Results from the 2021 Census has now been fully digested, crunched and released. Scan Statistics Canada's complete District of Sooke data here or follow along with this exercise in cut-and-paste (done for my own edification and ease of reference). 

Context: Global
- World Population Clock ~ 8,008,919,386 (as of 3:59 PM, Jan. 2, 2023; median age 30.9 years) 
- Future Population Growth (United Nations predicts 10.4 billion by 2100)
- 89.3 million people worldwide were forcibly displaced in 2021, 41% under the age 18 (UN Refugee Agency) 
- 20 million people become climate refugees annually due to "increasing intensity and frequency of extreme weather events, such as abnormally heavy rainfall, prolonged droughts, desertification, environmental degradation, or sea-level rise and cyclones." (United Nations)
- Discuss: "Cheer Up: The World Is Better Off Than You Think" - New York Times, Dec. 31, 2022. <clip> "Max Roser of the indispensable website Our World in Data puts the situation exactly right: 'The world is awful. The world is much better. The world can be much better. All three statements are true at the same time.'"

Canada 
- Population: 36,991,981 (up 5.2% since 2016)
- Census Mapper 
- Labour Force
- Portrait of Canadian Families
- Age and Gender Pyramids 
- Top 10 Municipalities 
- Income in Canada 2020 

- "What the Census Tells Us About Canada's Changing Population" - Globe & Mail (Feb., 2022) 
- Discuss: Maximum Canada: Why 35 Million Canadians Are Not Enough - Doug Saunders + video
- "Canada's Plan for More Immigration to Boost Workforce" - CBC, Nov. 2022

British Columbia
- Population: 5,000,879 (up 7.6%)
(13.5% of national population) 
- Population density per sq. km - 5.4 persons 
- Province of BC Statistical Glossary 
- Misc. Province of BC Statistics 
- "BC Welcomes Net Migration of More than 100,000 People in 2021, The Most In 60 Years" 
- "More People Moved to BC Than Anywhere Else in Canada Over the Past Year" ~ Urbanized, Oct. 2021

Capital Regional District
- Population: 397,237 (up 8.4%)
(this link includes counts for all south island municipalities and regional districts)

- CRD 1986: 275,003
- CRD 1997: 331,102  

- CRD Regional Information (includes data on Agriculture, Economy, Housing, Population & Demographics, 
Transportation and Census Profiles)

- Living Wage Annual Report 2022 - Greater Victoria Community Social Planning Council 
- Living Wage for Families (2022) 
- "Victoria Now More Expensive Place to Live Than Vancouver" ~ CBC, Nov. 17, 2022
- "Living Wage Jumps 20% in Greater Victoria" ~ Capital Daily, Nov. 2022
- What Is A Living Wage? ~ VanCity 

Sooke
Population: 15,086
Increase: 16% since 2016

2001: 8,735
2006: 9,704
2011: 11,435
2016: 13,001

Draft OCP Bylaw No. 800 projections based on 2.9 percent annual growth: 
- 2030: 19,511
- 2040: 25,698
- 2050: 34,561 
(Editorial note: Yes, i'm horrified by those longer-term numbers too. Paradise well and truly lost unless we create a robust local economy, densify in the town centre, promote substantial mode shift away from single-occupancy vehicles and find a LRT solution to traffic congestion.) 

Sooke Demographics Overview
Townfolio 2022

Stats Canada Focus on Sooke
(Data Visualizations by Topic Area)
- Population & Dwelling Counts
- Age, Sex At Birth, Gender
- Type of Dwelling
- Families, Households and Marital Status 
- Income
- Language 
- Housing
- Indigenous Peoples
- Immigration, Place of Birth
- Ethnocultural and Religious Diversity
- Education
- Labour
​- Commuting

Sooke Age Characteristics
0-14: 2,405 (15.9%)
15-64: 9,625 (63.8%)
65+: 3,055 (20.03%)

Households
Average household size: 2.4 people
Total dwellings: 6,130
Single Family Homes: 3,820
Rentals: 1,160
Mobile homes: 355 

Owners: 4,925
Renters: 1,205

Average single-family home value: $650k (2020)

Sooke single-family home sales value
(annual Victoria Real Estate Board summaries)
1995: $180,892
​2003: $237,507
2009: $424,146
2010: $440,203
2015: $420,266
2018: $583,251
2020: $664,681
2021: $862,762
2022: $965,218
​2023: $929,628

Greater Victoria Historical Price-Selling Graph, 1980-2021
Greater Victoria Single Family Home Sales Data, 1980-2021

Private Dwellings By Date Constructed
1960 or before ~ 440
1961 to 1980 ~ 1,485
1981 to 1990 ~ 745
1991 to 2000 ~ 740
2001 to 2005 ~ 430
2006 to 2010 ~ 740
2011 to 2015 ~ 710
2016 to 2021 ~ 840

Spending less than 30% of income on shelter costs ~ 4,780
Spending 30% or more of income on shelter costs ~ 1,325

Home owners spending more than 30% of income on shelter costs - 16.1%
Renters spending more than 30% of income on shelter costs - 44.2%

"Acceptable" housing in Sooke - 4,475 homes
Households in core need - 680
Not in core need - 5,210

"Acceptable housing identifies which thresholds the household falls below, if any. Housing that is adequate in condition, suitable in size and affordable is considered to be acceptable." Housing indicator thresholds are defined as follows: Adequate housing is reported by their residents as not requiring any major repairs; Affordable housing has shelter costs equal to less than 30% of total before-tax household income; Suitable housing has enough bedrooms for the size and composition of resident households according to the National Occupancy Standard (NOS), conceived by the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation and provincial and territorial representatives."

Income 
Median per-person annual income: $43,200
Median after-tax income: $39,200

Number of full-time employees: 3,905
Average income: $69,600

Number of part-time employees: 3,600
Average income: $29,200

Personal Total After Tax Income (Age 15+)
Under $10,000 (including loss) ~ 935
$10,000 to $19,999 ~ 1,405
$20,000 to $29,999 ~ 2,020
$30,000 to $39,999 ~ 1,835
$40,000 to $49,999 ~ 1,665
$50,000 to $59,999 ~ 1,370
$60,000 to $69,999 ~ 975
$70,000 to $79,999 ~ 700
$80,000 to $89,999 ~ 485
$90,000 to $99,999 ~ 265
$100,000 and over ~ 490
$100,000 to $124,999 ~ 300
$125,000 and over ~ 190 

Household Income
Median After-Tax Household Income: $79,500

Under $5,000 ~ 55
$5,000 to $9,999 ~ 25
$10,000 to $14,999 ~ 40
$15,000 to $19,999 ~ 105
$20,000 to $24,999 ~ 230
$25,000 to $29,999 ~ 205
$30,000 to $34,999 ~ 190
$35,000 to $39,999 ~ 230
$40,000 to $44,999 ~ 225
$45,000 to $49,999 ~ 270
$50,000 to $59,999 ~ 520
$60,000 to $69,999 ~ 490
$70,000 to $79,999 ~ 505
$80,000 to $89,999 ~ 495
$90,000 to $99,999 ~ 455
$100,000 and over ~ 2,090
which breaks down as ... 
$100,000 to $124,999 ~ 880
$125,000 to $149,999 ~ 560
$150,000 and over ~ 650

- 1370 households or approx. 24% of Sooke households earn $50k or less
- 4555 households or approx. 76% of Sooke households earn $50k or more 

Low Income Status
"Statistical units with income that is below the low-income line are considered to be in low income."
2020 benchmark: $16,550 for a single person in a community under 30,000 people 
0 to 17 years ~ 250 
0 to 5 years ~ 80 
18 to 64 years ~ 630 
65 years and over ~ 345

Citizenship
Canadian - 14,515
Non-Citizen - 460
Canada-born - 13,125
Immigrants - 1,750

Total "Visible Minority" - 775
"In 2021 Census analytical and communications products, the term "visible minority" has been replaced by the terms "racialized population" or "racialized groups", reflecting the increased use of these terms in the public sphere."

First generation Canadian - 1,995
Second generation Candian - 2,795
Third generation or more Canadian - 10,185

Mother Tongue
English - 13,730
French - 285
Other - 775 
- German - 170
- Dutch - 70
- Spanish - 60
- Filipino - 55
- Arabic - 20 
- Polish - 35
- Russian - 35
- Japanese - 25 
- Danish - 25
- Mandarin Chinese - 25
- Punjabi - 20
- Italian - 20
- Portugese - 20 
- Cantonese Chinese - 15
- Ukranian - 15
- Korean - 15
- Croatian - 10
- Afrikaans - 10 
- Romanian - 10
- Hungarian - 10 
- Iranian Persian - 5
- Thai - 5
Bi-and-tri lingual ~ 210 

Indigenous Identity 
First Nation - 520
Metis - 490

Religion
No religion and secular perspectives - 9,825
Buddhist - 504
Christian - 4,755
Hindu - 10
Jewish - 70
Muslim - 50
Sikh - 10
Traditional (North American Indigenous) spirituality - 20
Other religions and spiritual traditions - 180

Mobility Status 
"Refers to the status of a person with regard to the place of residence on the reference day, May 11, 2021. Persons who have not moved are referred to as non-movers and persons who have moved from one residence to another are referred to as movers."

One year ago (2020-2021)
Non-movers - 12,805
Movers - 2,050

Five years ago (2016-2021)
Non-movers - 7,275
Movers - 6,970

Education 
No high school diploma or equivalency certificate - 2,225
With high school diploma or equivalency certificate - 10,350
Post-secondary certificate, diploma or degree - 6,800
Apprenticeship or trades certificate or diploma - 1,365
College, CEGEP or other non-university certificate or diploma - 2,845
Bachelor's degree - 1,435
Master's degree - 530

Labour Force Statistics
In the labour force - 7,760
Employed - 7,240
Unemployed - 520
Not in the labour force - 4,815
Worked full year full time - 4,010
Worked part year and/or part time - 3,870
Average weeks worked in reference year - 41.3

Permanent position - 5,410
Temporary position - 825
Fixed term (1 year or more) - 330
Casual, seasonal or short-term position (less than 1 year) - 500
Self-employed - 1,410

- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting - 100 
- Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction - 15 
- Utilities - 30 
- Construction - 1,045 
- Manufacturing - 325 
- Wholesale trade - 80 
- Retail trade - 940 
- Transportation and warehousing - 285 
- Information and cultural industries - 80 
- Finance and insurance - 170 
- Real estate and rental and leasing - 85 
- Professional, scientific and technical services - 560 
- Management of companies and enterprises - 15 
- Administrative and support, waste management and remediation services - 495 
- Educational services - 600 
- Health care and social assistance - 895 
- Arts, entertainment and recreation - 195 
- Accommodation and food services - 435 
- Other services (except public administration) - 350 
- Public administration - 955

Place of work 
Worked at home - 1,525
Worked outside Canada - 10
No fixed workplace address - 1,455
Usual place of work - 4,250

Regular Commuting Patterns (by individual) 
Sooke region - 1,415 
Greater Victoria - 2,710
Elsewhere in BC - 115
Outside BC - 15

Duration of commute
Less than 15 minutes - 1,495
15 to 29 minutes - 860
30 to 44 minutes - 1,480
45 to 59 minutes - 1,085
60 minutes and over - 785

Time leaving for work 
Between 5 a.m. and 5:59 a.m. - 570
Between 6 a.m. and 6:59 a.m. - 1,290
Between 7 a.m. and 7:59 a.m. - 1,360
Between 8 a.m. and 8:59 a.m. - 1,050
Between 9 a.m. and 11:59 a.m. - 625
Between 12 p.m. and 4:59 a.m. - 805

Commuting In Canada: How It Changed During COVID


Miscellaneous Other Sources

Sooke Community Health Profile (2016) ~ Public Health Services Authority 
Western Communities Health Profile (2013) ~ Island Health 

​

Updates: Spring 2024
The District will this year dedicate fully 7.5% ($924k) of the annual municipal budget to Service Agreements ($367k), Community Grants ($101k) and Permissive Tax Exemptions ($457k).

- Sooke Food Bank new service agreement (to be discussed at May 13, 2024 Council meeting; see agenda pp. 271-300)

-  2024 Community Grant recipients

- Sooke Permissive Tax Exemptions (see pg. 87 onward in the Annual Report for full list) 

- Sooke Family Resource Society three-year service agreement ($45k annually) focused on youth navigator services and pre-natal counselling - March 11, 2024 (see agenda pp. 19-24)



Original Post: Dec. 12, 2022 
Municipal Monday last week was reserved for a council review and renewal of the District's Community Service Agreements (example), signed for multi-year terms that expire this month. The agenda guided us through reports from seven stalwart organizations who secure a share of their annual budgets from property-owning residents via council.

In 2022, council has responsibility for $574,853 in District funds (from a $31 million operational budget). Service agreements represent about 40% of our annual discretionary cash.

The following were the service agreement participants up for renewal: 

1. Sooke Food Bank 
2. Sooke Region Communities Health Network 
3. Sooke Community Association 
4. Sooke Tourism Association
5. Visitor Information Centre 
6. Sooke Lions Club - Canada Day + Santa Parade 
7. Sooke Region Chamber of Commerce 

One other service agreement not reviewed was a three-year agreement ($30k per year) we approved in the spring with the Sooke Family Resource Society. This supports its Youth Navigator and Adult Counselling programs for vulnerable individuals in need who otherwise could not afford these critical services. Funds for this agreement come from the District's Covid Relief Reserve Fund. 

Staff recommended that a 6.4% CPI index increase based on year-to-year inflation be considered for all service agreements. 

Also under council's budget purview are ... 

* Community Grants Program ($65k, annual application deadline is March 15)
* Permission Tax Exemptions 
* Council contingency fund to cover arising requests and our own initiatives ($60k)
* Funds for our own travel to and attendance at regional, provincial and national conventions ($15k)
* Salary contributions for our valued/vital corporate service support ($126k)
* Line-item annual funding for the Sooke Fine Arts Society, Sooke Philharmonic Society, Sooke Community Arts Council and the Wild Wise (Sooke) Society ($7k each).
* Support for the Primary Health Care Services Working Group ($5k)
* Smaller amounts for Sooke School District's Safe and Healthy Schools program, the Vancouver Island South Film Commission, Need2 Suicide Prevention and Education Support, the Intermunicipal Advisory Committee on Disability Issues (IACDI) and Communities in Bloom
*Funding for special events, namely the Santa parade and Canada Day fireworks and logger-sport events.


​Sooke Food Bank
Council added cost-of-living increase, taking the Food Bank's funding to $27,132. This was for the one-year term the organization requested.  A 12-month renewal will allow the Food Bank to better understand the impacts of both inflation on already vulnerable Sooke families as well as the new town centre BC Housing projects, which are sure to add some new clients. 

Significant news: We learned that the Baptist Church wishes to donate land at the front of its ALR property adjacent to Grace Garden as a new home for the Food Bank. Local builder Roy Anderson is part of the steering committee project team along with Food Bank ED Kim Kaldal and the Baptist Church's Rick Eby and Andy Schell. Council is promised more specifics in the new year.  

- In 2021, as per the Sooke Food Bank Annual Report ... 
- Gave out 3,263 hampers in helping 133 adults and 56 children weekly
- Distributed 134,000 pounds of food at total cost of $257k (stats from 2021 annual report) 
- Donations increased by 29.58% to $240k
- 14% raise in requests for  hampers, anecdotally demand has continued to climb

- Funding sources: Community donations, Food Banks BC ($25k), Food Banks Canada ($35k), the District of Sooke ($35k), BC Gaming grants ($45k). 

- Community initiatives: Christmas Bureau, Santa Run (Sooke Firefighters Association and IAFF Local 4841), the 10,000 Tonight Food Drive (EMCS leadership students), the Meanwhile In Sooke Holiday Food Bank Challenge and multiple others over the years. 

- Community partners/donors/sweet-deal cutters: Parkland Poultry, Grace Gardens at the Baptist Church, Western Foods, Village Foods, Sooke Home Hardware, Fields, Bosleys, Pharmasave, Pemberton Holmes, Coast Capital, CIBC, Kelz Bakery, Sooke 2 For 1 Pizza, Guided Films, Meanwhile in Sooke, the Stick in the Mud, Haldane Homes, Sooke Fax and Coppy, the 17 Mile Pub and other businesses. 

- Good and long overdue news: Food Banks BC now pays (or did?) honorariums to Kim Kaldal Metzger ($12k per year) and Gerry St. Laurent ($3,600 to cover his travel expenses on behalf of the organization)

Cost of Living Realities 
- "Living Wage Jumps 20% in Greater Victoria" - Capital Daily, Nov. 17, 2022 ("The hourly pay necessary for two people to support themselves and two children in Greater Victoria has risen to $24.29 this year") 
- The cost of feeding a family of four has risen by 20% since pandemic according to a survey conducted by Ottawa Public Health  
- Statistics Canada: Since late 2021, price increases for food sold in stores, measured on a year-over-year basis, have outpaced headline consumer inflation, growing faster than 10% in August, September and October 2022. In September 2022, yearly price increases for food purchased in stores (11.4%) rose at the fastest pace since 1981, remaining elevated in October (+11.0%).


Sooke Region Communities Health Network
SRCHN will return in January with a revised request in seeking an increase to $50k (from $24,355).  This would cover a demonstrated need for increased staffing (currently 1.4 FTE) and rental costs for office space at the Knox Centre. (Staffing and operational costs are typically not covered by third-party grants, which SRCHN is a proven master at securing.) To date, the District has matched funds granted through Island Health. 

SRCHN is doing intense heavy lifting for the District while taking the lead on major #Sooke needs: 

- Planning and coordination for a Community Health & Urgent Care Centre in southeast quadrant of Lot A
- Fundraising, project management for the Gathering Place intergenerational centre and seniors housing on Lot A
- Volunteer education and engagement with assistance available to all Sooke volunteer groups
- Delivery of services (i.e., Better At Home) to Sooke's most vulnerable populations, including youth and isolated seniors. 

SRCHN's primary budget items:
- Programs ($152k per year) 
- Seniors Bus ($110k per year) 

Visit the agenda for its Sept. 2022 annual report (pp. 43-61). It cites ongoing work on the above plus ... 
- Sooke region volunteers and resources
- Better At Home program
- Seasonal Free Tax Clinic
- Sooke Region Lifelong Learning
- Seniors Centre Without Walls 
- Sooke Region Women's Cancer Group
- Age-Friendly, Mental Health & Addictions, Fundraising and Executive/Finance committees 


Sooke Community Association 
Council approved a $5k increase in the five-year agreement. Community Hall operating costs have increased in recent years re: custodial services and heat/hydro as the SCA continues to offer no-or-low cost rentals to multiple groups using the space. (See agenda pp. 15-17 for a summary provided by SCA President Dean Haldane.) 

- Annual operating costs of the hall paid by the SCA are $60k. Community Hall improvements in recent years: new carpeting in lower hall areas; repainting of interior walls; refinishing of non-carpeted flooring; new chairs for facility users; upgrades to fire-suppression equipment in downstairs kitchen.  

- Future upgrades: renovation of washrooms, replacement of elevator, exterior siding and windows.

-  Schedule A requirement: "Provide several local non-profit community groups, including the District of Sooke, witih the space, either rent-free or below market value, at the Commuity Hall located at 2039 Shields Road."  SCA provides space at no charge or reduced rental rate to Meals On Wheels, Contact Loan Cupboard, Sooke Food Bank, Sooke Lions Club, Sooke Harbourside Lions, Amber Academy, Sooke Salmon Enhancement, Seniors Bridge and Bus Club, Sooke Fall Fair, Sooke Soccer Club, Sooke Martial Arts and community organizations booking the hall.


Sooke Region Tourism Association 
Council renewed SRTA's five-year service agreement with a cost-of-living bump to $26,614 per year.

SRTA's Vice-President Daniel Baker of Sooke-based Guided Films shared that he has met recently with the District's Community Economic Development Officer with the goal of fast-tracking Sooke participation in the Municipal and Regional District Tax program. A per-night stipend (2% or 3% of the bill) on hotel and Air B&B visitors would, it's said, provide Sooke with a low six-figure annual budget for tourism destination marketing.

Mayor Milne's "Promote Sooke" Task Force, chaired by then-Councillor Tait, first prioritized what was then known as the Additional Hotel Room Tax (AHRT) as a top wish when it began meeting in April, 2013.  The 2021/22 Community Economic Development Committee was mandated to, among other objectives, "complete Municipal and Regional Destination Tax (MRDT) application" and "develop a tourism strategy for Sooke." These objectives have been rolled into the Sooke Community Economic Development Strategy and Action Plan (2021). 

SRTA's 2022 membership list features 55 local businesses, accommodation providers, restaurants and local organizations, the District included. Membership dues ($7,300) are SRTA's one revenue source apart from the District grant. 

SRTA produces the regional flat map distributed at the Visitor Information Centre and local accommodations. It also produces a Visitor Guide, does social media promotion of the region and enters into co-op partnerships with other regional tourism groups. In 2023, it plans to rebrand itself from the current "Sooke to Port Renfrew" to a more on-point "Sooke Tourism" and will proceed with events and promotional activities over the year. 


Visitor Information Centre 
Council approved the request to add $20k to the VC's service agreement, taking it to $53k annually.  This funding will increase staffing hours; enable a mobile info service that can be rolled out to community events, the Potholes, the town centre and elsewhere; and deliver enhanced social media and online services (live chat, virtual assistants).  Successful pursuit of the Municipal Regional Destination Tax will provide future funding for the VC as a full-scale destination marketing office for the region. 

- Operated by the Sooke Region Historical Society. Staffed and based out of the Sooke Region Museum since the early 1980s and recognized by Destination BC as Sooke's official visitor information centre. 

- States the VC report: "The District of Sooke receives significant added value and benefits operating the VC from the Museum. There would be a much higher cost to operate a VC as a stand-alone operation, or from within the DOS."


​Sooke Region Chamber of Commerce
Council approved request for $30,698.00 for 2023, with annual increases to adjust for inflation.

The revitalized Chamber renewed a service agreement with the District in 2019 and has been active ever since in remarkably creative, productive fashion while delivering member services and helping businesses ride out the pandemic.  In meeting its Schedule A obligations, the Chamber ...  

1. Relaunched the Newcomer's Club, a minimum of 5 meetings per year with groups of up to 35 participants. 

2. Free and affordable business courses. The monthly Chamber Newsletter lists low-cost and free online courses. The Chamber also offers in-person courses, including an Indigenous Cultural Training last year and a Dis/Misinformation course recently. 

3. Annual business survey (2022 edition) to gather #Sooke business perspectives and metrics 

4. Continued networking and support services available to all Sooke businesses regardless of membership status. 

5. Promotion of District initiatives, meetings, survey call-outs, etc. 

6. Alliance with other Sooke community groups, including SRTA, WorkLink BC and the South island Prosperity Project. 

Combined, the tangible services result in about 900 hours of effort and include the work from our single staff person, our team of volunteers (four), and our Board of Directors (8 in 2022, and may increase to 12 in 2023). The hourly cost for these services would amount to $34.11, and would include human effort, office space, materials, equipment, and more.

Some thoughts on where we're headed with community spaces in the wake of the Sooke Lions Club decision to "pause and reflect on what would best serve our community and our Club." This followed the release of a consultant's report on the Sept. 25 Open House at the Community Hall and a subsequent online survey conducted by the District.  

Summary
1. Sooke citizens, community groups and local government have long identified the need for additional community spaces while also recognizing that we have a solid range of existing facilities that are already in use yet could be still more so with creativity, collaboration and funding for upgrades/renovations. 

2. There is energy and drive in the community to create new spaces ... 
~ The new VIRL Sooke library and its meeting room is a shining 2022 example of one such space.
~ Sooke Region Community Health Network and the District continue to collaborate on a long-game plan to develop the Gathering Place intergenerational centre on Lot A.
~ The Sooke Lions are regrouping, however plans for a Sooke Lions Centre seemingly remain alive, if not in John Phillips Memorial Park then on its Murray Road property or elsewhere. 
~ Sooke's new Community Economic Development Officer Gail Scott is positioned to work as a go-between with community groups and incoming developers to ensure commercial/office space is considered for #Sooke purposes (galleries, studio space, commercial kitchens, etc.) 

3. Existing facilities can be upgraded and better utilized ... 
~ An exciting development this year is the launch of The Village Initiative, coordinated by SD #62's Cindy Andrew in collaboration with United Way Southern Vancouver Island and 40+ organizations on the westshore (including the District of Sooke and SEAPARC.)  One of its goals is to make better use of existing spaces while also identifying gaps. 
~ The Sooke Community Association has plans to renovate the washrooms at the Community Hall (the SCA's Annual General Meeting this year is on Tuesday, Dec. 6 at 7 PM downstairs in the hall).
~ The Royal Canadian Legion has revamped its kitchen and is positioned to make better use of its second floor for events, exhibits and gatherings. 

4. Mantra for this and all things #Sooke as formulated generations ago and still applicable today/tomorrow/everafter ... 
~  Planning, process, patience, persistence + creativity and community collaboration  


Starters from this blog: 
* Sooke Elders' Complex (aka The Gathering Place) (updated March 2022)
* Proposal: Sooke Lions Centre in the Park (updated Nov. 2022)
* Sooke Library Process & Opening (updated spring 2022)
* State of Sooke's Youth Nation (March 2021)

Also see this 2019 agenda from the Northeast Quadrant Lot A Task Force, which includes previously released reports on Sooke community spaces -- the Sooke Seniors Centre Drop-In Society Visioning For the Future (2013), Sooke Region CHI's Getting It Built: Community Centre Project (2014) and the Lot A Final Report (2019).

That agenda also includes a reverse-chronological timeline I prepared with details on council motions dating back from 2019. Worth noting are the results of the 2014 election plebiscite: "Would you support the District of Sooke working with the community to develop multi‐use community centre facilities?"  YES: 82.9% in favour based on a 41.5% voter turnout. (3072 vs. 631 votes). 


Main Existing Community Facilities
Inventories of Sooke spaces have been conducted a number of times over the last decade, including by the Sooke Community Centre Advisory Committee chaired by Lee Boyko and featuring reps from the Sooke Community Association, Sooke Fall Fair, SRCHN, Sooke Rotary Club, SEAPARC and Transition Sooke (i.e., yours truly), Ten meetings over 18 months through October 2016. (The bulk of minutes are not available online, however, and I'll have to seek out the list developed by the committee in mid-2015 during an open space session moderated by Tony and Christiana St-Pierre.) 

* Sooke Community Hall
* Royal Canadian Sooke Legion Branch #54
* SEAPARC Leisure Complex (board room plus arena use for Sooke Fine Arts Show, Sookerama and other events.)  
* Edward Milne Community School (rentals of space in it and all Sooke school facilities through the EMCS Society) 
* Sooke Community Theatre at EMCS (with 350 newly replaced seats) 
* Sooke Branch, Vancouver Island Regional Library (one small and one larger meeting room bookable here)
* Social Services Hub at the Sooke Shelter (welcoming ground floor space with commercial kitchen, ready early 2023) 
* Sooke Masonic Lodge #159 (downstairs room rentals with kitchen) 
* Sooke Family Resource Society (dividable meeting room)
* Prestige Hotel  (convention space, meeting rooms) 


Proposed Sooke Facilities 

~ Sooke Gathering Place (multi-use seniors space with intergenerational programming at the ground floor and below-grade levels + 77 units of affordable BC Housing seniors rental apartments above)

~ Sooke Arts Council at the Gathering Space (TBD gallery and studio spaces should the project move ahead) 

~ Sooke Lions Centre (use the drop-down menu for more information) 

~ Opportunities for new community space within major new town-centre developments as proposed in and coordinated by Sooke's Community Economic Development Strategy and Action Plan (2021) 

- New schools planned for Sooke: Sunriver Elementary School on land owned by SD #62 is slated for a 2027 ground-breaking adjacent to the multi-sport court box. Also set for wholesale renovation or a new-build is Sooke Elementary. Daycare centres (aka Child Care Resource and Referral Centres) are intended to be part of new and existing sites. SD #62's next-build elementary school in Royal Bay will include space for non-profit groups -- in particular THRIVE Social Services and the BGC (Boys and Girls Club) South Vancouver Island. 

(Sooke received the Ministry of Education funding love pre-2000, and it will be our turn again as SD #62 looks beyond its necessary focus on the faster-than-us growth centres in Langford and Colwood. <clip from this Nov. 14 Ministry press release> "In the past five years, the Ministry of Education and Child Care has approved $227 million to create 2,280 new student seats in the Sooke School District, including a new 480-seat elementary school in south Langford and a 600-seat expansion at Royal Bay Secondary, as well as site purchases for three future schools. Budget 2022 includes $3.1 billion for school capital projects over the next three years, including new and expanded schools, seismic upgrades and replacements, and land purchases for future schools.")



Upgrade Possibilities

- Sooke Community Association developed a renovation blueprint some years ago for the Community Hall. Community members built the hall in the 1930s with get-it-done spirit and volunteer labour, and today's generation continues to pour their own labour and love into it.  A relatively recent example is the work Anderson General Construction completed on the front entrance: "Structural replacement of front entrance stairs and railings, stairs and supporting structure were completely rebuilt and new natural fir wood features installed with new hand rails, non-slip surfacing installed on stair treads and fiber cement siding installed in place of existing vinyl siding on face." 

[Other Community Hall improvements in recent years: new carpeting in lower hall areas; repainting of interior walls; refinishing of non-carpeted flooring; new chairs for facility users; upgrades to fire-suppression equipment in downstairs kitchen.  Future upgrades to the hall will replace exterior siding and windows.

​SCA provides space at no charge or reduced rental rate to Meals On Wheels, Contact Loan Cupboard, Sooke Food Bank, Sooke Lions Club, Sooke Harbourside Lions, Amber Academy, Sooke Salmon Enhancement, Seniors Bridge and Bus Club, Sooke Fall Fair, Sooke Soccer Club, Sooke Martial Arts and community organizations booking the hall.]

- Royal Canadian Legion has plans, but needs funding, to install an elevator to reach its second floor. Closed during Covid, the Legion's kitchen has been revitalized by the owner/operator of the Chompkins food truck and rebranded as Chompkin's at Grill 54. 

- A makeover of the Throup Road skate park was identified as a mid-term priority within SEAPARC's 2015 strategic plan, which is set to undergo a planned review by the SEAPARC Commission. <clip> "Replace existing skatepark and expand, or create two separate skateparks in different locations in Sooke, but both in close proximity to the schools in the community. The primary skatepark could also include a parkour circuit and/or a relocated bike skills circuit should it outgrow the SEAPARC location."  A second hockey rink is emerging as a new need given the demand for ice time. (The District financially supported the celebrated turf field at Fred Milne Park, which came about thanks to much volunteer effort and private-sector contributions by community-minded individuals and companies. I'm told local and regional teams are stoked to play there, especially after learning our turf is the same as that on which the Seattle Seahawks play.) 

 

Identifying and optimizing existing community spaces, schools included
The Village Initiative: Sooke/Westshore 
The Village Initiative (TVI) "is an inter-disciplinary network of more than 40 organizations sharing a commitment to the vision of healthy and thriving children, youth, and families across the Sooke and West Shore communities ... TVI took root when the Sooke School District and Island Health started a conversation with community partners, recognizing that the health and wellbeing of children, youth, and families are best supported through an all-hands-on-deck approach – a Village. The urgency of our mission has only been underscored by the global pandemic and its impact on children, youth, and families." 

- Project Plan for Sooke-Westshore Shared Space Network and System (March, 2022)
- Space survey results (2021)
- See full list with links of member organizations at end of this post 
​- Sooke/Westshore Community Health Profile (2022) 

Three TVI priority areas ... 
"Spaces to Provide Services: People thrive when they have access to services. From health promotion to specialized services, affordable and timely services is key to healthy, thriving young people and families. Access helps ensure that our community is a vibrant, prosperous and healthy place. BUT quality services require sufficient and suitable spaces. A recent survey of service providers highlighted the URGENT need for space. Read here how our workgroup action plan is addressing this. Did you know that over 8,000 additional people could be served right now if space was available for those services?

Better Service Coordination: Everyone deserves timely, low-barrier and coordinated access to the supports they need to thrive. Being able to get support where you need it, when you need it, is critical. Accessible, coordinated services require our local service providers to maintain frequent communication, share knowledge and build relationships with one another. BUT the complexity of today’s fast-paced and hectic world can make this hard. A recent community profile highlighted the need for strengthened service coordination in our area. Read here how our workgroup action plan on mental health promotion is addressing this.

Building on Strengths, Enhancing Capacities: Addressing critical health and social issues of children, youth and families requires increasing the capacity of communities to build connections and enhance social capital. It also requires increasing the capacity of organizations to innovate, be responsive and nimble and work together in new ways. To help with that TVI is facilitating enhanced communication, coordination and collaboration across sectors and systems; leading data collection and analysis to inform action, and strengthening youth engagement to help inform collective efforts." 

Other Community Spaces and Activities
* Whiffin Spit, Sooke Potholes, boardwalk, public parks (i.e., the Great Outdoors)
* Sports fields
* Hiking groups
* Service clubs
* Private homes and backyards
* Churches
* Coffeeshops
* Restaurants
* Craft brewery tasting rooms (3)


Sooke Community Wants and Needs
From the Getting It Built: Community Centre Report (Sooke Region CHI, 2014)
* based on 104 survey replies 

"Priorities of those who took part in the online survey are as follows:
~ 22% wanted a Seniors Centre/Drop-In
~ 22% wanted an indoor gymnasium for racquetball, squash, basketball, gymnastics, badminton, and floor hockey.
~ 19% wanted a Youth Centre/Drop-In
~ 18% wanted several small multi-purpose/meeting spaces
~ 18% wanted a large multi-purpose/dividing space/hall
~ 17% wanted a large kitchen to cook and sell community meals
~ 17% wanted various arts rooms and an art gallery
~ 14% wanted lots of outdoor space with flower gardens, food gardens, picnic tables, benches, fountains, etc.
~ 14% wanted outdoor play space for children with a water park and playground ! 11% wanted indoor open space; a place to “be” and gather
~ 10% wanted an indoor playground for children

Other suggestions (with 5 or more responses) included:
~ Stage/Theatre for rehearsals and small shows
~ Connection to the new Library or having reading spaces, book exchanges, quiet areas for reading and studying, etc.
~ Out-of School care, childcare, daycare, or pre-school space 
~ More coffee shop or cafés
~ Outdoor gym or court(s)" 

Suggested locations for new-builds and/or renovations ... 
"Respondents were asked to vote for their top 3 preferred locations by selecting a first, second, and third choice from a list of 20 possible locations, which were determined during the first two community forums.

- John Phillips Memorial Park (top choice with 11 votes)
- Mulligan’s ranked second with 7 votes
- Mariner’s Village - 5 votes
- SEAPARC - 4 votes.
- “As close to the geographic centre of Sooke as possible; accessible to transit” - 4 votes

- Other votes were for Helgesen Farm, the Sooke Lions’ property on Murray Road, Woodside Farm, the location of the New Library, private property behind Village Foods, property behind the old Fire Hall site (new RBC location), The Castle Pub, Throup Road (Mason’s property), Murray Road Park, the Waddams farm on Church Rd, and the Sooke CASA building." 


- Arts groups in the past have expressed keen interest in a black-box theatre in the town centre (Kelowna example) as a flexible space for rehearsals and smaller-scale events. 

- An arts gallery/studio space in the spirit of the celebrated Old School House Arts Centre in Qualicum was explored by the Mayor's Advisory Council on Arts & Beautification circa 2012/13 at the former Mulligans property when it was on the market. 


Active Sooke
~ Saseenos Elementary Nature Kindergarden + it's popular! 
~ SEAPARC + 2015 Strategic Plan + swimming pool opens (2000) + $3.4 million fitness room (2020) 
~ $1.2 million multi-court sports box in Sunriver
~ Sooke Soccer Club + new community/District/CRD-funded $1.5m all-season turf field at Fred Milne Park
(goodbye this)
~ Sooke Minor Fastball Association (new field at Art Morris Park partially funded by DOS and CRD) 
​~ Sooke Minor Hockey 
~ Sooke Bike Club + local trail networks 
​~ Sooke Bike Skills Park at SEAPARC (opened March 2015)
​~ Harbourview + history
~ Galloping Goose Regional Trail (2002 PDF pamphlet)   
~ EMCS Academies - Soccer + Hockey 
~ DeMamiel Creek Golf Course 
~ Sooke Rotary Skate Park
~ STARR (Sooke Trail and Road Runners)  
​~ Sooke Pickleball Group 
~ Guided hikes led the JDF Community Trails Society's Sid and Rosemary Jorna 
​~ Kludahk Outdoors Club 
~ Sooke News Mirror archive of sports stories


The Village Initiative member organizations
(stewardship committee organizations in green) 

BGC South Vancouver Island
Canadian Mental Health Association, BC Division
Capital Region Food & Agriculture Initiatives Roundtable
Children’s Health Foundation
City of Colwood
City of Langford
District of Sooke
Family Services of Greater Victoria
First Nations Health Authority
Food Share Network
Goldstream Food Bank
Greater Victoria Public Library
Hulitan Family and Community Services Society
Island Health – Mental Health and Substance Use, Children, Youth and Families, Public Health, Priority Populations
Island Health – Public Health
Island Métis Family & Community Services Society
Juan de Fuca Performing Arts Centre Society
KidSport Greater Victoria
Learning through Loss
MCFD Child & Youth Mental Health
Military Family Resource Centre
Mustard Seed Food Bank
OneAbility
Pacific Centre Family Services
PISE (Pacific Institute for Sport Excellence)
RCMP
Royal Roads University
Salvation Army
Saunders Family Foundation
SEAPARC Leisure Complex
Sooke Family Resource Society
Sooke Food Bank
Sooke Region Communities Health Network
Sooke School District
Threshold Housing
Thrive Social Services
United Way of Greater Victoria
United Way Southern Vancouver Island
​University of Victoria Centre for Youth & Society
Vancouver Island Regional Library
Victoria Immigrant and Refugee Centre Society
West Shore Chamber of Commerce
West Shore Parks & Recreation
Westshore Town Centre
WorkLink Employment Society
YMCA-YWCA of Vancouver Island