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OAK BAYNEWS
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Wednesday, February 26, 2014
vicnews.com
Mountie to take the reins
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Bill Smith holds his dream plan of Oak Bay Square on his phone. Sharon Tiffin/News staff
Revolutionary vision for village Christopher Sun News staff
Oak Bay astronomy enthusiast Bill Smith is known for setting his eyes to the sky. But lately, the retired mathematician and software developer has focused his sight on Oak Bay Village, where for years he has envisioned a public square. Since November, he has been communicating his vision to Rupert Slight, a young, Vancouverborn, British-educated architect who has produced a number of renderings. One rendering shows two squares on the south part of Oak Bay Avenue, divided by Hampshire Road and lined with a perimeter of Tudor-style office and residential buildings from the present municipal hall to Monterey
value, and would be torn down for his vision Avenue. Noticeably absent from the renderings to become reality. The idea for a public square are all of the current buildings, including came from both his travels and being raised in municipal hall, Athlone Court, the Bell Block the United Kingdom, where many building and Monterey Recreation “This is a vision towns and cities have large, open Centre. Smith said most of these areas where people gather to buildings should be replaced of how Oak Bay have meals, drinks, hang out, or anyway. might look like, attend special events. “The municipal buildings The square in Chester, England have serious problems with might grow in the was used as a template in the earthquake readiness (and the next 50 years.” renderings. The five-storey other buildings) would have - Bill smith buildings around his proposed serious problems if any kind of squares would house a new earthquake hit,” Smith said. “This municipal hall, restaurants, retail stores and is a vision of how Oak Bay might look like, perhaps a new Monterey Recreation Centre. might grow in the next 50 years.” Smith has no ownership in any of the properties and he is aware some buildings Please see: have significant community and heritage Dream village may be ‘too big’, Page A16
owell River RCMP detachment commander, Sgt. Andrew Brinton, is the Oak Bay Police Department’s new chief constable. “We are very pleased to have Andrew Brinton coming on board,” said Mayor Nils Jensen. “His commitment to community policing and his collaborative work with community groups and the municipality in Powell River will serve him well in this new role. The Oak Bay Police Board was impressed with his wholistic approach to addressing crime and community issues.” Brinton starts his new job in April. He replaces outgoing Chief Const. Mark Fisher, who returns to the Mounties as Nanaimo RCMP detachment officer in charge. Fisher held the top job in Oak Bay for just over two years. Brinton has been with the RCMP for 32 years and in Powell River for five years. He has served as an operations noncommissioned officer at the West Coast Marine detachment, been a watch commander in Parksville and detachment commander in Boston Bar. He also served in Gibsons, Whistler and Burnaby. reporter@vicnews.com
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