3426 replies to this topic

[Victoria Watcher]

back in the 70s and 80s my british relatives loved our k-mart when they came to visit. i don’t recall them mentioning how close / far it was from english setting. not k-mart but our city.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 31 July 2019 - 07:04 PM.

[DustMagnet]

How can a city with nearly half a million people be quaint? I don't understand that.

 

Hard work and a bad attitude.  

[Kapten Kapsell]

Wilson's Group is planning to add electric ferries to their Victoria Gray Line operation: https://www.timescol...jolt-1.23910346

 

  

 

 

  

 

 

 

[Hotel Mike]

Their electric vessel has been all around the Inner Harbour in the last few days. I even saw it put in to the Vic Int. Marina. Great promotion work for this company. Obviously worked. Now Gray Line will be running them as a hop on-hop off. This is the first challenger to Victoria Harbour Ferries I would think.

[Mike K.]

Hop-on hop-off should have been the harbour taxi’s model from the get go. $20 and you’re good for the day.

[Hotel Mike]

Unfortunately the Harbour Ferry has completely disregarded local users. There used to be an annual pass, or you could buy a bunch of hops that they could scan from your phone. Now thanks to some bad management, Victoria residents just have to pay a full $7 every time they want to use the ferry. No pass. No frequent user discounts. I'm doing even more walking than I used to, because I don't want to shell out a full fare every time I go anywhere.

[Victoria Watcher]

that's too bad they cancelled the annual pass.  i wonder if it was somehow abused.

[spanky123]

Unfortunately the Harbour Ferry has completely disregarded local users. There used to be an annual pass, or you could buy a bunch of hops that they could scan from your phone. Now thanks to some bad management, Victoria residents just have to pay a full $7 every time they want to use the ferry. No pass. No frequent user discounts. I'm doing even more walking than I used to, because I don't want to shell out a full fare every time I go anywhere.

 

But will the new ferry be any different?

[Victoria Watcher]

the best deal is the "hop-on-hop-off bc transit system" at $5/day.  i think a lot of tourists have figured that out too.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 10 August 2019 - 12:17 PM.

[spanky123]

Very weak tourism numbers in July according to Chemistry. https://chemistrycon...n-June-2019.pdf

 

I commented here that privately operators were anticipating a 10% drop in overall numbers (outside of cruise) and it may turn out that they are not that far off.

[Matt R.]

They are all skipping Victoria and coming directly to Salt Spring, it would appear.

Matt.

[Victoria Watcher]

i think that's a june report not july.  weather not great.

[spanky123]

i think that's a june report not july.  weather not great.

 

You are right on the month!

[Nparker]

Was anyone else aware that our region was mounting a serious bid to host the 2022 Invictus Games?

Greater Victoria’s island location may hurt its case as it competes against Germany’s seventh largest city Duesseldorf for the right to host the 2022 Invictus Games as one of two finalists, with a final announcement not until November, the public heard Monday...“There are lots of strengths, it’s very, very clear,” Dominic Reid, [chief executive officer of the Invictus Games Foundation] said in calling Victoria a “wonderful potential host city” that has a lot going for itself. “The community spirit is terrific,” he said. “But as you know…if you want something that is a little bit of a challenge, you are on Vancouver Island. It is somewhere where you gotta bring people to from around the world.”...Peter Lawless, who heads Victoria’s bids, said the games and Victoria are “perfectly matched” for each other because of Greater Victoria’s status as a military community, as well as its reputation for producing top athletes. The scale of the games also fit the community, he added. Current estimates peg the total cost of hosting the games at $39 million...

https://www.vicnews....invictus-games/

 

[shoeflack]

Was anyone else aware that our region was mounting a serious bid to host the 2022 Invictus Games?

Yup. A couple of munis have committed funding. The Invictus Games Foundation people are in town as we speak doing venue tours. I believe there is a wrap up reception tomorrow or Wednesday night at Government House.

[Jackerbie]

^ And certain CoV Councillors made sure everyone knew that their support for the Games was not support for war

[Nparker]

I am sure Dusseldorf will be the victor, but it seems as though the local bid has not received much press.

[spanky123]

I am sure Dusseldorf will be the victor, but it seems as though the local bid has not received much press.

 

Local and Provincial Governments don't want the games. They contributed token funding for a proposal but I haven't heard of anyone offering to pony up $39M. I think that they will do the minimum needed to get some free PR and donor support but that will be it.

[shoeflack]

Local and Provincial Governments don't want the games. They contributed token funding for a proposal but I haven't heard of anyone offering to pony up $39M. I think that they will do the minimum needed to get some free PR and donor support but that will be it.

 

Ya, that's not at all true. The has been a financial commitment from multiple levels of government for the hosting part itself, just nothing formally announced to the public. One municipality in particular is extremely eager to host key events. The key people on the bid committee are heavy hitters, people that tend to only attach their names to legitimate bids. It's a much different makeup than the Commonwealth Games bid committee. Those Games weren't supported by government; these ones are very much so.

[spanky123]

Ya, that's not at all true. The has been a financial commitment from multiple levels of government for the hosting part itself, just nothing formally announced to the public. One municipality in particular is extremely eager to host key events. The key people on the bid committee are heavy hitters, people that tend to only attach their names to legitimate bids. It's a much different makeup than the Commonwealth Games bid committee. Those Games weren't supported by government; these ones are very much so.

 

I would think that if "multiple levels of Government" are committing taxpayer funds then the taxpayer should know.