FALL/W I NTE R 2 014
LIVE WHERE YOU PLAY REAL ESTATE
Pedal Power THE GROWING TREND OF CYCLING
UNDISCOVERED VICTORIA A secret glimpse of local history
LANDSCAPES THAT LIVE LARGE CRUISING 101
Buying your first boat
LADYSMITH BY THE SEA LI F E STYLE | R EAL E STATE | H O M E S | FO O D | TRAVE L
Telegraph Cove. DiscoveR the best kept secRet on noRtheRn vancouveR islanD.
Nature Calls. See a whale. In the wild.
Book with code NatureCalls.
ReseRvations 1-800-665-3066
www.stubbs-island.com
rated “excellent”
LISA WILLIAMS W
EXCEPTIONAL VICTORIA WATERFRONT
uPLANDs $6,899,000
sAANiCh iNLeT $6,480,000
This exCePTiONAL waterfront property is located on a private cul-de-sac in Victoria’s most exclusive neighbourhood! The 7800 sq.ft. home has been beautifully renovated & upgraded over the years with 4-5 bedrms, 6 bths, expansive living, dining, family & sitting rooms all on the main level, an expansive kitchen w/eating area, recreation/media room, office, crafts rm & more . . . plus seaside cabana, gated & manicured property & incredible low bank frontage with amazing views & sun all day!
sPeCTACuLAR wATeRfRONT estate on 5.8 pristine acres complete with private 50’ deep water dock! Gracious & elegant residence has been completely renovated to the highest standard & boasts every modern luxury w/expansive rooms for entertaining, oversized bedrms all with deluxe ensuite baths, office/library, sunroom, games/media rms, wine cellar, elevator & lots of storage/parking. Charming, separate guest cottage, 2-stall barn with paddock; this incredible, sun-drenched property is truly exceptional!
CORDOVA BAY $7,900,000
uPLANDs $16,998,000
This exquisiTe 4.94 acre gated, waterfront estate is just 15 mins from downtown Victoria, yet a world away; your own personal country club! Expansive & luxurious 8900 sq.ft. main residence has been completely upgraded with a welcoming design & custom finishing throughout, plus a separate 2 bedrm guest cottage, huge outdoor pool with covered sitting area/fireplace, pool cabana with kitchen & exercise room, tennis court, expansive patios & terraces, tons of parking & access to a sandy beach!
This exCLusiVe, gated, world-class waterfront estate showcases unparalleled views & breathtaking scenery across manicured lawns to the water’s edge; with access to sandy beach and approx 1000’ of ocean frontage! The 15,000 sq.ft. 6 bed/9 bath home has undergone multi-million dollar renovations & successfully combines sophisticated architecture with dedicated living, working & entertaining spaces; the expansive patios, seaside gazebo w/firepit, & separate office suite are sure to impress!
LOOKING FOR SOMETHING DIFFERENT? I have a select group of Exclusive listings and sell millions of dollars of non-MLS properties each year . . . it is my mission to match you with the perfect property!
c: 250.514.1966 Lisa@lisawilliams.ca www.LisaWilliams.ca L I K E N O OT H E R sothebysrealty.ca
Independently Owned and Operated
SALT CONTENTS • AUTUMN/WINTER 2014
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Pedal Power Vancouver Island is leading the way with cycling trends — and doing it with style! More than a means of transportation, cycling is a year-round way of life. BY ALEX VAN TOL
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Island Culture Storm watching, a bronze sculptor, live theatre, a public market, craft beer, outdoor activities, and much more, all with genuine Island flavour
28 Undiscovered Victoria
Little-known historic sites will take you beyond the stories in the guidebooks. BY DAVID ALEXANDER
Cellars 40 Wine by Design
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For wine lovers, cellars are places of mystery and delight, where treasured vintages are cherished. BY DANIELLE POPE
Jim LeBlanc & Scott Piercy jleblanc@sothebysrealty.ca
spiercy@sothebysrealty.ca
Personal Real Estate Corporation
Personal Real Estate Corporation
West Coast Contemporary Waterfront Home
530 Salmon Road, Victoria, BC | $5,575,000 | MLS 339462
Conceived in 1974 by renowned BC architect, Daniel White, this 5,500 sq.ft. West Coast contemporary home is now fully restored (2008) and made progressive once again with the latest in technology with a refined palette of meticulously crafted natural materials. West facing, this 2 acre private, forested waterfront property has unprecedented 400 ft. on the Saanich Inlet. Bold, dramatic, yet sympathetic to the gentle sloping terrain, White’s design captures surrounding vistas through a fully glassed western exposure. Cedar siding and custom quarried Rajasthani slate, in & out, encourage a seamless integration. Tiered decks and pool provide the ultimate outdoor entertainment space overlooking one of Victoria’s finest coastlines.
9020 Ardmore Drive, Victoria , BC | $5,200,000 | MLS 334758 Oceanside living at its finest on this premier waterfront estate. Opening to a gated entrance this south facing estate extends into the Saanich inlet producing three sides of foreshore with approximately 1,500 ft. of World Class rugged coastline and natural beauty. The interior is a classic contemporary design; superior craftsmanship is evident throughout this timeless residence.
909/910 100 Saghalie, Victoria, BC | $4,250,000 | MLS 338950 A rare home created from 2 penthouse units with over 4,000 sq.ft. of open living space is located in this stunning steel and concrete high rise, elevated and facing Victoria’s gorgeous inner harbor with top of the line finishes of granite, steel and warm hardwood floors. Spectacular views of Victoria’s harbour and impressive luxury building amenities to enjoy.
2946 Fishboat Bay Road, Victoria, BC | $2,950,000 | MLS 336408 Stunning winner of 4 Gold CARE Awards, this is a true West Coast contemporary home situated on 2.5 acres right at the ocean’s edge. The most amazing ocean and mountain views are captured from the floor to ceiling windows and patio space. This 4,400 sq.ft. home offers the highest level of craftsmanship, and luxurious features throughout.
190 King George Terrace, Victoria, BC | $2,495,000 | MLS 338484 270 degree ocean views from nearly every room of this contemporary 4 bedroom home. The main floor’s open plan has grand 18 ft. ceilings, and a modern Jason Good built kitchen perfect for entertaining. Every fine detail of this custom rebuild is artistically crafted and embellishes this home’s excellence. This iconic South Oak Bay location is close to the Victoria Golf Course.
1.866.599.3933 luxurybchomes.com
local expertise , global connections .
sothebysrealty.ca
Sotheby’s International Realty Canada, Independently Owned and Operated. E.&O.E.: This information is from sources which we deem reliable, but must be verified by prospective Purchasers and may be subject to change or withdrawal.
SALT CONTENTS • AUTUMN/WINTER 2014
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Island Homes
DEPARTMENTS
Abstract Development’s liveable contemporary homes high over Victoria’s Fairfield neighbourhood
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ON THE M ENU Down on the farm BY CINDA CHAVICH
BY DAVID LENNAM
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CRE ATIVE WORKS Painter Regina Seib BY CAROYN CAMILLERI
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HOM E DESIGN Landscapes that live large BY CAROLYN CAMILLERI WITH LAURA LANGSTON
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RE AL ESTATE Live where you play BY SHANNON MONEO
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BOATING Cruising 101 BY GREG PRATT
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SPECIAL PL ACES Quaint Ladysmith by the sea BY ANDREW FINDLAY
IN EVERY ISSUE 10 YOUR VIEW
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12 ISLAND CULTURE 66 LOCAL FAVOURITE
Extraordinary Properties! Unrivalled Experience and Expertise
Call Leslee Farrell at 250.514.9899 for assistance with your local and global real estate needs. leslee@lesleefarrell.com www.lesleefarrell.com
WORld claSS VieWS PlUS eleGance! Known as High View, this most elegant waterfront estate is situated steps from the Victoria Golf Club & enjoys world class ocean views! The 1.24 acre garden has terraced lawns & completely private ocean side pool & patio. This magnificent home has been restored to the highest standard since its inception in 1932. The fabulous design is ideal for family & entertaining with grand formal dining & living rooms, a superb gourmet kitchen with fireplace, large eating area & adj. family room. On the upper floor the grand master suite is an ideal retreat with a spacious ensuite + tub with ocean view! Ready for the discerning buyer who appreciates grand style! $5,380,000 MLS 332141
Ocean, Beach and Field in the Saanich inlet This unique & rare pastoral waterfront parcel of 13.4 acres presents one of the most stunning views of the Saanich Inlet & distant Malahat mountains available on the Peninsula! The property slopes gently to the waterfront with SW exposure, bathing the property in sunlight. The existing 4,012 sf. home is a strong sweeping statement anticipating a complimentary adjoining principal estate residence. This property is capable of supporting an amazing architectural structure, which would provide stunning views, privacy and frame the majestic outdoors. Ideally it could accommodate outbuildings, riding ring, in ground pool & deep water dock (Foreshore lease is included). $4,980,000 MLS 335613
Stately Ocean VieW ManOR
lUXURy BOUtiQUe cOndOMiniUM
Built in 1926, and known as Bryn-y-Mor this most stately manor sits high on a beautifully landscaped .67 acre garden, enjoying majestic ocean views over the Victoria Golf Course, to Trial Island and the Olympics beyond! Offering 6 BRs & 6 baths in over 6,400 sf., this fine home is ideally suited to the larger family who love to entertain. Spacious gourmet kitchen opens to 27' viewing deck over the back garden & adjoins the 19' dining room with FP. Special features include Australian wood parquet flrs., tiled fireplaces, elegant bay windows, leaded glass windows, crown moldings & French doors. The mature formal gardens offer paths, rockeries, patio & pond with ornamental bridge. Triple garage. $2,595,000 MLS 337768
The Penthouse at the Sovereign transports luxury living to new heights, offering 360 degree views of the city, the Iconic Empress and the spectacular mountain and ocean vistas beyond! This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to own the premiere position in a building which has redefined luxury. Special features include private elevator lobby, 3 ensuite bedrooms, gym, office & family room. 2 outdoor terraces face south & west and are readily accessible from the state-ofthe-art kitchen. Pre-wiring exists for entertainment & communication, as well as climate control featuring energy efficient heating and air conditioning. This truly inspirational city home may aptly be called “Best in Class!� (2%TT included but no other taxes). $3,995,000 MLS 330598
MacdonaLd ReaLty Ltd. 755 Humboldt Street, Victoria, BC | t 250.388.5882 | tF 1.877.388.5882 leslee@lesleefarrell.com
EDITOR’S NOTE BY CAROLYN CAMILLERI
PUBLISHERS Lise Gyorkos, Georgina Camilleri EDITORIAL
ONE OF THE MOST SURPRISING discoveries I made about myself after I moved to the Island is that I am a gardener. I don’t mean just popping a few plants in the ground and calling it done — I mean really getting out there and gardening. I didn’t plan on it; I moved here for the scenery and the weather and had no aspirations to grow anything. I had been here a few years already when I got the “calling.” It wasn’t in the spring or summer when the garden centres are bustling. It was early January. I went to the Horticulture Centre of the Pacific to pick up some information for an article I was writing and decided to take a little walk. Now, I had been to all the “big” gardens by then — Butchart Gardens, Hatley Castle, Finnerty Gardens, Government House, Beacon Hill Park — and, of course, I loved them all, but I had never been to HCP. HCP has what they call “demonstration gardens.” There are 34 of them now, intended to demonstrate landscaping techniques suitable for this region. One of them is the Doris Page Winter Garden. There, under the Douglas firs, complete with identifying signage, were Pulmonaria saccharata and cyclamen, witch hazel and Sarcococca, dozens of plants and shrubs that thrive here in the winter. It was the hellebores that won me over. I wanted to grow those. Back up to the HCP bookstore I went and I bought what would become my gardening bible: Carolyn Herriot’s A Year on the Garden Path: A 52-Week Organic Gardening Guide. And I got started right away. As it turned out, winter is a wonderful time for gardening. It changes the meaning of “evergreen” from pines and firs to rhododendron, azalea, ceanothus, viburnam, skimmia, daphne, laurel, and camellia. Winter-hardy vegetables like kale, chard, broccoli, broad beans, and, under a frame, lettuce re-define the “growing season.” The soft, damp soil is easy to dig, making this the ideal time to dig new flowerbeds, rearrange perennials, and plant trees. Even compost is easier to deal with. And the lawn? It’s so green and you don’t have to cut it as often. Some of my happiest hours are spent puttering in a garden — even in the rain. Best advice I ever got about winter gardening? Get a good pair of rubber boots and a flashlight for evening search-and-destroy missions if the plants are getting nibbled. But to get to my point, you never know what you will discover about yourself on the Island. You could be a kayaker — goodness knows that’s a common addiction here. Maybe salmon fishing will be your thing. A visit to an artist’s studio could inspire your own artistic inclinations, or perhaps all the fresh local foods will unleash your culinary skills. Or you could be a gardener, too. Sure, the Island is a paradise of beautiful scenery and mild weather, but it is also a place that inspires new discoveries — about yourself. Carolyn Camilleri editor@saltmagazine.ca Connect with Salt magazine on Facebook! Facebook.com/SaltMag
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Visit our website at www.saltmagazine.ca
EDITOR Carolyn Camilleri
CREATIVE-TECHNICAL MANAGER Jeffrey Bosdet
PRODUCTION MANAGER Jennifer Kuhtz
EDITORIAL DESIGNERS Janice Hildybrant, Jo-Ann Loro
MANAGING EDITOR Kerry Slavens
ASSOCIATE EDITOR Athena McKenzie
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
David Alexander, Cinda Chavich, Andrew Findlay, Laura Langston, David Lennam, Shannon Moneo, Danielle Pope, Greg Pratt, Alex Van Tol
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS
J effrey Bosdet, James Brown, Lennox Chambers, Simon DesRochers, Derek Ford, Galyn Franklin, Joshua Lawrence, Jo-Ann Loro, Gary McKinstry
CONTRIBUTING AGENCIES
ll Canada Photos p. 31, 39; A iStock p.19; Stocksy cover; ThinkStock p.14, 16, 18, 19, 22, 65; Wikimedia Commons p.30
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COVER Taking in the sunrise at one of the many oceanside communities Photo by Stephen W. Morris/Stocksy
Salt is published by Page One Publishing 2nd Floor, 1322 Government Street Victoria, BC V8W 1Y8 Tel 250-595-7243 Fax 250-595-1626 www.pageonepublishing.ca Salt magazine is distributed twice a year through Avenue magazine Calgary and the Globe and Mail. Subscribe at saltmagazine.ca Printed in Canada, by Transcontinental Printing Ideas and opinions expressed within this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of Page One Publishing Inc. or its affiliates; no official endorsement should be inferred. The publisher does not assume any responsibility for the contents of any advertisement and any and all representations or warranties made in such advertising are those of the advertiser and not the publisher. No part of this magazine may be reproduced, in all or part, in any form — printed or electronic — without the express written permission of the publisher. The publisher cannot be held responsible for unsolicited manuscripts and photographs. Canadian Publications Mail Product Sales Agreement #41295544 Undeliverable mail should be directed to Page One Publishing Inc. 2nd Floor, 1322 Government Street, Victoria, BC V8W 1Y8 Salt magazine is a registered trademark of Page One Publishing Inc.
WIN A TWO-NIGHT VACATION PRIZE PACKAGE IN BEAUTIFUL VICTORIA, BC! SALT MAGAZINE
presents the Fall/Winter Prize Package! In partnership with the Oak Bay Beach Hotel and Harbour Air Seaplanes
In order to win, correctly name three locations on Vancouver Island and enter at saltmagazine.ca/ contests
ENTER FOR THE CHANCE TO WIN A two-night stay at the Oak Bay Beach Hotel Nestled on the shores of the Pacific Ocean in prestigious Oak Bay, the new Oak Bay Beach Hotel features world-class services, such as seaside mineral pools, a seaside spa, The Snug pub, live dinner theatre performances, fine dining, and more. Includes: Two nights’ accommodation, complimentary valet parking, WiFi, and evening turndown, plus unlimited use of Seaside Hot Mineral Pools, Steam Sauna, and Fitness Studio
PLUS: A Spectacular Panoramic Tour with Harbour Air Seaplanes This half-hour trip includes spectacular vistas of downtown Victoria and the Strait of Juan de Fuca, with the Olympic Mountains in the distance. Enjoy unique views of the buildings surrounding the harbour and the grand houses perched above the rugged coastline. The exhilarating spray of the water is always a highlight during take-off and landing. Departs from Victoria’s Inner Harbour. Some restrictions may apply. No purchase necessary. Visit www.saltmagazine.ca/contests for eligibility and contest rules. There is one (1) grand prize available to be won. Must be 18 years of age or older to enter. Approximate prize value $750. CDN
M A G A Z I N E
Enter to win at www.saltmagazine.ca/contests
YOURVIEW
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It’s astonishing just how much snow Mount Washington Alpine Resort gets when the rest of the Island, especially the south, may get nothing all winter. But much more astonishing are the views you get from up here.
GALYN FRANKLIN
Island Snow SALT 11
CULTURE
Phillips Brewery — makers of so many favourite local brews, like Phoenix, Blue Buck, Hop Circle IPA, Wheatking Hefeweizen, Krpton RyePA — started here in 2001 and has raised the bar for micro-brewers.
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JEFFREY BOSDET/SALT MAGAZINE
ISL AND
FOOD DRINK MUSIC ART OUTDOORS HISTORY ACTIVITIES
ONLY HERE ISL AND CULTURE
JO-ANN LORO/SALT MAGAZINE
ON STAGE
★ The Belfry Theatre keeps us entertained all year round with live performances of contemporary plays in a distinctively heritage setting: a former Baptist church built between 1887 and 1892. This season’s highlights include The Rez Sisters, Spring Awakening, and Venus in Fur. belfry.bc.ca
Winter on the west coast of the Island means massive waves, crashing surf, howling winds, and salty spray — and people love it! Storm watching season is from November to February and getaway packages offer front-row seats to the natural theatrics.
Creatures Big and Small... in Bronze Bronze sculptor Paul Harder loves animals, reptiles, and fish and he recreates them all in stunning bronze sculptures at his studio in Deep Cove. You could go with a cougar, wolf, sea otter, or a bear, or perhaps an English bulldog on a skateboard is more your style. Functional pieces include coffee tables with giant octopus bases (he sent three to a client in the U.K.), or how about a seahorse dining table? paulharder.com
★ As always, Dance Victoria has some spectacular shows lined up, starting with BalletBoyZ in November and the Royal Winnipeg Ballet’s Nutcracker in December. dancevictoria.com ★ Famous for more than just murals, Chemainus offers some impressive entertainment on its stage, including Joe DiPietro’s Over the River and Through the Woods and Sherlock Holmes and the Case of the Christmas Carol. chemainustheatrefestival.ca 14 SALT
FURNITURE WITH HEART Original, eclectic, customized, handcrafted designs created from sustainable and reclaimed local materials — that’s the focus for Cristian Arostegui G., a Chilean-born furniture maker who has brought his heart and his artistry to Vancouver Island. arosteguistudio.com
MUST-SEE EXHIBIT Until November 11, the Royal BC Museum is hosting the first North American stop for Vikings: Lives Beyond the Legend. Insights into Viking domestic life, death rituals, the significance of their craft, the power of mythology, and the symbolism of their ships is explored in this interactive exhibit. Running concurrenty, Vikings: Journey to New Worlds is on at the museum’s IMAX theatre.
Check it ou
t Our Living La nguages: First Peoples’ Voices is anot her new exhibit at the Royal BC Museum, joint ly created with the First Peop les’ Cultural C ouncil and fe aturing films, interactive stat ions, and lots of talking .
TWO BLOOMS Caron and Michelle — perhaps better known as “those soap and body scent ladies at Moss Street Market” — have recently set up shop Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays in Victoria’s Public Market at the Hudson. Organic soaps, lip balm, bath salts, fragrances, and skin creams are all made on the Island from all-natural ingredients. Or you can shop online at etsy.com/twobloomsds
These boots were made for walkin’ Hey guys! If you want boots that’ll turn heads, you can find them right here in Victoria at Viberg Boots. Since 1931, the Viberg family has been making topquality men’s footwear, manufactured using traditional methods and the world’s best materials: brass tacks from England, heavyweight insoles from Spain, Vibram outsoles, Swiss hobnails, and the finest upper leathers from renowned tanneries in the USA and Italy.
Brothers Jason and Brett Viberg followed their father Glen, who followed his father Ed, the founder. Jason says some of today’s most popular styles are based on patterns grandfather Ed designed, but with a modern twist and clean lines that will keep them in style for years to come. They make about 30 pairs of boots a day, and while they do have a small retail outlet attached to the shop, 90 per cent are sold online. viberg.com
Black Rock - Salt Magazine Ad (Full Page) June 2014 • Size: 7.625” (w) x 4.75” (h) • Rev 1 • June 17/14
naturally inspiring
hotel | restaurant | spa
Escape to Black Rock Oceanfront Resort, a magical location on British Columbia’s wild west coast Ucluelet, British Columbia • 1-877-762-5011 • www.blackrockresort.com SALT 15
FOODIE FARE ISL AND CULTURE
THE VICTORIA PUBLIC MARKET AT THE HUDSON Pie, cheese, fresh produce, spices, roasted meats, tea, seafood, cake, bread, and even kitchenware — from Tuesday to Saturday, in every month of the year and in any weather, you can browse through this market in the heritage Hudson building.
Artisan Chocolate
Aprés Surf
Vancouver Island loves its chocolate and has welcomed the newest entrant on the sweetest local scene with open arms. Sirene Artisan Chocolate Makers is a small-batch, direct-trade, bean-to-bar operation that is more art than science. Beans are sourced from Ecuador and Madagascar and turned into luscious, wonderful chocolate. sirenechocolate.com
The spa-like change rooms, saunas, and hot tub at Tofino’s Long Beach Lodge took surfing to a whole new level. Now, the Lodge has raised the bar even higher with the opening last June of the Sandbar Bistro, an onthe-beach dining option located right on the sand overlooking spectacular Cox Bay. It’s open daily well into the fall and on niceweather days all winter. longbeachlodgeresort.com
JEFFREY BOSDET/SALT MAGAZINE
NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK
F YI
The market s frequently host , special events seminars, and s. cooking classe
The Island’s Got Spirits
‹ Shelter Point Distillery
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›
A city that has Queen Victoria as its namesake surely deserves its own gin — and thanks to Victoria Spirits, it does! Victoria Gin is made in small batches from wild-gathered botanicals and natural spring water in a carbon-neutral, copper-pot distillery. victoriaspirits.com
Meanwhile, from Shelter Point Distillery, located mid-way between Comox and Campbell River, we are waiting in anticipation for the first release of single malt whiskey — they are testing and waiting to see if it is going to be this year or next or even the next. They want it perfect, although rumour has it that preliminary sampling has been pretty amazing. In the meantime, tours of this gorgeous facility are available and you can pass the time waiting for the whisky by enjoying their line of triple-distilled sipping vodkas in a range of flavours, including maple and raspberry. shelterpointdistillery.com
Recognize the girl on the bottle? That’s Queen Victoria in her radiant youth. The bottle’s shape is intended to look “medicinal.”
Gourmet Vegetarian Vegetarians and vegans found culinary heaven first in Café Bliss, and now also at Be Love. Nearly triple the size of tiny Café Bliss, Be Love offers a somewhat more upscale dining experience than its raw-food, glutenfree older sister, but it still has that trademark casual warmth. The food? Wonderfully creative and flavourful. Even carnivores love it. beloverestaurant.ca
CHEESE AND BEYOND With all its beautiful sandy beaches and golf courses, it isn’t hard to come up with a reason to go to Parksville, but here’s one more: Little Qualicum Cheeseworks. Really, it’s a culinary field trip: there’s the Cheeseworks, where 16 varieties of tasty, hand-crafted cheese are made. Then there’s Morningstar Farm, home of the cows that provide the milk that make the cheese, as well as goats, sheep, pigs, horses, rabbits, and Carl the llama. And then there’s MooBerry Winery, where they make lovely fruit wines (yes, that match the cheese). The Farmgate Store carries everything you need for a picnic on the farm. cheeseworks.ca
Deedrie Ballard wants to open doors for you. …and show you stunning west coast views. Your west coast dream home is only a click away: www.deedrieballard.com
Expect Excellence DeeDrie ALLArD For At-Home Chefs The name really says it all: The Sobo Cookbook: Recipes from the Tofino Restaurant at the End of the Canadian Road. Sobo — short for Sophisticated Bohemian — is a destination restaurant. For Culinary Explorers You can, quite literally, eat your way around Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands. And now, you can do all that exploring with Don Genova of CBC radio as your guide with his new book Food Artisans of Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands.
B
camosun 250.744.3301 www.deedrieballard.com
MLS Gold Award 100% Club Hall of Fame Platinum Award Lifetime Achievement SALT 17
ON THE GO ISL AND CULTURE
Paddle Happy Kayaking is a hard habit to break, even as the days get shorter. With warm gear, including good gloves, you can be exploring the wilderness like, well, an explorer! Or you can take in more urban views paddling in the harbours. Classes and guided tours are always the best way to go until you are beyond beginner level. Check out Wild Heart Adventures in Nanaimo, Ocean River Sports in Victoria, Wilderness Kayaking in Duncan, and Batstar Adventure Tours out of Port Alberni to name just a few of many companies.
STELLAR AND CALIFORNIA SEA LIONS They are big and they are surprisingly vocal at times — sea lions are around all year but are mainly seen in the fall and winter and tend to hang out in groups on rocks and sometimes log booms. Race Rocks near Victoria is a popular spot, and also up the east side of the Island, where they follow the herring. Weighing as much as a ton, the males are quite a lot bigger than females — up to three times the size in the case of the Stellars. And they are pretty cute — especially the little ones. Wildlife tour companies are available to take you out for a closer look.
FIDO-FRIENDLY Parks and Beaches We love our pets and it shows when you consider how many specialty pet shops, doggie day cares, and grooming “spas” there are scattered around the Island. Most public parks allow dogs on leashes and a few have off-leash areas (signs are posted). But there are a few exceptions where dogs are prohibited year-round, mainly because of sensitive wildlife or
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garden areas. For example, in Victoria, Turkey Head Walkway, Windsor Park Rose Garden, Oak Bay’s Native Plant Park, and Swan Lake Christmas Hill Nature Sanctuary in Saanich are always off-bounds to pets, even on a leash. Willows Beach and Gyro Beach in Victoria and Buttertubs Marsh and Piper’s Lagoon in Nanaimo are no-pet zones in the summer, but come
autumn, leashed pets are welcome. Dogs are always welcome at French Beach, Dallas Road Park, and MaCaulay Point Park in the South Island. Nanaimo has 12 off-leash park areas including Beban Park and Colliery Dam Park. Also mid-Island, bring the pup to Top Bridge Trail and the park behind the Civic Centre in Qualicum Beach. The Air Park
in Courtenay is notable for being popular with dog walkers. Be dog smart: If you venture into wilderness, leave your pooch at home — there are wild animals out there, like cougars and black bears. Stay on the pathways to protect fragile ecosystems. Of course, cleaning up after your pet is expected everywhere.
DID YOU KNOW?
The only place in Canada you can see Roosevelt elk is right here on the Island. The largest of the elk family, they disappeared from the mainland decades ago, but about 3,000 live on the Island, mainly in the foothills of Strathcona Park.
YOGA AND BEYOND Yoga is a great way to improve health, and it is hugely beneficial for people wanting to relax and reduce stress. Yoga classes of all styles — Hatha, Bikram (Hot), Ashtanga, Vinyasa, Inyengar — are widely available virtually everywhere on the Island, whether you want private instruction or to be part of a
group. You can even do yoga on a paddleboard. And then there are the yoga retreats: Hollyhock on Cortes Island, Santosha Yoga Retreats and the Salt Spring Centre of Yoga on Salt Spring Island, Coastal Trek Resort in Courtenay, Milagro Retreats in Tofino — honestly, the list goes on and on.
MarmaladeMarmalade Tart Marmalade BoutiqueTart Boutique Boutique Fu n, F lirty, L♥ve Fa bulous is EvErywhErE
M MTT MT Fashion!
Open Monday-Saturday 10-5:30 • Sundays & Holidays 11:30-5 Landmark Building #103-2506 Beacon Ave, Sidney
Sidney BIA Ad - Salt Magazine 2014 778-426-3356 • marmaladetart.ca Size: 5.1875” (w) x 4.75” (h) • Rev 4 • June 26/14
Come get your share.
Adventure Wonder Serenity Treasures Unique shops, a variety of hotels, restaurants, attractions and outdoor adventure await you in the charming town of Sidney, just 30 minutes from downtown Victoria. As the gateway to Vancouver Island, Sidney is located just 5 minutes from the Victoria Airport and the ferries from Vancouver and Washington State.
distinctlysidney.ca SALT 19
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JEFFREY BOSDET/SALT MAGAZINE
Beautiful white Hakurei turnips grown on Michael Murphy’s 10 Acre Farm are harvested and delivered fresh to the chefs at his three Victoria restaurants the same morning.
ON THE MENU BY CINDA CHAVICH
DOWN ON THE FARM
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The produce Heather Verdin of 10 Acres Farm picks goes from the farm to the restaurant the same day.
On Vancouver Island, buying food direct from local farms is more than a seasonal trend for chefs — it’s a year-round reality.
JEFFREY BOSDET/SALT MAGAZINE
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estaurant owner Michael Murphy is a case in point. When dining at any of his three Victoria restaurants — Pescatores, Oyster Bar, 10 Acres Bistro and Bar — you’ll find pork, vegetables, and even honey on the menu, ingredients delivered direct from his own Saanich Peninsula farm — yes, his own farm. “There are many farms in the region but there are things we can do better ourselves,” says Murphy of his decision to create a farm dedicated to supplying his city eateries. “We cut 80 pounds of salad greens a week and the quality is a definite improvement. They’re cut first thing in the morning and in here by 10 am. You just can’t beat that.” Beyond greens — and the cut flowers that grace the tables in Murphy’s restaurants — there’s top quality hardneck garlic, eggs from the farm’s freerange laying hens, and colourful heirloom beets. Murphy has free-range pigs to send to market for the bacon and ham they serve at 10 Acres Bistro and fruit from the
500 trees and vines he planted. Bees in the three hives he’s acquired to pollinate his crops produce honey. And when they have organic waste, it all goes back to the farm to compost. “It all goes full circle; it’s a closed system,” he says, proudly surveying the 10 acres where he lives alongside his farm managers.
DINING IN THE KNOW The Island Chef’s Collaborative (ICC) aims to build a local, sustainable food system here on Vancouver Island by helping farmers grow more food and strengthening the connection between chefs and farmers. Many of the Island’s local-focused chefs participate in the ICC and are listed along with links to their restaurants on the members page in the “about” section at iccbc.ca. SALT 21
“We use at least 10 different farmers at It’s the ultimate example of the kind of Vista 18 — they deliver to our door,” he seasonal food you find at so many Island says, describing the fresh broccoli shoots and restaurants. With organic vegetable farms dotted across the Saanich Penninsula, chicken, Delicata squash on today’s menu. “We are fortunate that it is in such close proximity, and lamb, and pork raised in nearby Metchosin that Victoria consumers believe in supporting and Cowichan Valley, and ocean-wise fish Island products.” from the sea, it’s easy to eat local here. Schack points to Madrona Farm — just And chefs are quick to point out that their 10 minutes from his products are local — but there downtown Victoria hotel is more to it than just a way of “We are really restaurant — where chefs promoting their food. Many blessed here on the source organic vegetables of our local chefs are deeply Island — we can grow throughout the seasons. committed to supporting Protected by The Land and strengthening the link food here year round Conservancy’s special between farm and table. Chef whether it’s melons place designation, 27-acre Garrett Schack heads both and peppers, kale and Madrona Farm produces the kitchens at Vista 18 in the squash, or great garlic 105 different crops year Chateau Victoria Hotel and and apples ... We’re round and is recognized the Island Chef ’s Collaborative really in a paradise as a model of sustainable (see page 21), a group of 50 for food.” agriculture. chefs committed to creating —Chef Garrett Schack “We are really blessed a sustainable food system on here on the Island — we Vancouver Island. These chefs can grow food here year are focused on getting the round whether it’s melons and peppers, kale freshest food on their menus by supporting and squash, or great garlic and apples,” says local agriculture, and they’ve raised money to Schack. “We’re surrounded by the sea, with help protect farmland from development and all kinds of great sustainable fisheries. We’re helped launch a new Food Hub for local food really in a paradise for food.” storage and processing.
SHOPPING IN THE COMOX VALLEY At the Comox Valley farmer’s market in Courtenay you will find everything you need for a farm-to-table feast, from wasabi to wine. Get a smoked tuna loin from Estevan tuna, a selection of artisan cheeses from Natural Pastures, then pick up a bottle of the yummy pear wine at Blue Moon Estate Winery, and have a picnic on the beach. Or try the fresh pasta and sauces from local Prontissima Pasta for a quick dinner.
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duck confit with wild chanterelle mushrooms. Similarly, at Locals Restaurant, chef Ronald St. Pierre, celebrates all things Island with a menu that ranges from breakfast crepes rolled with B.C. salmon and Little Qualicum Cheeseworks fromage frais to wild shrimp and crab with Eatmore Sprouts and Nature Springs wasabi. Photos of local farmers and fishers decorate his dining room and St. Pierre tells their stories, “to celebrate the uniqueness of the Comox Valley and close the consumerproducer gap.” “I’ve spent more than 20 years working with farmers to try to educate people about what’s
Bill Jones is the chef/owner at Deerholme Farm in the Cowichan Valley where he holds lavish dinners, cooking classes, and foraging events.
Close proximity to farms often determines the location of the restaurant. Such as the case for British-born Daniel Hudson — an alumnus of Vancouver’s DB Bistro and Lumiere, and Top Chef Canada star. He chose the Cowichan Valley to open his eponymous restaurant, Hudson’s on First. “My wife and I knew one day we’d do something in the Valley,” says Hudson, who appreciates living in the Island’s banana belt, where everything from heirloom apples and wine grapes to asparagus, wild mushrooms, and freerange chickens flourish. “Code’s Corner [farm] is just 10 minutes away — I’m spoiled with the choices I have,” he says, describing the vegetarian pine mushroom risotto with crispy organic egg on tonight’s menu. “The produce tastes as it should, everything full of flavour and vibrancy. It’s a pleasure to work with.” Farther up Island in the Comox Valley, being able to meet with and talk to producers in person is important to chef Aaron Rail at Avenue Bistro. He collaborates with local farmers and fishers for a menu that includes beer-battered local oysters from Hollie Wood, housesmoked wild sockeye salmon, and local
available around here,” says the pioneering chef who serves Estevan Tuna, Tannadice Farm pork, Island Bison, Quackery duck, and Whaletown Bay oysters, all washed down with local wines, mead, and Island-made craft beer. “If you buy good ingredients, you eat good food,” he adds, delivering a perfect dish of house-smoked duck with winter spinach and arugula. Eating good local food prepared by chefs who know how to bring out its unique flavours — that’s really what Island dining is all about. S
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C R E AT I V E WO R K S WRITTEN BY CAROLYN CAMILLERI, PHOTOS BY JEFFREY BOSDET/SALT MAGAZINE
Freedom of EXPRESSION “TODAY, PAINTERS DO NOT HAVE TO GO TO A SUBJECT MATTER OUTSIDE OF THEMSELVES. MOST MODERN PAINTERS WORK FROM A DIFFERENT SOURCE. THEY WORK FROM WITHIN,” SAID JACKSON POLLOCK, THAT MOST FAMOUS AMERICAN DRIPPER OF PAINT. AND IF THAT IS TRUE, THEN WHAT IS INSIDE NANAIMO-BASED ARTIST REGINA SEIB IS THE PURE, UNFETTERED JOY OF LIFE, AS WELL AS THE FREEDOM TO PAINT WHATEVER SHE WANTS, HOWEVER SHE WANTS. FOR THE MOST PART, THAT HAS MEANT ABSTRACTS. “I am an emotional painter. What excites me about abstract painting is that you are not confined. If you are doing realism, you are confined to that image and I don’t like to be confined,” she says. “I want to be creative and do my own thing. I want to interpret something.” But being unconfined was a journey, something you can see even just by walking into her home and studio. Not only are paintings on every wall, they are on the floor and leaning up against walls and furniture. Adding to the gallery-like ambience is that the paintings represent a diversity of styles, from realism to abstract, landscapes to people, animals to free-flowing celebrations of colour and movement. And they are all by the same artist. “I thrive on diversity,” she smiles as she leads the way to her studio, past more and more paintings. She started with realism and, in particular, landscapes, but was always experimenting with colour, composition, texture, and movement. “I even did wildlife,” she says. “I entered the Western Canadian Wildlife Show that was in Saskatoon years ago, and I got honourable mention for my wolf and second for my blue heron. It was an experiment and I didn’t really like it — it was too persnickety.” 24 SALT
Being so diverse does present challenges, especially with galleries. “The galleries don’t like you to be diverse. They want to put you in a box, and I have always just not gone along with that. That’s just who I am.” To illustrate her point, she tells a funny story about her relationship with Calgary’s Webster Gallery, which represents her work. Her landscapes used to fit in well with the conservative collection there. But the gallery owner became a little upset because she was also showing her work at the art market in Calgary’s Telus Convention Centre. “Galleries want you to be exclusive with them and not show work in another gallery but I told him, ‘Most of my work that I am showing at the convention centre is abstract and you are not interested in abstracts,’” she relays, laughing. “The long and short of it is that he is into abstracts now. I converted him.” While realistic and impressionistic images remain in some of her work, she says it is the “unfettered freedom to explore the world of abstraction” that has given her the greatest joy and satisfaction. Her first abstracts were years ago for a show in Saskatoon for which she created masked faces “...because we don’t always
“I love working large,” Seib says of the four-byfive-foot canvas she is working on now in her studio. She calls Coffee Clutch (page 24) the “piece that started it all” because it represents the beginning of her shift from realism to abstracts.
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present to the world what we are inside and so I did a whole show on that.” She loves large, richly colourful paintings on canvas, and how she achieves that has no set pattern: “Every piece has a different journey.” And while she most often paints in the mornings, one work in particular — Unbound — was unusual. “For that piece, I got up it the middle of the night, and I just got inspired — and it doesn’t happen that often but occasionally — and I started painting,” she says. “Sometimes [painting] is a struggle and sometimes it just flows and for that one, it just flowed and so I just worked like a mad dog on it and loved the piece.” So did the people at the arts council show in Duncan — it won a first place in the People’s Choice award and sold. Where does that kind of inspiration come from? On that she is clear. “I feel my inspiration really comes from God,” she says. “I want to give credit where credit is due and to say it is all me wouldn’t be correct. So I say God inspires me.” How that inspiration materializes changes. “Inspiration comes from just about anywhere,” she says. “I did a large abstract piece that is in Alberta now that was inspired by a bar of soap.... one of those bars where they put a piece of apple inside and the colours were really quite lovely.” As far as artistic influences, she says, “The Group of Seven, of course. My
REGINA SEIB THEN AND NOW abroad, and she has participated in a long list of shows. Galleries representing her include Webster’s Gallery in Calgary, the Nanaimo Art Gallery, and, intermittently, Collector’s Choice Gallery in Saskatoon. Her studio and gallery are open by appointment and she does sell some work online. “People are leery to buy online. I sold a large piece that went to Tucson but [the buyers] came up
Regina Seib has been painting since she was a child, though her practical nature and her mother’s terminal illness led to her decision to become a nurse. Except for some courses and workshops, including two sessions at River Rock Studio in Cochrane, she is self-taught. She obtained her AFCA (Associate Federation of Canadian Artists) designation in March 2009. Her work is in numerous collections throughout Canada and
landscapes are inspired by the Group of Seven. I guess [people] can see some of that.” But her philosophy has deeper roots that go back to her childhood. Originally from East Germany, Seib came to Canada as a child and grew up at a time when being German carried a certain amount of shame. “I was very reluctant to admit my German background,” she says of the years following World War II. “Hitler did those terrible things to the Jewish people and to so many people and I was really embarrassed of my background.” The horror of the past is what led to her to paint as she does. “It’s exactly why I have chosen these bright and vibrant colours — the background I came from was horrific.” “You know we are in deep do-do again in the world with everything that is going on, and so I want to give some joy and lift people’s spirits with something colourful and joyful, something not to do with horror stories, but with the good things in life, with music and dance and that brings joy. We need that, right? We need that.” S
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on their boat and they checked me out to be sure I am real.” People do request work from Seib and she will do commissions — something she says a lot of artists don’t like doing, but she likes the challenge. But there is one stipulation: the client has to be happy with the end result. “If they are not 100 per cent happy, I don’t want them to take the work, even if they have commissioned it. It is bad press for me,” she laughs.
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For years, the Chinese Cemetery at Harling Point was rumoured to be haunted and it became a place where kids would go to prove their bravery at Halloween.
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UN DISCOV ER ED
VICTORIA L I T T L E - K N O W N TA L E S F R O M T H E C I T Y ’ S PA S T From heritage houses to a cemetery, military landmarks to a decomissioned waterline, Salt takes you on a journey beyond the bigger stories in the guidebooks to some very special places and a more secret glimpse of the local lore.
JO-ANN LORO/SALT MAGAZINE
BY DAVID ALEXANDER
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Congregation Emanu-El Synagogue Built in 1863 on the corner of Blanshard and Pandora, this is the oldest surviving synagogue in Western Canada and a designated historic site. On Thursday afternoons, from mid-June to the end of August, guided walking tours are available. Fort Rodd Hill and Fisgard Lighthouse A coast artillery fort built in the 1890s, this historic site includes gun batteries, underground magazines, guardhouses, and barracks. It is also where you’ll find Fisgard Lighthouse, built in 1860. Great place for a picnic. Fisgard Lighthouse
THE CHINESE CEMETERY Situated in a corner of Oak Bay, Harling Point is both stunning and isolated, with just a handful of houses nearby. Surrounded by cliffs on one side and open, and often wild, ocean on the other along, it is a fitting home for the Chinese Cemetery and the remains of hundreds of Chinese immigrants. At the turn of the last century, the Chinese were forbidden from using cemeteries such as the nearby Ross Bay Cemetery, so they purchased their own in 1903. Harling Point made an ideal location; the landscape and proximity to the ocean offered good feng shui, and the exposed land made it unattractive to settlers. Under Chinese custom, bodies were buried for seven years then disinterred and shipped back to China for burial in the immigrant’s ancestral home village. The cemetery still features a prominent alter, visible with the wide-open ocean as a backdrop. There also used to be a bone house, which served as a way station for those remains on their way back to China. World War II and the Chinese Communist Revolution put a stop to sending bones back to China, and the remains of 900 Chinese were denied their trip home. Instead, the bones were buried in 13 mass graves in 1961. The cemetery, no longer used, was designated a National Historic site in 1995, the only cemetery west of Toronto and Ottawa to be so recognized, and underwent a major restoration in 2001. Today, it offers a sense of serenity and a window into an important chapter of the province’s history.
EMILY CARR’S NEIGHBOURHOOD Chinese Public School Opened in 1909 on Fisgard Street, this school was built because segregation laws in Victoria prevented students of Chinese descent from attending public school. Full integration did not take place until after the second World War, at which time, this school became what it has remained until this day: a place for people to study Cantonese, Mandarin, calligraphy, and dance. 30 SALT
Emily Carr, one of Canada’s greatest painters, likely ran in similar circles as her contemporary Kathleen O’Reilly of Point Ellice House. They grew up in Victoria at the same time, though they were destined to follow very different paths. Victoria is Carr’s city: from her statue near the Inner Harbour, to the Royal BC Museum’s grand plans for a permanent Carr gallery, to the Emily Carr branch of the public library. And the James Bay neighbourhood, between downtown Victoria and the ocean, was her backyard. Carr was born at 207 Government Street, a beautiful Italianate-style home that now operates as museum. In 1863, when the house was built, it was part of the Beckley Farm, originally Hudson’s Bay Company land, and it stretched for acres with some of the city’s most prestigious families as neighbours: Helmcken, Dunsmuir, Spenser, Irvine, and Trounce.
As the Carr children grew, a few of them built their own houses on the property including Emily. Her “House of All Sorts,” referenced in her book of the same name, was built at 646 Simcoe Street in 1913. It was truly a character house in more ways than one: to make ends meet, Carr took in an odd assortment of boarders, created pottery for tourists, and raised bob-tailed English sheep dogs. Carr was known for her fondness of animals, perhaps believing them better companions than the humans she met, and she was often remembered with her pet monkey named Woo perched on her shoulder. Emily Carr’s childhood home in James Bay near downtown Victoria
JO-ANN LORO/SALT MAGAZINE
MORE HISTORY HIGHLIGHTS
THE SOOKE FLOWLINE The century-old Sooke Flowline doesn’t make it into many Victoria guidebooks, but the construction of this now-abandoned concrete aqueduct was one of Victoria’s largest megaprojects. The 44-kilometre line starts at Sooke Lake Reservoir and then snakes through the Sooke Hills to Humpback Lake; you can still find moss-covered remnants of the concrete pipes in the forest today. As Victoria grew in the early 1900s, so did the need for water. In 1908, residents voted to move the reservoir from Elk Lake to Sooke Lake, and the city began to put its mind to how to manage this feat of engineering. In 1911, the four-year project broke ground. It employed 400 workers, many of them — along with their families — living along the line as it was built. This was a crucial waterline for Victoria and, during World War I, the city had soldiers guarding the area — on the watch for German saboteurs (it was war time, after all).The area is still patrolled by caretakers, though they now keep an eye out — not for spies or saboteurs — but for marijuana grow-ops, for which this area is also noted. Though decommissioned in 1971, the Flowline, much of it in regional parks, is still accessible and with a bit of a hike, remnants of the cement pipes can be found at Sooke Potholes and Mt. Wells Regional Park. Segments of the pipe can also be found on the grounds of the Sooke Regional Museum, a much easier stroll.
CHRIS CHEADLE/ALLCANADAPHOTOS.COM
Peter O’Reilly who built Point Ellice House
POINT ELLICE HOUSE A short drive — or a longer walk — from downtown, Point Ellice House offers a rare glimpse into Victorian life a century ago. The house was built in 1861 for Peter O’Reilly, whose job titles hint at the excitement of early Victoria: High Sheriff, Indian Reserve Commissioner, County Court Judge, and Gold Commissioner. The house is truly picturesque: a one-storey Victorian cottage with pitched gable roofs, fluted brick chimneys, bay windows, wide verandas, and lush gardens.
O’Reilly’s daughter Kathleen eventually inherited the house. She was a well-known figure in Victoria’s history and though she remained single all her life, she happened to have two very well-known suitors: Captain Robert Scott, the explorer of the Antarctica, and Captain Henry Stanhope, who later became Lord Chesterfield. The house and grounds overlook the Gorge, a long winding waterway snaking through much of western Victoria. This picturesque waterway is the site of one of Victoria’s
greatest tragedies: the collapse of the Point Ellice Bridge. On May 26, 1896 — Queen Victoria’s birthday — a streetcar packed with revellers passed over the bridge. The car was too full, the bridge wasn’t strong enough, and 142 passengers plunged into the water and 55 died. Point Ellice house and gardens are open May to September as a museum. Using Kathleen’s notes and photos, the property has been maintained to look virtually the same as when the O’Reillys lived there.
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V I C TO R I A I S J U S T A S I P AWAY. . .
Holland Point
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Holland Point is remarkable for its beauty, but it also has a long, diverse, and sometimes tragic history. This 14-acre portion of Beacon Hill Park, nestled beside the Strait of Juan de Fuca, has fields bursting with flowers during spring and is witness to some wild storms during the winter months. About a thousand years ago, First Nations inhabited this area; an engraved granite monument marks where a village once stood and you can still find the remains of First Nations burial cairns within Beacon Hill Park. The area was rich with food: the beautiful purple Camas that bloom in April also provided a starchy edible bulb and the ocean yielded fish and shellfish. The wide-open fields, as well as providing a good vantage point, also offered a venue for recreation. Today, soccer is the game of choice at Holland Point; a thousand years ago, the First Nations played Coqwiallis, a game similar to field hockey. Jump ahead to the 1840’s, when Holland Point had another function: it served as farmland for the Hudson’s Bay Company. Wheat and potatoes replaced the Camas and houses and farms were built. Though the houses have long since vanished, one in particular lives on in a tragic tale. In June 1872, the steamship Prince Alfred arrived in Victoria but was held offshore after smallpox was found on board, a disease that ravaged Victoria several times
during that century. A young infected girl was quarantined in one of the deserted farmhouses with her parents and later died and was buried on Holland Point. The house took on a sinister reputation and was thereafter known as the “Pesthouse.” Soon, the Point once again had a new life, this time with the military. Back then, it was expected that the Russians would invade, and so, in 1878, two large guns were placed on Holland Point for protection. More than half a century later, during World War II, searchlights and army huts were constructed. A stroll along Holland Point shows that the military never really left: one of their huts can still be found near the central playground. S
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HOLLAND POINT
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IT’S MORE THAN JUST TRANSPORTATION — URBAN AND RURAL CYCLING IS A YEARROUND WAY OF LIFE. BY ALEX VAN TOL
PEDAL POWER 34 SALT
Where else in Canada can you pedal over to the outdoor flower stand and pick out your gerbera daisies in the dead of winter? Year-round cycling is a reality within easy reach, whether you’re biking to the grocery store, or to your rowing club, or to fetch yourself a dozen free-range eggs from the farm just up the road.
ISLAND-WIDE ACCESSIBILITY
The commitment to cycle culture is broad and growing on Vancouver Island. There are 25 kilometres of designated bike lanes in Victoria, and that figure is set to increase in the coming years with the city’s promise to make two-wheeled commuting a more attractive option for residents. (Since 1991, numerous roads have been redesigned with bike lanes and sidewalks.) Wide multi-use trails like Lochside Trail and the Galloping Goose do double duty as commuter corridors and scenic journeys. In Nanaimo, more than 100 kilometres of paths roll through parks, on multi-use trails, and along city streets. While the terrain in Nanaimo is generally hillier than that in Victoria, routes like the Nanaimo Parkway and the E&N Trail (which follows the E&N rail right of way) are considerably less sweatinducing. Courtenay has made a similar commitment to cycling as Victoria. Released in 2007, the Comox Valley Cycling Plan seeks to improve access for commuter and recreational cyclists alike and to make cycling safer and easier throughout the valley. Campbell River, Tofino, and Ucluelet also have a number of dedicated paths for cyclist use. Thanks to the forward thinking of Vancouver Island’s city councils, it’s all downhill from here. THE RIDE OF YOUR LIFE
JEFFREY BOSDET/SALT MAGAZINE
Although the pace of life on the Island is admittedly slower than in other parts of North America, we still know how to pick up on a trend when we see one worth following. Such is the case with hybrid bicycles, which have slowly replaced mountain bikes on our < It is possible to cycle stylishly, no matter what the weather is doing. The Felt York bike with handy front-mounted rack is from Broad Street Cycles. Stay warm and dry with a Merino wool tunic, repurposed sweater gloves, and Cape Cleo rain cape, all from levelovictoria.com. SALT 35
Coal fortunes, family feuds and untimely deaths. drop in for a good time. ISLAND JOY RIDES
The stories of coal baron Robert
The rolling farmland of the Comox Valley offers some great riding opportunities, as well as stops for fresh farm goodies.
Dunsmuir and his intriguing family are every bit as interesting as the beautiful castle he built. Whether you are a fan of old school architecture or simply fascinated by the mores of the Victorian era, Craigdarroch is the place to bring your family and friends. Drop in for a good time.
roadways over the past few years. Ideal for the office commute, hybrids’ larger wheels make for faster rolling, while thinner tires offer less resistance. They’re rugged enough to take on moderate off-road conditions, yet not so heavy that they bog you down. “We want to take people into our forests,” says Laurel Cronk, owner of Island Joy Rides in Campbell River, which weaves everything from First Nations culture to meditation and yoga into its predominantly food-and-winebased trips. “You don’t want to take your fancy road bikes on these trails! On hybrids, you can go in and out exploring more.” No need to schlep your own two-wheeler from home, either: any Island cycle-touring company can hook you up with a bike, helmet, and all the gear and maps you could possibly need for a memorable day on the trails. THE BEST WAY TO HAVE YOUR BREATH TAKEN AWAY
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GEARING UP FOR ALL WEATHER
In a Vancouver Island winter, wind and wet are your greatest foes. While it snows up-Island on a more regular basis than in Victoria, snow and ice are generally not considered limiting factors in a cyclist’s daily commute. That being said, you’ll still want to be appropriately garbed to face the elements. Hands get cold quickly if they’re not properly protected, so make this a priority. Nobody likes biking with cold hands. (And nobody likes you plowing through intersections because you’re too frozen to squeeze your brakes.) You’re welcome to shell out for a fancy pair of waterproof gloves if you like, but you can just as easily take on the rain with simple knit gloves under a thick pair of wool mittens (turns out the loggers knew best: even wet, wool stays warm).
Hopping on board a bike and heading out for the day or overnight is a great way to see one of the world’s most beautiful places — and the slower pace is conducive to taking it all in. On a bicycle, there’s nothing standing between you and the vista that’s unfurling in front of you. Joining a group tour RULES OF THE ROAD is a great way to meet likeminded people, whether it’s a Victoria, Courtenay, Nanaimo, Tofino, Cowichan, and winery cruise, a Gulf Islands Campbell River all participate exploration, or a meandering in BC Bike To Work Week roll down a series of backroads (typically the last week in to a final foodie destination. May). The Greater Victoria While the Patricia Bay, Bike To Work Society offers Trans Canada, and North cycling courses for kids and Island highways have wide adults alike, where you’ll learn everything from properly enough shoulders to make fitting your helmet to using for comfortable cycling, it’s a the correct hand signals. no-brainer that the back roads
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offer a much more satisfying travel experience. Tour companies have all those little secret routes dialed — and often have permissions to cut across private land and connect up with other routes. “When I see people riding on the Island Highway, I feel like giving them our card!” laughs Cronk.
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Your best bet for finding a good set of cycling rules, including everything from curb distance to dealing with left-hand turns, is at bikesense.bc.ca. A couple clicks takes you to the18page PDF manual that reviews every aspect of being a responsible cyclist. For a quick n’ dirty set of rules, go to biketowork.ca/safety.
Some cyclists opt for waterproof shoes, boots, or covers, all of which you can find at MEC or cycle stores. You can just as easily wear wool socks and sport sandals — there’s no fear of frostbite here. Once you’re at your destination, just swap your wet woollies for dry socks. While many urban cyclists wear headto-toe Gore Tex (pants and a jacket), some prefer a good old-fashioned rain cape. Essentially an asymmetric cone of waterproof material, the cape covers your head, upper body, and bicycle much in the way an umbrella would. The beauty of the rain cape is that it breathes more than Gore Tex, and it’ll keep you drier in a downpour. “I’ve ridden in conditions where it’s rained steadily for two or three hours and been comfortable,” says Victoria retiree Bob McInnes, who, at 84, still cycles everywhere possible. If you cape up, bring a change of pants, because the bottoms of yours will get wet. Or do as McInnes does and wear quick-dry poly. The Cycle Cape costs about $80 ordered online, or check out the stylish options at Le Velo. Whether you’re rocking a cape, a drysuit, or a Glad garbage bag, if you want to avoid that telltale line of dirt up your backside, fenders are your friends. They’ll block spray from your tires, keeping you considerably drier ... and less stripy. Layer according to your planned time and distance. You don’t want to wear three layers of Merino if you’re going to be climbing stiff hills. Wear a scarf and a toque under your helmet. Keeping your neck, ears, and face warm is key. And finally, be not afraid of looking the nerd. This is the only body you get, after all. In wet or dark weather, load up on reflective gear — the more reflective tape, the better. A good number of walkers and cyclists wearing full reflective vests, which
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Mandatory for all ages in B.C., helmets have come a long way in the fashion world. Left: Denim Yakkay helmet cover (yakkay.com); Right: One-of-a-kind hand-painted oak woodgrain helmet (levelovictoria.com)
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drivers appreciate. Rig your bike with a minimum of one headlight and one flashing rear light. Consider equipping your helmet with a bright flashing light, as well. Californiabased RevoLights is Kickstarting to bring the RevoLights Arc to market — the first lighting system for bikes that’s 360° visible at night. We’ve become a culture that’s too accustomed to comfort. Instead of sealing yourself into your Land Cruiser, choose the direct human/nature interface that cycling offers. “When you get down to it, it’s just like going out in the rain,” says Tricia Haley, operations supervisor with CVS Sightseeing and year-round cyclist. “Once you get out, you’re so glad you went. You just have to commit. And when you commit, it stops becoming an issue. It’s just ... how you get places.” CYCLING RESOURCES Greater Victoria Cycling Coalition gvcc.com is a great place to start. GVCC also produces Bike Sense, available at bikesense.bc.ca. | Bike Victoria by John Crouch is a comprehensive and descriptive collection of Victoria’s best bike rides. Available at Ivy’s Books on Oak Bay Avenue, Munro’s Books on Government, or Bolen Books at Hillside Mall. | Davenport Maps makes a cycling map of Victoria, including
The 2014 Norco Malahat Step-Thru is what Oak Bay Bicycles calls a “comfort hybrid.”.
The aluminum hybrid Brodie Once features an 11-speed internal hub (Fairfield Bicycle Shop).
Sooke, the Saanich Peninsula, and Shawnigan Lake. Available at south Island bike stores. | Island Cycling by David Payne covers routes across the entire island. While it’s a bit dated (1996), nothing as good has been published since. | If you like riding of the off-road variety, freakmaps.com offers maps covering hundreds of kilometres of city and mountain biking trails across the island; some are even free on the website.
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The Galloping Goose Regional Trail follows an old railway for 60 kilometres, linking downtown Victoria with View Royal, Langford, Metchosin, and Colwood. The Goose terminates on the wild west coast, with pretty Sooke Potholes as its final end point. It’s a beautiful day ride that crosses trestles, passes lakes, and winds through some refreshing forest. Lochside Trail runs north/south from downtown Victoria all the way out to the ferries at the northern end of the peninsula. The trail is partly paved and partly gravelled, but it’s eminently bikeable. You’ll pass chickens, horses (right on the trail!), and even pigs (not on the trail!) as you wend the 29 kilometres through agricultural fields. Stop for ice cream at Matticks Farm, and pause for a lookout at Island View Beach. Farther north, the Cowichan Valley Trail extends 75 kilometres along the Trans-Canada Trail. It follows an old CN railway line that once served pioneer logging and settlement communities. As you make your way to Duncan, you’ll cross the historic Kinsol Trestle, which was completed in 1920 and restored in 2011. At 145 feet, it’s one of the tallest free-standing timber rail trestles in the world. Before we leave the south part of the Island, an honourable mention should be made for the Gulf Islands; the roads and trails are among the most beautiful in the world (and Vancouver Island cycle tour operators quite agree). Hornby Island in particular has an extensive trail system, where many of the roads are paralleled by biking paths. In Nanaimo, the Parkway Trail runs along the Parkway Highway; combine this with the E&N loop for a great workout. Westwood Lake offers a pretty lakeside trail. Nearby Newcastle Island offers paved and unpaved trails to explore. The Courtenay Riverway Heritage Walk is a 2.8 kilometre loop that follows the Courtenay estuary. Nymph Falls, located along the Puntledge River, offers a slightly more rugged loop. It would be criminal not to mention that Courtenay and Cumberland are renowned for some of the best mountain-bike terrain on the entire planet. In fact, all of Vancouver Island is riddled with epic gnarly singletrack. Making our way farther north, Campbell River boasts a beautiful sea walk that meanders along the oceanside highway for about 10 kilometres. Beaver Lodge Lands is home to numerous trails throughout its 1,028 acres of endowed secondgrowth forest. And finally, we roll on down the west coast of the Island. While you can get from Tofino to Ucluelet on the highway (it’s a 70-kilometre jaunt — enough to work up a helluvan appetite), you’ll find the prettier bike routes are in town. S
Companies offering cycling tours include Island Joy Rides (Courtenay, Comox, Campbell River), Cycle Treks (Southern Vancouver Island, Gulf Islands), and The Pedaler (Victoria).
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GARY MCKINSTRY
WINE CELLARS BY DESIGN
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Charming the hearts of connoisseurs, from the spontaneous to the serious.
BY DANIELLE POPE
F
or wine lovers, cellars are places of mystery and delight, where treasured vintages are cherished, safely protected from light and fluctuating temperatures. Far more than simply a suitable storage space for wine, these Bacchanalian cellars have maintained romantic popularity through the centuries. Now, a growing wish to have at-home selection has resulted in an increase in designers, contractors, and homebuyers factoring wine rooms into the creation of modern dwellings.
european craftmanship on va n c o u v e r i s l a n d.
THE ARTIST
This wine cellar was a collaboration between Bruce Wilkin Design, Original Wine Cellars, and Horizon Contracting. The floors are Italian limestone and the walls are French limestone. LED lighting is recessed in the curved ceiling to give the impression of light seeping into a cavern.
Shane Watt is a stone worker who has run his own masonry company, Raven Stoneworks, since 2006. But with his wife in the wine industry, Watt realized his unique touch could add a level of art to wine cellars. After taking on apprentice Kirk Mount, who specializes in woodworking, Watt blended his love of stone and wine to create Original Wine Cellars. “I had never seen a completely stone wine cellar until we started making them,” says Watt, who has clients in B.C. and Alberta. “Stone can limit the racking for storage, but you can also get really creative, like having floating racks, and it lends itself to a lot of special touches ... It’s like building a work of art.” One of those special touches is pea gravel on the cellar floor, which adds a European flair and protects bottles from breaking if dropped. But stone has another benefit: it helps to keep a consistent temperature for the wine room, even without a cooling unit. From closet conversions that start around $3,000 to elaborate $50,000 constructions with backlit plexiglass, cooling units, and humidity controls, Watt understands the range. While some materials lend themselves to longevity and temperature, Watt says it really comes down to personal preference. Watt has his own ways of pushing the traditional look by using classic touches like old wine barrels cut in half and backlit with installed racks. Still, he has a fascination with the ultra-modern look. “I’ve always wanted to create a completely white wine cellar; smooth,
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maybe with backlit white plexiglass, but I haven’t been able to do that yet,” he says. “Most people still have traditional views around what a cellar should look like.”
Above: Felice Iorio’s cellar features slate floors and wine racks made from Islandsourced Western maple. A winemaker and a collector, Iorio’s cellar is stocked with his own creations, as well as treasured finds.
The only thing Max Huxley takes more seriously than his wine cellars is his wine. The craftsman and owner of Maximilian Huxley Construction has been incorporating state-of-the-art cellars into his projects for 12 years. “There are certain conditions you have to meet before you can consider a space right for a cellar,” Huxley says. “There should be no natural light, and you need a cool, consistent temperature. It 42 SALT
JOSHUA LAWRENCE
THE SCIENTIST
Left: In what could almost be considered a wine retirement plan, Max Huxley has carefully labelled each bottle in his cellar for its prime consumption, and the side-angled racks allow him to view each label without disturbing the bottle.
“It’s just a matter of deciding how serious to get.” doesn’t have to be perfectly chilled, just consistent.” Huxley created his own cellar to host over 600 bottles. The modern room is outfitted with side-angled metal racks so each bottle can be viewed from the label without being disturbed. With special LED lighting, the room is a selfcontained encyclopedia of world-class vintages, with each bottle labelled for prime consumption. “There really is a science to cellars, and I can get a little geeky about it,” he says. When Huxley starts working with a client, he first asks the person to decide on budget, how many bottles need to be housed, and the look. “We can really create anything the client wants — stone, metal, maybe using old crates, wood ceilings, exposed rock ... LED lighting, an air-tight room — it’s just a matter of deciding how serious to get,” he says. “When you have guests over, it’s a lot of fun to see their reaction.” THE VINTNER
When Felice Iorio and his wife Miriam designed their North Saanich home, Iorio was flexible about the entire house — so long as he had a wine cellar designed to bring home a touch of Italy. Guests make their way to the cellar by first passing through a wrought-iron gate that opens to a staircase. The warm orange and yellow walls of the stairwell lead into a soft, wine-red room, hugged by the stone floor and low ceilings. A maple door with forged metal hinges opens to a glamorous room with recessed lighting and bevelled diamond racking for more than 1,500 bottles, many of them Iorio’s own creation, as well as sacred bottles like the rare grappa Iorio’s father used to send from Italy. “My dad made wine ever since I could remember. It was just something you did, and we did it together all those years,” Iorio says. “Now, it’s like a treasure hunt finding all the wines in my cellar. It’s kind of like collecting ... You can go back and look at what you’ve created.” S
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LUXURIOUS, CONTEMPORARY, IT’S ALL ABOUT THE VIEW AT VUE, ABSTRACT DEVELOPMENT’S SEVEN-HOME ENCLAVE HIGH UP OVER VICTORIA’S LEAFY FAIRFIELD NEIGHBOURHOOD AND NESTLED AGAINST THE RUGGED BEAUTY OF MOSS ROCK PARK. MAKING THE MOST OF SPACE AND LIGHT, THESE UPSCALE WEST COAST CONTEMPORARY RESIDENCES FEATURE STRIKING VISTAS AT EVERY TURN.
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ISL AND HOMES BY DAVID LENNAM
LIVEABLE
Invite the outdoors in with a floor-to-ceiling sliding glass wall system in an airy open-concept layout pulled together by the stunning hammered grey metal fireplace surround. Signature touches of home designer Keith Baker abound: wood and metal, nature and industry. And as much as it reveres nature, the homes are high-tech marvels, wired throughout for lighting, intercom, alarm, and a multimedia sound system — inside and outside.
JAMES BROWN
T
he developer of VUE, seven luxury residences sidled up against Victoria’s Moss Rock Park, sold his beachfront property so he could move in. “It’s walking distance to everything. You don’t even need a car,” says custom homebuilder Mike Miller, president of Abstract Developments. “I walk downtown for dinner now.” That’s unless you want to stick around and have dinner in front of an outdoor fireplace on a patio overlooking the city, the ocean, and the mainland mountains. The tiered topography of this corner of Fairfield means expansive views and the quiet of being neighbours with nature. One of Victoria’s most established and enviable neighbourhoods, Fairfield is close to downtown and a pleasant stroll to the Dallas Road waterfront and Beacon Hill Park. Working from the idea that every home is a work of art, Miller riffed on the flat-roof ’70s West Coast-style homes already in the area to achieve something similar, but ultra contemporary. Abstract put together a full site schematic before designing any of the houses, ensuring each doesn’t clutter the views of the others or impede their privacy. “It’s liveable contemporary,” suggests Miller. “A lot of people, when they hear ‘contemporary’ feel it’s concrete, steel, and white and that’s not at all what we’re doing.” VUE is fir and cedar and stone and glass, designed to “Built Green” standards of energy efficiency and use of recycled, low-impact materials. Built on open-plan concepts, these fourbedroom, four-bathroom homes run from 3,500 to 4,200 square feet, with gourmet kitchens, wine room, swank media rooms and exercise studios, and two-car garages, plus expansive master wings with private decks, generous walk-in closets (complete with built-ins and wall safe), and a spa-like ensuite with oversize, walk-in steam shower, soaker tub, and double vanities. Two have rooftop patios and elevators. And they all have a long list of green and high-tech extras. Liveable contemporary, indeed, and with a view that goes on forever. SALT 45
JAMES BROWN
Each home is constructed to “Built Green” standards, observing energy efficiency and environmentally responsible building materials like the recycled fir floors in the foyer (warmed by hydronic in-floor radiant heat), high-performance Low E windows, and insulated, concrete form foundations that can improve a home’s energy efficiency by 75 per cent. Frameless glass railings on the upper level don’t stop the eye from wandering — or the light from streaming through.
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JAMES BROWN
The design extends your living room out almost right over the city. Cozy up to a builtin outdoor gas fireplace while enjoying views of downtown, the ocean, and the mountains. Private terraced decks and patios feature handcrafted arbours and fencing. They’re exquisitely private and designed for entertaining guests… or just for yourselves as you watch the sun recline into the Pacific.
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JAMES BROWN
The large gourmet kitchens are bathed in natural light, with the added sizzle of a low-voltage programmable lighting system operated by Control-4 technology (which also means setting the mood with music in each room). Gleaming quartz countertops, a bright, built-in eating area, and appliances that include a 36-inch Fisher & Paykel refrigerator, double range, two dishwashers, and a hidden pantry to put you in the mood for the best kitchen party ever. Oh, thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s also a specialty wine fridge and built-in coffee bar.
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The exteriors are pure West Coast contemporary, combining elements of rough-cut cedar and natural slate. Low-maintenance concrete patios, with custom water features and multizone sprinkler systems, let you live outdoors — which makes sense in Victoria’s mild climate.
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Two levels of plush seating and a screen to rival the Cineplex fill a media room built to unreel your next opus — or maybe bust out the Wii to challenge the family. A surround-sound system and built-in beverage bar make it opulent enough to be the lair of a Bond villain. Through the inviting open door is a spacious exercise room, lounge, entrance to a two-car garage, and even a thermostat-controlled wine room.
RESOURCES Home Builder Abstract Developments Inc. Home Designer KB Design Interior Designer Nygaard Interiors Structural Engineer David Romaine, Spar Consulting Landscaping Edibella Organic Landscapes and Duane Ensing Landscape Design Lighting Fixtures McLaren Lighting
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HOME DESIGN BY CAROLYN CAMILLERI WITH LAURA LANGSTON
Landscapes that Live Large It really starts with a change in how you think about your property. “While some people believe the outside is where they park their car and they live inside, others want to live within their entire property and enjoy it yearround,” says Bob Ingram, principal and general manager of Integral Design, a home construction and landscape design firm. “A well-designed landscape allows you to live and enjoy your entire property, and it also connects the home and the garden as much as possible.” Thinking about one’s entire property as living area, with the indoors and outdoors linked seamlessly, is the goal at Acacia Landscape as well. “It’s like building a house and adding rooms,” says Steve McLeish, a registered landscape architect and Acacia’s founder and president. “You work from the architecture out. You don’t just go in and start looking at landscape. You really have to pull the architecture out into the landscape.” To achieve maximum enjoyment and function from the whole property, the project has to be carefully thought through with your wants and needs at the top of the list. “How do they live out there — that’s probably the most important thing: how do you want to use the space?” says McLeish. Do you want space for entertaining, or a quiet area for contemplation? Is gardening high on your list of priorities? If so, what do you like to grow? How much maintenance are you prepared to do? McLeish says that if there are kids involved, it changes the whole thing. And then there is the property itself. Many neighbourhoods in our region are hilly, and homeowners often capitalize on that by designing multi-level garden areas. Be aware, however, that dealing with grade changes and terracing options can require an expert eye, particularly because it affects how water flows. “Always, one of the most important things is drainage,” says McLeish. “What is happening with the water? Where is the water going?” And there’s more. “We are looking at exposures — that is, north facing, south facing — because that is going to dictate where you are going to sit later in the day. If you are in 52 SALT
SIMON DESROCHERS
One of the joys of living on southern Vancouver Island is that we can use and enjoy our outdoor spaces year round. But sometimes, to get exactly what we want, we need a brand-new landscape design.
“We actually matched the brick that was in the building to the pillars,” says Acacia’s McLeish of this recently completed project. “But, at the end of the day, it all comes down to the little things that ultimately make it work.” Something he lists as particularly important if there are gardens is deer-proofing, often in the form of an enclosure. “It is really dictating and driving a lot of changes in design,” he says. “You are having to create walls to keep the little darlings out.”
full shade in a cold area, you have to allow for that,” says McLeish. “And so, obviously, looking at where the sun is and the little microclimates on the site — that is really important.” Existing design elements like patios, walkways, driveways, and garden beds and natural features like rocky outcroppings, trees and shrubs, and elevation changes — all of this is assessed and considered. And this is all before the first shrub is planted. No wonder so many homeowners find themselves turning to professionals for help. “We bring objectivity, a fresh set of eyes, and also our experience,” says Integral
designer Nate Bomford, adding that every project is different: there’s no one-size-fits-all or cookie-cutter approach when it comes to landscape design. Meeting with the client determines individual priorities. “I always like to meet with the spouse as well because a lot of times people have differing opinions on what they want,” says McLeish, using a recent project as an example. “[The client] wanted to be able to go out there and enjoy the outdoor space,” he says. The client’s spouse, on the other hand, had more design acumen and had very specific
ideas of what she liked and disliked. McLeish says he always asks clients for a wish list of elements they would like, as well as images and/or addresses of admired properties. “I also like to go inside the house when I meet with the clients the first time and take a look at the décor of the house and get a sense of who they are, what their likes and dislikes are, and try to carry that out into the exterior space,” says McLeish. As a home builder and a landscape company, Integral looks at both the home and the property in all their projects, with the goal of integrating interior and exterior living SALT 53
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Water features like water falls and ponds do more than just create a beautiful focal point — they can be a way of working with existing changes in elevation and they create wonderful ambient sound.
INTEGRAL DESIGN
spaces. “We design and build homes to suit landscapes and landscapes to suit homes,” says Ingram. The purpose of these early-stage discussions is the same: ensuring a shared vision or what McLeish calls “commonalities.” “That’s important: If you are not on the same page, it’s not going to work,” he says. The next step is to measure the property and draw up a master plan — a scaled drawing that includes everything that exists and everything that is wanted. “We also do a three-dimensional walkthrough drawing,” says McLeash. “Anywhere you have structure and walls and elevation changes, it is always good to give people a good sense of the third dimension. Most people can’t read a two-dimensional plan.” The landscape master plan also allows each element to be costed out accurately. Depending on budget and timing, projects are also broken into phases, which Ingram says is a large part of what they do. While many clients do want projects to be phased, this is not always the case. Acacia has recently completed the design of a flat, exposed 10,000-square-foot lot, with a back area of about 2,500 square feet. “It was very open, there were no enclosures, there were deer wandering through, there was basically just lawn out there, and it is a very exposed site so it gets a lot of wind,” says McLeish. The clients wanted it completed in one shot, which took about a year — typical for a large project, says McLeish — with the “built work” taking about six months. “We started in the winter. I actually like to start the planning in October, November, December of the previous year because it is a little bit of a process to go through the budgeting and the design phase,” says McLeish. “Then when you start in the spring, you are building in good weather.”
SIMON DESROCHERS
“I love the site because it’s got a spectacular view that overlooks downtown. It is a matter of trying to keep the view but also enclose the property,” says McLeish.
But not all projects are from-scratch projects. Sometimes the landscape is tired or doesn’t work for the homeowner’s needs anymore. In other cases, a new house is built. For example, Integral Design was called after a modern executive home was built to replace an older home that was torn down. They were tasked with integrating the house with an outdoor living space. They provided access for the driveway and each entry point into the home, created terraced gardens and patio spaces, and introduced a water feature. “A terraced waterfall with a recirculating pond provided wonderful ambient sound, gave a focal point to the property, and because of the way we lit it, it can be enjoyed year-round, from inside the house or outside,” Ingram says. Landscape changes even just to one area can make a significant and striking difference. A case in point: Integral had
clients who loved to entertain, but their interior dining room was too small. A window was removed, a set of French doors was installed, and a landing was created leading to a small sunken patio. Retention was built at seating height with flagstone pieces set on top that became seating for guests around the perimeter of the patio. “We excavated lawn, dealt with drainage, did a complete plant redesign,” Bomford says, “and the client ended up with a new outdoor space, as well as more light and air circulation indoors.” Whether the whole yard is undergoing a change or simply one corner of it, working with the existing natural surroundings is always a goal. “Every property has its own unique features — trees, natural rocky outcroppings, slopes — and often there are aspects of the existing landscape that are worth keeping,”
says Bomford. He adds that often the augmentation of the existing landscape can yield the beautiful result the client is looking for without scraping the entire landscape. In terms of augmentation, it doesn’t have to be a big change — even six inches makes a difference, says McLeish. “I like structure, because I think structure ultimately drives the design. We can create the elevations to make it work.” Providing four-season interest is also a big part of the design process. Landscape lighting allows us to enjoy the look of our gardens even from inside. And lighting can be used throughout the site, without being too austere, as long as it is ambient lighting to avoid a staged affect, says McLeish. Adding heating is another way to make a space functional and beautiful all year round, for example with fire pits and fireplaces. Even something as simple as a roof over your outdoor kitchen makes a significant difference to year-round use. “If we’re lucky, we can be outside barbecuing on New Year’s Eve so it’s of paramount importance to consider all seasons during a landscape design,” Bomford points out. After the structure is built and the lighting and heating are installed, then — finally — come the plants that McLeish says soften the structural elements. “Choosing the right plant material keeps it reasonable in terms of the maintenance but also softens all those hard edges,” he says. Whether it’s limited to one corner or encompasses your entire property, good landscape design offers a significant return on investment. “A lot of times, it comes down to the dollars and cents. If you are designing functional rooms — space — and you are adding outdoor living area — and that is a real trend right now — your return on investment is probably two to three hundred per cent; whereas, if you are just landscaping, you are lucky if you break even and, usually, it is a depreciating asset if it is not done properly,” says McLeish. “So it is important to really plan it out, and make it as much functional as it is beautiful. Along with adding value to your home, it also adds immeasurably to our quality of life. “Being able to enjoy our gardens and outdoor spaces is very much the driving force of living in the part of the world we live in,” says Ingram. S
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R E A L E S TAT E BY SHANNON MONEO
Lots of light and glass and stunning views characterize homes in the Promontory at Bayview Place
LIVE WHERE YOU PLAY It really is all about the lifestyle
Beautiful settings, easy access to favourite activities like hiking, golfing, and cycling, as well as proximity to shops and services — choosing a home is about so much more that just the home. It’s a matter of lifestyle. These three well-appointed homes from different locations around the Island — a classy high-rise in the city and two highquality fairway neighbourhoods not far from major communities — come complete with year-round outdoor lifestyles.
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Promontory at Bayview Place
PROMONTORY AT BAYVIEW PLACE IS WELL-NAMED
At 21 storeys, it’s one of Victoria’s tallest buildings. Promontory sits high above the Inner Harbour and features exceptional views of the ocean, downtown, and surrounding mountains. The 177-suite condo is part of a 20-acre development known as Bayview Place, where Granville Island-style plans include a public market, parks, and prime residential properties, says Kelley Olinger, sales manager for Bosa Properties, Promontory’s developers. And it’s a bit of a sanctuary. “When the bars let out, downtown can be noisy. In this neighbourhood, you’re close enough to downtown but it’s quiet.” Trekking to downtown shopping, dining, and cultural spots takes about seven minutes. “I call it a walk-and-go lifestyle,” says Olinger. Beyond urban pursuits, Promontory residents can easily walk to the Galloping Goose cycling/hiking trail, head out in a kayak from the Inner Harbour, or saunter down to nearby Westbay Marine Village. Many units have been sold, with the first wave of residents arriving in June. About 40 per cent of sale queries came from Calgarians, with locals, other Canadians, and Americans making up the remainder. Certain buyers are using Promontory, home to high-end finishing with lots of light and glass, as a second or winter home, Olinger says. A growing demographic is the not-quite-retired, those in their early-50s who are easing into retirement and living an active lifestyle. Starting with 490-square-foot studio units and scaling up to almost 1,700-square-foot “Villas,” Promontory has room for all tastes. The trend has been for younger buyers to purchase smaller units and older clients, often empty nesters, opting for larger digs, Olinger says.
called the Comox Valley home since 1999, says Crown Isle has a few key selling points. Sitting on 870 acres in the Comox First, the recreational choices are stellar. Valley is the Crown Isle Resort and Golf There’s golfing, fishing, hiking, and cycling. Community. While the name is descriptive, Mount Washington Alpine Resort is only it doesn’t cover all the gems in this crown. 30 minutes away. Keeners “We like to consider can ski in the morning we’re the ultimate home The centrepiece is the and golf in the afternoon. base in Canada,” says championship 18-hole golf And getting to Crown Isle Crown Isle’s director of real estate, Jason Andrew. course, where PGA golfers isn’t difficult, thanks to daily flights to Courtenay’s “We have the best strut, or putt, their stuff. airport. A big bonus is the temperatures, the best new hospital being built year-round living.” just one block from Crown Isle’s entrance. The centrepiece is the championship 18Again, it’s the “nearly retired” who are hole golf course, where PGA golfers strut, or choosing the master-planned community. putt, their stuff. With comprehensive zoning that allows a Currently, about 2,500 residents and 1,000 variety of development, Andrew says Crown units of housing make up Crown Isle. About Isle is, “A place where people can live out the half are single-family homes, one quarter are last 50 years of their life. They can start in a condos, and one quarter are “patio homes” big house and move to a jewel-size bungalow, (duplexes). Prices range from $260,000 then a condo.” Andrew’s also fond of the to over $1 million. With 400 acres still company motto, “Come for a tee time, stay undeveloped, 1,700 more homes can be built. for a lifetime.” Andrew, who grew up in Calgary but has
CROWN ISLE, A MID-ISLAND JEWEL
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ARBUTUS RIDGE: SECURE, SERENE, AND STUNNING
www.coastalarchitecture.ca
A 40-minute drive north of Victoria is one of Canada’s first gated, adult communities — Arbutus Ridge — where 620 homes sit on almost 150 acres, including the 18-hole Arbutus Ridge Golf Course. Views of Mount Baker, Salt Spring Island, and the Salish Sea surround the Ridge’s cafe, fitness centre, tennis courts, salon, and marina. “When people are checking out much of the east coast of the Island, they say the views at Arbutus Ridge are the best,” says Joan Thomson, Arbutus Ridge’s Promotions Committee representative.
Nearby, fishing, boating, and hiking beckon, as well as the lure of the Cowichan Valley with its vineyards and farms.
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Thomson has lived here for 15 years, arriving from Vancouver and settling into the welcoming community that now numbers about 1,000 people. Thomson says she’s seen Arbutus Ridge slowly morph from having plenty of fully retired people to younger residents, whether working from home or parttime. At AR, at least one buyer must be at least 50 years old. About 20 lots remain available for purchase, which is a bare-land strata, where people own their lot and home but share responsibility for common assets like roads and facilities. The cost to purchase an existing home, the first ones built 25 years ago and many of them extensively renovated, runs from about $260,000 to over $1 million. Home sizes start at 1,000 square feet up to over 6,500 square feet. “Being retired here is a lovely feeling,” Thomson says.
PARKSIDE AT ROYAL BAY BY CAROLYN CAMILLERI
A new neigbourhood that has been getting attention lately is Parkside at Royal Bay, built on the site of a former gravel pit overlooking the ocean in Colwood. The project developer is West Coast Contemporary Homes, with home design by Wil Peereboom’s Victoria Design, building by Windcrest Developments, and interiors by Nygaard Interior Design. When complete, there will be 57 freehold homes, and with buyer interest coming from not only the Island, but also other provinces, they are selling as fast as they are going up. Jonathan Gittens works with West Coast Contemporary Homes, which his father Mark Gittens owns with Scott Davies, as well as with Newport Realty. “The homes are all so unique in their look and feel but still tied together by the same theme,” he says. What is consistent is that these are seriously nice homes with huge windows, vaulted ceilings, custom millwork, gorgeous open kitchens, walk-in closets, and spacious bathrooms with deep tubs and separate showers. Details like quartz countertops, air conditioning, stainless steel appliances, gas stoves and fireplaces, and hardwood floors are standard. Newport realtor Ian Brown says they find that with other homes on the market, upgrades are an option, but at Parkside at Royal Bay, “There’s nothing to upgrade: it’s all been done.” Gittens also points out that there is no wasted space in the homes, which range from 1,200 to 2,200 square feet, ideal for someone downsizing or looking for a second home. Prices range from $499,999 to mid-$600,000, and most have legal suites that have been renting for $800plus to people from nearby Royal Roads University. Best of all, especially for people looking for access to the outdoors, this area is notable for its close proximity to the ocean, parks, and lakes and the limitless recreation that goes along with it.
In all three neighbourhoods, the lifestyle opportunities are a big factor in a buying decision, giving a broader meaning to the real-estate mantra, “location, location, location.” S
The contemporary architecture has been designed to accentuate the surroundings. Each home is unique in design and yet fits into the neighbourhood, connected by a brick “Woonerf” roadway, a Dutch-inspired “living street.”
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B OAT I N G BY GREG PRATT
K
ay van Akker loves spending time on her boat with her family. The Victoria resident quickly found that the scenic views were even more amazing and enthralling than she expected. “At first, the never-ending green mountains gave me the feeling that this could be a very relaxing journey, where I’d be able to pull out a book and tie into it while passing more of the same landscape for miles on end… but not so,” she says. “The wildlife is fantastic! Whales, sea otters, and birds of prey frequently distract me.” The beauty that won over van Akker and so many others who take to Island waters is well known to Barry Sherwood of Sherwood Marine. “It’s ranked as one of the top places in the world for boating,” he says. “All the coves and different islands, big sandy beaches... In the middle of summer, you can think you’re in Maui; it’s that amazing.” Richard Greenlaw, Branch Manager and Yacht Broker at Thunderbird Yacht Sales in Sidney agrees, saying boating can take you places you had no idea existed. “It’s gorgeous. It’s relaxing. It’s a way to see a part of the world from a completely different perspective than on land,” he says. “You’ve got so many options and so many places to go where roads don’t lead you.” Sounds great, doesn’t it? But, before you
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can enjoy all that beauty, you need to find a boat — a good boat — and it isn’t quite the same as buying a car. There’s an expression you hear among boaters that the two happiest days of their lives are the day they buy a boat and the day they sell it. With all the models and brands available, not to mention myriad options for equipping, powering, and outfitting, it can be overwhelming. Especially with a first boat, getting assistance is really reassuring. For Van Akker, the decision to buy the first boat — a private sale of a used vessel — was guided by an experienced family member who donned a dive suit to ensure it was mechanically sound. No boaters in the family? Seek the guidance of a professional broker or an established dealer. Moreover, there’s no easy way to list the top boats for cruising around the island — it depends on what you want to do, where you want to go, and how fast you want to get there. Maybe you want a trawler, which some people love, but they only go at a fairly slow seven knots. How about a power cruiser? At 40 to 50 feet long and clipping away at 20 knots, they’re a favourite amongst many boaters. A good place to start narrowing down what kind of boat you want is by considering how many people you’re going to have on it. Although van Akker’s boat officially sleeps fours, she says that’s tight. Usually it is just herself and her husband and child for
comfortable overnight trips, or four to five adults for day trips. “I think it would be nice to have a bit more space,” she says. “Storage inside is sparse and there are attributes inside we don’t use where we would choose to use that space differently.” Greenlaw at Thunderbird Yacht Sales in Sidney, says that once you hit 45 feet, your choices open up for getting more than a few people on board comfortably. “There are 32-foot Bayliners that will very happily accommodate four to six people,” he
THE BEAUTY OF OPTIONS Top: Imagine cruising in this beauty! This 53-foot Meridian 541 Sedan, the flagship vessel for this company, sleeps six (it
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BEING ON THE WATER IS BY FAR THE MOST POWERFUL WAY TO EXPERIENCE THE BEAUTY AND WONDER OF VANCOUVER ISLAND. BUT FIRST YOU NEED A BOAT AND SOME EXPERT GUIDANCE.
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Cruising 101
has three staterooms and two heads). The luxurious interior makes it the ideal floating home away from home.
says. “But not comfortably. Going away on a boat for a few days or a week — it will get small in a hurry, and most of the boats in the size range up to about 45 feet will probably be excellent two-person boats; they will be decent fourperson boats. You won’t be happy with six people.” With the larger boat comes not only more space for people, but also more boat to steer. This isn’t easy for first-timers. Sherwood of Sherwood Marine says that it’s best to start a bit smaller and to stay in your comfort zone. “A 40- to 50-foot boat — they won’t be doing that if it’s their first boat,” he says. “I don’t think they’d have the comfort level. Not too many people would start there; they’d be working their way up.” Other considerations include the ceiling height, bedding options, galley features, the height of the boat in general — make sure you are comfortable with these features or you won’t be happy with your boat. Then ask yourself what you want to do on your boat. Do you image yourself fishing for salmon? Cooking gourmet meals in the galley? Dropping anchor in a scenic bay and then sitting on deck with a glass of wine enjoying the view? Spending a comfortable week on board, cruising between marinas? Make sure you can do what you want on your boat before you buy it. Money also comes into play, of course. Buying a used boat for use around the
Island can run anywhere from $100,000 to $500,000 and upwards, depending on size, brand name, and condition. New boats cost even more. And you need to plan for maintenance. “You can anticipate that if you’re hiring trades to do the work on a boat, on a five-year ownership, about 10 per cent of the value of the boat will go back into it for maintenance,” says Greenlaw. “That will allow for upgrades and possibly a disaster — replacing an engine or something like that. That doesn’t include moorage, fuel, or insurance.” To start your research, here are some brand
names to check out: Bayliner, Meridian, Sea Ray, Silverton, or Carver, which all make smaller boats that are good for inside waters (waterways between Vancouver Island and the Mainland). The next tier up in size includes names like Selene, Kadey-Krogen, Nordhavn, Nordic Tugs, Grand Banks, Fleming, and Ocean Alexander, which make larger boats that would be suitable for inside or outside waters (open ocean). Spend some time thinking about what you want, and talk to as many people as you can at boat shows, marinas, and dealerships. The more confident you feel about the boat you buy, the more enjoyable it will be on the water. S
PROTECT THE ONES YOU LOVE.
BUYING TIPS Consider using a broker to help with the purchase, especially if you have never owned a boat before. Many people buy smaller used boats for their first purchase, with the plan to buy a bigger boat later once they are comfortable with boating and being on the water. Be sure to get an inspection and get its history checked out before purchasing. Charter a boat with a captain. Tell the captain your plan to buy, ask lots of questions, and pay attention to what is going on. Boating is not the same as driving a car and the ocean is not the same as a lake.
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Lessons are available, as well as boating safety courses, and a Pleasure Craft Operator Card is required. Get more info at tc.gc.ca. SALT 61
Ladysmith A QUAINT LITTLE TOWN WITH AN INDUSTRIAL PAST
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S P EC I A L P L AC E S BY ANDREW FINDLAY
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FROM THE HISTORIC BUILDINGS IN ITS QUAINT DOWNTOWN TO THE LUSH FOREST AND WATERFALLS IN STOCKING CREEK PARK, LADYSMITH HAS GOT PLENTY OF CHARM — AND GREAT BUNS (CINNAMON).
A
ll paths in Ladysmith eventually cross at Old Town Bakery and its sumptuous cinnamon buns that range from classic to decadent-plus. Orange poppy seed, chocolate pecan, and blueberry cream cheese — it’s an assortment that demolishes even the most dedicated weight watcher’s dietary ambitions in an instant. A line of patrons snakes out the entrance onto the busy sidewalk of 1st Avenue, while my wife and I fend off the hands of our two young children eager to tear apart the cinnamon buns like ravens to a fresh kill. Sated, we waddle down 1st then hang a left on High Street before gazing over a steep hill that, with a little imagination, could pass for a San Francisco side street. At the base of the hill, across highway 19 and the E & N train tracks, lies Transfer Beach and Ladysmith Harbour where lazy gulls perch on the masts of sailboats and squawk into the salty air.
Known as a “hillside/seaside” town, Ladysmith’s serene harbourfront is a picturesque mix of yachts and fishing boats. Visiting boaters like the year-round marina.
JO-ANN LORO/SALT MAGAZINE
CIVIC PRIDE
While cinnamon buns have certainly prompted more than one traveller to exit the highway for a decadent pit stop, there are other reasons to explore this community of 8,300. With its treasure chest of heritage buildings in various states of restoration, Ladysmith bursts with a civic pride that once earned it a spot on Harrowsmith Magazine’s top 10 list of prettiest towns in Canada. It also boasts a lively arts scene and a proximity to fertile farmland and bountiful sea that’s evident in butcher shops and markets. The town also hosts an interesting range of festivals and events that belies its diminutive size, including the Festival of Lights that illuminates the historic centre from late November through Christmas, as well as the Ladysmith Maritime Festival at the end of May. Ladysmith takes art and culture seriously. “I moved here in 1991 for the small town feel and it’s a very community-minded place,” says prolific potter Mary Fox, from her home studio on 3rd Avenue while working on an order of 50 rustic dinner plates for Vancouver “in” restaurant, L’Abbatoir. The Ladysmith Art Council occupies an airy wooden heritage building, found a few flights of stairs from the waterfront and adjacent to the grassy lawns, horseshoe-tossing arena, and playgrounds of Transfer Beach. SALT 63
STEPHANIE BLUMENSAAT/PICTURE BC
Downtown Ladysmith
Situated between pastoral Cowichan Valley and the ever-expanding girth of Nanaimo, Ladysmith proudly straddles the 49th parallel and is a surprisingly quaint community of early 20th-century architecture, like a set downloaded from the Edwardian imagination of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Coal and Ladysmith go together like coffee and donuts. James Dunsmuir, the scion of industrialist Robert Dunsmuir, has his fingerprints all over the economic and social history of Ladysmith, as is the case with much of Vancouver Island’s southeast coast. The Scottish coal baron established the town as a bedroom community for workers toiling in his mines and named it in honour of Great Britain’s retaking of
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Ladysmith during the Boer War. Incorporated in 1904, the village’s main street took form seemingly overnight, as many of the buildings were relocated from towns to the north. Though coal mining belongs to the past, the aesthetic of that era informs Ladysmith’s historic charm. A selfguided walking tour showcases artifacts and architecture from this era, from a solid steel coalmining car to the Traveller’s Hotel, with its fine brickwork and Edwardian detail (dedicated locals are trying to restore and re-open the threestory structure). “First avenue is a bit of a step back in time. I love that I can do all of my shopping — the butcher, baker, grocer, health food store, coffee — all on the avenue,” says physiotherapist and recreation-trail activist Tara Pollock.
The tiny Ladysmith Maritime Society Museum on the docks below the gallery houses an eclectic collection of artifacts, including old Marconi radio phones, outboard motors, and rations from a Sea Survival Kit, among them “spraydried aged cheddar cheese product” in a 1.36-kilogram tin can. Before leaving the docks, peek into the society’s boathouse to view the two gorgeous heritage boats, one of them the wooden towing vessel Saravan that was restored to a satiny sheen and re-floated in 2012.
NATURE’S CALL
Ladysmith has some obscure but beautiful parks. Lush and verdant Stocking Creek Park, with its trails and views of tumbling Stocking Falls, is a favourite walking and jogging destination. While sailboats, tugs, and prawners cruise into Ladysmith Harbour, the forested hills of Yellow Point beckon. Roberts Memorial Provincial Park, a peaceful park that looks out towards De Courcy and Ruxton islands, is a spectacular place, with a sandstone shoreline sculpted by wind and waves into surreal honeycomb
! N ic e b u n s
JO-ANN LORO/SALT MAGAZINE
A COAL MINER’S TOWN
James Dunsmuir
DON’T FIGHT IT!
Old Town Bakery
Make cinnamon buns part of your travel plans. Old Town Bakery. 1st Avenue. You’ll see it.
LENNOX CHAMBERS
shapes and patterns. lavender mingles with basil, fennel, In autumn, the fields at Yellow and countless other herbs. Point Cranberries glow crimson “We do a lot of dry herbs, infusions, FYI with ripe berries, an ideal time to spice rubs as well as face creams, The average price sample cranberry sauce, jams, and salves, and lotions,” says current owner of a single family dwelling in the salsas produced by husband-andBarbara Stevens. “It’s a pretty lowLadysmith area is and-wife owners Grant and Justine tech operation.” $326,895, down five per cent from 2013. Keefer. Back on 1st Avenue, the bustling “We do about 200,000 pounds hub of Ladysmith, I sit on a bench, of cranberries every year,” says Keefer, who close my eyes, and imagine the ridiculously relocated with his family from the Lower wealthy James Dunsmuir strolling along and Mainland six years ago and whose two young smugly admiring this lovely seaside town that kids now attend French immersion school in his family’s coal-mining empire built. One thing Ladysmith. he wouldn’t have enjoyed was an Old Town Any time of year is a good time to visit Bakery cinnamon bun and, alas, that’s where Hazelwood Herb Farm, where the scent of we’re headed before we hit the road again. S
WORTH A VISIT
With so much beauty to inspire the artistic spirit, Ladysmith has a strong arts community with several galleries, artist’s studios, and a variety of annual art shows and events.
STEPHANIE BLUMENSAAT/PICTURE BC
Marine artist Judy Button
CREEKSIDE INN BED AND BREAKFAST Set on a lush forested acreage with a stream, this peaceful getaway is minutes by car from downtown Ladysmith. www.creeksidebnb.com PAGE POINT BISTRO A true Island culinary experience, try the Blue Buck Battered Pacific Cod. www.pagepointbistro.com
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LOCAL FAVOURITE
JEFFREY BOSDET/SALT MAGAZINE
Growng up in an Italian household, Peter Zambri was exposed to cooking at a young age. He cooked in Vancouver, Whistler, and at Sooke Harbour House, followed by four years of cooking in Italy. Then he studied ceramic art. There weren’t many jobs around for ceramic artists, and so he opened a restaurant in Victoria. And then another. And then one more. Big Wheel Burger, The Guild, and, of course, Zambri’s. When he isn’t in the kitchen, you might see the city’s coolest chef on his motorcycle.
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