Oct. 19 - Transportation gaps on the Island

Good morning !

Our top story today looks at the gaps in transit on the Island, particularly for northern communities. As someone currently living without a car, it can be a pain to plan a trip up-Island—I’m wondering if any readers feel the same.

— Robyn

Today’s approx. read time: 5 minutes

🌡️ Weather Forecast

Today: 🌦️ 15 / 9

Tomorrow: ☁️ 15 / 12

Day after: ☁️ 15 / 10

7-day forecast

🌫️ Air quality: Low risk today (2/10). Current smoke forecast.

🚘️ Driving today? Check the current traffic situation via Google.

NEWS

Island transportation survey highlights key connectivity gaps for communities

A lack of affordable, convenient, frequent and reliable options for travel between many Vancouver Island and Sunshine Coast communities was the top obstacle identified in a recent regional transportation survey.

Over the summer, the BC government funded extensive community consultations to study passenger transportation gaps faced by Indigenous, small, rural and remote communities on Vancouver Island and parts of the coastal mainland, as well as BC’s north and its southern Interior.

Poor connections between coastal communities, like ferries linked to transit, insufficient public transportation options to airports or harbours, and a lack of safe, accessible or low-emission services were other roadblocks highlighted in the Island Coastal Inter-Community Transportation study.

While Greater Victoria’s transit wasn’t evaluated, numerous communities north of Campbell River have never had inter-city transport or lost an affordable option when private coach company Wilson’s Group withdrew service in 2021 along smaller routes.

Read more about the gaps in Island transport here.

⚠️ Capital Bulletin

ShakeOut today: Practice essential earthquake safety measures such as “Drop, Cover, and Hold On.” 10:19am. Register here.

No trespassing on/near Metchosin’s Bentinck Island and it could get loud. Kayakers be cautioned: Canadian Forces personnel will be using the demolition range near Rocky Point. 9am to 4pm through tomorrow.

NEWS

Victoria man builds 50 libraries—little ones, that is

Bruce More takes his surname literally—he just couldn’t stop at 49.

The retired UVic music professor built one more little free library (LFL) and now has constructed an even 50 of these so-Victoria, public boxes that operate on the ‘leave-a-book-take-a-book’ principle.

More’s latest has been installed at 731 Macan Place near Veterans Memorial Parkway in Colwood.

He put together one of the wooden bookkeeps for his home a couple of years ago, but then had a conversation with Teale Phelps Bondaroff, who leads the Pocket Places Project, a part of the Greater Victoria Placemaking Network, which organizes the libraries.

"I started with an LFL for our driveway, then met Teale and he began to connect me with people who were interested in mounting an LFL in their neighbourhood,” says More.

“A new-found interest in carpentry combined with a lifelong interest in garage sales led me to expand my workshop and assemble recycled materials for my new ‘passion’.”

There are an astounding 786 libraries across the region, most filled with books, but there’s also a growing number of LFLs sharing plants, toys, household items, board games, puzzles, art and more.

Find the nearest Little Free Library here.

By Mark Brennae

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⭐️ Capital Picks

🏉 UVic women’s rugby team takes on University of Alberta Golden Bears in Canada West playoffs. Today. 2pm. Stream live (paid subscription).

🍂 Photo: See some glorious fall colours at the Japanese Garden at Butchart.

⚕️ New Care and Connection Kiosks now discreetly dispensing drug kits, condoms and wound-care supplies at Vic General.

🗞️ In Other News

North Saanich brewer using hops from 1870s for fresh beer
Howl Brewing owner Daniel van Netten is using just-picked hops originally grown back in BC’s early years in Confederation. The large green hops have a connection to Victoria Brewery, the city’s first commercial brewery, est. 1858. [CBC]

Victoria cyclist says green road paint slippery when wet
Craig Smith says he and other cyclists have slipped on the green painted bike paths. Council says the paint is mixed with ingredients to add grit, but Smith says an intersection on the E&N trail has lost this traction. [CHEK] 

Coco Bean the Naughty Sausage 1, Cancer 0
A Victoria woman was feeling run down and had a dent on the underside of her left breast. Her friend’s dog Coco recently jumped in her lap and put her snout right where the dent was. Turns out Coco knew what she was smelling. [CTV]

Island man fined for killing elk near Chemainus
The man pleaded guilty to hunting the animal out of season and will be banned from hunting for the next two years. The type of elk killed was the threatened Roosevelt species. The meat was confiscated and given to the Stz’uminus First Nation near Ladysmith. [Times Colonist]

Nanaimo woman’s death now considered a homicide
Wendy Head died of an overdose last March but more information has led police to believe the 52-year-old woman was the victim of foul play. [RCMP]

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🗓️ Things to do

🕯️ Frankenstein at Craigdarroch Castle. Actor Jason Stevens in a one-man performance of Mary Shelley’s horror story. Today-Saturday. 6pm & 8pm.

🎹 Ray Gallon on the ivory. The NYC jazz pianist performs at Hermann’s to promote his new album. Tonight. 7pm. Doors at 5:30pm. [Tickets]

🎷 OKTOPUS. The eight-piece MTL band performs its vibrant music at Hermann’s Upstairs. Tonight. 8pm. Doors at 7pm. [Tickets]

🧺 Laundry Room at Sidney Museum. See artists explore the personal aspects of laundry as women's work. Until Nov. 30. [Admission by donation]

👠 Rocky Horror Picture Show Live. Bluebridge Theatre. Tomorrow and Saturday. It’s just a jump to the left. Multiple showtimes. [Tickets]

🪶 Duncan McCue lecture: The Anishinaabe journalist will host a free webinar reflecting on truth and reconciliation tonight at 7pm. [Info]

👀 In Case You Missed It

Central Saanich Council weighs benefits of rezoning agricultural land. [Capital Daily]

Cragidarroch Castle unveils its new, old kitchen. [Capital Daily]

Parksville pushes for residential treatment centre, Saanich targets ‘doxxing’ at council meetings, BC Ferries workers’ union says members attacked. [Wed. newsletter]

How clean is the air in schools? Heading into flu and COVID season, advocates say schools aren’t doing enough to fight transmissions. [Capital Daily]

Suspicious fire in UVic campus washroom: Saanich Fire made quick work of a small blaze in a latrine in the Jamie Cassels Centre last Sat. night. Minimal damage and nobody hurt, Saanich Fire told Capital Daily.

High streamflow warning for entire Island, meaning that minor flooding in low-lying areas is possible but no major floods are yet expected. [Map]

That’s it!

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