348 replies to this topic

[Mike K.]

Oh brother, HB.

 

What possible crime does a skatepark attract? People chipping away at concrete? Stealing railings, maybe? Anywhere you have kids congregating they'll get up to stupid things. Whether it's at a stakepark or 30 meters away along the Galloping Goose trail the same resources are required to police kids being kids.

 

Langford has failed here. You can wrap the issue up and put a bow on top but it doesn't change the fact that a much-used and much-liked local recreational asset has disappeared.

[Mike K.]

Langford prefers to deal with crime right away unlike Victoria.

 

 

Ok, I wasn't going to point out the irony here but I can't help myself.

 

You do realize the only municipality in the CRD with a Hells Angels clubhouse is ...Langford, right?

 

[lanforod]

Langford can't scrounge up a bit of public space for a skate park? I don't believe that for one bit, HB.

[Mike K.]

VHF hit the nail on the head. There's no business case for a skatepark, at least not right now. Teenagers are the scourge of suburbia and it doesn't seem like there's much appetite for providing high school-aged kids with anything other than highly structured recreation (i.e. organized sports that come with sponshorship opportunities).

[Nparker]

...Langford is not the only municipality in the region without one. The skaters are invited to go to Victoria to use that one 

As long as Langford offers up some cash for its residents to use a Victoria asset that is fine by me. Conversely, Langford can offer to accept the region's next homeless shelter.

[HB]

Langford has failed here. You can wrap the issue up and put a bow on top but it doesn't change the fact that a much-used and much-liked local recreational asset has disappeared.

 

Langford provides shopping opportunities for the whole CRD region and beyond. People come from all over to enjoy this City here. We have been building rec centres fields pools, bowling alleys, Libraries and a plethora of places  so that families including teenagers have things to do. The irony here is that Langford is doing all the right things and it is the outsiders who come here to uses are services that are now demanding a skate park.

Why dont you complain that Colwood, View Royal or Metchosin dont have one and should build?

[sebberry]

Langford has built how many recreation amenities in the time it's taken Victoria to think about rebuilding one?

 

It sure helps that Langfordians (Langfordites?) have a lot more land that can be repurposed and generally more progressive thinking residents (at least when it comes to construction...)

 

The only new aquatic center that'll spring up in James Bay any time soon is a rain puddle. 

[Mike K.]

Pointing out a failure is not an irony. Langford has its own issues. It's not some utopic place.

But what I find interesting is while you're quick to dismiss and challenge the concerns of Victoria residents who have had enough of the City's street issues and tent city, you imply that the "crime" that comes with skateparks is now Victoria's problem and you applaud Langford for being crime free (which it isn't, not by a super tankers stretch of the imagination).

Isn't that odd, don't you think, to attack people for feeling the way they do about Victoria's crime issues while praising (with blinders on) Langford's mythical tough on crime agenda and how great the area is because of that mythical tough on crime agenda?

Anyways, back to the topic of Belmont Market, I guess.

[HB]

The Crime invested areas in Victoria are a topic on here and on mainstream media every single day.

Langford is not.

Oh and are you certain it is a Hells angels clubhouse? or affiliates.only.

 

The Belmont Market property is coming along well and the condo across the street has the first section of tower crane up now

[Mike K.]

The Central Park project? I'll be out that way later today, I think.

[Danma]

I live in Langford, and I'd be happy to see a skatepark get built in town.

 

That being said, Langford does have excellent outdoor facilities and opportunities for sports. I think it does deserve praise for offering quite a few options. I mean, there's two pools, rinks, JDF and all of the facilities there, a number of beaches and pathways, etc.

 

Yung's view, while understandable, is perhaps a little one sided. HB, a little one sided as well. It's no secret that downtowns become hubs for drug trades and I doubt that Langford's tough-on-crime attitude made it happen...

[HB]

The Central Park project? I'll be out that way later today, I think.

Yes at Jacklin/Jenkins first section of tower is in place

[RFS]

Teenage angst about a sobey's is kinda funny though

[dasmo]

The skate park is symbolic. In the end Langford will not be held up as a great example of urban planning. There are worse places (visit Federal Way for the worst example of urban planning) but what makes Langford good is not it's urban environment. It is that it is here, on the island, with all the things that are great about that. It has some good facilities and parks without doubt.  Langford is close to great things but is not great itself.... I grew up in Langford (Highlands side) we as a family never visited Langford. We got groceries and maybe ate dinner at Mr Mikes but we would visit Victoria and other places. No tourists are going to visit Langford....ever.... Take the Costco zone for instance. That area is a nightmare to move around. In part because of the parking lot protectionism going on so you need to drive to Tim's if you are done shopping at Home Depot. This area also holds a great symbol of failed planning. The island of SFH's in the strip mall....Or the denuding of Bear Mountain....which is actually skirt mountain. This sums it up Langford's urban planning.  “If we want to blow up a cave and put up a hotel, we will” - Len Barrie

Edited by dasmo, 06 June 2016 - 10:54 AM.

[HB]

It still is named skirt mtn and mini skirt mtn the development is called bear Mt as is the golf course

Langford has been planned better than view royal saanich colwood ang highland where there are no downtown cores

[dasmo]

It still is named skirt mtn and mini skirt mtn the development is called bear Mt as is the golf course

Langford has been planned better than view royal saanich colwood ang highland where there are no downtown cores

They don't need to try and recreate a downtown.... They have one. It's called Victoria. 

[HB]

Colwood and highlands downtown is Langford

[dasmo]

Colwood and highlands downtown is Langford

That's only because the line up to get to downtown Victoria is too long for some....

Edited by dasmo, 06 June 2016 - 12:01 PM.

[Danma]

They don't need to try and recreate a downtown.... They have one. It's called Victoria. 

 

True... but also, based on the complaints about the crawl – shouldn't they try to create a denser urban core, with businesses and work destinations so that people can live and work in the west shore? I feel like Goldstream Ave has actually come a long way in the last few years. Better eateries, more townhouses and apartment buildings, etc...

[HB]

And victoria is inconvenient for parking and there are vagabonds at every corner