Feb 22 - Rifflandia finds new home

Good morning !

Rifflandia has announced it will move to a new location, ending its years-long run at Royal Athletic Park. This year’s fest will take place solely at Matullia Lands at Rock Bay. If you’ve attended the festival in the past, do you think this move was a good call?

— Robyn

Today’s approx. read time: 6 minutes

🌡️ Weather Forecast

Today: 🌧️ 11 / 5

Tomorrow: 🌧️ 10 / 4

Saturday: 🌧️ 10 / 8

7-day forecast

NEWS

Rifflandia Festival moving out of Royal Athletic Park and into Rock Bay

The city’s longest-running concert event is moving from Royal Athletic Park (RAP) to the Matullia Lands at Rock Bay—a 4.5-acre parcel of land that was transferred from BC Hydro to the Songhees and Esquimalt First Nations in 2022.

“We’re making a choice now that feels right for our festival and its future,” Nick Blasko, Rifflandia’s president and CEO tells Capital Daily.

Following successful runs of the event’s Electric Avenue on the Matullia Lands the last two autumns, Rifflandia organizers are moving the entire festival to the Rock Bay setting and will consolidate it all into one weekend. The rebranded Rifflandia Festival will take place Sept.13-15.

“There's this idea that someone needed to choose carefully, you know, what weekend or what day they could attend the festival,” Blasko says. “What we're trying to do is take everything that was great about previous versions of Rifflandia and package it into one site for everyone.”

In November, it was announced the BC Lions would play the Ottawa Redblacks in a regular-season CFL game on Labour Day Weekend, something that will necessitate renovations to RAP, including the addition of seats and possibly a new field surface.

“This is a decision we started pondering months and months before the CFL news broke,” Blasko says.

Rifflandia was first held in 2008 and over the years has attracted such acts as Moby, Courtney Love, Iggy Pop and Paris Hilton.

Read Mark Brennae’s full story here.

⚠️ Capital Bulletin

Ferry cancellations: Issues with the Queen of New Westminster’s rudder have led to some cancellations between Swartz Bay and Tsawwassen today, tomorrow, and Saturday.

Roadwork: Check which streets are currently affected by construction.

Neighbourhood building grants now open: Applications for Local Champions Program are open until Mar. 1. My Great Neighbourhood Grant applications are reviewed monthly until Oct. 31.

Driving today? Check the current traffic situation via Google.

NEWS

Victoria has second highest wait times in Canada for walk-in clinics

For the second year in a row, Victoria has the second-longest average wait time in the country, according to a report released this week by Medimap, a tech company that matches patients with walk-in clinics.

Victoria’s average wait time in 2023 was 107 mins, surpassed only by North Vancouver with an average wait of 187 minutes.

While the provincial average has risen to 92 minutes from 79, Victoria’s wait times are down from 2022’s average of 137 minutes, according to the report. BC’s average wait time is 25 minutes longer than the Canada-wide average.

Medimap currently collects data from six provinces: British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario and Nova Scotia.

“BC has an unusual problem on its hands—recent changes to the physician payment model have resulted in some walk-in clinics actually closing, exacerbating the very problem the change was trying to address,” Thomas Jankowski, Medimap’s CEO, said in a release. 

While some people have been rostered at a medical clinic with the new registration system, those who haven’t been matched with a family doctor are struggling more to access care, Jankowski said.

Read Robyn Bell’s full story here.

SPONSORED BY CHILDREN’S HEALTH FOUNDATION OF VANCOUVER ISLAND

50/50 raffle supports Island kids

Liam is a happy, social seven-year-old who loves animals, music, and his brother. From the moment he was born, he faced significant health complications. Liam has been in and out of hospital with various surgeries, and to help with mobility, he uses ankle foot orthoses and a specialized stroller.

When you purchase tickets to the Pot of Gold 50/50 raffle, you’re helping kids like Liam by supporting our Bear Essentials program. Thanks to our generous donors, this program ensures families can access the health care they need for their kids, from specialized health equipment like Liam’s stroller to travel for medical appointments.

Buy your tickets now and help Island kids like Liam, every step of the way.

⭐️ Capital Picks

🕷️ Itsy bitsy spider: See closeups of an ​​immature Cryphoeca exlineae in the Cowichan Valley. [Facebook photo]

🤝 Now hiring: Inclusion Support Worker at Fernwood Neighbourhood Resource Group

🗞️ In Other News

Orca visits Ogden Point on World Orca Day
A picture-perfect moment was captured by Mark Malleson, a whale watching boat captain, when a Biggs killer whale T060E “Lynx” popped out of the water near Ogden Point breakwater on Sunday. Malleson says sightings near Victoria’s shores have become more common. [Vancouver is Awesome]

14 VicPD officers left while under investigation in last 10 years
The officers either retired or resigned while they were investigated. Seven officers were under investigation for abuse of authority, which includes multiple infractions such as excessive use of force. While investigations still continue after an officer retires or resigns in BC, the officer is not required to participate. Police critics say this can limit the investigation. [CHEK]

Hitchhiking hen rides from Campbell River to Nanaimo
The chicken was found in a recycling company’s truck after making the 150-km journey. Believed to be a pet, she was sent to the Nanaimo pound where a staff member named her Henrietta. Attempts were made to find the original owner, but after nobody claimed her she was adopted on Saturday. [Times Colonist]

Extra sailings added for Taylor Swift Vancouver concert
BC Ferries has added an extra 22 sailings for the weekend of the singer’s three-day stop for her Eras Tour this December. Additional Swartz Bay-Tsawwassen sailings will run from Thursday, Dec. 5 to Monday, Dec 9. Hullo Ferries, operating in Nanaimo, also plans to add extra Vancouver sailings for these dates. [Victoria Buzz]

SPONSORED BY DANCE VICTORIA

Nrityagram Dance Ensemble & Chitrasena Dance Company

Dance Victoria presents: Nrityagram Dance Ensemble and Chitrasena Dance Company at the Royal Theatre on March 8 and 9. Join us to celebrate centuries of Indian and Sri Lankan cultures with traditional Odissi and Kandyan dances within contemporary contexts. Learn more here. 

🗓️ Things to do

🎶 Alan Doyle: The Canadian musician and former Great Big Sea frontman will perform his solo work at the McPherson Playhouse, tonight at 8pm.

🎭 Murder Weekend opening night: This play about a murder mystery party gone awry opens tonight at 7:30 and will run at the Langham Court Theatre through March 10. 

🎵 Anomalie: The Quebec musician will perform his unique blend of contemporary jazz and electronic music at Capital Ballroom, tonight at 8pm.

🎷 Cory Weeds Meets Champian Fulton: The two gifted jazz musicians will collaborate at Hermann’s, tonight 7pm. 

🎸 Sam Roberts Band: The Canadian rocker returns to Victoria to showcase his latest music at the Capital Ballroom, tomorrow at 7pm.

🎙️ Dominique Fils-Aime: See the Juno-winning Montreal singer perform at Wicket Hall, tomorrow at 7pm.

🎤 William Prince: The Juno-winning songwriter will perform at McPherson Playhouse, tomorrow at 8pm.

👀 In Case You Missed It

Wednesday’s headlines: Teen alive after four days in the Cowichan woods; VicPD accused of looking for ‘fall guy’; Goodside pastries photo series; Could be second Coombs wolf-dog. [Feb. 21]  

Throne speech very ‘homey.’ [Capital Daily]

Tombo finally opens. [Tasting Victoria]

Market Square light show. [Local art]

What is quantum computing? A UVic prof explains in the latest Cafe Scientifique session.

That’s it!

If you found something useful, consider forwarding this newsletter to a fellow Victorian.

And before you go, let us know: