Sooke | |
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District municipality | |
District of Sooke | |
Location of Sooke in British Columbia |
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Coordinates: 48°22′34″N 123°44′16″W / 48.37611°N 123.73778°WCoordinates: 48°22′34″N 123°44′16″W / 48.37611°N 123.73778°W | |
Country | Canada |
Province | British Columbia |
Region | Vancouver Island |
Regional district | Capital Regional District |
Incorporated | December 7, 1999 |
Government | |
• Mayor | Maja Tait |
• Councillors | Bev Berger, Rick Kasper, Ebony Logins, Brenda Parkinson, Kevin Pearson, Kerrie Reay |
Area | |
• Total | 56.62 km2 (21.86 sq mi) |
Elevation | 50 m (160 ft) |
Population (2016) | |
• Total | 13,001 |
• Density | 229.6/km2 (595/sq mi) |
Time zone | PST (UTC−8) |
• Summer (DST) | PDT (UTC−7) |
Forward sortation area | V9Z |
Highways | 14 |
Waterways | Strait of Juan de Fuca |
Website | sooke |
Sooke /suːk/ is a district municipality situated on the southern tip of Vancouver Island, Canada. About 38 kilometres by road from the city of Victoria (the capital of British Columbia), Sooke is considered the westernmost of the Greater Victoria region's "Western Communities." It is situated to the north and west of the Sooke Basin.
Sooke is a part of the School District 62 Sooke. There is one high school, Edward Milne Community School, and one junior high school, Journey Middle School. Continuing adult education programs are offered by the Edward Milne Community School (EMCS) Society, which also operates with day, evening and weekend programs.
Sooke's popularity as a scenic tourist destination has existed for generations. Well-known destinations in Sooke, such as Whiffin Spit Park, the Sooke Potholes Regional Park and adjacent Sooke Potholes Provincial Park attract visitors both locally and from around the world. Sooke is also home to the Sooke Region Museum and Visitor Centre; where visitors and locals are able to get information on regional attractions and history. The area's popularity has increased as a base for visiting the wilderness parks of Vancouver Island's southwest coast — the West Coast Trail and the Juan de Fuca Provincial Park which includes the now highly popular Juan de Fuca Marine Trail. Sooke, BC is also famous for its beaches just on the outskirts of its neighbouring communities such as Shirley and Jordan River. These beaches include Sandcut, French beach, Fishboat bay, China beach, Mystic beach and more.