Building a foundation
NEWS: Easter breakfast helps Kiwanis foundation /A6 ARTS: Victoria jazz legend celebrates in style /A8 SPORTS: Meet curling’s Team Canada /A10
NF foundation founder helps bring hope. Page A3
OAK BAYNEWS Friday, March 29, 2013
www.oakbaynews.com
Charge up at no charge Time limit a drawback, says one EV owner Kyle Wells News staff
After some initial confusion, signs are now in place and rules are set for use of the electric vehicle charging stations at Oak Bay municipal hall. Parking spots with the charging stations are open to all vehicles, but at a 30-minute maximum. The idea is that the stations can be used to “top off” an electric vehicle while the owner attends to business in Oak Bay. The stations, which are free, are not intended to be used as a long-term charging location. Starting in late April, drivers will be able to use a credit card to activate one of the two 240 volt or one 110 volt charging outlets, but with no cost incurred. Until then, drivers need to go into the municipal hall to pick up a special card to use the outlets. Drivers may be asked to give district staff information to help the municipality improve service in the future. James Strickland, a resident who owns an electric vehicle and wrote a letter published in the News Wednesday with concerns over the charging station rules, said the improved clarity is good but a longer charging time would make a larger impact. “If I was going there for half an hour it could be useful but it doesn’t really change very much,” Strickland said. “I think it’s good to have more charging stations, but personally, I don’t think it makes a big difference.” For most vehicles, Strickland said, 30 minutes will equal about 15 kilometres of range. Some vehicles will get double that. As most drivers charge their cars overnight, a “top-up” isn’t that advantageous. What would be more useful is being able to get a full charge at a location far enough away from home that you will need it to get back, Strickland said. For instance, a driver visiting Oak Bay from up Island would find a long term charge helpful, and a draw to that location, but 30 minutes is too short a time for a worthwhile charge. reporter@vicnews.com
Don Denton/News staff
Cast away in Oak Bay Marnie Hamilton practises her fly fishing casts standing in the water off Beach Avenue at the Oak Bay Marina. Hamilton was taking her Friday morning lessons under the watchful eye of Ian Muirhead (not seen).
Curling volunteers put on a show Don Descoteau News staff
It’s a sunny morning and two women are busy digging in the sand behind the Victoria Curling Centre on Quadra Street. But for Susan Morriss and Judy Tuson, filling up faux curling rocks to weigh them down – they’re part of a display in the Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre lobby – is just one small job among many that volunteers are undertaking in preparation for the 2013 Ford World Men’s Curling Championships.
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The nine-day event gets underway tomorrow (March 30) at the Save-On Centre. Canada’s Brad Jacobs’ rink takes on Team China in the first draw at 2 p.m. Volunteer co-ordinator Todd Troyer, a longtime curler himself, was part of the volunteer crew for the 2005 Ford Worlds, the first sporting event held in Victoria’s new arena. He remembers things being somewhat frantic heading into that event. “It was a new beast. We hadn’t had one of these since the 1985 Briar (at the old Memorial Arena),” he recalls. “But we got into a rhythm.”
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Not surprisingly, the majority of his roughly 500-member volunteer crew are curlers, primarily from the Victoria Curling Centre but also from Esquimalt, Juan de Fuca and Glen Meadows clubs. Those working the main venue will be easy to spot in their official blue jackets, engaged as scorers, ice cleaners, statisticians and in other jobs. Many more work behind the scenes as drivers, set builders, banquet organizers and more. PlEASE SEE: Putting on a show, Page A3
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