11042 replies to this topic

[Mike K.]

Just a reminder that we require some sort of description of the linked content when posting links to the forum.

[Nparker]

Unfortunate...

Or is it ironic?

[DustMagnet]

No problems cutting down a tree for a bike lane, but ok to waste $2M and leave a tree in place instead of building a pool.

Could be protected vs non-protected species?  E.g. these are not Garry Oaks?

[DustMagnet]

Or is it ironic?

♫ Like a two-way protected bike lane, when all you need is a painted line.. ♪

[aastra]

 

“We have a council right now that’s ready to declare a state of emergency on climate change.  And how they can look at this proposal to take this tree down as something that needs to happen?"

 

Should I be hopeful that some people might actually be starting to clue in?

 

Does chopping down mature trees in high-profile locations really seem like something you'd be doing if you were sincerely concerned about environmental issues, or about preserving the city's character, or about satisfying the expectations of tourists, etc.? Does it really seem like the sort of thing that would be happening in a place (any place, anywhere) that's supposed to be resistant to change?

 

Over the years we've seen so many supposed principles get quietly tossed into the bin. Ah, but modern height restrictions are still in effect. And parking lots and empty spaces are still sacred. As long as we stick to our guns about those two crucial points, Victoria will still be Victoria. Everything else can be torched.

[Nparker]

...Does chopping down mature trees in high-profile locations really seem like something you'd be doing if you were sincerely concerned about environmental issues...

It suggests to me there is a lobby more powerful than tree-lovers influencing CoV decisions.

[spanky123]

Could be protected vs non-protected species?  E.g. these are not Garry Oaks?

 

Central park has maple trees.

[Brantastic]

I'm quite fond of the tree, but the intersection as is is rather awkward with it. Add in bi-directional bike lanes, and a centre island in the intersection messes up things even more. I can't see any kind of configuration where it would have worked. It unfortunately had to go. And the plans I've seen show five new ones being planted. Using climate change as an argument in this case is rather silly because it's one tree being removed to allow for sustainable transportation.

I do however think that the city needs to be more aggressive in their creation of an urban tree canopy in the downtown though. Other than Vancouver and Cook Streets, ours is rather sad compared to Vancouver's downtown canopy. 

[aastra]

Back in the day we planted trees in the city to save the environment, whereas now we chop trees in the city to save the environment. I'm reminded of how it was justified to erase a prominent extant element of Victoria's history and heritage -- the JSB -- because doing so would open up a great view to Victoria's extant history and heritage. Chop down trees to save the environment, demolish heritage to celebrate heritage.

 

Do we never notice how there's always a reason/justification in this or that particular case? Every minute of every day we're encouraged to restrict our perspective and our recollections to this or that particular instance only. Anyway, I digress, so I'll leave it at that. (I'd hate to see VV turn into a board full of tangents and digressions.)

 

Historical photos show how Victoria did introduce a ton of trees downtown in the latter half of the 20th century. Back in the day most downtown blocks didn't have a single tree on them, and the chopping fetish was pretty much reserved for the garry oak neighbourhoods. Flash forward to 2019 and the comparably young downtown trees are nevertheless mature enough to be earning the chop as well. But for the noblest reasons, of course.

 

A cynical person might suggest that it's all part of the game, of creating crisis then addressing crisis then creating crisis again, etc. If a cynical person ever registers here I'm going to give him heck, that's for sure.

[Nparker]

...A cynical person might suggest that it's all part of the game, of creating crisis then addressing crisis then creating crisis again, etc...

[nagel]

Politicians aren’t involved in detailed design, so unless you think city engineers love to create crisis’ that jeapordise their own projects I don’t think the comment makes sense.

[Victoria Watcher]

Only 68 of the original 200 U-bicycles distributed in Victoria remain after bikes have been tampered with or stolen.

Less than half of Victoria U-Bicycles remain on city streets

U-bicycles stolen, damaged and dumped

https://www.vicnews....n-city-streets/

[RFS]

Only 68 of the original 200 U-bicycles distributed in Victoria remain after bikes have been tampered with or stolen.

Less than half of Victoria U-Bicycles remain on city streets

U-bicycles stolen, damaged and dumped

https://www.vicnews....n-city-streets/

Wow who could have seen that coming?

[Victoria Watcher]

so does the business model count on them just letting the fleet dwindle? I just think if 200 were needed in September 2017 are not at least that many or more needed now?

the article does not go too in-depth.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 06 February 2019 - 08:01 AM.

[Mike K.]

When the bike is left behind, U-Bicycle has the option to donate the bikes to an organization that refurbishes them and sends them to Uganda.

 

 

Oh I get it, so Victorians are paying off carbon credits via U-bike fees so that the bicycles can be sent to Uganda as zero-emission modes of transport.

[Victoria Watcher]

“We’re always essentially watching the bikes. We know which ones are missing and which ones have been taken inappropriately,” she added. “All we can do is create a dialogue and increase our community engagement.”


neither of which will solve the problem but I suppose it is all you can do. the general lawlessness around town indicates police are not going to help.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 06 February 2019 - 08:22 AM.

[spanky123]

so does the business model count on them just letting the fleet dwindle? I just think if 200 were needed in September 2017 are not at least that many or more needed now?

the article does not go too in-depth.

 

From what I recall, various articles have pegged the number of bikes at anywhere from 300-500 across the region. The number always changed or was "coming".

 

My opinion is that in a City that has spent tens of millions on bike lanes, had its Mayor tout her trip to China and u-bike as a huge success, and is vying for a $10M transportation sharing investment (including bike sharing), nobody wants to admit that u-bike failed because there isn't actually that big a demand for the service or mobility options in general. As a result we will see dwindling numbers of bikes littering our street for a while yet.

 

Surprise, not to anyone read this forum two years ago but of course we are all keyboard warriors who don't know anything. 

Edited by spanky123, 06 February 2019 - 08:25 AM.

[Mike K.]

Of course, there's also the "this app requires access to all of your personal data which may be sent to a foreign country" caveat to using those things.

[spanky123]

Of course, there's also the "this app requires access to all of your personal data which may be sent to a foreign country" caveat to using those things.

 

I think that from a business perspective there were a lot of issues. Those issues were dwarfed by the various special interest groups who are far more interested in their own image then they are other people's money.

[rjag]

Any business person would look at that bike program and run in the other direction....thats the problem with politicians and activists.....they have these great ideas and I salute them for the effort....but they fail to engage with business to understand how to run these programs without continual taxpayer subsidies.