The Fairfield Book Shop, the last store on the south end of Cook Street Village, has a new owner. Donna Ashmore acquired the business from veteran used book seller Reg Smart, who opened the outlet 17 years ago. Ashmore previously worked for Smart as well as at the Bay and the Royal British Columbia Museum between academic stints. She and husband Glen, who works with UVic's facilities management department, are sprucing the place up. The store carries 40,000 titles in a 1,000-square-foot space. "I love books and I love Cook Street Village," said Ashmore. The shop at 247 Cook St. is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Saturday and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m.
ARCHITECTS CELEBRATE MILESTONE
Winnipeg-based Number Ten Architectural Group is marking its 55th anniversary this month -- 22 of those years with an office in Victoria and a resumé of notable projects here. Number Ten, located on North Park Street with 11 employees, designed the Temple Emanu-El and Cineplex-Odeon additions, the ICBC Claims Centre on Selkirk, Price Alarms building, Broadmead Terrace and the heritage house condo development at 1007 Johnson St. Victoria partner Barry Cosgrove said the local firm has also designed several projects at CFB Esquimalt and 19 Wing Comox and for Public Works Canada. Several local designers are also involved in Number Ten's design of the $100-million naval base at an old mine site on Baffin Island. The base, part of the federal government's plan to solidify sovereignty in the Arctic and slated to open in 2014, includes wharves, fuel storage and buildings. The local firm also includes architects Doug Walter and Mark Anthony; project managers Bruce Hagedorn and Robert Halliday; senior technicians Kam Lam and David Mlynarowich; contract administrator Shane Waggoner; designer Chelsea Grant; and technicians Scott James and Evan Locke. It's interesting to note that James and Locke are Mount Douglas Secondary grads who joined the firm as part of their Grade 12 CAD course. Locke completed a degree in visual arts at UVic and then returned to Number Ten.
FOOD NETWORK STAR STIRS UP VENETO
Kevin Brauch, host of the Thirsty Traveller and the Food Network's Superstar Chef Challenge and the floor reporter for Iron Chef America, is in Victoria as part of the Art of the Cocktail Festival. Brauch will serve as host of the Spirited Dinners event on Monday at Veneto Tapa Lounge in the Hotel Rialto, preparing four cocktails to go with Veneto head chef Tod Bosence's four-course meal.
ARTIST IN RESIDENCE FOR EMPRESS
Portrait artist David Goatley, who has painted more than 300 commissions in the past 18 years -- including Robert Bateman, Ted Harrison, Valdy and former Prime Minister Kim Campbell, has been named artist-in-residence at the Fairmont Empress Hotel. The partnership will allow guests and friends of the Empress to have their portraits painted by Goatley in various hotel locations such as the Palm Court, Tea Room or Crystal Ballroom. Reservations and other information can be found at www.fairmont.com/empress/vanity/artist or at www.davidgoatley.com
BRUCE'S KITCHEN A SALTSPRING HIT
Bruce's Kitchen, a gourmet restaurant on Saltspring Island that prides itself on using local ingredients, has been named Small Business of the Year by the Saltspring Island Chamber of Commerce. Owner Bruce Wood, a veteran of the food services industry for 30 years, opened his new place in March 2009. A review in the Summer 2010 edition of Canadian Geographic Travel magazine summed up Bruce's Kitchen this way -- "Imagine a Michelin-starred chef gone all healthy on Island Time."
NEW EDITOR FOR PAGE ONE
Brian Hartz has joined Page One Publishing as an associate editor. He was previously an editor at Baker's Journal, a Canadian trade magazine, and has worked for newspapers and magazines in New Zealand and his home state of Indiana. Hartz will write and edit Page One's stable of magazines and electronic media. Call 250-595-7243.
MACQUARIE EXPANDS SPACE
Macquarie Private Wealth, formerly Blackmont Capital, has doubled its space in St. Andrews Square II, taking offices on the third floor and additional space on the fourth floor of the downtown building. More than 100 guests, including clients, lawyers, accountants and business owners, attended an open house at the brokerage to view the new footprint. Australia-based Macquarie, established in 1970, acquired Blackmont in December.
TENDERS ANYONE?
Kinetic Construction has been awarded a $3 million contract for retaining walls at Esquimalt Graving Dock. The facility has had a lot of work over the last few years to keep up with the demand to service cruise ships, bulk and general cargo vessels and B.C. Ferries and navy refits ... Highway 14 between Kangaroo Road in Metchosin to east of Cooper's Cove in Sooke is scheduled for shoulder widening and paving. A tender was issued this week from the Ministry of Transportation and closes Oct. 19 ... Camosun College wants to pre-qualify five architectural firms for projects over the next three years ranging from seismic upgrading and additions to heritage restoration and space planning. Requests for qualifications close Oct. 22 ... Details can be found at www.yellowsheet.ca
NEW EXECUTIVE FOR CRIDGE CAMP GROUP
Carrie Klatt, a philosophy instructor at the University of Victoria, has been elected chairwoman of the Hands On Summer Camp Society. Other board members include Chris Boissevain, Business Development Bank of Canada; Laurie Waye, UVic Writing Centre; Susanne Ledingham, Victoria Art Gallery; Karen Sherman, Vancouver Island Co-operative Preschool Association; Christine Wosilius, Cridge Centre for the Family; and, Susan Pang, Camosun College.
