Greater Victoria - Sooke1258444

The District of Accommodations Sooke is the westernmost of Greater Victoria's western communities. Only recently incorporated (1999), Sooke is often a largely rural municipality which has a developing residential core. The population of 11,000 is increasing slowly but steadily.

The historical home in the T'sou-ke people, this sheltered harbour containing a salmon bearing river, rich clam beds, and abundant berries and game in the forests was an excellent site along with the people living here thrived. Europeans come to the mid 1800's, then one from the first to succeed in Sooke was Captain Walter Colqohoun Grant in the Royal Scots Greys, who apparently brought seeds from Scotland of his cherished Scottish Broom, that's now an extremely maligned invasive species overtaking native habitat from Alaska to California.

Fishing and logging include the industries that built Sooke, and continue, though with a reduced scale, to help with the local economy. Tourism has become one of the greatest employers, both adventure related and cultural. There exists a vibrant arts community here, and Sooke hosts the premiere juried art visible on Vancouver Island - the Sooke Fine Arts Show each summer.

Many residents of Accommodations Sooke commute to Victoria but chose to reside Sooke to escape the hustle and bustle in the city, plus due to lower property values, you have a lots of bang for your buck here! There exists a wide array of housing obtainable in Sooke, from condominiums, townhomes and suburban single family residences in and at the village, to country residential, hobby farms, and estate properties on vacation. Over the Sooke basin there are several amazing waterfront and waterview properties. Neighborhoods of Sooke include:

· North Sooke;

· Saseenos;

· Milne's Landing;

· Sunriver Estates;

· Sooke Town Centre or "UpSooke";

· Broom Hill;

· Whiffin Spit;

· Otter Point, and

· Kemp Lake

Policing in Sooke is supplied through the RCMP and there is a volunteer based fire department. Municipal water can be acquired to residences near the town core and also the sewer product is under expansion. Rural properties can still rely on wells and septic tanks and fields. Sooke features its own recreational facility, SEAPARC Leisure Complex, which has a swimming pool and skating rink.