Oak Bay’s tree bylaw bared its teeth as two people pleaded guilty in the removal of a large blue atlas cedar on Cavendish Road in November 2015. The two were fined $30,000 total.
• Willows elementary is among 20 schools seeking safer routes to school with the Capital Regional District Active and Safe Routes to School project that encourages students and families to walk, bike, bus or roll to school more often during their commutes to school.
The community-based initiative works to address infrastructure, behaviour, enforcement and education needs on school grounds and in surrounding neighbourhoods.
• Vandals sprayed red paint on the twin towers near the altar at the Chinese Cemetery at Harling Point, in Oak Bay. Oak Bay Police said the vandalism discovered at the national heritage site didn’t appear to be racially motivated.
Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association which owns the property authorized Charlayne Thornton-Joe to organize cleanup through The Hallmark Society and Goodbye Graffiti.
• Victorians love the festival culture of the city, but are concerned about the affordability of rental housing and home ownership.
Those were some of the findings of the annual Vital Signs survey, conducted by the Victoria Foundation, a community foundation and charity that helps connect donors with charities and manages donations to create income-earning funds, which are then distributed to charities.
The foundation’s 11th annual checkup of the community was released in October and shows a high level of community satisfaction in Victoria, although some areas of concern are also identified, as are suggestions for improvement.
The report is the end product of an extensive online survey, in which more than 1,300 Victoria residents were asked questions about a diverse set of topics, including housing, quality of life, happiness and connection to the community.
Residents took the time to offer more than 10,000 comments on the variety of issues.
• Janet Morningstar was named the Kiwanis Club of Oak Bay’s 2015-2016 Kiwanian of the Year.
• The Oak Bay News celebrated 42 years in the community with a special edition of your community paper, as well as a little cake at our Athlone Court office. News staff scoured back issues and dug through the Oak Bay archives for some interesting stories, fun covers and memorable moments.