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Friday, July 12, 2013
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Sooke, BC
WEB EDITION
Economy grinds on consumers, business .............. 1
RESP teaser is a bad shot: money now or later (editorial) ..... 2
Summer sailing for youth is off to a smooth start ...... 3
Communities in Bloom: heritage & horticulture ......... 3
Norman Nelson to conduct this summer’s Fling! ....... 4
BC Premier
Christy Clark
wins July 10
WestsideKelowna
by-election
Vol.3 No.25
ISSN 1925-2722
Broad-s cope @sookevoicenews
and lo cal @SVNLocalNews
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Cannabis petition to have 90 days for
gathering 10% of BC voter signatures
SOOKE VOICE NEWS on the Beat
An initiative petition application “to
amend the Police Act”, to be issued
to proponent Dana Larsen on Monday,
September 9, 2013, was granted approval by BC’s Chief Electoral Officer,
Keith Archer, it was announced July 11.
“This initiative petition application is the ninth to be approved since
the legislation came into force in 1995,”
Archer said in the news release.
Any registered voter can apply
to have a petition issued to gather support for a legislative proposal. After the
petition is issued, the proponent will
have 90 days to canvass and collect
signatures of at least 10% of the registered voters in each of BC’s 85 electoral districts. WEB EDITION
Individuals or organizations who
intend to oppose the initiative, conduct
initiative advertising, or canvass for signatures must be registered with Elections BC. The deadline for opponent
application is Mon., Aug. 12, 2013.
Registered voters as of Sept.9,
2013 may sign the petition once for the
electoral district in which they are registered. www.elections.bc.ca
The initiative draft Bill entitled,
“Sensible Policing Act” proposes to
amend the Police Act to no longer use
provincial police resources on the enforcement of current laws in relation to
simple possession and use of cannabis (marijuana) by adults.
The draft law would prohibit the
use of provincial police resources for
this purpose, would require police to
report in detail to the Minister of Justice any actual use of resources for this
purpose and why it was necessary, and
require the Minister to publish that report.
WEB EDITION
The Bill also proposes that the
Province would call upon the Federal
Government to repeal the federal prohibition on cannabis, or give BC an exemption, such that BC is able to tax
and regulate cannabis similar to the
regulation of alcohol and tobacco. As
well, it proposes that BC establish a
Provincial Commission to study the
means and requirements necessary for
the province to establish a legal and
regulated model for the production and
use of cannabis by adults.
The Bill would make non-lawful
possession and use of cannabis by
minors an offence similar to possession and use of alcohol.
The 90-day period to collect signatures will give the proponent until
around December 6 of this year to
achieve the collection of signatures of
10% of registered voters in each of
BC’s 85 electoral districts.
News doesn’t stop in summer!
Breaking news daily!
www.sookevoicenews.com
Signatures of at
least 10% of
registered voters in
each of BC’s 85
electoral districts
will be required for
the proposed Police
Act amendments Bill
to be presented in
the BC Legislature.
www.maplelinebusinesscentre .com
Print | Laminate | Spiral Bind
A lot done in 16 minutes
by Mary P. Brooke
Larsen, whose track record includes running unsuccessfully for the
leadership of BC's New Democrats,
said in Sept.2012 that a similar petition (for which he was issued permission for a petition in Nov.2012) wouldn’t
be used for gathering signatures that
fall but instead for generating attention
and gathering volunteers to find, train,
excite and mobilize "an army of welltrained disciplined signature gatherers." Even at that time he intended to
submit another application for
Sept.2013 and then begin the process
of collecting signatures.
A similar petition initiative in 2011
(first spearheaded by former BC premier Bill Vander Zalm) was the first step
in bringing about the end of the 12%
HST in BC, which succeeded. The HST
was repealed as of April 1, 2013. SVN
Fire service costs
“There are some definite challenges in
trying to balance an effective em ergency
service while carefully managing financial
considerations,” says Sooke Fire Rescue
Chief Sorensen. See page 3.
The District of Sooke Regular Council meeting on July 8 was one of the
'shortest on record' said Mayor Milne, with rapid adjournment at 7:16 pm. In the
16-minute meeting a number of things were efficiently discussed and approved.
• Deputy Director of Finance (Brent Blackhall) has been hired starting July 15.
• It was approved that Mayor Milne send a letter to the Vancouver Island
Library Board looking for clarification and progress on a new library for Sooke, as
well lodging a bit of a complaint about the 6.5% library tax hike for taxpayers.
• Canada World youth was granted funds for bus passes again this year.
They are looking for home-stays and volunteer opportunities for their 18 youth
volunteers who will arrive in sooke on Nov.6 and stay to the end of January 2014.
This year's group of volunteers will (for the first time) include youth from Vietnam.
• Congratulations for 35 years service in the Canadian Association of Municipal Administrators (CAMA) by District of Sooke CAO Gord Howie was passed
along from CAMA by Mayor Wendal Milne.
WEB EDITION
• Director of Finance Michael Dillabaugh reported that 2013 expenses are
on budget. "Revenues with exception of a few primary areas are also within budget.
Staff will continue to closely monitor this and over the next two quarters...and
exercise any necessary measures to make sure the District is in a healthy position at year end." Councillor Herb Haldane to the Director of Finance: "I commend you on the legals (cost of legal services) being so low."
• Mayor Milne announced that starting July
8 and running for four weeks, TV ads from TourYou can view District of Sooke
ism Vancouver Island will be aired for promotCouncil and Com mittee
ing tourism to this island. The 15-second slot
meetings via live webcas ts at
will be "on quite a number of stations in BC
www.sooke.c a where archives
and some in Alberta," Mayor Milne said. SVN
can also be viewed.
View from afar
Economy grinds on consumers, business
“Consumer confidence is a significant economic generator,” said NDP Finance Critic Mike Farnworth, in the BC
Legislature this week. He said that with the HST ending this
spring on March 31, there was the expectation that there would
be an upswing in renovations and consumer purchases on a
significant number of items, but added that “to see a weakening of demand in forecasts (in the BC government’s
budget), causes some concern”.
WEB EDITION
Locally in Sooke, there has been financial caution at
the District of Sooke since the current Council began grinding the numbers early in 2012. Mayor Wendal Milne often
refers to a challenged economy at meetings of Council, Finance & Administration, and Land Use.
This week the District’s Director of Finance, Michael
Dillabaugh, reported that projected revenues are down in four
distinct areas (based on actuals through May 31): Building
Permits, Subdivision Fees, Rezoning Fees and Plumbing Permit Fees. Mayor Milne says: “I haven't delved into the specifics other than to say we would look at everything,” (in terms
of adjusting expenditures or other ways to stay within budget).
Developers in Sooke have slowed their building activities because the sale of housing products is very slow. A lack
of local jobs is part of the problem.
“Our municipality struggles to supply jobs that will keep
families here, so most travel to Victoria,” says District of Sooke
Councillor Herb Haldane. “Our biggest draw is affordability
but we are competing in this shrinking market with Langford.
Langford has facilities for kids and young families so that
leaves us with the seniors market. Seniors seem to like the
size and pace of our town so that has been an attraction,”
Haldane says.
“The real issue has been the bureaucracy itself. With
by Mary P. Brooke
more and more rules piling on and banks refusing to lend
money we (property developers) are at a wall,” Haldane continued. “Venture capital is 10-12% so when a developer looks
to build he takes into account time and effort.”
“In Sooke there is a reluctance to change the way we
do business at our town hall and that reputation causes concern with banks and builders,” Haldane said. “Both our planning and engineering departments plague development with
unreasonable time delays and inconsistent rules. This leaves
us with the very problem of the day in that revenues and
permits are at an all-time low. Either we change the way we
do business or our town hall needs to shrink,” he said.
The MP for our area, Randall Garrison (Esquimalt-Juan
de Fuca), is also concerned about the economy. “The odd
part is that the federal government keeps saying the recession is over – and we just don’t see the evidence of that at
the local level,” Garrison said this week in an exclusive interview with Sooke Voice News. “The relentless cheerfulness
that they’re pursuing just doesn’t match the facts. In all kinds
of areas,” Garrison said with a sense of exploration, adding
that Sooke “has a problem for small businesses in this
economy.” WEB EDITION
Sooke still struggles to establish a viable
Going mobile!
economic identity (is it
250-642-7729
sti ll touri sm?) as the
After July 19 ~ We come to you!
economy continues to
Digital document manageme nt
fracture. The next Mayfor dynamic businesse s.
or ’ s Pr omote Sooke
Local pic kup/delivery in Sooke
Task Force meeting is www.maplelinebusinesscentre .com
Wed. July 17 in Council info@maplelinebusinesscentre.com
Chambers, 7pm. SVN
Print | Laminate l Spiral Bind
WEB EDITION
Page 2 of 4 ::: Full edition online: www.sookevoice news.com
A view to the world, from Soo ke...
co ntributing the ‘pieces’ for inquisitive readers.
As a community service, editorials are ‘mini essays’ that
EDITORIALS address
broader issues of c oncern t o the c ommunity as a whole.
RESP teaser is a bad shot: money now or later
The BC Liberal decision to provide a
$1,200 Registered Education Savings Plan
(RESP) contribution for every child born after January 1, 2007 (and any child thereafter when he or she turns 6 years old – if the
family has an RESP for that child), is a poorly
aimed shot at ‘families first’. While money
can help, as any business person will tell
you, it matters when and how you apply the
funds – sometimes even more than the
amount itself.
Even with accrued interest, the
$1,200 is a drop in the bucket of post-secondary costs, and its result is so far down
the road for a young family. Having raised
four children (with an RESP for each), I can
say I would rather have had each month’s
RESP contribution in hand instead for groceries, clothing, and extra-curricular activities than for a rainy day. Income is usually
greater farther along in one’s career – does
the government presume that no one can
properly manage their family spending pattern over time? All my children over 18 –
BC NEWS
based on their own academic performance,
scholarships, student loans and part-time
jobs – have successfully made their way
through post-secondary; unless an RESP
is substantial (possible only for higher-income families), that form of forced saving
is a hard-won drop in the bucket along with
overhead (caveats and paperwork).
A $1,200 contribution of *real*
money into the pockets of every family with
children under 16 would be such a gamechanger. If there is a BC Liberal philosophical aversion to perceived ‘handouts’ then it
is misguided and shows only that the provincial government wants tight psychological reins on an already struggling populace.
The NDP said in the May election
they would have (upon winning) put $1,200
per child into child care funding. That’s not
bad. But I can’t think of a struggling young
family anywhere who wouldn’t wisely apply
$1,200 cash to the immediate needs of children or household debt in these disastrous
economic times. The RESP idea is almost
Friday, July 12, 2013 ::: SOOKE VOICE NEWS
Available to
July 19, 2013
TD
Canada Trust
Open a new TD
Select Service or
Infinity account
and get the
latest 7”
Samsung
Galaxy Tab!*
BC Training and Education Savings Grant: www.budget2013.ca/bc-training-and-education-savings-grant/
RESPs, starting an RESP, education savings grants from the Government of Canada: www.canlearn.ca
BC's Education Plan: www.bcedplan.ca
SVN
FEDERAL FOCUS
WEB EDITION
RANDALL GARRISON, MP visiting in Sooke
Sooke Rotarians who attended their regular weekly lunch meeting enjoyed Randall
Garrison, MP as their July 10 speaker.
“I talked about my job as MP and what
I work on. Questions had to do with fisheries and various ways the federal government
has removed itself from an active role in fish
habitat and protection,” Garrison said in an
interview that day. More of the fish licence
revenues are now going toward habitat and
conservation – a small victory that Garrison
helped to achieve in Ottawa in June.
Garrison is home in the EquimaltJuan de Fuca riding for the summer and
hopes to come to Sooke a couple of times
a month. He’ll head back to Ottawa for the
House of Commons resuming on Sept.16.
This week Garrison toured Sooke
Family Resource Society operations at the
CASA building on Townsend Rd. “They have
federal funding for the family programs
there. I was surprised how many services
are run out of that building, also serving people from Shirley, Jordan River, Port Renfew.
Garrison is starting a petition locally,
along with the NDP’s Science Critic Kennedy
Stewart, MP (Burnaby-Douglas), about cutting public education programs at Bamfield.
“We’re losing public outreach programs that
bring students into science programs.” SVN
Office: 2050-D Townsend Road,
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LETTERS
WEB EDITION
letters@sookevoicenews.com
The Sooke Voice News
We are so happy to have you and
the great Sooke Voice News. We always
read every item. Thanks for all your hard
work. ~ Lis Johansen, Sooke
Web:www.sookevoicenews.com
Twitter: @sookevoicenews
(regional / national / global);
@SVNLocalNews (Sooke local)
Publisher, Writer/Editor,
Layout:
Mary P. Brooke
Ad Sales: Mary P. Brooke
Contributors this week:
Gord Fulcher, Brenda Parkinson.
Distribution Support:
Danica Fruttarol. Printing:
MapleLine Business Centre
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$1,200 education savings grant goes ahead Premier Clark wins
•
•
•
Published by Brookeline Publishing
House Inc., Sooke,BC, Canada
cruel for its time-delay. Political teasers don’t
help; in fact, they seriously aggravate.
A more feet-on-the-ground awareness by government of what is really going
on for BC families would be wise politics,
and greatly appreciated by many.
DAILY UPDATES: www.sookevoicenews.com/breakingnews.htm
Starting immediately, all BC children with a Registered Education Savings Plan (RESP)
and born on or after January 1, 2007 will be entitled to receive the BC Training and Education Savings Grant, it was announced July 3, 2013 in a news release from the BC Ministry
of Education. W hen a BC resident child turns six-years-old, the Province of BC will put
$1,200 into the child’s RESP.
In the last week of June, as part of the introduction of last week's provincial budget,
the BC government “has reaffirmed its commitment to the new $1,200 BC Training and
Education Savings Grant,” said Education Minister Peter Fassbender in the news realease.
“By investing in an RESP, the $1,200 provincial grant, other savings grants, family
contributions and compound interest will grow over time, making it easier for BC's children
to pursue their chosen careers,” says the Education ministry. “Having an RESP in place
also makes it easier for grandparents and other family members to help put money toward
future education,” the government says.
Fassbender was at the Vancouver Public Library on July 3 to talk to a group of
preschool children and their parents about the grant, and the importance of planning and
saving early for a child's education after secondary school. "Today I asked the preschoolers
what they want to be when they grow up – and whatever career they ultimately choose, the
grant will make it easier to pursue their dreams. And with the passing of the budget, we are
ensuring that this money remains available for parents to save, not for government to
spend," said Fassbender.
BC says it is working with Human Resources and Skills Development Canada to
implement the program. Putting the information systems in place to facilitate fund transfers
WEB EDITION
is expected to take 18 to 24 months.
To put the dollar amount into perspective (in today’s dollars, which will not as powerful in 10 to 15 years when the funds mature in an RESP), books for one year of postsecondary cost around $1,000 or more, and tuition is at least $5,000 per year for many
programs. RESP funds cannot be used by a student until they complete the first year of
their post-secondary studies and have registered to continue in second year. The issuance
of funds to active students is normally executed over the second, third and fourth years of
post-secondary study. There are many steps (hoops) to jump through if the student does
not fall into the standard category of taking four years of post-secondary on a start date
immediately following high school. As well, many post-secondary programs at colleges
and trade schools are shorter than four years.
The first and most important step to receive the grant is for parents to open an RESP
before the child's seventh birthday, says the government. Families with RESPs in place will
be contacted when the grant is ready to be transferred into the savings plan.
When opening an RESP for a child, the Ministry of Education says to have ready:
- Family member or guardian's Social Insurance Number.
- Social Insurance Number for the RESP beneficiaries (the child or children).
- One piece of government-issued identification for the family member or guardian setting
up the RESP.
The Sooke Voice News
7 DAYS A WEEK | 6670 Sooke Road
seat in July 10
byelection
Premier Christy Clark once again has
a seat in the BC Legislature following
her July 10 by-election win as the BC
Liberal candidate in Westside-Kelowna.
Seven contenders took advantage of the opportunity for media exposure and political momentum during the
campaign period, including candidates
for the BC NDP, BC Conservative and
BC Vision parties, as well as four independents.
WEB EDITION
The results from 16 polling stations (171 ballot boxes) came rolling in
shortly after 8 pm on Wednesday night.
Few pundits, if anyone, expected Clark
to lose. She is the leader of a majoritywin party that awaited its premier in the
legislative session which started a ‘lame
duck’ session of sorts, without its feisty
premier in the House when the 1st session began on June 26.
The vote count on July 10 showed
Clark with 62.7% of the votes cast on
July 10. Runners up were Carole
Gordon (BC NDP) with 29.66% and
Sean Upshaw (BC Conservative) with
5.81%. A final count by Elections BC will
commence July 17.
BC Greens did not run a candidate in this by-election; party leader Jane
Sterk said the premier needs to be in
the legislature (effectively suggesting a
Premier in a by-election should not be
contested). However, the Greens did not
run a candidate in that riding in the May
14 election to begin with. SVN
It pays (the library) to
return those books late
Late fines m ight seem like small change
with each transaction, but in 2012 the Vancouver Island Library (VIRL) c ollec ted
$698,450 in “fines and other income”. However, that number is down from 2011 (when
$756,308 was collected from fines), s o it
looks like people are paying attention to
where their dollars go when it comes to borrowing books for free. SVN
Open
Monday to
Saturday
1180-6660 Sooke Rd
250-642-3721 | In the Evergreen Centre
Piercing & gel polish available
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ISSN1925-2722
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Current issue, archives,
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Ad deadline: 5 pm Tues.
advertising@sookevoicenews.com
The Sooke Voice News
New libraries on
Vanc. Island,
none in Sooke
In June, the Vancouver Island
Re gional Library (VIRL) re le ase d their Annual Re port for
2012, and announced having celebrated the offic ial opening of
three “bigger and better branches”
in Bella Coola, Gabriola Island,
and Quadra Island.
Sooke has been awaiting
progres s for a new library in
Sooke, a sore point brought up by
Mayor Wendal Milne again this
past week at Council. MayorMilne
said that the present library fac ility in Sooke is on a m onth-tomonth rental. A new Sooke library
prem is es – often disc us s ed in
combination with a youth and seniors center – looks more and more
like a far-off poss ibility.
The VIRL tax levy went up
6.5% this year, as taxpayers will
have noticed on their tax bill from
the District of Sooke (the District
collec ts the funds and forwards
them to VIRL). Mayor Milne received approval from Council at
the July 8 meeting, to send a letter to VIRL about Sooke’s dissatisfaction with a 6.5% increase and
the tardiness of attention to the
matter of a new library here.
VIRL says their vision is “to
develop strong library branc hes
that are vital comm unity destinations for knowledge, ins piration,
innovation and renewal.” Their
mission is “to enhance lives and
c omm unities through univers al
ac c es s to knowledge, lifelong
learning, and literacy”.
At a public m eeting about
the Sooke library location last year
at Sooke Com m unity Hall, one
person said he hadn’t been to a
public library in years, and that libraries now serve ‘the disenfranchis ed’. Many people visit the library frequently in Sooke. SVN
Sooke LibrarySummer Reading
Club: Up, Up and Away! Sign up
for this free program (aleady in
progress): www.virl.bc.ca/kids/
WEB EDITION
Full edition online: www.sookev oicene ws.com ::: Page 3 of 4
SOOKE VOICE NEWS ::: Friday, July 12, 2013
West Coast Lifestyle
Sailing Club
off to a
smooth start
Sooke, BC
2013
Stay in touch with hometown Sooke on Twit ter.
The Sookie netwo rk! @SVNLocalNews
Summer sees
three 100th
anniversaries
in Sooke
At t he Mariners V illage dock
looking toward the Sooke Basin.
by Gord Fulcher
Local youth who are interested in
Kids being towed, learning to use the tiller.
sailing, kayaking or just being around
the water in a safe way still have a chance this summer as the newly formed Sooke Sailing
Association (SSA) has brought back the Mobile Optimist Sailing School (MOSS) for three
1-week classes.
WEB EDITION
The sailing school is organized by BC Sailing and certified by Sail Canada (formerly
Canadian Yachting Association). Safety comes first, and fun is a close second, and then
sailing! By the end of the week, youth ages 6 to 14 years are able to sail on their own. The
purpose of the MOSS program is to build the legacy of a sailing program in communities
that don’t already have one. For those who are still keen, the children are encouraged to
come back and assist instructing the program when they are 15.
The sailing camps are held at Mariners Village in Sooke this month, Mon-Fri, 9 am
to 3:30 pm. The first week went well and the second week is fully booked. But there are
still spots open for the week of July 22-26. Three levels are taught and the kids are fit in
according to their level – Wet Feet, Opti 1 and Opti 2. The cost per child is $250/week.
Most lessons are hands-on with skill warmups and a morning sail, lunch break, then
back out on the water. Kids learn about wind speed and direction; balancing, steering and
maneuvering a boat; leaving and returning to the dock; and different points of sail.
SSA has a long-term goal to run these camps all summer long as well adding bigger
boats like 14-ft Lasers for older participants. Those who want to keep going and compete
have a great foundation and the possibility of provincial sailing and even the Olympics!
W ell, maybe good
things do occur in
three’s! Sooke is celebrating three high-profile centennials this
summer for Sooke Fall
Fair, the Sooke Fire Department (now Sooke
Fire Rescue Service)
and Holy Trinity Anglican Church. SVN
Now open for
everyone who
loves candy!
6705 West Coast Road, Sooke
across from Peoples Drug Mart
You can almost
taste the
sweetness
from here!
Open Every Day! | 250-642-0301
CiB: Heritage and Horticulture
Flowers and more! The District of Sooke participated on a non-competitive basis in the provincial
Communities in Bloom (CiB) program in 2007, to
get warmed up and learn the ropes. In 2008, the
District received 2 blooms, and 3 in 2009, then up
to 4 in 2010. In 2011 we reached for the stars and
received 5 blooms. In 2012 we were able to hold
on to the previous year’s 5 blooms as you can
Report by
take one year off from the program.
Registration at: moss.checklick.com . Info: www.sookesailing.com or www.bcsailing.bc.ca
Brenda
This year the Mayor’sAdvisory Panel on Arts
Parkinson,
Local phone: 778-425-4030 SVN
chair, Mayor’s
and Beautification took it on. It is a wonderful opAdvisory
portunity for the community to come together to
SVN CONSUMER TRENDS
Panel on
work, volunteer and showcase our community.
Arts and
Beautification
Communities in Bloom is not just about
blooms, it is about the tidiness effort, environmental
CiB EVENT LINEUP
awareness, community involvement, Heritage
T he launch of T hrifty Foods
Conservation, Urban Forestry and landscaped
Thurs. July 18
online delivery service in Sooke
area. It is about the school children volunteering
Awards Ceremony to
(which started March 22) has
reco gnize lo cal 2013 CiB
to clean out the creek beds, individuals cleaning
gone very well. “We came out of
participants and present
up the streets, wrapping local photographers works
the gate really strong. Service is
awards for Business
around electrical boxes, volunteers putting out
maintaining at that same level of interest with lots of repeat customers as well,” said
Beaut ificatio n and
Neighbo urhood Beautification planters and having shop owners watering and
Christian Arbez, online shopping manager for Thrifty Foods.
“We continue to monitor the service and assess the potential, and we will put
caring for them, installing artists signage on the
Fri. July 19
on some additional delivery times if the demand warrants. For now, we are satisified
CiB judges will have lunch
boardwalk and installing artwork in a number of
with the current delivery tim es to homes in Sooke (which see only Tuesday and
at S unriver Community
the bus shelters around town. It is all about the
Allot ment Gardens and tour
Thursday not served) via www.thriftyfoodsonline.com :
community coming together, working together and
around
Sooke
to
do
t
heir
Sunday: 4:30pm-6pm
Monday & Wednesday: 6-7:30pm
evaluations.
caring about our town.
WEB EDITION
Friday: 10am-11:30am
Saturday: 2-4 pm
There are a number of projects that are
Sat.
July
20
A minimum order of $50 is required and a fee of $7.95 is charged for each
CiB judges will be thanked
underway, but may not be completed in time for
online order for next day delivery service ($9.95 for same day); these rates apply to
at a breakfast hosted by
Communities in Bloom, but the projects will be
all Thrifty Foods service areas. Payment will be accepted at the customer’s door by
Sooke Royal Canadian
means of a secure mobile debit terminal that accepts Debit, Visa, MasterCard, Americompleted in short order. We are installing another
Legio n, Branch 54
can Express, and Thrifty Foods Smile Cards.
one of Maywell Wickheim's benches at a bus stop
Online ordering with in-store pick-up service is also available at the Thrifty
Sooke’s CiB focus in 2013 is on West Coast Road and will be getting a couple
Foods store in Colwood and at other store locations (service fee $4.95).
Heritage and Horticulture of planters made to go alongside the bench. SVN
Thrifty Foods finds online shopping
delivery success in Sooke
“Customer demand is pronounced in Sooke because there are a lot of people
who commute. They can drive by the store on their way home and not have to stop,”
says Arbez. “People order for different reasons. They could be seniors, or home after
surgery. More people are working around the clock – they could be home late, or just
getting back from vacation or a camping trip. Primarily it’s about convenience.” SVN
MapleLine Business Centre & SVN
poised for mobile launch
The business documentation serv ices which hundre ds of
Maple Line Business Ce ntre customers have enjoyed and
appreciated since 2010 in Sooke town center, are being
liberated from the brick and m ortar of com merc ial storefront (at the em bargoed
Townsend Road location where the no-left-turn setup has done economic damage to
most businesses at that corner), to a home-based business and ‘going mobile’.
“So many of our customers are already sending in digital files by email, it’s
just a matter of us delivering the printed, laminated or spiral bound jobs back out –
this happily saves people a trip out,” says owner/operator Mary Brooke. “It will be
very convenient for business owner/operators and for people at home with children
or for seniors,” Brooke said this week. Payment can be made by phone or by secure
mobile payment term inal that accepts Debit, Visa, MasterCard, and Am erican Express when the job is delivered. Pricing and a list of expanded services will be posted
online: www.maplelinebusinesscentre.com
The last day of MapleLine operations at theTownsend Road storefront will be
July 19, and then customers and clients may get the same design, editing and print
services by emailing info@maplelinebusinesscentre.com or phoning 250-642-7729.
Watch for the ‘MapleLine Mobile’ vehicle around town, and some convenient
drop-off depots that may soon be set up in a few town center locations. “The new
brick and mortar of this decade is customer service, when and where it’s needed,”
says Brooke. “People don’t always have the time or transportation access to m ake
shopping trips. Now the service comes to them.”
The office on Townsend has been shared with Sooke Voice News (SVN),
which is also ‘going mobile’. This will be advantageous for news staff to get out to
story interviews, photo-ops, and com munity events on a m ore regular basis. Most
advertisers already see ad proofs via email and make payments by phone/mail. Layout and printing of SVN will still be done in-house. Door-to-door delivery of SVN
Local to selected neighbourhoods may begin later this year, as a complement to the
highly popular colour regional online edition at www.sookevoicenews.com . SVN
SVN
Setting a new trend in your business or industry? Hey, we invite you to tell us
about it, for some great news coverage! news@sookevoicenews.com
Basketball camp in Sooke
The Sooke Basketball Camp is a peer-run basketball training/drop-in program for youth
in Sooke (age 13+). Running Monday, July 22 to Friday, July 26 at Edward Milne Community School, the camp is open to students, alumni, and coaches of the EMCS Basketball Program who are hosting the event. It’s all part of an effort to build a strong community of basketball players in Sooke! The c ost is $20 for the week of $5/day drop-in.
Participants are also welcom e to enter the Trevor Purdy 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament on Saturday, July 27 [all day]. Register your team , or m eet people to build a
team at the Basketball Cam p. If registered in the c amp: $10. If not regis tered in the
camp: $20 per player or $60 per team. Teams are 3 (minimum) to 5 (maximum) players.
Competitive/non-competitive. Music , BBQ, Priz es, Trophies. www.s ookeyouth.ca SVN
Exploring the Fire Rescue Service
At the July 9 District of Sooke Finance and Administration (F&A) committee
meeting, the Sooke Fire Rescue Service “had the opportunity to speak on many
of the issues currently facing us,” says Sooke Fire Rescue Chief Steve Sorensen.
“There are some definite challenges in trying to balance an effective
emergency service while carefully managing financial considerations. For this
fire department, like many in Canada, the biggest challenge is recruitment and
retention of volunteer firefighters,” he said. “There is always a need for fully trained
suppression firefighters but there are many other jobs and duties that the firefighters provide,” he explained. “Opportunities now exist for new volunteers to
join the department that may not want to run into a burning building but still want
to contribute to their community,” says Sorensen. This point was emphasized by
F&A in that diversity in the volunteers may be part of the solution. Currently the
fire department has members that perform non-suppression roles including public education, driver training programs, grief and peer counseling, traffic control
and support roles on the fire ground. “I was pleased with the support of the committee in working together to find solutions to these issues,” he said the next day.
“It was a good meeting giving the committee, the Fire Chief and some
members of the department an opportunity to share views,” said Mayor Wendal
Milne. “We want to ensure we work together to create an environment which
encourages volunteers to come forward and to remain as volunteers. We have a
very professional up-to-date department with the mix of career and volunteer
firefighters. I believe working together we can maintain the excellent department
we have now. It is important that we maintain a high standard of professionalism
at an affordable cost,” Mayor Milne said. SVN WEB EDITION
Little Vienna Bakery
WEB EDITION
Beach Day exhibit at the Sooke
Sooke Philharmonic Society Sum mer
Region Museum. June 23 to Sept.2. 9-5 Fling!, Sun. July 14. Ed Macgregor Park open
daily. www.sookeregionmuseum.com
1pm, concert 2:30pm. Conducted by Norman Nelson. Bring seating. www.sookephil.ca
South Shore Gallery. Artworks
Sooke He aring Solutions. Seminar
by Mary Coakley and Matt Lambert. July to learn about Tinnitus. Tues. July 16. 9:30am23 to Aug.23. Info 250-561-7869
11:30am , at Village Food Markets upstairs
meeting room. Register: 250-590-3277
Sooke Fine Arts Show. July 26
Mayor’s Promote Sooke Task Force
to Aug.5. SEAPARC Leisure Complex. Wed. July 17 in Council Chambers , 7pm
(Purc hasers Preview Thurs. July 25.)
District of Sooke Economic Devel$15 show pass or $8/day. Events: opme nt Mayor’s advisory panel. Thurs. July
Artz4Kids & Artz4Youth (July 30); Sen- 18. 7 pm, Prestige Hotel boardroom.
iors Tea (July 31 & Aug1); Taste of Sooke
Communitie s in Bloom beautifica(Aug.1; tickets $12). People’s Choice tion judging around town on Fri. July 19. Busiballots at show. www.sookefinearts.com ness nomination forms at www.sooke.ca
Sooke Voice News
is brain food.
You
know,
it
matters
what
you
read.
TINNITUS SEMINAR
Tuesday, July 16
9:30am-11:30am at Village
Food Markets upstairs
2-4 pm at Ju an de Fuca Parks
& Rec, 1767 Isla nd Hwy
SVN
Get free weekly enews
bulletins by email with
link to online edit ion.
news@sookevoicenews.com
Be part of The Mix!
Summer
jobs
right
here in
Sooke!
The Mix
6929 West
Coast Rd
At the Best
Western Prestige
Oceanfront Resort
LOCAL EMPLOYMENT
The Mix is looking for some
talented kitchen staff.
Please apply in person daily.
Contact Val:
valerie.lessard@ricsgrill.com
778-425-2529
WEB EDITION
TRAFFIC IN SOOKE
More often than not, drivers turn left
at the Townsend/Sooke intersection,
despite the signage that says
NO LEFT TURN.
The fine, if you’re caught, is $121.
Gas at the Pump in Sooke ~ Summer 2013
Gasoline prices at retail service stations in
Sooke were unusually stable in the last six
weeks, then jumped on July 11: Jun e1-2 ~
$1.279 | June 3&4 ~ $1.359 June 5-6 ~ $1.319
| June 7-July 10 ~ $1.359 | July 11 ~ $1.449
Sooke VOICE advantage: All display ads
include online event postings and Tweets.
CLASSIFIEDS
Accommodation
FOR RENT. Private basem ent suite in
Sooke town center. 1bdrm + den, 1bath. 5
appliances. No pets, no smoking. $800/mo.
Utilities negotiable. Ideal for single, working person. Available Aug.1. 250-507-2309
4-line ads only $19.95/we ek!
advertising@sookevoicenews.com
250-642-7729
MapleLine Business Centre goes
mobile after July 19. Get free ebulletins about
ongoing business documentation s ervices:
info@maplelinebusinesscentre.com . Subm it
projects by email, output delivered within
Sooke. www.maplelinebusinesscentre.c om
Sooke Voice News office ‘goes mobile’ after July 19. Get free enews bulletins:
news@sookevoicenews.com . Print edition
continues at coffee shops. Full PDF weekly
online in cololur: www.sookevoicenews .c om
District of Sooke Arts & Beautification Mayor’s advisory panel. Thurs. July 25.
7 pm, Prestige Hotel. All welcome.
BC Day long weekend: Aug.3-5
Art in the Park show/sale at Ed
Macgregor Park. Sat Aug. 17 & Sun. Aug.
18. www.sookecomm unityarts.com
Blood count down in summer
Gotta love
summer in
Sooke!
Twice on Wednesday: fire by butt
July 22-26
Ages 6-14
FUN | SAFE | EDUCATIO NAL
On and off the water
9 am to 3:30 pm | Mon-Fri
$250
~ At Marin er’s
Village waterfront ~
For more info o r to register:
778.425.4030
www.sookesailing.com
Sharon Thomas,
MSc, MA
Providing counselling
and support services to
youth, parents, adults, and
seniors , helping you deal
with life transitions. Offering
insights into addictions
and dom estic violence.
Local in Sooke.
sharonthom as1@live.com
250-686-8187
6653 Sooke Rd
The July 26-August 5 Sooke
Fine Arts Show event lineup includes the Purchaser’s Preview
Night ($25 ticketed event, July 25) and Artist
Celebration (by invitation, evening of July 27)
as well as the general ac tivity events during
regular show hours including Artz4Kids and
Artz4Youth (July 30), Seniors Tea (July 31 &
Aug 1), and the popular Tas te of Sooke c atered soirée (Aug.1 – tickets $12).
Regular show hours are 10 am to 7 pm
daily (exc ept Sat. July 27 and Mon. Aug 5 –
open 10 am to 5 pm those days). Operations
depend upon an ‘arm y’ of volunteers . Show
pas s $15, one-day pass $8 ($7 seniors). Adm is s ion is free for c hildren under 12.
www.s ook efinearts.com SVN
For the past several years, Christopher Taber has conducted the outdoor summer Sooke Philharmonic Fling! concert at Ed Macgregor Park, with Maestro
Norman Nelson working the sound board under an umbrella situated mid-park.
But Nelson will be back in front of the stage for this year ’s free concert on
Sunday, July 14, in part to recognize his long-standing success with the symphony, starting in 1998, shortly after he arrived in Sooke – a 15-year stint!
This year’s concert also features Marion Newman, Mezzo-Soprano soloist. Other special guests include T’Sou-ke Nation singers and drummers, Sooke
Dance Studio, Sooke Pipes & Drums, and Journey Middle School strings. SVN
Put on by BC Sailing
emergency vehicle in parade, or antique car/
car club 250-642-5422 ssorensen@sooke.ca
Art show &
activities for
every taste!
Norman Nelson takes baton for 2013 Fling!
Sailing Camp for
Kids in Sooke
WEB EDITION
Farm Tour. Sooke Region Food
CHI. Sun. Aug. 18. Vis it 10 farm s (from
Metc hos in to border of Shirley and Otter
Point). Tickets $12 at Sooke Country Market.
Fire Truck and Emergency Vehicle Parade / Antique Ve hicle Show &
Shine. Family picnic, food concession, inflatable games, kids events. Sat. Aug. 24.
John Phillips Memorial Park. Parade starts
from SEAPARC arena 10:30 am (ass emble at 10am) along Sooke Rd to Otter Point
to the park. Show &Shine 11-5. To enter
Check our extensive selection
of sterling silver jewelry with
semi-precious stones!
25¢ per milk-based drink but we haven't had a cost increase for a few years so this is a way to bump prices by
a round number (everything on our menu is divisible by
25¢) while providing a benefit,” says Evans. “The actual
cost increase to The Stick in using Organic Milk range
between under a dime and over a quarter per cup depending on the size and the drink. I don't know of any
other cafes using just organic milk. I'm sure they're around
but I don't know of any.” SVN
Pupil
size gets
smaller
as we
age
Peoples, Buffy’s.
www.aseaofbloom.com
BE SAFE ON & AROUND THE WATER THIS SUMMER
Drowning occurrences are up in 2013. So far, 37 people have
died in water in BC, compared with 20 this time last year (total 81
in 2012, 61 in 2011). Whether it happens around swimming or
boating, alcohol and drugs account for 40%of drowning deaths,
according to the BC Coroner’s office. SVN
On Wednesday, July 3 there were two small fires handled by
Sooke Fire Rescue Service. Both were related to the tossing
away of lit cigarettes.
WEB EDITION
One cigarette butt fell into the Sunriver in the bark mulch
next to the Sunriver sales office and was noticed by someone
walking by (about 8:00 am), says Sooke Fire Rescue Chief Steve
Sorensen. The second call was in the back yard of a house on
Otter Point Road in the afternoon where a grass fire was spreading rapidly towards the house. “Quick work by fire crews prevented any damage to buildings," Sorensen said. SVN
RCMP M usical Ride. Sat Aug.17
& Sun. Aug.18, Saanich Fairgrounds. Tickets$10 ($2 kids) at Sooke RCMP, Shoppers,
250-642-3952 |
Drawing blood at the July 3 & 4 Canadian Blood Services donation clinic in Sooke produced 70 donations (29
on the first day, 41 the next). One blood donation equals
just under half a litre of blood.
WEB EDITION
Thursdays usually have a higher turnout in Sooke
(Wednesday was only recently added to the program),
but clinics in all locations are apparently slower in summer as people are often away on vacation.
Clinics in Sooke are held at Holy Trinity Church on
Murray Rd. The next one is set for August 28 & 29. SVN
Organic milk now at The Stick
Organic Milk was the big announcement at the StickFest6,
a celebration last Sunday at The Stick coffee house for succeeding six years to date as a small business in Sooke.
“We are just solidifying our goal of going GMO free and
as organic as practical. Organic milk is WAY more expensive
than regular but it isn't the only cost in making a latte,” said
Stick owner David Evans. He explained that the biggest two
costs in a latte are labour and milk, then the coffee, then the
cup/lid/sleeve/sugar/cream and somewhere down the list is
utilities, rent, profit.
“Organic milk means we'll need to bump our prices by
Free event postings are a courtesy as
space permits (priority to advertisers).
6726 West Coast Rd ~ 250-642-6833
EVENTS & ACTIVIT IES
Register: 250-590-3277
Friday, July 12, 2013 ::: SOOKE VOICE NEWS
Did you know we have premium grade
Matcha Green Tea at LVB?
WHAT’S GOING ON
SUMMER EXHIBITS
www.sookevoicenews.com/Sooke-area-events.htm
Café & Marketplace
Page 4 of 4 ::: In colour online: www.sookevoicenews.com
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Open 8 a.m. until 9 p.m. every day
The Best Pies in Sooke!
2036 Shields Road ~ 250-642-3314
Hot dogs
& burgers
with
Horgan
As we age, the pupil size of the
eye becomes smaller. The lightadapted eye of a 20-year-old receives six times more light than
that of an 80-year-old. In darkadapted conditions, the 20-yearold eye receives about 16 times
more light.
The advantage of more
things being in focus for the ageing eye usually outweighs the disadvantage of losing more light.
SVN
We’re at 6726 West Coast Rd.
Dr. Louise
Be sure your
Morin & Dr.
summer
eyewear
Brian Joslin,
provides
& Associates
Information &
the UV
appointments
protection
that
you
need!
Optometry exams:
OPTOMETRISTS 250-642-4311
Eyecare & Eyewear
Mon Tues We d Fri ~ 9 to 5
Thurs ~ 9 to 7 | Sat ~ 8:30 to 3
The Juan de Fuca NDP will host their annual family BBQ and dessert auction on
Sunday, August 25 (12:30 to 2:30pm) at
the Sooke River Campground (Sooke Flats
on Phillips Rd). There'll be good food,
games and fun to enjoy the afternoon with
John Horgan! Everyone welcome! $10 per
family. Info at jdfndpca@gmail.com . SVN
Upcoming Public Meetings
2013
Mayor’s “Promote Sooke”
Task Force
in Council Chambers
Wednesday, July 17 at 7:00 pm
2225 Otter Pt Rd, Sooke, BC
Mayor ’s PublicAdvisoryPanels
The public is invited to attend the Mayor’s
Public Advisory Panel meetings
at the Prestige Resort Meeting Room:
Economic Development
Steve Grundy, Chair
3rd Thursday of each month at 7:00 pm
Arts and Beautification
Brenda Parkinson, Chair
4th Thursday of each month at 7:00 pm
Community Health and Social Issues
- Nicky Logins, Chair
2nd Wednesday of each month 7:00 pm
This schedule is subject to change.
Please call 250-642-1634 to confirm meetings.
Council meeting agendas may be viewed at
www.sooke.ca
WHAT’S NEW AT THE DISTRICT:
CHECK IT OUT! at www.sooke.ca
Always be ready for emergencies. It starts with a
plan. And is your Grab ‘N Go bag all set?