63 replies to this topic

[VicHockeyFan]

Good times over at Facebook:

Oh darn, is this another one of those runs where they tie James Bay in knots for hours?

As another James Bayer, I totally agree. Sunday is a time for family outings, church perhaps, enjoying the park and all we get is NOISE, discarded clothing and water bottles and the dubious thrill of being prisoners in our own neighbourhoods.

VHF: For gosh sakes, Anne, the thing is more or less completely over by 10am. 90% of James Bayers are still in their PJs at 10am.

(VHF) it is NOT over by 10 am. It is inconvenient, we are never notified and it happens at least 3 times a year with one race or another.
I have been inconvenienced almost everytime it happens and this has been happening for almost 20 years now with one race or another. Most people in James Bay just hate it. But our complaints fall on deaf ears at City Hall.
How about we run through someone else's neighborhood?

VHF: ‎3 times a year! Heavens! So the other 362 days per year you are well taken-care-of right? The marathon lasts longer, but even the very, very slowest TCers are done by 10am. 13,000 people keeping in shape, saving you healthcare dollars sounds like a good deal. The streets are ours too! Also, it's in its 22nd year, I'm not sure what more notice you need.

VHF: I'm not sure many are going to agree with you about all the horrors of having to live in James Bay. Just sayin'.

Yeah, if you think it's so great, lets go to your neighborhood and do it for a few years. And, a reminder, we never get notice. You just wake up one day and can not get out of James Bay to go to church, or visit friends or whatever you may have planned for that morning.
Let's share that thrill in your neighborhood.

I have lived in James Bay since 1980. And it is not a horror, it is just inconsiderate to shut down one neighborhood several times a year over and over and over. With no notice to us. Let's do it over by your house instead.

VHF: ‎22 years. Same route more or less. Same weekend every year. Always the Sunday. How can there be no notice? 8760 hours in year. James Bay inconvenienced over about 9 hours every year, or 1/10 of 1 percent of the year. 999 out of every 1000 hours of your James Bay existence, there is no race going on.

[Mike K.]

I swear James Bay is the whiniest neighbourhood in Victoria.

From complaining about having the largest proportion of residential highrises of any neighbourhood (yes, this was/is a major complaint of the neighbourhood association), to having to share its roads for community events, James Bayers just can't relax and kick it.

[sebberry]

They obviously know about it well enough to complain about it - how can they claim they receive no notice?

[VicHockeyFan]

More people run in this thing than live in all of James Bay. After the competitive racers go by, they let cars drive across the race route intermittently at intersections.

So unless you live ON a race route street, you're OK, except for maybe 30 minutes. And they'd let ya go out for an emergency too.

[aastra]

Incredible but true: other neighbourhoods also host events that involve street closures and other minor inconveniences.

[Hotel Mike]

Guess what? I live in James Bay and love to see the throngs of runners going by. I usually yell encouragement from my patio. But not this year. I'll be IN the TC10k, happily using the streets of my neighbourhood, James Bay.

[VicHockeyFan]

Guess what? I live in James Bay and love to see the throngs of runners going by. I usually yell encouragement from my patio. But not this year. I'll be IN the TC10k, happily using the streets of my neighbourhood, James Bay.

And I thought her noise complaint was invalid.

Hey, they have a free online gizmo this year that allows you to sinc your bib-chip to your Facebook or twitter for updates at 5k, 8k and the end. Auto-status updates as you run. That sounds cool.

[gumgum]

I swear James Bay is the whiniest neighbourhood in Victoria.

From complaining about having the largest proportion of residential highrises of any neighbourhood (yes, this was/is a major complaint of the neighbourhood association), to having to share its roads for community events, James Bayers just can't relax and kick it.

I know your tongue was probably slightly in your cheek. But this is true. I lived in JB for 3 years and people seemed to find reason to be unhappy there a lot.

[aastra]

It's human nature. There always has to be something that's unsatisfactory. It's funny because people tend to reserve the same amount of angst for their issue-du-jour regardless of how serious the issue actually is. Yesterday I was under attack by killer bees and I was really upset about it. Today my neighbour is wearing a gaudy shirt and I'm really upset about it.

[LJ]

I swear James Bay is the whiniest neighbourhood in Victoria.

From complaining about having the largest proportion of residential highrises of any neighbourhood (yes, this was/is a major complaint of the neighbourhood association), to having to share its roads for community events, James Bayers just can't relax and kick it.

It's sort of like having our own mini Quebec!

[gumgum]

Good times over at Facebook:

Oh darn, is this another one of those runs where they tie James Bay in knots for hours?

As another James Bayer, I totally agree. Sunday is a time for family outings, church perhaps, enjoying the park and all we get is NOISE, discarded clothing and water bottles and the dubious thrill of being prisoners in our own neighbourhoods.

VHF: For gosh sakes, Anne, the thing is more or less completely over by 10am. 90% of James Bayers are still in their PJs at 10am.

(VHF) it is NOT over by 10 am. It is inconvenient, we are never notified and it happens at least 3 times a year with one race or another.
I have been inconvenienced almost everytime it happens and this has been happening for almost 20 years now with one race or another. Most people in James Bay just hate it. But our complaints fall on deaf ears at City Hall.
How about we run through someone else's neighborhood?

VHF: ‎3 times a year! Heavens! So the other 362 days per year you are well taken-care-of right? The marathon lasts longer, but even the very, very slowest TCers are done by 10am. 13,000 people keeping in shape, saving you healthcare dollars sounds like a good deal. The streets are ours too! Also, it's in its 22nd year, I'm not sure what more notice you need.

VHF: I'm not sure many are going to agree with you about all the horrors of having to live in James Bay. Just sayin'.

Yeah, if you think it's so great, lets go to your neighborhood and do it for a few years. And, a reminder, we never get notice. You just wake up one day and can not get out of James Bay to go to church, or visit friends or whatever you may have planned for that morning.
Let's share that thrill in your neighborhood.

I have lived in James Bay since 1980. And it is not a horror, it is just inconsiderate to shut down one neighborhood several times a year over and over and over. With no notice to us. Let's do it over by your house instead.

VHF: ‎22 years. Same route more or less. Same weekend every year. Always the Sunday. How can there be no notice? 8760 hours in year. James Bay inconvenienced over about 9 hours every year, or 1/10 of 1 percent of the year. 999 out of every 1000 hours of your James Bay existence, there is no race going on.

This conversation continues (I am friends with Fortin on Facebook as well):

I don't hate runners, many of my best friends are runners. Seriously. But I think that if there are to be several marathons each year, some should be hosted in another neighborhood. And I think it is the responsibility of the organizers, not the effected citizens, to insure reasonable notification.

Funniest thing I have read all day.

[Nparker]

This conversation continues
...And I think it is the responsibility of the organizers, not the effected citizens, to insure reasonable notification.
Funniest thing I have read all day.

The funniest part to me was the use of "effected" when the writer meant "affected" (I assume). Sadly, this common error is further proof that the English language is horribly mangled by many of its native speakers.

[Greg]

I'm still stuck on the idea of a thread flaming on for several days before the race, where the chief complaint is lack of notification. You know, not knowing in advance about the event they are raging about several days in advance.

[VicHockeyFan]

The woman has lived there for 32 years and is continually surprised by these same three events held on the same weekend every year.

Every six months when she changes her smoke detector batteries, she ought to check for event dates, and mark them on her calendar maybe.

Fortin's response:

In response to queries from James Bay residents about traffic management for the Times Colonist10K this weekend, please note that two weeks ago notification and route map were mail dropped to each business and household on the route. Today, all residents both on the route and within the boundaries of the route are sent the notification and map .

The James Bay Neighbourhood association and the Fairfield community association have been notified and a full media campaign is underway that includes TV, radio, newspaper, social media and media notifications.

This information will be moved up to the front page of the City's website and we will advise the Times Colonist that we are receiving enquiries so more information would be helpful to advise those looking for more information. We will tweet and post on facebook as well.

[Sparky]

It's smoke alarm not detector......and if it operates on a battery as opposed to 120 volts....it's every 12 months for replacement.

Having said all that she is an idiot.

[Mike K.]

The James Bay Neighbourhood association and the Fairfield community association have been notified and a full media campaign is underway that includes TV, radio, newspaper, social media and media notifications.

This information will be moved up to the front page of the City's website and we will advise the Times Colonist that we are receiving enquiries so more information would be helpful to advise those looking for more information. We will tweet and post on facebook as well.

Funny, I don't read much, if any, material printed by the mainstream media, nor do I listen to local radio or watch local mainstream media on TV. Social media is where I get my local news and I have not seen a single piece of public information relating to the TC10k that Mayor Fortin says has been broadcast/posted/etc.

I suppose what the City means by a "full media campaign that includes social media" is a couple of posts to their Facebook page?

[Nparker]

Mar 23, 2012, 02:42 PM
The TC 10K is coming up on Sunday, April 29. http://www.tc10k.ca/ .

If you consider this forum as a 'social media' then it has been actively promoted for at least a month.

[VicHockeyFan]

Picked up my race package today.

Got my bib, then immediately had a craving for lobster.

And as soon as I picked up my transponder, a helicopter picked up my movements and trailed me all through town. Even through the mall, which was surprising.

[Mike K.]

If you consider this forum as a 'social media' then it has been actively promoted for at least a month.

I'm talking specifically about the Mayor's assertion that City Hall is behind a "full media campaign ...that includes TV, radio, newspaper, social media and media notifications."

I haven't seen or heard a peep on any social media platform. I guess City Hall doesn't have much of a budget left for social media after throwing hundreds of thousands annually at print media and radio ads.

[Holden West]

Any time city streets are closed for a race a complete notification goes to all affected residents and businesses, delivered by Canada Post. This has been City policy for many years. If this crank choses not to read the mail in her mailbox that's her problem.

People pay a premium to live in the lively, busy James Bay neighbourhood. Gawd, it's like people living across from Royal Athletic Park complaining about the noise.