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| | COMMUNITY EVENTS | 🏞 An open house will look at the Carnarvon Park Master Plan Refresh at the main building on Wednesday, April 17. Drop in anytime between 4-7pm at the Sports View Lounge at Oak Bay Recreation Centre. | ⛹️♀️ Oak Bay’s new Spring/Summer Active Living Guide is now online for viewing as of April 3. Registration for general programming will open at 6:30am on Wednesday, April 10. Registration for summer camps will begin April 17. | 🌿 No Ivy League: Ivy removal in Uplands Park will take place on Sundays in April and May from 1-3pm. Meet Friends at Uplands Park at the Dorset/Lincoln entrance off Beach Drive. All tools, gloves and instructions will be provided—including refreshments at the end. | 🌳 City Nature Challenge - Uplands Park is taking place on Saturday, April 27 from 1-3:30pm. The event will be held in Uplands Park, Beach Drive Grassy Field at Cattle Point Entrance Road and will include captivating nature walks and provide an opportunity to connect with the biodiversity in the area. |
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| | COMMUNITY NEWS | 🌊 Rescue efforts for orca calf are underway. The rescue plan involves guiding the young orca to shallow water, where a sling will be used to lift the two-year-old female into a specially equipped transport vehicle where she’ll hopefully be safely transported to the open ocean. [The Canadian Press] | 👮🏻♂️ Oak Bay’s council wants to reinstate the School Police Liaison Program. Council asked the Greater Victoria School Board trustees to reinstate the program, which was cancelled in 2023. So far, there hasn’t been a commitment to bring back the program, however the issue will be discussed at a meeting in May with school trustees and the Victoria Police Board. [CHEK] | 🚨 Oak Bay police nabbed another driver for excessive speeding along Beach Drive last week. The driver was caught going 89km/hr, more than double the speed limit for the area. [Oak Bay Police] | 🏊♂️ Oak Bay Recreation Centre Pool announces upcoming closure from July 1 to September 2, 2024 when its facility will be upgraded. There will be no swimming lessons, public swims, and Aquafit sessions during this time. | 📈 73% of Oak Bay locals say they’ll miss the iconic leaning tree that was removed last week. We conducted a poll last week that found that while most people understood it was a danger, others reflected on its history and mark in their lives, and were sad to see it go. | Do you utilize Oak Bay public pools? | | | P.S. Did someone forward you this email? Subscribe here. |
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| | PEOPLE ARE TALKING ABOUT | To join the conversation, become a member of the Oak Bay Local Facebook Group | Oak Bay city council opts to renew the VACS contract despite petition | An Oak Bay local reached out to the community with disappointment after launching a petition to look at other options for an animal control agency in the community after their cat Lili was attacked and killed by an uncontrolled dog recently. Many have raised concerns about the efficacy of the current Victoria Animal Control Services contract and have asked for council to look into other options. | On Monday, the Oak Bay city council opted to renew the VACS contract for another five years, with an added exit clause, which they considered a “small victory”. Do you agree with this decision? | |
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| | | Insurance rates are going up | An Oak Bay homeowner raised concerns in the group after their home insurance renewal showed a significant year-over-year increase in insurance rates. They said their earthquake protection went from about $3,500/yr to $8,500/yr and was wondering why the increase was so significant this year. | Locals had many helpful tips, and some said they’ve been able to secure better rates by shopping around, while others have said it is worth checking the terms of the deductible in order to ensure value for the cost of the premium. Many locals have said that they’ve dropped their earthquake coverage altogether due to the significant cost increases. Others have said they’ve hired an engineer to assess whether there were any safety precautions they could take in order to better protect their homes in the event of an earthquake. | Have you made any adjustments to your home to prepare for an earthquake? | |
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| | SPONSORED BY THE RUNDOWN AI | | Stay up-to-date with AI. | The Rundown is the world’s fastest-growing AI newsletter, with over 500,000+ readers staying up-to-date with the latest AI news and learning how to apply it. | Our research team spends all day learning what’s new in AI, then distills the most important developments into one free email every morning. | Sign up with one click. | | IN OTHER NEWS | | Spring fest this weekend | The fourth annual Spring Fest will be held at the Monterey Recreation Centre in the Garry Oak Room. This is a free event for families. Look for the bouncy house and popcorn machine in the parking lot across the street. | |
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| | | SPONSORED BY VICTORIA FOUNDATION: COAST CAPITAL | | Take Victoria's 2024 Vital Signs survey today | Your opinions are vital! | Take Victoria’s 2024 Vital Signs citizen survey to share your opinions on living in Greater Victoria. | We sure love our climate, but we face challenges with housing, healthcare, and more. Complete the survey for a chance to win a $100 gift card to Country Grocer. Double your chances with the long-form survey! | |
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| PHOTO OF THE WEEK |  | Photo credit: Mary McArthur |
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