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Poll: What Do think of Alan Lowe on homelessness, and saftey issues in Victoria? (1 member(s) have cast votes)

What Do think of Alan Lowe on homelessness, and saftey issues in Victoria?

  1. Great. (0 votes [0.00%])

    Percentage of vote: 0.00%

  2. He is doing a terrible job. (5 votes [19.23%] - View)

    Percentage of vote: 19.23%

  3. He is doing what he can. (5 votes [19.23%] - View)

    Percentage of vote: 19.23%

  4. He needs from help from other muncipalities. (6 votes [23.08%] - View)

    Percentage of vote: 23.08%

  5. He needs more help from the provincial and federal governments. (8 votes [30.77%] - View)

    Percentage of vote: 30.77%

  6. He is dooing more then his fair share. (2 votes [7.69%] - View)

    Percentage of vote: 7.69%

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#41 Galvanized

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Posted 28 April 2007 - 09:33 AM

Mayor's parking pledge prompts loud applause

By Brennan Clarke
News staff
Apr 27 2007

Commissionaires sometimes “do too good a job”

Never mind the platitudes about fostering responsible economic growth while working to fix the social ills that plague Victoria’s downtown core.

The most warmly received part of Mayor Alan Lowe’s mid-term address Tuesday was a reference to relaxing what many see as the city’s overzealous approach to parking enforcement.

Speaking at a Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce luncheon, Lowe announced that the city is planning to unveil a new parking strategy next that will substitute warning tickets for the real thing.

Lowe said the city wants to be more “parking friendly” and will likely instruct commissionaires to ease up on violations such as parking too far from the curb or leaving the tail end of a vehicle hanging over a yellow-curbed no parking zone.

“If it’s not a safety issue, let’s look at it and maybe give them a warning ticket,” Lowe said to a loud round of applause.

“Our commissionaires do a great job. Sometimes they do too good a job.”

Lowe revealed that the new strategy will increase the number of locations at which parking cards can be bought and hinted at possible reductions in long-term parking rates.

Lowe told the pro-business crowd he will continue trying to address social ills such as addiction, poverty and petty crime that plague downtown Victoria and at the same time work to foster a positive business climate.

“We have to build that balance we need in order to create a downtown that is for everybody,” Lowe said.

“Our city is increasingly being defined by the social crisis in our urban community.”

The city’s contribution to affordable housing in the region – $1 million to its own fund and $750,000 to a regional fund administered by the CRD demonstrate the city’s commitment to social issues, he said.

Victoria will continue to lobby for a community court system to deal with repeat offenders, work with AIDS Vancouver Island to relocate the city’s needle exchange and develop programs such as the recently announced Youth Employment Training Program aimed at helping at-risk young people get off the streets.

Lowe also recapped a series of high-rise buildings the city has approved in the last year and said more such developments are on the way.

He expressed hope that a recent task force charged with planning the redevelopment of Belleville ferry terminal will be able to move that long-awaited project forward.

Lowe is also optimistic that the city’s recent move to take over Crystal Garden for convention centre expansion will bring more business to town.

mailto:bclarke@vicnews.com

© Copyright 2007 Victoria News
Past President of Victoria's Flâneur Union Local 1862

#42 m0nkyman

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Posted 28 April 2007 - 09:48 AM

You mean that the parking commisionaires might stop being openly hostile and rude to people? That they'll be instructed not to wait at meters 'til they click over? That they will stop doing their damndest to find a way to ticket every car in the downtown core?

That'd be nice.

#43 Mike K.

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Posted 28 April 2007 - 10:52 AM

There's one fellow who is one of the kindest parking commisionaires I've ever dealt with. Twice he's instructed me where to park my car to avoid paying any parking downtown and once I accidentally parked in a construction zone (which was active on Saturday, even though no construction was taking place) and he politely instructed me on the rules and regs of parking around construction sites (and how to get away with using them for free!).

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#44 Holden West

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Posted 28 April 2007 - 11:09 AM

I've never seen a commissionaire initiate a rude conversation but I've seen plenty commissionaires walk away silently while on the recieving end of a verbal tirade.
"Beaver, ahoy!""The bridge is like a magnet, attracting both pedestrians and over 30,000 vehicles daily who enjoy the views of Victoria's harbour. The skyline may change, but "Big Blue" as some call it, will always be there."
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#45 m0nkyman

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Posted 28 April 2007 - 11:26 AM

*shrug* I have. On numerous occasions.

I'm a merchant who has lost sales because commisionaires have insisted that vehicles get moved rather than just plugging the meters..... So perhaps I despise them more than most.....

#46 Holden West

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Posted 28 April 2007 - 11:41 AM

Yeah, but we as a society have decided that meters are for short term parking and shouldn't be hogged for hours by people that can't be bothered to hit a parkade or a lot.
"Beaver, ahoy!""The bridge is like a magnet, attracting both pedestrians and over 30,000 vehicles daily who enjoy the views of Victoria's harbour. The skyline may change, but "Big Blue" as some call it, will always be there."
-City of Victoria website, 2009

#47 m0nkyman

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Posted 28 April 2007 - 11:47 AM

Is our goal to make it a healthy downtown or to act morally superior?

#48 Galvanized

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Posted 28 April 2007 - 01:00 PM

In the case of re-plugging the meter, they should relax the rule so you can re-plug it once in case you run out of time such as an un-expected long line in a bank/store. I know it would be hard to enforce but it would make shoppers/merchants happier.
Past President of Victoria's Flâneur Union Local 1862

#49 Icebergalley

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Posted 28 April 2007 - 02:08 PM

Change the "no re=plugging" rule and you can then allow staff and shopkeepers to park all day in the same spots that should have "churn"..

Wonder if anyone at City Hall has done a survey of metered cars on a free sunday or holiday?

And recall the complaints from "staff" who couldn't get a nearby parking spot in another thread...

#50 VicHockeyFan

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Posted 28 April 2007 - 04:31 PM

^ Does it make sense for a worker to keep re-plugging all day when the parkades are much cheaper?
<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>

#51 Icebergalley

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Posted 28 April 2007 - 08:49 PM

Financially no...

But convenience say Yeh!!

#52 Mike K.

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Posted 29 April 2007 - 12:08 PM

Have you guys seen that google ad that asks "Is Alan Lowe doing a good job?" I voted in their little poll, with the vote being 70% in opposition. But then again anyone can vote and not just residents in the City of Victoria.

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#53 BC Mary

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Posted 28 July 2008 - 08:53 PM

.
Mayor Lowe could have handled the Paul Battershill issue with a lot more sensitivity.

The Chief Constable for the Capital City of the Province is somebody who can't be ignored, hidden, or disappeared without creating suspicion that the situation isn't being dealt with honestly.

Battershill's significant Hearing may have taken place by now. Or not. I don't know. Do you? Because according to Mayor Lowe, it would be held at a secret time, on a secret day, in secret place, because the Mayor feared "a media frenzy".

What a sense of humour! Imagine the laid-back pack journalists of B.C. getting themselves outa bed, showered, fed, dressed, and downtown in order to work themselves into a frenzy by 9:00 AM ... oh, man.

Me, I would welcome a media frenzy if it would inform the public as to just why an excellent Police Chief was treated so badly. Is that asking too much? I don't think so.

.

#54 D.L.

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Posted 28 July 2008 - 11:35 PM

I walked into City Hall the other day. The front entrance stunk like urine and the main hallway of the first floor was lined with pictures on the wall showing 19th century scenes of the city. No images of new or proposed buildings, such as the Falls or Gateway Green were in sight, things the City should be flaunting. It's as though there is a stagnent mentality pervading. What is wrong with this stupid little city?!?!?!

#55 VicHockeyFan

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Posted 28 July 2008 - 11:37 PM

I walked into City Hall the other day. The front entrance stunk like urine and the main hallway of the first floor was lined with pictures on the wall showing 19th century scenes of the city. No images of new or proposed buildings, such as the Falls or Gateway Green were in sight, things the City should be flaunting. It's as though there is a stagnent mentality pervading. What is wrong with this stupid little city?!?!?!


Someone is bitter tonight. For me, the smell of urine IS what the city is about now. You spelled stagnant wrong, Firefox would have told you before you hit submit. Try to get away from Bill Gates and his stuff.

#56 D.L.

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Posted 28 July 2008 - 11:50 PM

As a web developer I prefer IE for it's functionality.

#57 Rorschach

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Posted 29 July 2008 - 08:06 AM

Mayor Lowe could have handled the Paul Battershill issue with a lot more sensitivity.

Me, I would welcome a media frenzy if it would inform the public as to just why an excellent Police Chief was treated so badly. Is that asking too much? I don't think so.


Nothing is stopping Battershill from telling his side of the story if he wants to. If he's being treated badly or being falsely accused he should be out with it.

#58 Koru

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Posted 29 July 2008 - 08:17 AM

.
Mayor Lowe could have handled the Paul Battershill issue with a lot more sensitivity.

Me, I would welcome a media frenzy if it would inform the public as to just why an excellent Police Chief was treated so badly. Is that asking too much? I don't think so.

.



I'm not so sure "excellent" would be the best word to describe Battershill. It is my understand that during his tenure some of Victoria's best cops have retired earlier than originally planned or left to join other forces in the region, they have lost several of their best, brightest and highest ranking reserves to other forces (who in some cases have gone on to become reg. members in other forces), there has been wide spread discontent and some very interesting hirings under the direction of Battershill. If you take a look at the media over the past year all the problems in Vic PD that the new hierarchy are having to deal with are a direct result of his management of the force.

While I agree completely that Lowe is handling this very poorly and as a city and general public we have every right to know what is going on in detail and who is implicated in this debacle, I'm glad to see Battershill gone and McNaughton filing his shoes, at least temporarily, hopefully permanently!

#59 spanky123

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Posted 30 July 2008 - 04:47 AM

I have heard the same thing Guyinthesky.

From what I recall, the cost to have the "best cops" leave was close to $2M as well.

 



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