May 8 - Pickleball courts close in North Saanich

Good morning !

Which part of the GVA has the worst road conditions? That’s a question reader John sent recently. “Welcome to the GVA. Worst roads in the country,” he writes.

I’d like to hear from you. Do you agree? Which roads are in disrepair or filled with potholes?

— Mark

Today’s approx. read time: 5 minutes

🌡️ Weather Forecast

Today: ☀️ 16 / 8

Tomorrow: ☀️ 21 / 9

Friday: ☀️ 22 / 9

7-day forecast

NEWS

Turn out the lights, the pickleball is over on these North Saanich courts

A he-says-she-says situation in North Saanich has spiralled into the closure of its outdoor pickleball courts and has the mayor talking about repurposing the space, even though it is wildly popular and heavily used.

The Wain Park pickleball court was officially closed at 7:30 yesterday morning, just hours after an overflow crowd packed the city council’s chamber, many there to appeal the closure. “It never had to get to this point, but it has now,” North Saanich Mayor Peter Jones tells Capital Daily. “The next step is we've asked staff to look at repurposing,” he says, pointing at the possibility of putting in basketball hoops, which were there before.

The courts are located about 50-80m from a series of five houses and Jones says those residents have “gone through so much harassment and bullying over the last number of years that pickleball is just not going to happen at this time.” The Saanich Peninsula Pickleball Association (SPPA) denies all accusations of bullying, contends the complaints are overblown, and that the decision to shutter the courts was made with no transparency, public input, or fiscal responsibility.

Read Mark Brennae’s full story here.

⚠️ Capital Bulletin

Island London Drugs stores reopened. [Updates]

Recall: Western Family yogurt- and milk-covered pretzels. [Salmonella alert] 

Dangerous offender on wanted list: [West Shore RCMP]

Driving today? Check the current traffic situation via Google.

NEWS

First Nations film Yintah lands top Canadian doc award in TO

A film chronicling Wet’suwet’en resistance to the construction of the Coastal GasLink (CGL) pipeline on their unceded territory has won this year’s Best Canadian Documentary Film award at the Ted Rogers Hot Docs film festival in Toronto. Yintah (The Land) received a five-minute standing ovation at Hot Docs when it premiered on April 27.

Co-directed by Michael Toledano, Brenda Michell, and Jennifer Wickham, Yintah has been described as reminiscent of Alanis Obomsiwin’s 1993 documentary Kanehsatake: 270 years of Resistance that depicted the 1990 Oka Crisis in Quebec and Mohawk resistance to the expansion of an existing golf course on their sacred burial grounds. 

BC Green Party Leader Sonia Furstenau praised Yintah’s win, emphasizing the film's importance in drawing attention to the protection of lands, waters, and communities. The documentary highlights confrontations between Wet’suwet’en land defenders and the RCMP and the environmental destruction caused by the pipeline's construction.

The ongoing Indigenous-led fight to protect the Yintah also has local bearing in the CRD. It includes the 2020 arrest of 13 people in Victoria  following their occupation of the entrance to the Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources.

Read Sidney Coles’ full story here.

SPONSORED BY THOMPSON RIVERS UNIVERSITY

Find out how you can change the world with TRU’s Master of Arts in Human Rights and Social Justice

In just 16 months, prepare for a rewarding career as an activist, policy analyst, or researcher, to name a few. Get hands-on experience, discuss social issues, and become an engaged global citizen and problem solver.

Turn your bachelor’s degree into a master’s. Completing a master’s can open the door to many job opportunities and help you advance your career. Choose to base your studies on courses, a project, a thesis, or a creative expression project.

It’s never too late to return to education. We believe in life-long learning, and this program can be just what you need to change career paths.

Get your questions answered at an upcoming info session.

⭐️ Capital Picks

🏗️ City of Victoria Development Tracker. [Neat]

🎤 Singer-songwriter Heather Ferguson brings her own great style to Hermann’s, May 10 at 7pm. Attila Fias, Scott White, Ryan Oliver, Owen Chow, and Jae Sinnett will join Heather on stage. Get your tickets here.*

⚾ Harbour a HarbourCat. Host families wanted. [‘Cats are cool]

🦇 Annual BC Bat Count. [Starts June 1]

*Sponsored Listing

🗞️ In Other News

Esquimalt low-rise tenants to wait until June to find out fate
A May 2 Residential Tenancy Branch (RTB) hearing into what many of the 40 or so tenants say is a mass eviction notice ended without time for them to respond to the landlord’s opinion. The hearing will resume June 7, Together Against Poverty Society (TAPS) tells Capital Daily. The tenants have questions about how extensive repair work would be handled by the landlord. If the arbitrator rules in the landlord’s favour tenants would have to leave by the end of Oct.—four months from the date of the ruling.

VicPD says cyclist spat into vehicle at Dallas-Cook 3-way stop
A motorist told police that this Cervélo rider [photo] spat in his passenger window, hitting his dad, on April 19. No word on a reason. 

Warm weather for the Island is on the way this week 
The forecast calls for sunshine right into the weekend, with temps hitting the mid-twenties starting tomorrow and continuing through Mon. Average temps this time of May are 16C in the day and 7C at night. [CHEK]

Feds approve BC ask: Illicit drug possession illegal in public again
That includes hospitals and parks. BC is a year into a three-year pilot project which makes it legal to possess a small quantity of certain illicit drugs including cocaine and heroin, which will continue to apply in private residences. BC Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth says the province is responding to “community concerns” and pleas from police. [CTV]

Woman lighting clothes on fire in store Tasered, arrested
The incident happened on Sun. afternoon at women’s clothier Aritzia in the Mayfair Shopping Centre. VicPD said they used the Taser when the woman—who they said was holding a screwdriver—tried to flee. [Times Colonist]

SPONSORED BY DESIGN VICTORIA

Take part in the city's first design festival from May 9-12

Kicking off this Thursday, Design Victoria brings you a weekend of mostly FREE events including exhibitions, talks, workshops, tours, parties, film screenings, and fashion shows. Join the festival to get creative and learn more about what's being designed and built in the city.

Click here to find out more and plan your weekend visit.

🤝 Now Hiring

Thinking of making your next career move? Let us help!

• Impact Investment Associate-Thrive Impact Fund at Scale Collaborative

• Seasonal Purchasing/Receiving Clerk at The Butchart Gardens

• Enhanced Executive Support Analyst - Full Time at ISM

• 2nd Cook, The Blue Poppy Restaurant at The Butchart Gardens

• Certified Dental Assistant at Peninsula Dental

• Horse-Drawn Carriage Driver & Sales People at Tally-Ho Carriage Tours

• Board Member at South Island Prosperity Partnership

Looking for more openings? See jobs open now on YYJobs.

Hiring? Post your job to have it featured here, and fill your opening fast!

🗓️ Things to do

🌏 Stories from Silk Road: Celebrate Asian History Month with this show featuring music and instruments from the continent. Hermann’s. Today. 7pm. [Info]

🎸 Graduate and Congratulate: Kick off the summer season with this alt-rock lineup. Victoria Event Centre. Today. 8pm. [Info]

🎤 Slick Rick: See the hip-hop star at Capital Ballroom. This show was originally scheduled for Feb. 1. Previously purchased tickets will be valued and honoured for the new date. Tomorrow, 8pm. [Info]

🍷 Sandhill Wine Maker’s Dinner: This four-course menu will be paired with tasty Sandhill wines at Vis-A-Vis. Tomorrow. 6pm. [Info]

🧑‍🔬 Science Rendezvous: Enjoy a day of science fun at UVic and Camosun campuses for kids in grades K-12 and science enthusiasts of all ages. Sat. 10am-3pm. [Info]

🌷 Mother’s Day Musical Garden Tour: Two days of exclusive access to 10 private gardens, with live musical performances. Sat.-Sun. 10am-4pm. [Info]

🎈 Quadra Village Day: The annual fest is back with kid-friendly activities, live music, and a free pancake breakfast. Sat. 9am-1pm. [Info]

🏴‍☠️ Esquimalt Buccaneer Days: Esquimalt’s annual pirate-themed fair is back at Archie Browning Sports Centre this weekend, with rides, carnival food and games. Fri.-Sun. [Info]

Want more events? Subscribe to This Week In Vic and get our weekly events newsletter every Tue.

👀 In Case You Missed It

Monday’s headlines: Victoria on target for housing, Saanich and Oak Bay behind; Esquimalt’s English Inn gets very English; Let sleeping fawns lay; And more. [May 7]

Carnarvon Park remake options: [Capital Daily]

Missing woman last seen April 20. [Saanich Police]

London Drugs reopens most stores post-cyber scare. [CHEK]

All Greater Vic bus routes reviewed by driven teen: [Times Colonist]

Frog gets hosed in Metchosin. [Photos]

That’s it!

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

And before you go, let us know: