241 replies to this topic

[lanforod]

^ you're englisch is good very!

[AllseeingEye]

B!tch, moan, complain....rinse, repeat ad nauseum. Seriously is there a regional population anywhere that whines and snivels about "new" things more than this one:

 

http://www.timescolo...idney-1.2344969

 

Clearly if the letter writer is to be believed the End Times are nigh and close upon poor little virginal Sidney: be prepared ye good citizens of Sidney-by-the-Sea for the 1000-Year Reign of the Dark Lord is at hand.

 

Good C***t its a small development - well "small" anywhere else, but naturally much like a 10-storey building it's !GIGANORMOUS! according to the local 'anti'-crowd - that if anything will complement that sad sack, desperately tired and in need of a good update, main street.

Edited by AllseeingEye, 16 September 2016 - 01:25 PM.

[Nparker]

B!tch, moan, complain....rinse, repeat ad nauseum. Seriously is there a regional population anywhere that whines and snivels about "new" things more than this...

I know your question was meant to be rhetorical ASE, but to answer it, no, I don't think another region exists that fears change as much as the populace of the CRD.

[aastra]

 

...our beautiful, unique seaside town will never be seen by many people driving from the ferry. They will only see another generic strip mall with drive-through restaurants and a supermarket. How sad for them.

 

People driving by on the highway have never been able to see the nifty little town centre at the eastern end of Beacon Avenue. It's a few blocks away, how could they possibly see it? As viewed from the highway, Sidney already seems to be about generic strip malls and such. Mcdonald's, gas stations, motels, etc.

 

But why should anyone even care what people driving by on the highway will see? I've asked this a bunch of times over the years but I'll ask it again: why are so many Victorians so concerned about what drivers will see from their cars as they're driving past? Why are so many Victorians not at all concerned about what people will see and do and experience when they're walking around?

 

Anyway, if you really want Sidney's town centre to thrive then you should be taking measures to enhance it and improve it. Continue to develop the things that people like about it. Emphasize its uniqueness. If you do that then you don't need to worry about what's happening elsewhere.

 

In other words, nobody partakes of Sidney's town centre because there isn't a new strip mall across the highway. They partake of Sidney's town centre because they like Sidney's town centre. So give them more reasons to like it. Make it better. Make it more.

 

Hey, if Mike K. is out of shape and getting concerned about his condition, what should he do? Should he try to prevent MarkoJ from doing his extreme workouts, so that he doesn't look so bad by comparison? Of course not. He should work on himself.

 

Really, this idea that a new shopping centre would surely kill your town centre is basically a backhanded admission that you think your town centre sucks. But Sidney's town centre actually doesn't suck. It's a great little neighbourhood, genuinely urban (hence its uniqueness on the suburban peninsula), and it has a ton of potential.

[LJ]

 

 

But why should anyone even care what people driving by on the highway will see? I've asked this a bunch of times over the years but I'll ask it again: why are so many Victorians so concerned about what drivers will see from their cars as they're driving past? Why are so many Victorians not at all concerned about what people will see and do and experience when they're walking around?

 

 

If they were truly concerned with what drivers will see they would be working on getting rid of all the ugly billboards a few miles down the highway.

[VicHockeyFan]

If they were truly concerned with what drivers will see they would be working on getting rid of all the ugly billboards a few miles down the highway.

 

That's a sensitive issue.  Natives have centuries-old billboard rights.

[VicHockeyFan]

http://www.peninsula.../394508711.html

 

No magic date for Sidney Gateway approval

 

[RFS]

Did the TC finally beat VV to the punch on something?

http://www.timescolo...eoff-1.23069872

"The proposed $35-million Sidney Crossing project should have a permit in the next few months with ground- breaking expected next spring."

[Cassidy]

I've been confused from he beginning as to why the Town of Sidney gets a say in this development?

It's Airport Authority land, owned by the Feds.

 

The Airport Authority has historically been able to do whatever it wants with its holdings (which are huge, far larger than what we see as "the airport").

 

Perhaps when the airport leases out the land (they can't sell it, only lease it), that development is then considered a normal Sidney development requiring approval from the town?

[Mike K.]

The VAA wants to be a good neighbour, is all.

[tjv]

^typically the feds have always had that policy.  They will pull and pay for local building permits, etc even thou the the municipality has no jurisdiction.

[Bingo]

Did the TC finally beat VV to the punch on something?

 

Na, Mike K made a Citified announcement on this thread over two years ago.

[Citified.ca]

Sidney Crossing shopping centre readies for takeoff

https://victoria.cit...es-for-takeoff/

 

Construction of the Saanich Peninsula’s largest shopping centre is set to get underway as early as February, according to project developer and builder Omicron.

 

The 100,000 square foot Sidney Crossing complex on the west side of Highway 17 along Sidney’s Beacon Avenue will feature an array of commercial tenants that include a national (yet unnamed) grocery store, restaurants, medical offices, a pharmacy, financial institutions and service businesses. [Full article]

[Bingo]

When I first caught a glimpse of the name I thought it said Sidney Crosby Shopping Centre, ...and then after a second cup of coffee...

[lanforod]

That might be a popular idea... heck, if Sidney should be smart and give him a key to the city etc. Good PR op.

[van-island]

The VAA wants to be a good neighbour, is all.

 

There is an agreement between VAA and the Town of Sidney that commits them to following the land use approval process (for rezonings and OCP amendments). Development Permit and Building Permit approvals are wholly VAA's responsibility.

[Mike K.]

SIDNEY CROSSING COMMERCIAL RETAIL DEVELOPMENT CANCELLED

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
VICTORIA, BC, MONDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2018

 

Omicron Development Inc. announced today that they will not be proceeding with the Sidney Crossing project, a
100,000 square foot commercial retail centre slated for a 10-acre parcel of land owned by the Victoria Airport
Authority. The property is located at the intersection of the Patricia Bay Highway, Beacon Avenue, and bounded by
Sterling Way. This unfortunate decision is a result of the rapidly rising construction costs combined with significant offsite
infrastructure requirements, including a pedestrian overpass, as required as part of the re-zoning of the project
lands.

 

“Timelines are critical success factors in the development business”, said Bill Tucker, CEO, Omicron Development Inc.

 

“The approvals necessary for this project regrettably took longer than any of us anticipated, resulting in a significant
escalation of development costs. Standing down on this project is very disappointing and an extremely difficult
decision for our firm. We pride ourselves on building quality projects in communities and we won’t compromise our
professional standards or the community by looking for ways to deliver less in order to address the impacts of
escalating costs. The Town of Sidney, Victoria Airport Authority, and the community dedicated a significant amount of
time to ensuring that Sidney Crossing met the expectations and needs of the community. This announcement is not an
outcome that anyone foresaw.”

 

About Omicron:
Recognized for the past nine years as one of Canada’s Best Managed Companies, Omicron is one of the largest
integrated development, design and construction firms in Western Canada, combining the expertise of 130 architects,
interior designers, engineers, building assessment experts, real estate development strategists, cost estimators,
project managers and builders. Active and recent projects on Vancouver Island include Harbour Towers’ hotel
conversion, Eagle Creek Village mixed-use development in View Royal, and multiple BC Hydro facilities. Established
in 1998, Omicron has a distinctly entrepreneurial culture and is an innovative, sustainable and award-winning
organization focused on success for both clients and employees. Omicron has offices in Victoria and Vancouver.

 

Website: www.omicronaec.com

 

Media Contact – Omicron
Peter Laughlin
Director, Vancouver Island
T. 250 419 4701
plaughlin@omicronaec.com

[Nparker]

Translation: trouble getting tenants.

[RFS]

Translation: trouble getting tenants.

Considering the timing, could this have anything to do with the results of the election in Sidney?

[Mike K.]

This is the second shopping centre in recent years to have been cancelled on the peninsula, with the first being the Jesken Town Centre which had planned to situate a Costco south of Mt. Newton Cross Road along Highway 17.