Maja Tait | Contributed
Spring is here with flowers blooming and numerous community events back in action.
And it all starts today (April 21) at noon when Clean B.C. and the district’s climate action coordinator, Maia Carolsfeld, will host a free heat pump webinar.
On Friday (April 22), at 9:30 a.m., you’re invited to join the district’s 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 popular with local children and youth.
On Saturday (April 23), it’s the Sooke Country Market Opening Day at John Phillips Memorial Park. The market runs every Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and provides a wonderful opportunity to buy 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.
Complementing the market’s opening day and Earth Day festivities, several exhibits will be on-site outside Municipal Hall on April 23 from 10 a.m. to 2 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. 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 May 7. The event will take place at Sooke Community Hall in the dining room on the lower level from noon to 4 p.m.
On 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.
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Maja Tait is the mayor of Sooke. Email mtait@sooke.ca.