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Denny Warner Executive Director Saanich Peninsula Chamber of Commerce
Spatial Mismatch here is a term for the situation where employees can’t or don’t live where their jobs are located. Economists call this “spatial mismatch”. In some cities, this condition is very pronounced. Think of San Francisco, Boston and New York City. And to a lesser degree, consider Vancouver, Victoria and the Saanich Peninsula. When housing costs are prohibitive, workers, especially those who are lower-income earners, are forced to live further and further away from their jobs. We are beginning to see the significant consequences
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“EMPLOYEES ARE MORE LIKELY TO TRAVEL LONGER DISTANCES FOR A POSITION THAT PAYS COMPETITIVE WAGES AND OFFERS A BENEFITS PACKAGE.”
of this mismatch. In the San Francisco area, some restaurants can’t hire servers, so, by necessity, they have gotten creative and have put their patrons to work.There are fine dining restaurants that have become self-serve. Diners find their own tables, get their own water, order drinks and food at a counter, and often bus their own dirty dishes. Perhaps not surprisingly, more people are opting for take-out than eating-in. Locally, a lack of available staff has resulted in Help Wanted signs popping up, and some businesses have had to reduce the hours they are open. In recognition of the growing divide, some cities and regions have developed strategies to connect low-wage workers to good jobs. Many of the jobs that go unfilled are those in the service industry. Employees are more likely to travel longer distances for a position that pays competitive wages and offers a benefits package. Employers are creating entry-level jobs and demonstrating the potential for those positions to lead to a career. Wherever possible, housing is being created adjacent to jobs and transit. Employers are offering predictable and regular hours that coincide with transit schedules and are providing employees complimentary bus passes. Connecting workers and employers across our region will remain an issue for the foreseeable future. Addressing this lopsided supply will require local governments and companies (and organizations like ours) to innovate a Saanich Peninsula solution. Denny Warner, Executive Director
Dreams Really Do Come True
BY BRENDA PYE emember watching Disney cartoons and movies on TV, in black-andwhite, and then the first time you ever saw it all in colour? It was a world of dreams, magic and unforgettable music. It’s no small wonder that Lena Palermo, artist director of the Peninsula Singers, has chosen, Dreams Come True! — The Music and Magic of Disney as the theme for their spring concert series, to bring you memorable selections from the 90 years of Disney music. Beauty and the Beast, sung by Angela Lansbury, has become a classic, as has Robin Williams’ energetic swingin’ Friend Like Me
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and Jiminy Cricket’s earnest Wish Upon A Star. In true Peninsulas Singers’ style, you will hear renditions of these and more Disney songs from the 1930s to today. Hear solos and choral medleys, Reflections from Mulan by the women, and a take on A Pirate’s Life for Me. The Spotlight on a Young Artist focuses on 16-year-old vocal soloist, Abby Blecic. Also featured are dancers from the Allegro Performing Arts Centre, inspired by their recent training and performances at Disneyland. Adding magic to the 60-voice chorus will be MC Jim Kingham, pianist Janet Yonge, percussionist Terry Erskine and
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bassist, Jennifer Bennet. Proceeds from the Peninsula Singers’ concerts are donated to the Saanich Peninsula Hospital and Healthcare Foundation’s music therapy program. Dreams can be aspirations — hope for something in the future, and edged forward into reality by a wish. It is the wish of Lena Palermo and the Peninsula Singers that you will be their guest and join them in Sidney for their performance. Peninsula Singers Dreams Come True!
Apr. 26,27 and 28, Mary Winspear Centre, 2243 Beacon Ave., Sidney Box Office: 250-656-0275 marywinspear.ca
Russell Nursery Presents: Two Talks by 0011673804 LINDA GILKESON, PhD Saturday, March 23 At Kildara FarmsTICE & CO RASSENTI, 11293 Chalet Rd, N. Saanich RESILIENT GARDENS IN A CHANGING CLIMATE LTD 11am – 1pm Learn how extremeMarch weather affects plants,Sales including trees, and how to design resilient food and ornamental gardens, help plants survive ‘weird weather’ and other management tips that will help you become an adaptable gardener. 4 x 56 PROTECTING AND ATTRACTING BENEFICIAL INSECTS CMYK, , 2 – 4pm – Tickets can be purchased through our website or at the nursery – Locallyowned ownedand andoperated. operated.Celebrating Celebrating2626years yearsininbusiness. business Locally
Mary Winspear Centre • 2243 Beacon Ave • Tickets: $28 adults/$14 children Box Office: 250-656-0275 • marywinspear.ca
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Savour the Flavours of Sidney
by Susan Simosko PRESIDENT, SIDNEY BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT AREA SOCIETY
ure, we enjoy our reputation as a beautiful seaside town with great shopping, attractions, safe streets and friendly residents and business owners, but Sidney is quickly becoming a unique food destination, too. With more than 40 restaurants, cafés, pubs, and other unique culinary enterprises, downtown Sidney and the surrounding area offers exciting food and beverage options fit for every palate and pocket book. Take a look:
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RESTAURANT SCENE From West Coast pleasures to international
flavours, Sidney restaurants continue to amaze. The emphasis on local and fresh allows diners to savour the best of local ingredients, harvested directly from Vancouver Island farms and the sea, and enjoy the rich flavours of China, France, Greece, India, Italy, Japan, Korea, Switzerland and Thailand — all in downtown Sidney. From casual to elegant, Sidney’s restaurants offer the perfect ambiance for delightful culinary experiences. Several restaurants overlook the Salish Sea, and diners can feast and enjoy beautiful views of Mount Baker, the Gulf Islands and the ever-changing colours of the sea. Sidney restaurants feature delicious home-made soups, chowders, breads, desserts and other tasty treats. During the summer, patio dining makes every meal a special occasion.
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CAFÉ CULTURE Sidney’s café culture is remarkable, with multiple cafes and literally hundreds of coffee, tea and chocolate-based drinks to try. Sidney is the perfect place to unwind, meet up with friends and experience the local café scene. Whether you stroll or bike through town, meet a colleague or enjoy a bit of alone time, Sidney offers outstanding choices for casual dining, with delicious sandwiches, salads, home-made muffins and more. SPIRITS, BEER AND WINE Pub culture is alive and well in Sidney, with a good stock of local beverages — something for anyone wanting to relax, soak up the local atmosphere and chat with a local or a friendly bartender. You’ll find plenty of popular places
with a unique and fun ambience. Many of these are ever-popular with residents and visitors alike, and feature great selections of local brews and wines, occasional live music and a friendly vibe. Take a tour and sample world-famous spirits in the cocktail lounge at Victoria Distillers where exquisite gin and vodka are distilled onsite for local and world-wide consumption. FURTHER AFIELD Beyond Sidney, the Saanich Peninsula is home to an impressive range of food and beverage businesses — each one dedicated to celebrating our rich agricultural heritage and the highly skilled artisans who create so many wonderful things to eat and drink — well worth your exploration. For information on Sidney’s cafés and restaurants, visit: sidneybia.ca
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Pace yourself in the garden POSTED BY DIGTHIS ho hasn’t experienced stiff and sore muscles after a long day in the garden? With a gardener’s enthusiasm to get into the garden – especially after this long cold winter – it’s easy to overdo it. Here are a few tips from the B.C. and Yukon divison of the Arthritis Society that make sense for all gardeners: Start by warming your muscles — even a short walk around your yard will do. Try some stretches and think about what you can realistically do at one time. Pace yourself. After 30 minutes, take a break. Admire your work, walk around the garden, make notes in your journal. Or
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switch to another task. You can always come back to it. Think about your posture. When raking mulch or sweeping up, remind yourself to stand up straight. Handles are available that attach to your rake which allow you to keep your spine vertical. Remember good lifting techniques when spreading mulch or other materials. Bend your knees, keeping your back as straight as possible, and then straighten your knees to lift. If you are “knee challenged”, even a small knee bend will help to take the pressure off your back. Always avoid lifting heavy loads of weeds or other debris. Use smaller containers more frequently. Use a dolly to
move flower pots and containers. Use yard waste bins with wheels and roll this container close to where you are working. Push it in front of you rather than pulling from behind, and tip the container to empty. Alternate your activity. Dig, rake, sweep, spread and then frequently stretch your back from a standing position. Protect your hands by wearing good gardening gloves. They will protect your skin and also help to take the pressure off your small finger joints. Gently and frequently stretch your hands. Look for ergonomic tools that reduce the strain on your joints. digthis.com
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A Pilot Project for the Peninsula
ill’s” parents, Mr. and Mrs. “Ross”, followed their retirement dream and moved across the country. But when her dad died unexpectedly, Jill’s mom was suddenly alone. Mrs. Ross became depressed and isolated, and her health was declining rapidly. When Jill realized her mom was in distress, she made tons of calls and scoured the internet trying to find out how to help her mom. But the more she searched, the more frustrated and confused she became. “There’s just so much information out there. It’s impossible to find something if you don’t know what you are looking for. And how do you know what to trust?” Jill was almost in tears. The Eldercare Foundation, in partnership with BC Healthy Communities Society (BCHC), endeavours to address this issue so seniors across B.C. are able to happily age-inplace with the support of their community. After extensive research, the Eldercare Foundation and BCHC developed the ElderConnect Wellness Navigation System, which consists of online navigation platforms and face-to-face community supports. The first pilot community was launched in the Sooke Region on Mar. 8 this year, and is currently in the beta stage with a volunteer team. ElderConnect makes navigating the aging
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journey easier — whether you are looking for resources for yourself or help for friend or loved one 1,000 miles away. Not just another online resource, ElderConnect incorporates a network of volunteer wayfinders that help people navigate their journey of aging and become connected with their community. ElderConnect uses the same look, language and wayfinding in each community, so Jill can easily find reliable information and resources in her own, or any other Elder-Connected community. Because her local portal links to the ElderConnect Smart Hub, Jill has access to worldwide resources and assessment tools at her fingertips. For Mrs. Ross, the face-to-face wayfinders and community initiatives help her easily connect in person. Thanks, in part, to a grant from the Victoria Foundation, the Peninsula will become the second pilot community to be Elder Connected. Visit the SHOAL Centre at 10030 Resthaven Drive in Sidney on Mar. 26, from 1 to 3 p.m., and connect with community resources, learn from the session’s keynote about how to protect your digital footprint, and maybe even sign up to become a Peninsula ElderConnect volunteer Wayfinder! For more info, contact the Eldercare Foundation at: 250-370-5664 or visit: gvef.org
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Tuesday, March 26th • 1pm ~ 3pm Admission is free and everyone is welcome! 0011674999 Doors Open at 12:45pm
GREATER VICTORIA ELDERKeynote Presentation Dr. Janni Aragon, MA, PhD, Director of Technology and CARE FOU Society Program at the University of Victoria. “Protect Your Digital Footprint” Embrace Aging examines #12 how technology has made our lives easier in many respects, but we often forget one cost - our data. The presentation will review x 152 what your digital 5 footprint is and how to protect it. CMYK, , fellow Peninsula • Meet • Learn about ElderConnect and how you can help shape the development of your Peninsula ElderConnect community network. • Connect with local seniorfocused organizations.
residents and acquire valuable insights from our Keynote. • Enjoy light refreshments and door prizes too!
ElderConnect is an initiative of the Eldercare Foundation in partnership with BC Healthy Communities. With support and input from Beacon Community Services, SHOAL Centre, the Peninsula communities and volunteers, the Peninsula will be our second pilot community to launch. Peninsula ElderConnect is funded in part by a grant from the Victoria Foundation.
Spring is in full swing at Brown’s The Florist, with fresh flowers to enjoy both inside your home and to give as gifts to loved ones. Sidney: 250.656.3313 | 2499 Beacon Ave. Downtown: 250.388.5545 | 757 Fort St. Westshore: 778.433.5399 | #102 - 2972 Jacklin Rd. brownsflorist.com
For more info and events or to donate visit gvef.org or call 250-370-5664 Thanks to our Media Sponsors:
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Repotting Large Containers BLAST FROM THE PAST BY SUE TICE ccasionally, Japanese maples, roses, bamboo (especially bamboo) and other large container plants need to be re-potted. How can you tell if it’s time? If you feel a particular plant didn’t do so well last year, or that water ran right through the pot without being absorbed, then probably its time to repot. Repotting doesn’t always mean going to a bigger pot. It could just be a case of trimming the roots and replanting into the same pot using fresh soil. Handling big pots is easier than it looks if you know a few tricks and have someone to help. A day or two ahead, check the moisture in the containers.
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It’s easiest to repot if the soil is damp right through, but not soggy. Before you start, you will need some fresh soil. The easiest to use is premixed potting soil — avoid light weight peat-based mixes. Alternatively, you can use a bagged soil mixed 50/50 with bark. If you prefer to mix your own soil — the ideal blend is equal parts finished compost, bark mulch and garden soil. Its best to use sterilized soil for Japanese maples, as garden soil can harbour harmful fungal spores. Time to get started. Make clean-up easy by spreading a tarp to work on. Run a long, sharp knife like a bread knife, around the sides of the pot. When it seems loosened, lay the pot on its side and carefully pull the
plant out. This is easiest if the container has straight sides, but will take much more effort if the sides are curved inwards — a good thing to remember if you are buying new pots. You don’t have to be too gentle at this stage, especially if the plant is dormant. Plants are tougher than you think. Tease the soil away from the roots with a small hand fork and trim long circling roots. If the root mass is solid, use an old knife, pruning saw to cut away a couple of inches from the sides and bottom. Clean out the container and check that the drainage holes aren’t plugged. Cover them with screening to keep them open. Mesh dry wall tape or old window screen work well.
Add fresh soil mix to the pot and reposition the plant so that the top of the root ball is at the same level it was before you started. Fill in with the soil mix to about two inches from the top. Tamp the soil down gently around the roots so there are no air pockets. Then return the pot to its permanent position. Top dress with a slow release fertilizer and water well. Lastly, prune for shape and remove any damaged or inward growing branches. If your containers are too big to move, scrape away what you can off the old soil and top up with some fresh soil mix instead. Find more garden solutions at Russell Nursery, 1370 Wain Rd. in N. Saanich russellnursery.com
Via Choralis
Music of the British Isles
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Sunday, May 5, 2:30 p.m. St. Elizabeth’s Church, 10030 Third St., Sidney Wonderful choral music comes from the British Isles — from folksongs and sea shanties to classical and contemporary works. In this concert, Via Choralis combines with guest instrumentalists, dancers from the Kathy White Dance Studio and collaborative pianist Sandra Fletcher to bring you toe-tapping airs and melodies from five centuries, including excerpts from Benjamin Britten’s Choral Dances from Gloriana, settings of folksongs by Mark Sirrett, Alice Parker and Jonathan Quick, and other works composed originally for the Kings Singers. EXTRA PERFORMANCE: Sunday, May 12, 2:30 p.m., Cordova Bay United Church, 813 Claremont Ave. Special Guests: Kathy White Highland Dance Academy.
The Centre For Active Living 50+, 1229 Clarke Rd. in Brentwood Bay
Speakers Series
Giving: Hearing Aids ver wonder if your old hearing aids have any value? They do! They could change someone’s life. Being part of a community means giving back to the community. A portion of the profit of every hearing aid sold at Hear Central is donated to a registered charity or community group. Drop off your used hearing aids and they will be
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refurbished and donated to someone in need, either locally or internationally. If you or someone you know would benefit from a pair of donated and refurbished hearing aids, call to schedule an evaluation and fitting. Some fees may apply. Being part of a community means giving back to the community. At Hear Central Saanich,
you have access to a range of the most advanced hearing aid technology available in the world. Hear Central has no affiliation with any one hearing instrument manufacturer, so they can offer you the best product based on your hearing loss, lifestyle, aesthetic preferences and budget. 7159A West Saanich Rd., Brentwood Bay. 778-4264876, hearcentralsaanich.com
Topic: The Latest Technology for Seniors Friday, Apr. 12, 2-3:30 p.m. Speakers: Alan Perry of Egurus and Ron Fraser of London Drugs return, by popular request. Each year, they attend the world’s largest trade show — the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, and then share the latest technology with us. Admission by donation. Refreshments served. Everyone welcome. Details: 250-652-4611. centralsaanichseniorscentre.org Join the Centre for more activities Meet new friends at whatever activities you enjoy – luncheons and teas, interesting speakers, fitness, dancing, card games and others, choir, crafts, bingo and Sunday socials.
Sidney LitFest featuring winners of major Canadian book awards his year’s Sidney LitFest features 16 Canadian authors at 11 events, with panel discussions, readings and writing workshops. The festival takes place at the Mary Winspear and Shoal Centre in Sidney. Book lovers can choose from authors of mystery, crime, plays, poetry, novels and non-fiction. Among the line-up are Canadian book awardwinning authors. The festival begins Apr. 11, with an evening conversation with Esi Edugyan — a twotime Giller Prize winner for her novels, Washington Black and Half Blood Blues. On the evening of Apr. 12, a cabaret style Wine, Words and Music event will feature a lively panel discussion with four authors, including Kathy Page,
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recipient of the 2018 Roger’s Writers’ Trust Fiction Prize for her evocative sketch of 20th century Britain, Dear Evelyn. The evening will showcase local swing, roots and blues trio, Beats Workin’. On the evening of Apr. 13 at Authors Ashore on a Saturday Night, five authors will engage in a thought-provoking discussion. On the panel is acclaimed poet, Lorna Crozier, 2018 winner of the George Woodcock Lifetime Achievement Award, and Darrel J. McLeod, winner of the 2018 Governor General’s award for his non-fiction work, Mamaskatch. Rounding out the panel is Wayne Johnston, best-selling author of the Colony of Unrequited Dreams, David Chariandy, author of Brother
and winner of the Rogers Writers’Trust Fiction Prize, and Steven Heighton, recipient of the 2016 Governor General’s Award for Poetry. Saturday will be a busy day for book lovers. During the day, Sidney LitFest offers three readings and a panel discussion where you’ll encounter 10 authors, including Kate Harris, C.C. Humphreys, Monique Gray Smith and Timothy Taylor. For those looking to improve their writing, three half-day workshops, led by authors Carla Funk, Susan Juby and Fred Stenson, will give writers new tools, techniques and a deeper understanding about writing process. The festival ends Sunday morning, Apr. 14, with the popular Breakfast with the Authors.
Attendees can converse with a favourite author over the meal, and later listen to readings. Details: sidneyliteraryfestival.ca Tickets: Online or at Tanner’s Books in Sidney. 250-654-0111. Festival workshops offer an opportunity to get up close and personal with the style and expertise of top-notch Canadian authors — sure to inspire your creativity: Writing Fiction for the Reading Brain with Fred Stenson, SHOAL Centre, Sat., Apr. 13, 9:30-11:30 a.m. The Poem’s Good Bones with Carla Funk, SHOAL Centre Saturday, Apr. 13, 1:30-3:30 p.m. Write Yourself into Being with Susan Juby Winspear Centre Saturday, Apr. 13 1:30-3:30 p.m.