View Royal makes a climate declaration for the future and the 21st century could meet the 1800s at Craigflower Manor

Some 13,000 kilometres away live two little girls who occupy half my heart (the other half is also spoken for).

It’s summer there and asphalt melts on days where the temperature is well into the 40s. In some parts of the country, drought is so persistent that kangaroos have fled to the coast – easy road kill in their weakness – and six-year old children have never seen rain.

Last night’s motion– unanimously approved by View Royal council – to declare a climate emergency was about them, the children of this generation, and the next and the next. They may be thousands of clicks away, but we’ve a responsibility to do what we can, where we can and with the tools we have.

Among those to encourage us to respond to CRD chair Colin Plant’s request that municipalities join the CRD in declaring a climate emergency were two children, participants in the global climate strike movement begun by Germany’s Greta Thunberg. A world in which children can grow and thrive isn’t a lot to ask.

To my council colleagues and me, the response was clear. Climate will be a priority in our strategic planning as we set on a course to be carbon neutral by 2030, an undertaking that won’t be easy but strikes us as essential.

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In other news, council approved third reading to rezone the site of our historic Craigflower Manor, a step toward a potential cultural/community centre on the southwest corner of the property at Island Highway and Admirals Road. The building proposed by the Victoria Highland Games Society is low, round, and cool – like a flying saucer landed in a 1857 farm yard.

Concept drawing of a proposed community and cultural centre at Craigflower Manor site by d’Ambrosio Architecture.

A few people spoke at a public hearing, one of them a neighbour who has no problem with such a development, as long as it won’t mean more bagpipes.

There’s a distance to go before ground can be broken, but View Royal could truly benefit from a gathering place.

It was great to see a full house in the council chambers. It’s not a frequent sight and it’s wonderful to see people interested and engaged in this community.