41 replies to this topic

[gumgum]

OK this is slightly off topic, but I'd like to respond to this statement. By G Hartnell:

What they need, I believe, is strict abstinence-based addiction recovery treatment programmes provided for them in safe social housing, and certainly not more needle exchange programs or so-called 'safe-injection sites.' My position has nothing to do with the legality or illegality of the substances they are abusing, but rather is based on a common sense approach that recognizes that they are sick, and that the City has been paying lip-service to their needs for years, blaming its inertia on lack of funds from higher levels of government. This is a disgraceful cop-out.

Are you saying that all "traditional" recovery based treatment should be removed completely? Because I think, apart from many concerns I have of this idea, this could be very dangerous for addicts. Many addicts have died from the symptoms related to withdrawl. Also, it just opens a massive floodgate of problems that I don't feel, based on my very minimal education on addiction I will add, is encouraged by the medical world.
I ask this because I remember reading about your platform during the last election and I was encouraged by your abstinence-based treatment idea. But I was under the impression that this would be a program added as another option - in addition to traditional treament.

Sorry Mods. I just can't help it. But you have to expect an organic meandering from the topic once and a while.

[Gregory Hartnell]

+++

I apologize for detouring the discussion. I see that there will be a new political forum coming to Vibrant Victoria. I look forward to dialogue there with concerned citizens.

The tremendous increase in revenues from new skyscaper development in the Humboldt Valley and Songhees has not been specified for the provision of social housing for these sick homeless, but it should be.

Developers working co-operatively with the City can help get these neglected people off the sidewalks, where they are presently discouraging custom.

During such an unusual period of growth and real estate speculation, the City of Victoira should not wait for higher levels of government to come to the aid of the City.

The City should specify the amelioration of the homelessness problem as priority number one.

But the mayor was on vacation during the whole week of the Union of BC Municipalities convention recently held at the Conference Centre.

He shilled for them while in Athens Greece, and was thus able to evade his resposibilities as the person most responsible for the tragedy on our downtown sidewalks.

The mayor is not, as far as I know, working for the Conference Centre, but is rather elected to serve the people of Victoria.

+++

[Mike K.]

Gregory, just to clarify, the Political section will not be another forum but another section of the site similar to what you see in the Development and Gallery sections.

A political forum is already in existence on VibrantVictoria.ca's discussion board.

[G-Man]

Anyone got any new info on the parking lot? It would useful if there was someone from the city that could comment.

[Holden West]

I'll answer Mr. Hartnell's questions on affordable housing and Alan Lowe in their respective forums.

[Holden West]

Time will tell if the 2000s infill between these two beautiful old buildings will be better than the crappy 1980s infill they just tore down.





Does anyone have a "before" picture for this site?

[G-Man]

They want the infill to be a parking lot. Similar to Lefevre's Herald Street project.

[Holden West]

Pricing starts at $235,000 and completion date is supposedly March 2008.

Should be more data soon at:

http://www.lefevregroup.com

[D.L.]

[Holden West]

Taken yesterday by brett.electrician over at SSP:



Doesn't look like much is happening! What's going on?!

[D.L.]

There were guys working on a strange scafold setup on the alley side of the building last week.

[Holden West]

Ah, I see something on the roof, too. I guess interior renovations will take a while. Might as well pull up a chair--we could be looking at a Palladian-style pace.

[D.L.]

I walked by this project yesterday with Mike and there are now some large steel structures in place between the two buildings. They must be for earthquake reinforcement and/or for walkways connecting the two buildings. The holes where these structures attach to the buildings can be seen in the photo posted above.

[Holden West]

Damage to the Leiser Building after the Luisitania riots. Note: will LeFevre restore the "LEISER" name to the top of the building?

[Nparker]

Damage to the Leiser Building after the Luisitania riots.

Forgive my ignorance, but what exactly were the Lusitania Riots? Did they have something to do with the ship of the same name?

[Ms. B. Havin]

The Lusitania was torpedoed by a German submarine in 1915, and sank, taking almost 2000 passengers & crew with her. It was (**) sort of like a WWI equivalent of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, I guess... Anyway, there were anti-German riots in Victoria (and many other Cdn places) as a result. The Leiser family, a prominent German-Jewish Victoria-based family with immediate family members emigrating to Victoria (if I recall correctly) from Germany & from San Francisco to join already established family members here took it on the chin, even though they were totally uninvolved in German war efforts.

EDIT: (**) After some debate here, I'll edit the above statement (which was an off-the-top-of-my-head comment) to read "It was probably perceived at the time by many British-minded patriots the way the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor was perceived decades later: as a cowardly & unforgivable attack." Which in turn provoked riots against anything having to do with the "Huns."

[Baro]

Keep the Hun on the run!

[Nparker]

Hun on the run!

Sounds like a German fast-food restaurant....

[richardbirkin]

Now that this project is virtually completed, what are everyones thoughts on the finished product?