Dec 10 - There's something in the water in Bowker Creek

Good morning !

Today we have stories on Bowker Creek’s water quality concerns and Victoria’s soon-to-be-lowered speed limits.

— Robyn

Today’s approx. read time: 5 minutes

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NEWS

Troubled waters: Intermittent pollution in Bowker Creek a mystery

Not long ago, Bowker Creek was a trash-filled urban creek riddled with pollutants, a mere shadow of its former days as a salmon-spawning hotspot. But thanks to the dedication of local scientists and volunteers, the creek has returned to its pristine state—salmon might even be returning to the waters after a century without spawning. A decade of hard work made the creek a conservation success story.

But the battle to maintain Bowker Creek is ongoing, with urban pollutants repeatedly popping up throughout the creek, which starts near UVic and runs through Saanich, Victoria, and Oak Bay before emptying into the ocean near Glenlyon Norfolk Junior School.

A photo shared last week to the Oak Bay Local Facebook group sparked concern about a mysterious runoff flowing into the creek. The photo was taken near Oak Bay Secondary School and showed murky white water flowing through the creek. 

The source of the contamination is not clear—some have speculated paint, others say it could be construction runoff. But because Bowker Creek runs through three municipalities, it's tricky to nail down where the substance originated. 

Friends of Bowker Creek (FOBC), an organization dedicated to conserving the creek and reintroducing salmon spawning to the waters, was made aware of the issue last Tue., as were the public works departments in both Oak Bay and Victoria. FOBC has since heard similar reports of white water seen the day before, and noticed a lingering, but faded, grey/white colour Wed. morning. 

Eldan Goldberg, water quality tester for FOBC, says a construction site seems likely to be the source, “but we can't be certain of that.”

The municipalities that share Bowker Creek are working together to find the source of any contaminants.

Read why the mysterious runoff is a concern that conservation teams are looking into—along with multiple other issues.

⚠️ Capital Bulletin

John Horgan memorial tickets available. [Livestream on Sun.]

Missing teen: Chloe Hunt, 15 was last seen in Colwood Dec. 8. [RCMP]

NEWS

Speed limits to drop across Victoria

By 2027, the only Victoria streets drivers will be able to do 50 on will be Douglas and Blanshard—north of Caledonia to Tolmie.

The City of Victoria plans to reduce the speed limit to 30 km/h from 50 km/h on approximately 8km of neighbourhood roads generally with no centre line, and to 40 km/h on some 47km of arterial and collector streets.

“We have too many crashes causing too many injuries and deaths, and we need to make progress on Vision Zero,” says Coun. Dave Thompson, referring to the international traffic safety strategy adopted by BC. 

The city points to statistics that pedestrians hit by a vehicle going 50 km/h have an 80% chance of being killed. That drops to 10% if hit by a vehicle travelling at 30 km/h.

“I’m OK with taking a couple more minutes driving and listening to the radio or a podcast in order to have safer streets and fewer crashes and injuries,” said Thompson. “I’ll just leave a couple minutes earlier.”

Other jurisdictions, including Saanich, also are working to have drivers move more slowly. 

Victoria began lowering limits in spring 2023 and has completed the changeover in seven neighbourhoods: Hillside Quadra, Burnside, Vic West, North Park, Oaklands, Fernwood, and Jubilee. 

The next phase, unanimously endorsed by the council last week, includes 30 km/h zones for small pockets downtown—Burdett, and Balmoral—a portion of Ross in Fairfield, and a sizable swath of streets in James Bay.

“This is good news for the residents of James Bay,” Trevor Moat, the James Bay Neighbourhood Association president told Capital Daily in Aug., when this phase of the project was announced.

But he says the key is having drivers adhere to them.

This map shows the proposed speed changes, which are expected to begin within six months at a cost of approximately $100K.

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⭐️ Capital Picks

🐦 A grebe’s journey back to the wild: [MARS Wildlife rescue video]

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🗞️ In Other News

CRD seeks funding to control invasive deer on Mayne Island 
The small island now has 1K+ fallow deer (distinct from the local black-tailed deer) after a handful were brought in for a game farm in the 1990s. One advocate says they created a “green desert” by eating so much vegetation, and there are concerns about farmers’ crops and the spread of disease. A cull via hunting would likely not be legal on the Island. [Driftwood]

Duncan woman sued for alleged injury and misrepresentation in home birth
Gloria Lemay has been banned for 20+ years from performing midwifery services after numerous court battles over unlicensed midwifery, and deaths during two births in the ‘80s and ‘90s. She’s facing another one. A Chemainus couple claims she concealed her court history—including the ban—advocated against going to the hospital; and made a misdiagnosis that left their child with genital injuries. [CBC] 

Ladysmith’s Pamela Anderson gets first Golden Globe nomination
The actor, who moved back to the Island during the pandemic and filmed a home-improvement show about restoring her family’s century-old farmhouse, has been nominated for The Last Showgirl.

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The Magic of Christmas at The Butchart Gardens

The Magic of Christmas continues through January 6. Enjoy the festive lights and treat your family to a tradition they’ll cherish with a festive meal in the Blue Poppy Restaurant. Gardens are open from 3 to 9, with viewings until 10. Reserve your date and time to visit.

🗓️ Things to do

⛸️ Stars on Ice: See some of the world’s best figure skaters take the ice in this holiday show at Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre tonight. 7pm. [Info]

🧝 Elf on the Shelf Scavenger Hunt: Search for the little scout elves hidden around Sidney, then visit the Information Centre to share your favourite elf. Until Jan. 6. [List of businesses]

🧑‍🎄🍪 16th annual Gingerbread Showcase: See these incredible cookie creations, with all donations going directly to Habitat for Humanity Victoria’s Build Fund at Hotel Grand Pacific, until Jan. 5. [Info]

🎹 The Piano Man: Enjoy a night of music, storytelling, and improvised songs & stories that tell the life story of the Piano Man, Dave Morris at Intrepid Theatre tomorrow. 8pm. [Info]

🖼️ From Warhol to Banksy: See works of art that defined the Pop Art movement from notable figures Andy Warhol, Banksy, and Mr. Brainwash, at the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria. Opens Dec. 14. [AGGV]

👀 In Case You Missed It

Monday’s headlines: Meteorite for sale at Lunds on Fort; Province says no to SD61 safety plan; Oak Bay murderer’s request for reduced sentence denied; And more. [Dec. 9]

City will need to slow spending to limit expected tax increase. [Times Colonist]

Vic author/philanthropist donates $100K to Canuck Place. [CHEK]

Canada Post strike hits Day 25. [CTV]

Recipe: Cypriot Cooking—Halloumi-mint scones. [Tasting Victoria]

‘Burrito-ing’ an owl for its weight. [Photo]

That’s it!

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