Local

Facebook post reveals clues in deaths of two U.S. divers near Nanaimo

Cindy E. Harnett and Sandra McCulloch / Times Colonist

A Facebook update posted just before a fatal deep dive off Nanaimo Oct. 11 could hold clues to what caused the deaths of two American men. Robert Scott Young, 60, of ...

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Local

Sewage treatment is a dirty job, and Albert Sweetnam is in charge

Rob Shaw / Times Colonist

No stranger to controversy, overqualified sewage-project boss Albert Sweetnam takes an unconventional approach.

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Local

Special report: Sri Lankan migrants from MV Sun Sea face an uncertain fate

Katie DeRosa / Times Colonist

One man is facing a deportation order to Sri Lanka, which his lawyer is fighting amid revelations two other asylum seekers from the MV Sun Sea were imprisoned, one brutally tortured, after they . . .

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Driving

Steve Wallace: Readers weigh in on McTavish roundabouts

Steve Wallace / Times Colonist

There was a strong reaction to last week's column on roundabouts. The mention of the McTavish traffic circle configuration, in particular, sparked considerable unsolicited suggestions, criticisms . . .

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Local

Victoria sewage pollution found over wide ocean area, environmental groups say

Rob Shaw / Times Colonist

The federal government’s shellfish closure zone off Victoria should be expanded because of pollution from untreated sewage, says a group of environmental organizations. New sampling shows sewage . . .

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Local

Cost of living is top concern of region’s residents: Vital Signs survey

Lindsay Kines / Times Colonist

Greater Victoria residents point to the high cost of food and housing as the single most important issue facing the region, a new report from the Victoria Foundation shows. The eighth edition of . . .

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Local

Obituary: Philanthropist Karen Richardson was deeply involved in community

Jeff Bell / Times Colonist

Karen Ann Richardson was always eager to help a cause, but reluctant to receive acclaim. Richardson, who died suddenly last month at the age of 57, was a member of one of Canada’s wealthiest and . . .

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Times Colonist

100 years at the Wilkinson Road jail

Richard Watts / Times Colonist

The Wilkinson Road jail, with its castle-style turrets and crenelated battlements, has been in operation for 100 years this month. But what many people don’t realize about the Vancouver Island . . .

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Local

Saanich girl wins big at Google fair for flashlight powered by body heat

Cindy E. Harnett / Times Colonist

A 15-year-old Saanich student who invented a flashlight powered by body heat is heading home today from California with a prestigious prize — and an opportunity to expand on her work. St. . . .

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Local

At 91, Thelma Godkin still queen of the woods

Sandra McCulloch / Times Colonist

The view from Thelma Godkin's room in Chemainus brings memories of life in her late teens and early 20s when Godkin was the lone woman working alongside burly male loggers in the woods.

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Times Colonist

Monitor: A day at the Western Speedway track

Nick Wells / Times Colonist

Built for speed demons and fans alike, Western Speedway in Langford has been thrilling capital region residents for 59 years. Dubbed western Canada’s oldest speedway, the track has expanded events . . .

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Two Dozen Things

Two Dozen Things We Love About This Place: A peak experience at Mount Douglas (23)

Cindy E. Harnett / Times Colonist

Lesia Kuzyk becomes emotional on this sunny day atop Mount Douglas when she talks about how the Saanich park rates and what it means to her and her children. It’s a place to connect with nature, . . .

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Two Dozen Things

Two Dozen Things We Love About This Place: British Columbia Aviation Museum earns its wings (22)

Pedro Arrais / Times Colonist

The British Columbia Aviation Museum celebrates 25 years of preserving local and regional aviation history with the display of a plane that made Canadian history and the restoration of another used. . .

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Two Dozen Things

Two Dozen Things We Love About This Place: Royal B.C. Museum a playground for young minds (21)

Mike Devlin / Times Colonist

The largest natural history museum in the province has entertained and informed visitors for well over a century, offering among its seven million artifacts everything from its signature woolly . . .

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Two Dozen Things

Two Dozen Things We Love About This Place: First Nations heritage stands tall (20)

Carla Wilson / Times Colonist

Totem poles at Thunderbird Park and the 39-metre pole in Beacon Hill Park are well-known to Greater Victoria residents, but there are many more throughout the capital region. Poles and carved . . .

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Two Dozen Things

Two Dozen Things We Love About This Place: ‘Victoria's ice cream HQ’ keeps cool tag (19)

Michael D. Reid / Times Colonist

It is one of Victoria’s most beloved institutions, and is to soft-serve ice cream what Butchart Gardens is to flowers. “It’s an icon,” clarifies Vicki Ogren, 41, munching on a scrumptious . . .

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Two Dozen Things

Two Dozen Things We Love About This Place: Sooke farm offers a refreshing taste of history (18)

Sarah Petrescu / Times Colonist

Less than an hour’s drive from downtown Victoria are dozens of unique farms open to visitors for sampling and learning. Take Tugwell Creek Meadery and Honey Farm, for example. My husband and I . . .

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Two Dozen Things

Two Dozen Things We Love About This Place: Maritime Museum offers haunted ride through past (17)

Richard Watts / Times Colonist

Hauntings, local heritage and historical artifacts — the Maritime Museum of B.C. offers an intimate showcase for an educational experience. “The Royal B.C. Museum has this ‘wow’ factor,” said . . .

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Two Dozen Things

Two Dozen Things We Love About This Place: Butchart by boat is breathtaking (16)

Nick Wells / Times Colonist

When you think of the Butchart Gardens, images of the Sunken Garden or watching fireworks are usually the first to come to mind. But an often overlooked attraction is exploring the garden and the. . .

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Two Dozen Things

Two Dozen Things We Love About This Place: A whale of a time at sea (15)

Amy Smart / Times Colonist

When you live in Victoria, it’s easy to forget that 82 of the world’s largest mammals are cruising just off our shores on a regular basis. But the boatloads of tourists who depart daily from the . . .

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Two Dozen Things

Two Dozen Things We Love About This Place: We welcome the world at Government House (14)

Pedro Arrais / Times Colonist

Government House is not only the official residence for B.C.’s lieutenant-governor, it is also the ceremonial home of all British Columbians. The grounds of the house, located on a quiet street . . .

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Two Dozen Things

Two Dozen Things We Love About This Place: Lochside — A key path along peninsula (13)

Sandra McCulloch / Times Colonist

I bought a new road bike a couple of months ago, complete with a zillion gears and clips to lock my shoes to the pedals. It has been a little tough getting enough miles to boost my confidence at . . .

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Two Dozen Things

Two Dozen Things We Love About This Place: A garden fit for royalty (12)

Richard Watts / Times Colonist

The grounds at Royal Roads University feature 13 hectares of manicured, 100-year-old gardens.

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Two Dozen Things

Two Dozen Things We Love About This Place: All aboard the yellow water taxis (11)

Cindy E. Harnett / Times Colonist

Similar to New York City, where taxi travel can be its own form of entertainment, Victoria’s harbour ferries provide a window into the theatre that is Victoria’s harbour. Offering about 16 . . .

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Two Dozen Things

Two Dozen Things We Love About This Place: The Union Club — a private, posh place to read (10)

Katherine Dedyna / Times Colonist

The Union Club’s presidents’ library is a serene spot to enjoy a good read or a game of chess.

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Two Dozen Things

Two Dozen Things We Love About This Place: See the city on two wheels (9)

Bill Cleverley / Times Colonist

One of the coolest ways to beat the heat in Victoria is on two wheels. Buzzing along the Dallas Road waterfront at 40 klicks, feet planted firmly on a scooter’s floor boards, wind whistling . . .

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Two Dozen Things

Two Dozen Things We Love About This Place: Friendly, old-fashioned Flats (8)

Adrian Chamberlain / Times Colonist

Come for the palm warblers. Stay for the friendly folk. For 25 years, we’ve lived in a century-old home overlooking Panama Flats in Saanich. The flats are 62 acres of natural wetland. People have. . .

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Two Dozen Things

Two dozen things we love about this place: Tolmie, a ‘mountain’ in the city (7)

Jeff Bell / Times Colonist

As a kid growing up in Victoria, I loved to cajole mom or dad into making a detour on the way home and driving up Mount Tolmie. Looking down over an expanse of houses, cars and roads rendered . . .

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Two Dozen Things

Two dozen things we love about this place: Peace and quiet of Rithet's Bog (6)

Nick Wells / Times Colonist

On a weekend afternoon, when other trails are jammed with families, the path in Rithet’s Bog remains deserted except for the occasional runner or bird-watcher. The crunching of the gravel . . .

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Two Dozen Things

Two dozen things we love about this place: Walk to the tune of your own song at Westsong Walkway (5)

Michael D. Reid / Times Colonist

‘The plane, the plane!” a youngster shouts, gazing skyward and sounding like Tattoo, Herve Villechaize’s character on Fantasy Island. His exclamation stops a jogger in her tracks long enough to . . .

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Two Dozen Things

Two dozen things we love about this place: Fisherman’s Wharf lures visitors (4)

Mike Devlin / Times Colonist

Fisherman’s Wharf has been a key fixture on the shoreline of Victoria’s Inner Harbour for decades. To the casual visitor, the point of entry was always Barb’s Fish and Chips — that, and some . . .

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Two Dozen Things

Two dozen things we love about this place: Moss Street Market eats (3)

Sarah Petrescu / Times Colonist

The Moss Street Market built its 22-year following with the best of the region’s local produce, preserves and crafts, and a festive, neighbourly vibe. It has also become a hub for local foodies . . .

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Two Dozen Things

Two dozen things we love about this place: Kayaking gives a fresh angle on the familiar (2)

Amy Smart / Times Colonist

Most Victoria residents know the city by its streets, but it’s a whole new place from the water. A leisurely paddle from the Inner Harbour to Tillicum Bridge and back takes two to two and a half . . .

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Two Dozen Things

Two dozen things we love about this place: Botanical bliss at Finnerty Gardens (1)

Pedro Arrais / Times Colonist

Finnerty Gardens is a botanical gem worth exploring. The public garden, located at the southwest corner of the University of Victoria campus, is home to more than 4,000 trees and shrubs. It takes. . .

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Two Dozen Things

Series will uncover 24 gems you may not know about in the place we all love

Times Colonist

There is a reason Greater Victoria is the envy of Canada. Make that many reasons. This series will shine the spotlight on some of the places and activities that make the capital region the . . .

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