785 replies to this topic

[Nparker]

...whatever happened to that old proposal for that little lot beside 1030 Yates? That would have been exactly what the doctor ordered re: granularity.

The lot is a community garden now so I don't see much likelihood of any significant changes for a while.

[G-Man]

^ A community garden is pretty granular when you think about it and if you plant the right things it could be granular and grainular at the same time!

[aastra]

Granted.

[Kapten Kapsell]

Question:  are there soil/contamination issues at the dealership (from the service bays) that would require the land sit 'fallow' for a while for remediation, similar to what we see when gas stations are redeveloped?

[Victoria Watcher]

if I’m not mistaken this lot also had fuel pumps (and presumably tanks) at one time not that long ago too. in the 70’s.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 25 October 2019 - 12:56 PM.

[IPH]

I believe your correct that the dealership had underground (USTs) and fuel pumps at one time. If there is contamination it may cause some minor delay to remediate the site but that will not require it to sit fallow. There are treatment facilities on the island for hydrocarbon contaminated soil. Since this site will have underground parking and deep foundations they will likely just ship the soil to one of the treatment facilities and over excavate to remove any remaining contamination if it extends beyond the neat foundation lines.

The community garden site that Aastra asked about use to have a drycleaners on it that caused considerable contamination and it is still contaminated. Dry cleaning fluid is a dense non aqueous phase liquid (DNAPL) or heaver than water. unlike gas or diesel that float, DNAPLs penetrates the water table and continues to contaminated soil at substantial depth. So that site will not be cheep or easy to remediate, Hence it has not been redeveloped. My understanding is that the City seized the property from the former owner due to unpaid taxes before they realized what they were seizing and are now stuck with the property and the liability unless something has changed in the last year or two.

[Victoria Watcher]

IPH. for some site uses isn’t concrete capping allowed? for the dry cleaner site? like maybe if it just lives out its life as a parking lot etc.

[IPH]

For some sites you can risk manage the contamination which may or may not require barriers between the contamination and human or environmental receptors. There are numerous type of barriers depending on the exposure pathway and type of contamination. Dockside Green has significant contamination remaining on site that they are risk managing which includes vapor barriers between the remaining contamination and the build envelopes. However, risk management usually requires the removal or reduction of the amount of Hazardous Waste, and the remaining Waste and commercial/industrial level soils are managed in place. If there are Hazardous Waste level soils at depth on the former dry cleaner site, it may be difficult to remove them and this may prevent or make risk management more difficult.

Risk management also requires extensive long term monitoring and possible maintenance so there can be ongoing costs.

I should add that if there is no rezoning/redevelopment or other activity that requires a site profile submission there may not be anything to trigger remediation of the site. I believe this site is the subject of ongoing litigation and MOE is well aware of the site condition.

Edited by IPH, 25 October 2019 - 02:33 PM.

[UDeMan]

Where is the Mazda dealership moving to?

[baconnbits]

Nowhere fast. Doesn’t sound like the first phase affects it and that’s 3 years.
Maybe GAIN will buy it!

[Kapten Kapsell]

Where is the Mazda dealership moving to?

They'll probably move somewhere within a few km of Uptown as it's a popular area for car dealers (WIllie Chrysler, Campus Nissan, Pattison Toyota, and several others).

[UDeMan]

I know a few people that bought a Mazda because they like the service at this location and also that is is close to their home in Oak Bay and Fairfield.

[G-Man]

You know people that bought a car because the dealership was conviently close to their house?

[UDeMan]

You know people that bought a car because the dealership was conviently close to their house?

 

Yes, people in Victoria are very strange.

 

I also know people that live out in Langford that refuse to come downtown. Had to plan a dinner and the closest they would travel to town is the Keg on Quadra street.

[Victoria Watcher]

I know a few people that bought a Mazda because they like the service at this location and also that is is close to their home in Oak Bay and Fairfield.

that’s quite something. choosing a car BRAND based on the dealership location.

sorry Martha I know your heart was set on a Lexus but that dealership is 14 minutes further away. so Mazda it is.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 26 October 2019 - 02:08 PM.

[aastra]

Buy your car from a dealership in the neighbourhood so you can drive to Costco to buy your groceries.

[Mike K.]

Servicing a vehicle is a PIA. I would absolutely purchase a vehicle based on its dealership’s distance from my home, if I didn’t much care for cars in the car-guy sense. Why not? There’s virtually nothing separating Mazda’s vehicles from Toyota/Hyundai/Kia/Honda/Nissan/Ford (which once owned a big stake in Mazda)/Chevy/Buick/Dodge. You can’t event tell these vehicles apart.

[m3m]

Servicing a vehicle is a PIA. I would absolutely purchase a vehicle based on its dealership’s distance from my home, if I didn’t much care for cars in the car-guy sense. Why not? There’s virtually nothing separating Mazda’s vehicles from Toyota/Hyundai/Kia/Honda/Nissan/Ford (which once owned a big stake in Mazda)/Chevy/Buick/Dodge. You can’t event tell these vehicles apart.

 

It's different with luxury cars. Dealership makes a big difference.  

[Mike K.]

Yes, because your car is there most of the time getting fixed

[lanforod]

For non luxury cars that don't include service as part of the sales contract, why not just get the car serviced at Mazda regardless of what you buy?

 

I'm actually a fan of Mazda though.