COMMUNITY EVENTS | 🌿 No Ivy League: Ivy removal in Uplands Park will take place on Sundays in April and May from 1-3pm. Meet at the Dorset/Lincoln entrance off Beach Drive. All tools, gloves and instructions will be provided—including refreshments at the end. [Friends of Uplands Park] | 🐣 Spring break schedule remains in effect through April 1. Check out the selected camps and scheduled events in the Oak Bay recreation flyer. | 🎨 Spring Oak Bay Artists' Studio Tour is taking place Saturday, April 6 at 10am and ends Sunday, April 7 at 4pm at the Monterey Recreation Centre & Private Artists' Home Studios. | 💐Oak Bay’s new Spring/Summer Active Living Guide will be online for viewing on April 3rd. Registration for general programming will open at 6:30 am on Wednesday, April 10th. Registration for summer camps will begin April 17th! |
|
| | COMMUNITY NEWS | 🚨 Oak Bay Police issued 21 violation tickets for distracted driving month, and reminded people that they will be doing more enforcement in Oak Bay, in coordination with ICBC which is urging the public to turn off their phone notifications and focus on the road. [Oak Bay Police] | 🚴♀️ Oak Bay Council passes motion to implement refreshed Active Transportation Strategy over the next five years. Oak Bay cyclists say that while it is the most forward motion to building cycling infrastructure in Oak Bay yet, critical mass rides will continue until the planned cycling infrastructure is built. [Critical Mass Oak Bay] | 💰 Property taxes could see Oak Bay residents paying an extra 9.68% to deal with ongoing infrastructure replacement plan, municipal wage increases, other cost increases due to inflation and “forced growth” this year. [Times Colonist] | 👋 Intoxicated woman arrested after throwing items in an Oak Bay restaurant after being denied more alcohol. [Oak Bay Police] | 🚓 Correction: Last week we reported that Oak Bay named Julie Chanin as deputy chief. The Oak Bay Police Board said that current Oak Bay Deputy Chief Julie Chanin will be appointed as the new chief constable, which will be effective June 1, 2024. | | P.S. Did someone forward you this email? Subscribe here. |
|
| | PEOPLE ARE TALKING ABOUT | To join the conversation, become a member of the Oak Bay Local Facebook Group | Improving sidewalks seen as neglected in new Active Transportation plan | Oak Bay locals discussed the upcoming plans to improve cycling infrastructure over the next five years, which was approved in Monday’s council meeting. Some were wondering where walking infrastructure fits in to this plan, which has primarily included discussion over bike lanes and cycling infrastructure. Several residents were particularly concerned with the sloped sidewalks, which are problematic for those who use, or assist, someone in a wheelchair, as well as those who are pushing strollers, who feel the slope could pose a danger. | A report prepared ahead of the Monday, March 25 meeting details that the Pedestrian and Sidewalk Master Plan will be presented to Council in Q2 of 2024, when it can be considered in context with the Sidewalk and Curb Condition. An assessment of those curb conditions is currently underway. | How do you feel about the sidewalks in Oak Bay? | | |
|
| | | Sourdough bread service | A community member is offering a unique service in Oak Bay, where they’ll offer sourdough bread service delivered to 776 St. Patrick St. on Thursdays for pickup between 10am and 5pm. Anyone interested in being involved is encouraged to post in the comments. | The offerings will include slow fermented sourdough breads, including: | A rustic peasant loaf with rye, spelt, and whole grain red fife wheat A European white loaf with Durum wheat flour A brioche cinnamon raisin bread
| All breads made with locally milled flours from Nootka Rose Milling in Metchosin. Learn more about the initiative and discussion around this new service in the thread. | |
|
| | TASTING VICTORIA AWARDS | | 2,000+ locals have voted! | Make sure to cast your vote for your favourite local restaurants in the 2024 Tasting Victoria Best Restaurant Awards. Lots of Oak Bay hot spots made it to the final list of nominees. Check out the list here! |
|
| | SPONSORED BY SAFARA | Book Amazing Hotels | The hotel booking platform where every trip helps pay for the next. Safara curates the world's best hotels and rewards you with cashback on every booking. | From your first Safara booking, you start earning cashback to put towards future trips. And, the more you travel with Safara, the more you earn. | Cashback can be used on Safara bookings worldwide, with no restrictions. It’s available instantly — so use it as you earn it, or let the savings add up to pay for the trip of a lifetime. | Sign up, it’s free. | | | IN OTHER NEWS | | Community follows story involving young, orphaned calf in mourning | Many in the community have been following Bay Cetology updates after they spent the last few days on scene near Zeballos assisting with the necropsy of T109A3 and their subsequent efforts to move her calf back into open water. | The calf has been grieving the loss of her mother and teams are hoping the story will have a happy ending. Follow along for updates about this unfolding story. | |
|
| | | PHOTO OF THE WEEK |  | Photo credit: Mary Ellen Johnson |
|
|
| | What did you think of today's edition? | | | |
|
