508 replies to this topic

[Victoria Watcher]

mayor lies. people die.

[spanky123]

mayor lies. people die.

 

She has figured out what a lot of politicians have, you can say whatever you want as most people will never check and the MSM doesn't care as long as they get a headline.

[Jackerbie]

Sorry dude but if you look at the infographic for Government St traffic 2021 has been lower in EVERY month compared to 2020. I would have expected that in Feb but not in March and April.

You can't go by what the Mayor says, you have to look at the data yourself.

Sorry, didn't catch you were isolating the Government Street data. Yes, Gov Street foot traffic is down, but on the whole downtown foot traffic is up in April 2021 compared to April 2020.

[Belleprincess]

Sorry, didn't catch you were isolating the Government Street data. Yes, Gov Street foot traffic is down, but on the whole downtown foot traffic is up in April 2021 compared to April 2020.

Of course it’s up. Virtually every business was closed

[spanky123]

Of course it’s up. Virtually every business was closed

 

And there are hundreds of formerly homeless people with free houses downtown who wander the street all day.

[Victoria Watcher]

DVBA creates video, list promoting businesses ideal for Earth Month

The given businesses are ideal for shopping locally, buying used, and supporting carbon neutrality


https://www.vicnews....or-earth-month/


The given businesses.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 10 April 2022 - 06:45 AM.

[Mike K.]

When did Earth Day become Earth Month?

[Nparker]

When did Earth Day become Earth Month?

When it became marketable.

[Mike K.]

Season must be next. Maybe months to start. Then season.

[Victoria Watcher]

Encountering bedlam downtown at night

 

We went to the ZZ Top concert, which we thoroughly enjoyed, and after the concert decided to walk to Douglas Street to catch a bus home. My wife said we should have a nightcap somewhere, so we walked south on Douglas only to encounter total bedlam.

 

Groups of kids threatening to kill one another, police driving in all directions trying to control it with no success.

I was born and raised in Victoria and have never been so disgusted to see what this city has become. We will probably not be going downtown at night anytime soon.

 

I feel badly for all the businesses that have to deal with this. No wonder downtown is dying.

 

Brock Carbery
Oak Bay

 

 

https://www.timescol...ng-woes-5324018

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 03 May 2022 - 05:10 AM.

[Victoria Watcher]

Victoria council set to consider downtown business association boundary expansion

Property owners had until 4 p.m. Monday to oppose the expansion

https://www.timescol...pansion-5350385

 

 

 

 

Jeff Bray, chief executive of the 1,350-member association, said businesses outside the current boundaries saw value in what the organization was able to do on behalf of businesses and the downtown during the pandemic, including marketing, advocacy and managing security issues.

 

 

 

Ya, OK.    

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 10 May 2022 - 05:44 AM.

[Victoria Watcher]

So some businesses approached them, then they proposed new boundaries and implemented a reverse-billing scheme on the property owners.

[Midnightly]

i can understand going from blanshard up to cook street as part of the downtown since there are many businesses that deal with similar issues of downtown and many shops should have a say... but the extension to bay street not too sure if i'd consider that area downtown those are not really areas where people walk around and shop and socialize, it's mostly businesses that are car/shop related, a bottle depot, some former hotels now homeless shelters...

[Victoria Watcher]

It appears the James Bay boundary was moved just to tax the Oswego Hotel.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 10 May 2022 - 11:08 PM.

[Victoria Watcher]

So some businesses approached them, then they proposed new boundaries and implemented a reverse-billing scheme on the property owners.

 

 

Of the 422 properties in the area considered for expansion, only 132 objected, or 31 per cent representing about 40 per cent of the assessed value of the properties. If 50 per cent of the property owners representing at least 50 per cent of the assessed value objected, it would not have gone to council.

 

Victoria Mayor Lisa Helps noted the association does important work to support its members and to animate and promote the downtown.

 

“This boundary expansion will enable them to serve and support an expanded array of businesses and to expand the amazing and much sought Clean Team services to a wider area,” she said.

 

Levies for DVBA member businesses are based on commercial property assessment, and range from under $100 to as much as $82,449 per year for the 1515 Douglas St. building across from Victoria City Hall. The Bay Centre contributes $59,403 each year and the Atrium at the corner of Blanshard and Yates streets contributes $58,342.

 

 

https://www.timescol...ciation-5367343

[Barrrister]

Great time to raise taxes on businesses. 

[Victoria Watcher]

My issue is the reverse-billing. 31% objected, but how many “no response”? They get counted as in favour. And few businesses get to vote, it’s the property owner.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 14 May 2022 - 06:19 AM.

[Victoria Watcher]

The survey revealed the top issues having an impact on downtown vitality are homelessness, mental health, addictions and open drug use.

 

“To me, having nine of 10 businesses saying that one of the top three challenges is homelessness, mental health and addictions and open drug use is a bit of a wake-up call,” said Bray. “We’ve never had a result that was so dominant.”

 

Bray said that kind of response means they need to take action.

 

“We can’t sort of say, all this behaviour is normalized. We actually have to say, ‘no, it’s not. The response isn’t sufficient,’ ” he said.

 

 

https://www.timescol...roblems-5484613

 

 

 

Seeing as "open drug use" will be legal come this fall, don't expect much of a change there.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 16 June 2022 - 04:53 AM.

[Sparky]

^ Possession of drugs might become legal, but that doesn't necessarily suggest that "open drug use" will be legal...does it?

 

Alcohol is legal to purchase, but that doesn't mean that a block party at Yates and Douglas where cocktails are being served....will be tolerated....will it? 

[Victoria Watcher]

^ Possession of drugs might become legal, but that doesn't necessarily suggest that "open drug use" will be legal...does it?

 

I believe once it becomes legal there will be no restrictions on use in public places.  Except perhaps the smoking bylaws.