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. 

 Oaklands Community Association has provided a welcoming connection for our family the last three years. Retired from my librarian career since 2007, it's great to give back to the community through volunteering at Oaklands Elem, our grandson's school, and to participate with the OCA community on purposeful projects. Therefore, I am pleased to be back on the board in order to follow-up on a number of ongoing issues that help to fulfill the purposes of the 2015-2020 Strategic Plan:- program planning to meet expressed community needs, e.g. in the 2016-17 Community Needs Assessment (CNA) document;- facility planning to enable OCA to meet the needs of families on pre-school and OSC waiting lists;- facility development to help provide public program and meeting spaces for youth, adult, seniors, and community businesses that can’t find adequate places to meet in Oaklands;- follow-up on plans for a community garden proposal, as well the Oaklands Rise Woonerf and related greenways proposals;- continue to pursue the earliest possible establishment of an Oakland/Hillside public library branch, now in the GVPL long-term plan, but not until 2026;- planning reviews for the OCA Strategic Plan, and for the City of Victoria’s Official Neighbourhood Plan update now anticipated and hopefully well underway by 2020;- potential for new ideas: greater emphasis on bicycle safety/ community art projects/ more emphasis on updated signage for OCA, etc.I invite Oaklands residents to join in to enjoy the OCA activities, and to provide your opinions and feedback on other issues as they arise. Once you feel good about the vision and mandate, sign up for a membership, feel free to join us in volunteering, supporting committees, or eventually taking leadership roles on the board. New energy is always welcome. 

 Kevin Keates grew up in Revelstoke, BC . He moved to Victoria in 2008 and spent the last 3 years in Oaklands. Kevin, his wife and two young kids frequently enjoy the neighborhood events, services, and parks – rain, wind, or shine. He and his family also love getting away to explore and camp around Vancouver Island.
Kevin started with the provincial government in 2008 and has been with the Office of the Auditor General of B.C. since 2011. He holds a degree in Business Administration from Thompson Rivers University, a Masters in Public Administration from the University of Victoria, and has a professional accounting designation. 

 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.   

 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!