Don Descoteau

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Mural on the south side of Wildfire Bakery on Quadra Street, a project initiated in 1995 by local artist Peter Allen and others. (Don Descoteau/News Staff)

PHOTOS: Mural styles in Victoria run the gamut

Create your own mural walking tour around the city

Mural on the south side of Wildfire Bakery on Quadra Street, a project initiated in 1995 by local artist Peter Allen and others. (Don Descoteau/News Staff)
Michael Demers, performing here as a member of The Lonely, died May 1 after a year-long battle with leukemia. (Photo by Benji Duke)

Victoria music community mourning Michael Demers

Veteran singer-songwriter, co-founder of The Lonely dies at 63 due to leukemia

Michael Demers, performing here as a member of The Lonely, died May 1 after a year-long battle with leukemia. (Photo by Benji Duke)
Rendering of the proposed design for the new public safety building in Esquimalt. (Courtesy Township of Esquimalt)

Esquimalt residents question approval process for $42M public safety building

May 10 deadline to register opposition, resident group rallying support to force referendum

Rendering of the proposed design for the new public safety building in Esquimalt. (Courtesy Township of Esquimalt)
Saanich runner Yana Hempler is following up her 12 marathons in 12 days feat from 2020 with a 30 marathons in 30 days project, once again as a fundraiser for the Victoria Hospitals Foundation. Her first 42-kilometre run is scheduled for May 1. (Courtesy Yana Hempler)

30-in-30: Saanich runner ready for her next marathon fundraiser

Yana Hempler runs first of 30 marathons in 30 days on May 1 to benefit hospitals foundation

Saanich runner Yana Hempler is following up her 12 marathons in 12 days feat from 2020 with a 30 marathons in 30 days project, once again as a fundraiser for the Victoria Hospitals Foundation. Her first 42-kilometre run is scheduled for May 1. (Courtesy Yana Hempler)
Construction crews work on the new fine arts wing at the rear of St. Andrew’s Regional High School in Saanich. (YouTube/St. Andrew’s Regional High School)

School builds for fine arts programs at Saanich school

New wing part of ongoing improvements at St. Andrew’s Regional High School

Construction crews work on the new fine arts wing at the rear of St. Andrew’s Regional High School in Saanich. (YouTube/St. Andrew’s Regional High School)
Greater Victoria baseball product Nick Pivetta in action pitching for the Boston Red Sox. Pivetta is off to the best start of his Major League Baseball career this season. (Instagram/npivetta43)

Victoria’s Nick Pivetta befuddling MLB batters with live fastball this season

Former HarbourCat pitcher wins duel against future hall of famer in his latest outing

Greater Victoria baseball product Nick Pivetta in action pitching for the Boston Red Sox. Pivetta is off to the best start of his Major League Baseball career this season. (Instagram/npivetta43)
Local cyclist Max McCulloch catches air off a jump on the Organ Donor trail in the Hartland area of Mount Work regional park. The Capital Regional District parks committee approved new guidelines for mountain biking in CRD parks, but left room for adjustments. (Black Press Media file photo)

CRD parks mountain biking guidelines a hot topic in Greater Victoria

Committee approves guidelines, short-term actions, wants more scrutiny during parks planning process

Local cyclist Max McCulloch catches air off a jump on the Organ Donor trail in the Hartland area of Mount Work regional park. The Capital Regional District parks committee approved new guidelines for mountain biking in CRD parks, but left room for adjustments. (Black Press Media file photo)
Cook Street Village resident Keith Ashton and his team will start their fundraiser half marathon run at this point on the Lochside Trail in Central Saanich. The May 1 run winds up at the Terry Fox statue at the foot of Douglas Street in Victoria. (Photo courtesy Connie Robertson)

Victoria COVID-19 survivor running half marathon to give back

Keith Ashton, 81, raising funds for equipment, gives kudos to frontline health care workers

Cook Street Village resident Keith Ashton and his team will start their fundraiser half marathon run at this point on the Lochside Trail in Central Saanich. The May 1 run winds up at the Terry Fox statue at the foot of Douglas Street in Victoria. (Photo courtesy Connie Robertson)
University of Victoria students Jade Baird, Sicily Fox, Ashley Yaredic and Rachel Dufort speak via video presentation to Victoria council, to whom they delivered the results of an online petition to remove Joseph Trutch’s name from a street in Fairfield. (Courtesy City of Victoria)

Online support builds for renaming of Victoria’s Trutch Street

UVic students deliver petition to city council via video presentation

University of Victoria students Jade Baird, Sicily Fox, Ashley Yaredic and Rachel Dufort speak via video presentation to Victoria council, to whom they delivered the results of an online petition to remove Joseph Trutch’s name from a street in Fairfield. (Courtesy City of Victoria)
The intersection at Richardson and Moss streets in Fairfield. Plans to install barriers and traffic calming measures along Richardson between Cook Street and Foul Bay Road, as part of the City of Victoria’s cycling network, continue to come under fire from the public. (Don Descoteau/News Staff)

Richardson Street redesign continues to hear opposition in Victoria

City council votes down a call to revisit design of neighbourhood bikeway project

The intersection at Richardson and Moss streets in Fairfield. Plans to install barriers and traffic calming measures along Richardson between Cook Street and Foul Bay Road, as part of the City of Victoria’s cycling network, continue to come under fire from the public. (Don Descoteau/News Staff)
A view from Douglas Street eastward up Fisgard Street toward the Hudson District, from atop the nearby city parkade. The City of Victoria is asking for public input on its draft design guidelines for the downtown core. (Don Descoteau/Black Press Media)

Have your say on the look of Victoria’s downtown core

City invites public input on design guidelines, council to review updated version this spring

A view from Douglas Street eastward up Fisgard Street toward the Hudson District, from atop the nearby city parkade. The City of Victoria is asking for public input on its draft design guidelines for the downtown core. (Don Descoteau/Black Press Media)
Hythe Pointe, a senior living complex proposed for Esquimalt Road, is targeting middle-income seniors. (Courtesy Avenir Senior Living)

Public hearing next stage for proposed nine-storey Esquimalt seniors residence

Height of Esquimalt Road building a concern for several councillors

Hythe Pointe, a senior living complex proposed for Esquimalt Road, is targeting middle-income seniors. (Courtesy Avenir Senior Living)
Members of the class of 1971 pose for a photo at St. Margaret’s School in Saanich. Theirs was the first class studying at the current school campus to graduate. Unable to hold a 50th reunion in person, the alumni are hosting a special online talk by retired Chief Justice Beverley McLachlin on May 1. (Photo courtesy Bonnie Helm-Northover)

Saanich girls school’s 50th reunion promises an inspiring celebration

St. Margaret’s alumni hosting former Chief Justice Beverley McLachlin for online talk May 1

Members of the class of 1971 pose for a photo at St. Margaret’s School in Saanich. Theirs was the first class studying at the current school campus to graduate. Unable to hold a 50th reunion in person, the alumni are hosting a special online talk by retired Chief Justice Beverley McLachlin on May 1. (Photo courtesy Bonnie Helm-Northover)
Starting in June, Government Street will be closed to most vehicles between Humboldt and View streets. A section of Government Street was transformed into a pedestrian-priority walkway in the wake of COVID-19. (Black Press Media file photo)

Victoria plans 10-hour closures of Government Street come June

City’s business relief plan extended, Government St. from Humboldt to View closed noon to 10 p.m.

Starting in June, Government Street will be closed to most vehicles between Humboldt and View streets. A section of Government Street was transformed into a pedestrian-priority walkway in the wake of COVID-19. (Black Press Media file photo)
While Buccaneer Days public events are cancelled again, such as the annual parade, a home and business decorating contest will allow the spirit of the event to live on. (Facebook)

Esquimalt Buccaneer Days COVID-19 cannon fodder again

Annual celebration cancelled a second time, decorating contest full steam ahead

While Buccaneer Days public events are cancelled again, such as the annual parade, a home and business decorating contest will allow the spirit of the event to live on. (Facebook)
Students from Cedar Hill Middle School play and hold a sign to protest proposed music cuts to school band programs in the Greater Victoria School District, during a Monday event. The district is facing a massive deficit and is considering a number of options for cutting costs. (Photo courtesy Laura Alcaraz-Sehn)

Massive student demonstration planned to protest Greater Victoria school band cuts

Band students from 15 SD61 schools will be at major intersections Thursday after school

Students from Cedar Hill Middle School play and hold a sign to protest proposed music cuts to school band programs in the Greater Victoria School District, during a Monday event. The district is facing a massive deficit and is considering a number of options for cutting costs. (Photo courtesy Laura Alcaraz-Sehn)
A peacock struts by a pair of lamb siblings at the Beacon Hill Children’s Farm, which remains closed to the public. (Don Descoteau/News Staff)

VIDEO: Victoria petting zoo optimistic about future after 13 months closed

Public helps non-profit Beacon Hill Children’s Farm with nearly $100,000 influx

A peacock struts by a pair of lamb siblings at the Beacon Hill Children’s Farm, which remains closed to the public. (Don Descoteau/News Staff)
Capital Regional District headquarters entrance on Fisgard Street in Victoria. (Black Press Media file photo)

Greater Victoria regional services get a $575,000 boost from Safe Restart Grant

CRD allocates latest grants to help service areas affected by pandemic challenges

Capital Regional District headquarters entrance on Fisgard Street in Victoria. (Black Press Media file photo)
Father Marinaldo Batista, who served at Catholic parishes in Saanich and Sooke, died April 1 in Brazil from complications of COVID-19. (Facebook/St. Elizabeth Church)

Brazilian priest who served in Saanich and Sooke dies from COVID-19

Father Marinaldo Batista, 53, went to Brazil to visit his parents and died there April 1

Father Marinaldo Batista, who served at Catholic parishes in Saanich and Sooke, died April 1 in Brazil from complications of COVID-19. (Facebook/St. Elizabeth Church)
A rider crosses a “skinny” on the newly opened trail known as 90s Jank, built within the Hartland system by volunteers with the South Island Mountain Bike Society. (Youtube/MTB Matt)

Mountain bikers celebrate first new trail in years on Saanich’s Mount Work

90s Jank trail a product of licence agreement between CRD and mountain bike society

A rider crosses a “skinny” on the newly opened trail known as 90s Jank, built within the Hartland system by volunteers with the South Island Mountain Bike Society. (Youtube/MTB Matt)