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What to do with 3 parking lots on the harbour


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#1 amor de cosmos

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Posted 01 May 2014 - 06:56 PM

You know which parking lots

 

63852vicnewsVN-HarbourMap.jpg

 

 

Parking lots along Victoria's Inner Harbour have puzzled visitors for decades, the enviable waterfront land paved and left undeveloped by council after council.

 

But now, the city could finally be taking action with revitalization plans for three key sites: Ship Point, lower Wharf Street and the Belleville terminal (see map).

 

Tom Mitchell, manager and boat captain at B.C. Whale Tours near the lower Wharf Street parking lot, said the space is ideal for a public market.

 

"You've got the little market in the summer in Bastion Square, but if you had it down here, you could bring in so many more vendors and farmers," he said.

 

Turning the space into a park is a bad idea, he said, as it's removed from the street and would be difficult to police at night.

 

"I'd love to see a ferris wheel," said Mitchell's co-worker, Charlotte Blundell. "Food trucks should be brought down here, too."

 

Steve Jackson has been operating a waterfront patio and small restaurant, Lido Bistro, beside the lower Wharf Street parking lot, for the past five years.

 

He said tourists regularly comment how the area is the "most expensive parking lot in the world" for its land value.

 

"There's just so much under-utilized space there," Jackson said. "Even if they put in underground parking, you'd still have at least 25 feet to put in buildings before you came up to street level."

 

Jackson said he'd love to see the city install green space on the roof of any new building and extend the public realm from Bastion Square outwards towards the Inner Harbour.

 

*snip*

 

The city launches its Harbour Dialogue open house on May 9, from 3 to 7 p.m. at Ship Point. City staff will be on hand to discuss project information and accept ideas for the three sites. Representatives from Tourism Victoria, Greater Victoria Harbour Authority, Downtown Victoria Business Association and the Royal BC Museum will also be available.

 

http://www.vicnews.c.../257533381.html

 

http://www.victoria....r-dialogue.html

 

d'ambrosio has had a plan for that lot next to the wharfside for a while

http://www.fdarc.ca/...aterfronts.php#

 

I think merrick has one also


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#2 Nparker

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Posted 01 May 2014 - 07:36 PM

I'd love to think something wonderful will happen with these long under-utilized spaces, but this is Victoria, where we have long history of missing opportunities; preferring studies to action and generally not being all that we can be.  :whyme:



#3 Holden West

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Posted 01 May 2014 - 08:27 PM

I'd like to warn any politicians thinking about getting involved that Victoria Mayor Haddock suffered a heart attack at the height of the battle over high-rise towers on the Reid Site.


"Beaver, ahoy!""The bridge is like a magnet, attracting both pedestrians and over 30,000 vehicles daily who enjoy the views of Victoria's harbour. The skyline may change, but "Big Blue" as some call it, will always be there."
-City of Victoria website, 2009

#4 Mike K.

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Posted 01 May 2014 - 09:31 PM

Welcome to years of studies, indecision and eventually disappointment.

To be honest the only way something tangible will get done is if the land is sold to a private developer or handed over to private industry via long term lease as per the legislative precinct redevelopment (or whatever the situation is there).
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#5 jonny

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Posted 02 May 2014 - 07:20 AM

Who owns those properties?



#6 lanforod

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Posted 02 May 2014 - 07:24 AM

I still say a big wheel a la London Eye


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#7 jonny

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Posted 02 May 2014 - 07:30 AM

A ferris wheel is a no brainer. That would be cool.

 

The parking seems needed, so I wager underground parking should be a requirement.

 

Given the location and profile, there will absolutely need to be public space components.

 

I'm a big believer in housing helping to keep areas clean and safe, so I would support condos.

 

A public market would be fantastic. Given the popularity of other public markets in the city, I would have to believe moving or consolidating a couple markets would be viable.



#8 G-Man

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Posted 02 May 2014 - 08:18 AM

The property below wharf is owned by the City and Belleville is owned by the province. I agree with Mike. See the city lots with conditions or nothing will ever happen there. Do it in parcels if the city must but using it all as public space seems like a huge waste. 

 

I am also not sure about a ferris wheel. I mean what kind of usage will that get in the winter. Big chance of it being an eyesore as well given the City involvement.

 

Ships Point should be a concert venue / public market. It would be good to work with the Songhees and see if it could be a strictly First Nations Art and Culture market. What we don't need is an additional market to work against those that are already in place. A "Songhees" market could actually be a tourist draw all on its own as I am unaware of a dedicated First Nations market in Canada. Some of the ones in Mexico and South America are destinations all on their own. I went to a couple of towns in my travels just to visit them and buy stuff.

 

I would put a new convention centre and office complex next to that on the lot in front of the Flying Beaver and Harbour Air. The city could then sell off the current conference centre area for a new hotel or extension to the Empress. 

 

The last lot should be hotel / residential buildings with the area in front of Bastion Square completed as was planned in the D'Ambrosia proposal as a sort of Victoria version of the Spanish Steps.


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#9 sebberry

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Posted 02 May 2014 - 08:22 AM

Entertainment/amusement, perhaps a smaller version of http://www.brightonpier.co.uk/


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#10 rjag

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Posted 02 May 2014 - 08:29 AM

Welcome to years of studies, indecision and eventually disappointment.

To be honest the only way something tangible will get done is if the land is sold to a private developer or handed over to private industry via long term lease as per the legislative precinct redevelopment (or whatever the situation is there).

There are reams of studies and reports from many groups such as the GVCC, GVHA, the recently disbanded capital city commission, Municipal, Provincial and even suggestions from Homeland Security....Nothing will ever be done as there are too many Nimby's, too many politicians, and too many special interest groups....If all these do-gooders were around 100 years ago, Victoria wouldn't be more than a village.

 

Perhaps its time for politicians to grow a backbone, stop listening to the special interest groups, neighbourhood associations, social license engineers, cycling coalitions etc and actually commit to something that folks will look at 50 years from now and say "now that was a good idea!" 

 

I can only dream as it will never happen...if anything we'll get a temporary farmers market selling hemp products that will be bankrupt even after millions of taxpayer subsidies.....call me tainted


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#11 sebberry

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Posted 02 May 2014 - 08:57 AM

rjag for Mayor :)


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#12 G-Man

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Posted 02 May 2014 - 09:03 AM

^^ So true. Just like amalgamation, it would be good if we had some one hit wonder Mayor and Councillors that have there project and no wish to just continue to be elected. Go in there and make some enemies.


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#13 Mike K.

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Posted 02 May 2014 - 10:12 AM

Other than the Galloping Goose, what have we accomplished in the last 20 years that has been a roaring success all Victorians are proud of today and will be proud of in 50 years?


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#14 rjag

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Posted 02 May 2014 - 11:28 AM

Other than the Galloping Goose, what have we accomplished in the last 20 years that has been a roaring success all Victorians are proud of today and will be proud of in 50 years?

Pandora bike lane? Smart car parking spots?



#15 G-Man

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Posted 02 May 2014 - 11:35 AM

Honestly the watering can in Beacon Hill Park is pretty cool. 


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#16 Nparker

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Posted 02 May 2014 - 12:02 PM

Pandora bike lane? Smart car parking spots?

You're being ironic - right?


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#17 jonny

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Posted 02 May 2014 - 12:14 PM

Other than the Galloping Goose, what have we accomplished in the last 20 years that has been a roaring success all Victorians are proud of today and will be proud of in 50 years?

 

By we, do you mean just public properties and development?

 

I think the arena is pretty nice.



#18 Jason-L

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Posted 02 May 2014 - 01:02 PM

If all these do-gooders were around 100 years ago, Victoria wouldn't be more than a village.

 

Pretty sure 100 years ago Victoria was already a city, capital of the Province, and host to a number of special interest groups.  Perhaps you meant 200 years ago?



#19 Holden West

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Posted 02 May 2014 - 01:03 PM

The Galloping Goose was an epic tale of complex partnerships, deal-making and non-partisan co-operation.

 

The Beacon Hill watering can was a long, fierce and angry battle between park "protectors" and City Hall.

 

The arena was a highly controversial and scandal-plagued war that lasted many years and pitted politicians against taxpayers and the media.

 

They all became a success, no thanks to the boo-birds.


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#20 G-Man

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Posted 02 May 2014 - 01:19 PM

^ Yeah the arena especially. Let us not forget the whole Passant stuff from the 1990's


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