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Saanich Peninsula Chamber of Commerce honours former Sidney mayor Marie Rosko

Rosko received lifetime achievement award during 2019 Crystal Awards
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Former Sidney mayor Marie C. Rosko won the Lifetime Achievement Award during the 2019 Crystal Awards Thursday hosted by Butchart Gardens and main-sponsored by Island Savings. (Wolf Depner/News Staff)

Former Sidney mayor Marie C. Rosko drew a standing ovation from an audience of local business leaders and others as Butchart Gardens hosted the 2019 Crystal Awards for Excellence main-sponsored by Island Savings.

Peninsula Co-op Board Chair Paul Hames described Rosko as a civic-minded entrepreneur, who not only started multiple businesses herself while raising seven children, but also found time to volunteer with several local organizations. Perhaps Rosko’s biggest contribution came when she successfully ran for mayor in the early 1990s to stop provincial plans that would knocked down the Mary Winspear Centre as part of larger changes to the intersection of Highway 17 and Beacon Avenue.

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Rosko said in her speech that she had never attended a council meeting before running for mayor. But if the provincial had follow through on its plans, they would have forever changed Sidney for the worse, said Rosko, who considers the refurbishment of Mary Winspear Centre her greatest legacy.

Looking at the other awards, Casman Group received the Business of the Year award for companies with more 16 employees, while Storyoga won the Business of the Year award for companies with up to 15 employees. BMT Group Services won the award for Employer of the Year, while the Cut Cartel won the award for New Business, Product or Service.

The Green Business award sponsored by the Peninsula News Review went to Parsell Vineyard.

The Saanich Peninsula Hospital and Healthcare Foundation won the award for Entrepreneurial Spirit, while Bayside Diesel and Marine won the award for Outstanding Customer Service. Sidney Museum and Archives won the category . of Not-For-Profit Organization, while All Care Canada Sidney won for Contribution to the Community.



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Wolf Depner

About the Author: Wolf Depner

I joined the national team with Black Press Media in 2023 from the Peninsula News Review, where I had reported on Vancouver Island's Saanich Peninsula since 2019.
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