'The buzz around here is amazing': Anticipation builds for Royal visit in B.C.'s Capital region
At the Victoria Therapeutic Riding Association in Central Saanich, it was all hands on deck Friday.
“Everybody is excited, the buzz around here is amazing,” said Liz Gagel, executive director of the VTRA.
Fencing is getting a fresh coat of paint, horses are being brushed to look their best and the shovels are out to clean up those horses’ mess.
The reason? They will be receiving a very important visitor this weekend.
“We are hosting her Royal Highness,” said Gagel.
Princess Anne and her husband Vice-Admiral Tim Laurence will spend their weekend touring organizations on Royal duties that are near and dear to their hearts.
“I know that Princess Anne is the patron of therapeutic riding throughout Canada,” said Gagel.
The Victoria Therapeutic Riding Association is a non-profit providing people with disabilities therapeutic horseback riding, including four-year-old Otis Lawson.
“Otis has Mosaic Down syndrome,” said Brett Lawson, the child’s father.
Friday marked Otis’s fourth session. His father says his confidence is soaring and the benefits were seen right away.
“He’s getting a lot of muscle engagement while on the horse that he doesn’t get otherwise,” said Lawson.
Princess Anne will be busy with a number of military-related engagements, including laying a wreath at The God’s Acre Veteran’s Cemetery and attending a Battle Of The Atlantic Commemorative Service at the B.C. legislature. The Royal couple will also be making a stop at the Military Family Resource Centre at CFB Esquimalt.
“(Princess Anne) is very interested in families, especially military family support,” said Jackie Carle, executive director of the centre.
The Military Family Resource Centre helps military families moving into the community after a posting. It also supports military families during a deployment.
“At the end of the day, she’s part of a serving family so she really understands what that means,” said Carle.
Another interest of Princess Anne is food security and community building.
“This is a farm site on top of reclaimed land,” said Alistair Howes, manager of special projects and engagement at FED Urban Agriculture Society.
That urban farm is located in Vic West next to Dockside Green.
Princess Anne will be touring the grounds on Saturday, seeing how the operation grows its food to be sold locally with a portion being donated to other non-profits within the community.
“Princess Anne has a particular interest in trying to figure out how you engage and build community resilience through Urban Projects,” said Howes.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Blaine Higgs 'furious' over sexual education presentation
New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs has shared his anger on social media over a presentation in at least four high schools.
Grayson Murray's parents say the two-time PGA Tour winner died of suicide
Grayson Murray's parents said Sunday their 30-year-old son took his own life, just one day after he withdrew from a PGA Tour event.
The dreams of a 60-year-old beauty contestant come to an abrupt end in Argentina
A 60-year-old woman saw her dreams of becoming the oldest Miss Universe contestant in history melt away in a haze of sequins and selfies Saturday at Argentina’s annual beauty pageant.
2 died in plane crash near Squamish, B.C., police confirm
Two people died after a plane went down in a remote area near Squamish, B.C. on Friday, authorities have confirmed.
Kingston, Ont. tenants fed up with lack of action from landlord over broken floor tiles
Joel Felder and Misti Pitcher have been living in their apartment in Kingston, Ont. for over two years, but the past 12 months have been miserable.
Driver, 18, gets $3,000 ticket, 32 demerit points after speeding on Laval boulevard
A young driver received a hefty fine from Laval police after they say he was driving nearly 100 km/h over the posted speed limit.
Are you a loud snorer? You could have sleep apnea
You'll have a lot more energy throughout the day if you get a good night's sleep, but not everyone does due to a medical condition.
At least 15 dead after severe weather carves path of ruin across multiple U.S. states in the South
Powerful storms killed at least 15 people and left a wide trail of destruction Sunday across Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas during the latest deadly weather to strike the central U.S.
North Korea informs Japan of a plan to launch military spy satellite
North Korea has told Japan it plans to launch a satellite by early next week, an apparent effort to put its second military spy satellite into orbit.