Welcome back from the long weekend, Westshore! There was a lot going on here, between music shows, car races, the last great swap meet at the Westshore Speedway, and generally great weather. And, without missing a beat, September’s busyness is coming for us.
School is back in session today—remember to slow down in school zones—there are four council meetings this week, and Friday is the deadline for nominations for the upcoming municipal election.
Reporter, The Westshore
ART
Camouflage art in the ancient forests
Artist Filippo Ioco perfects the camouflaging paint on his model, so she becomes part of the tree she leans against. (📸 Zoë Ducklow/The Westshore)
On a sunny afternoon in the dappled shade of Goldstream Provincial Park’s old forest, an unusual scene unfolded. One giant cedar tree, angled away from the granite slab it grew beside, was the centre of quiet attention.
A painter, a model, two videographers, a photographer, and a few helpers watched as the painter transformed the model into an extension of the tree.
She, a slender young woman, and the tree, possibly half a millennium old and well over two metres across, were part of a temporary art installation by Swiss-American artist Filippo Ioco.
Over several hours he painstakingly mimicked the chocolatey-wine colour of the cedar bark, and painted the model's body to match, covering everything except her eyes. He found moss carpets from the forest floor and arranged them on her arm, hip, foot. By the end you could still clearly see her body, but she’d merged into the ancient trunk.
Ioco’s goal is to get people to think twice about our interdependency with old-growth forests.
“As an artist, it's my way to give a message to the politicians or whoever is in charge, that these forests are important to us. We need them, they need us, and we need to protect them as much as we can,” he said.
Woman painted into cedars. (📸 Alex Barendregt)
The project was initiated by Canopy, a non-profit organization that helps companies examine their supply chains to make sure their products aren’t coming from old-growth wood—such as paper packaging, viscose, and rayon. Canopy brought Ioco to Vancouver Island where he camouflaged the model, Marie Metaphor, a Victoria-based artist, into four different landscapes.
The images captured by photographer Alex Barendregt after the painting is complete will be projected in boardrooms thousands of kilometres away from the forests themselves.
Canopy’s communications director Mike Hudema says there’s extensive and conclusive science proving the value of intact old-growth forests, but the message doesn’t always get through. He hopes Ioco’s art will incite a visceral emotional reaction and move companies to take action to boycott old-growth in their own supply chains.
Artist Filippo Ioco finishing the camouflaging paint on model Marie Metaphor. (📸 Zoë Ducklow/The Westshore)
In the forest, Ioco frets over the changing light—the sun that just showed up is messing with his carefully matched paint. Marie lounges against the ancient cedar. She’s naked, save for the moss and body paint.
The cedar tree suddenly seems vulnerable, despite its massive girth and height. It’s lived here for hundreds of years, since long before the Trans-Canada Highway that now roars past it was built. But it has no way to defend itself from human activity. Vulnerable like the naked woman resting against its trunk. Both dependent on each other.
The final image of Marie camouflaged into the cedar at Goldstream Provincial Park. Painted by Filippo Ioco. (📸 Alex Barendregt)
LOCAL GOVERNMENT
Council agendas around the Westshore
A rendering of the proposed 115-unit residential building at 2615 Sooke Rd., which is up for approval Sept. 6. (Contributed)
There are three council meetings tonight in the Westshore. Here’s an overview of what’s up for conversation:
View Royal the latest council to consider a possible pay increase before the election
Following Colwood’s decision last week and Sooke's earlier this year to increase council remuneration, View Royal is set to review its pay scale, which it does every four years before the municipal elections. A report commissioned from a human resources consultant recommends placing View Royal in the 75th percentile of its neighbours by raising the mayor's remuneration to $44,687 and councillors' to $22,343 (from $33,691 and $16,153, respectively). Including the two new council seats that View Royal voted to add for the next election, the total increase comes to a little more than $80,000 annually. The new council seats also come with a one-time $50,000 expense to add two desks to council chambers.
On the rezoning and development front, a five-storey residential development on Island Highway that backs onto Portage Park was rezoned in April, and now developers have formalized the landscaping design plan and are seeking council’s approval.
Two individual homeowners have applied for permits, one to demolish a carport and build a carriage home with garage, and the other to install a cover over a concrete patio that impedes on the required set back.
Langford’s last meeting of the term could see 380 units of housing approved for development
Tonight’s meeting will be the last for this council, as it previously voted to cancel its last three meetings, including all committee meetings.
There are nine housing-related rezoning applications up for approval, which add up to 380 units of housing, split between two apartment buildings and seven townhouse complexes.
There’s a public hearing on the future Royal Roads University campus in downtown Langford, which is set to be developed over 10 years. The rezoning application—happening after the project has been planned, funded, and announced—asks that requirements for green space, a pedestrian plaza, and parking be waived until the whole project is complete. Construction is slated to begin at the southwest corner, but the property owned by the university extends up Peatt Road halfway to Larkhill Road, and includes several detached houses that will be demolished. Unusually, the rezoning would have the first, second and third readings and be up for adoption on the same day as the public hearing. Typically rezoning applications are read first, then go to public hearing where the second and third reading happens, and, at a third meeting, can be adopted.
Environmental protection added to parks department in Langford
In May, Coun. Lillian Szpak suggested creating a new climate action committee. Her idea was amended—with verbose discussion among council—to expand the existing parks, recreation, culture, and beautification committee into the parks, recreation, environment, culture, and beautification committee. Today the committee will present its new terms of reference, which now includes environmental protection.
However, staff are recommending that the increased scope only apply to city-owned land, in order to “ensure there are not conflicts between the Development Permit Guidelines and any recommendations of the Parks Committee.”
Szpak has also suggested that Langford write a dust bylaw. This issue has been on and off the agenda for several years, flaring up periodically when dust complaints pile up. Last winter, staff were directed to ask Colwood staff how effective their dust bylaw was. Colwood answered that construction sites are required to use water or other dust suppressants, and that since the bylaw came into effect in 2016 only two fines have been issued (both were to the same site) and they only have three to four complaints a year.
Highlands wants forest management plan before approving development
A development proposal in Highlands is inching closer to final approval, but first staff are recommending council wait for the proponent to work out a managed forest plan. The property is on Millstream Lake Road, mostly forested and covenanted to remain as forest. The landowner has proposed a 10-unit subdivision on the non-covenanted area that’s already been cleared. The rest of the forest area will be co-managed with Habitat Acquisition Trust. The proposal has been appearing on Highlands' council agenda since March of this year. Council will also decide whether to approve spending between $5,000 and $8,000 for temporary repairs to Corry Road bridge, which was damaged in the 2021 atmospheric river. Permanent repairs will be addressed as a separate budget item next year.
Around the ’Shore
🤤 Jones Bar-B-Que southern cooking restauranthas been tantalizing downtown Langford with signs of a new location, including a very large smoker. For those of us waiting in drooling anticipation, there’s only a couple more weeks to wait: the Goldstream Avenue location is scheduled to open Sept. 24.
🏥 Langford veterinary hospital temporarily closing its emergency room. WAVES (West Coast Animal Veterinary Emergency Specialty hospital) announced the news on Facebook, saying it’s working on rebuilding its ER team, and confirmed the closure is temporary. Staff have directed concerned pet owners to Central Island Veterinary Emergency Hospital in Nanaimo.
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TOGETHER WITH DANCE VICTORIA
Early bird Nutcracker tickets for Canada’s Royal Winnipeg Ballet with Victoria Symphony
Save up to 20% off regular-priced adult tickets to Royal Winnipeg Ballet’s Nutcracker! Early bird prices are available now until Sept. 14, through the Royal and McPherson Theatres box offices using promo code Nut-Westshore to save!
A snowy pond hockey game, battle on Parliament Hill, Mounties, and a cast of Canadian critters make this Nutcracker memorable. As the clock strikes midnight, Clara finds herself on a journey into the heart of a timeless fairy tale with the Nutcracker Prince. Performed to live music by the Victoria Symphony.
December 2-4, 7pm | December 3 & 4, 1pm | Royal Theatre
Get your tickets at Royal and McPherson Theatres or call 250-386-6121.
Community Events
🎻 Sing your hearts out: Two Sooke choirs are looking for singers to join their ranks. The Sooke Philharmonic Chorus sings choral orchestral music. They practice on Saturday mornings, alternating between Sooke and Metchosin. The first rehearsal is Sept. 10, 10:30am at St. Mary’s Church in Metchosin. Contact Lynda Rose or Nicholas Fairbank.
👨🏻 🎤 Choral Evolution sings classic pop, folk, and rock songs. It meets Wednesday nights in Sooke. The first practice is tomorrow, Sept. 7. Contact choralevolution@gmail.com for more information.
🌳 Langford Parks is hosting an open house on Sept. 10 to share recreational opportunities and gather feedback from locals about what recreational amenities to prioritize over the next five years. Sports and recreation organizations will be there, as will the whole Parks and Rec staff. Eagle Ridge Community Centre, 1089 Langford Parkway, 10am-2pm
🖼 In Sight festival at Fort Rodd Hill: Colwood Arts and Culture is hosting a weekend festival of arts, music, and dance at the natural historic centre.
What’s Offshore?
Nothing today!
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