OAK BAYNEWS Ecouter de la musique
Celts take the Square
The Victoria Francophone Society welcomes guests to its annual celebration of French culture. Community, Page A13
Saturday’s Bastion Square Celtic Festival will keep you tapping your toes. Arts, Page A15 Watch for breaking news at www.oakbaynews.com
Friday, March 9, 2012
New Lodge consultation plan rejected Not enough room for public input, timelines too tight, say councillors Ryan Flaherty News staff
Sharon Tiffin/News staff
Eye on the prize Fred Kong takes a shot during a game of snooker with friends at the Monterey Recreation Centre. The word snooker has military origins, being a slang term for first-year cadets or inexperienced personnel.
0M SVW_ Q\¼[
As second attempts go, it was a shaky start at best. A preliminary consultants’ report designed to lead Oak Bay through the consultation and planning phases of a variance application for a new seniors’ care facility to replace Oak Bay Lodge drew plenty of responses Monday, but they all had a common theme: not good enough. Much of the dissatisfaction centred around the consultation strategies laid out in the Focus Corporation report presented to Oak Bay’s committee of the whole. It outlines a four-step process featuring mail-out cards, an online forum, community information displays and newspaper ads, but there are no plans for any public meetings where residents can ask questions about the plans. “I don’t think this is nearly adequate enough to address the way to engage our community,” said Coun. Tara Ney. “It’s much too piecemeal, it’s not connected enough with our community, it doesn’t give enough space for conversation.” Last year’s original application by Baptist Housing for the new 320bed facility for seniors with dementia included a pair of open houses, but was eventually denied over concerns that process was rushed. PLEASE SEE: March deadline, Page A5
-VOIOML 0MZM AMIZ[ )OW
VW\ R][\ RM_MTTMZa Trust Barclay’s for the repair, restoration or modification of your most treasured jewellery pieces. Your jewellery is our specialty.
106-2187 Oak Bay Ave. 250-592-1100 Well loved and modified Engagement Ring.
barclaysjewellers.com