Quadra Cedar Hill Community Association

Quadra Cedar Hill Community Association

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Proposed Quadra McKenzie Plan going to Council Jan. 19

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QCHCA has been advised that Saanich Council will consider the Proposed Quadra McKenzie Plan at a Committee of the Whole meeting to be held on Monday, January 19, 2026, in Council Chambers, Saanich Municipal Hall, 770 Vernon Avenue, commencing at 6:30 p.m. 

To speak at the meeting, you may register to speak in person or via video on MS Teams.  Please register by:

  • Emailing the meeting date, agenda item you wish to speak to, and your phone number to council@saanich.ca; or
  • By calling 250-475-5501 and specifying which meeting date and agenda item you wish to speak to.

Deadline for registration is 12:00 p.m., noon, on the day of the meeting. An opportunity to speak during the meeting will be available, please watch the webstream for details. All meetings are streamed live on Saanich.ca

Instructions will be emailed to all registrants on the afternoon of the meeting.

Written correspondence received up to 12:00 p.m., noon, on the day of the meeting will be copied to Council for their consideration.  All correspondence submitted will form part of the public record and may be published in a meeting agenda.

  • Send your comments to Council by emailing council@saanich.ca
  • Mail your comments by post to Legislative Services, District of Saanich, 770 Vernon Avenue, Victoria, BC V8X 2W7.
  • Leave your written comments in the dropbox by the main door at Municipal Hall, 770 Vernon Avenue.

The agenda package is available online, the Thursday before the meeting at Saanich.ca/agenda .If, after viewing the agenda, you have any questions concerning the report’s contents, please contact the Planning Department at 250-475-5471.

Holiday Craft Fair at Cedar Hill Recreation Centre – November 2025

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The QCHCA Climate Action Committee was pleased to be invited to participate in the Holiday Craft Fair this year!  We thought long and hard about what we could ‘sell’ on our table and promote the Association as well…. The answer was – Climate-Friendly gifting!

We stocked kits to grow microgreens as a climate-friendly gifting idea for kids or adults!  People were able to pick up an envelope of WestCoast microgreen seeds, a small bag of soil and an egg carton ‘planter’ – all free, and everything you need to sprout these
healthy greens all winter inside.

We also demonstrated many ways to wrap gifts without using commercial wrapping (did you know that in Canada we throw out over 400,000 TONS of non-recyclable gift bags/wrap every year?) Using fabric, newspaper, old maps, old music sheets and brown paper we wrapped a variety of ‘gifts’.

Here are the website resources we shared:

Never Buy Gift Paper Again: the Ultimate Guide to Zero Waste Wrapping


https://davidsuzuki.org/living-green/your-guide-green-holidays/

For those who were curious, the holiday prints on the brown paper were made using an xacto knife to carve the design on a potato which was then painted with acrylic and stamped. We thoroughly enjoyed meeting and talking with so many people and hearing of their support for QCHCA and their ideas for a climate-friendly gifting season!

 

Pollinator Garden Update

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QCHCA’s Climate Action Pollinator project update:

It has been a little over one year since we first ‘broke ground’ on the 2 boulevards on Astoria Street at Willerton Avenue. We didn’t actually ‘break ground’ as we used a ‘no dig’ method to smother the existing grass and weeds, layer goodies like alfalfa, straw and bone meal on top and cover the whole area with a generous layer of topsoil.

Before . . .                                                        Preparation of the beds

                                      

We spread seeds, planted some small seedlings, mulched and hoped for the best over the Winter!  With the support of the Saanich Parks department, we carved out some chip paths and installed log benches on both boulevards for the enjoyment of the many people who walk the street leading into the Cedar Hill Park.

Log benches courtesy of Saanich Parks

      

Spring and Summer saw the emergence of more seedlings, grasses, shrubs and, of course – weeds!  Our neighbours generously donated water during the dry summer and volunteers kept the gardens weeded and watered during the drought.

                                  

Now the gardens have been put to bed for the Winter with a fresh layer of leaf mulch as we eagerly await the arrival of Spring to see what has grown and evolved.  The gardens are approximately 60% planted and we plan to add more plants in the Spring – mostly relying on donations from fellow gardeners.

We would love to engage with a few more people to help us establish and maintain the gardens – no prior skill necessary, just a love of our natural environment and a desire to contribute to mitigating the effects of climate change!

Please contact Susan Morrow at qchca3003@gmail.com with questions, ideas, offers….Thank you!

Virtual Open Houses for 816 Cloverdale Avenue & 3311 Oak Street

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Heads up about a development outside, but close to the boundaries of our community association. We have committed to assist the Mount View Community Association in engaging with residents.
 
The proposal is early in the development process for 816 Cloverdale and 3311 Oak Street. These are currently zoned C-6UD (Uptown Douglas Highway Commercial). There are several commercial businesses currently operating on these two properties.
 
There are 2 virtual open houses planned:
Dates: December 9 and December 11, 2025
Time: 5pm to 7pm
Venue: over Zoom
 
Registration is required at https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/oak-cloverdale-redevelopment-online-open-house-tickets-1975055130061
 
The proposal is for two buildings, one of 21 storeys (facing Oak) and one of 24 storeys (facing Blanshard), multi-use buildings with 459 housing units.
 
The housing mix will feature:
Studio Units: 40 (9%)
Junior 1-Bedroom: 168 (37%)
1-Bedroom: 109 (24%)
2-Bedroom: 91 (20%)
3-Bedroom: 51 (11%)

Community Benefits & Amenities – Over $3 Million in Public Value
Community Amenity Space: 4,800 sq. ft. on-site
Neighbourhood Institutional Space: Below-market lease (10-year value: $680,000) for non-profit, childcare, or community services
Public Plaza at Blanshard & Cloverdale: High-quality pedestrian space with seating and hardscaping ($74,000)
Coast Salish Public Art: Significant installation in collaboration with Songhees and Esquimalt Nations ($150,000)
Affordable Housing Fund Contribution: Direct cash contribution ($100,000)
Regional Storm Infrastructure Upgrade: Full replacement west of property line ($2,085,000)
Total Community Amenity Package Value: $3,089,000+ (exceeds District minimum requirement by over $2.5 million)

Commercial & Streetscape Activation
Commercial Space: 10,400 sq. ft. of ground-floor retail/commercial units
Enhanced Oak Street frontage with extended active commercial uses
Pedestrian-friendly design with accessible pathways (minimum 1.5m width)
Reduced surface parking to prioritize public realm and active uses

Parking & Transportation – Supporting Active & Sustainable Mobility
Vehicle Parking: 262 stalls (primarily underground to maximize public space)
Bike Parking: 645 secure bike stalls across multiple rooms
Accessible parking, loading spaces, and car-share vehicle prioritized at surface level
Transportation Demand Management (TDM) measures align with District’s evolving parking policies
Direct pedestrian and cycling connections through the site

You can follow along the permit process on Saanich’s website at https://online.saanich.ca/Tempest/OurCity/Prospero/Details.aspx?folderNumber=DPR01084

Lambrick Park Campus Renewal Project

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Have you heard that there’s a Lambrick Park Renewal Project?
 
While not in our neighbourhood, we do know that many people use the facilities at Lambrick Park (like the Gordon Head Rec Centre).
 
Planning started earlier this year and Saanich is looking for public input focusing on long term visions, goals, and needs for the site.
 
Saanich Parks, Recreation & Community Services is leading this work, Lambrick Park and the Gordon Head Rec Centre draws community members from a wide geographical area Saanich is look for input from the broader community.
 
Find out more about the project at https://hello.saanich.ca/en/projects/lambrick-park-campus-renewal-project
 
Take the survey at https://hello.saanich.ca/en/projects/lambrick-park-campus-renewal-project/surveys/new?phase_id=8b2e76a2-f060-4b58-ab1b-4b270469847a

Saanich Tree Protection Bylaw

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Saanich Parks is updating the Tree Protection Bylaw. Updating the Bylaw will help the Parks Division align tree management across Saanich with the goal of achieving 44% canopy cover by 2064.

The project aims to:
🌳 Align the Bylaw with Saanich’s Urban Forest Strategy and Official Community Plan
🌳 Simplify and clarify Bylaw administration
🌳 Sustain the urban forest and retain high-value trees

🌳 Address gaps not covered by current regulations

How can you contribute to the updating the plan? Find out more information and register for Virtual Open House (on Zoom) at https://www.saanich.ca/…/trees/tree-protection-bylaw.html

Have your say – complete the survey at https://hello.saanich.ca/en/projects/saanich-tree-protection-bylaw-updates

Bikeways Identification and Prioritization Project

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Saanich is looking for input on its Neighbourhood Bikeways Identification and Prioritization Project. This is part of Saanich’s ongoing efforts to enhance its long-term bike network.
 
The next step is to identify which streets should be developed as neighbourhood bikeways and which should be designed as other types of cycling facilities. In addition to deciding which routes are neighbourhood bikeways, it will also create a clear and fair process to prioritize which neighbourhood bikeways get built first.
 
Your input is vital in this process and throughout November and December 2025, Saanich will be running in-person events and a survey as part of the first round of public engagement.
 

Pop-up engagement opportunities:

1️⃣ Commonwealth Place: Sunday, November 23 from Noon to 2pm
 
2️⃣ Rec Centre: Saturday, November 29 from 10an to Noon
 
3️⃣ Gordon Head Rec Centre: Thursday, December 4 from 5pm to 7pm
 
Take the survey – before December 14, 2025 – and find more information at https://hello.saanich.ca/en/projects/neighbourhood-bikeways-identification-and-prioritization
 
Read more about Saanich‘s Active Transportation Plan at https://www.saanich.ca/EN/main/community/getting-around/active-transportation-plan.html

Saanich Operations Centre Redevelopment

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QCHCA has been notified by Saanich that Council will consider the Saanich Operations Centre Redevelopment – Phased Project at a Council meeting to be held on Monday, November 17, 2025, in Council Chambers, Saanich Municipal Hall, 770 Vernon Avenue, commencing at 6:30 p.m. 

 To speak at the meeting, you may register to speak in person or via video on MS Teams.  Please register by:

  • Emailing the meeting date, agenda item you wish to speak to, and your phone number to council@saanich.ca; or
  • By calling 250-475-5501 and specifying which meeting date and agenda item you wish to speak to.

Deadline for registration is 12:00 p.m., noon, on the day of the meeting. An opportunity to speak during the meeting will be available, please watch the webstream for details. All meetings are streamed live on Saanich.ca

Instructions will be emailed to all registrants on the afternoon of the meeting.

Written correspondence received up to 12:00 p.m., noon, on the day of the meeting will be copied to Council for their consideration.  All correspondence submitted will form part of the public record and may be published in a meeting agenda.

  • Send your comments to Council by emailing council@saanich.ca
  • Mail your comments by post to Legislative Services, District of Saanich, 770 Vernon Avenue, Victoria, BC V8X 2W7.
  • Leave your written comments in the dropbox by the main door at Municipal Hall, 770 Vernon Avenue.

The agenda package is available online, the Thursday before the meeting at Saanich.ca/agenda .

Quadra Cedar Hill Community Association