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| Welcome
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Located west of Victoria, Sooke became incorporated in 1999.
With an estimated population of over 12,000, Sooke is divided
into distinct areas known as Sooke proper, East Sooke, Broomhill,
Saseenos, Sooke River, Whiffin Spit and "the West Coast
Road." There is a growing business section in the downtown
core, good schools, sports facilities and an excellent museum.
Sooke offers a variety of recreational activities reflecting
its natural surroundings. Excellent fishing, boating, hunting,
hiking and horseback riding are available. The area contains
an abundance of lakes, parks and nature trails including the
Galloping Goose linear park, East Sooke Park, Sooke Pot Holes,
the well-known Sooke Harbour, the world-renowned West Coast
Trail and Botanical Beach at Port Renfrew, and the West Coast
Trail's new extension of the Juan de Fuca marine park to Jordan
River. Sooke also offers one of the world's best surfing beaches.
The biggest event of the year is "All Sooke Days."
Golfers can enjoy the Phillips John Memorial Golf Club.
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| Sooke Harbour
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Sooke is a popular tourist area boasting the world famous
"Sooke Harbor House" and a large number of private
bed and breakfast facilities and country lodges tucked away
in the woods and usually on the waterfront. It also has a
local government wharf and private marinas
Sooke falls under the jurisdiction of the Royal Canadian
Mounted Police. The community also has a well-trained ambulance
service and a volunteer fire department. Parts of the community
are served by a municipal water system, however there are
large areas that are served by private wells and community
water systems. Septic tanks and septic fields are the norm
though some areas are serviced by private sewage system. Garbage
collection is done on a private basis.
- The community of Sooke is located on the southern tip
of Vancouver Island, in Super, Natural British Columbia,
Canada. Sooke is named for the T'Sou-ke Indian Band, the
early inhabitants of the area. The name T'Sou-ke" was
given to a species of stickleback fish that, at one time,
was quite numerous in Sooke Basin.
- Traditionally, the area's industries have been logging,
lumbering and fishing. Today, tourism is a major factor
in the local economy.
- Sooke enjoys one of the most moderate climates in Canada.
Typically warm and dry in summer, the fall months, too,
are generally very pleasant. Winters are usually mild with
frequent rainfall, some frost, and only occasional snow.
The region, from East Sooke, west to the small surrounding
communities of Jordan River and Port Renfrew, has a population
of 10,000.
- There is an array of cottage industries in the area, as
well as some small manufacturing and light industry. Much
of Sooke's population today is made up of people from across
the country who have visited the area and then chosen to
make Sooke their home.
- The Sooke community supports a wide variety of interests
and talents, and there are many service groups and organizations
in the area. Music, drama, arts and crafts, golf, archery,
photography, gardening and team sports are among the focus
of approximately one hundred such groups and clubs in Sooke.
The Sooke Regional Historical Museum, a major annual juried
Fine Arts Show and a Regional Library offer additional interest.
The area's community school, offers both credit and non-credit
courses. Sooke's diversity offers something for everyone.
- BC Transit offers excellent bus service, several times
daily, between Sooke and Victoria, the capital city of BC.
The area publishes one weekly newspaper, and is home to
several churches, three elementary schools, one middle school
and one high school. A full range of retail shops, restaurants,
business and professional services are also available in
Sooke. As well, there are many bed and breakfasts, marinas,
and hiking trails in Sooke. The region is well served by
several volunteer fire departments, and is policed by the
RCMP.
Information Courtesy of The
Victoria Real Estate Board and
Tourism Sooke
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