12 replies to this topic

[Mike K.]

During his annual year-end address, Victoria's Mayor Alan Lowe hinted at the need for the core municipalities to merge together in order to arrive at a total population of over 200,000 inhabitants and earmark Victoria for federal monies traditionally reserved for larger cities.

Of course if this amalgamation were to occur the core would have only one mayor.

So, if the vote were held in the near future, who would you vote for? Perhaps you'd prefer to vote for another mayor from within the CRD or an individual who is not currently a mayor?

Discuss your options if you'd like.

[G-Man]

I voted for the last one. Mostly because I think that amalgamtion needs a strong mayor with a vision. It is kind of strange that no person springs to mind...

Steve Nash once he retires?

[Mike K.]

I hear ya.

I'm toying with voting in an individual like Stu Young who isn't afraid to speak his mind and isn't afraid to stick his heck out for what he believes ought to be done. He became mayor of what Victorians considered to be a regional dumping ground and has turned it around into a viable municipality that is now looked to for ideas and direction on several levels (I'm not referring simply to development, but things like municipal office management, permit applications, affordable housing initiatives, etc). In several years Langford may even pose an economic threat to the downtown core by encouraging business to open its doors there (this is partly fueled by Victoria's inability to rezone properties for commercial use in a sensible time frame) and grabbing entertainment revenues thanks to a much larger entertainment facility. With the core's mayors biting their fingernails over the thought of "high density" coming to town, Young embraces it and has launched an inter-muni OCP to study the effects of high-density developments on transportation nodes within his muni and neighbouring Colwood. Has this been done in recent years anywhere else in Victoria at the municipal level? I can't remember.

Fence sitters get re-elected, but what do they accomplish? And when they accomplish something it's a far cry from what a bold visionary with more guts than publicity cravings would push for.

[captain highliner]

Oh ya! Stu Young for mayor of the new Victoria Megacity. He's got such a sense of balance and keen understanding of ecological sustainability. And no one would say that he's beholding to any special interests like suburban developers. His urban design credentials are second to none.

He could be our very own Mel Lastman.

[Mike K.]

His achievements were within the context of a suburban community so let's not pretend he took an urban core like Victoria and turned it into a suburban hell hole.

I have yet to see a mayor in this region that can balance eco and econ without leaning more to one or the other.

In any case, even within his suburban setting he's championed LRT and has done his share of densifying his urban core for future stations; his municipality will be the home of the largest "green" subdivision in North America; he's reaching out to neighbouring munis for inter-municipal planning and he's recognized that Langford has the ability to promote affordable housing so instead of talking about it, like other munis, Langford provides it.

So as Stu leans over backwards to support "suburban development" in Langford, in Victora where the ecological sustainability mindset reigns supreme we see approvals for single family dwellings on urban lots more suitable for high-density development (I'm thinking Railyards here, where the next phases is houses, and a myriad of examples in James Bay) and "facts" told to residents at public hearings informing them that high-density development in downtown Victoria won't make the slightest difference in suburban growth.

The actions and priorities of Victoria's elected officials, in the context of an urban centre, make Stu Young look an urban planning, squirrel loving and alternative transportation thumping idol.

[G-Man]

So as Stu leans over backwards to support "suburban development" in Langford, in Victora where the ecological sustainability mindset reigns supreme we see approvals for single family dwellings on urban lots more suitable for high-density development (I'm thinking Railyards here, where the next phases is houses, and a myriad of examples in James Bay) and "facts" told to residents at public hearings informing them that high-density development in downtown Victoria won't make the slightest difference in suburban growth.

I don't see this ecological sustainability mindset in Victoria. Are you referring to the citizens or the politicians.

I would like someone with the willingness to speak out like Stu Young but if he were running to be my mayor I would quickly join his opponent's election team to stop him

[Mike K.]

Well, that was sort of a joke. Victoria's politicians claim to be mindful of the environment but in actuality they're not doing much to earn the title. And come to think of it, most can't find a way to support economic vitality, either.

[G-Man]

And the thing is they could be doing a lot for the environment and the economy by simply increasing the building height and density limits and making the approval process less lengthy. Also if they stood up spoke there mind about places like Bear Mountain.

[Phil McAvity]

I completely agree with Derf, Stew Young would get my vote without hesitation. He's about the only mayor i've seen that seems to understand the importance of economics and growth.

Captain, your cynically sarcastic analogy to he and Lastman isn't a good one, especially since Toronto has really risen from the ranks in the past few years, due in large part to many initiatives brought about by old Mel.

[Scaper]

I agree with stew as well.

[ressen]

I too would vote for Stew .

[Mike K.]

Wow, almost 40% (as of 01/12) of you have indicated that you'd vote for Lowe. Interesting.

[m0nkyman]

I'd be to busy campaigning to split the cities back up to vote.