While the debate rages on as exactly how to describe Saanich’s southern most tract - is it, or isn’t it a panhandel - the resuscitation of the Camosun Community Association continues.
The CCA is returning its Fall Festival this weekend at the Richmond elementary school, Saturday from 1 to 4 p.m.
In the meantime, the Camosun neighbourhood - which falls loosely from Derby Road/Shelbourne and juts southbound between Richmond and Foul Bay until about eight lots south of Haultain and includes half the Royal Jubilee Hospital - continues to stir debte.
“It’s a panhandle, why wouldn’t it be,” says Lisa Timmons, who’s organizing the festival and is new to the CCA this year.
“I went to my first CCA meeting earlier this year and I asked too many good questions, now I’m a director at large and you know what? It’s a great neighbourhood.”
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The CCA wants to foster a greater sense of community and the Fall Festival is a part of that renewed commitment, Timmons said. It’s a big turnaround for a neighbourhood association that sent out an S.O.S. just three years ago.
“This area is so much more than a thoroughfare, it’s a vibrant community with a diverse set of residents, and it’s part of Saanich.”
The grass roots family friendly event will offer a mix of entertainment and activities with a bouncy castle, live music with singer Mitchell Hahn of the Mosaics, and face painting.
“We are very fortunate to have [Richmond school tenant] Kaleidoscope Theatre hold an open house at the same time,” Timmons said. “They’ll open up their classroom and will run some mini-theatre skits during the festival.
There will also be hot dogs, cake and classic games for kids including a corn toss and hourly draw prizes. A Saanich selfie station will be there to celebrate Canada’s 150th.
“We chose this location for the number of reasons first, to highlight Richmond school as an important public asset for the community, and to remind people this panhandle is actually part of CCA and is within Saanich boundaries and not Victoria,” Timmons added.
Richmond school is also across from the Townley Lodge affordable housing that is applying to be redeveloped, Timmons noted.
For more information visit camosuncommunityassociation.com.
