Together with

Good morning!

Exciting news this week, as the Langford Lightning U-19 girls won a national softball championship in front of the hometown crowd at Centennial Park. Having a strong team win at home is an incredible moment for the community, as many of the girls have played together for five years—showing just how strong the Westshore connection is.

— Emma

COMMUNITY

Langford Lightning take the title

From Aug. 2 to 6, Langford was host to the U-19 Women’s Canadian Fast Pitch Championship at Centennial Park with the home team, the Langford Lightning, in the spotlight. The community was excited to see the girls give it their all with home advantage, and the team did exactly that, winning seven out of eight games throughout the weekend.

“I think everyone was excited just to see how we could do at home with our friends or family watching,” says the tournament’s MVP, shortstop Peyton Bryden. “I know we were all nervous, but we were just super happy to have it here in Langford.”

The tournament brought out resilience in the girls, as they lost to Ontario-2 in the round robin; despite this, they shook it off and dominated the weekend, beating the White Rock Renegades’ 05 with a home run from Bryden and taking the title of champions.

“We've always worked together, we've always been a team for probably about five years and have been all the same kids,” says Bryden. “Just being friends outside of the team as well has helped us so much working together on the field because we're like family.”

As for Bryden’s future in softball, she has committed to Winthrop University and is among three girls headed to play in NCAA Div. 1 next month.

“It was amazing seeing all the support and fans there; for us, knowing that everyone watching was just there to support us and hope that we would do well gave us more energy and we wanted to perform our best for friends and family around,” says Bryden. “I'm looking forward to going and playing university softball and then I really look forward to coming back and seeing all my friends here and playing with them next year.”

SPONSORED BY INTERTIDAL WELLNESS

What’s your connection with the shore?

On the Island, we have a unique connection to the sea, the shore and the tides. Many of us know the amazing diversity of creatures that live in rocky pools, on sandy flats and among the craggy outcroppings, sometimes covered and sometimes revealed by the tide. Intertidal plants and animals are uniquely adapted to survive and thrive in stressful and ever-changing conditions.

How about you? Do the winds of world events, waves of stress, or the tides of change and transition sometimes threaten to dislodge you? Explore a more resilient you with a counsellor at Intertidal Counselling & Wellness. They are here to help you settle back into your zone. Book a free consultation today.

NEWS

Safer travels for Highway 14 commuters

Construction on Highway 14 near Sooke finished at the end of July, and the province is hoping motorists will feel safer with the new addition of four lanes and corridor improvements. With a goal to ease commute time, traffic, and safety concerns, Rob Fleming, BC’s minister of transportation and infrastructure, says the change is a good step forward.

“Highway 14 is a vital route for commuters who count on this stretch to get them to work and school, then safely back home again,” said Fleming. “People also have to pass through here to get to our beautiful westerly communities, rocky beaches and provincial parks. These improvements will make all those trips, daily and recreational, better for everyone.”

On top of the four lanes, additional safety structures were added between Connie Road and Glinz Lake Road like new roadside and median barriers, paint lines, reflective markers, bus stops, an underground pedestrian tunnel and more.

The Westshore is expected to have a 33% population growth over the next decade. Ensuring the roads can sustain years of driving and many travellers is a key part of development in the community.

Around the 'Shore

🩴 Birkenstock partners with local Sooke woman: Doreen Carscadden’s dream is coming true after the Michael Gray Sandal Factory (an authorized Birkenstock sandal maker) chose her art to be featured on an exclusive run of 30 pairs of Birkenstocks. The announcement comes after Carscadden responded to an Instagram callout for artists to collaborate to create a collection. [Vancouver Island Free Daily]

✈️ Esquimalt’s big plans for National Peacekeeper’s Day: Esquimalt had a low-altitude flyby from a CC-130 Hercules military search and rescue plane on Aug. 9. With a ceremony and parade, Maritime Forces Pacific and federal Minister of Veterans Affairs Ginette Petitpas Taylor, along with other municipal representatives and chief of staff Capt. Peter Sproule, placed a poppy wreath at the cenotaph in Esquimalt Park. [Sooke News Mirror]

📉 Langford’s RidgeView Place builder owes over $51 million: DB Services of Victoria Inc. has filed for bankruptcy after news came in that the company owed 150 creditors $51 million. RidgeView Place has had issues in the past, with residents being evacuated twice this year; residents have spoken up about being displaced and confused about the ongoing issues. [Times Colonist]

💌 You are all invited to United Way's celebratory 2023 Campaign Kick-off at Centennial Square on Sept 14, 11am-2pm! Food trucks, performances, music, scavenger hunts and so much more.*

*Sponsored Listing

SPONSORED BY MP ALISTAIR MACGREGOR

Proudly representing the Cowichan-Malahat-Langford riding since 2015

As your Member of Parliament, Alistair MacGregor understands that life for Canada’s workers should be getting easier; not harder. If you need assistance with federal agencies, contact Alistair.

Community Events

⚽️ Pacific FC game: Mark your calendar for Aug. 13, because Pacific FC is taking on Atlético Ottawa at Starlight stadium at 1:30pm. The Langford team is currently first in the Canadian Premier League standings, so you don’t want to miss the chance to watch them play.

🎤 Rae Spoon Concert: Head to the Outdoor House Concert on Rainville Road this Aug. 18 for Rae Spoon’s performance of their new album Not Dead Yet at 6:30pm. Make sure to register before the event, and bring a blanket to watch all the performances, including sets from Opal DAR and Mervis Blue.

🌙 Night Market: The Sooke Night Market runs every Thursday throughout the summer at the Sooke Region Museum from 5 to 8pm. With a bountiful number of local artists, food producers, and entrepreneurs, you can search through the market until Sept. 7.

What’s Offshore?

No ships today!

Westshore Snaps

Reader Janet Hardy sent in this photos of a tree stump turned into a gnome house at View Royal Park. If you know who is behind this adorable project, send us an email at [email protected].

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