88 replies to this topic

[sebberry]

Sorry, what did the TC get wrong?

[tedward]

Sorry, what did the TC get wrong?

Apparently nothing. When they reported that the pool would be closed on Family day that was accurate. The city only changed it's mind after the article went to press.

[Bingo]

The city announced earlier this week that the pool would be closed on February 11, but have reversed that decision following an offer by the Canadian Union of Public Employees.

http://www.cfax1070....-open-Crystal-P

[G-Man]

Seems like a waste of taxpayer money. They should all be closed or charging regular fare.

[phx]

Seems like a waste of taxpayer money. They should all be closed or charging regular fare.

The union (CUPE) is sponsoring it, so no cost to the taxpayers.

[amor de cosmos]

Langford ready to make a splash with $30-million aquatic centre

Sandra McCulloch / Times Colonist
January 20, 2014 09:13 PM

Today’s groundbreaking for a $30-million aquatic centre in Langford marks the beginning of a partnership between the City of Langford, Westhills Land Corp. and the YM/YWCA.

Westhills will build the facility and lease it to the YM/YWCA. Langford will pay $750,000 a year to the YMCA for providing the services offered at the centre. Located off Langford Parkway near City Centre Park, the facility will feature a 25-metre pool, lazy river, warm-water therapy pool, wave pool and two waterslides. A gymnasium, youth centre, health-and-fitness facility and daycare also will be included.

The project is about to go to tender and is expected to open in early 2016.

The only uncertainty is whether it will include a library. Talks are ongoing between Langford and the Greater Victoria Public Library board.

“We’d certainly like to see that,” Langford administrator Jim Bowden said.

The aquatic centre will be similar to facilities built in Duncan and Kelowna, Bowden said.

“It will be a community-type of family facility,” said Ryan Mckenzie, spokesman for Westhills. “I think it will be something that’s well used by everybody in Langford. It will be a unique aquatic centre in the West Shore and Greater Victoria.”

http://www.timescolo...centre-1.796045

[mysage]

http://www.timescolo...centre-1.796045

 

 

Just one more reason why Langford is the destination of choice for more and more people. Transportation aside (as it will evenutually be figured out - and besides there are becoming less and less reasons to travel into Victoria proper) how can you not like the facilities and forward thinking that Mayor Stew Young and his Council have provided to their constituants.  

[Mike K.]

Hundreds of thousands of cruise ship visitors will be careening through traffic to check out this destination of choice

 

Langford is Langford. If it was really what some people are trying to make it out to be it wouldn't need to keep reminding the rest of the region that it's so damn awesome in every conceivable way. I mean I know mullets are sort of back in style, but c'mon man. And hell, even Google Maps refuses to display Langford when you run a search for Langford, BC, Canada. This destination of choice isn't even on the map!

 

(I'm just razzing you )

[gumgum]

^^They may sort out that traffic problem (however doubtful), but let's not forget that the problem arises from people driving to Victoria. Victoria will always be the centre of the region as long as big boxes and suburbs continue to pop up in the outlying areas such as Langford.
How many times have I heard "I never go to Victoria. I hate that place accept for when I *grobble*grobble*. Well until I hear the opposite being spoken, I will still consider Victoria the neccessary EVIL core.

[Mike K.]

Population growth in Langford has little to do with the municipality itself and virtually all to do with affordability.

 

That being said, you can put up a $20 million condo in Langford and sell 2BR units for $350,000, but you're still staring out that this sort of stuff. And that's probably a big reason why the condo across the street from that house went belly up.

[Nparker]

 ...you can put up a $20 million condo in Langford and sell 2BR units for $350,000, but you're still staring out that this sort of stuff....

Langford has come a long way, but there's still a lot of "old school" trashiness left.

[HB]

 but you're still staring out that this sort of stuff. And that's probably a big reason why the condo across the street from that house went belly up.

You could say the same about any town in the Country

 

At least Langford has an OCP that looks far into the future .

Those houses you decided to use as an example with eventually be replaced as will that whole neighbourhood. This will happen when the sewer lines get into that area.

 

Kind of like saying that the Promontory is a nice place to live, except for that fact the people up high will be punished flogged with views of Vic West.

Edited by History Buff, 21 January 2014 - 02:19 PM.

[aastra]

Another 25M pool? When we talk about regional planning for a new 50M facility it seems like the burden will fall on the last municipality in the pool.

[lanforod]

Another 25M pool? When we talk about regional planning for a new 50M facility it seems like the burden will fall on the last municipality in the pool.

 

The new CARSA building at UVic being built now has plans to include a 50M pool in the next stage.

[aastra]

I was speculating about that in the Crystal Pool thread. If UVic builds a competition-level facility then methinks the city proper can probably get away with building a smaller pool (or, dare I say it, two smaller pools... one at Central Park and one somewhere else).

[mysage]

Population growth in Langford has little to do with the municipality itself and virtually all to do with affordability.

 

That being said, you can put up a $20 million condo in Langford and sell 2BR units for $350,000, but you're still staring out that this sort of stuff. And that's probably a big reason why the condo across the street from that house went belly up.

 

I disagree completely. Langford , through proper municiple administration policies have managed to not only grow and improve the facilities of the municipality but also have managed to keep it affordable along the way.

 

As far as people ranting about the "trashiness" of Langford  so what. In my opinion they are the ones with no vision. They only see "now" or "the past" and have no appreciation of how far the area has come nor a vision for what the future may hold. We moved from Gordon Head to Langford and would never go back. We wanted to be part of a growing vibrant community and Langford delivers that in spades

[Mike K.]

And that's awesome, it's great that you're enjoying the lifestyle that Langford affords you and it sounds like you guys have made the right decision. I personally really like visiting friends in Langford and stepping into a different urban realm, so to speak, even if for a little while. But that being said any community should be mostly self-sufficient when it comes to shopping, entertainment and recreation. It looks like Langford is doing great in that respect and this pool is a testament to that.

 

But let's not forget that it takes an entire region working cooperatively to achieve a lot of goals. With facilities like the YMCA the financial outlook depends on many people using the facility from across the region and not just the small pool of potential users living in Langford-proper.

[aastra]

We've made jokes before about how a project rendering in Victoria will often eliminate much of the surrounding urban scene and replace it with imaginary green space or wilderness, so I thought it was interesting that a large imaginary building seems to be in the background of the rendering of Langford's aquatic centre. Is that one of the Capital City Centre buildings?

[Mike K.]

It's one of the towers planned for Westhills.

[aastra]

I had no idea. Towers everywhere.