News for November 2007

Starry Night A Huge Success!

Thanks to Our Members and Our Community

For Tremendous Support!

We rolled out the good times last Friday night at our Starry Night Social, Dinner &

Auction, and judging by the buzz in Bodine Hall, everyone had a fun evening! Thank you to all who helped to make the event a terrific success! And a big, big thank you to all who donated items for the silent and live auctions, and to our guests and bidders on auction night. Event proceeds, earmarked to redevelop the grounds of the Pat Bay Highway Visitor Centre, bested last year’s gross by 36%.

Many hands worked many hours to make the event an unforgettable experience. Warm thanks and appreciation to Susan Mason who envisioned a winter wonderland in Bodine Hall and made it happen—brilliantly! And thanks to the volunteers who assisted with the detail work: Maria Kirley, Elizabeth Mason, Charlotte Whitehouse, Jeanette Milne, Pat Maxwell, Ron Fyfe, Dale Ashdown and Bob Alger.

Special thanks to A-Channel Vancouver Island and anchor Astrid Braunschmidt for her MC and auctioneering help.

Thanks to donors of the appetizers: Blue Peter Restaurant, Dockside Grill,

Jazzaniah Café, Stonestreet Café, Sabhai Thai Restaurant, Spitfire Grill and

Thrifty Foods Sidney.

Thanks to Beacon Law Centre, sponsors of the music, and Tom Lee Music,

sponsors of the piano. Thank you Jamie and Lynn Syer, Victoria Conservatory of Music, for providing the musical entertainment.

Thank you Nick Coates of the Airport Travelodge, chef Martin Hewitt and his team from the Charles Dickens Pub, and Mariann Malvet of Earthly Delights, who provided fabulous food service.

Many thanks also to Chamber director-volunteers Pat Fafard, Charlie Hodgins, Joe Jansen, Denis Paquette, Ginny Alger, Ken Bates, Coll Gordon, Janice Hodgins, Liz Madro, Sean McNulty and Terry Stewart, and to Chamber staff Elaine Bodnar, Melanie Fyfe and Carol Whitehouse.

And finally, thank you Bill Lushaw and staff of Winspear Centre.

Next year’s Starry Night – Friday, November 21, 2008 – will feature a swing band and dancing! Stay tuned …

Starry Night Social, Dinner and Auction

Starry Night Social, Dinner and Auction

Friday, November 23

Mary Winspear Centre, Sidney

 

Auction Preview, Cocktails, Appetizers: 5:30 pm

Dinner 7:00 pm

Chamber Music by the Victoria Conservatory of Music throughout the evening.

Live Auction: 8:45 pm

Tickets: $50; table for 8 - $350

 

We’re calling on our Visitor Centre racking clients to help us make this event a stellar success!!

 

Here’s why we need your help …

 

More than 50,000 visitors stop at the Chamber’s Information Centres every year, looking for information, directions and advice. Our tourism counsellors are first to greet visitors arriving off the ferries at Swartz Bay and Sidney terminals -and help them find their way to your business!

 

We have commissioned architect’s plans for a brand new state-of-the-art Visitor Centre on the Pat Bay Highway. We also have plans to redevelop the centre’s grounds. We hope to complete this work in 2008. Your auction contribution will help us to accomplish that goal! You’ll also be helping us to sustain the service we offer at both our Pat Bay and Sidney Visitor Centres.

 

We’ll be calling you over the next few weeks to ask you to provide an item for our silent or live auction.  We hope you’ll say “YES, I will provide an auction item” and “YES, I would like tickets for the Starry Night Social”.

 

Thank you very much!

Waterfront Development Public Process

Greetings Chamber members. Your input on two important processes currently happening in Sidney, will help to determine the future of the town’s waterfront.

Waterfront Development Public Process

The Sidney Waterfront Partnership will host Public Open Houses at Winspear Centre, on Monday, November 19 and Tuesday, November 20, from 3 to 7 pm. This is your opportunity to see the partnership’s plans for the Sidney waterfront, and to meet the developers and discuss aspects of the development that interest you.

Your input is an important aspect of the development process. At this stage, the Sidney Waterfront Partnership is looking for an indication of the public support the development will receive, as it undergoes the rezoning, consultation and public process. The partnership has prepared a questionnaire that will facilitate the feedback process. Please be sure to fill it out when you attend.

The Town of Sidney’s Local Area Plan

Public input is an integral component of Sidney’s Local Area Plan process, now underway. The town is working diligently to ensure that all stakeholders have an opportunity to provide feedback.

The Town of Sidney has developed a questionnaire designed to gather information on the Local Area Plan. It’s attached to this email. Your input will help to inform the direction the local area plan. Please take a few minutes to answer the questions and fax your answers to the Town’s Development Services department at 656-7056, by the deadline, Monday, November 26.

For more information on the LAP please click on the link below.

Sidney_s_Downtown___Downtown_Waterfront.htm

Public open house this week

The future of Victoria International Airport has an enormous impact on all of our businesses and the economy of our region. The Airport Authority will be premièring the future plans for the airport at an Open House this Wednesday night at Mary Winspear from 7pm to 9pm.

Some of the highlights will be the plans for an extension to the main runway to accommodate direct air service to London England, the expansion of the Terminal Building to accommodate American Pre-Clearance services, the Pat Bay/McTavish Interchange, a new airport Firehall and Maintenance Complex, as well as numerous land developments that will provide good jobs for the community.