Nov 18 - Moving out after 110 years

Good morning !

Downtown church buildings are some of the city’s most prominent landmarks. But taking care of them is expensive, and church congregations tend to be in decline in recent years. Change has been coming to some of these iconic buildings.

This week we covered the story of the cathedral looking to add housing on the grounds next door, and today we look at the church services at the current First Metropolitan departing altogether.

— Cam

Today’s approx. read time: 5 minutes

🌡️ Weather Forecast

Today: 🌦️ 10 / 8

Tomorrow: 🌦️ 10 / 4

Day after: ⛅ 9 / 6

7-day forecast

NEWS

Local church moving out of 110-year-old church building

Tomorrow brings the last service—for now, at least—to a century-old church on Quadra in North Park. First Metropolitan United is about to move to a new location and merge with fellow United Church member Broad View United.

Both of these local churches are already the products of amalgamation between churches in the past. One of those mergers came in 1997 and led to a land sale that turned another downtown Quadra church building into the home of the Victoria Conservatory of Music.

Now, the question will be what becomes of this church building without its main function as a place of worship for a set congregation.

Read Capital Daily’s piece on the history of the location and these new changes.

⚠️ Capital Bulletin

Wild winds expected tonight through Sunday morning in Victoria and Juan de Fuca Strait. Strong westerly winds of 70km/h gusting to 90, and possible outages.

Parking free downtown today at these parkades: Broughton, Bay Centre, Yates, Broughton, Johnson, View, Sussex Place, & Harbour Centre.

Fort Street closed to vehicles today and tomorrow from Blanshard to Quadra, 7am-7pm, due to construction.

Burdett closed overnight tonight (7pm-7am) from Douglas to Penwill for sewer repairs.

Missing: Anthony Balzer, 56, last seen Weds. on Mount Matheson Road (East Sooke), possibly injured. [Photos]

NEWS

Local public money manager receives Order of BC

Saanich’s Gordon J. Fyfe, announced as a recipient back on BC Day, was among those formally given the Order of BC on Thursday. The highest-profile winner, actor Ryan Reynolds, got his from Premier Eby the day before due to a scheduling conflict. 

Fyfe manages $235B for BC’s public sector—which has doubled from $112B over his 9 years, the province said. The province also praised his commitment to ethical and sustainable investments, and his drive to protect pensions due partly to his experiences at Island farms and sawmills.

Fewer Islanders appointed than last time

All other inductees were mainlanders, including Vancouver Coastal Health chair Dr. Penny Ballem and longtime Downtown Eastside outreach nurses Evanna Brennan and Susan Giles. 

Last year 3/14 inductees were from the Island region: Victoria’s Maureen Maloney (BC’s first female deputy attorney general), Alert Bay’s Paul Spong (orca researcher), and Quadra Island's Jody Wilson-Raybould (a former federal justice minister and attorney general).

NEWS

The spirits of the season:
10 Victoria bars with winter cocktails

With leaves now piled on the ground and the temperature dipping into the single digits, it doesn’t take a look at the calendar to tell winter is coming.

December may still be two weeks away, but there’s no rule against getting in the winter mood early by putting on your coziest knitted sweater and heading down to your local cocktail bar to warm up. 

The time has come for those nostalgic winter flavours like orange, maple, chocolate, and almond. So, this week Tasting Victoria rounded up the local cocktails that most invoke the feeling of going for a wintery walk, sitting by the fire, and getting lost in a novel. 

Check out 10 of those local options here.

SPONSORED BY UNITED WAY SOUTHERN VANCOUVER ISLAND

Join UWSVI on Giving Tuesday to combat food insecurity

Giving Tuesday is coming up on Nov 28 and United Way Southern Vancouver Island (UWSVI) is focusing on a critical local issue: food insecurity. Donations to UWSVI this Giving Tuesday will support vital programs like UWSVI's More than Meals, Shelbourne Community Kitchen’s Food Skills, and Victoria Rainbow Kitchen’s In-House Hot Meals. Thanks to generous matching gifts from Lynda and Murray Farmer, and Barb and Steve McKerrell, each donation will be matched. Join in to double your impact. This Giving Tuesday, you have the opportunity to help ensure that more local people have access to food, companionship, and hope.

No matter the amount, your donation to UWSVI will create a ripple effect of good. Food for thought, right? 

⭐️ Capital Picks

 🦭 Sea lion vs. octopus: in a sea battle near Nanaimo. See the photo here, and the video in the comments below it.

🐟 Find the fish: In the Marine Detective’s weekly challenge, scan this beautiful photo of an undersea anemone to pick out all the other creatures in the scene. [Facebook]

🤝 Now hiring: Dental Assistant at Oaklands Dental

🗞️ In Other News

UVic will play for national rugby championship tomorrow
Winning both games so far at the national tourney has UVic’s men’s team back in the Canadian final, which it won in 2021 but not in 2022. In Friday’s semifinal, the Vikes blew out Memorial (47-19) in a repeat of their encounter last year.

Motorbike crashes into window of window business
The rider was apparently cut off by a van turning left and veered off-road into Island Window Coverings on Tennyson Ave., sustaining minor injuries. [CHEK]

This headline was written by a human
But UVic is dealing with an increase in students using artificial intelligence (AI) to write their papers, so the university says a policy will be in place by next semester. [Times Colonist]

Driver left bruised, ticketed after car flips over in Oak Bay
The woman, 79, was ticketed for driving without due care after she swerved into oncoming traffic when she couldn’t see the yellow line, causing her to overcorrect, hit a parked vehicle, and flip.

🗓️ Things to do

 👠 Served Up! Drag Lunch: Leo and Aries Moon will host local performers today at Moon Under Water’s Distillery Lounge, 11:30am-2:30pm.

🎙️ Charlotte Cardin at Capital Ballroom: The Montreal-based singer-songwriter will perform tonight. Doors 7pm, show 8pm.

🎭 The Importance of Being Earnest: The Oscar Wilde play will be performed today at the Phoenix Theatre. Matinee performance 2pm, evening performance 8pm.  

🛍️ Victorian Christmas Craft Fair: Check out local vendors today at Commonwealth Place, 10am-4pm.
Find a list of this month’s holiday markets at Tasting Victoria.

🎻 J.S. Bach Christmas Oratorio: The Victoria Philharmonic Choir will perform baroque music today at First Metropolitan United Church, 7:30-10pm.

🎸 Tribute to Kenny Burrell at Hermann’s Jazz Club: David Santana will perform the music of the jazz guitarist tonight alongside drummer Miles Fuller, bassist Brock Meades, and saxophonist Ryan Oliver. Doors 5:30pm, show 7pm.

👀 In Case You Missed It

Care home report finds that many BC seniors spend most of their time alone. [Capital Daily]

Victoria 2024 Police Budget gets first review by joint councils [Capital Daily]

Thursday’s headlines: Land to return to Island First Nation, local library closes after 80 years, Victoria wins travel awards, and more. [Nov 16]

That’s it!

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