From the Calgary Herald
VICTORIA — Colour us with green with envy.
It’s the time of year when most Canadians are battling the remnants of winter. Brown grass, leafless trees and less-than-pristine snow banks fill our landscape. Plus, we know another snow storm is likely to hit before spring is truly here.
In Victoria, however, the picture is a different one.
The grass is green. The golf courses are open. And, British Columbia's capital city is already filled with three-quarters of a billion blossoms.
Yes, that’s right — almost a billion blossoms. How do Victoria residents know? Well, they counted; just like they do every year.
The annual flower count is an offshoot of a 1960s event called Victoria Days, which used to see a group of residents in Victorian-era costumes visit cities such as Calgary and Edmonton to hand out daffodils and promote their city’s early spring.
In 1976, the event grew to include an annual flower count so that everyone in Victoria could get involved.
It’s a lighthearted initiative (since it would be difficult to come up with a “scientific” count of blossoms); however, it’s a perfect way to welcome spring.
But how does Victoria reach such a high figure? Well, if you think about how many blossoms a large flowering tree has (750,000), it’s easy to see how the total number quickly grows.
The city’s blooming success has wafted our way for years now; it’s a good thing it smells so sweet, and that it’s easy for Western Canadians to get to Victoria to join in the flowering fun.
“Canadians can enjoy spring early in Victoria with blooms colouring the landscape by late February,” says Trina Mousseau, Tourism Victoria’s director of destination marketing.
“We have a plethora of outdoor activities, whether you prefer to spend the afternoon on the golf course, whale watching on the ocean, or going for a hike in our old-growth rainforests,” she says. “Victoria is full of life in spring.”
For golfing fans and fanatics, there’s myriad courses in Victoria and along the coasts and valleys of Vancouver Island.
“What makes Victoria such a good (vacation) choice is first and foremost our temperate climate,” says Cheryl Bushby, marketing manager for the Westin Bear Mountain Golf Resort & Spa.
The resort had a reality TV spotlight shone on it last year, while it was the temporary home of former CFL player Brad Smith, star of The Bachelor: Canada.
But, it’s also become known as a destination where visitors can golf at one of its two courses (the mountain course) year round, Bushby says. “You can’t say that about many other spots in Canada.”
This is also the time of the year when you’ll find golf deals; at the Westin Bear Mountain, for example, $69 gets you a round of golf with GPS power cart and warm-up balls.
“We are the only all-in-one hotel golf experience,” says Westin head pro Jordan Ray. “(You) walk out of your hotel room and right onto the course. To use a ski term, we are a true ‘golf in, golf out.’”
Whether golfing or not, the award-winning Sante Spa at the resort merits a visit. Not only are there perfect packages for golfers (Fore the Face, the Eagle Massage or the Golfer’s 19th Hole, for example); there is also a full range of treatments available that reflect the peaceful surroundings of the mountain.
A rejuvenating arbutus wrap is inspired by the nearby ancient trees, while the Elements Mountain Massage features a sage smudge, purifying foot bath, essential oils and B.C. jade stones positioned on energy pathways. It’s pure bliss.
Once emerged from the serenity of the spa, you’ll see golfers aren’t the only active folks taking advantage of the early spring and mild temperatures in Victoria.
It’s an ideal city for pursuing any number of recreational activities because, as Statistics Canada notes, Victoria is the fittest city in the country and the cycling capital of Canada.
Bike routes through historic neighbourhoods and parks abound, with one of the star attractions being the Galloping Goose Trail, a former rail line that curves past lakes, marshes, forests, charming farms and bird sanctuaries.
For those who prefer to take to the water, kayaks can depart from the Inner Harbour right in downtown Victoria.
There’s no shortage of routes for visitors who prefer a good walk or hike, either. A stroll along the harbour front and past the Parliament Buildings is always one of my favourites, but Tourism Victoria also has a list of suggested walks based on distances and interests, such as history, architecture, shopping or gardens.
These activities not only let you take in the green of the great outdoors; walking and cycling also allow you to participate in the sustainable green movement that’s taken hold of Victoria.
A “greening” of many shops and restaurants has occurred. Tourism Victoria has even created a “green blog” that applauds the environmentally-sensitive initiatives launched by businesses.
That means when you visit a restaurant like Pizzeria Prima Strada, you’re not only getting the best Neapolitan pizza this side of Italy. You’re also supporting a business that is involved in projects like Garbage Showdown, which saw 33,000 pieces of garbage collected from streets and alleys on Earth Day last year.
The same holds true if you decide to dine at Smoken Bones Cookshack.
The BBQ Taster Platter — with pork ribs, beef ribs, pulled pork and brisket — is mouth-wateringly irresistible. But it’s also nice to know that behind the scenes, owner Ken Hueston and crew ensure Vancouver Island ingredients are featured whenever possible, promoting local consumption and sustainability.
It adds another touch of green to a getaway that every winter-weary Canadian could use right about now, to a city where January showers bring February and March flowers.
Victoria by the numbers
2: The ranking given to Victoria, for having the second highest number of restaurants per capita in North America, only behind San Francisco.
13: The percentage of 2008 Canadian Summer Olympic team members that call Victoria home.
80: The number of orca whales that can be found in the three resident pods that make their home in the waters around Victoria.
950: Number of hanging baskets on lamp posts during summer months.
991: Number of farms in the Greater Victoria area.
3,333: Number of lights twinkling on the Parliament Building each night.
750,000: Number of cups of tea served each year at the Fairmont Empress Hotel.
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