PENINSULA
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A BODY SHOP? 6722 Bertram Place (at Keating Cross Rd.)
This year’s event at Panorama Rec. will raise funds to help kids with cancer, page 13
Saanich Peninsula teachers talk about the challenges of the supply line, page 3
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Friday, May 22, 2015
Horsing around
Steven Heywood/News staff
Amy and Michelle Lafontaine ride their horses through the water at Pat Bay in North Saanich on a warm and sunny afternoon. A heron passes by in the background, seemingly leading the way.
Glen Meadows land deal back on the table Owners propose gifting 100 acres of golf course to North Saanich for farm land Steven Heywood News staff
A proposal to hand over property to the District of North Saanich could be the first time within the B.C.’s Agricultural Land Reserve’s history that a golf course would become agricultural land. Owners of the Glen Meadows Golf and Country Club, the Criddle family, are resurrecting a proposal to close the facility and
split the land into large lot residential homes and farm land. This proposal first came up in 2014, but was put on hold in anticipation of the civic election last November. A public presentation was held May 13 at the Glen Meadows clubhouse, hosted by the District. By hosting the open house, it appears the municipality is favouring the idea but Chief Administrative Officer Rob Buchan said North Saanich was not there to “sell it.”
“It’s up to the public to come up with its own opinion and for council to debate its merits,” Buchan told the crowd at the open house. He explained that previous council decided last year that the District would host the meeting and invite Mark Johnson, representing the Criddle family, to explain the concept. “This proposal is unique,” Buchan continued. “I’ve never heard of a golf course in the
ALR turned back into agricultural land with a combination of residential.” Buchan added it’s unique, too, for the District to host such an open house. However, he said North Saanich did the same thing when the owners of the Sandown property proposed a commercial/agricultural land split of what was once a horse racing track. Please see: District will work with, page 4