Summer is a busy time of year in and around the Saanich Peninsula and the Southern Gulf Islands. I want to invite you to visit and explore the incredible communities that I have the honour of representing in the British Columbia Legislature.
One of the most important and exciting parts of my job is to encourage and facilitate a greater sense of, and deeper appreciation for, community. I have found travelling around our riding that each community has a well formed sense of identity and a healthy dose of associated pride.
As the representative of all our communities, I have a broader view of our home in the heart of the Salish Sea. It’s my goal to encourage a more kind, compassionate, empathetic and supportive sense of community across the peninsula and the islands. I’m always looking for ways to improve communication to increase cooperation and to solve problems that transcend the boundaries of individual parts of the riding.
While we have begun to rely heavily on social media to create and deepen connection, there is still distance and separation in these digital interactions. Frankly, nothing is as good as getting together to enjoy each other’s company.
I’ve been an elected official now for more than a decade and one thing I have learned is that the solutions to many of the problems we often look to government to address are found right in our own communities. That has been confirmed as I have become more familiar with the incredibly talented people in Saanich North and the Islands.
In the remaining weeks of the summer sun, I hope you will be able to find the time to participate in one or more of the following events.
On the Islands…
There are a few not-to-be-missed events on Galiano Island. The Galiano Music Festival is on August 3rd and the Galiano Wine and Beer Tasting Festival is on August 10th. The 10th annual Community Potluck Picnic is on September 8th.
If you were thinking about visiting Mayne Island you might want to consider a couple of dates. August 17th is the date of the annual Fall Fair and, if you enjoy salmon, then you might want to schedule a visit to their Labour Day Weekend Annual Salmon BBQ.
The Fall Fair on Pender Island this year is on August 24th. All five major Southern Gulf Islands have Saturday markets running through until at least October. These are great spaces to find delicious locally grown and prepared food, arts and crafts. Definitely check them out!
There is always a lot going on on Salt Spring Island. In addition to their uber-famous Saturday market they also have a Tuesday evening market and live music in their Summer Outdoor Concert Series.
On the Saanich Peninsula…
Like the Southern Gulf Islands there is more happening on the Saanich Peninsula than I can mention here. However, just a few notables: the Peninsula Wine Festival on August 10th, North Saanich Flavour Trail on August 17th, Sidney Sounds Summer Concert Series on Sunday’s in Beacon Park, the Thursday night market on Beacon Avenue in Sidney, the Peninsula Country Market at the Saanich Fairgrounds, the North Saanich Farm Market at St. John’s Church every Saturday morning, and Music in the Park in Brentwood Bay on Wednesday evenings.
Needlessly to say there is a lot to do. There are many events that I have not profiled here so please visit take a few moments to search the internet before visiting one of our incredible communities to see what is happening.
I hope you will decide to take in one or more of these opportunities to connect with our community.
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