The first cruise ship of the year is set to arrive at Ogden Point on March 6.
Disney Wonder, with capacity for 2,400 passengers, is scheduled to arrive at 8 a.m. from Vancouver.
Its departure for San Diego is scheduled for 5 p.m the same day.
New harbour authority chair
Mark Mawhinney has been elected as the new chair or the Greater Victoria Harbour Authority’s board of directors, replacing Christine Willow, who served four years as chair and will remain on the board.
Susan Brice is the new vice-chair.
Mawhinney, a lifelong boater, was nominated to the board by the Victoria Esquimalt Harbour Society.
He works for Odlum Brown Limited as a portfolio manager and investment advisor.
Brice is a councillor with the District of Saanich and a Capital Regional District director.
New board members include Bruce Hale, chief executive of FAS Seafood Producers Ltd and Finest at Sea Ocean Products, and Ann Squires Ferguson, chief executive at Western Design+Build.
Hereditary chief for Lyackson First Nation
Shana Thomas (Laxele’wuts’aat) has a new role as the hereditary chief for the Lyackson First Nation, near Chemainus.
Thomas has spent 25 years working with First Nations and First Nations organizations across the province. She said her goals include nation rebuilding, pursuing land-back opportunities and strengthening the nation’s economy.
“I have dedicated my education and my life’s work to advancing the interests of our people,” she said in a statement, adding: “It it is such an honour to humbly accept these responsibilities.”
Thomas, who is in the final year of a doctorate of social science degree at Royal Roads University, holds a bachelor’s degree in political science and a master’s degree in Indigenous governance, both from the University of Victoria.
Her recent negotiations have resulted in an $8-million land back deal for Lyackson, in partnership with the province and to be shared with Cowichan Tribes.
Child-care facility on legislature grounds
A request for qualifications to build a one-storey modular child-care facility on the parking lot on the southeast corner of the sa国际传媒 legislature grounds has been issued.
The opportunity closes Feb. 3. A short list of up to five qualified proponents will then be invited to bid on building the facility, which includes a fenced outdoor play space.
The project is contingent on funding approval from both the province’s new spaces fund and the legislature’s management committee.
The goal is to have spaces for children of employees in the legislative building and from the local community.
If the proposal goes ahead, construction is expected to take place from May of this year to July of 2026.
When the idea was proposed in 2023, the plan was for 37 spaces.
View Royal's finance director
Troy Ziegler has been appointed as the new finance director for the Town of View Royal.
Ziegler has 19 years of municipal accounting experience, having worked as financial services director for the District of Central Saanich and in prior roles with the District of Saanich.
