July 5 - Lord Stanley could be coming to Victoria

Good morning !

We start our Friday with some long-overdue Victoria hockey news. It involves something similar to what happened in South Florida the other day.

Also, VicPD made a big guns n’ drugs bust—and then promptly set the suspect free. We’ll tell you why.

And a big thank you to Rob Fleming, local MLA who worked hard for this area. He’s announced he’s not going to run in this fall’s provincial election.

— Mark

Today’s approx. read time: 5 minutes

🌡️ Weather Forecast

Today: ☀️ 25 / 12 

Tomorrow: ☀️ 27 / 14

Sunday: ☀️ 28 / 15

7-day forecast

NEWS

100th anniversary of Victoria Cougars’ Stanley Cup win will be a celebration fit for champions

It may have taken 100 years, but it looks like the 1925 Victoria Cougars may finally get their Stanley Cup parade next March.

The Western Canada Hockey League team won the Stanley Cup final at the former Patrick Arena—which used to be across the street from Oak Bay High—after battling it out with the Montreal Canadiens in a four-game series, winning 3-1 (it only took three wins back then to take the title). The Cougars were the second BC team to win the Stanley Cup—and the last. The Vancouver Millionaires, coached by Frank Patrick, won the Cup in 1915.

The idea of a 100th anniversary celebration for the Cougars was brought to the Victoria Hockey Legacy Society (VHLS) by a group of Oak Bay residents and business owners, after the success of the Scotiabank Hockey Day in Canada events in Victoria back in January.

“Just in the last month, it's really kind of percolated,” said John Wilson, VHLS board chair. “We've gotten the committee together and are just working on budgeting right now.”

Find out what plans the VHLS has in the works for the Cougars’ centennial celebration here.

⚠️ Capital Bulletin

Road closure: Shelbourne between Cedar Hill Cross and North Dairy is closed for all of July. 

City Spark: Explore Victoria’s Official Community Plan topics and share feedback. 

View Royal Draft Annual Report available for public input. 

Driving today? Check the current traffic situation via Google.

NEWS

VicPD bust nets guns, ammo, and cocaine, suspect released

Police seized 20 firearms, 20K+ rounds of ammunition, $27K in cash, 4.5kg of cocaine, and two sets of ballistic armour. It was all part of an investigation that began in early June.

VicPD began tracking a suspected drug dealer and got a warrant to search a property on Pintail Place in Langford. That brought the West Shore RCMP’s Emergency Response Team in to assist the Greater Victoria Emergency Response Team and VicPD’s Strike Force in searching the property.

The male suspect was arrested on June 25 and released pending further investigation. 

Why was this person released? 

VicPD said under Bill C-75, which came into effect nationally in 2019, police are required to release an accused person at the earliest possible opportunity after considering certain factors which include the likelihood the accused will attend court, the imminence of the risk posed to public safety, and the impact on confidence in the criminal justice system. Police are also asked to consider the circumstances of Indigenous or vulnerable persons in the process, to address the disproportionate impacts that the criminal justice system has on these populations. [VicPD]

NEWS

22 years since disappearance of Lisa Marie Young

A memorial march last Sunday in Nanaimo marked the milestone—Young has now been gone for a year longer than she was here. The Tla-o-qui-aht woman, 21, was at a house party in 2002 and was last seen leaving to get food in the vehicle of a man she met at the party. 

In the two decades since, hers has become one of the most prominent Missing & Murdered cases in BC—the province that leads Canada in total disappearances. It also gained renewed attention after featuring on the podcast Island Crime. 

Foster sister Carolann Bosma told Capital Daily in 2021 that she still remembers the shock and fear of learning Young was nowhere to be found. Friends and family were planning to help her move to a new apartment, and Bosma knew the reliable Young wouldn't have left them hanging. 

Frustration remains over how the case was handled

The annual march begins at the Nanaimo RCMP detachment; the case remains open, and loved ones and others have long criticized the police response to the disappearance. In 2020, Former Nanaimo-Ladysmith MP Paul Manly argued in the House of Commons that the “RCMP did not take this case seriously, making numerous mistakes and failing to act on important tips and suspects.”

The Sunday walk featured words from Mayor Leonard Krog and the current MP, who shares a name with Young. Lisa Marie Barron is pushing for the expansion of Red Dress Alerts: wide notifications about disappearances of Indigenous women, girls, and Two-Spirit people.

On Sunday, Young's aunt Carol Frank said family and friends hold out hope that Young will be found, and that “whoever took Lisa from us” will face justice.

⭐️ Capital Picks

🥒🏐 New Uptown pickleball courts open today. [Book court]

🏢 Heart is Full (When You’re Downtown) video from DVBA.

📖 Pick Book No. 100K to go into Victoria’s Little Free Library. [Vote here]

🍽️ Pagliacci’s releasing a documentary on Aug. 24, celebrating 45 years of delicious. Watch the teaser trailer here.  

🤝 Now hiring: Irrigation Trades Assistant at The Butchart Gardens.

🗞️ In Other News

Rob Fleming among 3 more not running in next provincial election
Add the names Fleming, Bruce Ralston and Harry Bains to those of the eight New Democrats that won’t be on the Oct. 19 ballot. Fleming, a former Vic council member and currently the transportation minister, was first elected in 2005 in the old riding of Victoria-Hillside. He was re-elected in 2009, 2013, 2017, and 2020 when it became Victoria-Swan Lake. [Vancouver Sun/CP]

World’s biggest hockey stick cut down to size in Duncan
The 200+-foot wooden replica twig is going to be recycled into authenticated collectibles—key and backpack fobs with mini sticks and pucks. All proceeds go to sports groups and charity. Built for Expo ‘86 in Vancouver, the big stick has been a Cowichan landmark for 35 years but it’s falling apart and posing a safety threat. [Vancouver Island Free Daily]

Farewell Fairway Market: Langford store to close tomorrow
The Westshore Centre’s Fairway has been there since 1988, so the news shocked staff, who said they were notified on June 28. Licensee Triple Crown Foods Ltd. said it will not renew the lease at 2945 Jacklin. Vancouver Island’s largest independently owned grocery chain has nine remaining stores, including Langford’s Goldstream location. [Times Colonist]

Bookworms: Oak Bay Library closed again—this time due to maggots
The branch remains closed and will be assessed each day after maggots and egg larvae were found in its 24-hour book return room. The room was initially closed for pest control and the library was closed Tue. A temporary 24-hour book return is available near Monterey Centre and hold pickup dates have been extended. [CHEK] Oak Bay's branch shut for four months last year due to asbestos.

🗓️ Things to do

🤣 Stacked Deck Comedy—Pride Edition. Hosted by Henok Meresa. Patricia Ellen, Julien Pletz, Emily Woods, Dylan Williams. Rebel Garage on Burnside. Tonight. Doors 7pm. Show at 8pm. [Poster / Tickets]

🎤 Phillips Backyard: The music festival’s Tilt weekend kicks off today with performances from Saint Motel, Half Moon Run, and more. Until Sunday. [Info] 

🎧 Kilbourne and Bedtime Snack: Celebrate Kilbourne’s birthday with additional sets from Mirage, HzLock, and Chymes at Capital Ballroom. Today. 9pm. [Info] 

😂 Comedy for a Cause: Curran Dobbs will headline this comedy fundraiser for Community Living Victoria at The Vic Theatre. Today. 7:30-9pm. [Info] 

🎵 Music in the Park: The Capital City Syncopators will perform jazz at the Cameron Bandshell and Beacon Hill Park. Today. 1:30-3:30pm. [Info] 

🏳️‍🌈 Pride in the Word: Listen to literary readings from queer speakers at the Victoria Conference Centre. Today. 7:30-10:30pm. [Info]

🎸 Diana Braithwaite and Chris Whiteley & Band: Enjoy a night of blues music led by the vocalist and the multi-instrumentalist at Hermann’s Jazz Club. Today. Doors 5:30pm. Show 7pm. [Info] 

🎶 Colwood’s Music in the Park: Rock of Ages will perform at Colwood Creek Park. Green Goose Grill and Spoon and Spade will serve up food. Today. 5:30-7:30pm. [Info]

👀 In Case You Missed It

Thursday’s headlines: UVic closes McKinnon pool; Arrest made in Langford rainbow crosswalk vandalism; Victoria Hospitals Foundation hits $10M; And more. [July 4] 

Centennial Square redesign: Vic’s council takes the next steps on relocating fountain monoliths and adding a splash pad and kiosks. [Capital Daily] 

Art appraiser comes to Vic, looking for the next unnoticed treasures. [Capital Daily] 

Rumble rumble: A series of quakes detected off the Island’s coast. [CHEK]

New handyDART online shop for tickets and passes. [BC Transit]

Indigenous language lesson: Learn the Hul’q’uni’num word for July from Cowichan Tribe member Jared Qwustenuxun Williams. [Video]

Applications open for heat-pump program. [BC gov’t.] 

Large cougar sighting in Central Saanich. [CSPD] 

That’s it!

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