Monthly Mayoral Message: April

Thursday, April 14, 2022 – Spring is here with flowers blooming and numerous community events back in action!

For those celebrating Easter, there is a community egg hunt hosted by Pemberton Homes taking place on Saturday at Ed Macgregor Park.

From April 19th to 23rd, the District will be hosting a series of events in celebration of Earth Day.

On Tuesday, April 19th, connect with our team at Whiffin Spit from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. to participate in an Idea Wall as we develop a Climate Resilience and Regeneration Strategy and check out the Bucket Brigade (Pilot) Beach Clean Up Program launching the same day.

On Wednesday, April 20th, join a FireSmart Information Webinar at 1pm (register to receive the meeting link, as this session will take place virtually).

On Thursday, April 21st at 12pm, Clean BC and the District’s Climate Action Coordinator, Maia Carolsfeld, will host a free Heat Pump webinar (register here).

On Friday, April 22nd at 9:30am, you’re invited to join District Parks Staff and the Juan de Fuca Community Trails Society for a community clean-up and invasive species pull event at Broomhill playground. Refreshments will be provided.

While at Broomhill Playground, you’ll notice a new installation with basketball hoops at the park – an addition proving very popular with local children and youth!

On Saturday, April 23rd, it’s the Sooke Country Market Opening Day at John Phillips Memorial Park! The Market runs every Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and provides a wonderful opportunity to purchase fresh, locally grown produce, and numerous community artisans also have their works on sale.

During the Market Opening Day, the District will be hosting a Community Art Wall where residents are invited to stop by and help us draw our future. The Idea Wall will once again be available as well. There will be chances to win some great prizes, including an e-bike from Fuca Cycles, so please stop by and say “hello”!

Complementing the Market’s Opening Day and Earth Day festivities, several exhibits will be on-site outside the municipal hall on April 23rd from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., including EctroRecycle a FREE small appliance recycling pop-up, along with environmental education exhibits with interactive displays for children, their parents, and grandparents alike!

District staff will also be working with local schools throughout the week to plant trees on the Stickleback Urban Trail. For more on the District’s Earth Day festivities, please visit www.sooke.ca/earthday.

In caring for the planet, I would like to remind you that the District’s Checkout Bag Bylaw comes into effect on May 22, 2022. I recognize that bringing your reusable bags to businesses is becoming a regular practice for many shoppers and this is a transition that several businesses have already made; however, our taking one more step to reduce waste is certainly one in the right direction.

Speaking of steps forward, District Council is pleased to host an Official Community Plan (OCP) Open House on Saturday, May 7th. The event will take place at Sooke Community Hall in the dining room on the lower level from 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

On Monday (April 11), Council gave First Reading to the OCP Bylaw No. 800. With the Bylaw at first reading, the agency referral process begins. Public can continue to provide input on the Bylaw while the referral process is underway by submitting written comments by email to info@sooke.ca or delivering your comments to municipal hall.

Feedback from the community and agencies, such as the Capital Regional District and provincial Ministries, will be brought back to Council before Second Reading. Please subscribe to the OCP e-mailing list to stay connected on this process.

I will continue to keep you informed on district activities and invite you to subscribe to the district’s monthly newsletter as a great way to stay connected or call us at 250.642.1634.

Kindest regards,

Mayor Maja Tait