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Painting Victoria... Black?


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#1 Nparker

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Posted 18 July 2017 - 09:25 AM

It would seem the various downtown colour schemes of a few ago are being phased out in favour of "all black" - which I actually like. 

Victoria Mayor Lisa Helps can’t wait to paint the town black – literally. Lights and street furniture such as benches, many of which range in colour, will be painted black to create a more timeless and cohesive look throughout the downtown core...The implementation of the plan, including updating the streetscape furnishings, materials and repainting, will occur gradually as part of improvements undertaken for new developments, through the city’s regular maintenance and replacement program, or capital plan projects. The plan replaces the city’s downtown beautification strategy.

http://www.vicnews.c...ntown-victoria/

Although if Her Worseship is waiting for the following, she better plan on being cryogenically frozen

...“I’ll be happy to stroll down a Douglas Street with no cars…and get on a bus, rapid transit or train and make my way to Goldstream for a hike for a day,” Helps said...

http://www.vicnews.c...ntown-victoria/

 



#2 tjv

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Posted 18 July 2017 - 11:36 AM

this could easily be Lisa Helps

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-sbFhOeqTzY


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#3 DavidL

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Posted 19 July 2017 - 10:31 AM

The only thought I have about black paint is that it's the worst colour for hiding dirt and dust and grime, which inevitably leads to higher maintenance costs.  If you've ever had a black car then you know what I'm talking about.  


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#4 Nparker

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Posted 19 July 2017 - 10:36 AM

The only thought I have about black paint is that it's the worst colour for hiding dirt and dust and grime, which inevitably leads to higher maintenance costs...

It's a small price to pay to once and for all get rid of "Victoria lamp standard blue", possibly one of the ugliest colours ever. The various "zone" colours never really worked anyway.



#5 sebberry

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Posted 19 July 2017 - 09:37 PM

I dunno.  I don't envision "Let's go see all the black garbage cans and lampposts and benches and bike racks in Victoria" being uttered all that often after reading the tourism brochures. 


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#6 sebberry

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Posted 19 July 2017 - 09:38 PM

Black benches are going to be really hot when the sun has been on them.


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#7 mbjj

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Posted 20 July 2017 - 06:01 AM

I guess I don't mind black for lampposts, the flowers will look more colourful. Don't like it for benches though. My choice for both would be that very dark green.


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#8 HB

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Posted 20 July 2017 - 07:18 AM


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#9 AllseeingEye

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Posted 20 July 2017 - 07:33 AM

One of the largest city "infrastructure" items within the CoV - the so-called Blue Bridge - was in fact black right out of the manufacturer's gate and remained so for the first nearly 65-odd years of its life until the original paint scheme was usurped and replaced by that awful blue.

 

I do also find it somewhat amusing on the local FB groups where complainants <rhetorical question time: do Victorians ever do anything other than *****, moan and complain whenever any "change" whatsoever is proposed? Just curious, but I digress...> are out in legion: for a city that spent the bulk of the 20th century claiming to be "just like Olde Englande" - total BS but that is another conversation altogether - I have to presume many of those folk have never been to Britain because if they had they would know that London (especially) and many other major cities in the UK used black as a basic paint scheme in the public realm since the 19th century for all sorts of "public" amenities and or structures......


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#10 Kungsberg

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Posted 20 July 2017 - 09:45 AM

I think this is the most recent version of the plan (check out pages 45-84 in particular):

 

http://www.victoria....n June 2017.pdf 

 

It’s been in the works for a while, as you can see in the process:

http://www.victoria....l-victoria.html

 

It seems that what's proposed is a consistent ‘look’, with slight variations in sidewalk paving materials, street furniture (benches, bollards, trash bins, bike racks) and lighting, depending on the identified areas:

 

The images below are for (in order):

-        Inner Harbour

-        Inner Harbour

-        Govt St

-        Chinatown

-        Chinatown

-        Rock Bay

-        New Town

-        Douglas St

There’s lots more in the doc above (paving details, engraved street names, trees, etc).

Attached Images

  • 1 inner hbr.jpg
  • 2 inner hbr.jpg
  • 3 govt st.jpg
  • 4 chinatown.jpg
  • 5 chinatown.jpg
  • 6 rock bay.jpg
  • 7 new town.jpg
  • 8 douglas st.jpg

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#11 erase

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Posted 20 July 2017 - 11:07 AM

I don't know specifically about street furnature, but with mesh fencing (the type you see used around a tennis court, or behind a baseball diamond) it's known that using black colouring for the fencing makes the fence disappear more into the background (saanich chose it for the fencing at lambrick park when they had the opportunity to replace fence). the same visual effect might also apply here, making the rest of the sidewalk and street become more visually prominent.



#12 rjag

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Posted 20 July 2017 - 11:19 AM

Meanwhile Firehall #1 is still in need of replacement....but lets spend money on distractions...I wonder if you were to poll the public whether money should be spent painting the town or going towards replacing the firehall what the results would be?


Edited by rjag, 20 July 2017 - 11:19 AM.


#13 Bingo

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Posted 20 July 2017 - 11:32 AM

Meanwhile Firehall #1 is still in need of replacement....but lets spend money on distractions...I wonder if you were to poll the public whether money should be spent painting the town or going towards replacing the firehall what the results would be?

 

Next thing you know the city will want to replace all of the world famous heritage cluster light standards with something else.

Don't we have more pressing infrastructure project instead of continually presenting "fluff"

Black is NOT the new black, unless we are planning our own funeral.



#14 Mike K.

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Posted 21 July 2017 - 08:00 AM

I don't know specifically about street furnature, but with mesh fencing (the type you see used around a tennis court, or behind a baseball diamond) it's known that using black colouring for the fencing makes the fence disappear more into the background (saanich chose it for the fencing at lambrick park when they had the opportunity to replace fence). the same visual effect might also apply here, making the rest of the sidewalk and street become more visually prominent.

 

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#15 TallGuy

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Posted 21 July 2017 - 11:58 AM

Considering we have a thread concerning bird poop on this forum, maybe the planners should consider how well that will 'pop' with a black background.


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#16 todd

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Posted 21 July 2017 - 05:12 PM

Considering we have a thread concerning bird poop on this forum, maybe the planners should consider how well that will 'pop' with a black background.

What color would you make it? White can be problematic...


Edited by todd, 21 July 2017 - 05:13 PM.


#17 kafkaesque

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Posted 21 July 2017 - 07:34 PM

Camo, of course.  That way no one can see anything or use them, saving money for other random ideas.

 

White is definitely problematic.  But the bird poop on black is a good point, because some sidewalks, especially Fort and Douglas on the RBC side are really gross and that is just on grey-ish. Do they not wash them down anymore?  Or are the birds being extra prolific since it is tourista season?


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#18 todd

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Posted 21 July 2017 - 08:27 PM

Top white, on the bottom black?



#19 On the Level

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Posted 21 July 2017 - 08:35 PM

Why doesn't the city give away cans of spray paint in various colours to the homeless, let them decide and pay them to do it?  

 

Lisa......before you run off with this idea.....I am being sarcastic.



#20 Nparker

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Posted 21 July 2017 - 08:41 PM

Why doesn't the city give away cans of spray paint in various colours to the homeless, let them decide and pay them to do it?...

Isn't that already being done?



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