Are you getting Transition Sooke’s monthly electronic newsletter? If not, please subscribe by sending an email to sooketransition@gmail.com. In the meantime, check out the June/July edition recently sent out by editor Sofie Hagens by clicking on this link. It features a lead article on permaculture along with info about the upcoming Sooke Farm Tour (Sunday, Aug. 18), a calendar of local markets and public meetings, a quiz about the size of your ecological footprint and much else
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A good-sized turnout of about 60 people was at the Community Hall last night for the open house on the proposed Sooke Bike Skills Park. As Mayor Milne noted, the session was the latest step in a public process that will resume in September, he said, with a formal public hearing.
Municipal Planner Gerard LeBlanc moderated the evening, opening with a brief overview of developments so far and how a bike park fits into the overall vision for John Phillips Memorial Park established in 2006.
Gerard introduced Judd de Vall, founder of Whistler-based site designer Alpine Bike Parks. de Vall spoke about the upsides of having a family friendly cycling park in the residential heart of town and why increasing numbers of communities across North America are opting for them as 21st century playgrounds.
He then offered specifics about the Sooke blueprint and facilitated a lively two-hour discussion that covered a full range of pros and cons, support and opposition. The project is in its early stages, he emphasized, and it can be downsized to a simple bike playground suitable for pre-schoolers and youngsters at the foot of the hill or built out to its full capacity as an attraction for teens and active adults. Alpine’s previous projects have ranged in cost from $9k to $4.2 million, he said. Sooke’s proposed budget is $300,000 – about the same cost as an ordinary swings-and-roundabouts playground.
At least 25 people spoke for or against the proposal and some were quite passionate about it. The park hits close to home for some folks, literally, and they naturally have concerns. Others in the audience could see the value of having a kid-and-parent friendly bike park linked directly to Sooke’s existing network of bike trails.
Whatever their view, however, it seems that everyone recognized the value of a bike skills park. The contentious issue is its location at John Phillips Memorial Park. Some people had further concerns such as cost to the taxpayer and liability to the District.
The people who spoke in favour view the bike facility as one important element in encouraging more people – residents and out-of-towners alike – to take advantage of a green space that many believe is dramatically underutilized. Increased park use was a priority of the 2006 committee, which was chaired by Neil Flynn and based on considerable input from the public (through open houses, information sessions, group presentations and a residential survey).
Transition Sooke sees the addition of a bike skills park to the community, in it’s various potential forms and possible locations, as a great asset that is in line with the principles of building resilience and community connections. It will promote healthy activities for young and old, while giving people the opportunity to safely practice bicycle handling skills. This is one aspect of our hopes for a future that will see a town that encourages walking, cycling and healthy physical activity and sustainable transportation .
As far as the location is concerned, we are pleased that there is dialogue and hopeful that everyone can come to a resolution that benefits the community as a whole.
Please give some thought of your own to the subject. The best starting point is the District of Sooke’s website, where staffer Laura Byrne has put together a full package of background documents. http://www.sooke.ca/EN/main/government/devservices/parks/projects.html#BikeSkills.
Laura welcomes further public comment, which can be sent to info@sooke.ca.
regards from Andrew, Jeff, Margaret, Sofie, Eric, Lee, Michael, Stephen & Yvonne
Transition Sooke core team
Where: Prestige Hotel, Sooke
When: April 13 from 11:30-12:30
Paint your message on a placard
Wear green as a sign that natural is where it’s at on Vancouver Island
Bring a GE-free seed and a friend
What have you got to lose….clean local food!
Let everyone know and show up!
Take a look at our Event Facebook page!
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To register for the March/April/May/June dialogue sessions (details in the link and pasted below): https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/PRWBVCB
Village Building Dialogue Sessions:
Exploring Possibilities for Creating Sustainable,
Affordable Housing Communities in Greater Victoria
Intention
The purpose of this series is to help generate community readiness for creation of sustainable, affordable housing communities in the Capital Region. These facilitated dialogues will bring together the expertise of featured resource people and the creativity of diverse participants.
Upcoming dates, topics and resource people:
Thursday, March 21st – Strategizing to Attract Land and Capital, with Gene Miller, Linda Ross, William Ross & Veronica Doyle
Thursday, April 4th– Developing Co-ops and Co-housing, with Marty Frost, Joy Emmanuel, Margaret Critchlow and Bill McKechnie
Thursday, May 2nd – Designing Living Buildings, with Ann and Gord Baird
Thursday, June 6th – Conserving Water and Using “Waste”, with Anita Wolfe; Ann and Gord Baird
Details
Time: 7:00 – 9:00 pm (doors at 6:45)
Location: Garry Oak Room (1335 Thurlow, off Moss St)
Cost: by donation (suggested $5 – $20) – refreshments provided
Facilitator: James Pratt (for more information, contact james@prattconsulting.ca)
Participants: people interested in learning about, and potentially co-creating, sustainable and affordable housing in this region!
Potentially busy month ahead for Sookies of all ages interested in new possibilities and radical-shift thinking about themselves and the community at large. Here’s a countdown of what’s ahead on the calendar.
1. Awareness Film Night, Wed. Feb. 13 @ EMCS, 7 p.m. A festival of short films of interest to Transition Town disciples followed by three presentations: Frederique Philip on her downtown beautification campaign (which she calls “boatification” for good reason); Susan Nelson & Vivi Curutchet on the Village Farm Ecovillage; and Margaret Critchlow on the Harbourside, the senior cohousing project set for Ralph Hull’s Sooke Ocean Resort
2. Harbourside Information Session, Sat. Feb. 16, 1 to 4 p.m. @ Sooke Ocean Resort, 6669 Horne Rd. Find out more about the senior cohousing and the RRU course. Free Admission but please RSVP to seniorcohousing@gmail.com
3. Video & Dessert Night @ the Little Vienna, Sat. Feb. 16, 7 to 9 p.m. The JDF Cycling Coalition’s Stephen Hindrichs presents his second night of short films and friendly conversation at Sooke’s favorite bakery/bistro. Free admission + coffee, tea and sweet treats at a special price.
4. The Power of Hope @ EMCS, Saturday & Sunday, Feb. 16 and 17. The celebrated Pacific Northwest youth empowerment organization returns to Sooke for the first time in a decade with a special weekend arts and leadership camp titled “Positivity: Creativity, Diversity & Community Building” (exactly what Transition Town’s all about, in other words). Know any teenagers aged 14+ who might be interested? Point them to the EMCS Society registration page.
5. Sierra Club of Victoria film screening, Wed. Feb. 20, 7 p.m. @ Sooke Community Hall (2037 Shields Rd.). “White Water Black Gold” is about three hikers who follow an imaginary drop of water from the Columbia icelands through the Alberta tarsands focusing on the effects the tarsands is having on our water supply. There is no charge for the event and the club is trying to arrange for the director David Lavallee to be present, at least for the film’s introduction.
6. Seedy Saturday, Sat. Feb. 23, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. @ Sooke Community Hall. Sooke Region Food CHI Society’s annual seed sale and exchange promoting biodiversity, heritage plants and education. Drop by and say hello to Transition Town core-team member Sofie Hagens at our table.
7. Transition Town Cafe, Sunday, March 3 @ the Reading Room Cafe. Another monthly chance to share ideas, plot practical actions and enjoy lively dialogue with local Transition Townies.
8. Royal Road University presents “Aging Well in Community,” two Saturdays, March 9 and 16 @ Sooke Ocean Resort: Learn how to “get your head out of the sand and enjoy the second half of life.” Led by Transition Town’s Andrew Moore and Margaret Critchlow and limited to 20 participants, so please register early. PS This is the first-ever RRU course offered in Sooke, and the start of many to come, it’s to be hoped!
Our social media team keeps the posts coming on Facebook in irregular bursts, and there’s some interesting ones that shouldn’t be missed. Such as the news that Ragley Farm’s Susan Nelson and Vivi Curutchet have an exciting vision for a Farm Village cooperative in Sooke on 125 acres of farmland north of Helgeson Rd. Or that plans are progressing nicely for the Hope Centre affordable housing complex slated for the current West Coast Road site of the Saint Vincent De Paul thrift shop.
Stay current by ‘liking’ our FB page via this link here … and while you’re at it, check out these other excellent news & info sources of interest to local Transition Townies.
Community, Resilience, Climate 