Good morning!

While the weather isn’t exactly sunny, it's nice to have a break from the wind and snow storms the Westshore has been facing over the past two weeks; one of the biggest issues was traveling on the roads, something that the area has had difficulty with regardless of the weather. Looking to make roads safer in all conditions, Langford is announcing a new traffic policy to take control of dangerous driving. Read all about it, and more, in today’s edition of the Westshore.

— Emma

TRANSPORTATION

Slower, safer roads coming to Langford

Langford became the most recent city in the region to make its own move in the direction of prioritizing public safety on roads when council unanimously moved to adopt its new Traffic Calming Policy. 

Most people are good and careful drivers. Most cyclists and pedestrians follow safety rules and pay attention to their surroundings. Yet despite all of our collective good intentions, accidents still happen. Motor vehicle and bicycle-related collisions can potentially result in injuries or even deaths that have significant human and financial costs, including hospitalizations, ER visits, and caregiving costs, not to mention the psychological injury that can result for both drivers and vulnerable road users and their families when an unexpected and traumatic accident happens. 

Drafted in accordance with the Transportation Association of Canada (TAC)’s Guide to Traffic Calming, Langford’s policy is similar to others already in place in other BC municipalities. Langford’s policy package also includes a Traffic Calmer primer with a visual glossary of potential traffic calming mechanisms and infrastructure that will help council be able to communicate more effectively with the public during public consultations or question periods.

Head to the Westshore to read more about Lanford’s new Traffic Calming Policy.

NEWS

Woman wins $1 million in damages after a 2016 crash in Sooke

A Victoria woman was awarded $1 million in damages in a supreme court case against a Sooke woman who rear-ended her vehicle in 2016. The ruling was released on Jan. 19. 

Alyssa Reaume, who was 23 years old and four-and-a-half months pregnant with her first child at the time of the accident, stated that she was on her way home from her job as a shift supervisor at Starbucks on Aug. 11, 2016. She stopped behind a line of cars when her vehicle was struck from behind by a Ford F-550.

Reaume recalled her vehicle being pushed forward into another vehicle, and her knees hitting the dashboard before her body recoiled in the seat, according to B.C. Supreme Court documents. 

The accident led to a four-car pile-up, and Reaume’s station wagon had around $16,000 worth of damage. She drove to the side of the road and said that “her legs felt ‘like jelly’, her knees hurt, and she found it hard to walk,” but her first concern was the safety of her baby. 

Reaume was taken to Victoria General Hospital in an ambulance, where she experienced pain in her knees, emergent pain in her lower back, and ringing in her ears. The decision showed that she continued to feel shooting pains in her hips and lower back, along with a headache, neck pain, and continuous ringing ears while at the hospital. 

Her fetus showed no abnormalities in an ultrasound the following day, but Reaume sought damages for past and future loss of income-earning capacity, future care and non-pecuniary damages for intangible losses after she said she suffered an injury to her right shoulder, migraines, post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety and depression.

The defendants, Andrea Ressetto (the operator of the vehicle) and Global Pro Systems Inc. did take responsibility for the accident and injuries, but claimed that they didn’t agree on the severity of Reaume’s symptoms—the defendants agreed to compensation of $35,000 for previous income loss and $4,453.39 in special damages.

Justice Andrew Mayer assessed the extent of Reaume’s injuries and their impact on her life. Reaume testified and discussed the persistent pain in her right arm and shoulder, limiting her ability to engage in activities she enjoyed and even just daily tasks. She claimed a substantial reduction in her earning potential due to the inability to work full-time hours because of her injuries. 

Two psychiatrists also testified and discussed the impact on Reaume’s mental health, and said that Reaume would likely suffer from depression, anxiety, and somatic symptom disorder (a disorder that leads to Reaume’s preoccupation with physical symptoms that creates a sense of life revolving around her pain).  

Justice Mayer awarded Reaume $120,000 for non-pecuniary damages, $850,000 for loss of future earning capacity and $12,500 for future care in addition to agreed amounts—she won a total of $1,021,953.

Around the 'Shore

⚽️ Langford addresses rumours of Pacific FC leaving Starlight Stadium: The Pacific Football Club has been facing some rumours after city councillors and the City of Langford posted opposing social media announcements. Colwood councillor Ian Ward posted about some contractual issues between the club and the city, mentioning that Pacific FC might move to Victoria. The City of Langford said it was “deeply concerned” over these statements as Pacific FC looks to sign a new five-year contract soon. [CHEK] 

🎨 From scraps to art: SUPPLY Victoria boosts affordable creativity by tapping into the landfill’s artistic potential. Now the non-profit is moving to a brand new home in Victoria. Read the full article here.*

⚠️ Police find missing boy: West Shore RCMP have located 17-year-old Dylan Fraser who was reported missing on Jan. 18. Police thank the public and media for their assistance.

🤝🏼 Did you know that the most frustrating parts of ourselves might be trying their best to help? Befriend your parts with help from a therapist from Intertidal Counselling & Wellness.*

🪵 Whiffin Spit Park closed for cleanup: Sooke’s Whiffin Spit was closed Monday for cleanup after storm debris accumulated during the powerful wind storms, which was made worse by last week's snowfall. Crews closed the beach from 7:30am to 4:30pm, making sure the area was safe to access. [Times Colonist]

*Sponsored Listing

Community Events

📚 Pop Up StoryWalk: Head to John Phillips Memorial Park with your family and embark on an enchanting Pop Up StoryWalk. Vancouver Island Regional Library is collaborating with Sooke for the Jan. 26 event to promote Family Literacy Week 2024. Going from 1 to 3:30pm, you’ll get the chance to meet other readers, enjoy games, and of course, talk about books.

🍻 Sip and Social: Looking for an evening of tasty drinks and a warm atmosphere? The Rhino Coffee House in Langford is hosting a sip and social this Jan. 27 at 6pm. With crafted cocktails and charcuterie, and a live performance from local artists An & Ben starting at 6:30pm, seating is first-come-first-serve.

🌎 Reimagine the Westshore: Join ReImagine West Shore at the JdF Seniors Centre on Jan. 27 from 2-4pm for community networking and a conversation about sustainable living. With local and regional professionals presenting, ReImagine is looking forward to opening the door to community discussion on sustainability.

What’s Offshore?

🚢 The Musky is a bulk carrier built in 2014, sailing under the flag of Marshall Islands. It is coming from 🇵🇪 Matarani, Peru ➡ 🇨🇦 Vancouver and was scheduled to arrive Dec. 30, 2023.

Westshore Snaps

Sunset over Fisgard Lighthouse. —Gary Woodburn, Colwood

That’s it!

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