A tiny ice cream fleet and a new arcade for downtown
Good morning from the island — we're still here, the orcas were spotted at Active Pass, and honestly, life is fine.
Well, here's the thing about our city's pulse, sometimes you find it in the small movements. While the deer are still debating the relative merits of your prize-winning hydrangeas in James Bay, City Hall has been quietly issuing new business licenses and permits. And what do they tell us about the flavour of Victoria right now?
### The Scoop on New Businesses
It seems a new contender is rolling into the mobile snack scene. Hazel's Ice Cream Ltd. has secured not one, but two new bicycle vendor licenses (Numbers 40784 and 40447) to operate mobile businesses around Victoria. Is there anything more charming than an ice cream bicycle on a warm afternoon? Perhaps not. We also see a new veterinary clinic at 736 Caledonia Ave and an amusement centre, Arcadia, opening its doors at 707 Johnson Street. It suggests a city that still values both its pets and its playtime.
* Hazel's Ice Cream Ltd.: Two new mobile bicycle vendor licenses.
* Downtown Veterinary Clinic: Now at 736 Caledonia Ave.
* Arcadia: New amusement centre at 707 Johnson St.
* Island Key Computer Ltd: Computer services now at 495 Superior St.
On the building permit front, there's an electrical permit (EP083395) for $8,200 to remove existing basement wiring and install a new basement suite. This includes a bathroom, storage rooms, two bedrooms, and a new kitchen area. It points to the ongoing — and very necessary — creation of more diverse housing options right within our existing neighbourhoods. It’s a quiet hum of growth, much like the float planes landing in the Inner Harbour each morning.
These small, steady movements in permits and licenses are often a better indicator of our city's day-to-day life than any grand pronouncement. They show where people are investing, what services are needed, and how our physical spaces are subtly shifting. Keep an eye on the bike paths this summer for Hazel's, and perhaps plan a trip to Arcadia when you need a bit of diversion from the world.
Agnes Szymanski, MiTL Sports Desk, Victoria.
My colleague Alistair usually has an opinion on all of this, catch him and the crew on the morning show at mornings.live.