Dean Murdock Saanich Councillor

Saanich Council approved a new retail giant coming to Tillicum mall in Monday night's meeting.
CFAX July 22, 2012

Councillor Dean Murdock confirms that Target will move into the shopping centre. Murdock is pushing for better pedestrian access in the parking lot,

"Do some pedestrian improvements so that people can find their way through that parking lot which is currently, basically a wasteland to pedestrians. Once you get out of your car, it's a real challenge to try to get to the store."

Saanich teams with Victoria on gas tax funding application
By Kyle Slavin - Saanich News

Saanich and Victoria councils are hoping for a $1 million grant to help them plan for a new-and-improved Douglas Street corridor.

Saanich council last week unanimously supported a joint application with the City of Victoria seeking federal gas tax money from the Union of B.C. Municipalities to conduct “community planning work” on Douglas.

Up On The Roof
P.C. King, Citizen Journalist

In earlier times the area known as Central Saanich was considered the breadbasket for what is now the Capital Regional District (CRD).

Today, the breadbasket for our region could extend to the rooftops, according to Saanich Councillor Dean Murdock. By developing rooftop gardens, communities could begin utilizing large areas of ‘empty space’. Although rooftop gardening is relatively new to the Saanich Peninsula, green roofs are not a new idea to communities around the world.

Saanich to consider encouraging green roofs for future developments
CFAX 1070 February 12, 2012

Roofs in Saanich could get a little greener, this after council supported a recommendation on considering the encouragement of including rooftop gardens on multi-family or commercial developments in the district.

Councillor Dean Murdock says the recommendation was brought forward by the Healthy Saanich Advisory Committee, and was supported unanimously.

Saanich rooftops could provide local food security
Kyle Slavin, Saanich News

Saanich councillor Dean Murdock is pushing to make rooftop gardens much more commonplace in the municipality.

Murdock, who chairs the Healthy Saanich Advisory Committee, was expected on Monday to ask for support on a recommendation to have green roofs become part of the development guidelines for multi-family residential and commercial projects.

On Monday night, I will bring a motion to Council on behalf of the Healthy Saanich Advisory Committee. Here's a copy of the report to Council, recommending roof top gardens for urban farming. Have a look!

Background

Signature building to serve as catalyst for Shelbourne renewal
By Kyle Slavin - Saanich News

While staffers plan out the future of Shelbourne Valley – complete with dense centres and walkable villages – council OK'd what it hopes will be the "catalyst" for that change Monday night.

A small three-storey building – which will house a Vancity credit union, a medical practice and office space – will replace the single-floor dry cleaner and barbershop at the corner of Cedar Hill X Road and Stamboul Street.

Council approves daycare with rooftop playground
By Kyle Slavin - Saanich News

Roofs are not somewhere children should play, said two Saanich councillors last week during discussions about a rezoning request that would allow a daycare with a rooftop play area.

"I don't think that is an appropriate place for kids to play," said Coun. Wayne Hunter, who spoke against the proposal along with Coun. Vic Derman. "This is Saanich, not New York or Toronto or L.A – one of those downtown core areas. This is Saanich."

Daycare above pub supported for Shelbourne development
Kyle Slavin, Saanich News

A new daycare centre is planned for a yet-to-be-built four-storey project behind Tuscany Village.

Saanich council agreed to rezone the property, at 3959 Shelbourne St., to include one-and-a-half floors of daycare, a rooftop play area, office space and a restaurant-style pub downstairs.

“When you look at all of the acres of rooftop we have in Saanich and this region, this is, I think, a clever solution to providing more outdoor space for a childcare centre,” Coun. Dean Murdock said.