at the Nanaimo News Bulletin. The successful applicant for this position will be a key contributor to our websites and social media engagement. You will have a diploma/degree in journalism, including training in broadcast media and be comfortable working in a variety of environments, and will have advance video and photography skills. Extra attention will be given to related newsroom experience, broadcast and/or print. Knowledge of basic Photoshop and iMovie are valuable assets. You’re a self-starter and a critical thinker, with the ability to work well under deadline pressures. Candidates need to have a vehicle and a valid driver’s licence. This position offers a great digital media environment with a competitive remuneration plan coupled with a strong benefits package.
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CLEAN-UP SPECIAL You load Bins. 12 Yard Bin ONLY $100 + dump fee OR We do it all! 250-361-6164
Painting & Decorating A Professional Woman Painter. Karen Bales Painting & Wall coverings. Over 30 yrs exp. Free est. 250-514-5220
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A
rea rugs are known to be very, very tough. They can take quite a lot of abuse and still look good even years later. But there are limits as to what a rug can actually withstand. Take for example the fringes. Fringes are one the most common part of a rug that gets ruined. How The Fringes of Your Area Rug Are Constantly Under Attack Because of the fragile nature of the exposed fibers, fringes can easily get discoloured, ripped, chewed-on by pets or worn down by normal wear and tear, causing them look uneven and unsightly. Now there are many ways you can have fringes repaired including reweaving them by hand or trimming off the original fringe and sewing on a premade one. For most rugs sewing on new fringe is the fastest, easiest and most cost effective method. However it’s NOT usually something recommended you do on a valuable rug because it will severely reduce it’s value. The Common Household Appliance Destroying Area Rugs In Homes Everyday Another enemy of the area rug is the powered rotory brush vacuum cleaner. That high speed rotating brush acts like a roto-tiller on wool area rugs and will rip up individual fibers, severly reducing the life of the rug. The best way to vacuum a rug is just with a plain nozzle with no bristles similar to one you use on a bare floor. That way you can vacuum up the surface dust and dirt without doing any harm to the rug. Other enemies that can destroy rugs are liquid stains (like coffee, pet urine, etc) and moth damage. A Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing
Oak Bay News
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“The Hidden Enemies Attacking Your Area Rugs” 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. When the teachers of School District 61 disputed the Division’s decision to not clean the classroom area rugs, Luv-A-Rug stepped in and cleaned them for free (a $90,000 value).
(The Worst Enemy of Area Rugs) But by far the biggest enemy area rugs - especially wool ones - are carpet cleaning machines - even the ones used by carpet cleaning professionals. If whoever is using one of these machines doesn’t understand the strengths and weaknesses of your particular rug, a lot of damage could be done. Damage like the colors bleeding into other parts of the rug. Or sections of the rug going missing because the cleaning machine aggravated and loosened sections of unseen moth or dry rot damage (just to name a few). Now as terrible as these things may seem to be, there still is hope. Only one company in Victoria has the capability of handling nearly
any problem area rugs run into - and that company is called Luv-A-Rug Services Inc. Whether it’s pet stain & odor removal, cleaning food & liquid stains, fringe repair, or reveaving damaged sections by hand, Luv- A-Rug’s highly trained in-house staff can handle it all. So if one of your rug’s enemies did damage to it or if it just needs to be cleaned, bring it to Luv-ARug and they promise after they’re done your rug it will look so good you’ll fall in love with it all over again. 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-
Just some of the 400+ SD61 school area rugs Luv-A-Rug cleaned for free
With charitable acts like this, it’s no wonder Luv-A-Rug is the most LOVED area rug washing company on Vancouver Island. Luv-A-Rug Services Inc. 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 For an INSTANT estimate on your area rug cleaning: (778) 533-7847
Get A FREE bottle of Luv-A-Rug’s RugLover Spotter Get a FREE bottle of Luv-A-Rug’s “miracle” area rug spot & stain remover by visiting Luv-A-Rug at 445 Beta St and make a donation of any amount to the Victoria BC-SPCA!
Offer Valid Until Apr 1-2020 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