69 replies to this topic

[UrbanRail]

He also suggests that rail transit in Victoria will mean a huge decrease in bus service (no study that I am aware of has proven that) and will lead to more green house gases.

http://climatethough...nd-busways.html

[aastra]

Yeah, I get the impression he doesn't like the idea of LRT in Victoria. Call me psychic.

[amor de cosmos]

I might be pushing the boundaries of this thread just a bit ... but I thought I'd share a couple of ill-fated plans that have collected a lot of dust over the last 98 years. This information is courtesy of a 1910 booklet promoting Victoria. Among the lengthly list of plans for 1911 and 1912 were:

1. A new hotel where the Royal B.C. Museum now stands: "The new hotel of the Grand Trunk Pacific will be directly opposite the Parliament Buildings, and south of the Empress Hotel. Grounds and buildings will cost close to a million dollars, and it will command a magnificent view of the Harbor".

2. The new Spencer block, pictured below:

<insert pic>

Wow!

I found a book that has about a dozen buildings like those, mostly in Victoria & Vancouver. It was definitely a good find imho.

[amor de cosmos]

2. The new Spencer block, pictured below:



Wow!

that's what the Jawl's should build instead of that ugly FATrium building. they could get all the structure, electrical, plumbing etc modernized, but on a superficial level it would look like it has been there for 100 years. it would look better next to the Juliet than the FATrium also

[Nparker]

It looks a lot like the old Bay building on steroids doesn't it?

[Baro]

Look at the ground level though. One main entrance and miles of window. I'd want some more street interaction out of this.

[Holden West]

Aug. 29, 1980: Centre leaps final obstacle
This Day in History

Times Colonist
Published: Friday, August 29, 2008

Stories from our pages over the last 150 years.

The proposed $8-million Wharf Street convention centre made it over the final hurdle Thursday.

Victoria city council approved an application for a development permit, giving the Provincial Capital Commission permission to call for tenders on the controversial waterfront project.

The only thing that could still stop the project is lack of financing, but Finance Minister Hugh Curtis, who is in charge of the capital commission, recently reassured the city funds will be available.

Aldermen John Cooper, Gretchen Brewin and Robin Blencoe were the only ones opposing the notion to approve the development permit application.

Cooper said he was stunned that council would commit itself to this project without knowing how the annual deficit would be financed and who would operate the centre.

"This is utter nonsense, tommyrot," he said.

-- Victoria Times

-------------------

Wow, I didn't know how close we were to getting a Wharf St. convention centre. I wonder what it looked like.

BTW, people don't say "tommyrot" enough these days.

[Holden West]

Dave Dickson, C-FAX

Author and historian Dorothy Mindenhall joins me @cfax1070 at 2:30. We'll talk about her new book "Unbuilt Victoria".

[D.L.]

Neat, I'll listen online.

[D.L.]

That was a nice listen.

Something I found odd though is that the host kept referring to the city as "the region," either trying to avoid recognizing Victoria as a city or using it as a PC term because of the fractured municipal structure of the city.