July 30 - New bus lanes to line TCH to Westshore

Good morning !

I’m just back from a little R&R vacay. Got wall-to-wall sunshine so I spent a lot of time at the beach with a book in front of my beak.

Now I’m back—and still going through all my emails.

— Mark

Today’s approx. read time: 5 minutes

🌡️ Weather Forecast

Today: 🌧️ 17 / 14

Tomorrow: ⛅ 22 / 14

Thursday: ☀️ 28 / 14

7-day forecast

NEWS

Rapid bus lanes announced for commute to Westshore

Some 3.8 kilometres of roadway on the TCH between the McKenzie Avenue interchange and the offramp getting you to Colwood is going be widened both north- and southbound so buses can power through.

“These lanes will allow the RapidBus service, to use the shoulders along designated areas of the highway to travel,” reads a news release from the federal government, which is kicking in $28M of the $95M cost. The BC government is doing the heavy lifting, picking up $67M of the tab.

The plan, along with the widening of the Colquitz bridges and improvements BC Transit is making from Six Mile to View Royal is expected to shave considerable time off the commute to and from the Westshore. 

It’s also a bonus for the environment, according to the province’s transportation minister, something Climate Justice Victoria and other interest groups have been championing.

“It’s really going to be transformative to move more people onto public transit to reduce emissions into our environment,” Rob Fleming tells the Times Colonist. Fleming said bus ridership to the Westshore is up roughly 24% over last year.

Construction will take about two years, Fleming says, because the work will have to be done in a way that doesn’t worsen the Colwood Crawl.

“We don’t want to snarl traffic,” Fleming told the TC.

⚠️ Capital Bulletin

Sooke Fires: Old Man Lake wildfire at 230 ha. [Update]

Road construction and closures: [City of Victoria] 

Missing man: Joseph, 74 was last seen on Fri., near Carey. [Saanich Police]

Driving today? Check the current traffic situation via Google.

SPORTS

Oh là là! Canada shocks host France, moves onto semis in women’s rugby sevens

Canada’s women—who train in Langford—are poised to return to the Olympic podium after shocking undefeated and third-ranked France 19-14 yesterday, denying the French a medal at home and silencing a huge crowd of 60K+ at Stade de France.

France led 14-7 early in the second, but sacré bleu! UBC’s Piper Logan delivered her second solo score of the game before Chloe Daniels broke the tied affair with a decisive try in the final minute, propelling Canada to this morning’s semifinals.

On Sun., the Canadian women opened the Paris Games by defeating Fiji 17-14 but were trounced 33-7 by tournament favourite New Zealand. They began yesterday’s matches by beating China 26-17 behind two tries from 2016 medalist Charity Williams. That put the fifth-ranked Canadians through to the quarterfinal, where they stunned their hosts and supporters in Saint-Denis, a suburb of Paris.

The team broke through in 2016 with a bronze in Rio—the nation’s first rugby medal in 92 years—but underwhelmed five years later in Tokyo.

Canada can secure a medal with a win in this morning’s (7am) semifinal vs. powerhouse Australia, which humbled Ireland 40-7 in its quarterfinal. A loss would pit Les Rouges against either (yikes!) New Zealand or the United States—who hook up in the other semi—in the bronze-medal match at 9:45am. The final goes at 11am. 

Locally raised star Sophie de Goede is absent from the women’s team due to an ACL tear suffered last month, and if you’re wondering about the men—also based in Langford—they didn’t qualify for Paris.

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⭐️ Capital Picks

🎼 Pop-Up Opera at Bastion Square on Thu. [Pacific Opera Victoria]

🏮Esquimalt Lantern Fest seeks volunteers to help make & repair lanterns this Sat. [Info]

⚖ Protect your rights and dispute your driving prohibition with the help of a knowledgeable lawyer. Contact Acumen Law Corporation today to start your defence.*

🏅 Follow your 🍁 athletes at the Summer Olympics. [Paris 2024]

🌫 Hazy skies captured in photos by Colin Smith and James MacDonald.

🎶 Wonderment Festival (Aug. 2-5): Free park events featuring ambient and electronic music including Mixmaster Morris (Ninja Tune, UK) and 2022 Juno Award Winner Tor. More info here!*

🤝 Now hiring: Nurse Practitioner (Contract Position) at Sprout Family Health.

*Sponsored Listing

🗞️ In Other News

Girders to be installed as Keating project hits halfway point
The Pat Bay Highway was to be closed in both directions between Tanner and Island View overnight as workers install the steel supports to hold the overpass roadway. This was slated to be the second of three closures for the girder stage of the plan. The same area will be shut down Aug. 7 from 10pm to 6am. The $77M undertaking is expected to be completed next spring. [Times Colonist]

Pandora tent encampment taken down as city enforces sheltering ban
The city said 26 structures were removed yesterday, with most of the tent residents voluntarily leaving the area. Bylaw, police, and public works attended the teardown and only a few tents were impounded. Vic’s council is studying what it needs to enforce the city’s daytime sheltering ban, including on Pandora. As of Thu., there will be only three area parks where overnight sheltering is allowed. [CHEK]

Ex Oak Bay art gallery owner charged in case involving Emily Carr paintings
Calvin Lucyshyn, who operated Winchester Galleries, is scheduled to appear in court Sept. 10 to answer to charges of fraud over $5K in a case that dates to spring 2022. More than 1K pieces of art valued in the tens of millions of dollars were seized. Police contend Lucyshyn took artworks—including three by Carr—from people under the pretense of having them appraised or put on consignment. Then he ghosted, police allege. [Saanich Police]

Full-court press: pickleballers file legal petition to reopen North Saanich venue
Citing noise levels and “bullying” by some players, North Saanich council mothballed the Wain Park courts on May 7, causing blowback from hundreds of picklers. A group of residents and players opposed to the move gave the council until July 17 to rescind its motion or face the possibility of a judge revisiting the decision. Spokesperson Brian Harrigan tells Capital Daily the group has filed for a judicial review, meaning a judge could force the council to reverse field. 

🗓️ Things to do

🎶 Pacific Opera Victoria: A Summer Festival of Music. For five days, Pacific Opera singers will be in parks and surprise public spaces with concerts and free Pop-Up Opera events. Thu-Aug. 5. Various venues. [Info]

💉 Free drop-in hepatitis C peer testing, education, and BBQ. Testing for hep C is quick, easy, and accurate, and offers the best opportunity to eliminate hep C for good. SOLID Drop-In Centre. Today. 1-3pm. [Info] 

🎶 Free folk music in Beacon Hill’s Cameron Bandshell. Today: Jill Cooper at 6pm. Charis Tazumi at 7pm. [Info]

🎤 Music by the water: Sarah Smith plays roots, rock, and Canadiana. Food trucks, beer garden, and lawn games from 4-8pm. Today. Ship Point. Sarah’s music 6-7pm. [Info]

🎞️🦈 You’re gonna need a bigger boat: Jaws at Cinecenta: As the Spielberg classic approaches its 50th birthday, catch one of two showings at UVic’s theatre. Tomorrow. 5pm & 7:15pm. [Info]

💃 Dancing in the Square: Each Tue., until Aug. 13, the Victoria Ballroom Dance Society hosts a 30-minute beginner dance lesson followed by social dancing to a live band or DJ. Centennial Square. Today. 6:30-9pm. [Info]

🎸 Music in the Square: Eventide in Centennial presents Iranian-Vancouverite band Gadfly and Seattle's Black Ends, with locals Dastard and Bong Witch. Centennial Square. Tomorrow. 6pm-10pm. [Info]

💃 Viva! Latin Fest. A Latin-American cultural event that features live music, dance, food, cultural activities, and more. Centennial Square. Sat-Sun. [Info]

🎥 Thelma: Revenge has never been sweeter. Internet scams are running rampant in the age of social media, but this time, they’ve picked the wrong grandma to mess with. Vic Theatre. Today & tomorrow. 5:10pm. [Info] 

🍎 Oaklands Sunset Market. 50+ unique local food, craft, and artisan vendors each week. Food trucks. Music. Beer. Oaklands Community Centre. Tomorrow. 4:30-8pm. [Info] 

🏞️ More fun in Beacon Hill Park. Peter Puffin's Whale Tales in the Cameron Bandshell. Tomorrow. 11am-noon. [Info] 

🎻 Raven Baroque: Victoria’s Baroque Music Group plays Bach, Corelli, Boccherini, Vivaldi, and more in this BC Day concert on the reservoir on Mt. Tolmie. Aug. 5. 1:30pm-3:30pm. [Info]

Looking for something to do this weekend? Subscribe to This Week In Vic to get the full list of what’s on this week. 

👀 In Case You Missed It

Monday’s headlines: Meet your Islander Olympians; Supports and jobs pilot program debuts in Vic; The SȾÁUTW̱ (Tsawout) First Nation sends four to South Africa; And more. [July 29]

Sunday’s headlines: Sooke fires could burn for weeks; Rutledge Park water returns; Spiritbox’s Bill Cook dies; And more. [July 28]

Island cidery wins two competitions. [Tasting Victoria]

Group lights Saxe Point beach fire a day after Dallas Road burn. [CHEK]

It took 15 days for hikers to walk from Vic to Tofino. [Times Colonist]

That’s it!

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