Welcome

Husband, father, grandfather, dog's companion, positive communities advocate, BC ministry employee - Provincial Forest Pathologist, life-long student, home improvement aficionado.  My family and I are recent transplants to the Oaklands community (5 years), after 20+ years in the View Royal (VR) community.  During our time there I volunteered on advisory committees to the VR town council, and was the president of the VR community association.  The most consistent message from these experiences was that residents often share a commonwealth of interests, and that communities are made up of people that are connected because services were designed to meet their needs.
I have wandered the world for an education learning from others in formal venues (B.Sc. - Uof Alberta, Edmonton: M.Sc. - Uof Adelaide, Australia: Ph.D. - Uof Laval, Quebec), but also equally importantly, in informal (non-institution) venues.
My family and I are involved with the settlement of new Canadian families from Syria.  Understanding their background and guiding them through the unfamiliar but necessary steps for personal autonomy has been very rewarding.  I play men's hockey, I read a wide range of literature, both fiction and non-fiction, and I appreciate the aesthetic characteristics of the Oaklands community. 

 Melissa was born and raised in Northern Saskatchewan. Drawn to the west coast by the great memories of her childhood camping trips to BC, she has lived in Victoria since 2005. Melissa has resided in the Fernwood, Jubilee, and Hillside-Quadra neighbourhoods, before moving to Oaklands in 2015.  
Melissa is a Landscape Architect and her educational background is Ornamental Horticulture and Landscape Architectural Technology.  Professionally, her areas of practice and interest include integrated stormwater landscapes, park planning, natural playgrounds, urban design, and planting design.
Melissa joined the OCA Board in April 2018 and has taken on the role of Parks Committee Chair. She has a great appreciation both for the beauty of the neighbourhood and the excellent programming provided by the Oaklands Community Centre. She considers herself to be equally a plant-person and a people-person, and is passionate about the vital role that quality outdoor spaces play in our communities. Outside of volunteer and work commitments, you can often find Melissa on a soccer pitch, puttering in her garden, shopping at a farmer’s market, or enjoying the outdoors with her young family. 

 Melissa Root worked for the Oaklands Community Association as an employee for three years, and is actively engaged in the Oaklands community both as a mother of two young boys and an awesome community advocate! Melissa has a long history of employment with the non-profit sector and is very interested in continuing to help Oaklands become the best community possible!    

Amanda Putman, a French Immersion, Spanish and English teacher currently working in School District 61, has lived in Oaklands for the past seven years.  A Victoria resident since 2004, Amanda is originally from a small town near Ottawa, Ontario.  

She holds a B.A. in International Development Studies and an M.Ed in Community Development and, prior to becoming a teacher, worked for a number of years in the non-profit sector.  

She enjoys spending time in the outdoors, kayaking, hiking and cycling with her partner and two step-children and looks forward to contributing to the Oaklands community with the goal of keeping it a wonderful place for her children to grow up.   

 David moved to Oaklands in April of 2016 having spent approximately 10 years exiled to the mainland to complete his studies and begin his career in natural resource management. David holds a Master’s of Resource Management (Planning) from Simon Fraser University and a Bachelors of Arts in Anthropology from the University of Victoria. He currently works for the BC Environmental Assessment Office and is the Co-Chair of the Oaklands Land Use Committee.
In his spare time, David enjoys spending time with his wife Jennifer and two young children Kate and Dylan. When parenting duties allow, David enjoys playing rec league hockey, skiing, kite surfing, mountain biking, and playing guitar (badly). 

 Brenda Turner has worked in Oaklands for over 25 years. She bought the daycare she operates in the neighbourhood 10 years ago. The daycare is often out and about around the neighbourhood supporting the community. In her spare time, Brenda enjoys traveling, taking photographs, and reading - she does not own a computer or cell phone! She holds a Bachelor of Science in Home Economics, a Bachelor of Education as well as Early Childhood Education and Infant Toddler diplomas. 

 Alex McCumber and his family are new to Oaklands, having recently joined us from Vancouver! Alex brings his experience as an architect with extensive training and professional experience with land use and planning, public consultation, mediation, functional programming, as well as building planning and design. Alex is looking forward to making a valuable contribution to the Oaklands community.