Sooke area amenities

Blogpost by Janice Johnson

The Sooke Harbour House was definitely a highlight in my trip. This is an amenity I would recommend to visitors because it provides a warm, relaxing and romantic environment. Also with the house being located on the Sooke harbour, it provided the most amazing ocean view. When I first walked into the house, I automatically felt I was in a home because of the beautiful artwork displayed everywhere and the gorgeous dining area looking over the Sooke Harbour. In addition to feeling cozy, the front desk lady was very helpful in giving an overall discription of what the house had to offer and the community itself. The last thing I admired most about the house was their sustainable practices. The fact that their restaurant features the freshest of local seafood, meats and produce and actively supports the local farmers, gardeners and fishermen shows appreciation for their local economy. The Sooke Harbour is definitely an asset to the community so I think it is important to continue promoting and supporting it success. In my eyes, they are roles models that are paving the way to the importance of sustainable living.
Our visit to T’Sou-ke First Nation village was a visit I very much enjoyed. T’Sou-ke First Nation recently installed one of the largest solar panel systems in British Columbia and was gracious enough to share their journey. It was a project first initiated by a former chief of T’Sou-ke First Nation and carried out by current Chief Gordan Planes. Prior to the funding proposal, T’Sou-ke First Nation conducted some background research and discovered that Germany who normally uses solar panels, received less sun then the south coast of Vancouver Island, therefore catching the interest of the community and immediately persuading them to invest. In their journey, it was interesting to see how the project brought the community closer together. Normally you would not see a First Nations community invest in such a product but after hearing the purpose behind it, you definitely feel inspired. Although this project took a lot of hard work and time, I feel it was worth the investment because it gives the community a sense of pride and status. When I first walked into the community, I could see how excited and eager the members were to share, which showed me how very proud they were of their accomplishments. I seen it as an opportunity to showcase the alternatives a First Nations community could adopt for sustainable success. Overall in this experience, I found it neat to see how the leaders were strategically helping their community make the transition from old technology to new technology without jeopardizing the traditional values of their people. Showing their community the importance of change and providing them the opportunities to adopt new practices that can environmentally, economically and socially benefit them all.