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NEWS: Paper shredding helps Rainbow Kitchen /A12 SPORTS: Former swimming coach remembered /A21 ARTS: ‘World-class local artists on display /A23
SAANICHNEWS Wednesday, May 6, 2015
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Faulty sewage pipe means Quadra Street on-ramp closes for two weeks Travis Paterson News staff
Bhangra showcase a Mother’s Day treat The Intermediate Boys Bhangra Team of the Shan-e-Punjab Dance, Performing Arts and Heritage School are putting the final touches on their performance in preparation for the 22nd annual Vaisakhi celebration at the University of Victoria’s Farqhuar Auditorium, which takes place May 10. The team is one of 16 performing at the Youth Cultural Showcase,
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The Intermediate Boys Bhangra Team of the Shan-e-Punjab Dance, Performing Arts and Heritage School show off ethnic dress composed of the traditional Bhangra turban, vest, chadra (bottom) and kurta (top).
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where more than 200 Shan-e-Punjab students will take to the stage to dance Bhangra and Bollywood numbers. “Shan-e-Punjab is the first of its kind and has been in operation since 1993,” says director Sonia Grewal. “It is a premier school and a youthled organization that has taught hundreds of students over the years, including providing key performing and leadership opportunities for youth,” Grewal says. Vaisakhi took on special
significance for the Sikh community in 1699, when the 10th of the Sikh Guru-Prophets—Guru Gobind Singh — formally established the Khalsa Panth (the community of committed Sikhs) and publicly entrusted it with leadership. Historically, Vaisakhi is a harvest festival celebrated on April 13 or 14, and is also referred to as the Sikh New Year. Find tickets to the May 10 event at tickets.uvic. ca or call 250-721-8480 for more information. editor@saanichnews.com
Nothing says summer quite like inching the car along under the blistering hot sun as workers in reflective vests usher one-way traffic through plastic pylons. Make no mistake: it’s summer construction season in Saanich, and two major projects will soon be creating inconveniences for drivers. To start, Saanich crews will begin a full shut-down of the Patricia Bay Highway on-ramp at Quadra Street beginning May 19, thanks to a faulty sewage pipe. The northbound on-ramp access will be closed until June 2, and Saanich’s engineering director Harley Machielse is recommending drivers loop south and access the Pat Bay northbound from Mckenzie Avenue, or detour north and use the access at Royal Oak Drive. Saanich’s big-ticket roadworks item this year is a phase of the $5.6-million Tillicum Complete Streets Project. As of today (May 6), there will be a full road closure on Tillicum Road between Carey Road and the TransCanada Highway. Crews will be working along this 1,250metre stretch for the next two months, although pedestrian
traffic will still be able to get through the area, Machielse said. Cyclists will be asked to detour or dismount and walk their bikes through the construction zone. Side phases of the Tillicum project stretch north on Glanford Avenue to Mann Avenue. Saanich acknowledges that closing the well-used Tillicum artery and Quadra on-ramp will cause headaches and is asking for patience as traffic is re-routed. “To prevent delays and unnecessary traffic congestion, we ask that drivers plan alternates routes and avoid this section of Tillicum Road for this phase of the project,” Machielse said. The two lane plan for Tillicum will maintain access to residential driveways and install medians to calm traffic and create “pedestrian refuges,” he added. The end goal of the Complete Streets project is to provide safer access for pedestrians and cyclists while upgrading underground utilities. Saanich crews are also in the final stages of the Cook Street improvement project from Quadra to Maplewood Road. That area is expected to re-open to traffic later this month. reporter@saanichnews.com
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