OAK BAYNEWS Island Children’s Festival
Book store no more
Entertainer Fred Penner highlights Saturday’s fun day for kids.
Grafton’s succumbs to electronic age.
Entertainment, Page A18
Offer Expires May 23rd, 2012
Community, Page A3
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
BY2
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Protest pops up in Oak Bay Oak Bay residents hit the street to save heritage Brittany Lee News staff
Residents in Oak Bay are frustrated with developers building boxy, “characterless” homes in their neighbourhood and want to set up a design committee. A group of almost 20 Oak Bay residents gathered at the Oak Lanes building site in the 1000block of Monterey Ave. morning, wielding “Eventually, Friday signs that displayed their it’s not going to frustrations. “Some developers just be the charming, don’t have invested interest in Oak Bay, they don’t historic, leafy the passion neighbourhood understand for our community,” said that it was.” Mary Douglas, a resident - Rennie Knowlton of Oak Bay for 24 years. We adore our community and they’re destroying it. The demonstration came after the group was told by council a week ago that there’s “nothing” they can do about the situation, Douglas explained. “That was really discouraging, and we just don’t think there is nothing we can do,” she said. During last week’s council meeting, about 50 residents convened to voice their concerns to council and asked that a committee be set up to monitor the types of homes being built in Oak Bay. The residents’ main concern are the “box structures” being built in their neighbourhoods, with little regard or respect to the neighbouring houses, Douglas said. These new properties maximize the lots by being built “right to the property line,” she explained, and without attempt to save existing trees. PLEASE SEE: Style at issue for neighbours, Page A17
Brittany Lee/News staff
Longtime Oak Bay residents Mary Douglas, left, and Cynthia Knowlton participated in a rally, on Friday (May 4) to urge Oak Bay council to develop a design committee and monitor what type of homes are allowed to be built in their neighbourhoods.
Tea Party celebrates with a bang Laura Lavin News staff
Oak Bay Tea Party organizers are adding some ‘oohs’ and ‘aahs’ to this year’s celebration. To help mark the 50th birthday of the Oak Bay Tea Party this year, visitors will be treated to the pop and bang of a fireworks display. “This is the first one in a long time and
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it’s especially because it’s the 50th Oak Bay Tea Party,” said Tea Party Society chair Bill Murphy-Dyson. The Tea Party does not usually include a fireworks display, but with the assistance of the Oak Bay Beach Hotel, this year’s festivities will be extra special. “Kevin and Shawna Walker of the Oak Bay Beach Hotel are footing the entire bill for the fireworks – even unopened as (the hotel) still is,” Murphy-Dyson said.
The fireworks will fill the night sky at 10 p.m. on Saturday, June 2 from Mary Tod Island. “It’s a great thing for the 50th birthday of the Oak Bay Tea Party. We’re really excited about it. Mayor and council is behind it, as is the Oak Bay Fire Department. It’s great of the Oak Bay Beach Hotel to step up to the plate like this,” Murphy-Dyson said. editor@oakbaynews.com
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