November 23, 2012 edition of the Peninsula News Review
20
the rest easy. Help us make Watch for breaking news at www.peninsulanewsreview.com Friday, November 23, 2012 Devon MacKenzie/News staff A gaggle of geese search for tasty morsels in a North Saanich yard. Business group wants BIA Sidney Business Development Group seeks alternate approval process Steven Heywood News staff Proponents of a business improve- ment area (BIA) in downtown Sidney are seeking an alternate approval pro- cess through the Town of Sidney. In presenting council on Monday a 65-page report on economic develop- ment options for the downtown busi- ness community, the Sidney Downtown Business Group (SDBG) ended a five- month long research and consultation phase, seeking marketing plans for the community in the face of growing busi- ness pressure and competition. The best option, they say, is a BIA comprised of some 380 local business owners. Sail on in to Sidney Sidney Sparkles Santa Parade is this Saturday, followed by the popular Sail Past Devon MacKenzie News staff The Sidney Sparkles Santa Parade is set to take over Sidney this weekend. The popular annual parade which is put on by the Peninsula Celebrations Society features a bounty of lighted floats including Island Farms’ Daisy the Cow and of course the special guest of the night, Santa Claus. The parade, which begins at the top end of Bea- con Avenue and travels down and turns to Second Street, attracts hundreds of spectators to Sidney each year. This year, spectators on Second Street can stop by The Mortgage Centre who will be offering free popcorn and hot chocolate to parade spec- tators. The night will also feature the annual Lighted Boat Parade which has been a fixture of the holiday season since 1985. “We usually have around 20 boats or so and we’ve really been pushing this year so I hope it will be a big group,” said Warren Franklin, one of the event organiz- ers. The Sidney Sparkles Santa Parade starts at 5 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 24 and the Lighted Boat Parade begins around 6:15 p.m. Arrive early to nab good spots to see Santa along Beacon Avenue and set up camp along the Sidney waterfront or near Tulista Park to watch the festive boats slip past. For details on the festivities visit peninsulacelebra- tions.ca. PLEASE SEE: Business community needs, page 2 PENINSULA NEWS Residents warn of rabbit explosion The population of rabbits in a portion of North Saanich has some people worried, page 5 Singing about the season The Peninsula Singers’ Christmas production takes place Dec. 7 to 9, page 13 Established 1912 File Photo Smiling faces greet the annual Santa Parade in Sidney.
Transcript
the rest easy.Help us make
Watch for breaking news at www.peninsulanewsreview.comFriday, November 23, 2012
Devon MacKenzie/News staff
A gaggle of geese search for tasty morsels in a North Saanich yard.
Business group wants BIASidney Business Development Group seeks alternate approval processSteven HeywoodNews staff
Proponents of a business improve-ment area (BIA) in downtown Sidney are seeking an alternate approval pro-cess through the Town of Sidney.
In presenting council on Monday a 65-page report on economic develop-ment options for the downtown busi-ness community, the Sidney Downtown Business Group (SDBG) ended a five-month long research and consultation phase, seeking marketing plans for the
community in the face of growing busi-ness pressure and competition. The best option, they say, is a BIA comprised of some 380 local business owners.
Sail on in to SidneySidney Sparkles Santa Parade is this Saturday, followed by the popular Sail PastDevon MacKenzieNews staff
The Sidney Sparkles Santa Parade is set to take over Sidney this weekend.
The popular annual parade which is put on by the Peninsula Celebrations Society features a bounty of lighted floats including Island Farms’ Daisy the Cow and of course the special guest of the night, Santa Claus.
The parade, which begins at the top end of Bea-con Avenue and travels down and turns to Second
Street, attracts hundreds of spectators to Sidney each year. This year, spectators on Second Street can stop by The Mortgage Centre who will be offering free popcorn and hot chocolate to parade spec-tators.
The night will also feature the annual Lighted Boat Parade which has been a fixture of the holiday season since 1985.
“We usually have around 20 boats or so and we’ve really been pushing this year so I hope it will be a big group,” said Warren Franklin, one of the event organiz-ers.
The Sidney Sparkles Santa Parade starts at 5 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 24 and the Lighted Boat Parade begins around 6:15 p.m. Arrive early to nab good spots to see Santa along Beacon Avenue and set up camp along the Sidney waterfront or near Tulista Park to watch the festive boats slip past.
For details on the festivities visit peninsulacelebra-tions.ca.
PLEASE SEE:Business community needs, page 2
PENINSULA NEWS
Residents warn of rabbit explosionThe population of rabbits in a portion of North Saanich has some people worried, page 5
Singing about the seasonThe Peninsula Singers’ Christmas production takes place Dec. 7 to 9, page 13
Established 1912
File Photo
Smiling faces greet the annual Santa Parade in Sidney.
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The support received by the SBDG, said SBDG chair Cliff McNeil-Smith, has been tremendous. In its report, the group lists 76 business and commercial property owners who are lend-ing their support to the BIA concept.
Another 10 are non-profit groups or busi-nesses outside of the downtown boundary — all of whom say they will become associate members of the BIA.
“The level of sup-port is incredible,” said
McNeil-Smith. “People are saying there are merits to it. On the eco-nomic side, the report speaks to the issue of business here clos-ing faster than they’ve been opening.”
While the formal sup-porters are nowhere near half of the esti-mated 380 businesses in the catchment area, McNeil-Smith pointed out they have met with some 200 owners. Not all elected to give offi-cial support, he said, but almost everyone agreed a BIA could be beneficial.
A BIA, as proposed by the SBDG, would automatically include all businesses in a downtown boundary area. The BIA would charge members a levy each year, generat-ing between $250,000 and $275,000 in each of its first five years. That money would be mostly used to market the area and help cre-ate a vibrant business community. The SBDG estimates an initial startup cost of around $350,000 in 2013.
“We are facing a lot of competition from else-
where in the region,” said McNeil-Smith. “Eight other business districts have estab-lished marketing funds and we’re facing com-petition from new and expanding areas.”
Benefits of a BIA go beyond just retail busi-nesses, added Steve Duck of the TIDES group, who has been behind much of the early work of the SBDG.
“Service providers, like accountants, are seeing the impact of an economic downturn,” Duck said. “Businesses are struggling in this economy, and not just the ones on Beacon Avenue.
“It’s time to try some-thing that has a proven track record.”
Sidney mayor Larry Cross agrees the local
business community needs a boost. Council is neutral on the BIA matter, he noted, say-ing it’s up to the busi-nesses themselves to see it through or not.
He said as mayor he is responsible for the well-being of the entire community.
“We have to do some-thing,” he said. “If we don’t do this, then what do we do?”
Cross credited the SBDG for its hard work and detailed report. He added the support shown for the BIA pro-posal has been good, considering the difficul-ties involved in tracking down every single busi-ness owner.
Cross said council has asked town staff for a list of options and recommendations for a BIA bylaw. That will include the cost of an alternate approvals pro-cess (counter-petition). A bylaw, he continued, will have to set out a legislative process and
structure for a BIA.A report from staff is
expected back to coun-cil for debate and deci-sion at the Monday, Dec. 17 meeting.
Council, said Cross, is trying to stay neutral on this issue, and will consider its merits and feedback from the com-munity.
Should council reject the alternate approv-als process, he said the SBDG could hold a ref-erendum.
The SBDG is not done yet, agreed McNeil-Smith. They will con-tinue to offer informa-tion at www.sidneybiz.com about the BIA proposal leading up to an approvals process. Should the BIA win the day, McNeil-Smith said the SBDG’s work will be done and its vari-ous members would be absorbed into the BIA legislative structure, along with other down-town businesses.
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The next couple of editions of the Peninsula News Review will highlight businesses on the recent Saanich Pen-insula Chamber of Commerce Tour of Industry. Read about what they do, their challenges and success stories.
Steven HeywoodNews staff
Thinking outside of the box has been a mantra for coming up with brilliant ideas and business strat-egies, but for a Central Saanich-based company, it’s the box itself that sells.
More specifically, it’s what’s inside the boxes they build that attracts a world-wide customer base to Quester Tangent.
Quester Tangent builds electron-ics for passenger rail services, or mass transit systems. They have found success in this industry after starting out in 1983 in marine services creating remote, acous-tic seabed sensor systems. They branched out into transit services in 1994 and currently sell prod-uct to companies like Bombardier, Hyundai Rotem and Toshiba.
Company vice-president and chief operating officer Bill Collins says their transit products — used in the control of various systems — are being utilized in Beijing, San Francisco, Boston and New York, to name a few. In a nutshell, electronics used in these transit systems are kept in a box and mounted on a train car. Transit drivers can access these boxes of electronics for real-time opera-tional and environmental informa-tion, specifically braking controls.
Quester Tangent’s braking con-trol systems are acceleration limit-ing devices. They were in use with the Skytrain system in Vancouver. Engineer Richard Lyne said since the force of slowing down a train can be powerful (and left uncon-trolled could send passengers fly-ing), the company’s equipment provides auxiliary braking con-trol at safe distances — helping to gradually slow down the train.
“Our box,” Lyne said, “uses the same software used to propel, to slow trains down and stop at a safe distance.”
He explained that in the San Francisco transit system, light
rail trains there need to be able to stop safely and prevent peo-ple from falling in the event of an emergency halt.
Project engineer Jim Kightley said Quester Tangent’s train man-agement systems have been evolv-ing. Where they once sported but-tons, the company has recently introduced a touch screen for their boxes.
“The challenge now is that everyone wants touch screens,” he explained. “It has been difficult to create one that can operate in semi-industrial environments.”
Quester Tangent has put together a control box that has a touch screen that can stand up to punishment and is able to respond to gloved fingers. A sys-tem is destined for the transit ser-vice in Atlanta, Georgia and one already is at work in Philadelphia. Soon, the company plans to have
it in Kuala Lumpur.Quester Tangent has worked
hard to acquire an international clientele. Doing so, said Collins has been the result of building their reputation for reliability and customer service. Collins added it
takes approximately two years to win a contract, from bid process to final designs. After that, build-ing what a client needs and meet-ing the demand can take as long as three years.
“Reliability is key in making and
keeping a reputation,” he said, not-ing that in 10 years of service in the New York transit system, their control devices have not had a breakdown.
Their reputation also led to a job in Washington, D.C.
“That’s what it takes to make it possible for Quester Tangent to be well-known in the industry,” Col-lins said.
Their Saanichton location includes research and develop-ment operations as well as prod-uct manufacturing and testing — not to mention their main head-quarters. Collins said the company started with just four people in a lab. Now, they employ 80 people and Collins estimates they could have upwards of 120 soon.
FEATURE
Quester Tangent thinks inside the boxSaanichton company building transit control devices for worldwide clientele
Steven Heywood/News staff
Quester Tangent vice-president and chief operating officer Bill Collins explains what the company does to a tour group with the Saanich Peninsula Chamber of Commerce.
Steven Heywood/News staff
Quester Tangent engineer Richard Lyne points out the Central Saanich company’s touch screen.
• Council unanimously approved a development permit that allowed the removal of a crosswalk in the plans for a condo development at 842 Verdier Ave.
The move to get rid of the crosswalk in the design guidelines for the condos was because the
portion of the roadway which the crosswalk fell on is under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Trans-portation and Infrastructure and the process to have the crosswalk approved would have stalled the development.
Staff will pursue input from the ministry to find out where an appropriate pedestrian crosswalk could be located in the area.
• Council approved two final adoptions of bylaws during the meeting including one, bylaw 1788, which allows the closure and removal of dedication as highway of a portion of White Road in Central Saanich.
The company earns an estimated $120 million in revenue each year and has a payroll of $3.5 million. Collins said they are happy to be achieving this level of success in Central Saanich.
“Our employees like living here,” he said.
Tour Mini SeriesIn Wednesday’s News Review: Our mini series
wraps up with the final stop in the Tour of Indus-try — Central Saanich’s Level Ground Trading Ltd. Find out the lengths the company goes to, to ensure their suppliers make a fair wage.
Continued from page 3
Quester Tangent payroll hits $3.5m
Steven Heywood/News staff
Quester Tangent of Central Saanich builds electronic control devices for mass transit systems around the world.
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Notice to membersThe Nominations and Election Committee is seeking to fill three director positions in 2013, each for a three-year term.
A mandatory information session for all prospective candidates will be held at 6 pm on Wednesday, January 9, 2013 at Vancity’s head office at 183 Terminal Avenue, Vancouver. If you do not attend this session, you may not be eligible to run as a candidate in the 2013 election.
Potential candidates are required to submit confirmation of their intention to run for the Board by no later than 12 noon on Monday, January, 14, 2013. Interviews with the Nominations and Election Committee will be scheduled and held prior to Wednesday, February 6, 2013.
For more details about the call for nominations, please carefully review the candidates information package available online at vancity.com. If you have any questions, please call Vancity’s Governance Department at 604.877.7595.
Returning officersWe are looking for returning officers to assist in branches between Friday, April 12 and Saturday, April 20, 2013. To apply for a position, please send a letter, fax or email with your name, address and phone number and indicate which branches would be most convenient for you. Past experience as a returning officer does not guarantee re-employment. Submit your letter by Friday, January 18, 2013 to:
Governance Department, Reference ROVancityPO Box 2120, Station TerminalVancouver BC V6B 5R8
Call for nominations2013 Vancity Board of Directors election
Steven HeywoodNews staff
For the last five months, Peter Hurley says he has watched the number of feral rab-bits on his property, and that of his neighbours, grow — and there has been no action from the District of North Saan-ich.
Speaking to council at their Nov. 19 regular meeting, Hurley said he presented a petition on behalf of his neigh-bours, residents of the Green Park Estates sub-division, expressing concern with a grow-ing population of feral rabbits. Five months after that, he said noth-ing has been done and the response from the municipality has been almost nonexistent.
“It seems to be a wide-spread prob-lem,” Hurley said, not-ing that there are large feral rabbit populations throughout the region, including in Sidney.
“This has been an issue here for about four or five years.”
The area around Tan-ager Road, Green Park Drive, Calypso Lane and Elderberry Way does see more than its share of rabbits. Hurley said he has gone as far as contacting the facilities
manager at the Univer-sity of Victoria, which has had a problem with feral rabbits as well.
“I asked them how they dealt with it,” Hur-ley said, noting he was told UVic has program to capture and sterilize the rabbits to try and control their numbers.
The university also found people willing to relocate the animals.
Hurley said after hearing nothing from the district months ago, he spoke with council-lor Conny McBride, but still, nothing has been done.
“You can catch them,”
noted McBride Monday night, “you just aren’t allowed to kill them.”
She said she read provincial wildlife reg-ulations on the matter and with that limita-tion, dealing with the rabbit population in North Saanich is going to be expensive.
“But the longer it’s left, the worse it can get,” she said.
“The problem is spreading throughout the neighbourhood,’ Hurley added.
“There are thousands of them,” said McBride, “and they are growing.”
Resident Ted Izard
addressed the issue as well, saying he doesn’t feel there’s a problem. ‘I don’t feel there has been an increase in (rabbit numbers),” he said. “I enjoy having the animals there.”
He said they are harmless and part of rural living.
“I hope council under-stands there really isn’t a problem.”
McBride said, how-ever, that the rabbits in the area are domes-tic animals gone wild and they will have an impact on people’s property and on agri-cultural land in the
area. She suggested staff needs to look into the matter and plan for animal control there.
District director of planning Mark Bro-drick said the issue was brought to an environmental advi-sory committee meet-ing last August, but no recommendations were made.
He said under cur-rent laws, there are a few options to deal with the problem — from trapping and sterilizing them, to using repel-
lents and fences and keeping yards clear of habitat.
Another option might be trapping them and using them as raptor food at a rehabilitation centre for birds of prey.
Coun. Dunstan Browne suggested staff speak with officials at the University of Vic-toria to determine the best options to deal with a lot of rabbits.
“Staff needs to find out more,” he said. “There are no firm sta-tistics (on rabbit num-
bers), only the impres-sions of the residents, and there is some dis-pute there. UVic might be helpful.”
Council referred the matter to district staff for more information and control sugges-tions.
“The damage they cause can be exten-sive,” added Coun. Elsie McMurphy. “Then, there’s a huge emotional conflict. We do need to deal with this before it gets out of control.”
Devon MacKenzieNews staff
Vantreight Farms and Muir Communications are one step closer to being allowed to erect a 50m tower on farm land in Central Saanich.
During a planning and development committee meeting on Nov. 13 council moved to direct staff to prepare a land use bylaw amendment bylaw to rezone the property — owned by Vantreight Farms — where the tower is proposed to be built. The change would see the property re-zoned to a pub-lic utility zone (P-3) from agricultural, to permit the 50m tower height.
“I’m supportive of this motion,” said Coun. Carl Jensen during the meeting. “It allows local farmers to diversify their revenue stream.”
Opposition from the gallery during the meeting was evident, with members of the public citing concerns over the tower height and its visibility to surrounding residential areas. Most concerns raised from the gallery rested on the possible health implications of electromagnetic radiation that would come from having telecommunication devices in the municipality. However, there were also 14 letters received by staff before the meet-ing that were in direct support of the tower being erected.
The application from Muir Communications pro-poses a 50m (164 foot) tower to be built within a 30m by 30m (98 foot square) compound for the installation of various telecommunication com-
panies’ equipment. Vantreight noted during the meeting that their farmland has already housed telecommunications antennas on existing build-ings for over 20 years.
“Now we’re just waiting for Central Saanich staff to follow the direction of council and go through the readings and public hearings,” he said, adding that he and Muir Communications plan to pro-ceed with building with tower as soon as possible should everything before council be approved.
Cell tower wins supportCentral Saanich council allows application to take next step
Residents worried about rabbit explosionGreen Park Estates resident asks North Saanich council to act now before there are too many rabbits
Steven Heywood/News staff
Feral rabbits are becoming an issue for residents in the District of North Saanich. Some are petitioning their local municipality to do something about the animals before the population explodes.
The Peninsula News Review is a member of the British Columbia Press Council, a self-regulatory body governing the province’s newspaper industry. The council considers complaints from the public about the conduct of member newspapers. If talking with the editor or publisher does not resolve your complaint about coverage or story treatment, you may contact the B.C. Press Council.
Your written concern, with documentation, should be sent to B.C. Press Council, 201 Selby St., Nanaimo, B.C. V9R 2R2. For information, phone 888-687-2213 or go to www.bcpresscouncil.org.
2010
OUR VIEW
What do you think? Give us your comments by e-mail: [email protected] or fax 250-656-5526. All letters must have a name and a telephone number for verification.
The Peninsula News Review is published by Black Press Ltd. | #6 - 9843 Second St., Sidney, B.C. V8L 3C7 | Phone: 250-656-1151 • Fax: 250-656-5526 • Web: www.peninsulanewsreview.com
Jim Parker PublisherSteven Heywood EditorJanice Marshall Production ManagerBruce Hogarth Circulation Manager
Local issue goes national
All six candidates in the Nov. 26 Victoria federal byelection have offered their thoughts on sewage treatment for the Capital Region, in one forum or another in recent
weeks.It’s not surprising that all of the candidates
have hitched their campaign wagons to the do-it-now or wait-till-it-gets-bad camps
on sewage treatment. It’s an acknowledgement by would-be MPs and their promoters that public awareness on the issue is as high as
it has been since pro-treatment character Mr. Floatie achieved international notoriety.
A cynic might say those trying to gain office are simply taking advantage of the momentum being built by local politicians who question the logic of building a nearly $800-million facility, rather than holding off until damage to the marine environment becomes significant.
On the other hand, an optimist – one who also questions the decision to spend that kind of money on secondary treatment – might say it’s a good thing if a broader light can be shed on the marine science that has seemingly been ignored in this whole affair.
Five years ago, we encouraged all affected levels of government to give the science a more thorough evaluation. We continue to hold the view that research on the impact to the marine environment is incomplete.
With party leaders and other influential MPs campaigning with Victoria byelection candidates the past couple of weeks – all but Green leader Elizabeth May are from back east – we hope the whys of sewage treatment gain a higher profile in Ottawa in the near future.
That may not prompt the Conservative government to rethink its ban on dumping untreated sewage into the ocean, but it may buy cash-strapped Capital Region residents some time before we have to start shelling out for a treatment facility.
Byelection sheds broader light on sewage treatment
New parents paint the walls of their son’s nursery blue. Or they’ll dress their infant daughter in pink.
Unless you’re interested in sparking a discussion on gender norms, it doesn’t seem worth second-guessing that society identifies baby boys and baby girls by assigning a pastel colour to each sex.
But to me, it’s a no-brainer that blue is a boy’s colour and pink is a girl’s colour. That’s because my mind works different than most people’s.
I have a neurological condition known as synesthesia. More specifically, I have the ordinal-linguistic personification form of the condition.
Without an ounce of mental effort or requirement of thought, my brain assigns genders to colours, letters and numbers. It’s second nature to me. My brain has done this since as far back as I can remember.
The genders never change – C is always female, 7 is always male – and some letters and numbers have personalities (G, for example, is a burly, angsty female). Blue has always been male, and pink is always female.
It wasn’t until I was 20 that I realized the way my mind treated numbers, letters and colours was unusual.
I figured everyone else did the same thing – but after quizzing my friends, family and co-workers, nope, apparently not.
It’s actually quite comical how people respond when you rattle off the sexes of all 26 characters of the
alphabet. Most people will sit silently, thinking, and then defensively say, “No, M should be a guy!”
No, to me they’re wrong. M is a gal.
And so are A, C, D, G, L, N, O, Q, V and Y.
B, E, F, H, I, J, K, P, R, S, T, U, W, X and Z are male.
As are 1, 2, 5, 6, 7, and the colours blue, green, brown, beige, black and grey. 3, 4, 8, 9 and 0 are female, along with red, yellow, orange, purple,
pink, white … you get the idea.What’s my justification for these
gender assignments? I’m not sure, and I’ve tried to analyze it all.
Most people I chat with about my synesthesia disagree with me on green, orange and purple.
They think I should think green’s a girly colour, and orange and purple are manly.
I can’t reverse or switch the genders my brain doled out decades ago, so they’re really wasting their breath attempting to change my mind.
Ordinal-linguistic personification is a very mild form of synesthesia. The condition, as it’s defined, is a “union of senses.”
Some synesthetes taste words, while others see sounds.
“The male singer’s voice (is) gray and the female’s (is) white, both fading in and out of the darkness while the percussion makes the background ebb and flow. It’s like
watching a birds-eye view of a black ocean during the nighttime with strobe lights flickering on and off coming from underwater.”
That’s how a sound-colour synesthete, who posted about his experience online, described listening to one indie British pop band’s songs. That seems pretty sensational.
It would be problematic to have a gustatory banquet stimulate your taste buds with every conversation you have or book you read. But I think tasting words would be a really neat form of synesthesia to have.
I’m not sure if the strength of one’s synesthesia is ever so powerful that it’s handicapping, but when I think back on my childhood and formative years, I realize my synesthesia did impact my day-to-day life.
I wore, almost exclusively, blues, blacks, greens and greys, and shied away from purchasing anything purple, pink, orange or red. I wasn’t consciously trying to dress one particular way, I just didn’t want to wear the colours that I thought everyone else, like me, perceived to be female.
Having been a synesthete since childhood, I can’t imagine living a life where I don’t harmlessly and naturally segregate colours, numbers and letters by gender.
I just wish everyone else could experience what we synesthetes experience – your senses don’t know what they’re missing.
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More density in North SaanichSidney’s policy is to allow growth within their own city
border in order to promote rural lifestyles in adjacent municipalities. The OCP states, “The Town will promote industrial and commercial growth, and by permitting responsible residential densification, the Town will help ease the pressures of growth on rural communities.”
Why then do some councillors try to take away the rural lifestyle in North Saanich we residents need and appreciate? Instead of following their own agenda they should look with an open mind what is best for the com-munity, not favour those who are eager to change the rural character of North Saanich.
More density will create more urban sprawl, more peo-ple, more noise, more pollution, more vehicles and more traffic congestion on our already over- burdened road and highway system. In addition, residents can expect higher taxes — contrary to what developers want to tell us — to pay for infrastructure and servicing costs to provide the necessary road upgrades and other services like emer-gency and police.
Before council is eager to push more density through, they should listen what the majority of residents want and study their own OCP.
Hildegard HorieNorth Saanich
A tool of the prohibitionistsLetters to the editor perform a valuable purpose in dis-
seminating alternative ideas about subjects of interest in the news. Some are written from a sensible, reasoned stance, others contain nothing but bluster, misinformation and hyperbole.
Witness the letter published in the Nov. 14 PNR by Eileen Nattrass. She summoned up all the lies, half-truths and hyperbole that she could find or dream up. If one examines her assertions, they look ridiculous.
Marijuana causes deafness? That’s a new one. I must thank the editors for publishing this nonsense
because when the public sees how flimsy the prohibition-ist arguments are, when the refutations are overwhelm-
ing as I am sure they are, the public is educated. Not in the way intended by Ms. Nattrass, because the public will see that they have been deceived by false arguments and question the more reasonable-appearing arguments of the professional prohibitionists. She is actually sowing the seeds of the end of prohibition with her illogical argu-ments.
Thank you, Ms. Nattrass for being such an obvious tool of the prohibitionists.
Bruce SymingtonMedicine Hat, Alberta
Women brave enough to stand with RCMPI have a question for Mr. Scheideman (letters, Nov. 21).
Are you telling me women joining the RCMP was an experi-ment that failed? In your opinion, women who have drawn attention to being sexually harassed in the RCMP have caused this “experiment” to fail.
I was under the impression women should be able to join the RCMP without fear of being sexually harassed because police officers should uphold laws and moral standards. If I understand you correctly, women joining the RCMP should expect to be sexually harassed by their male counterparts?
If you worked alongside some of the first female RCMP you should be well aware that it has been almost 40 years since women have joined the force. When in your mind did we fail you and our communities? These women have been brave enough to stand up in the spotlight and be counted as women who will not tolerate sexual harass-ment in the workplace. You may not appreciate it, but as a 20-something female Sidney resident with a strong voice and a stronger family, I look forward to joining the emer-gency services within the next few years and it is men like you who drive me to join sooner. I would certainly expect that the men I will one day stand next to will view my pres-ence in a positive rather than a negative light.
You have done yourself as well as the local and national police forces an immense disservice.
Leah Tyler Sidney
Don’t blame the transit workersRe: Transit labour situation beyond ridiculous.I understand the reader’s frustration but think it is a
little misguided. As a public sector worker we have had a zero per cent increase in seven of the last 10 years, man-dated by the B.C. Liberal government.
Yet B.C. Transit can spend $4,000,000 in China for buses that should be built in Canada or at least the U.S. to help the economy. The Ministry of Transportation can allow Transit to ship almost 70 buses to Alberta for painting and refurbishing when the ability and facilities to do this job is right here in Victoria. Lastly, during these tough economic times, the government paid out hundreds of thousands of taxpayers dollars in incentive bonuses and severance packages to Crown Corporation CEOs.
So as a taxpayer I am also extremely frustrated but to direct it at the men and women who are doing the best they can with a broken system is just misguided.
Jim PullanSidney
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Send your letters to:■ Mail: Letters to the Editor, Peninsula News Review,
North Saanich density, prohibition, women in the RCMP and transitReaders respond:
‘Not in my backyard’ stance is not ethicalI
am a physician who moved to Sid-ney to live and work.
Over the past few months, I have acquired many new families as patients.
A significant number of people have expressed frustration at not being able to find reasonably priced places to live in this area.
This is unfortunate. Many are forced to live outside the
local area because of the lack of afford-
able new housing. Is it reasonable for those people who live here to exclude others from settling in this area?
Is it not possible for healthy residential development to occur provided it follows appropriate rules and guidelines?
As Canadians, it is not ethical to have a “not in my backyard” mentality with regard to controlled residential expan-sion.
I congratulate people like Ian Vant-reight for pushing to have the right to
assist in co-ordinated residential devel-opment. We actually need much more in the way of this form of development.
Friendly and organized new areas for living should be viewed as a very posi-tive thing for this community. It allows more Canadians with diverse talents and interests to call this their home.
When I drive around Central and North Saanich, it is easy to see large tracts of land which are completely unused for either farming, grazing or anything at all.
People cannot purchase farmland at the exorbitant prices which are presently demanded, and even begin to make a liv-ing farming this land.
So, the land sits there, underused and non-productive.
We need progressive thinking from our community leaders to thoughtfully guide the process of orderly residential expan-sion. It will benefit everyone.
Robert H. Brown M.D.Sidney
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The District of North Saan-ich and City of Nanaimo will jointly appeal a recent Prop-erty Assessment Appeal Board ruling that reduced the assessed value of land at the Horseshoe Bay ferry terminal from $47 million to only $20.
The decision impacts the budget of the District of West Vancouver, which faces repaying more than $750,000 for the 2010, 2011 and 2012 taxation years. West Vancouver is appeal-ing the decision, as is the B.C. Assessment Authority itself.
B.C. Ferries had won their property assessment appeal, stating the land’s highest and best use was for a ferry terminal and that no one would be willing to buy it, as is it’s part of a money-losing transporta-tion system.
B.C. Ferries is currently appealing the land value of the Swartz Bay terminal in
North Saanich. If they are successful there, a land value reduction could affect the estimated $395,000 in taxes (2012 numbers) B.C. Ferries pays the District of North Saanich.
“Acting jointly in this matter should improve the possibility of a fair outcome for our two municipali-
ties,” stated North Saanich mayor Alice Finall in a joint media release with City of Nanaimo mayor John Rut-tan.
Ruttan noted that his council believes every property should bear its fair share of the cost of ser-vices provided by local gov-ernment. In Nanaimo, B.C.
Ferries operates both the Departure Bay and Duke Point terminals, paying around $1.1 million in tax.
Nanaimo and North Saan-ich’s joint appeal shares resources and costs in a common goal, states the media release.
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North Saanich councillor Ted Daly wants to discuss the may-or’s report in the district’s regu-lar newsletters which are sent to residents with their municipal bills. More specifically, he wants to talk about the views mayor Alice Finall puts forward in those reports.
Plus, he wants the council to debate the overall cost of put-ting out the newsletters in the first place.
Daly raised the matter in a notice of motion at council’s Nov. 19 regular meeting. It will be debated at the next meet-ing, but other councillors and even two members of the public responded right away, defend-ing both the newsletter and the mayor’s report.
“I’ve been following munic-ipal hall for a long time,” said Colin Ross at the public podium. “The issue has been the need to improve access to council. That was backed up by an informa-tive newsletter.
“We will not be amused if any of our access to our municipal government is removed.”
Another public speaker sug-gested Daly’s move might be seen as an attempt to muzzle Finall’s comments.
Daly said he agrees that the mayor should have a commentary in any newsletter the district puts out — but that the mayor should be reporting the coun-cil’s direction, not the mayor’s own views.
“The mayor’s report is the mayor’s report,” countered councillor Elsie McMurphy. “It’s not up to council to muzzle or re-write (it). If the peo-ple of North Saanich don’t like the mayor’s report, then they’ll have to get another mayor.”
Coun. Dunstan Browne added they have had this discussion before, noting the newsletter
should be representa-tive of all of council.
Coun. Celia Stock said she’s fine with the mayor’s report in the newsletter. She noted that other such publications featuring mayors like Sidney’s Larry Cross or Saan-ich’s Frank Leonard, are full of those may-ors’ views.
“Our mayor should have that same right,” Stock said.
Daly’s notice of motion was approved in a 4-3 vote of council and will reappear for debate at the next regular meeting (Mon-day, Dec. 3).
Daly questions mayor’s reportCouncillor says comments must represent all of council
You be the judge: Did Finall’s comments go too far?
In the September 2012 North Saanich News municipal newslet-ter, mayor Alice Finall outlines five major issues faced by or still before council this year: a possible OCP review; the Sandown proposal that stalled; direction for a zero per cent tax increase; resolutions for increased housing density, and; the fast tracking of a housing development on East Saanich Road.
In her report, Finall states the housing density issue has “high-lighted the lack of any amenity or affordable/workforce housing policies to guide Council in its decisions.”
Read the entire report at www.northsaanich.ca/Residents/News_and_Events/Newsletters, and select the September 2012 newsletter.
Ted Daly
PENINSULA NEWS REVIEW -Friday, November 23, 2012 www.peninsulanewsreview.com • A9
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Devon MacKenzieNews staff
The two police forces on the Peninsula teamed up this past week to arrest a man who had been scamming local liquor stores.
Over the last two weeks Sid-ney North Saanich RCMP and the Central Saanich Police Ser-vice had reports of a man trying to scam liquor store employees by picking items up off the shelf and claiming he had purchased them when he hadn’t.
The fraudster would then ask cashiers for cash refunds for the alcoholic beverages and in some
cases he claimed the return was authorized by a manager.
On the morning of Saturday, Nov. 17 Central Saanich police officers were alerted by a liquor store employee that the man had returned.
Police quickly responded and found the man inside the store. The officers were able to identify the man as suspect from previ-ous reports and security videos and arrested him.
The man wasn’t able to pro-vide identification and gave the officers a fake name.
The suspect was transported back to the Central Saanich police station where he gave his
real name and it was discovered he had seven unendorsed war-rants in B.C. as well as being unlawfully at large from London, Ontario.
The 45-year-old man of no fixed address is currently in custody and is facing several charges including fraud, obstruction of justice and impersonation.
“This is a great example of multi-jurisdictional work where both forces on the Peninsula worked together with the liquor store employees to make this arrest,” said Cpl. Pat Bryant of the Central Saanich police.
Police team up in arrestRCMP and Central Saanich Police arrest store scammer
Sidney North Saanich RCMP
Devon MacKenzieNews staff
• The RCMP responded to 103 calls for ser-vice over the last week throughout Sidney and North Saanich.
• A break and enter to a residence on Chalet
Road in North Saanich was reported on Nov. 14. The homeowner believed the theft occurred
sometime during the day. On Nov. 20, another break and enter occurred during the day which resulted in a theft from a tool shed on the prop-erty on Woodcreek Drive.
• Police want to remind the public to secure all doors and windows before leaving home.
“Thieves can fit through surprisingly small spaces to gain entry,” said Cpl. Erin Fraser.
• A motor vehicle accident involving a B.C. Transit bus and a taxi was reported Nov. 15 in the McTavish roundabout. The Sidney North Saanich RCMP responded to the two vehicle collision and the driver of the bus was ticketed under the Motor Vehicle Act for failing to obey a yield sign.
Thank you to London Drugs and the Royal BC Museum for sponsoring the 2012 Team Power Smart Photo Contest, showcasing what wasteful behaviour looks like. Visit the Royal BC Museum from November 30, 2012 to January 27, 2013 to see the Team Power Smart Photo Contest Exhibit where you can see the finalists from this year.
Join Team Power Smart for exclusive offers, contests and energy-saving tips. For more information, visit powersmart.ca/jointheteam.
CONGRATULATIONS TO THE 2012 TEAM POWER SMART PHOTO CONTEST WINNER
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Central Saanich Police ServiceDevon MacKenzieNews staff
• Around 6:15 p.m. on Nov. 14 police were called to an accident just past the intersection of East Saanich Road and Mount Newton X Road. When officers arrived they discovered a 17-year-old man riding his skateboard down the middle of the road had been struck by a slow-moving vehicle. The teen sustained a broken leg and was transported to Saanich Peninsula Hospital. No charges were laid in the accident.
• A Central Saanich police officer impounded a vehicle on the morning of Nov. 15 for speeding on the Pat Bay Highway. The car was traveling 128 km/h in an 80 km/h zone and the 32-year-old Victo-ria man was charged with excessive speed.
POLICE NEWSIN BRIEF
Skateboarder struck by slow-moving vehicle
Steven Heywood/News staff
A fisherman statue at Sidney’s Bevan Avenue Pier is decorated with flowers and a poppy.
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Don DescoteauNews staff
Victoria Hospice and the B.C. Cancer Foundation are on a list of top performers among suc-cessful charities in Canada.
A report released this week by charity watchdog Charity Intel-ligence Canada placed the two organizations on its Top Picks list for 2012, not only for their effec-tive and efficient use of donor money, but their outcomes for the people they serve.
“As a not-for-profit organiza-tion our donors are absolutely vital to being able to do the work we do in caring for people,” said Wendy Wainwright, interim executive director of Victoria Hospice.
Engendering confidence in people who both donate and whose loved ones are cared for at Hospice is important, she adds.
“It really does speak to some-thing that is very important to us, and that is honouring their wishes.”
Being recognized by an inde-
pendent agency for the way it not only stewards donated money, but makes a difference in people’s lives is significant, Wainwright said.
“This is someone else saying ‘you’re doing what you’re saying you’re going to do.’”
The B.C. Cancer Foundation funds the B.C. Cancer Agency’s research and patient care activi-ties around the province, includ-ing the Deeley Research Centre in Victoria. It had about 110,000 donors at last count, accord-ing to foundation president and CEO, Douglas Nelson.
“We are honoured to have been selected as a Top Pick,”
he said in a statement. “This is validation for all of our efforts to ensure effective management of donor dollars.”
The ratings are based on performance in such areas as transparency, ratio of funding reserves to program costs, fund-raising costs and salary infor-mation. Charity Intelligence is an organization that analyzes the financial picture of charities across Canada to help donors determine where their dona-tions would be best used.
Area charities top performersGreater Victorians top online donor list
Online charity donation facilitator CanadaHelps.org has rated communities across the country for their level of giving through its website.
On that list, Greater Victoria ranked first for most donations per capita, with 7.9 donations per 100 people, well ahead of Vancouver, which came in second at 2.1 donations per 100 resi-dents.
Provincially, B.C. ranked second for total donations with 49,707 and third in total raised with $6.2 million.
CENTRAL SAANICH — Coun-cil decided not to appoint a replacement liaison to the Capi-tal Regional District Arts Devel-opment Grant Program.
Prior to his leave of absence, Councillor Terry Siklenka held the role. Council cited their grants to the Mary Winspear Cen-tre and Memorial Park Society as
some of their contributions to the arts, with Coun. Cathie Oun-sted stating they don’t need to contribute more manpower.
Special holiday memories are the theme of this year’s Penin-sula Singers Christmas produc-tion.
“Everyone has at least one spe-cial memory from Christmas,” said Peninsula Singer Virginia Rouslin. “And often, there’s that certain song we’ll hear that will bring the memory whirling back into our minds,” she added.
The connection of happy memories to music is the basis of the Peninsula Singers’ show and the group’s artistic director Glenda Korella said she thinks it will please the audience.
“I feel safe in saying that (the audience) will remember this concert for some time,” she said.
In addition to traditional favou-
rites in new arrangements, the concert will feature songs that may be new to the audience, such as the concert’s title song A Christmas to Remember made famous by singer-songwriter Amy Grant. The song will be per-formed by Singers’ soloist Sherry Majocha and will be accompa-nied by 50 photos of Christmas scenes that will be shown on the theater’s large screen.
A handful of talented young musicians from the Victoria Conservatory of Music will also take a place on stage during the show.
The Collegium Piano Quintet is comprised of pianist Soo Ji Lee, Galen Rohon O’Halleran on cello, violinists Nathan Bomans and Eehjoon Kwon and violist Jacob van der Sloot. Together, they have performed with the Victoria Symphony as well as
with the Sooke and Cowichan orchestras.
The Singers are also welcom-ing new accompanist Janet Yonge who has played for other choruses in the region and taught in Greater Victoria for over 30 years.
Concerts take place Friday, Dec. 7 and Saturday, Dec. 8 at 7:30 p.m. There will also be a matinee on Sunday, Dec. 9 at 2 p.m.
Tickets are $11 for kids under 12 and $22 for adults and are available at the Mary Winspear box office or by calling 250-656-0275. All concert proceeds will go to the Peninsula Hospital Foundation’s Music Therapy Program.
For more information on the show visit peninsulasingers.ca.
The Peninsula Singers present A Christmas to Remember at the Mary Winspear Centre Dec. 7, 8 and 9.
A Christmas to RememberPeninsula Singers celebrate a special season next month
Devon MacKenzieNews staff
A Stelly’s Secondary School graduate is using his talents to raise funds for the Victoria Gen-eral Hospital’s Pediatric Oncol-ogy and Hematology Clinic this weekend.
The Michael Wood Band, which is led by 18-year-old Wood
will be preforming original songs from his album Occupy This at the Jam for the Kids benefit con-cert at the Victoria Events Cen-tre Saturday.
While a student at Stelly’s, the Peninsula teen contributed his talents to the school’s cof-fee concerts that raise funds for many causes, local and world-wide including the annual Global
Perspectives Gala Night. Wood raised funds for international relief efforts in Nepal where he traveled to help dig terrace plots, plant crops and build shel-ters in the spring of 2012. Upon his return he used his album release concert to raise further funds for the project, donating $3,000 towards the project’s ongoing support.
Local musician plays for goodStelly’s grad raises funds for pediatric oncology clinic
Coach Larry Green says the recent Island finals volleyball cham-pionship gave his younger players a taste of the competition at a high level and will allow his squad to continue rebuilding.
Sidney’s Parkland Secondary School
hosted the AAA Island senior girls volleyball championship Nov. 16 and 17 in the gym. They placed 10th overall. The local girls opened the tournament Friday against Carihi Second-ary of Campbell River, dropping the match 25-12, 25-6.
“It’s a tough tour-nament,” said Green. “There are four pro-
vincially-ranked teams here.”
Those teams — Nanaimo District Sec-ondary School, Ballenas Secondary (Parksville), Timberline (Campbell River) and Carihi — will prove to be the stron-gest competition in the event, Green added.
For his players, most of whom are in grades 10 and 11 and are still early in their volley-ball careers, it’s a big learning curve after a successful season on the south Island region that got them into the event.
“Here, you’re not going to get free points,” Green said.
His expectation going into the tourney was for his girls to do the best they can and learn something in each game. His plan after the opening loss to Car-ihi, was to assess the team’s performance, fix it, move on and get all of his players on the floor throughout the weekend.
“We are (got) lots of experience here, after we did well to get here.”
Co-coach Kristine
Thompson, a teacher at PSS, said this was the first time in 15 years that the Island AAA cham-pionship was hosted by Parkland. The girls went 5-5 in their pool, then lost to both Wel-lington (Nanaimo) and Esquimalt to be elimi-nated.
Timberline (third), Ballenas (Parksville, second) and NDSS
(first) advance to the AAA provincials.
This year’s AAA senior girls volley-ball Islands included Parkland (Sidney), Claremont (Saanich), Esquimalt and Frances Kelsey (Mill Bay) from the south and from the north Island: Timber-line, Carihi, Mark Isfeld (Courtenay), Ballenas, NDSS and Wellington.
SPORTS
Steven Heywood/News staff
Parkland’s senior girls volleyball team gets together on the court during their opening match of the Island finals on Nov. 16. The local girls would finish 10th in the tournament.
Parkland building for next seasonSenior girls volleyball team is still young and learning says coach
Steven Heywood/News staff
Parkland’s Justine Fowler and Skylar Craig watch as Bailey Cooper attempts to put a ball past their opponents on Friday, Nov. 16.
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District of North SaanichPUBLIC NOTICE
Appointments To Committees, Boards And Commissions
The District of North Saanich is accepting applications from individuals interested in serving on the following Committees and Commissions:
• Board of Variance • Advisory Planning Commission • Agricultural Advisory Commission • Environmental Advisory Commission • Heritage Advisory Commission • Parks Advisory Commission• Saanich Peninsula Water Commission /
Saanich Peninsula Wastewater Committee
For further information about these volunteer opportunities, or to obtain an application form, please visit the District’s website at www.northsaanich.ca or visit the Municipal Hall at the address noted below from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays excluding statutory holidays. Interested individuals are invited to submit their applications, which must include an outline of your qualifi cations and experience, by Friday, December 7, 2012 to:
Curt Kingsley, Manager of Corporate ServicesDistrict of North Saanich
Many thanks! Many thanks! On behalf of the Sidney Lions Food Bank, the Peninsula Mission Community Church would like to thank you for your generous donations of money and non-perishable
food items collected each year at the Sparkles Parade. Just a reminder, we will
be collecting again this year and look forward to your continued support.
PENINSULA MISSIONCOMMUNITY CHURCH9300 Willingdon Rd., North Saanich250.885.7133
The Peninsula Panthers swept a pair of week-end games with a 2-0 win last Friday evening at the Panorama Recreation Centre against the North Division-leading Comox Valley Glacier Kings and a 7-4 thrashing of the Oceanside Gen-erals at Oceanside Place arena last Sunday after-noon.
On Friday, Nov. 16 the Panthers’ Nathan Looy-sen and Zack Smith each scored one point, while goaltender Stephen Heslop blocked all 26 shots directed his way by the Glacier Kings.
On Sunday, Nov. 18 the team’s strong efforts started early when Jonas Horvath out-hustled the Generals from Parksville while killing a pen-alty and passed the puck to Will Finlay who was waiting in front of the Generals’ net.
After that point, Smith and Daniel Welch scored two points each while Looysen and Reece Costain added singles to top up the final score to 7-4.
“We drove the net and banged in some nice rebounds. I was really impressed with our hun-ger to score,” said Panthers’ coach Rob Arm-strong.
“I thought we were really physical to start the game and had lots of energy and pressure at the net.”
The pair of wins last weekend marked the half-way point in the Panthers’ 48-game schedule. The team currently sits solidly in third place behind the Saanich Braves and the Victoria Cougars.
The Panthers’ next home game is scheduled for tonight when they host the Westshore Wolves at 7:30 p.m. at Panorama Recreation Centre.
JOIN OUR TEAMArbutus RV, Vancouver Island’s industry leader, is offering Sales Team opportunities in our Mill Bay & Sidney Locations, to meet the demands of our ever-increasing market. If you have previous proven sales skills or are an enthusiastic learner and self-starter looking for an above-average income this would be the perfect opportunity for you. We offer training, an employee benefi t program, and an exciting work environment along with the scope and credibility that 5 Island locations can bring. Demonstrate your interest by applying via email to [email protected]
FAMILY ANNOUNCEMENTS
IN MEMORIAM GIFTS
RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE BC
Help tomorrow’s families today – leave a gift in your will.
others, having claims against the Estate of Dr. Diana Kathleen
Stendel Gerard Wolf formerly of 409-9840
Fifth Street, Sidney, BC, Deceased are herebyrequired to send the
particulars thereof to the undersigned Executor, c/o James R. Fowler, 201-2377 Bevan Ave-nue, Sidney, BC V8L
4M9, on or before December 22, 2012 after which date the
estate’s assets will be distributed, having re-gard only to the claims
that have been received.
Kathleen Rebecca Hayasaka, Executor
WITNESS WANTED - A hit and run occurred on Oct. 30, 2012 at 3:15pm, at Richmond and Forrester St. A 2006 Hon-da Civic was struck by the unidentifi ed driver of a grey/sil-ver late model sedan with a spoiler. The offending vehicle fl ed on Forrester Street and remains unidentifi ed. If you have any information about the driver or vehicle that fl ed the scene, please contact GA-VIN in confi dence at 250-384-6262
COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS
LEGALS
NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND
OTHERS
Notice is hereby given that Creditors and
others, having claims against the Estate of Alard Berend Ages,
formerly of 10968 Madrona Drive, North
Saanich, BC, Deceased are hereby required to send the particulars thereof to the under-
signed Executor, James R. Fowler, 201-2377
Bevan Avenue, Sidney, BC V8L 4M9, on or
before December 22, 2012 after which date the
estate’s assets will be distributed, having
regard only to the claims that have been received.
James R. Fowler, Executor
NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND
OTHERS
Notice is hereby given that Creditors and
others, having claims against the Estate of
Kathlyn Benger, formerly of 466 Cain Road, Galiano Island,
BC, Deceased are hereby required to send the particulars thereof to the under-signed Executor, c/o
James R. Fowler, 201-2377 Bevan Avenue,
Sidney, BC V8L 4M9, on or before December 22,
2012 after which date the estate’s assets will be
distributed, having regard only to the claims that have been received.
James R. Fowler, Executor
WITNESS WANTED - a Hit and Run occurred on Nov. 9, 2012 at 8:30AM, at Mckenzie and Shelbourne. A 2004 BMW was rear ended by the uniden-tifi ed driver of a large silver SUV. If you have any informa-tion about the driver or the ve-hicle that fl ed the scene, please contact GAVIN @250-384-6262 or [email protected].
PERSONALS
STEAMWORKS: A club for men to meet men. 582 John-son St., Victoria. 250-383-6623 steamworksvictoria.com
LOST AND FOUND
FOUND. TRAY of tools, by Victoria Airport. Please call (250)656-7707
LOST EARRING in Fairway’s parking lot or inside store- black on one side, iridescent on the other. Reward! If found please call (250)656-1362.
FOUND SOMETHING?
250.388.3535
COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS
LOST AND FOUND
LOST: Oly the CatMissing from near Langford Veteran’s Memorial Park No-vember 13th. Friendly and could be in someone’s base-ment/shed. May have jumped into a car, could be far away from home. Much loved and missed. Any info appreciated, Please call 250-213-1779.
EDUCATION/TRADE SCHOOLS
INTERIOR HEAVY EQUIP-MENT OPERATOR SCHOOL.NO Simulators. In-the-seat training. Real world tasks.Weekly start dates. Job board! Funding options.Apply online! IHEschool.com 1-866-399-3853
HELP WANTED
AN ALBERTA Construction Company is hiring Dozer and Excavator Operators. Prefer-ence will be given to opera-tors that are experienced in oilfi eld road and lease con-struction. Lodging and meals provided. The work is in the vi-cinity of Edson, Alberta. Alco-hol & Drug testing required. Call Contour Construction at 780-723-5051.
Required for an Alberta Trucking Company. One Class 1 Driver. Must have a mini-mum of 5 years experience pulling low boys and driving off road. Candidate must be able to pass a drug test and be willing to relocate to Edson, Alberta. Scheduled Days Off. Call Lloyd 780-723-5051
.com
Looking for a NEW job?
PROFESSIONAL/MANAGEMENT
KURT LeRoy Trucking Ltd., of Campbell River is expriencing a 50% growth of new capital expan-sion over the next year with a new division on the mainland. We need a Highly Motivated exprienced CGA to complete monthly cost account-ing for each divsion.Payroll of 38-45 employee’s.Subcontractors will vary. Excellent salary and bene-fi ts.Please,e-mail resume’s with driver’s abstract to [email protected] or fax to 250-287-9914.
PERSONAL SERVICES
FINANCIAL SERVICES
GET BACK ON TRACK! Bad credit? Bills? Unemployed? Need Money? We Lend! If you own your own home - you qualify. Pioneer Acceptance Corp. Member BBB. 1-877-987-1420.
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HOME CARE SUPPORT
MATURE WOMAN looking for live out position as helper, caregiver or companion. Expe-rienced, excellent ref’s. Call Rose 250-891-6746.
RELIABLE RYLEY ElderCare.“Helping Seniors Stay at Home” Call me for my list of services. (250)886-6180.
PHOTOGRAPHY/VIDEO
RETOUCH, RESTORE, Edit Photos. Portraiture, Baby +Family, Maternity. Home Mo-vies to DVD. 250-475-3332. www.cwpics.com
PETS
EQUESTRIAN
HORSEBACK RIDING boots, black leather. “Ariat” brand tall boots, woman’s size 7.5, regu-lar calf, medium height. Excel-lent condition. Perfect fi rst pair of show boots! Paid $400, ask-ing $250 obo. 250-391-5992, leave message. (Westshore)
MEN’S FAR West winter gor-tex jacket with hood, Xlrg, $65. Call (250)656-6197.
FUEL/FIREWOOD
ARBUTUS, CYPRESS, fi r, hardwoods. Seasoned. Call 250-661-7391.
HELP WANTED
CLASSIFIED ADS WORK!Call 250.388.3535
MERCHANDISE FOR SALE
FUEL/FIREWOOD
SEASONED FIREWOOD Vancouver Island’s largest fi re-wood producer offers fi rewoodlegally obtained during forestrestoration, large cords. Helprestore your forest, Burndrywood.com 1-877-902-WOOD.
2010 LEGEND 4 wheel scoot-er with jumbo basket, scootercover, walking cane, fl ag hold-er and canopy. Like new, al-ways kept in the house. Retailprice $4,357, now asking$2050 obo. (250)656-7786.
$5000- POWER CHAIR, newcond, $1500 or Trade for(good cond) 4 wheeled Scoot-er. (250)896-7160 after 6pm.
MISCELLANEOUS FOR SALE
GOLF CLUBS+ bag “Top Flight” 10 clubs, used once(not a golfer), $110. Countrykitchen table, solid fi r, top72x38x1.5, $125. Call(250)479-7189.
HELP WANTED
Your community. Your classifieds.
Your community. Your classifieds. Your community. Your classifieds.
OPEN HOUSE, Sat, Dec 1, 1-3. 10353 Devlin Plc, Sidney Rancher 3 bdrm, 2 bath, lrg. fam room, private treed lot. Call 250-655-1499 or view w w w . p r o p e r t y g u y s . c o m ID#192295 or mls #316102
BUYING OR SELLING?Call 250.388.3535
REAL ESTATE
FOR SALE BY OWNER
Sidney luxury Condo- beauti-ful 2 Bdrms, 2 full baths, close to downtown, ocean views. #201-9942-Third St. $498,000.778-351-1239 ID#192331www.propertyguys.com
HOUSES FOR SALE
$399,000. Next to VGH, 2 bdrm + 3rd or offi ce, 2 lvl, end unit, windows on 3 sides. Large family room, 2 fi replac-es, pet allowed. 71-14 Erskine Ln., Tel: 250-478-0269. Open House, 2PM-4PM, Sat & Sun. www.Comfree.com/367097 www.mls.ca x2486311
REAL ESTATE
HOUSES FOR SALE
Incredible 5 acre treed PARK-LIKE PROPERTY
with Well-Maintained Furnished Home - 1500 sq.ft, 3-bdrm,
2 bath. Extremely close to Pristine Cowichan Lake,
in the town of Caycuse. Perfect for recreational
property or full time living. Motivated seller $378,800.
1 & 2 Bdrm suites & cabins. Perched on a cliffside with panoramic ocean vista, over-looking The Saanich Inlet. Se-rene & secure. All amenities on-site, fi rewood. $700-$1200 inclusive. Monthly/Weekly. Pets ok with refs. 25 min com-mute to downtown Victoria. Must have references. Call 250-478-9231.
JAMES BAY: Corner 2 bdrm condo, 2 bath, good location, beautiful kitchen, NS/NP, $1500/mo. 250-361-9540.
OAK BAY Junction: Jan. 1st. 2-bdrm in quiet, senior’s 55+ building. $850. Heat, h/w incl. N/P. Share purchase required. 1678 Fort St. (250) 595-4593.
SIDNEY: AIRPORT side of Beacon Ave. 650-700 sqft workshop/storage space. Rent incld’s heat and electricity with ample electric outlets. Shaw cable connection avail. Locat-ed on 2nd fl oor. Peninsula Mini Storage, 2072 Henry Ave. West. Call (250)655-6454. Also avail. 6500 sqft ware-house with large doors and high ceilings. Call to inquire.
2 BEDROOM trailers for rent located on the Alberni Hwy, Parksville . Prices range from $600 to $750 per month 250-954-9547
HOMES FOR RENT
4 BEDROOM house for rent on acreage located at 1066 Fair rd, brand new wood stove just installed. Large workshop, insulated and wired, perfect for small business. $1150per month. 250-954-9547
N. SAANICH: Newly reno’d 1-bdrm. $600, NP/NS. Call 250-655-3383, 250-888-9689.
TOWNHOUSES
SIDNEY- NEW 3 bdrm + den, W/D. NS/NP. $1700 mo. Avail Dec 1. Call 250-217-4060.
WANTED TO RENT
WANTED, FOR month of January: housesitting or rental of furnished Victoria area home, family of four. Mature, reliable homeowners visiting from northern B.C. Email:[email protected]
WISHART AREA: Single hard working mom with 11 yr old and 2 well trained cats, looking to rent a 1 or 2 bdrm, (approx $1000/mo), within walking dis-tance to Wishart school in Col-wood. Exc. ref’s. Please call 250-208-0386 and leave mes-sage.
TRANSPORTATION
AUTO FINANCING
Auto Financing 1.800.910.6402
DreamTeam Auto Financing“0” Down, Bankruptcy OK -
Cash Back ! 15 min Approvals1-800-961-7022
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AUTO SERVICES
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
CASH PAIDFOR ALL VEHICLES in
all conditions in all locations
250-885-1427Call us fi rst & last, we pay the highest fair price for all
dead & dying vehicles.Don’t get pimped, junked or
otherwise chumped!
CLASSIFIED ADS WORK!Call 250.388.3535
TRANSPORTATION
CARS
1992 CADILAC Deville,brown, 90k. Celebrity owned.View at 930 Ardmore Dr. (golfcourse parking lot). Silent auc-tion opening bid $3,900.
1997 TOYOTA Avalon XLS, white. $3,999. Automatic. Fullyloaded, no accidents, newtires. 229k. Great running car.Call (250)656-5588.
1998 PONTIAC Grand PrixGT US car - 193,000 miles,lady driven since 2003. $2200.Alan, (778)426-3487.
ALFRED, ALFRED QualityWindows Wholesale, Dis-counts! 50 years Constructionexperience. 250-382-3694.
SERVICE DIRECTORYwww.bcclassified.com 250.388.3535
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(1) Roaming rates apply outside of Canada. Data overage rate of 2¢/MB applies. (2) Availability of service will vary by country and is subject to change without notice. Excludes premium messages and subscription-based messages. Picture messaging includes international picture messages sent and received within Canada. Additional data charges apply depending on picture size when roaming in the U.S. and internationally. Picture messaging is supported by a BlackBerry smartphone with SIM card only. (3) Unlimited calling from 5pm to 8am, Monday through Thursday, and from 5pm Friday to 8am Monday.
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Wood’s latest contribution, Jam for the Kids, is a fundraiser supporting the Victoria General Hospital’s Pediatric Hematol-ogy and Oncology Clinic which acts as a satellite clinic to the
B.C. Children’s Hospital. Money raised at the concert will fund imminent clinic needs as well as support for the families of patients.
The concert takes place at the Victoria Events Center Nov. 24 at 7 p.m. Tickets are $10 and can
For more about Jam for the Kids or the Michael Wood Band, please visit michaelwoodband.com.
— With files from Eileen Wood
Continued from page 13
Jam for the Kids helping Vic General
Devon MacKenzie/News staff
Warren Franklin gets his boat, Merlin, ready for the Lighted Boat Parade on Nov. 24. The sail past begins after the Sidney Sparkles Santa Claus Parade, which kicks off at 5 p.m. and goes along Beacon Avenue from the corner of Beacon and Seventh, ending on Second Avenue.
