Community

Volunteers work to clear invasive plants from Cuthbert Holmes Park in Saanich on Nov. 12. (Courtesy Greater Victoria Green Team)

PHOTOS: Volunteers connect with nature and clean up Saanich, Sidney parks

Greater Victoria Green Team tackled Cuthbert Holmes Saturday, Peter Grant on Sunday

Volunteers work to clear invasive plants from Cuthbert Holmes Park in Saanich on Nov. 12. (Courtesy Greater Victoria Green Team)
Tina Gaboury deals with more than she bargained for after a barred owl trashes her neighbour's Oak Bay home. (Courtesy Tina Gaboury)

Barred owl makes itself at home in Oak Bay residence

Description matches feathered perpetrator in earlier break-and-enter

Tina Gaboury deals with more than she bargained for after a barred owl trashes her neighbour's Oak Bay home. (Courtesy Tina Gaboury)
Brandon Baker, a member of the Victoria Flying Club, got an experience of a lifetime when he got to fly a borrowed plane around Burning Man this summer, with the highlight being a surprise airborne pizza delivery. (Courtesy Brandon Baker)

Greater Victoria pilot takes to the skies to bring pizza to Burning Man

Brandon Baker was at the desert festival when an opportunity arose to rent a plane

Brandon Baker, a member of the Victoria Flying Club, got an experience of a lifetime when he got to fly a borrowed plane around Burning Man this summer, with the highlight being a surprise airborne pizza delivery. (Courtesy Brandon Baker)
Students and staff of Monterey Middle School plant a rain garden Nov. 5 in partnership with the Friends of Bowker Creek and Peninsula Streams Society. (Christine van Reeuwyk/News Staff)

PHOTOS: Students dig Greater Victoria group one bed closer to 1,000 gardens

Monterey, Campus View kids plant gardens to clean groundwater

Students and staff of Monterey Middle School plant a rain garden Nov. 5 in partnership with the Friends of Bowker Creek and Peninsula Streams Society. (Christine van Reeuwyk/News Staff)
Melanie Vogel became the first woman to complete a coast-to-coast-to-coast through-hike of the Trans Canada Trail. (Hollie Ferguson/News Staff)

VIDEO: Woman completes five-year trek across country on the Trans Canada Trail

Melanie Vogel becomes first woman to complete through-hike reaching three oceans

Melanie Vogel became the first woman to complete a coast-to-coast-to-coast through-hike of the Trans Canada Trail. (Hollie Ferguson/News Staff)
KELSET Elementary School principal Tassie Harris (left) and Knights of Columbus Sidney trustee Joe Bourdeau with a jacket the group gave to a student at the school. (Courtesy of Joe Bourdeau)

Knights of Columbus Sidney donates coats to kids

Some Ukrainian refugees received coats at Parkland Secondary School

KELSET Elementary School principal Tassie Harris (left) and Knights of Columbus Sidney trustee Joe Bourdeau with a jacket the group gave to a student at the school. (Courtesy of Joe Bourdeau)
Charity Nash said there’s been a good response from the public so far for their coat drive. (Bailey Moreton/News Staff)

Langford realtors collecting winter coats for kids

Donations going to Victoria Coats for Kids Association

Charity Nash said there’s been a good response from the public so far for their coat drive. (Bailey Moreton/News Staff)
Gordie Quan spoke to visitors about his experience during the Second World War. (Hollie Ferguson/News Staff)

VIDEO: Chinese Canadian Museum hosts veteran for Remembrance Day special exhibit

Gordie Quan spoke to visitors at the Chinese Canadian Museum about overcoming obstacles at home and abroad

Gordie Quan spoke to visitors about his experience during the Second World War. (Hollie Ferguson/News Staff)
The museum is just outside of downtown Victoria with bus routes (Courtesy of the CFB Esquimalt Naval and Military Museum)

Esquimalt Naval and Military Museum offers salute to Canadian Forces history

The museum is open to the public, providing visitors a glimpse of military life

The museum is just outside of downtown Victoria with bus routes (Courtesy of the CFB Esquimalt Naval and Military Museum)
Canadian Forces members provide guard duty at the Sooke cenotaph during Remembrance Day ceremonies on Friday. (Kevin Laird - Sooke News Mirror).

PHOTOS: Sooke honours veterans, war dead on Remembrance Day

Hundreds take part in the annual ceremony

Canadian Forces members provide guard duty at the Sooke cenotaph during Remembrance Day ceremonies on Friday. (Kevin Laird - Sooke News Mirror).
Wreaths ornamented with poppies are laid at the cenotaph at Memorial Park during Esquimalt’s Remembrance Day ceremony on Friday (Nov. 11) morning. (Austin Westphal/News Staff)

PHOTOS: Esquimalt honours Canada’s fallen, veterans on Remembrance Day

Hundreds take part in parade, ceremony at Memorial Park cenotaph

Wreaths ornamented with poppies are laid at the cenotaph at Memorial Park during Esquimalt’s Remembrance Day ceremony on Friday (Nov. 11) morning. (Austin Westphal/News Staff)
A large crowd gathered on Beacon Avenue for Sidney’s 2022 Remembrance Day parade. (Brendan Mayer/News Staff)

PHOTOS: Full Remembrance Day ceremony returns to Sidney

This was the first full Remembrance Day ceremony in the town since before the COVID-19 pandemic

A large crowd gathered on Beacon Avenue for Sidney’s 2022 Remembrance Day parade. (Brendan Mayer/News Staff)
Steve Pederson stands guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Confederation Square, in Ottawa. Pederson recently completed his seven-week sentry duty. Photo supplied

B.C. man completes seven-week term guarding the Tomb Of The Unknown Soldier

Master Corporal Steve Pederson has been a Canadian Ranger for 31 years.…

Steve Pederson stands guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Confederation Square, in Ottawa. Pederson recently completed his seven-week sentry duty. Photo supplied
Charles Etchell graduated high school in 1943 and joined the Royal Canadian Air Force that July. (Courtesy Carlton House)

Former military members in Oak Bay reflect on remembrance

Carlton House veterans recall service, share value of Remembrance Day

Charles Etchell graduated high school in 1943 and joined the Royal Canadian Air Force that July. (Courtesy Carlton House)
Placing coins on gravestones is a practice that is believed to have started during the Vietnam War. (Black Press Media file photo)

Coins on tombstones, an American tradition that has gradually taken root in Canada

Denomination of coin can show relationship to fallen soldier

  • Nov 11, 2022
Placing coins on gravestones is a practice that is believed to have started during the Vietnam War. (Black Press Media file photo)
Belmont Secondary School Grade 12 student Sophia Benables and Grade 9 student Jess Keep show off some of the food donations collected by them and their classmates ahead of Thursday’s (Nov. 10) community food drive in support of the Goldstream Food Bank. (Justin Samanski-Langille/News Staff)

PHOTOS: Belmont students collect food donations for Goldstream Food Bank

The Fall Food Drive is usually part of the 10,000 Tonight initiative, but was split off this year

Belmont Secondary School Grade 12 student Sophia Benables and Grade 9 student Jess Keep show off some of the food donations collected by them and their classmates ahead of Thursday’s (Nov. 10) community food drive in support of the Goldstream Food Bank. (Justin Samanski-Langille/News Staff)
The goal of the auction is to raise $5,000 to go toward education and living expenses for women and girls in Afghanistan. (Canadian Women for Women in Afghanistan/Facebook)

Victoria chapter hosting online auction to raise funds for women in Afghanistan

Canadian Women for Women in Afghanistan fundraiser will help with education and living expenses

The goal of the auction is to raise $5,000 to go toward education and living expenses for women and girls in Afghanistan. (Canadian Women for Women in Afghanistan/Facebook)
Second World War veteran Gordie Quan as a young man. He will be available for a Q&A at the Chinese Canadian Museum on Nov. 11. (Courtesy of the Chinese Canadian Military Museum)

Chinese Canadian Museum hosts Victoria Second World War veterans for Remembrance Day

Gordie Quan, a local veteran, will share his experiences on Nov. 11

Second World War veteran Gordie Quan as a young man. He will be available for a Q&A at the Chinese Canadian Museum on Nov. 11. (Courtesy of the Chinese Canadian Military Museum)
Victoria Royals goaltender Tyler Palmer made 40 stops in the Victoria Royals’ 5-2 win over Kelowna in the capital city on Oct. 13. (Courtesy of the Victoria Royals)

VicPD, Royals holding hockey fundraiser for Victoria City Police Athletic Association

Fans will also have a chance to skate with Royals players and VicPD members

Victoria Royals goaltender Tyler Palmer made 40 stops in the Victoria Royals’ 5-2 win over Kelowna in the capital city on Oct. 13. (Courtesy of the Victoria Royals)
The Habitat for Humanity build at 1375 Piercy Ave. in Courtenay continues to take shape. When completed the project will house 12 families. Photo by Yana Dimitrova.

Habitat for Humanity survey reveals housing affordability as a top concern for Canadians

A new survey released Nov. 10 by Habitat for Humanity Canada finds…

The Habitat for Humanity build at 1375 Piercy Ave. in Courtenay continues to take shape. When completed the project will house 12 families. Photo by Yana Dimitrova.