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Saanich Fair


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#1 VicHockeyFan

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Posted 06 September 2015 - 07:05 AM

All accounts suggest the fair was really crazy busy yesterday, some say they have never seen it so busy.  Apparently traffic was a bit of a nightmare leaving.

 

Honeymoon Suite play tonight!

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uK0AmgDGpPo

 

 

 

 

The PNE is suffering in part due to last weekend's storm.    They are offering free admission 11am to 2pm today.


<p><span style="font-size:12px;"><em><span style="color:rgb(40,40,40);font-family:helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">"I don’t need a middle person in my pizza slice transaction" <strong>- zoomer, April 17, 2018</strong></span></em></span>

#2 VicHockeyFan

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Posted 06 September 2015 - 07:08 AM

As I sat downtown yesterday, I thought there are all these tourists just walking around the harbour, and there is a kick-ass country fair going on that they are oblivious to, only a $2.50 bus ride away.

 

Saanich Fair ought to set up a little pig stable on the Empress lawn or nearby and then shuttle people to the fair.


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<p><span style="font-size:12px;"><em><span style="color:rgb(40,40,40);font-family:helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">"I don’t need a middle person in my pizza slice transaction" <strong>- zoomer, April 17, 2018</strong></span></em></span>

#3 Mike K.

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Posted 06 September 2015 - 07:11 AM

It's too out of the way for tourists without a vehicle, and with a vehicle access was severely impeded by a lack of access onto the property. Every year this is a problem, every year they just can't figure out a solution. But it's so simple to acquire the rights to a large parking lot for the day and have at it. The $10 parking fee includes a shuttle to and fro.
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#4 VicHockeyFan

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Posted 06 September 2015 - 07:15 AM

It's too out of the way for tourists without a vehicle, and with a vehicle access was severely impeded by a lack of access onto the property. Every year this is a problem, every year they just can't figure out a solution. But it's so simple to get acquire the rights to a large parking lot for the day and have at it. The $10 parking fee includes and shuttle to and fro.

 

Yup, seems like they could make it easier.  Is it free parking now?  That's dumb.  Charge a bit for parking and you'd encourage transit and other ways.  Then yes, your plan works for locals and tourists.   The transit park and rides must be pretty empty on weekends, right?  And Keating has some parking lots, and BC Systems at Seymour St. in town would be a good shuttle lot. 

 

From what I can find, the fair doesn't even do a good job of telling you where it is.   http://saanichfair.ca/officialsite/


<p><span style="font-size:12px;"><em><span style="color:rgb(40,40,40);font-family:helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">"I don’t need a middle person in my pizza slice transaction" <strong>- zoomer, April 17, 2018</strong></span></em></span>

#5 VicHockeyFan

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Posted 06 September 2015 - 08:12 AM

In fairness, they have only been doing this for 148 years.  So maybe still getting the kinks out.


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<p><span style="font-size:12px;"><em><span style="color:rgb(40,40,40);font-family:helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">"I don’t need a middle person in my pizza slice transaction" <strong>- zoomer, April 17, 2018</strong></span></em></span>

#6 Nparker

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Posted 06 September 2015 - 08:15 AM

In fairness, they have only been doing this for 148 years.  So maybe still getting the kinks out.

It seems to me that after148 years of successful fairs they probably know what they are doing.



#7 VicHockeyFan

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Posted 06 September 2015 - 08:24 AM

It seems to me that after148 years of successful fairs they probably know what they are doing.

 

They received dozens of complaints via social media, did not address any with even a sorry yada yada yada.  That's wrong.  And over an hour for some to get out around 4pm yesterday.  That's brutal, they say at best they get 42,000 people over the 3 days.


<p><span style="font-size:12px;"><em><span style="color:rgb(40,40,40);font-family:helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">"I don’t need a middle person in my pizza slice transaction" <strong>- zoomer, April 17, 2018</strong></span></em></span>

#8 Nparker

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Posted 06 September 2015 - 08:48 AM

And yet...

All accounts suggest the fair was really crazy busy yesterday, some say they have never seen it so busy.  



#9 VicHockeyFan

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Posted 06 September 2015 - 09:10 AM

No, that's great for them.  But maybe now next year the poor experience remembered means you leave an hour earlier, or skip it next year.


<p><span style="font-size:12px;"><em><span style="color:rgb(40,40,40);font-family:helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">"I don’t need a middle person in my pizza slice transaction" <strong>- zoomer, April 17, 2018</strong></span></em></span>

#10 spanky123

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Posted 06 September 2015 - 09:33 AM

With rain in the forecast today and tomorrow it is no surprise that folks went on Saturday.



#11 AllseeingEye

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Posted 06 September 2015 - 11:16 AM

All accounts suggest the fair was really crazy busy yesterday, some say they have never seen it so busy.  Apparently traffic was a bit of a nightmare leaving.

 

Honeymoon Suite play tonight!

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uK0AmgDGpPo

 

 

 

 

The PNE is suffering in part due to last weekend's storm.    They are offering free admission 11am to 2pm today.

It was a complete gong show both going and coming; after taking the E. Saanich cutoff from the PBH it took 45 mins to crawl to the fair site (normally a 5 minute drive); Mrs ASE and I hopped in the car for the drive home at 3:40 and managed to actually exit the parking lot onto the main road at 5:15 - ninety+ minutes of creeping along at a snail's pace while no one appeared to be in charge of orchestrating an orderly exodus. While there was no parking organization to speak of there was plenty of cussing and middle finger international salutes. Whoever is/was responsible for that aspect of the organization Failed with a capital "F".



#12 gumgum

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Posted 06 September 2015 - 11:31 AM

Yes we had a similar experience yesterday. It was a complete nightmare. The worst part about it was that there was clearly no one in charge of orchastrating traffic. Leaving was stressful and infuriating, especially after dropping a couple hundred bucks for the privilege of spending most of the time lining of for rides and food. The whole thing was a horrible experience. I would never ever going again if it weren't for my kids.

Edited by gumgum, 06 September 2015 - 11:32 AM.

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#13 gumgum

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Posted 06 September 2015 - 11:34 AM

For the record we left for the fair pretty early with the knowledge that we would run into traffic- as we have in the past. And yet we were completely blindsided by utter sh1tshow we were to endure.

#14 VicHockeyFan

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Posted 06 September 2015 - 11:43 AM

^ and ^^ So any negatives?


<p><span style="font-size:12px;"><em><span style="color:rgb(40,40,40);font-family:helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">"I don’t need a middle person in my pizza slice transaction" <strong>- zoomer, April 17, 2018</strong></span></em></span>

#15 gumgum

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Posted 06 September 2015 - 11:46 AM

From the Saanich Fair FB page:

"To all that are messaging about the traffic jams. We are doing the best we can. There has been record crowds hers today. No amount of planning could get anyone out of here faster. We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience.."

No amount of planning??? There was no effing planning at all. Leaving, there were only two teenage girls in one exit point trying to direct cars onto Stellys when there were 3-4 exit points. And they were clearly in over their heads.

There was nobody in charge.

Edited by gumgum, 06 September 2015 - 11:47 AM.


#16 AllseeingEye

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Posted 06 September 2015 - 11:49 AM

For the record we left for the fair pretty early with the knowledge that we would run into traffic- as we have in the past. And yet we were completely blindsided by utter sh1tshow we were to endure.

Yup! Worst part was finally two kids - maybe 15 or 16 - showed up at the east exit to "direct" traffic. Clearly they were way out of their element and had had zero training in terms of the signals for cars to STOP or PROCEED etc; the boy made some unintelligible gesture with his 'baton' in my general direction which necessitated that I to ask out the window "do you want me to stop because I have no idea what that last gesture was?" to which he only nodded in the affirmative. He had the look of the virgin kid trying to figure out the mysteries of a bra clasp for the very first time - he had no clue what he was doing and IMO was a real danger to himself simply being put in that position by whoever was ultimately in charge. I am surprised I didn't see a scuffle or two among drivers especially when cars were trying to merge with the main traffic as the latter was attempting to Exit. 



#17 Nparker

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Posted 06 September 2015 - 12:01 PM

It's a sad commentary on contemporary society when people can't relax and go with the flow even when attending a seasonal, social event like a fair. Flame on.


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#18 gumgum

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Posted 06 September 2015 - 12:09 PM

^My frustration with it comes from the fact that most of that mess could have be completely preventable. You weren't there, you didn't experience what I experienced. Get off your high horse.


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#19 VicHockeyFan

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Posted 06 September 2015 - 12:11 PM

It's a sad commentary on contemporary society when people can't relax and go with the flow even when attending a seasonal, social event like a fair. Flame on.

 

90 minutes to exit though?


<p><span style="font-size:12px;"><em><span style="color:rgb(40,40,40);font-family:helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">"I don’t need a middle person in my pizza slice transaction" <strong>- zoomer, April 17, 2018</strong></span></em></span>

#20 sebberry

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Posted 06 September 2015 - 01:06 PM

Isn't this what reserve police constables are for?  Or... gasp... traffic flaggers?

 

EDIT:  Was the issue with traffic direction or simply volume?


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