Metchosin, British Columbia

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The District of Metchosin is a small, coastal community (fewer than 5000 people) in Greater Victoria, British Columbia's Western Communities. Many Metchosinites have hobby farms, typically of sheep or chickens. "Dogless in Metchosin" by Tom Henry is a first-hand account of life there; as the title indicates, dogs are popular pets and people without at least one stand out. Locals have an easygoing culture and may stop in the middle of the road to chat if they meet a friend while walking their dogs. As Metchosin has little traffic even on its main road, this isn't as hazardous as it first sounds.

Metchosinites, especially the younger ones, are traditionally friendly rivals of neighbouring communities Sooke, East Sooke, Langford, and Colwood. A recent move to merge Metchosin and East Sooke, which have similar rural-utopian characters, failed; some East Sookese adopted the slogan "East Sooke Forever, Metchosin Never!" as they saw the proposition not as a merge but as an assimilation into larger Metchosin. However, many more East Sookese see merging with Metchosin as a great benefit to both communities by making a stonger pro-rural community, as well as salvation from rampant development promoted by the District of Sooke - "East Sooke Loves Metchosin" is one slogan associated with this view.

Metchosin is known for its many wilderness parks, such as Devonian, Witty's Lagoon, and Matheson Lake. Their well-maintained trails and scenic vistas are popular with tourists and locals. While these outdoor attractions do not offer souvenirs, Victoria itself has most of the region's money-spending opportunities (e.g. souvenir shops and museums). As many Metchosinites work in Victoria, the tourists do indirectly benefit Metchosin's economy.

The name Metchosin is the anglicised version of the native "Smets-Schosen", which means "place of stinking fish". Local legend maintains that many years prior to the Europeans' arrival, an orca beached and died, and that everywhere that could smell it rotting became part of Metchosin. The town's museum, which was once its one-room school before an increasing population necessitated a larger building, claims to have vertebrae from the animal on display. Metchosin's community symbol is, perhaps unsurprisingly, an orca.

As a result of the municipal elections (November 19, 2005), Metchosin's Council-elect is John Ranns (Mayor), Kyara Kahakauwila (Councillor), Bob Gramigna (Councillor), Jo Mitchell (Councillor), and John Webb (Councillor).

[edit] Neighbourhoods of Metchosin

• Happy Valley
• Matheson Lake
• Rocky Point (includes the southernmost point in western Canada)
• William Head
• Kangaroo
• Nield Road
• Albert Head

[edit] Physiography

Much of Metchosin is hilly, with shallow, stony soils over basalt bedrock. Lower-lying areas, as in Happy Valley, have deep deposits of clay, silt and sand. Alluvial loams occur along some of the streams.

[edit] Other facts

Metchosin is home to the Lester B. Pearson College[1], one of the ten United World Colleges around the world.

Metchosin is also home to the Albert Head Air Cadet Summer Training Centre, the main training centre for Royal Canadian Air Cadets in British Columbia.

The community newspaper, Metchosin Muse, is published monthly.

[edit] Events

• Fired Up pottery exhibition (May)
• Metchosin International Summer School of the Arts[2] (July)
• Sheep Dog Trials (July)
• Stinking Fish Studio Tour[3](July-August)
• Metchosin Day country fair (September)

[edit] Parks

• Albert Head Lagoon   (Regional Park[4])
• Blinkhorn Nature Park
• Buckbrush Swamp
• Devonian   (Regional Park[5])
• Matheson Lake Park   (Regional Park[6])
• Witty's Lagoon   (Regional Park[7])

[edit] References

• Community Profile: Metchosin District Municipality, British Columbia; Statistics Canada

[edit] External links

• Metchosin's home page