Oak Bay News, December 26, 2014

Friday, December 26, 2014 www.oakbaynews.com

Spreading sunshineClowns show laughter really can be the best medicine

Page A3

ARTS: Bachands debut new album for hometown fans /A6SPORTS: Oak Bay falls in final of Gary Taylor Classic /A7NEWS: Flu season arrives early on Island /A10

OAK BAYNEWSNew era set to dawn on Oak Bay High

Dan EbenalNews Staff

It has honed the skills of world-class athletes and internationally renowned artists, helped to shape the minds of business leaders and prominent national figures, it has been a place the community turns to in times of celebration and of sorrow. And after being a fixture in Oak Bay for the better part of a century, welcoming upwards of 30,000 students through its doors, the familiar facade of Oak Bay High will be relegated to the history books.

Construction continues on the new Oak Bay High slated to usher in its first students next September. And as work wraps up on the $50 million state-of-the-art school this summer, the original 1929 school building

and later additions will be torn down, making way for the school’s new sports fields.

“I think it’s going to be shockingly different for a couple of reasons. First of all, education itself has changed its face so dramatically but schools haven’t been able to change their faces,” said

principal Dave Thomson, who has been at Oak Bay High for all but four years since 1992.

The face of Oak Bay High has changed a few times since it moved to its current site in 1929 from its previous location in what is now the Uplands Golf Course, with major additions tacked on in the 1950s and ’60s, but it still seemed like a history class every time students walked through the front door.

“You walk through the front door of this school and it’s no different than when you walked in the front door in 1970,” said Thomson. “The building that we’re in, as much as we all love it – and we do – has so many weaknesses that don’t allow us to be the kinds of educators and produce the kinds of students we should be producing.”

The new school will eliminate the need for duplication that is now found in the separate buildings of the school, and the classrooms themselves will be built in pods of three with a flexible wall that will allow for the creation of a larger space.

“If you take into account both buildings, [the new

school] is probably a little bit smaller in terms of square footage. But the reality is it’s much better organized and efficient. There’s not much efficiency when you have to go back and forth, when you have to have two separate offices and two separate computer systems and telephone systems,” said vice-principal Garrett Brisdon, who has been actively involved in the construction process.

“Change orders are much more part of the process now,” said Thomson. “We’re making decisions every day with the architects on what the building’s going to look like. This morning we were talking to a technology teacher about the blank canvas we have in one technology space.”

And it won’t just be the look of the building that’s changing, with the new school opening up an opportunity for a more diverse curriculum. School officials are looking at potential new courses in engineering, robotics, electronics and marine biology.

Oak Bay students will welcome a group of students from the Netherlands in the spring to study freshwater biology and work to redesign Bowker Creek. The local students will then head to Holland in the fall.

Discussions on replacing the school began two decades ago when it was learned the building didn’t meet seismic codes. Construction started in the summer of 2013 and the school has been a hive of activity for the past 18 months. But the disruption of going to school in a construction zone is offset by the educational value it provides students.

“My physics teachers and engineering teachers and technology teachers, for them this is a big-boy sandbox. Everything is happening and you’re watching it happen,” said Thomson.

Dan Ebenal/News Staff

Principal Dave Thomson keeps a watchful eye on the construction of the new Oak Bay High. The building should be ready to welcome students when the new school year begins in September.

Construction scheduled to be complete this summer on new state-of-the-art school

“You walk through the front door of this school and it’s no different than when you walked in the front door in 1970.”

- Dave Thomson

PlEASE SEE: ‘Sympathetic deconstruction’ will save items from old school,

Page A6

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A2 • www.oakbaynews.com Friday, December 26, 2014 - OAK BAY NEWS

Oak Bay students take the plungeIn a community-building event

more than two decades old, more than 100 “brave souls” from Oak Bay High took to the sea on the last day of school before winter break.

“It becomes this badge of honour,” said principal Dave Thomson, who led the charge from shore.

At the five-minute warning, sweaters started coming off and

students were ready for the plunge when he said go. After coaxing the handful of dawdlers demanding to be the last survivors, he allowed a couple latecomers to earn their badge before the students hauled out of the water for a warmup hot chocolate.

They all headed back to Oak Bay High for a pancake breakfast to complete the annual ritual.

[email protected]

Photos by Christine van Reeuwyk

Oak Bay market robbedOak Bay Police are

investigating the third robbery, or attempt, in less than two weeks. On Saturday, a man walked into Casey’s Market on St. Patrick Street just after 5 p.m. and demanded

cash from the clerk who was working alone in the store. The suspect sprayed pepper spray and made off with cash. The suspect is described as a Caucasian man in his 30s, five-foot-10-inches tall and about 190

pounds, wearing a black hoody.The clerk wasn’t injured

during the incident but was treated by paramedics for the side effects of the pepper spray. Saanich Police are assisting with the investigation.


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OAK BAY NEWS - Friday, December 26, 2014 www.oakbaynews.com • A3

Clowns spreading sunshine for six yearsChristine van ReeuwykNews staff

Clowns aren’t just for kids; the long-held belief that laughter is the best medicine holds true for adults and even seniors.

Oak Bay is a home base of sorts for the Sunshine Clown Band.

The dozen or so clowns in this troupe endeavour to stretch beyond entertaining and into the realm of social work.

They produce a show called Dancing with Fish, a multi-fringe festival performance they also put on this fall at the Oak Bay United Church, which happens to be where they store their costumes and props and practise their craft.

Aside from that show, they have year-round impact in long-term care homes around the region as care clowns.

“You should see the effect clowns have on people in care facilities. They just light up,” says founding member Jim Ricks. “We sing with them and play and do silly things. We give hugs and stickers that say ‘I hugged a clown today’. We’ve got some interactive things we do … all of it is important. We pitch ourselves at the

level the people are.” The Sunshine Clown Band

started a little over six years ago, says Ricks. He and his daughter Amanda Gafter-Ricks and pal Scott Smith were in a choir together and decided to form the band.

“We weren’t musically as together as we needed to be,” Ricks says. “If you want to be funny doing music you better be good at it. You can’t just be bad.”

The clown band idea quickly grew into something more socially responsible.

They do shows around the region, including regular performances at care homes.

“We do some singing and dancing but it’s more a clown show. That’s where we’ve evolved to,” Ricks says.

Gafter-Ricks, a registered drama therapist, started clowning many years ago and remembers it as, “fooling around and playing around the piano.” Already a professional, she’s toured and worked as a clown.

Gafter-Ricks, though, knows the keen difference between getting the laughs and providing a service.

“We are not about entertaining. We are about connecting with the individuals we are meeting. Ultimately it’s about connecting on that human level as opposed to entertainment,” she says. “All of our clowns have a social service background. We have really arrived at the conclusion that anyone who’s coming in to do care clowning has to have those fundamental skill sets around social service and being in service for others, ideally.”

The clowns’ experience runs the gamut from child care to working with seniors.

“Those skills that you learn and those professions really do translate as care clowns,” Gafter-Ricks says.

She points out newer clown Ann Sorensen, who joined this spring after retiring from 26 years working at the Queen Alexandra Centre.

All Sorensen originally knew about therapeutic clowning was what she gleaned from Patch Adams, the movie starring Robin Williams, where the titular character made those in the most dire medical situations smile. It left her intrigued, and Sorensen knew upon retirement she’d be seeking to fill the void of years spent working with children. She found some care clown training in Montreal in 2012 and there learned of the Sunshine Clowns back home and joined up.

“The word is getting out there, but there are a lot of people that don’t know much about care clowning or even that it exists,” Sorensen said. “They’re making a huge difference in a really sweet way.”

Now her character Mimsy is a part of the Sunshine roster.

“There are aspects of it where it’s beautiful that you tap into a childlike part of yourself and you reach people in a different way. It means so much to people who can be so isolated. It’s a wonderful way to connect with people,” she said. “I’m new, and with clowning you take on a clown persona but the clown persona has aspects of you in it. You take a characteristic that isn’t your best quality and you exaggerate the dickens out of it.”

Mimsy tries hard, but drops things and wears a bicycle bell as a ring. “She does her best,” Sorensen says with a laugh.

Mimsy works with others such as Bungle (Ricks) and Goldie Rae (Gafter-Ricks) on routine schedules at three regional facilities: Beacon Hill Villa, Cridge Village and Luther Court. A routine session entails two clowns and a handler.

Submitted Photo

Scott Smith cheers up residents at Beacon Hill Villa as part of his care-clowining gig with the Sunshine Clowns.

Submitted Photo

Amanda Gafter Ricks interacts with a resident at Beacon Hill Villa during a Sunshine Clowns visit.

Please see: Clowns use laughter as their

medicine, Page A5


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A4 • www.oakbaynews.com Friday, December 26, 2014 - OAK BAY NEWSA4 • www.oakbaynews.com Friday, December 26, 2014 - OAK BAY NEWS

VIEWPOINTPenny Sakamoto Group PublisherDan Ebenal Editor Oliver Sommer Advertising Director

The Oak Bay News is published every Wednesday and Friday by Black Press Ltd., 207A-2187 Oak Bay, B.C. V8R 1G1. Phone: 250-598-4123. Web: oakbaynews.com

OUR VIEW

YOUR VIEW

Oak Bay council has announced to the public that it will begin a clover trap/bolt gun cull of 25 deer in Oak Bay in January 2015. The method chosen for this cull is highly controversial. The claim of a “rapidly expanding deer population” has not been substantiated by a scientific count, such as radio collaring and tracking movements of deer between municipalities.

Some Oak Bay councillors have maintained that experts (unidentified) have assured them

the clover trap/bolt gun kill is humane, with some claiming that this method is as humane as any abattoir kill. The use of the bolt gun in an abattoir is paired with an entirely different method of restraint than that depicted in the photographs on the DeerSafe website of the killing of a buck in 2010, where two men are restraining a 140- to 200-pound animal with the weight of their bodies. These are not the conditions of restraint for which the bolt gun was designed.

I suggest that it would be in the best interests of the Oak Bay public if council members were to meet with those opposed to the upcoming cull to observe the clover trap/bolt gun kill by Oak Bay’s chosen contractor.

Given the ongoing controversy regarding the humaneness of this kill method, I hereby ask the council’s permission to observe the clover trap/bolt gun kill, and invite councillors to attend as well.

Kelly CarsonDeerSafe Victoria

Menorah use has changedChristine van Reeuwyk deserves

thanks and a compliment for her excellent piece on Hanukkah in the Dec. 17 Oak Bay News. An important detail, however, is misleading.

The comment that “The seven-candled menorah is used all year for Jewish worship and ceremony” is out of date by some two millennia. The Roman army destroyed the Second Temple in the year 70. Since then no Jewish worship service or ritual includes the use of a seven-branched menorah (the original menorahs burned oil).

In fact, the Talmud, the authoritative collection of Jewish jurisprudence, prohibits even the creation of such a menorah because of its association with the destroyed temple (although one

can still buy them at some Judaica stores).

Karl PreussOak Bay

Cause spans generationsThis is my generation. Did you

know that today, for the first time in history, we have the power to end AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria? When The Who first sang the aforementioned song, no one had heard of AIDS, but tuberculosis, on the other hand, had been around for thousands of years.

TB is woven into the fabric of our humanity, from the Bible to opera to those bothersome ads on TV that do not allow us to forget that some of our brothers and sisters still live in abject poverty and cannot fight this scourge on their own.

Canada is actually one of the

darlings of the world when it comes to TB. We stand alone as the only country thus far funding TB Reach, a proven initiative for diagnosing the hardest to reach and the hardest to diagnose cases of TB and even DR-TB (drug-resistant TB).

Over the past five years, TB Reach has provided grants to 145 projects across 36 countries, with a number of these projects working to implement new, innovative ways of integrating TB and HIV health care in order to tackle both diseases together.

It is time to renew our support to the fight against TB by pledging $120 million over five years to TB Reach. Let’s make this a historic generation – the generation that finally eradicates TB.

Connie LebeauVictoria

Group seeking to observe deer cull

The OAK BAY NEWS is a member of the British Columbia Press Council, a self-regulatory body governing the province’s newspaper industry. The council considers complaints from the public about the conduct of member newspapers. If talking with the editor or publisher does not resolve your complaint about coverage or story treatment, you may contact the B.C. Press Council.

Your written concern, with documentation, should be sent to B.C. Press Council, 201 Selby St., Nanaimo, B.C. V9R 2R2. For information, phone 888-687-2213 or go to www.bcpresscouncil.org.

Navy decision keepspace with the times

The presence of cheap or free alcohol on Royal Canadian Navy ships is a tradition that goes back generations.

It can likely be traced back to when the captains of sailing ships heading out for long voyages to new lands felt it prudent to carry rum on board to give crew members something to look forward to during long stretches at sea, and to keep them from going stir crazy.

While ships and personnel in today’s navy still spend extended time at sea away from home and family, the need for a loose liquor policy on board is a vestige from the past that has long outlived its pragmatic need.

There will no doubt be crew members who will grumble about the move announced by the RCN this month to ban self-serve drinking while its ships are at sea or in port. But it makes sense, since these ships are workplaces 24/7, with crew on duty at all times.

The change was one of a variety of recommendations stemming from an Internal Review of Personal Conduct, launched after shorebound charges relating to drunken misconduct were lodged against three members of HMCS Whitehorse on exercise in San Diego this past summer. Among the review’s findings was that clearer guidance on the RCN’s expectations for personal conduct needs to be communicated to officers and sailors, a result it stated should come from better leadership training and communications efforts.

Leaving ship’s personnel to police themselves around alcohol consumption has worked well for years for the most part. But the RCN has acknowledged that the number of alcohol-fuelled negative incidents has been on the rise in recent years.

That said, the navy realizes that the vast majority of personnel behave respectfully when imbibing on board or in port. As such, one recommendation is to offer alcohol on ships for special occasions, but for a higher price than in past and never in a self-serve scenario.

The military is designed to be structured and discipline-oriented – that’s why many people join in the first place. Letting that structure loosen over booze is simply not acceptable.

RCN policy on alcohol was a relic from another time

“It’s as much a gift being in service as it is receiving services. I have always found that laughter, music, touch and that fundamental human connection is vital to all of our health, let alone someone who is now aging, who has lost autonomy,” Gafter-Ricks says. “It also really translates to people who visit the people we have visited. They get to see that somebody else cares and had an impact.”

For three years they’ve provided hugs to the 80 residents of Beacon Hill Villa in Victoria.

“It’s extremely important. I’d seen the power of clowning at a conference I was at on arts and health care,” said Kristy Brugman, therapeutic recreation department manager at Beacon Hill Villa. “I witnessed things that can unfold when you’re being playful. We see a lot of people come out of their shell. When a clown comes around it gives you permission to step out of your normal routine and play.”

The clowns use body language and eye

contact to read the situation, then extend a playful invitation, and the resident either engages and invites them in or gives them a sign to go away. “They are really experts at what they do … they’re inviting people to engage.”

Brugman recalled a man, who sulked

in his room, forever lamenting there was nothing to do. He was stuck in a bored state of mind.

“I came back around after the clowns had been in his unit. He was laying with his mask on his face,” she said. “He had his finger above his head dancing with a red

clown nose on it – giggling.”

Moments like that are the norm, not the exception, Brugman says.

“In a busy environment, this is something that offers people just that moment to truly decide what’s going to happen. They have

some autonomy in that moment. They get to choose how they want to interact and whether they want to interact.”

Learn more about care clowning and their philosophy online at thesunshine clownband.com.

cvanreeuwyk@oak baynews.com

Laura LavinBlack Press

Celtic purists may be surprised by Qristina and Quinn Bachand’s latest release Little Hinges.

The Oak Bay-raised siblings spent more than a year working to perfect the mix of tunes on the album which features two sections, with the interlude Little Hinges connecting the two.

“It was a big project and we were a bit too ambitious at first,” says Qristina, the big sister of the duet. “We chose to take our time and now it’s a year later. … There’s a lot to it. It changed a lot while we were recording. It’s very different from our previous albums.”

After the more conventional first half of the album, which features the uplifting fiddle sound of a typical Bachand album, the tune Little Hinges opens the door

to the second section in which the Bachands take a road less travelled.

“It starts off similar to our previous instrumental, traditional music then there’s an interlude in the middle that Quinn calls a palate cleanser,” she says. “Then it goes

into a little weirder indie folk thing.”

The record features vocals by both Bachands, and though Quinn is known for his instrumental versatility, it’s Qristina’s voice that captures the listener.

“I think this exposes us to a wider

audience,” says Qristina. “It’s more mainstream, not that that was planned, it’s just the direction the project ended up taking. … it was very organic.”

While Qristina lives mostly in the Netherlands and Quinn in Boston in his

first year of studies at Berklee College of Music, the two will be home for the holidays and are happy to host a pre-release party for their hometown fans on Jan. 3 with Adam Dobres (Ruth Moody Band) and Jesse Boland (Towers and Trees) joining them on stage. The official release will be at the Celtic Connections concert in Glasgow, Scotland, Jan. 16.

“I like the second half of the album a lot. It’s a lot different than what’s out there,” Qristina adds.

Little Hinges features Quinn on acoustic guitar, fiddle, tenor banjo, clawhammer banjo, percussion, electric guitar, bass guitar, auto harp, Wurlitzer, Rhodes, Hammond B3, pump organ, tambourine, bodhran and “a keyboard we bought at the thrift store,” says Qristina, with a laugh.

The Bachands

also launched a new website this month and Qristina decided a CD sale was the perfect fit to celebrate. Until Jan. 15 you can download Little Hinges at qbachand.com for just $6.

“I’m really excited about the album so I want as many people as possible to hear it,” she says.

The Qristina and Quinn Bachand pre-release show is on Jan. 3 at 7:30 p.m. (doors at 7) at the Oak Bay United Church, 1355 Mitchell St. Tickets are $15 advance, $20 at the door, and are available at Lyle’s Place, Ivy’s Bookshop, Long & McQuade and online at beaconridge productions.com.


Bachands bring new release to Oak Bay homecoming

Qristina and Quinn Bachand will be back to perform in their hometown Jan. 3 at the Oak Bay United Church.

Clowns use laughter as their medicineContinued from Page A3


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And when the wrecking ball comes, memories won’t be the only things that survive from the original building.

“Sympathetic deconstruction is the phrase they use now, because there’s things they want to save. The tear down will be done with care to preserve

some things they want to save,” said Thomson.

The huge fir timbers from the old gym will become benches in the new fitness facility and even the old tree that grew outside Thomson’s office will be used to construct a large social staircase in the new school.

There’s frustration

that comes from being housed in a building from another technological era, one that has been forced to change its form with each new addition

“We have to unplug our fax machine if we want to run our coffee machine. There are things the building doesn’t have the capacity to handle,”

said Thomson.Brisdon points to

hallways that lead to a stairway going up and then another set of stairs going down. He says he still has to hunt for light switches, as they’re not found in the natural places because conduit has had to be run on the outside of walls. With that, the lights begin to flicker and then momentarily shut off.

“I think somebody plugged in the coffee machine,” Brisdon says with a chuckle

But despite the twisting corridors and and flickering lights, both men will have will have mixed reactions when they walk out of the old school for the

final time.“I’ve been here in

the middle of the night, and it speaks to you. I love the place, it has history like crazy,” said Thomson, adding the

1929 “stick building” that houses his office is what he will miss the most.

“We have a cafeteria with a maple hardwood floor, we

have a math class with maple floors, stuff that you can’t even imagine. It’s stuff we’ve been comfortable with for a long, long time.”[email protected]

‘Sympathetic deconstruction’ will save items from old school


Crews will work to salvage some of the material from the original Oak Bay High building that was constructed in 1929.

Continued from Page A1

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OAK BAY NEWS - Friday, December 26, 2014 www.oakbaynews.com • A7OAK BAY NEWS - Friday, December 26, 2014 www.oakbaynews.com • A7

Bays bounced from finalVancouver College

spoiled home-court advantage for Oak Bay at the first basketball tournament in the school’s new gym.

The Fighting Irish outlasted the Bays 70-62 in Saturday’s senior final of the Gary Taylor Classic. The Fighting Irish, ranked fourth in B.C., got some revenge against No. 2-ranked Oak Bay, who won Vancouver College’s Emerald Classic the week earlier.

The Bays Atlas St. Paul Butler was named tournament MVP.

The Bays earned a spot in the final with an 88-57 win over Holy Cross of Saskatoon. Oak Bay opened the tournament with a convincing 102-61 win over the Belmont Bulldogs.

Vancouver College punched their ticket to the finals with a 64-59 win over the St. Michaels University School. The Blue Jags finished third in the Classic with a 67-59 win over Holy Cross.

Vancouver College

also took the junior division with a 79-46 win over Oak Bay.

St Michaels downed

Cowichan 57-54 to nail down third place for the juniors. Jovanic Castillo from

Vancouver College was named junior tournament [email protected]


Oak Bay’s Matthew Gray drives past Belmont’s Tibias Hayward in the Bays 102-61 win in the opener of the Gary Taylor Classic.

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A8 • www.oakbaynews.com Friday, December 26, 2014 - OAK BAY NEWS OAK BAY NEWS - Friday, December 26, 2014 www.oakbaynews.com • A9

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Andrea PeacockBlack Press

‘Tis the season for colourful lights,

carefully wrapped gifts and runny noses.

This year’s flu season came earlier than usual, said Island

Health medical health officer Dr. Dee Hoyano.

“From the beginning of December we’ve had increased reports of

illness,” said Hoyano. “We usually tend to see flu activity picking up closer to the end of the year and then into

January.”She added there

were also flu outbreaks in some long-term care facilities even earlier than December.

“It’s unusual, because we don’t usually see them that early.”

Hoyano said it is difficult to say why cases of the flu come earlier some years compared to others.

“It’s a bit of a moving target about when flu arrives.”

Despite an earlier flu season, Hoyano said the severity of illnesses do not appear to be any worse than usual.

So far, the predominant strain is Influenza A (H3N2). However, that could change later on in the season.

Hoyano said it is still worth it now to get a flu shot, even though the available shot is not a perfect match for the current influenza

strain.“There certainly have

been some concerns about what’s called a drift of the strain that’s in the vaccine this year,” said Hoyano. “That means basically there’s been some changes in the genetic makeup of the virus that’s out there right now. It’s not as close of a match to what’s in the vaccine as we would like to see.”

The flu shot is still beneficial, because there are still similarities between the virus and the vaccine, said Hoyano.

“You get some cross protection from the vaccine. It’s not a completely different virus than what’s in the vaccine strain.

As of Dec. 19, Island Health distributed 234,500 vaccines to pharmacies, doctors’ offices and public health units on

Vancouver Island, said Sarah Plank, media manager for Island Health. An additional 15,000 doses will distributed across the Island this week.

Last year, Island Health distributed 217,000 vaccines by the end of 2013.

More than 16,000 adults had been immunized at public health clinics as of Dec. 19, compared to 22,000 people at the same time last year. Currently, and the Island Health staff vaccination rate is at 70 per cent.

Besides getting a flu shot, there are other basic measures to take to avoid getting sick over the holidays and into the new year.

“Hand-washing is a really important one and obviously staying home when you’re sick to not pass it on to others,” said Hoyano.

Flu season makes early appearance on Island

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miu

m U

sed

Veh

icle

s

3361 OAK STREET

250-475-2227 DL #5059

Was $28,990 Now

$ 26 , 781

Now $ 31 , 990







Now $ 30 , 990


Now $ 3 0 , 310



Now $ 28 , 742


Now $ 12 , 990

Now $ 21 , 990 $ 2 1 , 99 0 - $ 28 , 990

Now $ 22 , 990

Now $ 18 , 990

0 DOWN 5.24% 84 MOS. $ 505 /MO.

0 DOWN 5.24% 72 MOS. $ 498 /MO.

0 DOWN 5.24% 72 MOS. $ 593 /MO.

0 DOWN 5.24% 72 MOS. $ 525 /MO.

0 DOWN 5.24% 72 MOS. $ 559 /MO.

0 DOWN 5.24% 72 MOS. $ 382 /MO.


Was $29,990

Was $32,990

0 DOWN 4.99% 60 MOS. $ 498 /MO.

0 DOWN 5.99% 48 MOS. $ 363 /MO.

Now NowWas $17,990Was $6,990

OAK BAY NEWS - Friday, December 26, 2014 www.oakbaynews.com • A11Oak Bay News Fri, Dec 26, 2014 www.oakbaynews.com A11

COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS

INFORMATION

Advertise in the 2015 - 2017

BC FreshwaterFishing Regulations

SynopsisPlease call Annemarie 1.800.661.6335 or email:

fi [email protected]

DID YOU KNOW? BBB Ac-credited Businesses contractu-ally agree to operate by the BBB’s 8 Standards of Trust. Look for the 2014 BBB Ac-credited Business Directory E-edition on your Black Press Community Newspaper web-site at

www.blackpress.ca.You can also go to

http://vi.bbb.org/directory/ and click on the 2014 BBB

Accredited Business Directory

PERSONALS

MAKE A Connection, Talk to Sexy Singles FREE now! Call 250-220-1300 or 1-800-210-1010. www.livelinks.com 18+

LOST AND FOUND

FOUND: DIGITAL camera and case, Dec. 14, Shel-bourne and Pear St. Call to claim (250)598-5477.

EDUCATION/TRADE SCHOOLS

INTERIOR HEAVY EQUIP-MENT OPERATOR SCHOOL.NO Simulators. In-the-seat training. Real world tasks.Weekly start dates. Job board! Funding options.SignUp online! iheschool.com 1-866-399-3853

HAIRCAREPROFESSIONALS

HAIR STYLISTS - $1000 Hiring Bonus. Full time/part time for First Choice Hair Cutters in their Victoria loca-tion. Must have hairstyling qualifi cations. $11/hr, bene-fi ts, paid overtime, vacation pay, 25% profi t sharing, paid birthday, advanced training and advancement opportu-nities. For an interview call 250-360-1923

HELP WANTED

ELK LAKE NURSERY in Saanich, requires

seasonal nursery staff. March - August, F/T,

8 hrs/day, weekend and some evening work

required. Working with bedding plants which

require lifting, planting, etc $11/hour. Fax resume to:

[email protected]

HELP WANTED

PRODUCTION WORKERSCanada’s Largest Independently owned news-paper group is currently looking for Part Time Production Workers for its Victoria location.This is an entry level general labour position that involves physical handling of news-papers and advertising supplements.REQUIREMENTS:• Prior bindery and/or

machine operator experience would be an asset

• Motivated self-starter willing to work in a fast paced environment performing repetitive tasks

• Must be able to lift up to 25 lbs and stand for long periods of time

• Ability to work cooperatively in a diverse, team based environment

• Must be reliable, dependable, have excellent communication skills and good attention to detail

• Must have own transportation

✱Afternoon and evening shifts 16-20 hours per week. $11.25 an hour

Interested parties may drop off their resumes between 9am and 5pm at:

GOLDSTREAM PRESS#220-770 Enterprise Avenue, Victoria, BC

V8X 6R4

VOLUNTEERS

ALZHEIMER SOCIETY is seeking volunteers to fi ll vari-ous positions for the Investors Group Walk for Memories. Call Volunteer Victoria at 250-386-2269.

THE SALVATION Army is seeking spiritual care volun-teers with excellent communi-cation and relational skills to work with vulnerable individu-als for 2 to 20 hours per week. Experience in addiction and mental health, and a back-ground in spiritual care are helpful. Call Volunteer Victoria at 250-386-2269.

THE YM/YWCA downtown is looking for volunteer coordina-tors to facilitate programs and provide excellent customer service and support to the members and participants of the adult intermediate/ad-vanced volleyball and badmin-ton programs. Call Volunteer Victoria at 250-386-2269.

VICTORIA WOMEN’S Transi-tion House, seeking board members. http://www.transi tionhouse.net/news-events/

PERSONAL SERVICES

ALTERNATIVE HEALTH

PERSONAL SERVICES

MIND BODY & SPIRIT

KRIPALU MASSAGE, Reiki, Acupressure, Chair Massage. I have relaxed clients that have been with me for 5-12 years. See testimonials on website. Women only. Call 250-514-6223 or visit online at: www.andreakober.com

FINANCIAL SERVICES

$500 loans and moreNo credit checks

1-877-776-1660Apply at moneyprovider.com

MERCHANDISE FOR SALE

FOOD PRODUCTS

BEEF FARM GATE SALES. 1516 Mt. Douglas Cross Rd. Hours Friday & Saturday 10-4. Naturally raised, hormone free beef. Individual cuts sold, sharp, frozen & double wrapped. (250)477-3321.

FRIENDLY FRANK

NORDICA DOWNHILL ski boots,ladies 7-7.5. New cond. w/ Nordica carrying/travel bag for boots. $45. 250-391-6430

FUEL/FIREWOOD

ARBUTUS, CYPRESS, fi r, hardwoods. Seasoned. Call 250-661-7391.

MISCELLANEOUS FOR SALE

HOT TUB (SPA) COVERS. Best price. Best quality. All shapes & colours available. 1-866-652-6837 www.thecoverguy.com/newspaper?

NEWSPRINT ROLLENDS- $2-$10. Fridays only, 8:30am to 4:30pm. #200-770 Enter-prise Cres, Victoria. Gold-stream Press Division.

MISCELLANEOUS WANTED

ANTIQUES, BOOKS, col-lectibles, furniture, china, jew-elry. Estates/private libraries purchased. Galleon Books & Antiques, 250-655-0700

REAL ESTATE

APARTMENT/CONDOS

“WATERS EDGE” Saanich-ton, ocean front, lrg, bright 2 bdrm, 2 bath condo for sale, 55+. NP/NS. (250)655-1702.

REAL ESTATE

REAL ESTATE SERVICES

SELLING?I charge far less commis-sion. For example only $6,900 on a $600,000 Sale. A Full commission realtor would cost you $21,000 at 6 and 3.✱I will also give you a minimum $1000 cashwhen you purchase a property with me as your Realtor!

www.JimParsons.comCall me now at250-508-0739.JIM PARSONS

Onepercent Realty VI

RENTALS

APARTMENT/CONDO

SIDNEY- STRATA gardensuite 45+, 1100sq ft. Reno’d 2-bdrm, 2 bath. N/P. Heat, H/W, locker, parking. $1350. Avail now. Call (250)654-0230.

TOLMIE AREA: 1 bdrm apt. H/W fl oors, $840+ hydro. Ref’s. Call/txt 250-216-5090.

UNDER NEW MANAGEMENTOCEAN VIEW APTS

405 Cathrine St.Fully reno 1 & 2 br. apts

Avail. Immed.MOVE IN BONUS

5 min drive to DT Victoria Full time on site manager

Move in today250-588-9799

UNDER NEW MANAGEMENT

Rosalma Apts 841 Esquimalt Road,

Victoria

Fully Reno 1 & 2 Bd UnitsOn site staff

$300 Move-In IncentiveMove in today!

250-217-1969

UNDER NEW MANAGEMENT

Sunset Manor 804 Esquimalt Road,

Victoria

Fully Reno 1 & 2 Bd UnitsOn site staff

$300 Move-In IncentiveMove in today!

250-217-1969

RENTALS

ROOMS FOR RENT

FAIRFIELD ROOM- walk to Cook St Village and amenities.NS/NP. Women only. Avail.Jan. 1. Call 250-382-6681.

SUITES, LOWER

ESQUIMALT 1-BDRM ground level, W/D. NS/NP. $850.Avail now. (250)385-2846.

UVIC AREA: 2 bdrm, $1050 mo incls all utils, NS/NP, availJan. 1. Call 250-721-4040.

TRANSPORTATION

AUTO SERVICES

$$$ TOP CA$H PAID $$$. ForALL unwanted Vehicles, anycondition. Call (250)885-1427.

CARS

We Buy Cars!$50 to $1000

Scrap Junk Running or Not!Cars Trucks Vans

FREE TOW AWAY

250-686-3933

ALL YOU NEED IN PRINT AND ONLINE

bcclassifi ed.com

CONNECTINGBUYERS

AND SELLERSbcclassifi ed.com

fi l here please

Today’s Solution

To solve a Sudoku puzzle, every number 1 to 9 must appear in:• Each of the nine vertical columns• Each of the nine horizontal rows• Each of the nine 3 x 3 boxes

436182957589673214721945368263457189154829673978316425842791536317564892695238741

26 3 2 4

7 1 66 3 7 8 9

9 7 3 4 24 5 6

3 7 5 42

© Lovatts Publications - Play sudoku at www.lovattspuzzles.com

Rating:

Sudoku

Remember no number can occur more than once in any row, column or box.


Boxing Week Blowout! Boxing Week Blowout! Sale starts TOMORROW 9 AM

Save up to 70% Off on all demo and open stock sewing machines and sergers

VICTORIA’S AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR:

Open Stock Furniture Open Stock Furniture min.10-15% OFF min.10-15% OFF

In Stock Notions In Stock Notions 10-30% OFF 10-30% OFF

250-388-6228 | 3400 Douglas St. | 1-888-229-2266

Visit our website sawyersewing.com

1.855.678.7833Call today for a free quote

Having trouble,hire another hand

www.blackpress.ca

The Victoria News is looking for a skilled graphic designer to join our community newspaper’s creative department.

This full time position requires the successful applicant to be proficient in AdobeCS: InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator and Acrobat on a Mac platform. Experience in digital media would be an asset. The position may require shift and weekend work. Creative design experience in graphic arts is preferred, and a portfolio is required. You are a self-starter, team player and are comfortable working in a fast-paced, deadline driven environment.

We are a well-established, nationally-recognized community newspaper group with more than 150 community, daily and urban papers located in B.C., Alberta, Washington State, Hawaii and Ohio.

Those interested in applying should submit their resumé by Friday, January 9, 2015 to:

Janice Marshall, Production Manager818 Broughton St., Victoria, BC V8W 1E4E-mail: [email protected]: (250) 386-2624

All inquiries and applications will be held in the strictest confidence.We would like to thank in advance all who apply, however only those chosen for an interview will be contacted. No phone calls please.

Creative ServicesGraphic Designer - Full Time

A12 www.oakbaynews.com Fri, Dec 26, 2014, Oak Bay News

HOME/BUSINESS SERVICES

CLEANING SERVICES

EXPERIENCED HOUSE-KEEPER- Reliable. Refs. 250-920-6516, 250-881-7444.

EXP. RELIABLE & effi cient house cleaner and home care, 10 yrs exp. $20/hr. Bondable, have own supplies except vacuum.(250)220-4965

EAVESTROUGH

ABBA EXTERIORSProfessional gutter cleaning & repairs. Window cleaning. Roof de-mossing. Pkg dis-counts. WCB. (778)433-9275.

ELECTRICAL

(250)217-3090.ELECTRICIAN Lic.#3003. 25 yrs exp. Renos, new homes, knob & tube re-place. Sr.Disc.No job too small

250-361-6193 Quality Electric Reno’s, res & comm. No job too small. Lic# 22779.

KENDRA’S ELECTRICAL Co. #86952. No Job too Small. Kendra, 250-415-7991.


ELECTRICAL

NORTHERN SUN Electric Comm/Res. $40/hr. Work Guaranteed. Any size job. (250)888-6160. Lic#13981.

FENCING

ALL TYPES of fencing, re-pairs. Reliable, on-time. Free estimates. Call 250-888-8637.

GARDENING

DPM SERVICES- lawn & gar-den, seasonal pruning, clean ups, landscape, power wash, etc. 15yrs exp. (250)883-8141.


GARDENING

GUTTERS & DOWNSPOUTS

(250)889-5794. DIAMOND Dave- window, gutter cleaning, roof-de-moss, gutter guards, power washing. Free est.

GRAND XTERIOR Cleaning- Gutter, windows, de-moss, p wash. We clean your neigh-bours house. 250-380-7778.

CLASSIFIED ADS WORK!Call 250.388.3535


HANDYPERSONS

BIG BEAR Handyman. Decks, Painting, Repairs. Free estimate. Barry 250-896-6071.

HAULING AND SALVAGE

$20 & Up Garbage & Garden waste removal. Senior Disc. Free estimates. 250-812-2279.

CLEAN-UP SPECIAL. You load bins, size 12 yard $100 plus dump fee or we do it all. Call 250-361-6164.

HAUL A WAY- Clean and green, Junk removal. Free quotes. Call (778)350-5050.

JUNK BOX- Junk Removal Company. Local guys. Low rates. Call (250)658-3944.

PARRY’S HAULING We haul it all - FREE estimates. Call Wes 250-812-7774.

PETE’S HAUL A DAY- Junk removal. Airforce guy. Call 250-888-1221.

SAVE-A-LOT HAULING Furniture, appliance, garden waste, we take it all! Always lowest rate, senior discount. Brad 250-217-9578.


MASONRY & BRICKWORK

CBS MASONRY BBB. WCB. Chimneys, fi replaces,fl agstone rock, concrete, natural & ve-neered stone. Replace, re-build, restore, renew! Free competitive est. www.cbsma-sonry.com; Call (250)589-9942, (250)294-9942.

& MOVING STORAGE

ALLSTAR MOVING Delivery Service. From $59. Free local travel. Call (250)818-2699.

PAINTING

A PROFESSIONAL Woman painter. Karen Bales Painting & Wall coverings. Over 25yrs exp. Free est. 250-514-5220.

SAFEWAY PAINTING

High quality, Organized. Interior/Exterior

Residential/Commercial Jeff, 250-889-7715 or

250-472-6660Member BBB


PAINTING

PLASTERING

PATCHES,Drywall, skimming, match the textures, coves, fi re-places. Bob, 250-516-5178.

PRESSURE WASHING

DRIVEWAYS, WALKWAYS, Decks, etc. Reasonable rates. 250-744-8588, Norm.

CLASSIFIED ADS MEAN MORE BUSINESS

250.388.3535


STUCCO/SIDING

PATCHES, ADDITIONS, re-stucco, renos, chimney, water-proofi ng. Bob, 250-516-5178.

TREE SERVICES

BUDDY’S TREE SERVICES-Trimming, pruning, chipping,removals, hedges. Insured.Call Keith, (250)474-3697.

UPHOLSTERY

UPHOLSTERER NEEDS work. Your fabric or mine.250-480-7937.

UPHOLSTER- Furniture re-pairs, scratches, re-gluing, fi xsprings, foam. 250-480-9822.

WINDOW CLEANING

DAVE’S WINDOW Cleaning.Windows, Gutters, Sweeping,Roofs, Roof Demossing, Pres-sure Washing. 250-361-6190.

GRAND XTERIOR Cleaning-We clean your neighbourshouse. Gutters, window,roofs, de-moss. 250-380-7778.

SERVICE DIRECTORYwww.bcclassified.com 250.388.3535

DO YOU OFFER HOME SERVICES?

DON’T BE MISSED, OUR READERS ARE LOOKING FOR YOU!

Call 250-388-3535

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SHARE YOUR EXPERIENCES

IN BUYING AND SELLING YOUR

HOME

HomeFinderFind a place to call home

Do you have a house-hunting story you’d like to share

with us? Email: editor@

oakbaynews.com

To advertise in HomeFinder, contact the Oak Bay News at Email: clare.radford@

oakbaynews.com

The Oak Bay News is looking to help tell your stories

about buying and selling your home.

Home� nder is going local and our staff is collecting story

ideas for this page. Whether you are a � rst-time home buyer or a senior couple looking to downsize, contact

us to share your story and it just might help

someone else going through one of the biggest events of

their lives. You can call editor

Dan Ebenal at 250-480-3239

or email [email protected] to share your ideas.

» 306/355

» 348/437» 3,301/3,554

NET UNCONDITIONAL SALES/ TOTAL, DECEMBER 2013

NEW LISTINGS/TOTAL, DECEMBER 2013

ACTIVE RESIDENTIAL LISTINGS/ TOTAL, DECEMBER 2013

AS OF DEC. 22/14 COURTESY VICTORIA REAL ESTATE BOARD

Jennifer BlythNews Staff

Winter in Oak Bay – when the oak trees stand leafless and skies are more often coloured a dull grey than vibrant blue. Sound like a tough season to sell a home?

Not necessarily, says Newport Realty’s Jordy Harris.

In fact, homeowners can take advantage of a market with fewer listings at a time when prospective home buyers are still actively looking for their next dream home.

“Sometimes winter can be a great time to sell a house because you stand out for a lack of inventory,” he explains.

The trick, says Harris, a realtor since 2008 who grew up in Oak Bay, is to create first impressions inside and out that says warm, welcoming and well-kept.

“Those first impressions are definitely important this time of year as you want your home to stand apart from the rest.”

It all starts with the first drive-by.

Be sure to have all the leaves cleaned up, the grass mowed and plants looking tidy – not only does this suggest a home that has been well-maintained, but also one that won’t bring mountains of maintenance for the new homeowners.

“It really makes a difference. Having the yard looking good also suggests that it’s easy to care for,” Harris notes.

Moving up the front path, add a wreath or winter planter to the front door and porch to further invite buyers into the home.

“Once you’re inside, you really want to make the home seem warm and inviting, almost a refuge from the weather outside.”

Before a showing, turn on all the lights, have the home warm

and get the fireplace going – offer “comfort from the storm,” Harris suggests.

While decluttering is important, tasteful decorating can help the prospective buyers envision how they may use the space. “We want the buyers to see themselves comfortable here,” he says. “As long as it’s tasteful, that’s going to go a long way.”

And for homeowners unsure of their design skills, Oak Bay boasts a variety of professionals happy to share their knowledge of

decluttering, staging and interior design.

You don’t want to forget the basics, like ensuring the windows and floors are clean, the clutter is packed up, the air inside is fresh, but spending a few more minutes on those extras – a cheerful wreath or new welcome

mat, for example – can help your home stand apart from the rest, no matter what the season.

[email protected]

SELLING TIP: Create a � rst impression that is warm and welcoming

Winter doesn’t have to be a tough sell

Jennifer Blyth/News Staff

A tidy yard and an inviting front door help welcome prospective buyers, no matter what the season.

“Those first impressions are definitely important this time of year as you want your home to stand apart from the rest.”

- Jordy Harris

Our annual clearance sale, 50% off everything Dec 27th to Jan 10th

849 Orono Ave, Langford Donation Hotline: 250-386-7867

www.habitatvictoria.com

Save Save Save 50% 50% 50%


On Top of the WorldYour Mountain Top Aerie Awaits! Be on top of the world with this Care Award Winner built home of virtually 4700 square feet. Floor to ceiling windows beautifully frame Ocean AND Lakefront Views (swim next door!) in nearly every room. The layout melds eff ortlessly to three decks for perfect indoor-outdoor fl ow. Potential Suite, Billiards-Bar-Media Room below leave the High Flyer perfectly sated. “Make her dreams come true this Christmas!” $799,999

It’s Magic Nestled in a premier of Victoria, close to the rich vibe of the Cook St Village and Fairfi eld Plaza is your early 1900’s Edwardian Lady, singing with the original charm and features of this beloved Era! From the original hardwood fl oors and Fireplaces, and main level Ocean View Studio, 4 beds plus huge potential Ensuite, this home is sure to please! The fenced Secret Garden promises lush prized plantings, and a private brick courtyard. Just up the street from the ocean, and with easy access to Beacon Hill Park. Call now! $717,200

Oceanview Soul OasisVIEWS from every room - ocean, mountain, city and forest - covenant protected. MODERN MINIMALIST DESIGN-natural light, privacy, and healthy living. Highest quality construction and eco-friendly materials. 4,300 square feet with four bedrooms and fi ve baths, Smart Home with automation, Rinnai Demand Hot Water Heater and bonus high-end Designer one bedroom legal suite with AMAZING VIEWS. Steps to lagoon and sandy beach.$1,995,000

Picture PerfectCarefree living at its finest. Beautiful, freshly decorated, 1 level spacious2 bed 2 bath townhouse in Broadmead’s desirable Foxborough Hills. It’s1,572 sq ft with many quality features & lovely views over Rithet’s BogPark. Amazing separate clubhouse with pool, exercise room, tennis court& guest suite. No outdoor maintenance. $539,000

Good Morning StarshineCapture the feelings of childhood summers again, and move to thisquarter acre sunny home in Deep Cove, across from the quaint Marina.The lovely home is nestled in very private gardens with views of theocean and Mt.Tuam. Gorgeous new kitchen, windows, hardwoodfloors, and baths! A home for all... Water you waiting for? $629,000

State of the ArtCustom-built Whistler-inspired, 1 Acre Haven. Highly evolved designis evident by controlled skylights, pre-set temperature Schluter showersystem and AH!, a deep Japanese soaker tub. The Master Suite aweswith its Vaulted ceiling, and rain-sensor Skylight. The “piece deresistance” handsome fir doors open 180° to a gorgeous covered deckfor dining al fresco, w/ Sunset Malahat Views! $660,000

A Honey of a Deal Custom 3006sqft home on a useable 1 acre featuring a spacious familyroom, elegant winding oak staircase, amazing lofty ceilings in the LRwith FP and HW flooring. The gourmet kitchen and dining area; offer abuilt-in oven, cook-top, and island for culinary joy. Downstairs the 1 BR‘Sweet’ surely must be the largest ever built! The level entry space offersa very palatable option for today’s families. $675,000

Birds of a FeatherSophisticated Buyers, will flock to this Mid-Century 3/4 bedroomhome, combining all the very best of the era, with modern upgradeslike granite countertops, NEST thermostat, cherry hardwood andLEATHER flooring! Beautiful 1/3 acre sunny backyard; a gardener’sparadise located right in coveted Oak Bay! $720,000

Quality Built Zen Home This well designed 3 bedroom home enjoys a garden view open kitchen,cozy adjoining family room, and rare formal dining room, completewith gorgeous rock fireplace. Custom design is evident in the avante-gard open stairways and straight clean lines of its exterior. Beautifullylandscaped Japanese zen-like terraced backyard takes full advantage ofthe one acre property. Call Now! $750,000

Money, Money, Money!FANTASTIC opportunity. Located in desirable Oak Bay border area.Live in one, and rent the other! The main level retains the 1912 charm,while the upper level is recently updated. 7 ft height bonus inlawaccommodation in the lower area. Main floor presently usedcommercially, current revenue approximately $4643 per month (buyerto verify). Be quick on this one! (Floor Plans Avail) $899,000

Maximum Views with Precision DesignLuxury home w/ breathtaking ocean & mountain views. Precision builtfeaturing a cathedral entrance, smartly designed kitchen, formalsitting/reception rm & family rm. both w. gas fp, and a gracious diningrm. Sumptuous master bed w. generous walk-in closet/dressing rm. &ensuite. Lower level offers self-contained suite & wine celler.$959,000

Baby You Can Drive My Car Amazing executive Oceanfront home features 4397 sqft of open conceptliving including 5 beds (with master suite, walk in closet, fire place &spa like en-suite). Outside offers over 1700 sqft of deck space to takeadvantage of the spectacular views, water front fire pit & patio, hot tub& plenty of space for all toys in the 5 car garage. $1,099,000

You Have Arrived Elegant and stately .72 acre Oceanfront home features Control 4 lightingwhich integrates lighting with music, shades, locks, climate control, andvideo. Enduring construction is seen in the built-in cabinetry, and darkBirch HW placed in a bright ambiance of voluminous rooms. The customkitchen is a worthy match for Jamie Oliver! The convenient locationblends all the best in life seamlessly! $1,099,999

The Balvenie Executive NEW residence on 2.5 acres. Exceptional Quality & featuringluxury finishing throughout; including gourmet kitchen, stunning Greatroom with a double sided indoor-outdoor fireplace, and separate livingareas. Huge windows, triple garage, professional landscaping, and just20 min to the capital city, with proximity to ferries, & the InternationalAirport offers the ultimate in Living! $1,350,000

Wright for Frank Newly updated contemporary Oceanfront masterpiece + dock. Archi-tecturally designed taking advantage of the spectacular private location.Floor to sky windows create a true indoor-outdoor flow. At 3200sqft it will suit most circumstances & incl In Law. Once inside themost discerning buyer will be wowed by the Artistry! $1,499,800

Escape to the CountryA magnificent Schubart designed residence surrounded by 10 acresof natural beauty. Dream kitchen: custom cabinetry, elegant design,superior appliances. 2 excellent BRs & den. The lower floor has adelightful self-contained legal suite. A separate character farm house.Unspoiled beaches, golf courses, amazing outdoors & ocean activities.Just 30-minutes drive to downtown Victoria. $1,549,000

Splendour in the GrassDutch farm house meets West Coast design on this superb scenic 5 acfarm, overlooking Elk lake. Private and picturesque this 4 bed 4 bathwith 3 wings that provide separation for the growing family. Low farmtaxes. 3 excellent multi functional farm buildings. Excellent for horsesand animals. Large veg garden, fruit trees, & fish pond. A splendidcountry property. $1,690,000

Have Your Oceanfront & Swim There Too!Rare south facing Oceanfront offers full sun and Sensational sunsets!Amazing folding wall system opens for an indoor-outdoor feel, easy accessto the beach, and your own mooring buoy. The kitchen sizzles with a covetedInduction cooktop, double-oven, and sit-up counter for guests. Unwind inthe Master suite, or paint in the airy studio. Enjoy the Sauna and relaxing hottub. This is West Coast Living at its very best. $1,698,800

Builder’s Oceanfront DreamRARE opportunity to build an Oceanfront Estate in Victoria BC. This1.24 acre lot in Margaret’s Bay offers 195.5 feet of waterfront, with180° views across Haro Strait to the San Juan Islands. Choice locationprovides a panorama of mountain and island views. The neighbourhoodis serene and private, close to UVIC and all amenities. A blank paletteto create your dream! $1,698,000

A Sea of HoneyAn esteemed, private, south facing 1.24 acre ocean front enclave. Thestunning fjord view of the Saanich Inlet captures an awe-inspiringpeaceful vista. The 4500 sq ft home is rich in potential, and ready forthe next vision. The superb location provides an exceptional oceanorientation with outstanding views of sea & sky. $1,825,000

SOLD

SOLD

SOLD

SOLD

SOLD

SOLD

SOLD

SOLD

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SOLD

SOLD

Open Sunday 2-4

29 Brigadoon Plc.

Brigadoon, there my Heart Forever Lies.One of the loveliest beach fronts on the Gorge waterway! This 4-levelhome oceanfront home features oak hardwood floors, an open conceptGreat room, and 2 bed extra accommodation. A glassed-in Conservatorycovers a relaxing hot tub. Walk across 1/3 Acre of English countrygardens, down to the water’s edge; launch your canoe from your 130 ftof waterfront. This private Paradise is a mere 15 mins. to Victoriacity centre. $750,000

2013 Gold MLS Winners

www.ianheath.net

Call Now to get TOP DOLLAR

for Your Home!

[email protected] Real Estate Inc.

Open Sunday2-4

10935 Marti Lane

Open Sunday 2-4

948 Garthland Rd.

6341898

2013 Gold MLS Winners

www.ianheath.net

Call Now to get TOP DOLLAR

for Your Home!

[email protected] Real Estate Inc.

FINE HOME andOCEAN FRONT

SPECIALISTS

2013 GOLDMLS WINNERS

[email protected]

250-655-7653

JONESco Real Estate Inc.

Hook Your DreamWelcome to an exquisite, completely renewed lakefront Haven with so much to off er, it just has to be seen. Two romantic fi replaces, warm and elegant fi nishing, views, sunrises; how can we describe the waterside playground oasis that this property is? Pride of ownership is detailed throughout, and when you are not drinking your coff ee on the Adirondack chairs overlooking the Lake, you will be luxuriating in the Spa soaker tub-shower ensuite, or happily gazing over the quartzite counters of your Urbana designed kitchen to the magic Blue! $1,298,888

Above and BeyondA Visually Stunning Executive 5237 square foot residence with shimmering 270 degree Ocean Seascapes from Mount Baker to the Olympics; an architectural triumph on three levels. Anchored in a private enclave of superior homes ABOVE Gonzales Bay, the property borders Walbran park for Superior views! Entertain in the open concept View kitchen with cutting edge appliances. Luxuriate in the 800 square foot Master with immense Walk-in, Spa Ensuite, deck, and cosy fi replace.Welcome home!$2,200,000

Magical Mystery TourTOWNER PARK the most exclusive ocean front neighborhood (freehold section). Rare south facing 2.24 acre beach trophy property is one that few can achieve or acquire. Featuring old growth fi rs and sensational southerly Ocean vistas of the inlet � ord; from the home, sun drenched patios and deck. Orchard, organic vegetable garden and courtyard entry welcomes you to the main one level 4669 square foot home. Splendid living room, teak kitchen, formal and informal dining open to the sunset warm beach below. 36x18 indoor swimming pool.Call to view this Irreplaceable Oceanfront Paradise. $1,680,000


Post your New Year’s resolution on the big tree in the lobby and then take in a handful of healthy, free activities with Recreation Oak Bay on Jan. 1.

Join the mayor and council for a four-kilometre community walk leaving from the Oak Bay Recreation Centre (1975 Bee St.) lobby at 12:30 p.m. then meet and greet the mayor and council in the Upstairs Lounge – coffee and tea provided from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m.

Or take in some of the other fun, free, heathy activities on tap that day: Jazzercise class in the indoor sports field from noon to 1 p.m.; Everyone Welcome Skate from 1:30 to 3 p.m.; tennis organized fun activities from 1 to 3:30 p.m. and Everyone Welcome Swim from 3 to 5 p.m. and children’s movies in the Upstairs Lounge at 3:15 and 5:15 p.m.

Donations for Kid’s Sport will gratefully be accepted.

Hockey cards at game

Black Press is the sponsor of the Victoria Royals’ Dec. 27 game with the Prince George Cougars.

The first 2,000 people through the turnstiles will receive a pack of hockey cards profiling players from the Royals.

The puck drops at 7:05 p.m. Saturday at the Save-On-Foods Memorial Arena.

Fuel surcharge scrappedBC Ferries is ending its 3.4 per

cent fuel surcharge in the wake of the plunge in the price of crude oil in recent months.

President and CEO Mike Corrigan cited the drop in the cost of diesel for the decision.

“With the current favourable market conditions, we have been hedging our diesel fuel costs and are now in a position to eliminate the fuel surcharge,” Corrigan said. “We know that fare affordability is an issue for our customers.”

Fuel surcharges were originally added when oil prices spiked to record levels of around $150 in 2008 and have been on and off since then, depending on fuel prices.

Oil prices have fallen nearly 50 per cent from their 2014 high of $110 but diesel prices have not fallen to the same degree.

Walk, skate or swim into healthy new yearRecreation Oak Bay opens up for free fun on Jan. 1

COMMUNITY NEWSIN BRIEF

OPEN HOUSES | DEC. 26, 2014 TO JAN. 1, 2015

WANT TO SEE YOUR OPEN HOUSE HERE?CONTACT KATEY ROBUTKA250-480-3225 [email protected]

Happy New Year!

SAANICH WEST211-4529 West Saanich Road, $339,900MLS 343719, Saturday & Sunday 1-3

Pemberton Holmes

Corie Meyer, 250-384-8124

SAANICH PENINSULA7182 West Saanich RoadFrom $370,000Saturday & Sunday 1-3Royal LePage Coast Capital RealtyMurray Lawson, 250-477-5353

WEST SHORE762 Egret Close, $719,000MLS # 344358, Saturday & Sunday 2-4DFH Real Estate Ltd.Ron Bahrey, 250-744-8772

Landing at Latoria CreekFrom $294,900Saturday & Sunday 1-4Pemberton HolmesGreg Long, 250-384-8124

The Terraces at Latoria WalkFrom $639,900Thursday - Sunday 12-3Pemberton HolmesGreg Long, 250-384-8124

Shopping for a new home? Discover local open houses at OpenHousesVictoria.ca

www.vreb.org

Visit REALTOR.ca or download the REALTOR.ca app to your phone.

EXPLORE CURRENT OPEN HOUSE SHOWINGS BASED ON:• District • Date of open houses• Property type • Price of property• Number of bedrooms/bathrooms

OpenHousesVictoria.ca is a service provided by the Victoria Real Estate Board, an association of REALTORS®. REALTOR.ca includes

map and print directions and the option to

sort by current open house listings.


December 26 - We’re open Boxing Day!9:00am – 6:00pm at all locations

Our 24 hour stores will be open at 9am and will remain open.

December 31Closing at 6:00pm

January 1 - CLOSEDHappy New Year!

Specials in Effect from Friday, December 26th to 6pm Wednesday, December 31st, 2014

1599On Sale

You Save $12

Each

Strip Loin Grilling Steaksor Roast

Canadian AAA BeefNaturally Aged 21 Days

Family Pack Savings Size$19.82/kg

Fresh Nova ScotiaWhole LobsterLive or CookedApprox. 1lb Each

899On Sale

Per lb

799On Sale

Per lb

1099On Sale

Each

FreshNova ScotiaWhole LobsterLive or CookedApprox. 1.5lb Each

Canadian East CoastLobster TailsPreviously Frozen

Minimum 98g Each

Prime Rib Oven Roast Canadian AAA BeefNaturally Aged 21 Days$17.61/kg

HappyNew Year!

Holiday Hours

On Sale

2 998for

EARN

reward miles7

Per Package

15. lbBIG

Lobster

VALID AT ALL THRIFTY FOODS LOCATIONS AND EDGEMONT MARKET, REDEEMABLE INSTORE ONLY. SPEND IN A SINGLETRANSACTION. ORIGINAL COUPON MUST BE PRESENTED AT TIME OF TRANSACTION AND AIR MILES COLLECTOR CARD SCANNED AS PART OF TRANSACTION. NO CASH VALUE, NON-EXTENDABLE AND NON-TRANSFERABLE, CANNOT BE COMBINED WITH SIMILAR MINIMUM SPEND/RECEIVE OFFER. EXCLUDES PURCHASES OF LOTTERY, TOBACCO, GIFT CARDS,TIM HORTONS® COFFEE, PRESCRIPTIONS, APPLICABLE TAX AND/OR ENVIRO FEES, DEPOSITS OR CHARGES, AND OTHER GOODS AND SERVICES AS SPECIFIED. AIR MILES REWARD MILES TAKES UP TO 14 BUSINESS DAYS TO APPEAR ON YOUR ACCOUNT. ®™ TRADEMARKS OF AIR MILES INTERNATIONAL TRADING B.V.USED UNDER LICENSE BY LOYALTY ONE AND SOBEYS INC.

PLU: 95711COUPON EXPIRES: WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2014

REMEMBER, CLIP ME BEFORE YOU SHOP

75 $75or more

Be� �

are here.December 26 - We’re open Boxing Day!9:00am – 6:00pm at all locations

Our 24 hour stores will be open at 9am and will remain open.Our 24 hour stores will be open at 9am and will remain open.Our 24 hour stores will be open at 9am and will remain open.

December 31Closing at 6:00pm

January 1 - CLOSEDHappy New Year!

Our 24 hour stores will be open at 9am and will remain open.

Specials in Effect from Friday, December 26th to 6pm Wednesday, December 31st, 2014

1599On SaleOn SaleOn SaleOn SaleOn SaleOn SaleOn Sale

YouYouY Save $12

Each

Strip Loin Strip Loin Strip Loin Grilling Steaksor Roastor Roast

Canadian AAA BeefNaturally Aged 21 Days

Family Pack Savings SizeFamily Pack Savings Size$19.82/kg$19.82/kg

Fresh Nova ScotiaFresh Nova ScotiaFresh Nova ScotiaWhole LobsterWhole LobsterLive or CookedLive or CookedApprox. 1lb EachApprox. 1lb Each


Per lb


Per lb

Friday, December

Approx. 1lb EachApprox. 1lb Each


Each

FreshNova ScotiaNova ScotiaWhole LobsterLobsterLobsterLobsterLive or CookedLive or CookedApprox. 1.5lb EachApprox. 1.5lb Each

Canadian East CoastEast CoastEast CoastEast CoastEast CoastLobster TailsPreviously Frozen

Minimum 98g Each

Prime Rib Oven RoastOven RoastCanadian AAA BeefNaturally Aged 21 Days$17.61/kg

Strip Loin Strip Loin Strip Loin Grilling Steaks

HappyHappyHappyHappyHappyHappyHappyHappyHappyHappyHappyHappyHappyHappyHappyHappyHappyHappyNew Year!New Year!New Year!New Year!New Year!New Year!New Year!HappyNew Year!HappyHappyNew Year!HappyHappyNew Year!HappyHappyNew Year!HappyHappyNew Year!HappyNew Year!

December 26 - We’re open Boxing Day!Holiday HoursHoliday HoursHoliday HoursHoliday HoursHoliday HoursHoliday HoursHoliday HoursHoliday HoursHoliday HoursHoliday HoursHoliday HoursHoliday HoursHoliday HoursHoliday Hours

Minimum 98g EachOn SaleOn SaleOn SaleOn SaleOn SaleOn SaleOn Sale

2 998for

EARN

reward miles7

Per Package

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5555......5.55.5...5.5LLLLLLLLLLLobsterobsterobsterobsterobsterobsterobsterobsterobsterobsterobsterobsterLobsterLLobsterLLobsterLobsterobsterobsterobsterobsterobsterobsterobsterobsterobsterobsterobsterLobsterLLobsterL

VALID AT ALL THRIFTY FOODS LOCATIONS AND EDGEMONT MARKET, REDEEMABLE INSTORE ONLY. SPEND IN A SINGLETRANSACTION. ORIGINAL COUPON MUST BE PRESENTED AT TIME OF TRANSACTION AND AIR MILES COLLECTOR CARD SCANNED AS PART OF TRANSACTION. NO CASH VALUE, NON-EXTENDABLE AND NON-TRANSFERABLE, CANNOT BE COMBINED WITH SIMILAR MINIMUM SPEND/RECEIVE OFFER. EXCLUDES PURCHASES OF LOTTERY, TOBACCO, GIFT CARDS,TIM HORTONS® COFFEE, PRESCRIPTIONS, APPLICABLE TAX AND/OR ENVIRO FEES, DEPOSITS OR CHARGES, AND OTHER GOODS AND SERVICES AS SPECIFIED. AIR MILES REWARD MILES TAKES UP TO 14 BUSINESS DAYS TO APPEAR ON YOUR ACCOUNT. ®™ TRADEMARKS OF AIR MILES INTERNATIONAL TRADING B.V.USED UNDER LICENSE BY LOYALTY ONE AND SOBEYS INC.

PLU: 95711COUPON EXPIRES: WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2014

REMEMBER, CLIP ME BEFORE YOU SHOP

7575 $$$$75757575or more

PART OF TRANSACTION. NO CASH VALUE, NON-EXTENDABLE AND NON-TRANSFERABLE, CANNOT BE COMBINED WITH SIMILAR MINIMUM SPEND/RECEIVE OFFER. EXCLUDES PURCHASES OF LOTTERY, TOBACCO, GIFT CARDS,TIM HORTONS® COFFEE, PRESCRIPTIONS, APPLICABLE TAX AND/OR ENVIRO FEES, DEPOSITS OR CHARGES, AND OTHER GOODS AND SERVICES AS SPECIFIED. AIR MILES REWARD MILES TAKES UP TO 14 BUSINESS DAYS TO APPEAR ON YOUR ACCOUNT. ®™ TRADEMARKS OF AIR MILES INTERNATIONAL TRADING B.V.USED UNDER LICENSE BY LOYALTY ONE AND SOBEYS INC.

Be� � REWARDSREWARDS

are here.

Documents

Oak Bay News, December 26, 2014