1208 replies to this topic

[57WestHills]

Total surprise

[Street level]

How very sad. I liked Vic a lot, he was sensible and smart.

[Matt R.]

I was a student of his at Cedar Hill, he sure left his mark on a lot of kids. RIP.

Matt.

[VicHockeyFan]

Expanded obituary now.  A lot of it via Facebook comments, but it's a more complete picture anyway:

 

http://www.timescolo...ment-1.12211353

[sebberry]

I was a student of his at Cedar Hill, he sure left his mark on a lot of kids. RIP.

Matt.

 

So were a couple of my friends. 

 

Sad and unexpected news.

[Bernard]

Vic Derman has died.

 

I forget what the rules are for by-election.  I think 18 months out from general, you must have one?  Inside 18 months it's up to council?

 

the limit is no by-election needs to be held if the vacancy occurs in the year of the general election.  Other that this is what the law says

 

(4) As soon as practicable after a vacancy occurs for which an election under this section is to be held, the local government must appoint a chief election officer for the election.

(5) The chief election officer must set a general voting day for the election, which must be on a Saturday no later than 80 days after the date the chief election officer was appointed.

[VicHockeyFan]

Oh, wow.  So election this near this summer.

[Bernard]

I was very surprised to hear the news and initially did not understand the headline I saw online because it made no sense.   I have been talking with Vic on a moderately regular about the EDPA and dropped him a line about a 10 days ago and he was under the weather but that is all I got.

 

I got to know Vic when I moved back to Victoria in 2004 - some of his things I really supported others I did not (he would not see sense on the proposed LRT project).   I had a sign of his up on my lawn in most of the elections even I could not vote for him will 2014 - before that I lived across the street from Saanich.

 

Vic was passionate but not an easy man to work with.   His worst tendency was to lecture you even when agreed with him.  I remember in the 2014 election he came to my door with Rebecca Merserau and because he talked/lectured me the whole time they were at the door Rebecca did not get a word in edgewise and I did not intend to vote for, later I saw how thoughtful a woman she was and did vote her.  Vic initially lost her the chance to get my vote.

 

July 1st Vic and met up at the Gorge Canada Picnic and talked for about an hour - this time we really talked and it was almost all in relation to the mayor, the jist of conversation I will not go into, but Vic was not happy.

[Bernard]

Oh, wow.  So election this near this summer.

My guess is August

[VicHockeyFan]

How about John Wilson for council?  Then maybe Mayor a year later?

[spanky123]

How about John Wilson for council?  Then maybe Mayor a year later?

 

I think John is a great guy but why would he possibly want to get involved in politics? 

[VicHockeyFan]

I think John is a great guy but why would he possibly want to get involved in politics? 

 

Ha said so, on CFAX a few weeks ago.

[spanky123]

Ha said so, on CFAX a few weeks ago.

 

I would think that it would be silly of him. It would be harmful to his business and the pay is pathetic.

[Mike K.]

I think it'd be great if we had more politicians who considered the pay as a kind gesture and not as a means to an end.

[spanky123]

I think it'd be great if we had more politicians who considered the pay as a kind gesture and not as a means to an end.

 

It is more than the pay. No matter what you do you will alienate 1/2 of the electorate. As a business person that doesn't make any sense. 

 

Now we can argue about Stu Young but the fact is that his business is much more diverse, he is largely removed from the day to day and he doesn't have his family running it.

[Mike K.]

Wilson's two main sources of revenue are the tourism market (where there's no political skin in the game) and monopolized bus routes. I'm sure he'll be ok.

[VicHockeyFan]

Wilson's two main sources of revenue are the tourism market (where there's no political skin in the game) and monopolized bus routes. I'm sure he'll be ok.

 

Ya, he does not really have to-local-consumer businesses.  If he wanted an easier ride to the Mayor's chair, this could be it.  He could afford to fund his council campaign better than other candidates.

 

And really, it's time for Saanich to step it up a bit.  They are the 9th-largest city in the province by population (did you know Langley* and Kelowna** are both larger?), but kind of do not act like it.  Where's the vision?  If they do not want a "downtown" they should make their current commercial centres more awesome.  Cadboro Bay, the mess that is Shelbourne, do a good job of Cordova Bay, fix Wilkinson/Hastings etc., make both-sides-of-the-highway Royal Oak shopping districts better.  They could also encourage more little commercial spaces like Mcrae's and the former Gordon head Store space.  And while they are at it, move the public works yard out to the rural border somewhere (make it for the needs of today, not 50 years ago's needs) and make the resulting space something extraordinary that puts the inward-looking Saanich Centre to shame... and has housing for 3,000 people.

 

 

 

**Kelowna passed them in around 2010

*Langley passed them around 2015

 

While I'm on the topic, Saanich could spend some money on both Mt. Tolmie and Mt. Doug parks too.  And improve some of your other beach-access parks.

[LJ]

 

 

Now we can argue about Stu Young but the fact is that his business is much more diverse, he is largely removed from the day to day and he doesn't have his family running it.

Some family members are deeply involved in running some of the businesses.

[VicHockeyFan]

Bernard says the Saanich by-election will be in September.  And there is one declared candidate.

[Cassidy]

 And while they are at it, move the public works yard out to the rural border somewhere (make it for the needs of today, not 50 years ago's needs) and make the resulting space something extraordinary that puts the inward-looking Saanich Centre to shame... and has housing for 3,000 people.

 

Have you seen the Saanich Yard lately?

Dropping off some yard greenery last week, I was amazed at the decrepit condition of the buildings in the yard, and the entire yard in general.

 

Peeling paint on almost all of the buildings, exposed plywood exterior walls, obviously unmaintained landscaping ... it was truly a disgusting representation of the Municipality of Saanich.

 

And they repeatedly present this decrepit mess to a non-stop stream of Saanich residents who wait in line to drop off their yard refuse?

I can't imagine any Saanich workers whose stationed in the Saanich Yard having any pride in their workplace ... not if the bureaucrats who control the purse strings continue to let the Saanich Yard slowly rot in place.

 

Indeed, it's in such rough shape overall, the concept of moving the entire yard out of the Saanich Centre area is a good one ... and likely the only viable long term solution.

The yard itself is, for all appearances, beyond repair.

Edited by Cassidy, 18 May 2017 - 02:53 PM.