Good morning! 

Langford just welcomed a new addition to the already extensive list of biking trails in the area, as Jordie Lunn Bike Park announced the opening of a new multi-use trail at the Gravity Zone. The Westshore has some great bike parks, so we put together a list in today’s newsletter. If we missed your favourite trail, send us an email and tell us about it! 

— Emma

NEWS

CRD-Pacheedaht MOU highlights mutual service and development opportunities

Nation to nation. Government to government. These are terms we have become familiar with in the context of reconciliation in Canada. What does it mean when a governing body, which is neither technically municipal nor provincial—let alone federal—comes into an agreement with a First Nation of 290 members to formally work together as equal partners? 

The Capital Regional District (CRD) and paaʔčiidʔatx̣ (Pacheedaht) First Nation announced last Tuesday that they had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) formalizing their reciprocal government-to-government relationship.

The Tsawwassen First Nation was the first in BC to achieve a treaty under the BC Treaty Commission’s treaty process. Huu-ay-aht and Toqhaut First Nations are two of five First Nations to have signed the Maal-Nulth First Nations Treaty which came into effect in 2011. Unlike the Tsawwassen First Nation which has representation on the Metro Vancouver Board, and the Huu-ay-aht and Toqhaut First Nations that, similarly, have representation on the Alberni Clayoquot Board, the provincial government does not allow Pacheedaht leadership, as non-treaty representatives, to sit on the CRD board though it has been negotiating a joint treaty with Ditidaht and the provincial government since 1997. It is currently in Stage 5 of a six-stage process. 

For this reason, the “government-to-government” relationship must be managed, by the CRD, through an MOU. Despite what is an obvious asymmetry of economic and resource-leveraging power, the MOU makes Pacheedaht First Nation an equal partner in future decision-making. “paaʔčiidʔatx̣  [Pacheedaht peoples] have always been stewards of our lands, waters, and resources,” said elected Chief Jeff Jones. “This MOU is the first of its kind signed by the CRD in recent years,” said paaʔčiidʔatx̣ (Pacheedaht ) “and will foster even greater trust and collaboration that have real importance in the daily lives of our people.”

Read the full story to learn how the historic MOU will enhance the well-being of communities around Port Renfrew.

SPONSORED BY TACOFINO

Tacofino Langford now open

Tacofino is thrilled to announce the opening of its newest location in Langford’s Westshore Town Centre, bringing it's iconic surf town vibes and bold flavours to the West Shore.

The newest Tacofino location will be the third on Vancouver Island, alongside the OG food truck in Tofino, and the downtown Victoria Taco Bar. With seating for 30, it will serve up Tacofino classics like the famous Fish Taco and the legendary Crispy Chicken Burrito, alongside a wide range of fresh vegetarian options, all built around regionally and ethically-sourced ingredients. 

Tacofino Langford is located at 112-800 Kelly Rd. and will be open daily from 11am-11pm for dine-in and convenient take out.

RECREATION

Bike parks in the Westshore

Westshore mountain bikers are excited to start using a new multi-use trail at the Gravity Zone after Jordie Lunn Bike Park announced its Feb. 2 opening. The new addition is just one of Greater Victoria’s amazing bike-park trails, as the area is filled with a variety of biking paths ranging in terrain and difficulty. In spirit of the announcement, we wanted to highlight some of the great bike parks in the area to try out. 

Jordie Lunn Bike Park: Located in Langford, the Jordie Lunn Bike Park is a free year-round cycling space that caters to all cyclists, no matter their age or ability. With elements of dirt jumping, a pump track, skills area, and cyclocross/mtb trails in one seamless platform, the new multi-use trail is just the cherry on top to complete a great park. Available for recreational use and high performance training, the park offers programs and sports opportunities for the community to enjoy. Named in honour of Jordie Lunn, an accomplished mountain biking legend, the park is a great place to take the family for a day of biking. 

Southpoint Bike Park: Located in North Langford, the South Point Bike Park is a great option for beginner and youth riders. South Point is smaller than the Jordie Lunn Bike Park, and has smaller jumps and easier terrain that still challenges beginner bikers.

Sooke Bike Park: The Sooke Bike Park opened in 2015 after the CRD gave the community driven project a $75,000 grant through the Active Transportation Innovative Infrastructure Funding Program with SEAPARC. With features like a pump track and circular hard-dirt surface with hills and jumps, the bike park is also accessible to all riders in the area. Available to non-motorized bikes only, the park itself is closed for the season but the pump track is open everyday from dawn until dusk. 

Metchosin Bike Jump Park: Located beside the fire hall, Metchosin has its very own bike park complete with a few small dirt jumps. The park is a small circuit that goes around oak trees and is a fun option to test out your jump skills. 

View Royal Bike Pump Track: View Royal’s bike track opened in 2019 and offers a great pump track for riders to develop their skills. The paved track is a loop filled with a circuit of rollers, berms and jumps that allows for a continuous ride with little to no pedalling; with line painting that shows direction and difficulty level, the park is a great place to get a handle on pump tracks.

Around the 'Shore

📑 View Royal announces new chief administrative officer: Mayor Sid Tobias and View Royal Council made an announcement on Jan. 30 that Scott Sommerville was selected as the new chief administrative officer (CAO) for the town. Somerville started his role on Jan. 9, and has over 15 years of experience as a CAO. 

🚧 Sooke resumes work on road by Church/Throup Roundabout: Drivers will have to plan out their routes after Sooke announced crews would resume road work at the Church/Throup Roundabout. Travellers should expect intermittent delays and single-lane alternating traffic Monday through Friday between 7am to 7pm, with the possibility of occasional weekend work; the city hopes to finish all work by spring. 

🦁 Sooke dog rescue saves Ukrainian lions: Raincoast Dog Rescue Society made a big impact in the animal world with its recent mission of saving nine African lions from a conflict-ridden zoo in Ukraine. Founder Jesse Adams helped relocate nine African lions in the June 2022 mission, transferring the animals to multiple zoos across the world before reaching their final destination at a wildlife sanctuary in South Africa. [Vancouver Island Free Daily]

SPONSORED BY ISLAND WINDOW COVERINGS

Complete your vision

Island Window Coverings - serving Victoria and the Gulf Islands for over 38 years. We offer a range of motorized blinds, shades, draperies and shutters. Featuring Hunter Douglas, Lutron and more. With complimentary consultations, we are confident that we can find a solution that you will love, within your budget.

Community Events

⚽️ Whitecaps FC in Langford: Sporting fans should get excited as Whitecaps FC is gearing up for a special match at Starlight Stadium this Feb. 7, and the club has unofficially changed its name for the next three days in honour of the community. The Vancouver Island Whitecaps will take on Tigres UANL at 7pm for the Concacaf Champions Cup, so make sure to get your tickets quickly or contact [email protected] before they sell out. 

☕️ Coffee with a cop: This Feb. 7, head to Cafe Vosino for an informal gathering with law enforcement officers to foster positive interactions, build trust, and strengthen the bond between Sooke RCMP and residents. Going from 9:30-11am, grab a free coffee while you chat, ask questions, and enjoy building bonds with Sooke officers and the community.

🥣 All-you-can-eat soup fundraiser: Support a good cause while enjoying unlimited soup and bread at the Soroptimist International of Victoria Westshore Soups On! event this Feb. 10. Held at Royal Bay Secondary School in Colwood, soups will be provided from a number of restaurants and funds will support programs for local women, girls and families; tickets are available online.

What’s Offshore?

🚢 The Argo Wind is a bulk carrier built in 2017, sailing under the flag of Panama. It is coming from 🇯🇵 Kashima, Japan ➡ 🇨🇦 Robert Banks and was scheduled to arrive Jan. 26, 2024.

Westshore Snaps

Glen Lake on a February morning. —Paul Young, Langford

That’s it!

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

And before you go, let us know: