3132 replies to this topic

[Mike K.]

There’s also Keating as the closest big-box friendly area and then there’s Jesken (First Nations land) that believe or not is still a work in progress.

[AllseeingEye]

Also, and I'm admittedly spit-balling here in addition to allowing my cynical side to emerge whenever the topic of "Victoria" and "development" emerges, but if you're a developer - just ask the Northern Junk folks - I'm sure you're more likely to shy away from Victoria given the region's well known and well deserved reputation for b!tching and moaning and complaining any time a new (read "large and modern") proposal is unveiled.

 

Certainly Edmonton, Calgary and to an extent Nanaimo aren't known for hurling wave after wave of Heritage, Neighborhood Association and other anti-this and anti-that storm trooper brigades at "greedy developer's" at seemingly every turn.

 

Not only is it tedious and exhausting but if the proposal is dragged out long enough it gets real expensive real fast. Just look at the NJ site: what is that debacle sitting at now for a tiny 5 storey proposal that wouldn't even make page 50 in the business section of any other city on earth....6,7,8 years? More?! Ridiculous. Good grief; Shanghai will approve and build a 100 floor tower, or London will approve, completely rezone and redevelop half of its business district fronting the Thames River more quickly than we will or can for one single tiny site. London's Canary Wharf - sixteen million square feet of office and retail space - required less than a decade from conception to the opening of the first tower. Meanwhile, here in Pokey-Ville by the Sea.....

 

A major (and desirable) employer like Costco in Calgary or Edmonton would take about 5 minutes to approve. In Greater Victoria? Likely a decade or more would elapse simply while "feasibility" or "appropriate land use" or "neighborhood appeasement" or "shading studies" were conducted, and then another half decade would be required to get through the permitting process........

Edited by AllseeingEye, 18 February 2019 - 10:42 AM.

[Nparker]

But Victoria is "special". I mean, who wants to live in other places you mentioned like London or Shanghai? 

[tjv]

Even now they have a Cabelas and we don’t.

I loved getting a Cabelas ad recently and my first response was great they opened a Victoria location.  Nope, for some brain dead reason they expect me to drive 3 hours round trip to go shop there.

[Rob Randall]

^Lots of people do four hours round trip to visit IKEA. You don't think anyone's willing to visit Cabelas?

[AllseeingEye]

I think it depends entirely on the consumer; I wouldn't drive 5 minutes to get to an IKEA - but to peruse a decent fishing or outdoors store I very well might go 2-3 hours out of my way. Ultimately for me however it really comes down not only to item selection or price but also intangibles like customer service, occasionally warranty options, but above all staff product knowledge.

 

The latter is a big issue for me re: Bass Pro for example. I'd definitely check them out if they came to Victoria, and we did just that when the franchise opened in Tsawwassen - the space was amazing, the product selection was very good, prices were ok but nothing earth shattering, however the general staff knowledge....yeah.....not so much at least on the two occasions I've been there. If you don't understand the concept of rod weight (a 5 weight, 8 weight, 10 weight etc.,) or the difference between a spin cast and fly fishing reel, or dry fly vs wet fly fishing, then get away from me....

 

For that reason alone I will always defer to a local outfit where I know they can answer pretty much question I lob at them hence Island Outfitters is my go-to fishing retailer even if Bass Pro one day opened up across the street from me. IKEA I'm indifferent to, although I do remember once upon a time SRO bus tours were actually organized from Victoria to head to the Richmond location for day excursions. And to each their own of course.

[Victoria Watcher]

you can’t have all of low prices great selection and knowledgeable staff in any consumer retail. you have to take your pick unfortunately.

[AllseeingEye]

you can’t have all of low prices great selection and knowledgeable staff in any consumer retail. you have to take your pick unfortunately.

Hence I-O for me, which has it all in the area I'm interested in. In fact despite being a local one outlet operation their prices beat out Canadian Tire in terms of fishing gear, a store with reputedly some of the best pricing options around. Outfitters beats them hands down and with outstanding product and local (fishing) conditions knowledge to boot.

[Mike K.]

One of the parking levels is requiring structural bracing. I'm not sure what is going on but I'll try to get more information.

[Nparker]

So that's what I saw there on Saturday.

[Citified.ca]

Mystery solved: https://victoria.cit...hats-happening/

 

Image: C. Roloson

[Midnightly]

from what i've heard is that the next floor up also has support beams in the same area and the top parking they have blocked off a section of parking in line with this area (infront of pet smart)

 

there was quite a growing thread about this last evening on facebook

Edited by Midnightly, 24 June 2019 - 11:06 AM.

[Mike K.]

Yes, it’s all to support Royal Bank’s expansion at the shopping centre.

[sebberry]

Yes, it’s all to support Royal Bank’s expansion at the shopping centre.

 

I guess they're banking on it not caving in!

 

 

I saw a comment on Facebook last night by someone claiming to be in the know about 'serious' structural issues with Uptown and The Bay Center downtown, but 'couldn't disclose the source'. 

[Mike K.]

Well don’t they look like silly right about now.

[Jason-L]

I was up there on Sunday, and it sure looked like that whole section of parking curving downward an alarming amount.

[Rob Randall]

^Concrete bends?

[aastra]

Sure. Haven't you ever seen a winding road?

[Victoria Watcher]

Tacoma Narrows Bridge Collapse (Sound Version) (Standard 4:3) (1940)

 

https://youtu.be/nFzu6CNtqec

[sebberry]

^Concrete bends?

How about when you have a dance party on the roof of a parking garage?

https://www.youtube....h?v=hr3HTkkpvtU