Heads up if you're planning to camp at Spring Salmon Place (Sooke Potholes Regional Park) this summer - wanted to share what happened to me in case it saves someone else the same headache.

The campground advertises strictly first-come, first-served, no reservations, with a 1:00pm check-in time - that's on the CRD's own website. When I arrived, the site I'd been assigned had another vehicle sitting on it with no one present. Staff told me to just take any other unoccupied site and report back to register it. I found one, set up camp (a couple hours of work), and settled in.

Around 4:00pm - three hours after check-in - a couple showed up saying they'd "claimed" that exact site at 11:00am, two hours before check-in even opens. Staff sided with them and asked me to vacate. I ended up manually relocating my entire campsite to a different spot in extreme heat, with no help, and was offered a minor credit that didn't come close to covering it.

Later that night, a bylaw officer came by asking for my permit, which I couldn't produce - it had gotten lost in the chaos of the unplanned move, and nobody had mentioned it needed to be re-displayed at the new site. I ended up cutting my trip short the next morning.

The part that really stuck with me: the campground's own rules require a camper to register upon occupying a site. The couple who displaced me hadn't occupied anything at 11am - there was no one there. So by the campground's own printed rules, their claim shouldn't have held up over mine. But it did anyway.

If you're headed there, my advice: don't fully set up until you've physically confirmed your site registration at the check-in booth, and keep your permit on you at all times, even if you change sites. The posted policy and what actually happens on the ground don't seem to match. And that's a no-no for a publically funded park.

We all have the same rights to access this park, but some folks have a secret reservation system that gives them an unfair advantage that isn't posted anywhere official.

Just sharing so folks go in with eyes open.

Parties involved have already submitted an ESA complaint.

This is more about sharing our experience. Having tried to speak to management and owners, the situation remains unresolved. The previous averaging agreement didn't meet the BC ESA requirements, the new one issued yesterday doesn't meet them either.

It is missing basic things such as:

• set weekly period to average (semi monthly is not allowed, ESA mentions it has to be weekly in periods of 1-4 weeks)
• an attached schedule
• specific number of times to repeat agreement
• specific start and end date

Relevant CURRENT BC ESA text: (https://www.bclaws.gov.bc.ca/civix/document/id/complete/statreg/00_96113_01#section37)

(2) An averaging agreement under subsection (1) is not valid unless

(a) the agreement

(i) is in writing,

(ii) is signed by the employer and employee before the start date provided in the agreement,

(iii) specifies the number of weeks over which the agreement applies,

(iv) specifies the work schedule for each day covered by the agreement,

(v) specifies the number of times, if any, that the agreement may be repeated, and

(vi) provides for a start date and an expiry date for the period specified under subparagraph (iii),

(b) the schedule in the agreement under paragraph (a) (iv) is in compliance with subsection (3), and

(c) the employee receives a copy of the agreement before the date on which the period specified in the agreement begins.

They are currently forcing every employee to update to the new (also invalid) agreement.

There are other restaurants downtown that don't short their employees hours. Just saying...

:)

While driving on Blanshard St. at approximately 10:29 a.m., I witnessed a silver Hyundai with BC plate VW3-53T hit a parked black Mitsubishi SUV with BC plate WH8-49D. The driver then left the scene without leaving their information.
I’ve already provided the details and photos to the Vic PD, but I wanted to post here as well in the hopes of this reaching the owner of the vehicle that was hit.

To the driver who hit the parked vehicle and fled, shame on you. Do better.

Regardless of your goals in this interaction I'm sorry I just tossed it back and turned away. I should have stopped to talk with you but I was preoccupied and didn't think about it until after.

I let you down, friendly stranger. I was likely much more surprised than you were that I caught it.

If you see this post DM me so we can go on a walk or something so I can apologize lmao

Thank you for all your recommendations. It was awesome.

Thai Hideaway - Got the drunken noodles, super spicy. No heat, but super tasty. Will go back and ask for Thai spicy.

Coriander- Got the lamb vindaloo, hot. Had some heat, but not very spicy. Was a good curry. Spice Valley medium was similar heat.

CS Chan - Got the dan dan mein, 8/10 spice. This kicked my ass, had to go slow. I really liked this dish. Will definitely be back.

This is the only picture I could find of Kanaka Row. The settlement is only sort of included, with the two houses in the front to the right.

Kanaka Row would have been next to the former tidal mudflats in the vicinity of Douglas and Humboldt Streets (c.1850 - 1900), where the Empress Hotel stands today. Appreciate if anyone has any leads or knows where I can find more! Thanks

Was taking the dog for her morning business at one of the parks on Langford lake. Garbage truck parks, driver gets out to use the portajohn.

Guy tugs on the door and it doesn't open. Gives it a harder yank, still doesn't open.

Now at this point, you're probably thinking to yourself, the John must be occupied. Not this guy, though. Puts both hands on the handle, braces his feet, and nearly rips the door off its hinges.

"Hey!", says the guy inside, as he's getting his dick sucked.

Just Langford things I guess.

As per EMCR.

Opened this week on Gorge Road East at Washington - Crows Coffee Shop. Went this morning and got a great latte and muffin. I really want to them to succeed, as this neighborhood could really use it! Only downside is it is a tiny spot with no indoor seating. It has a few outdoor spots though. The owner is super lovely, too.

Hope the children involved remain safe.

EDIT: My emergency alerts configuration allows me to toggle Amber Alerts off (on Samsung at least) so you should probably be able to adjust your shart-inducer for future events if that's how you roll. (Thanks u/82Annie ) However, Canadian Law may override rhat for local carriers so who knows.

Settings > Safety and Emergency > Wireless Emergency Alerts

EDIT 2: https://crtc.gc.ca/eng/television/services/alert.htm#AlertsMobile

I’m talking like somewhere where I can get as close to the experience of the Broad City bra fitting episode. I want either a stern grandma figure or a devastatingly beautiful and intimidating woman to hold a measuring tape so tight around my ribcage I think I can’t breathe, and come back to me with some bizarre bra size made by only one brand from Luxembourg and where one bra costs as much as a weeks worth of groceries for my family.

All jokes aside, I desperately need help getting sized after 2 years of nursing, so please recommend me the best shops anywhere in the CRD!

My mom is coming to see me for the first time in years from the east coast! Shes never seen a mountain before so I'd like to take her somewhere you can see the snowy caps from - any good spots? She can't walk for too long so big hikes are not an option unfortunately

Also any other recommendations of places to go? Some "don't miss" spots?

Thanks in advance!!

Why is coverage so spotty in this area? It’s dense, lots of services and offices. Anybody know somebody who can add a booster or two??

Hey everyone!

Was just curious of some pros and cons or things to be aware of from people who have had toddler birthdays at either of the places in the title or even elsewhere. Hoping to have a birthday party there for my then to be 3-year-old. I know Esquimalt has bouncy castle, I believe Henderson Rec does too. Does Esquimalt have the ride on cars and and other things for kids? I think Henderson does. Or is there another Rec center that's even better or has more options?

Seems like a pretty nice store, was just wondering if anyone has experience working there. I might be looking for a job soon so I thought I’d see if anyone has recent experience. Thanks!

I do not like these alerts very much at all. Hope the kid gets home safe though.

It's nice to see some native flowers that can survive getting mowed down for most of the year.

You can in fact view the history of emergency alerts your phone has received. So if you dismiss it before reading to silence that God awful noise you can find it in:

(Android)

1. Settings

2. Notifications

3. Wireless Emergency Alerts

4. Emergency Alert History

(Apple)

1. 🤷

Thanks for the wake up. Ill go look around.

Edit: FB has some juicy details if you look up the moms name.

Asking for celiac safe dining options or bakeries/treat spots in Victoria. I know there’s many threads asking this here, but many of them are inconclusive, muddied with gluten free dietary choices that aren’t really celiac safe, or simply are out of date with how fast businesses switch over here.

I’m not looking for “gluten free friendly,” but actually celiac safe for an allergy. This means dedicated celiac safe kitchens, please understand “gluten free” is not good enough.

I have a celiac friend with an allergy coming to visit.

Thank you guys for your help!