Flying High
Local aerial choreographer soars at Pan Am Games. Page A3
NEWS: Esquimalt enters bid for maritime museum /A3 COMMUNITY: Legion raises funds for fire victims /A8 ARTS: Blue Bridge fights to bring in business /A11
VICTORIANEWS Wednesday, July 22, 2015
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Mayors talk A-word with the province Victoria and Esquimalt mayors met with Minister Coralee Oakes to talk amalgamation last week Kendra Wong Victoria News
Kendra Wong/Victoria News
An artistic performance Saskatchewan’s Renée Sigouin performs Graft, during the Strange Creatures-themed night of the 18th annual Romp! Festival of Independent Dance in Centennial Square Saturday. Dance artists from Victoria, Vancouver and California performed during the three-day event.
Victoria and Esquimalt mayors took a step closer to the possibility of amalgamating municipalities in Greater Victoria last week. Victoria Mayor Lisa Helps and Esquimalt Mayor Barb Desjardins met with Coralee Oakes, the minister of community, sport and cultural development, to discuss the idea of amalgamating the municipalities of Victoria, Esquimalt, Oak Bay and Saanich on July 14. “It was a dialogue, it was awesome. We passed ideas back and forth,” said Helps. “Ditch the word “Ditch the word amalgamation and let’s talk amalgamation and let’s about a regional governance talk about a regional review because if we’re talking just about amalgamation, governance review.” we’re talking about the municipalities, we’re not looking at the [Capital Regional - Victoria Mayor lisa Helps District].” Helps stressed the idea of a regional governance review that needs to be done in collaboration with all 13 municipalities. She hopes the study will look at water, parks, transit, resource recovery, waste collection, fire and police and how to best integrate those services. “I don’t just want to know if it’s going to cost more or less if Victoria, Saanich, Oak Bay and Esquimalt amalgamate. Simple data like that, that’s not going to really help us make a decision,” said Helps, noting that the Greater Victoria Public Library board is a good example of a regional board that works. “Cost is only one factor. I’m interested in quality of life and well-being and how we can best organize governance in the region to support those things.” Desjardins said it was a “positive meeting” with the minister, but hopes to have further discussions with residents about the issue. PlEASE SEE: Esquimalt looking to hear from residents, Page A8
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