Hello there!

There's a lot to cover today, from Langford's plans for the coming decades to your plans for the weekend. First, though, we look at the story of people from across Greater Victoria—and far beyond—rallying to support a Westshore couple after a sudden terminal diagnosis.

— Cam

NEWS

Community rallies around Langford couple in their final weeks together

Two weeks before Sarah and Geri Kramer celebrated their 29th wedding anniversary, Sarah found out she had terminal brain cancer. They were told it’s unlikely she’ll live beyond April.

Devastated, Geri—who is recovering from her own recent surgery—announced Sarah’s diagnosis on social media and started a GoFundMe, with the hope that the two could take a break from work and spend their last weeks together at home. 

Within 24 hours, $90K was raised. It's now up to $113K. 

The sentiment among donors was clear: The Kramers are a pillar of the Greater Victoria community for many. 

Sarah is also a well-known cookbook writer, who has inspired many people to go vegan—something that several donors wrote comments about, with one saying “As someone who learned about veganism in the late 90s / early 00s, Sarah has been an icon since I first found her cookbooks.”

The duo are known for being the owners of Tattoo Zoo on View, where Geri is an artist, and for their podcast, Meet the Kramers, where they would share details of their relationship, including how Geri’s gender transition shaped their marriage.

Donors wrote about the importance of their podcast and love story, with one donor saying “I may not know you in real life, but your love for each other over the years has been so inspiring.”

Sarah is now home from the hospital, which Geri says has brightened her mood. Geri wrote on her Instagram that the donations to the GoFundMe have “alleviated the stress of having to go back to work immediately,” explaining she will take a break from tattooing to focus on spending time with Sarah. 

An additional fundraiser—happening tonight at 7pm—has been organized on their behalf at the Vicious Poodle in downtown Victoria. Geri responded to the event saying, “This is honestly so unbelievable. I had no idea so many people cared so much.”

By Robyn Bell

NEWS

Langford wants feedback on new draft of Official Community Plan

The city has released its first full draft of the first major OCP update since 2008.

Rather than targeting a specific year, as OCPs such as the previous Langford version and the upcoming View Royal 2050 do, the new Langford plan focuses on a population number: 100,000 residents. The city is currently at about 58,000—up by two-thirds since the 2016 census. As one of the fastest-growing municipalities in Canada, it's projected to hit that 100K mark by 2050. 

This edition maintains many of the priorities of the current (2008) plan, but updates some of the timelines and details. It also incorporates feedback from the two recent rounds of resident input, and outlines a shift in development in the city.

The new OCP lays out a plan to reduce “greenfield" subdivisions and concentrate new development in the city core, main corridors, areas already earmarked for development, and areas that are already walkable/ rollable / bikable. It also adds more specifics on the building heights and uses that would be allowed in different areas.

Part of the philosophy of the draft is that handling the addition of another 40k residents will be more feasible if those newcomers are funnelled to parts of the city that already have infrastructure and amenities.

You can learn more about the draft and take the survey here. It closes at the end of this Sunday.

Meanwhile, View Royal has extended the deadline for its OCP survey—the deadline is now the end of day tomorrow. [View Royal 2050 survey]

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Families are invited to discover how Glenlyon Norfolk School empowers students to be curious, engaged and prepared for the future. Attend an April open house to explore the school’s campuses, meet dedicated staff and talk to students. GNS helps learners thrive as balanced individuals ready for success. Register today!

NEWS

April Fooling on the Westshore

🦚 Royal Roads reports giant peacock running around new campus

The university also got in on the April 1 festivities, compiling a full news report from correspondent “April Fooslet” about a person-sized peacock. Local bystanders gave responses such as “It was so huge, I thought it was a Pokémon” and “I thought I was hallucinating from dehydration.”

🛒 Pranks in bulk: Councillor fools, then gets fooled, with Costco relocation hoax

On April Fools’ Day, Victoria's Matt Dell posted a fake announcement that the wholesale retailer, currently located in Langford, would open up in the gravel lot beside Beacon Hill Park (an impossibility under the park's charter, which bans commercial activity).

But he says he was quickly duped in turn by CHEK, which convinced him that his prank had caused a protest at the Langford Costco that he should go respond to. 

This year did bring some non-hoax news about the Langford Costco: the company bought the neighbouring Staples property for $14M, though the exact plans for the site haven't been revealed.

If you pulled off a prank, got April Fooled yourself, or heard about a good one somewhere in the region, let us know below and we'll include a few stories next week.

Around the 'Shore

🌾 Volunteers remove 160 bathtubs of invasive broom from Solstice Park: The Greater Victoria Green Team (GVGT), Langford Fire, and the city hosted a FireSmart invasive species removal event this past weekend to help reduce fire fuel (and invasive plants) in Langford’s Wildland Urban Interface zones. GVGT next hosts an Earth Day cleanup on April 26.

🍼 Wild ARC expects “massive spring and summer wave" of baby animals. The Metchosin wildlife rehab centre is looking for “baby shower" donations to get more supplies to care for them.

🚧 Sooke water main replacement project on Hwy 14 from Phillips to Church: Stone Pacific has been chosen as the contractor, and crews will likely start mobilizing on the site (causing traffic control measures) on Monday. [District]

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Explore Shawnigan Retreats and plan your getaway today. Learn more about Shawnigan Retreats.

Community Events

🧵 Sew Magic 2025 Quilt Show, Sale, & Gala in Juan de Fuca Rec. Today to Sat. [Info]

🌱 Container Gardening – Compost Education Centre Workshop at Royal Bay school. 6:30-8:30pm Thursday.

⚽️ Season opener for Pacific FC. Sat. 5pm at Starlight Stadium vs. Valour FC. [Tickets]

👨‍🚒🏒 Firefighters’ charity hockey games: Langford & View Royal / Colwood fire departments will compete in the Ken Gill & Forrest Owens Memorial Hockey Game on Fri. & Sat. at Archie Browning Arena and Wurtele Arena in Esquimalt.

🐰 April Easter Egg Hunt & Family Photos begin today & run for several weeks at Westshore Town Centre. Pet photos Sat.-Sun. [Info]

🎽 Roller Derby season opener on Sat. in Esquimalt. 5:30-10pm at Archie Browning. [Tickets]

🚪 Metchosin Open House this Sat., 2-4:30pm, for Parks and Trails Masterplan. No Coffee with the Mayor event next Tuesday, though. 

🥼 Future Innovators: Empowering Women in STEM at Royal Bay next Monday.

🗳 Esquimalt-Saanich-Sooke candidates forum on April 14 at Chief Petty Officers' Mess in Esquimalt  [Saanich News] We'll have more next week in The Westshore on the election race.

Council Meetings

Highlands: Regular council meeting next Monday. [Calendar]

Sooke: Regular council meeting next Monday. [Calendar]

Langford: Meeting next Monday.

Colwood: Parks&Rec and Land Use committees meet Monday. [Calendar / Agendas]

Metchosin: Public hearing Monday 6pm for tweaks to OCP bylaw language. [Info]

View Royal: Committee of the Whole meeting next Tuesday. [Calendar]

What’s Offshore?

🚢 Off Colwood coast: ONE Majesty, a container ship built in 2010, sailing from Tacoma to Vancouver under a Marshall Islands flag 🇲🇭.

👋 Moving on: ONE Cosmos, a container ship built in 2008, sailing from Tacoma to Vancouver under a Hong Kong flag 🇭🇰.

🚢🚢 Further out: NACC Poros, a 2012-built cement carrier sailing from Seattle to Richmond under a Portugal flag 🇵🇹. Horizon Ray, a 2010-built vehicles carrier sailing from Tacoma under a Bahamas flag 🇧🇸, for the Japanese shipping company NYK (Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha).

Westshore Snaps

Luke the Lab on a rainbow day in Westhills. – Heidi Koschzeck