Sooke 2030 Climate Action Plan: Implementation

A nature-based scavenger search event is a part of the Earth Day Celebration on Saturday, April 27th, 2024! Held adjacent to Fire Station One, alongside the vibrant Sooke Country Market, and hosted by the Fireweed Learning Commons, the event invites families to embark on an adventure inspired by the rejuvenating spirit of spring.

Attendees are encouraged to embrace their curiosity and immerse themselves in the wonders of the natural world. Two sessions will be delivered: one at 11 AM and another at 1 PM. Participants of all ages will have the opportunity to explore their surroundings and gain insight into the seasonal changes occurring in their environment.

The scavenger search promises an engaging and educational experience, allowing participants to discover the beauty and biodiversity of the spring season. Young explorers will be particularly delighted, as each participant, especially children, will receive a small gift as a token of appreciation.

Don't miss out on this opportunity to celebrate Earth Day in a meaningful and enjoyable way. Whether you're a seasoned nature enthusiast or just beginning to explore the wonders of the outdoors, the nature-based scavenger search promises an unforgettable experience for the whole family.

Event Details:

• Date: Saturday, April 27th, 2024
• Time: 11:00 am and 1:00 pm
• Location: Beside Fire Station One, alongside the Sooke Country Market
• Admission: Free
• Link to registration: REGISTER ONLINE

This event is funded with support from the District of Sooke Community Climate Action Seed Funding Program.

Two great events are happening in one awesome community!

Community Clean Up on April 26
Come together as stewards of Sooke as we tackle the removal of broom and other invasive species litter cleanup near Broomhill playground alongside the Friends of Sooke Parks Society, the Juan Fuca Community Trails Society, Sooke Broombusters and all interested volunteers.

Meet at the picnic shelter at 9:30 AM to enjoy a light refreshment, hot tea and coffee, and receive a safety orientation as community volunteers come together to make a difference. After 2.5 hours lunch will be provided for volunteers, alongside the opportunity to enjoy each other’s company!

Please dress for the weather and bring your own tools if you have them. Limited supplies of additional tools and safety gloves are available for community volunteers. Children are welcome, with parent/guardian supervision, to assist with the litter cleanup and smaller invasive plant species removal.

Celebration Event on April 27
Support local farmers, artisans, businesses and organizations while meeting new friends and neighbours in the community game zone! It’s all happening as Sooke celebrates Earth Day on Saturday, April 27 from 10 AM to 2 PM beside Fire Station One on Otter Point Road and alongside the Sooke Country Market

Features of the game zone include a bouncy castle, corn hole, connect four, colouring station and more. Get ready for a day filled with excitement as we bring together local businesses and organizations and forge new bonds within our wonderful community!

Along with Sooke Country Market Vendors, Earth Day exhibitors include:

• 606 Water Group;
• Capital Regional District Climate Action Program;
• Compost Education Centre;
• Electro Recycle;
• EMCS Eco Academy;
• Fireweed Learning Commons;
• Friends of Sooke Parks Society;
• Shift Energy Group;
• Sooke Broombusters;
• Transition Sooke;
• Wild Wise Society; and
• District of Sooke.

Navigating Sooke's streets is becoming safer and more pedestrian-friendly thanks to a series of crosswalk improvements rolling out across the community. These enhancements are part of a concerted effort to prioritize pedestrian safety and reduce emissions, as highlighted by recent budget engagements where residents voiced their concerns and priorities for the community.

The improvements include the installation of flashing lights at strategic crosswalks, aimed at increasing visibility and alerting motorists to the presence of pedestrians. Specifically, enhancements through this phase of work are being realized at the following locations:

• Phillips Road (SEAPARC Front Entrance): A new crosswalk with flashing lights improves safety for pedestrians accessing SEAPARC and youth travelling to Edward Milne Community School.
• Grant Road (French Road Intersection): Another new crosswalk with flashing lights facilitates safer crossings for pedestrians at this intersection leading to Broomhill Playground.
• Phillips Road (SEAPARC Back Entrance): The existing crosswalk at the SEAPARC back entrance is now equipped with flashing lights to enhance visibility and safety.
• Church Road (Stickleback Urban Trail and Poirier Active School Travel Route): Flashing lights have been added to the Church Road crosswalk, ensuring the safety of pedestrians utilizing the popular trail and school route.
• Otter Point (Rhodenite Intersection): The crosswalk at Otter Point and Rhodenite has been upgraded with flashing lights to improve pedestrian safety.

While these improvements mark progress in the journey towards a more pedestrian-friendly Sooke, the municipality remains committed to ongoing efforts to enhance safety and accessibility across the community. If there is a crossing in Sooke that you feel would benefit from flashing lights and/or a location where a crosswalk is absent and you feel a crosswalk would enhance pedestrian safety, please let us know by making a crosswalk suggestion using this form.

Together, we can continue making travel in Sooke safer and more accessible for everyone.

The District is sharing this announcement from the Province of British Columbia:

B.C. builds cleaner communities with active transportation

People will have more opportunities to enjoy multi-use pathways, protected bike lanes, pedestrian bridges and safety improvements as local, regional and Indigenous governments expand their active transportation infrastructure.

For this intake period, $24 million from the Province will support 80 active transportation infrastructure projects in communities around British Columbia. These grants will help local governments plan and build improved connections to work, school and recreational centres, and create infrastructure in communities to support active modes of transportation.

“People are choosing to walk, run and cycle more each year. Our support means communities can think bigger when tackling transportation challenges and providing more options for people to get around,” said Dan Coulter, B.C. Minister of State for Infrastructure and Transit, at an event for two projects in the Vancouver Island community of Sooke.

In Sooke, new projects to build safe, inclusive active transportation connections will give people of all ages healthier and more convenient ways to explore their community. The completion of the Little River Multi-Use Trail will establish a vital link between the Sun River Neighbourhood and Ravens Ridge Park, connecting with Sooke’s town core.

Along Charters Road, safety improvements are being built for cyclists and pedestrians. This project will include extended sidewalks, bike lanes, pedestrian crossing infrastructure and a boulevard enhancement.

“I am thrilled and grateful to see the Active Transportation Infrastructure Grants program bolstering our community's efforts toward a more sustainable and accessible future,” said Maja Tait, mayor of Sooke. “With projects like the Little River Multi-Use Trail and enhancements along Charters Road, we’re improving safety and also fostering a healthier, more connected and resilient community.”

The Active Transportation Infrastructure Grants program funds Indigenous, local and regional governments with cost-sharing investments of as much as $500,000 for infrastructure projects, and as much as $50,000 to develop active transportation network plans.

“People in Sooke and across our province are witnessing real, tangible enhancements in their neighbourhoods,” said Ravi Parmar, MLA for Langford-Juan de Fuca. “Promoting active transportation isn't just about roads and paths, it's about fostering safer, healthier and more convenient lifestyles for all. By investing in bike lanes, sidewalks, safe routes to schools and trail networks now, we're laying the foundation for a safer, more interconnected future that benefits everyone.”

The Active Transportation Infrastructure Grants program supports the Province’s CleanBC commitment to increase shares of trips by walking, cycling and transit.

Learn More:

B.C. Active Transportation Infrastructure Grants Program:
https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/transportation/funding-engagement-permits/funding-grants/active-transportation-infrastructure-grants

Full announcement, including backgrounder:

B.C. builds cleaner communities with active transportation | BC Gov News

Royal Roads University Student Seeks Local Expertise to Enhance Watershed Protection Awareness

Heba Dakhlallah, a master’s student at Royal Roads University specializing in Environment and Management, is reaching out to local community members to participate in a research project that aims to raise awareness about the Sooke River watershed in British Columbia.

Dakhlallah recognizes the valuable contributions that individuals within the community of Sooke can make to this initiative. Community members are invited to partake in in-depth interviews or focus groups, delving into their local knowledge of watersheds, community initiatives, future aspirations for the watershed, and effective communication strategies to support watershed education. This collaborative effort seeks to create impactful and customized materials for watershed protection awareness.

What to Anticipate

Time Commitment: Participants are kindly asked to allocate approximately 30-45 minutes for the interview. An additional 30 minutes will be needed to review provided scripts, which will be sent shortly before the session. Participants will have a week to review, edit, and contribute as necessary.

Location: Participants have the flexibility to choose between in-person interviews or virtual sessions via Zoom or Google Hangouts.

Date and Time: To be determined and coordinated with participants individually.

Your Impact

The involvement of local community members will not only elevate public awareness and knowledge but will also actively support potential future initiatives undertaken by the District of Sooke.

Your Voluntary Choice

Participation is entirely optional, and individuals are welcome to withdraw before the interview. After the discussion, participants will be given one week to review and confirm their contributions. If preferred, responses can be kept entirely anonymous. It is important to note that the interview will be recorded for analysis purposes.

Connect

If you find this opportunity intriguing and are willing to share your thoughts, please reach out to Heba Dakhlallah through the following contact information before February 11, 2024:

• Email: heba.dakhlallah@royalroads.ca
• Phone: 778-788-9330

"Your perspective is invaluable. I genuinely hope community members will consider participating in this enriching conversation."

About Royal Roads University

Royal Roads University is a leading public applied university located in Colwood. Known for its innovative programs and commitment to sustainability, the university empowers students to make a difference in their communities and beyond. For more information, visit www.royalroads.ca.

The Sooke District Council approved the 2023 Climate Action Project list on March 17, 2023, with a strategic focus on maximizing a $135,000 Provincial contribution and optimizing District resources, which included $17,000 and human resources.

Key actions from a human resource perspective included collaboration with the CRD Climate Action Team; organizational shifts to mobilize social, environmental and economic co-benefits into how we operate; hiring a Manager of Community Planning; and launching a Climate Action Seed Funding Program to meaningfully engage the community.

In the eight months since initiation, the District achieved a 95% mobilization on the identified initiatives, with the outstanding item being a delayed report on corporate building emissions due to resource availability.

It is important to note that the 2024 Budget What We Heard Report indicated that top priorities for Sooke residents were the ability to safely walk or bike around town, health and wellness, and environmental protection. However, climate action and reducing GHG emissions were lower on the priority list. While this highlights the polarization of this topic, it is important to recognize that the former are solutions to the latter.

The efforts of collaboration with the CRD Climate Action Team resulted in comprehensive GHG inventories, increased promotion of the Home Navigator Program and engagement with local schools through the Cool It! Climate Leadership Program, among other initiatives.

Specific to the Community Climate Action Seed Funding Program, through this program we engaged over 2,000 people, connected with 50 community champions, and hosted more than 15 events. Noteworthy initiatives included water sustainability pop-ups, support for the Sooke Country Market, and enhancements to parks through tree planting and events.

In 2023, youth education programs focused on invasive species removal and FireSmart stewardship.

The District also joined the BC Bird Trail to promote Sooke as a birdwatching destination and foster the connection people have with our natural environment.

Additionally, we expanded our broom-busting program which resulted in 20 dump trucks worth of invasive species removed and keenly helping FireSmart our community.

An Active Routes to School Program is being piloted with Poirier Elementary as we look to support families explore alternative transportation modes and/or make use of neighbouring meeting spots which can help save them time, in particular during busy morning drop-offs.

Admittedly, this high-level summary does not do the work of our Plan implementation to date justice. To watch a presentation on our year-in-review, please join us for the Regular Council Meeting on Monday, January 22, 2024. The meeting begins at 7pm in Council Chambers at Sooke Municipal Hall. If you cannot make it in person, it will be live-streamed on our YouTube channel with a recording available after the meeting.

Are you a yarn enthusiast, always on the lookout for vibrant new colours to ignite your knitting passion? Do you find yourself hesitating due to the budget constraints of your beloved yarn projects? Perhaps you have that one textured yarn waiting for the perfect crochet idea to come along.

Look no further! Join Zero Waste Sooke for a delightful YARN SWAP event at the Sooke Library, where creativity and community collide.

Date: Sunday, January 28, 11:00 am – 1:00 pm

Location: Sooke Library

In collaboration with Zero Waste Sooke and the District of Sooke, the Yarn Swap is not just a chance to share your yarn treasures but also an opportunity to explore and discover a whole new world of knitting possibilities.

What to Expect:

• Bring in your donations of good condition yarn, knitting and crochet patterns, or tools.
• Help your beloved yarn, patterns, and tools find a new home where they’ll be cherished.
• Take home a variety of new-to-you supplies for free. You don’t need to donate to indulge in this yarny paradise.

Whether you’re looking to clear out your stash, find new inspiration, or simply connect with fellow yarn enthusiasts, the YARN SWAP is the place to be!

Don’t miss this fantastic opportunity to knit, crochet, and macramé your way to a more sustainable and creative community. Join the fun!

A Magical Journey at the Pop-Up Storywalk in John Phillips Memorial Park awaits!

• Date: January 26, 2024
• Time: 1:00 pm - 3:30 pm
• Location: John Phillips Memorial Park

Embark on a literary adventure with our enchanting Pop-Up Storywalk, a delightful collaboration with Vancouver Island Regional Library - Sooke! This special event is taking place on January 26, aligning perfectly with Family Literacy Week 2024 – a province-wide celebration promoting the joy of reading and learning together.

Family Literacy Week Theme: "Let’s Have a Family Party!"What to Expect:

• Immerse yourself in the pages of Valerie Bolling's captivating book as you stroll through the scenic John Phillips Park.
• Enjoy the beautiful outdoors while engaging in a heartwarming tale about a neighbourhood jam.
• Embrace the theme of "Let’s Have a Family Party!" by making food, singing songs, and playing games with your loved ones.
• Connect with fellow literature enthusiasts and celebrate the joy of reading in a picturesque setting.

This event is not just about reading; it's a celebration of family, literacy, and the joy that comes from sharing stories. Let the pages come to life as you traverse the park, creating lasting memories with your loved ones.

The District is thrilled to share this news from the Government of Canada on the District's successful Infrastructure Canada Grant Application and the resulting $1.3 million in funding towards the Little River Crossing multi-use pedestrian trails project.

Quotes

“Canada is known for its natural beauty and rich cultural history. We’re proud to support projects that honour that while better connecting our communities. Improving the trail network surrounding DeMamiel Creek will help Sooke residents and visitors alike get around safely and enjoy all that the area has to offer. We will continue to invest in active transportation infrastructure improvements across the country that make life better for Canadians.”

The Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities

“This project will facilitate instrumental connectivity in our community. It will offer safe and efficient travel over Little River (Demamiel Creek) drastically improving residents’ ability to reach desired destinations including schools, local businesses and recreation amenities. I extend my appreciation to the federal government for this significant investment that is certain to have a profound impact on how citizens get around town – alleviating the need for vehicle travel in a core area of Sooke.”

Her Worship, Maja Tait, Mayor of the District of Sooke

Quick facts

• The federal government is investing $1,307,610 in this project through the Active Transportation Fund (ATF), and the District of Sooke is contributing $871,740.
• Active transportation refers to the movement of people or goods powered by human activity, and includes walking, cycling and the use of human-powered or hybrid mobility aids such as wheelchairs, scooters, e-bikes, rollerblades, snowshoes, cross-country skis, and more.
• The federal government is investing billions of dollars to provide predictable federal public transit funding which will be available to support reliable, fast, affordable, and clean public transit solutions beginning in 2026-27. This investment includes $400 million through the Active Transportation Fund over five years, starting in 2021, to make travel by active transportation easier, safer, more convenient, and more enjoyable.
• The National Active Transportation Strategy is the country's first coast-to-coast-to-coast strategic approach for promoting active transportation and its benefits. The strategy’s aim is to make data-driven and evidence-based investments to build new and expanded active transportation networks and to create safe environments for more equitable, healthy, active, and sustainable travel options to thrive.
• The Active Transportation Fund complements Canada’s strengthened climate plan: A Healthy Environment and a Healthy Economy. Through the plan, the federal government has committed to providing permanent federal to encourage cleaner modes of transportation, such as low and zero-emission vehicles, transit and active transportation in every community.
• Active transportation infrastructure provides many tangible benefits, such as creating good middle-class jobs, strengthening the economy, promoting healthier lifestyles, providing affordable transportation options, cutting air and noise pollution, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Investing in safer active transportation infrastructure is key to ensuring people of all ages and abilities can access jobs and services and connect with their communities.

At the November 27, 2023 Council meeting, Council supported staff's recommendation to submit two grant applications for critical active transportation corridors including Little River Multi-Use Trails (Demamiel Creek Bridge) Crossing and Charters Corridor South.

The applications are considered for "shovel-ready" projects with an award anticipated in Spring 2024. If successful, the District could receive up to $1 million towards both of these initiatives which will improve pedestrian connectivity in Sooke.