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- July 9 - Downtown sequoia to get the axe
July 9 - Downtown sequoia to get the axe
Victoria man to be recognized for shaping Indigenous sports, Langford City Hall back in business.
Capital Daily Team
July 09, 2024
Good morning !
I attended Tilt at Phillips Backyard on Friday and had a blast seeing Saint Motel and Half Moon Run. Fun fact: two-thirds of Half Moon Run are from Comox Valley!
I wish I was able to see the Saturday and Sunday shows, but I was up-Island camping. Let us know if you went!
Did you catch any live music shows this weekend? |
— Robyn
Today’s approx. read time: 4 minutes
🌡️ Weather Forecast
NEWS
Sequoia sacrifice: Tree to get the axe in Centennial Square reboot
Photo: Sidney Coles / Capital Daily
Victoria, known for its deep affection for trees, faces the loss of another beloved giant as part of downtown revitalization efforts. The looming removal of a grand sequoia, planted in 1964 on what was then Cormorant Street, symbolizes the city's complex relationship between urban development and natural preservation.
The sequoia, initially an outlier in the modernist design of Centennial Square, has grown incongruously over asphalt and utility services. Despite efforts to integrate it into the cityscape, city staff decided it had to go for the sake of safety, sight lines, and the functionality of the redesigned space.
The decision to fell the sequoia, approved unanimously by Victoria councillors, is integral to DIALOG's vision of transforming Centennial Square into a dynamic, inclusive civic hub.
DIALOG is the Vancouver-based company that won the $750K contract to redesign the square.
While some lament the loss, noting the previous removals of significant trees, city plans include planting new trees more suitable for urban settings. The strategy is part of Crime Prevention through Environmental Design (CPED). The idea is to optimize green space and infrastructure to keep Victoria both vibrant and functional.
⚠️ Capital Bulletin
Missing person: Kisja, 39, last seen June 20 in Vic West. [VicPD]
Driving today? Check the current traffic situation via Google.
NEWS
Victoria’s Alex Nelson, leader in Indigenous sports, to be inducted into Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame
Alex Nelson. Photo: BC Sports Hall of Fame
A pioneer of the North American Indigenous Games (NAIG) is headed to Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame in Calgary.
Alex Nelson, a member of Musgamaqw-Dzawada’enuxw First Nation, is part of the 2024 class that will be feted at induction ceremonies on Oct. 23 in Gatineau, Que. Nelson gets in via the Builder category.
Nelson, 77, is the original chairperson for the NAIG, first held in 1990 in Edmonton. He served three terms as NAIG president. He was also the executive director of the 1997 Games, staged in Victoria, where Nelson has lived for the past 50 years.
Nelson overcame a difficult upbringing as a survivor of the St. Michael’s Residential School in Alert Bay. His advocacy for Indigenous sports began in 1989 when he helped to co-found the Aboriginal Sports and Recreation Association of British Columbia. He is a member of the Victoria Sports Hall of Fame and BC Sports Hall of Fame.
SPONSORED BY VICTORIA FOUNDATION
A world in a wardrobe
Tucked away like a secret in Fernwood sits a modest room bursting with pride on every table and rack.
This rare, fully accessible Two-spirit regalia library is chock-full of lendable clothing to fit many Indigenous identities, including 2SLGBTQIA+, Métis, Inuit, and First Nations from across Turtle Island (North America).
⭐️ Capital Picks
🌊 Split sea: See the colour difference where the Fraser River meets the Salish Sea. [Photos]
🤝 Now hiring: Dental Hygienist at Peninsula Dental.
🗞️ In Other News
Langford City Hall back to full capacity following flood
The June 26 deluge happened after a pipe in the attic above the third floor burst, damaging a large section of the building at 877 Goldstream. Most departments were inaccessible and staff were forced to work from home or elsewhere offsite. While repairs are made, operations are fully back but confined to two floors of the building—the second, and ground floor unit #117. Committee and Council meetings remain uninterrupted and will be held as scheduled on the third floor, in Council Chambers. [Langford]
Three Victoria pros getting out of Dodge to defend championship
Riel Leaf, her brother Zion—who have this GoFundMe page—and his partner Mollu Peletier and other members of Canada’s mixed foam team are headed to Austria for the 2024 Dodgeball World Championships. They’re featured in this documentary chronicling their path to the 24-country championships in a sport they hope is included in the Olympics. [CHEK]
Western red cedar and grand fir among trees hit hard by drought
Some lose branches and others die, but if these native trees are part of a group, as in parks, they get shade and and are less susceptible to the elements than if alone. Droughts, like we’re experiencing, mean municipalities have to water their trees for up to seven years instead of five. [Times Colonist]
🗓️ Things to do
🐕 Dog shows: Victoria City Kennel Club and Vancouver Island Dog Fanciers Association team up for five days of dog shows, with food trucks on site and spots to picnic and watch the show at Saanich Fairgrounds. Tomorrow-Sun. 8am-4pm. Parking $5. [Info]
🎶 Music at Ship Point: Every Tuesday and Thursday, catch live music in the Inner Harbour until Sept. 19. 6-7pm [Free]
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: Alice Munro’s daughter writes different family-life story; Palestinian protest pauses Pride parade; Pinball play pause too, after arcade fire; And more. [July 8]
150+ ha of Island forest gets gov’t protection. [The Westshore]
2 new restos coming to the area. [Tasting Victoria]
Yellow butterfly wings & purple petals in Nanaimo. [Facebook]
Hounds of Love: Scenes from last week's Big Gay Dog Walk. [Colin Smith photos]
Stars of the stage: Shots of Orville Peck, Jessie Reyez, Flyana Boss, and other Phillips Backyard performers from the weekend. [Rocktograophers]
That’s it!
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