9614 replies to this topic

[Nparker]

...
maybe they will have a clause allowing them to bypass municipal zoning and approval.

That's what I'm afraid of.

[James Bay walker]

The idea would be much denser housing.

Low rises (below ground apartment blocks) might escape size and setback restrictions, leaving the ground level free for roads and parking lots, (catering to the car/bus/truck crowd).  Might be depressing for residents, so toss in a free wall sized LED TV which could be tuned to an exterior view channel.

[Victoria Watcher]

Size and setback and all other restrictions can be escaped when the province overrides as they propose.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 06 April 2022 - 11:58 AM.

[Mike K.]

Except when it comes to building roads. They can't seem to get on with things fast enough in this province.

[Victoria Watcher]

 

^ NYC subway usage by day of week.

[LJ]

^They also don't like it on Tuesdays when someone comes onboard and shoots a bunch of people.

 

 

 

https://news.yahoo.c...sycsrp_catchall

[Victoria Watcher]

At the Douglasdale bus depot, a Calgary Transit driver slides his window open, and over the noise of two roaring diesel engines, calls out to Nick Blonski.

"I used to drive that bus," the driver says. "I did the last circle run on one of those buses."

Blonski is the proud owner of a 1982 General Motors bus nicknamed the "Fishbowl," for its rounded windshield. The retired 40-foot Calgary Transit bus took its last trip in 2011.


https://www.cbc.ca/n...ation-1.6420469

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 15 April 2022 - 11:49 AM.

[Victoria Watcher]

Councillor Isitt wants to take $5 million from the police budget and give it to transit.



Victoria city councilor wants to make public transit entirely free

Ben Isitt, a Victoria city councillor, is pushing for a referendum that would ask residents how they feel about free public transit. Isitt hopes B.C.'s capital will join roughly 100 municipalities worldwide that already offer free public transportation.

VIDEO: https://www.cbc.ca/p...y/2023826499944

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 18 April 2022 - 02:40 AM.

[Barrrister]

Just what we need a smaller police budget. Perhaps we should start by reducing councils salaries by 95% instead (it might reflect their worth more) and getting rid of the mayors assistant as well.

[Victoria Watcher]

I take issue with pricing anything at “free”.

[Barrrister]

I am of two minds about making it free only because it is so heavily subsidized already that it is close to free. If it was made free would demand spike and the costs along with it. Would it reduce demand on both parking and streets. 

 

The part that makes me gag is that Ben wants to reduce the police budget of all things.

[Victoria Watcher]

Yes the problem with free is abuse and undesirables onboard. In many US cities the transit systems are made unpleasant by freeloaders using it as a sleeping station.

[GaryOak]

Here's an interesting Reddit post with responses from politicians from varying levels of government, regarding varying degrees of free transit. https://www.reddit.c...tm_source=share

[Cats4Hire]

I think we've talked about his opinion before but I agree with Zac De Vries. $5 a day is reasonable for most people (since gas and parking alone easily beat that) but reliability is more important. Most of the areas outside the core need a lot better service and even within the core a lot need better weekend service. Walmart opens at 8AM everyday. Saturday has 3 30/31s from Royal Oak and 2 from Downtown that get to Uptown before 8 (not counting the trips with less than 10 minutes to get from the stop to your shift) and Sunday has 2 (one is 7:48 so really just 1) from Royal Oak and 1 from Downtown. You can make that if you live on their routes but transferring probably not. Most people who work at Walmart on weekends are probably going to have to drive and not having to pay for the bus won't change that.

 

just for every other Uptown related route, no 70 makes it. No 72 from Swartz Bay makes it (although a few of each make it from Downtown). No 75 either direction makes it. Similar amount of 26s to 30/31s make it in both directions. 4 50s from Langford on Saturday and 2 on Sunday make it. 

[Nparker]

Cost never has been,nor ever will be the reason I avoid public transit.

[Midnightly]

isitt is looking for any excuse to cut the police budget.. when what we need are the police being able to do their job effectively without their hands tied behind their back, they should be able to arrest people and not turn a side glance to things happening in this town.. they should be allowed to be tough on crime...and yes tough on the homeless situation too

 

I don't agree with taking 5 mil from the police budget, and i don't agree that we should hit the approx 90k population of Victoria with an additional 10 million dollar tax bill every year to pay for a "want".. i also don't agree with the city of Victoria footing the bill for free transit for the whole crd.. and if they are trying to set it up for just Victoria specific residents your going to need to higher a new staff or two to be able to process all the transit passes.. then there's going to cause frustration between other municipalities like the student passes did (only more so) as other municipalities won't adopt the plan due to the high cost of it and general lack of bus service they get driving yet another wedge between those crazy people on victoria council and the other municipalities

[Cats4Hire]

The Downtown portion of the UVic exchange is going to be closed for construction starting May 4. 14/15 will use the empty bays by 26/51, 11 the bay behind 39, 7 one of the layover bays, 4/9 a temporary stop on Ring Road https://www.bctransi...d=1529717271844

[Mike K.]

Bus lanes are coming to the TCH: https://www.bcbid.go...3&filetype=Blob

[GaryOak]

Finally

[Victoria Watcher]

Public transit for free, driving a bus for free

If Victoria Coun. Ben Isitt wants to make public transit free in Victoria, then maybe he will get his class 2 licence and drive for free instead of coming up with more stupid ideas.

James Cooper
Victoria


https://www.timescol...council-5289399

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 22 April 2022 - 02:43 AM.