| COMMUNITY EVENTS | 🕺The Soul Shakers Dance Party is going down on Saturday, Jan. 20 at 7:30pm. Tickets are available through Oak Bay Recreation Centre or Beacon Ridge Productions. | 🎻 Catch Tony Furtado with John Reischman on mandolin, and virtuosic fiddler and multi-instrumentalist Luke Price on Saturday, Jan. 27 at 7:30pm at the Sports View Lounge. | 💥 FOM Music Society is holding FREE drumming classes, every Tuesday from 1-3pm at Eric Martin Pavilion Theatre. Drop-ins welcome, so come get your groove on! | 💯 Join Uytae Lee, host of "About Here," for an evening of Victoria trivia and insightful discussions on housing, transit, and urban experiences. Register now!* | *Sponsored Listing |
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| | COMMUNITY NEWS | 🚒 A fire at the Snug Pub, inside the Oak Bay Beach Hotel led to an evacuation of hotel guests and staff last Friday morning. Fire crews contained and extinguished the fire by 3:00 pm the same day, and they were cleared to go back in. Nearby apartment buildings and businesses opened their doors to keep guests warm and fed throughout the ordeal. The Snug Pub has temporarily been relocated to the the hotel’s Grand Lobby as it undergoes repairs. [Oak Bay Beach Hotel] | 🌿 Oak Bay spa named one of best in North America: Boathouse Spa and Baths at Oak Bay Beach Hotel made Spas of America's top 100 list. [Spas of America] | 🏅 The deadline for the District of Oak Bay’s YES award is fast approaching. The Young Exceptional Star (YES) award is on Monday January 22, 2024. These awards recognize the accomplishments of youth from grades six and up in the Oak Bay area. Know someone who deserves to be recognized? Nominate them today. [District of Oak Bay] | 🐦 Locals have been noticing the arrival of robins in the community and sharing their views in nearby trees as they hunt for food. Some said there were so many that they reminded them of a Hitchcock movie. [Oak Bay Local] | 🌨 The District of Oak Bay issued updates on road closure and curbside collection cancelations due to the winter weather this week. Recycling was cancelled for two days and residents were asked to either bring their recycling waste in or save it for their next scheduled collection day. Further updates on road closure and other disruptions can be found on the district website. [The District of Oak Bay] | Do you plan to nominate an exceptional youth in the community? | | | 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 | Robins who aren’t eating | Anyone who is familiar with Oak Bay Local community knows that birdwatching and caring for wildlife is an issue that many people care about. This week, one local reached out to the group after they noticed that robins who had been frequenting a local yard had stopped eating. This included trays of food, suet and chopped apples which they were watching from a nearby tree, but were no longer consuming. | Other Oak Bay birders suggested chopping the food into smaller pieces, offering thawed blueberries or to offer fresh water as an alternative. Another local said they noticed birds in their area were preferring to eat newly thawed tree berries, plums and crabapples. Others said they were feasting on worms and bugs inside their leaf mulch, suggesting that while the robins in question may not be eating what’s been offered in a bird feeder, they may already be finding an abundant feast elsewhere which is more to their taste at the moment. | |
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| | | Hey Oak Bay drivers, can you please slow down? | Oak Bay pedestrians expressed concerns to local drivers this week, asking them to slow down amidst the snowy weather. Some said that they’ve been walking on the street, rather than the sidewalk due to the sidewalks being impassable and uncleared of snow. | The unusual weather has been a challenge for many, particularly those who have mobility issues. For those who are out driving, please be aware of community member who may not have the option of walking on the sidewalk, and be mindful of others as crews do their best to keep things clear. | |
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| | SPONSORED BY MLA MURRAY RANKIN | | Making cervical cancer screening more accessible and effective | Cervical cancer is one of the most common cancers found in women globally. However, it can often be detected early with screening for HPV. That's why BC NDP MLA Murray Rankin and our government have announced a first-in-Canada new self-screening option, helping more people get tested, earlier. Learn more here! |
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| | IN OTHER NEWS | | Seeking all hummingbird experts | Oak Bay locals have been concerned about their hummingbirds this week, as they, like everyone else, are enduring the unusual wintery weather. Another concern that one local noticed is that there has been some territorial behaviour from hummingbirds who are preventing others from sharing the same feeder. | Some suggested they could be sheltering from the weather and chasing others away. Some others said they’ve not seen their “regulars” this week and were concerned about their wellbeing. Have you noticed a change in hummingbird behaviour this week? | |
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| | | SPONSORED BY GLOW INTEGRATIVE | | Oak Bay Run Club | Are you new to running or looking to get back into it? Sign up for a Learn or Return to Run 10K training program!
This 14-week run/walk clinic begins January 25 and goes through to April 25 from 6pm-7pm. | Sign up now through Glow Integrative Clinic |
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| | PHOTO OF THE WEEK |  | Photo credit: Mary McArthur |
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