OUR LOCATION
Located on the southwestern tip of Vancouver Island, the District of Sooke is a 45-minute drive from downtown Victoria.
A BC Transit stop two blocks from West Wind Harbour Cohousing provides hourly bus service to and from Victoria giving easy access to city amenities.
The community’s 15,000 residents enjoy a relaxed, casual lifestyle in a rural setting that also affords many of the amenities of city life such as fine dining, music, art, theatre, and a recreational centre with a pool, and arena.
The community was named for its early Coast Salish inhabitants, the T’Sou-ke First Nation, who are now widely known for their solar power, greenhouse, and fisheries initiatives.
Sooke’s economy has shifted from its earlier base in natural resources to include many home-based businesses, a commercial core, and bustling tourism services, which welcome thousands of visitors each year.
Sooke is the gateway to the beaches and hills of the “Wild West Coast.” It offers numerous ecotourism adventures as well as the West Coast Trail, Juan de Fuca Marine Trail, and Galloping Goose Trail for biking.
With Sooke Whale Watching and Coastal Expeditions one can explore the waters of the Strait of San Juan de Fuca sighting orca, humpbacks, fin and gray whales and other marine life.
Renowned local restaurants attract diners from around the island and the mainland.
Sooke is located in sub-Mediterranean zone, and residents enjoy some of the most moderate weather in Canada. In fact, Sooke has an average of 2,193 hours of sunshine yearly, and an eight month frost free season. Average annual rainfall is half that of Vancouver, B.C., and humidity is typically very low.
Outdoor amenities such as Whiffin Spit Park and Sooke Potholes Provincial Park are popular local attractions.
The SEAPARC Leisure Centre (arena, fitness, and aquatic centre) and the Sooke Region Museum (with visitor information centre) offer year-round activities.
Those looking for local fishing opportunities are served by marinas and fishing charters and Sooke is famous for it’s crab catching opportunities off the many town docks.
There are also ample opportunities for sailing, hiking, cycling, horseback riding, and kayaking in the area.
Sun River Community Garden is a friendly place to grow food. Organic produce is available seasonally at farm stands and farmers’ markets.
The area’s vibrant arts community supports many talented artists whose beautiful works are available from both home-based studios and galleries. The annual juried Sooke Fine Arts Show is recognized as one of the finest events of its kind in western Canada.
Musicians of every genre, from symphonic to choral to bluegrass, perform at a variety of events. The Sooke Philharmonic Orchestra is an unexpected cosmopolitan asset for a small town.
Links to some websites providing information about life in the Victoria and Sooke area:
