5619 replies to this topic

[LJ]

It's a good thing we didn't opt for a rapid transit line, we can just park buses that aren't needed.

[Nparker]

It's a good thing we didn't opt for a rapid transit line, we can just park buses that aren't needed.

Are there actually any fewer buses running, or is it the same frequency with only a small fraction of the ridership?

[Cats4Hire]

Are there actually any fewer buses running, or is it the same frequency with only a small fraction of the ridership?

9 and 51 aren't running at all (would normally be running just limited during the summer) and 70, 72, 75 didn't get the boost they normally get over the summer so there are less. Mostly related to 0 UVic/Camosun traffic opposed to minimal and minimal tourism traffic opposed to large amounts.

[Nparker]

I guess I am mostly seeing the urban routes like the #6, and #30 running with minimal ridership, but fairly normal service levels.

[Cats4Hire]

I guess I am mostly seeing the urban routes like the #6, and #30 running with minimal ridership, but fairly normal service levels.

we still have daily trip cancellations (I count 7 for today: https://www.bctransi...and-maps/alerts) but I think most routes that aren't aimed specifically at tourists or the few UVic/Camosun students that attend summer courses are following their normal schedule. 

[Ismo07]

here's a sure sign of people not working downtown.

 

robbins has many monthly spots available in many parkades.

 

https://robbinsparki...arking-locator/

 

until covid they were all wait-list.

This may change now that the City is enforcing time zones and meter rates and time restrictions are back to pre-covid times.  People will not be able to park on the street all day so will start filling lots and parkades again.

[Ismo07]

I've worked downtown for decades, and I've been back full time at my office post-COVID shutdown for a couple of months now ... and despite any COV parking figures that might be trotted out as evidence otherwise, I can assure all who might wonder that downtown is currently devastated in terms of the number of people downtown making purchases of anything at all, from food to goods.

 

Walk into the Bay downtown, and you'll see that their shelves are almost empty. I asked a Bay worker up in housewares what was going on, and she said their business was down so low that they couldn't justify bringing stock levels up to anything remotely close to what they were pre-COVID.

 

It's my belief that we're in a transitional "dream" stage right now, where we're pretending everything is OK (something that's being falsely reinforced by restaurants and bars being open again), but that in reality we're on the cusp of a devastating series of closures and abandonment of downtown businesses, an "abandonment" that will leave downtown Victoria just short of a wasteland for years to come.

 

The stats are showing there is a growth for people coming downtown in cars, almost weekly across the board.  Recent weeks have shown a little bit of a plateau.  Now what those people are doing is tough to garner.  For anyone thinking things are normal, that's obviously not the case but it's ok to cheer as downtown slowly comes to life.  Will we see it at normal anytime soon, no, but will there be less complaints from shoppers and visitors downtown as we have fewer commuters.. Yes..  This leads to the potential of more short-term options.  Transaction-wise, street parking has reached just over 80% of last year and parkades over 72% as a whole, a couple under 70% and one over 80% use.  The numbers obviously do not tell the whole story but it's still encouraging.  Many businesses will have to make some changes for sure.  The Bay is pushing more and more online transactions.  Bars and restaurants are still relying on the employee subsidy, without it I don't think many would make it, even with the patios.

[Spy Black]

I don't doubt your numbers Ismo, but my eyes tell me that downtown is dead as a door-nail during the day, with plenty of on-street parking at all times, and equally, plenty of parkade parking anytime.

 

Like you, I don't know what these folks are actually doing downtown, but I'm not kidding when I say the Bay, and indeed the rest of the Bay Centre are sporting half empty shelves, and are very likely on the cusp of some sort of major business decision as to whether they can make it through the fall and winter seasons.

 

I think that restaurants are really all anybody is coming downtown for, and I agree with you that once the wage subsidy is removed, and once the restaurants staff can no longer count on CERB to top up their paycheques ... there will be a noticeable collapse in the restaurant and bar business overall ... which will likely portend a pretty dismal time in downtown Victoria (despite the plethora of new downtown condo developments).

[On the Level]

It's a good thing we didn't opt for a rapid transit line, we can just park buses that aren't needed.

 

Given we just ordered 118 buses @ a cost of $79 million, it's not exactly clear how much cheaper buses are after factoring in the amount of maintenance they need with each one needing full time employees. 

 

At $669,491 a piece, those buses will still cost us when parked.

 

https://globalnews.c...ding-new-buses/

[mbjj]

So the city has gone ahead and installed pay parking on Rupert Terrace. I usually help my daughter unload her groceries there as we combine our shopping trips. The city told her, oh there will be a loading zone you can use. They put in a "passenger zone, 3 minute maximum" zone. Yesterday a moving van from the Cherry Bank was there for over two hours. So much for being able to unload groceries. There's no way I'm giving the city one red cent of parking revenue. If I want to visit for an extended period, I'll just go park on Burdett or MacClure.

Edited by mbjj, 30 August 2020 - 07:24 AM.

[Nparker]

...There's no way I'm giving the city one red cent of parking revenue. If I want to visit for an extended period, I'll just go park on Burdett or MacClure.

Won't you please think of the children and the "free" bus passes they so desperately need?

[Redd42]

Limited time parking zones are still not being enforced in Victoria. Seems the announcement recently was just about downtown. I see people parking all day in the various time limited zones in Rock Bay.

[rjag]

Limited time parking zones are still not being enforced in Victoria. Seems the announcement recently was just about downtown. I see people parking all day in the various time limited zones in Rock Bay.

 

Lots of tickets being written on side streets around RJH. They're up there several times a day, which is funny considering they arent charging for parking at RJH just now

Edited by rjag, 30 August 2020 - 12:45 PM.

[mbjj]

Won't you please think of the children and the "free" bus passes they so desperately need?

Haha, not a chance!

[mbjj]

Lots of tickets being written on side streets around RJH. They're up there several times a day, which is funny considering they arent charging for parking at RJH just now

I can sympathize with residents around there. When I was in the hospital last year for three weeks my husband came every day, but he made sure he parked several blocks away in a two hour zone. Pay parking as it was then can get a bit expensive.

[Hotel Mike]

How much do rose-coloured glasses cost these days Hotel Mike? 

Ha-ha. Sorry I missed this earlier Nparker.

[A Girl is No one]

Not sure if this has been brought up: the city has installed permanent no parking signs in the parking area of Gonzales beach. They had temporarily blocked parking “due to COVID” and now it’s gone forever. I’m so annoyed. My nearby park (BHP) has been turned over to the riff raff and I can no longer go to another park I can’t walk to. Can’t ride there either with the dog.
Does anyone know the “logic” used to cut off this parking? It’s not in front of houses.

[Nparker]

Further exploitation of the current situation by council to implement more of their ideological-driven agenda.

[mbjj]

Oh no, that's awful. I sometimes go to Gonzales just to sit on the beach for a while. Guess we'll all be parking in front of houses permanently now.

[A Girl is No one]

There still are some parking spots in front of houses on crescent road on the other side of the street from the park. For now. 🤨