News Archive

A Cordova Bay team is BMO team of the week!

Recently the Cordova Bay Impact under-12 soccer team was named Bank of Montreal (BMO) Team of the Week for their fundraising achievements off the pitch this year although, sadly, it didn't achieve overall champion for 2011..
As the BMO Team of the Week, the Impact players win track suits, $500 for the team and $500 towards the charity of their choice.
Catching the BMO judges’ eyes was the Impact’s fundraising efforts to cover the cost of the team’s participation in Sweden’s 2011 Gothia Cup, a world youth soccer tournament with hundreds of teams, held July 17-23.

Des Connor has died

A former president of the Cordova Bay Association for Community Affairs (CBA), Desmond M. Connor, has died. He headed the CBA between 1989 and 1993 and served several more years on the CBA executive during the 30 years that he and his wife of 53 years, Etta, lived on Catalina Terrace and Sayward Hill.
“Des was a gentle person, articulate and humourous,” commented Restorative Times, the quarterly newsletter of the Victoria Restorative Justice Society. Des and Etta shared a special interest in working for restorative justice. He was one of the founders of Peninsula Crossroads Community Justice program in 1999.
He was an applied sociologist-anthropologist with an international practice in preventing and resolving public controversy for corporations and government agencies which were proposing new policies, programs and projects. He was responsible for completing more than 300 projects, mostly in Canada but a number overseas, through his company, Connor Development Services Ltd., which he founded in 1968. He also taught as a adjunct professor at the University of Victoria, designed courses at colleges and universities and wrote books and manuals.
His educational accomplishments began with a diploma in agriculture in New Zealand in 1951 and included a national diploma in agricultural engineering in the United Kingdom in 1954, a bachelor of science degree in agricultural economics at the University of Toronto in 1957, a master of science degree in rural sociology from Cornell University in 1962 and a Ph.D. in rural sociology from Cornell in 1963.
Des Connor died on May 17, 2011, in Victoria General Hospital aged 81. He was buried at Shady Creek United Church cemetery in Central Saanich. In addition to Etta, he left three children and two grandchildren. Remembrance gifts may be made to the Victoria Restorative Justice Society at 306-620 View Street, Victoria, BC, V8W 1J6.
(Written by Roger Stonebanks, a former CBA president.)

CBA so proud to nominate 55 Plus Association "Fab Five"

The CBA was recently asked by Cordova Bay resident, Dawn Fyke, if it would nominate the very deserving "Fab Five" from the 55 Plus for an award at a Hearts of the Community ceremony and luncheon held on Tuesday 15 February at the Mary Winspear Centre, Sidney.
The "Fab Five", whose inspiration and hard work back in 1999, made the hugely successful 55 Plus what it is today. They are: Inez Cole, whose dream it was initially, Gwen MacPherson, Daphne Chazottes, Jack Willoughby and Rich McMorran.
Although they did not win the Community Service by Group award, they very deservedly received a Certificate of Recognition from the Beacon Community Services and Peninsula News.

Cordova Bay and Gordon Head
soccer groups amalgamated

A Special General Meeting of the Cordova Bay Soccer Club members has passed resolutions to form one club with Gordon Head Soccer Association.
For details, visit the clubs' websites: http://www.cordovabaysoccer.org and http://www.ghsa.bc.ca

New plans for old McMorran's restaurant

Downtown businesswoman Kate Phoenix has bought McMorran's Beach House/Charters Restaurant and has upgrade plans she told the Times Colonist. Click here to read the TC article.

Kate took possession on October 20 and hopes to start renovations and upgrades as soon as Saanich gives approval for a new roof. She will keep many of the features that McMorran's is known for - the maple dance floor and large fireplace in the top floor banquet area - but will open up the low-ceilinged banquet roof to post and beam. That will become a dining room with an open kitchen installed so diners can watch chefs at work. She plans on menu items such as fish and chips, thin-cut pizzas, steak, ribs and roasted chicken.

On behalf of the McMorran family, which has owned a restaurant on the site for 90 years, Wallace McMorran wished Kate well and hoped that regular guests will be back when the restaurant re-opens. The McMorran family closed the restaurant last Easter.

The purchase price for the two waterfront lots and the lot used for parking on the other side of Cordova Bay Road was not immediately disclosed. The asking price for all three lots was $2,568,000. A fourth lot was bought by Saanich last winter for $869,000 as a public park.

And the winner is......!

All new and renewed memberships received by 1 February were entered in a draw for a $50 gift certificate for a meal at any Cordova Bay restaurant. The draw was made at the CBA board meeting on 8 February and we promise it was a complete coincidence that the winner was Randy Otto (before he became our new Membership Chair!). He chose the Café Yucatan & Pizzeria in the Cordova Bay Plaza where, rumour has it, you'll find the best Mexican dishes and pizzas in town.

Here is Randy (left) receiving the certificate from Dave Wight
who is the son of the Café Yucatan owner.

Cordova Bay Golf Course named Facility of the Year

The Professional Golfers' Association of British Columbia named Cordova Bay Golf Course the Facility of the Year at the annual BC golf awards in Penticton last month.

The superintendent, Dean Piller, was shortly beforehand named Canadian Superintendent of the Year by the Canadian Golf Superintendents Association. See: www.cordovabaygolf.com

Do you know of a worthy cause in Cordova Bay?

The CBA directors would like to hear from you of any non-profit organization in Cordova Bay that you feel is deserving of a donation. As the item above explains, money raised at the CBA's yearly Cordova Bay Day goes to a worthy community group. Over the past three years, we have made donations to the Haliburton Farm, the 55 Plus Association, the Cordova Bay Soccer Club and, most recently, to the Cordova Bay Co-op Preschool. If you know any other deserving cause, please contact: Penny Joppe: 250-658-8566 or by e-mail: letter-to-editor@cbasn.com.

New seating for the Cordova Bay Soccer Club

Ready for use is a new bench with a canopy to keep the waiting players dry next to Frank's Field at Lochside Park, courtesy of a $1,000 donation from the Cordova Bay Association for Community Affairs (CBA) to Cordova Bay Soccer Club. The donation came from the CBA's Community Fund which is earmarked for community groups or endeavours within Cordova Bay. The money is raised at the silent auction at the CBA's annual Cordova Bay Day. Frank's Field is named after the late Frank Leversedge, soccer stalwart and activist, who was also a founding director of the CBA in 1976. CBA's contribution is acknowledged with this sign generously designed and provided by the Cordova Bay Soccer Club.

To enlarge photo, please click on it

This photo courtesy of Brad Babcook,
Vice President, Cordova Bay Soccer Club

Cordova Bay Day, 2010

Another successful "Cordova Bay Day" was staged by the Cordova Bay Association for Community Affairs (CBA) on Saturday June 26, 2010, in the grounds of St. David by the Sea Anglican Church on Cordova Bay Road.

This was the 7th annual Cordova Bay Day which is a fun-time community get-together and a fund-raiser through the silent auction for community endeavours and donations to groups within Cordova Bay.

PLEASE CLICK HERE TO VIEW 124 PHOTOS. OPEN THE CORDOVA BAY DAY ALBUM AND DOUBLE CLICK ON THE FIRST PHOTO FOR A SLIDESHOW OR JUST ENLARGE INDIVIDUAL PHOTOS - ENJOY!
Photos from Sally, Richard Alexander and Tony de GoutičŹre.)

A very successful AGM - 2010

Saanich South MLA Lana Popham and Saanich Coun. Dean Murdock were the guest speakers at the Annual General Meeting of the Cordova Bay Association for Community Affairs (CBA) on April 16.

At the membership business meeting after the refreshment break, CBA members elected six directors for two-year terms to the executive - Anthony Minniti, Cal Faber, Jennifer Furtado, Jack Colbert, Penny Joppe and Bob Meehan (who join Wayne Christmas, Janice de Cunha, David Kuprowsky, Maureen Leech and Richard Alexander) and bade farewell to retiring board members: Roger Stonebanks, Hanny Pannekoek and Diane De Wolfe. Please refer to "Board of Directors" on this website for your new board members and their responsibilities. A power-point presentation ran throughout the evening, put together and manned by Richard, our new president.
To view this presentation, please click here.

**AN OPPORTUNITY TO VOLUNTEER
FOR YOUR COMMUNITY**

Please consider becoming involved in the Cordova Bay Association for Community Affairs (CBA) at the board level. The CBA is only as strong as its membership and having a diverse and enthusiastic board will ensure the needs of the members and community are heard.

If you’re interested in serving your community by being on the Board of Directors – please contact one of the Nominating Committee members listed below. We’ll be happy to meet with you and provide information about being a board member – what it means and what’s involved. (Candidates must be CBA members in good standing.) The Board meets once a month except during July and August.

One of the important items on the agenda will be the election of seven CBA members to the Board of Directors to complete our full complement of 11 directors. There are five two-year terms and two one-year terms to be filled.

The CBA bylaws require the Board to appoint a Nominating Committee “to canvass the membership and produce a slate of nominees for election as directors.” Nominations can also be made from the floor at the AGM by any two CBA members in good standing – provided that nominees are members of the CBA and state their willingness to stand for election.

Your CBA Nominating Committee:
Sally Tuckey, Nominating Committee Chair – sgtuckey@islandnet.com.
Roger Stonebanks - rstonebanks@telus.net.
Penny Joppe – pen.ton@shaw.ca.

Luncheon for the Cordovan volunteer deliverers
20 March 2010

Many of the 84 volunteer deliverers of the Cordovan were guests at a farewell lunch hosted by the Cordova Bay Association for Community Affairs (CBA) in late March. The event was held to thank them for delivering nearly 3,000 copies of each issue of the CBA's newsletter to every household in the community. As editor Maurice Chazottes remarked during his welcoming speech, some of the volunteers have been involved in the Cordovan for almost 30 years.

Maurice received a presentation gift to recognize his 10 years as editor, and in turn he was pleased to make a presentation to Penny Joppe in recognition of her work in organizing the efficient distribution system for the newsletter and her role as acting president of the CBA following the resignation of Roger Stonebanks due to major surgery. Making the presentation, Maurice also recognized Roger in the audience, now fully recovered and still active in the community.

Peggy Hancyk was also presented with a gift to thank her for giving up so much of her time over the past 20 years to liaise between advertisers and the Cordovan production team.

Please click on photo above for others taken by Tony de Goutičre.

What a traffic calmer!

Put together a collection of antique cars and lots of people and you get - an effective traffic calming device for Cordova Bay Road. It only lasted for a few hours on April 3 as the McMorran family bade a fond "farewell" to the public by serving hotdogs and ice cream. McMorran's Beach House closed for good after dinner on April 4 after 90 years in business. The two beachfront lots (the restaurant and the immediately adjacent lot) are for sale along with the lot on the other side of Cordova Bay Road that was used for parking. Saanich bought the third beachfront lot (south of the concrete path to the beach) and will rezone it as a public park.

(Please click on photo above for others taken by Tony de Goutičre)

Photo below (courtesy of the McMorrans) - The end of an era

New sign for Cordova Bay

A SPLENDID new "Cordova Bay" sign welcomes residents and visitors at the main southern entrance to our community on Cordova Bay Road at the traffic lights (Cordova Bay Road/Royal Oak Drive/Blenkinsop Road intersection). The granite sign was made at Mortimer's Monumental Works and is set in a concrete frame. It is a community gift from Ernie Yakimovich, neighbouring resident and developer of the 17-house Oceanwood Estates. The CBA came up with the "Cordova Bay" sign idea several years ago and Ernie agreed to have it made and installed. The CBA thanks him for his community generosity.

(To enlarge photo, please click it.)

CBA donates $1,000 to Cordova Bay Soccer Club

The Cordova Bay Association for Community Affairs (CBA) has donated $1,000 to the Cordova Bay Soccer Club. The donation came from the CBA's Community Fund which comes from fund-raising at the annual silent auction on Cordova Bay Day and is earmarked for community groups or endeavours within Cordova Bay.

Brad Babcook, Soccer Club vice-president, says the donation will be used for bench improvements at the clubhouse and that the CBA will be acknowledged.

McMorran's Beach House closing this year,
property to be sold

Statement by Roger Stonebanks, former president of the Cordova Bay Association for Community Affairs, re McMorran's:

"The closure of McMorran's Beach House will come as a surprise to many - and with more than a little sadness. Its history goes back to the 1920s when the McMorran family started their beachfront Tea Rooms. In the years since then it has been a prominent feature of community life in Cordova Bay - the scene of many wedding receptions, ballroom dances and community meetings - as well as a restaurant and patio.

"As to the future use of this property, residents will look forward to a thorough community consultation and input process including public meetings for whatever will be proposed in its place. Whatever is proposed will be examined closely by residents and it will need to 'fit into' the neighbourhood.

"The purchase by Saanich of the beautiful grassy and treed lot at 5099 Cordova Bay Road with its magnificent view of Haro Strait, the islands and Mount Baker is very welcome. It will enhance the beachfront and the Cordova Bay village core and will add a public park between Agate Park and Cordova Bay Park. It is complemented by the existing beach access."

Cordova Bay Day - 2009

The skies were blue and the sun shone for our Cordova Bay Day 2009! At least partly as a result of the gorgeous weather, the community turned out and enjoyed the relaxed, easy atmosphere at both McMorran's and, later on, at Mattick's Farm.

Cordova Bay - what a marvellous place to live!
Sally Tuckey, event organiser.

To see a slide show of Sally's photos, please click on this link:

Cordova Bay Day 2009 photos

WIPE-OUT

Excessive speed by the driver of a red truck, resulted in a crash through the fence recently at 880 Sayward Road at one part of the problematic corner of Sayward-Hunt-Fowler roads. The driver sped off. Residents at this address are especially concerned because their children play in the yard.

Photo taken by Jennifer Furtado, CBA director

Yet another accident.....

Another accident to report. A young woman, driving down Sayward Road from the highway, took the corner at Sayward/Hunt/Fowler too quickly resulting in the driver spinning around and hitting a power pole - the woman was obviously shaken from the accident and the airbag being deployed. Two further occupants were in the car. Luckily for her, nothing was coming the other way so no other vehicles were involved.

The officer on the scene was of the opinion that the driver was in error, driving too fast and possibly with lack of experience (N sign in the back) being a factor. He believes something needs to be done at this dangerous intersection and is in favour of a roundabout. The Cordova Bay Association (CBA) is pushing Saanich to address this problem.

Photo taken by Jennifer Furtado, CBA director

Another crash on problem corner

Two vehicles collided head-on recently at the continuing accident-prone corner of Sayward/Hunt/Fowler roads despite the cautionary 'Slow to 30 kilometres an hour' signs on both approaches to the curve erected by Saanich last fall. The CBA repeats its call for a T-intersection with three-way stops.

Photo taken by Wayne Christmas