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[VicHockeyFan]

It's a blast in Esquimalt
Township is shedding its image as a place on the wrong side of the tracks.
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An underwater blast rocks West Bay Marina in Esquimalt Saturday as work continues to deepen the channel and keep boats from running aground once the marina adds a number of new docks. It was the latest in a series of controlled explosions by Western Grater Contracting. The blast used 17 cases of dynamite, each weighing 20 kilograms. The marina upgrade echoes Esquimalt’s bid to boost its image and attract new businesses.
Photograph by : Ray Smith, Times Colonist
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Font: * * * * Kim Westad, Times Colonist
Published: Sunday, January 28, 2007
When Vivien Smith was growing up in Oak Bay, she wasn’t even allowed to go to Esquimalt. Now, she’s the proud owner of a business in the municipality that residents say is getting over its image as the “wrong side of the tracks.”

“I guess my parents didn’t think it was a safe environment, but it’s changed,” said Smith, who runs AACT Financial Solutions Inc. on Esquimalt Road with partner Karen Lajoy.

Smith had some trepidation about buying a business in Esquimalt 15 months ago, but took a chance. She’s glad she did.

“It’s become a real community for me and that surprised me.”

The municipality of 17,000 boasts streets where the same families have lived for generations, numerous parks and walks and some of the best waterfront in the entire region. Yet residents say they still fight a lingering stigma years after several violent assaults drew intense publicity.

That’s lessening with time, as realtors and homeowners discover still-affordable homes — by Victoria standards at least — on large lots and numerous recreation facilities, all within walking distance of downtown.

But what’s lacking are businesses.

Esquimalt’s shopping centre is yet another example of a tired 1960s-vintage strip mall, there is little office or retail space available and many residents drive to newer shopping centres in View Royal or Vic West.

So Esquimalt council has set up an Economic Development Advisory Committee, a group whose goal is to make connections between already existing businesses while trying to attract new ones. They held their first mixer last week, and had 59 local businesspeople, ranging from day care owners to accountants and shipyard owners. The room buzzed as people exchanged cards, chatted and talked about how to get more businesses to move over the blue bridge into Esquimalt.

It was the first meeting of its type, said Coun. Hy Freedman, who chairs the advisory committee, and the beginning of what he hopes will be a resurgence in Esquimalt’s business community.

“Economic development takes time and involves raising the profile of the town, as well,” said Freedman.

The population has been stagnant for the past 20 years, Mayor Chris Clement said, leading to little growth. That’s slated to change with Esquimalt’s population expected to grow by 4,000 people by 2026.

“Business people need to know about this projected growth and the opportunity coming in the next few years,” Clement said.

Despite wanting to attract more businesses, Esquimalt has very little retail space left and little land to build on. That’s a problem council will have to deal with by zoning and perhaps increased density in certain targeted areas.

“There’s virtually nothing available for lease in the main business sector,” said Ed Williams, the president of the Esquimalt Chamber of Commerce and a commercial realtor. “We need to find potential properties that can be redeveloped for ground-floor commercial space.”

Council has identified several in the draft of its Official Community Plan, which goes to a public hearing tomorrow night.

The municipality owns several chunks of property, such as the former municipal hall, the Archie Browning centre and several lots in the downtown core that could be developed as a town centre, with a mix of retail, office and even residential. The Esquimalt Road shopping centre has recently changed hands, Freedman said, and the new owner is waiting to redevelop that property once the town core project is decided on.

The 800-block of Esquimalt Road is about to revamped, with traffic-calming islands filled with plants and trees.

Several groups are trying to get a train station for the E & N in Esquimalt. There is talk of higher density on several lots along Esquimalt Road, including at

the corner of Admirals and Esquimalt Road, after the liquor store closes, Williams said.

“They’re excellent opportunities to develop the municipality and still keep the character of the community,” he said.

[Holden West]

An underwater blast rocks West Bay Marina in Esquimalt Saturday as work continues to deepen the channel and keep boats from running aground once the marina adds a number of new docks. It was the latest in a series of controlled explosions by Western Grater Contracting. The blast used 17 cases of dynamite, each weighing 20 kilograms. The marina upgrade echoes Esquimalt’s bid to boost its image and attract new businesses.

Photograph by : Ray Smith, Times Colonist

[meanwhile, a century ago...]

Out P530 [Blasting in Victoria Harbour], [ca. 1902]