Sooke prepares inclusive playground
District of Sooke crews are putting the finishing touches on the installation of inclusive equipment at the Woodland Park Playground, including adaptive swings and a wheelchair-accessible spinner.
The swings allow children of varying abilities to use them, while the spinner accommodates children with mobility challenges.
“We are thrilled to be adding this accessible equipment to Woodland Creek Playground,” Sooke Mayor Maja Tait said in a statement. “Play is such an important part of childhood development, and these new features will ensure that every child can enjoy our playgrounds.”
The work is scheduled to be completed by mid-week.
The playground is open during construction, with work areas protected by safety fencing.
The City of Victoria added its first wheelchair-accessible swing and other accessible components to the playground at Stadacona Park in 2023 during an upgrade.
PISE supports campaign for young people
The Pacific Institute for Sport Education, or PISE, has started a campaign to raise $500,000 for its Gift of Play and Gift of Potential programs, which aim to give children and youth of all abilities and circumstances equal opportunity to be involved in physical activities.
The Camosun College-based organization hopes to reach its goal by April and has been given a boost by Peninsula Co-op, which has pledged to match donations up to $100,000.
PISE is looking to reach the matching total by the end of the month.
The organization reaches more than 10,000 children through its programs each year, including weekly offerings for more than 70 children with disabilities that include sessions on sports like tennis and basketball attended by international-level para athletes.
“The team at Peninsula Co-op is proud to support PISE’s vision of transforming lives through healthy activity and sport,” said Lindsay Gaudette, Peninsula Co-op’s director of marketing and community relations. “It is up to all of us to build the community’s capacity and give children what they need to develop their full potential.”
PISE chief executive Robert Bettauer said that all youth deserve “the gift of play.”
“Engaging in sports and physical activity at an early age has a long-lasting impact on children’s lives,” he said. “We are so grateful to donors and supporters who help our kids and youth have access to the life-long gift of movement and sport.”
PISE pointed to national reports that have found only 39 per cent of children and youth (five to 17 years of age) meet the Canadian Physical Activity Guidelines of at least 60 minutes of daily physical activity.
For more on the fundraising campaign or to donate go to .
Wounded Warrior event on tap next weekend
Cpl. Pat Bryant of the Central Saanich police is organizing an event this Saturday to raise money for the 2025 Wounded Warrior Run sa国际传媒
The eight-day fundraising run begins Feb. 23 and will see eight participants — including Bryant — cover 800 kilometres from Port Hardy to Victoria to help Vancouver Island first responders and veterans dealing with issues like post-traumatic stress disorder, as well as their families.
The Wounded Warrior Run is scheduled to finish on March 2, with runners arriving at Market Square at 4:30 p.m.
Bryant’s Jan. 25 event is billed as “a night of music, food and community spirit” and is set for a 7 p.m. start at the Saanich fairgrounds on Stelly’s Cross Road.
Music will be from Luke Lampard and the Doctor Bones Project, with pizza provided by Peninsula Pizza.
Tickets are $25 and are available at Category 12 Brewing at 2200 Keating Cross Rd. or online at .
A one-day run will be held Feb. 2 from Sooke to Sidney as a prelude to the main event Feb. 23.
“We are proud to have Cpl. Pat Bryant representing Central Saanich in this incredible challenge for a great cause,” said Central Saanich Police Chief Ian Lawson in a statement.
“In the 20 years Pat has been with Central Saanich, he has participated in more fundraising efforts than anyone can recall, including representing Central Saanich Police Service on the Tour de Rock in 2022.
“We are grateful for his dedication to these opportunities.”
Also coming up is a Feb. 1 gala dinner at the Delta Ocean Pointe Resort, featuring a keynote address from Wounded Warriors sa国际传媒 national clinical director Dr. Tim Black.
Individual tickets are $175 and are available at .
Funding buoys collaborative efforts
The Victoria Foundation has distributed a record total of $721,318 in funding to 17 projects by organizations with a focus on working with other groups to address issues.
The total given out includes $270,000 in one-time funding from the province through its Community Prosperity Fund.
Funded projects were chosen from a record 39 applications requesting a record total of $2.4 million.
“This funding through the Collaboration Stream will help to strengthen collaboratives between philanthropic organizations working so hard to find solutions to some of the deeply rooted issues in our community,” said Victoria Foundation CEO Sandra Richardson.
“The record-amount of funding requested from the community underscores the increasing need for support in the sector.”
Flourish! School Food Society executive director Matthew Kemshaw said the $15,000 grant his group received will help the many organizations working at the Mustard Seed’s Food Security Distribution Centre combine their efforts and activities.
“We hope this will lead to an increased capacity to process and distribute food to support school and community food programs,” he said.
The funding will allow Sport for Life, which received a grant of $42,000, to give more newcomers in the region a chance to participate in sports and physical activity, said director of strategic initiatives Kabir Hosein.
“By connecting Victoria’s leaders, this grant helps foster inclusion, community building and safety, and opportunities for employment and well-being,” Hosein said.
Other grants include $40,000 for a housing initiative put forward by the Alliance to End Homelessness and $50,000 to the Mental Health Recovery Partners Society.
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