Victoria, British Columbia - March 2001
By Barbara Ballard
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People hanging out on the driftwood at French Beach.
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If you didn't read last month's article on cougar attacks, please do so. Just a week after it was published on the web, there was a cougar attack here on the island. Not in Victoria, mind you, but further up-island. A fellow was riding his bike back home after an evening out when the cougar jumped him. After five minutes of struggle (in which only his backpack covering the back of his neck saved him), a motorist happened along, jumped out of his car and repeatedly bashed the cougar with the bicycle. Both men then jumped in the car - the cougar was still trying to attack them. The bicyclist was wounded but alive, thanks to the motorist happening along and stopping. So please do be aware of your surroundings when you are out wilderness hiking on the island or even walking in the woods. NEVER GO ALONE.
Good news this month for wilderness and park lovers. There's a new piece of parkland in the Sooke Hills (catch the bus to get there or go by car; it's 21 miles west of Victoria). Adding this parkland to the already existing Sooke Wilderness Regional Park means there's now a sea-to-sea park from Tod Inlet in Central Saanich to the Sooke Basin. This forested parkland, part of the rainshadow forest, is home to bears, elk, cougars, wolves and owls. Sooke itself is a town of about 12,000 people. A local museum, the Sooke Region Museum and Visitor Information Centre, displays First Nation's history, local artifacts, activities. You can book accommodation here and find out about eating spots. China Beach and French Beach are two provincial parks nearby with camping facilities.
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Trees lining the coast of French Beach.
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French Beach Provincial Park is located near Jordan River in a beautiful natural setting within minutes walk to the ocean. Bald eagles, otters and sea lions live in the vicinity. In the spring whales are sometimes spotted from the sand and gravel beach. There are a number of hiking trails and walks through the second-growth forest of Douglas fir, Sitka spruce, western hemlock and western red cedar. Oregon grape, evergreen huckleberries and a large variety of ferns grow along the trails. Be aware of disease-carrying wood ticks (remove with tweezers) and the wild animals mentioned above.
China Beach is a great place for family outings and day trips. The campground, in a forested area, is just east of the day-use area. There's a trail - stairs and gravel - down to the sandy beach. It takes about 20 minutes and goes through the forest. The sea here provides lots of big breakers, and the beach is a great place for picnicking and beachcombing at low tide. You have to bring your own drinking water, and don't plan on any beach fires: they're not permitted. On the western end of the beach is a waterfall. Plenty of trails run through the woods.
China Beach is at the head of the Juan de Fuca Trail, a 29-mile (47km) hiking trail stretching along the western shoreline of southern Vancouver Island. Beaches, rainforest and coves are part of the attractions. The park is open year-round. A camping permit of C$6 per night is required. Trail maps are free. You'll also want a tide table from B.C. Parks. The campgrounds are popular and very busy during summer months, so if you plan a stay, now is not too soon to book your reservation.
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People walk on the sand and rocks of China Beach.
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Essential Information
Campground reservations: Please contact Victoria Tourism for further information or make reservations through the BC Provincial Parks website reservation system at www.discovercamping.ca, seven days a week, or you can call the Discover Camping campground reservation service toll-free at 1 (800) 689 9025. Agents are available to take your reservation from 7 am to 7 pm Monday to Friday, and 9 am to 5 pm Saturday, Sunday and statutory holidays (Pacific Time), Mar. 1 to Sept. 15. When making a reservation, you will be issued a reservation confirmation number. Have this number available for any changes or cancellations, and on arrival at the park. Reservations can be made up to three months in advance and two days prior to your arrival date at the campground. Maps available on the website.
BC Parks
2930 Trans-Canada Highway, Victoria, B.C. V9E 1K3
Tel: 1 (250) 391 2300
Website: www.elp.gov.bc.ca/bcparks/
Sooke Travel InfoCentre
2070 Phillips Rd., Box 774, Sooke, B.C. V0S 1N0
Tel: 1 (250) 642 6351
Fax: 1 (250) 642 7089
Events
Belfry Theatre Festival 2001
From Feb. 19 to Mar. 26, the Belfry Theatre will present its annual Festival. This year's Festival 2001 includes:
- Be Still, by Janet Munsil
Mar. 13 - 25, 2001
This new play is inspired by Victoria photographer Hannah Maynard and the macabre multiple exposure self-portraits she created in her Pandora Street studio. Munsil has created an intriguing and compelling portrait of an artist grieving for her drowned daughter, haunted by the memory of the child and the recurring appearance of her own double.
- Sex: The Musical
Late-Night Weekends, Feb. 22 - Mar. 17
This mini-musical revue is a look at sex through the ages. From the dawn of time through to the cyber future, Sex: The Musical romps through everything from the ridiculous to the taboo with songs and double entendres. Audience advice for Sex: The musical contains full-frontal singing and dancing. Tickets C$8-12.
- Worldplay
The Worldplay series of readings includes:
- "Pereira Declares" by Antonio Tabucchi (Chile/Italy), Sun. Mar. 4, 8 pm
- "The Harvest" by Manjula Padmanabhan (India), Sun., Mar. 18, 8 pm
- B101 Live, Mon., Mar. 26, 8 pm. 20 local high school drama students present their collective creation. Limited seating. Cost: C$5.
Tickets range in price from C$10 to C$15, (with up to 50% discounts for students) depending on the show you attend, and can be purchased by visiting or calling the Belfry Box Office at 385 6815, or online at www.belfry.bc.ca.
California Wine Fair
Thurs., Mar. 15, 7 - 9 pm
The Empress Hotel
A wine-tasting event featuring more than 100 different wines from 65 California wineries. This is a fundraising event in support of the Belfry Theatre. Tickets are C$40. No door sales. The wine list is available online at www.belfry.bc.ca or at the box office.
Be a Tourist in Your Own Hometown
Feb. 28-Mar. 4
Various Venues
Tel: 1 (250) 381 6610
Admission gets you into a variety of Victoria's favorite attractions. Coupon book is C$7.
Open House at Butchart Gardens
Mar. 1-31
Tel: 652 4422
Historic photos presented in the Butchart's own home tell the story of the development of the gardens. Exhibit included in price of general admission.
Seagram Pops: Song and Dance
Mar. 1-3
Royal Theatre, 805 Broughton Street
Concert featuring broad mix of big choral moments, from "Finlandia", to Gilbert and Sullivan and the ballet music of Delibes and Tchaikovsky. Performances at 2pm Thursday, 8pm Friday and Saturday. Tickets: C$29, C$21 and C$16. Tickets available at Tourism Victoria; tel: 385 6515/386 6121.
Lafayette String Orchestra: Concert II
Mar. 3
Phillip T. Young Recital Hall, University of Victoria
Lafayette String Quartet. Tickets: adults, C$16; students and seniors, C$12. Performance at 8pm. Tickets Available at Tourism Victoria; tel: 721 7903.
University of Victoria Orchestra
Mar. 3
University Center Auditorium
Performance at 8pm. Tickets are C$12, with $2 off for students/seniors. General admission; tickets available at Tourism Victoria; tel: 386 6121.
Colin James
Mar. 7
Royal Theatre, 805 Broughton Street
Performance at 8pm. Tickets are C$32.25, no discounts. Tickets available at Tourism Victoria; tel: 386 6121.
Dinner Ghosts
Mar. 10
Bent Mass, 512 Simcoe
"Dinner Ghosts" include discussion about ghosts in Victoria, local history, a full-course dinner, stories about the hauntings of the specific restaurant, a brief walking tour of the immediate neighbourhood where the restaurant is located and a visit to a haunted room in the neighbourhood.
All evenings will end at a haunted pub for informal discussions for those who want to find out more about ghosts or to share their own stories. Cost per evening (about 3 hours) is C$30 per person (no host bar). Reservations are required. Tel: 384 6698.
Be Enchanted by the Masters
Mar. 11-12
Royal Theatre, 805 Broughton Street
Victoria Symphony performs Copland, Prokofiev, and Schumann. Performances at 2:30pm Sunday and 8pm Monday. Tickets C$29, C$21 and C$16. Tickets available at Tourism Victoria; tel: 385 6515/386 6121.
A Rendezvous with Friends
Mar. 18-19
Farquhar Auditorium at University of Victoria on Sunday; Royal Theatre at 805 Broughton Street on Monday. Victoria Symphony performs Nielsen, Berwald, and two pieces by Tchaikovsky. Performances at 2:30pm Sunday and 8:00pm Monday. Tickets C$29, C$21 and C$16. Tickets available at Tourism Victoria; tel: 385 6515/386-6121.
A Passion for Classics
Mar. 25-26
Farquhar Auditorium, University of Victoria
Victoria Symphony performs Mendelssohn, Wagner, and Mozart Performances at 2:30 Sunday and 8pm Monday. Tickets C$16 - $29. Tickets available at Tourism Victoria; tel: 385-6515/386-6121.
Neighbourhood Discovery Walks
Mar. 11: James Bay Waterfront; meet in the parking lot outside Ogden Point Cafe
Mar. 25: Fairfield Waterfront; meet outside Beacon Drive In
These walks combine interesting history, archaeology and natural history about Victoria's diverse neighbourhoods. Tours start at 10am and last about 2 hours. Cost is C$10 for adults, C$8 for students and seniors, and C$25 for families. No reservations needed, just purchase tickets at the start of the tour. Tel: 384 6698.
Antique & Heirloom Show & Sale
Mar. 30-31
Cedar Hill Recreation Centre, 3220 Cedar Hill
Tel: 595 7121
Questions?
If you want more information about this area you can email the author or check out our North America Insiders page.
