Good morning!

The community has had lots of growth recently, with events and activities galore. Seeing so many people take interest in the Westshore is incredible, as the area has so much to offer to locals and visitors alike. This weekend there’s a beach party in Colwood, a music fest in Esquimalt, and more!

— Emma

NEWS

Sooke Cooperative saves much-loved coffee shop

Bernie Klassen, Wendy O’Connor, and Jim Meunier are three retirees who met as regular customers of Stick in the Mud. When David Evans, the owner of the community coffee shop, announced that it was shutting its doors in April, the trio decided to take action and work to save Stick in the Mud. Together with local businessman Grant Storry, a dream to create a co-operative to keep the shop alive became a reality.

“We will be incorporated as a cooperative in BC and we have a bank account, we’ve got a fundraiser going with over 400 pledges already,“ says Storry, who is now vice-president of the cooperative. “We negotiated and presented a letter of intent to David over the last few weeks and he signed and accepted it, actually the last day the Stick was open.”

After months of hard work, the Sooke Community Investment Cooperative will allow the coffee shop to run with the public's support until more local ownership can take over.

“The vision is ultimately for us to form as a community investment co-op, raise the funds, make the transition, spin up business operations over the next year, and then ultimately transition to an employee-owned cooperative,” says Storry. “We would love to morph the co-op to be an employee-owned cafe and bakery. Down the road.”

With plenty of support already lifting the cooperative, the coffee shop is here to stay, but will be changing its name. Locals can rest assured that the shop will remain a community staple, and can look forward to Evans continuing his business with the Roastoreum next door. As for the future of the Stick, the community can look forward to exciting plans, says Storry who has been amazing by the community support.

“There's been so many folks coming out and contacting us, we had volunteers outside the cafe giving information during the last weeks, some families buying multiple shares,” says Storry. “They all have personal stories of how the Stick impacted them, and the responses are so heartfelt to see how this cafe has connected people and threaded them throughout its time.”

SPONSORED BY INTERTIDAL WELLNESS

Connect with a Westshore Counsellor

Why are more people seeking psychotherapy? With mental health and help-seeking stigmas dissolving and effective treatments on the rise, there has never been a better time to explore this kind of support. You don’t have to do it alone. Try a consultation with a supportive counsellor at Intertidal Counselling & Wellness.

EVENTS

Colwood beach party is stacked with fantastic food and music this weekend

Food and music go together like John and Paul, or Mick and Keith. While yes, separately they’re still amazing—together they’re even better.

Luckily, Colwood is cooking up exactly what you need this summer: a festival of food and music featuring some of the best food trucks in the city and some super talented BC bands, too.

The Eats & Beats Beach Party will take place on Saturday, July 29, at Royal Beach in Colwood from 1 to 8pm. Entry is free.

Featured acts include Victoria bands The Projectors and OK CHARLIE, as well as the Tragically Hip tribute band The Nautical Disaster, and headliners The Zolas.

Throughout the day enjoy the craft beverage garden, a street market full of local vendors, and a climbing wall. Plus, bring a floatie, a paddleboard, or get to Royal Beach by boat, as this festival is surrounded by the beautiful Juan de Fuca Strait.

Travel to and from the festival is easy with a free shuttle, which sets off from either Royal Bay Secondary School or the parking area below the new Quality Foods Royal Bay. There will also be a Beach Bus running between Royal Beach Park and Metchosin Road any time, all day.

Parking is also available at Lagoon Beach, where you can either walk to Royal Bay or kayak! If you’re super keen, take your bike and receive a $5 voucher for the festival!

It’s bound to be a fun time full of food and music, so get a head start and check out the delicious food trucks highlighted by Tasting Victoria.

By Ryan Hook

Around the 'Shore

📄 New CAO appointed in Sooke: The community is welcoming Jeremy Denegar, former chief administrative officer of the District of Lillooet, as a new member of the council starting Sept. 5 after Norm McInnis stepped down. Denegar has a long history in both politics and the community, and was appointed after a vigorous four-month process. [Victoria News]

🚨 Missing woman found by Westshore RCMP: After a 36-year-old woman was reported missing on July 24, RCMP confirmed she was located and was safe. RCMP is thanking anyone who helped in the search for their assistance. [Westshore RCMP]

🏫 New elementary and daycare going up in South Langford: Construction on a tree-house-inspired daycare and elementary project is now starting on Latoria Road. Slated to hold about 480 students, the project is expected to be completed in 2025. [Citified]

📶 Cell coverage on Highway 14 only allows calls to 911: The 71-kilometre stretch of highway between Sooke and Port Renfrew has introduced more cell service for drivers making a journey across the Island, making it easier to make calls. The problem is, 911 is about the only call some cell customers can make. [Vancouver Island Free Daily]

🤝🏼 United Way Southern Vancouver Island is a sponsor of Project ReConnect, an August event that unites service providers to aid underserved community members. Learn more.*

*Sponsored Listing

SPONSORED BY PAUL BRUM

Painting your home for sale

Are you thinking about selling your home? One thing we often mention when preparing a home for sale is to paint the rooms!

In his blog Room Colour and how it affects your mood, Westshore Real Estate Specialist Paul Brum talks more about what colours-schemes work best for which room.

Community Events

🎉 Eats & Beats Beach Party: On July 29, Colwood will be host to a variety of delicious food trucks, live music, and fun activities to check out. From 1 to 8pm at Royal Beach, locals can enjoy this free event with family, friends, and the community.

🏈 Westshore Rebels: The Westshore Rebels are kicking off their season at Starlight Stadium this Aug. 5 against the Kamloops Rebels. With doors opening at 3, make sure to get general or season tickets to cheer on the local Canadian Junior Football League team.

🎶 Memorial Park Music Fest: Esquimalt’s last Memorial Park Music Fest this summer is coming up on July 30. From 6 to 7:30pm, enjoy Daniel Cook and the Radiators as they end off this fun summer series of great music and delicious food.

What’s Offshore?

🚢 The Ever Smart is a container ship built in 2006 and is sailing under the flag of the United Kingdom. It is sailing from Tacoma, United States 🇺🇸 ➡ Vancouver 🇨🇦 and was scheduled to arrive July 22.

Westshore Snaps

The forest at Royal Roads loves the rain too. —Glenys Pumfrey, Colwood

That’s it!

If you found something useful, consider forwarding this newsletter to another Westshore local.

And before you go, let us know: