697 replies to this topic

[Mike K.]

They forgot Carreira Studio, Wanna Waffle and West End Gallery all leaving the same block of Broad, weeks apart.

And further downtown Broad, Bell just announced it is closing down its media studios.

[FawltyVic]

And DVBA's solution to increasing foot traffic downtown is a musical number.

 

Wouldn't it have been realistic if they included Pandora in their neighborhood selection complete with dancing drug addicts.

 

And some of the things I smell when I go downtown isn't coffee and fresh bread.

 

https://www.youtube....h?v=rABj-_aMYqQ

Edited by FawltyVic, 06 July 2024 - 05:08 PM.

[Sparky]

Ha!
Who the heck came up with that scheme?

[Victoria Watcher]

Upsides of downtown: For many business owners in Victoria's core, there's no place they'd rather be

 

Despite dealing with everything from economic challenges to crime and parking snafus, many see downtown as a “vibrant and funky place” to make a living

https://www.timescol...ther-be-9232803

[Victoria Watcher]

Scrub the sidewalks, keep downtown clean

 

 

Re: “Office vacancy rate downtown up sharply, remote work blamed,” July 24.

 

I had occasion to walk about downtown — not on Pandora Avenue, which is a notorious issue, but Douglas Street, between City Hall and Fort Street.

 

What particularly struck me was not only the homeless individual here or there huddling against the buildings, but the sidewalks, which are dirty and stained. Tellingly, even the glass of a bus stop shelter was broken.

 

It looks like a town whose council has given up — and that impression may account for the growth of office vacancy rates more than remote-work trends.

 

When New York City (where I spent part of my childhood) similarly deteriorated in the 1970s and early 1980s, the authorities — inspired by the Broken Windows Theory — launched a cleanup and repair of public areas, which helped stem the flight of residents from the city and turn the city around.

 

Twenty years ago, in an op-ed in this paper, I presented a dystopian portrait of Victoria in the 2020s if a casino would be permitted downtown.

 

While thankfully that has not happened, it might get that way in the next 10 years if the council’s current distraction from the important issues continues.

 

Scrubbing the sidewalks and keeping them clean would signal to everyone that Victoria is not on an irreversible decline.

 

 

Jonathan Stoppi

Saanich

 

 

https://www.timescol...rtments-9271735

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 26 July 2024 - 10:00 PM.

[Nparker]

A casino seems like a pretty tame idea in the dystopian downtown of 2024.

[Mike K.]

Indeed. That would liven up the place and help turn things around, as long as it isn’t a hulking wall along an entire block, which unfortunately many casinos tend to end up that way.

A casino would help pay for a lot of things in that municipality.

[LJ]

The casino in the Westshore doesn't seem to create any problems.

[Victoria Watcher]

Indeed. That would liven up the place and help turn things around, as long as it isn’t a hulking wall along an entire block, which unfortunately many casinos tend to end up that way.

 

True.  We can be different I presume.

[Victoria Watcher]

Downtown sidewalks are an embarrassment

 

I have lived in Victoria for more than 80 years and have never seen the sidewalks and roads as dirty and messy as they are now in the downtown core.

 

Our sidewalks are absolutely the dirtiest I have ever seen in more than 20 countries I have visited. They were once “the Pride of the City,” now they are an embarrassment.

 

What is wrong with our elected representatives? Are they too busy worrying about their salaries to see what is happening around the city? Even the “street people” are complaining.

 

Bob Darnell

Victoria

 

 

https://www.timescol...streets-9291970

 

 

Clearly this guy needs to watch this gay video a few more times:

 

https://youtu.be/rAB...3ABm-pBu06iuOyI

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 31 July 2024 - 02:42 PM.

[spanky123]

A casino would help pay for a lot of things in that municipality.

 

Would for a few years until the Province gives it to the FN.

[Nparker]

...Clearly this guy needs to watch this gay video a few more times...

From the YouTube comments on the "Downtown" video:
 

On Pandora Street where the tents are pitched
Underneath the stars, life is a ***** (female dog)
Crack smoke swirls in the moonlit air
From our makeshift home - the crackhead glare

Living wild under a tree
On the streets of Vic, just you and me
Sharing needles and sharing prose
In our tent city, where the crack wind blows
 

State of town is going down

Morning glow lights up Tiny Town

Take a breath and smell the scent
Feces, meth and entitlement
 

Mix of coffee and a camper van
Sleeping bags and picking scabs on government.

Feeling the illness all around
Lungs are full of smoke when you're downtown

Listen close and you'll hear the sound
Crackling pipes are all around

And this: "This is some next level North Korean style gaslighting… Have any of the people involved in the writing of this “song” actually been downtown"

 

[aastra]

100% guaranteed the CoV would claim a booming casino was still producing a net loss re: increased policing costs or whatever else. The impression of crisis and scarcity must always be fostered.

[Victoria Watcher]

State of town is going down

Morning glow lights up tents around.

Take breath and I smell scent; feces, meth and entitlement.

Mix of coffee and a camper van, sleeping bags and picking scabs along government.

Nervous feeling that I get Feeling the illness all around, lungs are full of smoke when you're downtown

Listen close and you'll hear the sound, crackling pipes are all around

[Nparker]

 

...Take breath and I smell scent; feces, meth and entitlement...

Best d/t description, ever.

[Dickens Cider]

Best d/t description, ever.

Weeeellll, not reeeallly. I grant you, stand on a few scattered blocks, we all know which ones, and absolutely, you've nailed it. But this is a beautiful city, no one's paying me to say that. I'm an immigrant, now proud Canadian citizen, from the UK. I can assure you, I wouldn't pick anywhere, literally anywhere, in the UK, or the mainland European countries I've visited, over living here.

It's a little like when l, or someone l see, make a miniscule actual, or even perceived, infraction of crossing a street at a perfectly legal location. And the 'delayed by a tenth of a second' or otherwise offended by some crosswalk etiquette infraction, lays on the horn, and stays leaning. At first it's disturbing, anger clearly directed at yourself. Later on I'll reflect that actually my overwhelming thought is, 'Thank God I'm not like that. How miserable it would be to go through life having such immediate rage over such tiny incidents'.

So, I'm glad that I can live my life in an equitable mood, and enjoy it in an almost ideal place as Victoria.

Because, to me, 'Take breath and I smell scent; feces, meth and entitlement...

Best d/t description, ever'., isn't how l feel about such a wonderful city, where yes, unfortunately actual, seemingly intractable, problems, which are similar to those in most, if not all, cities in North America, intrude, but certainly do not overwhelm, upon the sheer joy of knowing how lucky I am to live here.
And I'll add that l live in downtown Victoria where, l shall add, I believe, parking, for the jalopy owners among us, is both plentiful and of modest expense. I mean, you buy a car, and you'd think it was the end of the matter. What's this nonsense about being charged for fuel with which to operate it, and pay to park it in a public space where l specifically desire to go? The gall of it!

Edited by Dickens Cider, 31 July 2024 - 04:34 PM.

[Nparker]

...this is a beautiful city, no one's paying me to say that. I'm an immigrant, now proud Canadian citizen, from the UK. I can assure you, I wouldn't pick anywhere, literally anywhere, in the UK, or the mainland European countries I've visited, over living here....

I don't know how long you have lived here, but I have been a resident of the CRD for more than 45 years and I can assure you that Victoria used to be a much more pleasant and beautiful place to live. So much has deteriorated in the past decade. Without a hard 180 turn from local government, I hold out little hope for future improvement.

[Dickens Cider]

[quote name="Nparker" post="751645" timestamp="1722488678"]I don't know how long you have lived here, but I have been a resident of the CRD for more than 45 years and I can assure you that Victoria used to be a much more pleasant and beautiful place to live. So much has deteriorated in the past decade. Without a hard 180 turn from local government, I hold out little hope for future improvement.[/quot

I've been here 33 years.

[Matt R.]

Even the Garden of Eden keeps it locked up and you need to ring a bell. Sure enough, on my last visit some guy trying to smoke something out of foil just hanging out under those stairs. Truly a terrible location these days.

[Dickens Cider]

Even the Garden of Eden keeps it locked up and you need to ring a bell. Sure enough, on my last visit some guy trying to smoke something out of foil just hanging out under those stairs. Truly a terrible location these days.

I do beg pardon, but l would LOVE you to tell us what constitutes your 'average, every day, run of the mill, shopping list', at The Garden of Eden? They seem to be 'Household necessities', needing regular replenishment, l would imagine, due to your dogged determination to bear the inconveniences of getting to finally ringing the doorbell, and being admitted to this sanctuary

Edited by Dickens Cider, 31 July 2024 - 11:43 PM.