Community

Dragon boaters paddle for the finish line during a previous race event. The upcoming Vancouver Island International Dragon Boat Festival, on Aug. 6 and 7, is in need of volunteers to help stage this inaugural event. (Courtesy Fairway Gorge Paddling Club)

Volunteers needed for upcoming Island dragon boat festival in Victoria

Inaugural meet Aug. 6 and 7 part of the Vancouver Island Dragon Boat Race Series

Dragon boaters paddle for the finish line during a previous race event. The upcoming Vancouver Island International Dragon Boat Festival, on Aug. 6 and 7, is in need of volunteers to help stage this inaugural event. (Courtesy Fairway Gorge Paddling Club)
Community members have been working to revitalize the patch of forest at the University of Victoria’s Queenswood campus over the past few months. (Courtesy of Greater Victoria Green Team)

Volunteers continue the fight against invasive plants at UVic’s Queenswood campus

Greater Victoria Green Team helpers remove 6 cubic metres of non-native plants

Community members have been working to revitalize the patch of forest at the University of Victoria’s Queenswood campus over the past few months. (Courtesy of Greater Victoria Green Team)
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What you need to know to run for council or school board in Sooke

District hosts information session on Aug. 11

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A ceremony featuring Lekwungen and Esquimalt Nation dancers unveiled the expanded Songhees Park in Victoria on July 25. (Courtesy of the City of Victoria)

Newly expanded Songhees Park celebrates Lekwungen culture

Art, nature, accessible pathways, seating, gathering space included in park project

A ceremony featuring Lekwungen and Esquimalt Nation dancers unveiled the expanded Songhees Park in Victoria on July 25. (Courtesy of the City of Victoria)
Kelly Everill’s latest community mural is a spectacular tribute to our veterans. The two-storey design is on the outer wall of the Royal Canadian Legion Courtenay Branch 17. Photo by Terry Farrell

B.C. artist’s latest community mural a spectacular tribute to veterans

Courtenay artist Kelly Everill is well known for her community murals. They…

Kelly Everill’s latest community mural is a spectacular tribute to our veterans. The two-storey design is on the outer wall of the Royal Canadian Legion Courtenay Branch 17. Photo by Terry Farrell
Ducknana is an internet meme that combines fowl and fruit into statues of varying sizes. (Courtesy of Geoff de Ruiter)

Ducknana diehards descend on Beacon Hill in Victoria

Internet meme spills into the real world, with people sculpting fruity statues

Ducknana is an internet meme that combines fowl and fruit into statues of varying sizes. (Courtesy of Geoff de Ruiter)
Christine Thomas addresses the crowd, with the old playground in the background. (Photo by Don Bodger)

Playground, fitness facility groundbreaking for Island First Nations community

All ages being accommodated in the design

Christine Thomas addresses the crowd, with the old playground in the background. (Photo by Don Bodger)
Flanked by Coun. Carl Jensen (left) and Coun. Zeb King, Mayor Ryan Windsor cuts a ribbon July 20 to open the rainbow crosswalk near Bayside middle school. (Wolf Depner/News Staff)

LGBTQIA2S+ community receives signal of support from Central Saanich

Rainbow crosswalk at Bayside follows painting of benches at other area schools

Flanked by Coun. Carl Jensen (left) and Coun. Zeb King, Mayor Ryan Windsor cuts a ribbon July 20 to open the rainbow crosswalk near Bayside middle school. (Wolf Depner/News Staff)
At the time of this photo in the late 1920s, the Vancouver Island Power Company had just finished rebuilding the flume that carried water from Diversion Dam. (Courtesy Sooke Region Museum)

SOOKE HISTORY: The Jordan River project that powered Victoria

At the time of this photo in the late 1920s, the Vancouver…

  • Jul 24, 2022
At the time of this photo in the late 1920s, the Vancouver Island Power Company had just finished rebuilding the flume that carried water from Diversion Dam. (Courtesy Sooke Region Museum)
Dogs hold a special place in the hearts of many people. July and August are sometimes referred to as the dog days of summer, but those who have dogs will appreciate them every day of the year. (John Arendt - Summerland Review)

QUIZ: A celebration of dogs

During the dog days of summer, how much do you know about these majestic animals?

Dogs hold a special place in the hearts of many people. July and August are sometimes referred to as the dog days of summer, but those who have dogs will appreciate them every day of the year. (John Arendt - Summerland Review)
Colwood resident Graham Hales rode in his fourth annual Cycle of Life Tour this month, with his team Breaking Wind raising $19,222 for Victoria Hospice. (Courtesy of Graham Hales)

Local team raises $19k for Victoria Hospice in Cycle of Life Tour

Colwood’s Graham Hales rode 236 kilometres July 16 and 17 as part of fundraiser

Colwood resident Graham Hales rode in his fourth annual Cycle of Life Tour this month, with his team Breaking Wind raising $19,222 for Victoria Hospice. (Courtesy of Graham Hales)
Ian Smale’s light blue 1960 Chrysler Saratoga, pictured here by the water, was built in the company’s since-closed plant in Los Angeles, Calif. He bought it in an online auction and brought it home to Victoria from the U.S. in 2008. (Courtesy of Ian Smale)

Oak Bay car festival elicits decades of automobile anecdotes

Entries in July 24 show range from Chryslers and Dodges to Lambos and McLarens

Ian Smale’s light blue 1960 Chrysler Saratoga, pictured here by the water, was built in the company’s since-closed plant in Los Angeles, Calif. He bought it in an online auction and brought it home to Victoria from the U.S. in 2008. (Courtesy of Ian Smale)
Megan, left, Kim and Cassandra Campbell are collecting donations for Wear 2 Start, a charity which provides professional clothing, personal hygiene products and support for women in need entering the workforce. (Courtesy of Kim Campbell)

West Shore family collecting donations for women entering workforce

Wear 2 Start provides professional clothes, hygiene products to women in need

Megan, left, Kim and Cassandra Campbell are collecting donations for Wear 2 Start, a charity which provides professional clothing, personal hygiene products and support for women in need entering the workforce. (Courtesy of Kim Campbell)
Sander Eijgenraam, president of the Central Saanich Community Gardens Society (far right), speaks during Saturday’s garden opening on Clarke Road. (Photo courtesy Central Saanich Community Gardens Society)

Central Saanich community garden grows into reality with recent opening

Gardens located in Brentwood Bay neighbourhood feature 19 beds for households

Sander Eijgenraam, president of the Central Saanich Community Gardens Society (far right), speaks during Saturday’s garden opening on Clarke Road. (Photo courtesy Central Saanich Community Gardens Society)
Sahasi Erven’s Ukraine flower flag is pictured at Beacon Hill Park on Friday (July 22). Erven’s garden won’t reach its 100,000-flower goal, but that hasn’t stopped him from spreading his message of love and peace, both locally and abroad. (Evert Lindquist/News Staff)

Greater Victoria man keeps flower flag alive with message for Ukraine

Sahasi Erven looks to give garden new life, possibly in a new spot

Sahasi Erven’s Ukraine flower flag is pictured at Beacon Hill Park on Friday (July 22). Erven’s garden won’t reach its 100,000-flower goal, but that hasn’t stopped him from spreading his message of love and peace, both locally and abroad. (Evert Lindquist/News Staff)
Visitors to Colwood’s Wickheim Park have a new piece of public art to enjoy thanks to local artist Linda Simrose. (Courtesy City of Colwood)

Tucked-away Colwood park gets new piece of public art

New reproduced painting by Linda Simrose graces the south side of Lagoon Market

Visitors to Colwood’s Wickheim Park have a new piece of public art to enjoy thanks to local artist Linda Simrose. (Courtesy City of Colwood)
Dustin Riley carries his son Gavin around the 2015 Ukee Days fairgrounds. (Douglas Ludwig photo)

Family and friends honour Ucluelet’s Coastal Cowboy

The Blue Room chef Dustin Riley is remembered for his big heart, community spirit, and amazing BBQ

Dustin Riley carries his son Gavin around the 2015 Ukee Days fairgrounds. (Douglas Ludwig photo)
What is likely a red-eared slider turtle, was spotted swimming in Bowker Creek multiple times by local residents in 2021. (File - Courtesy of Dawn Williamson)

Coolkit program inspires Oak Bay ‘hood to host ice cream social

Bee and Bowker neighbourhood invites residents interested in action on climate change

What is likely a red-eared slider turtle, was spotted swimming in Bowker Creek multiple times by local residents in 2021. (File - Courtesy of Dawn Williamson)
Ollie, the mascot of the Sidney’s Shaw Centre for Salish Sea, has been making in the rounds in Sidney in recent days promoting the centre, which is currently accepting name submissions for its newest giant Pacific octopus. The centre is accepting creative submissions at oceaneer1@salishseacentre.org until 10 a.m. July 25. (Wolf Depner/News Staff)

Sidney aquarium getting creative for naming newest giant Pacific octopus

Multimedia submission deadline July 25, winner to be announced in August

Ollie, the mascot of the Sidney’s Shaw Centre for Salish Sea, has been making in the rounds in Sidney in recent days promoting the centre, which is currently accepting name submissions for its newest giant Pacific octopus. The centre is accepting creative submissions at oceaneer1@salishseacentre.org until 10 a.m. July 25. (Wolf Depner/News Staff)
Elaine Thrale, a volunteer with the Sooke Fine Arts Show in 2017, hangs a painting in the show’s gift shop. Organizers say the show wouldn’t be possible without the hundreds of volunteers. (File-Sooke News Mirror)

Show makes volunteering an art form in Sooke

Sooke Fine Arts Show could use some more helping hands

Elaine Thrale, a volunteer with the Sooke Fine Arts Show in 2017, hangs a painting in the show’s gift shop. Organizers say the show wouldn’t be possible without the hundreds of volunteers. (File-Sooke News Mirror)