11779 replies to this topic

[mbjj]

Granted it was quite a few years ago but I remember when we were in Heidelberg we had a rental car that we were having a few problems with. We had to find the VW dealership for an adjustment on something and guess what. That sprawly part of Heidelberg was just like here, flat with lots of traffic and car dealerships, strip malls etc.. The charming medieval part is very small and was full of American soldiers strolling about and making a heck of a row late into the night.

[aastra]

 

“Certainly, it’s fun having huge swaths of the downtown closed, but I’m not sure if Victoria taxpayers would support the level of subsidization needed to ensure public safety.”

 

Downtown Victoria contains huge swaths of space. Many huge swaths, apparently, since only some of those swaths would be closed. Depending on the politics that are being spun, Victoria can flip-flop from an unmanageable megalopolis to a tiny town and back again in the same breath.

 

 

“There will probably be 40,000 or 50,000 people. They’ll come from across the region...

 

Those 40,000-50,000 people are Victorians. They're coming from other areas of Victoria, to enjoy their city's downtown.

[FogPub]

^In this context, however, a resident of Saanich is not a Victorian*, nor is a resident of Colwood* or Oak Bay* or Sidney*; never mind anyone who happens to be visiting from farther afield e.g. Seattle or Toronto or Edinburgh.

 

Victorians, when it comes to defining them in terms of who pays for the policing, live in the CoV.

 

* - until and unless regional amalgamation might occur, that is...

[On the Level]

^In this context, however, a resident of Saanich is not a Victorian*, nor is a resident of Colwood* or Oak Bay* or Sidney*; never mind anyone who happens to be visiting from farther afield e.g. Seattle or Toronto or Edinburgh.

 

Victorians, when it comes to defining them in terms of who pays for the policing, live in the CoV.

 

* - until and unless regional amalgamation might occur, that is...

 

If the CRD pays for a portion of CoV policing, will CoV share the same ratio of downtown tax revenue (generated by CRD populous) with the CRD?

[Mike K.]

That’s the thing, right? Victoria absorbs tens of millions of dollars annually through taxation levied for government offices. So all of BC pays handsomely for the privilege of having offices in the city-proper.

The city-proper also enjoys an influx of workers every day who support the businesses/employers that are not bankrolled by taxpayers. The City has to be careful in how it proceeds into the 2020’s as environmental concerns might well translate into shifting some offices to where workers live (the Westshore) and encouraging satellite offices or home-based shifts.

And before you think “government can’t just radically shift its investments and priorities in a way that can harm a community,” well, they can, and they do.

[Awaiting Juno]

Which is why continuing to pretend that Victoria is not a larger city that stretches from at least Saanich to Langford is foolish.  You've got the Westshore agitating for LRT, and yet that becomes nearly impossible because to do it, you've got to cross 4 administrative boundaries with each mayor and council wanting to make the process that much more complicated.  

[Awaiting Juno]

I'd like to see a slate of candidates run in each municipality that is pro-amalgamation.  It's time the foolishness of our city of cities be put in the past.  It's time we realize that our structure is getting in the way of things that need to be done, and done so in a way that is reasonably fair to all of those in the region.  Sure, Fairfield might have to help pay for LRT to the WestShore and the WestShore might have contend with Oak Bay's infrastructure deficit.  Hopefully, we'd start seeing the most capable municipal counselors rise to the challenge in an amalgamated city and be done with some who really wouldn't be there if the city were amalgamated.

[Victoria Watcher]

stew young should just run for mayor of victoria while leaving a puppet regime in place in langford.

[Nparker]

I think the biggest barrier to regional amalgamation (although they'd never admit it publicly) is that those who currently hold all the cards would be forced to relinquish power.

[jonny]

If there's a by-election, reasonable Victorians need to get their heads out of their bumms and put forth ONE reasonable Stephen Andrew-esque candidate for city Councillor. 

[jonny]

I think the biggest barrier to regional amalgamation (although they'd never admit it publicly) is that those who currently hold all the cards would be forced to relinquish power.

 

People tend to follow the path of least resistance and are paralyzed by complex choices (such as amalgamation) until and unless there is compelling and motivating incentive for change. 

[Nparker]

If our current fractured system of regional governance isn't enough to convince the electorate that some sort of change is needed, then we deserve the terrible mess we have.

[spanky123]

If there's a by-election, reasonable Victorians need to get their heads out of their bumms and put forth ONE reasonable Stephen Andrew-esque candidate for city Councillor. 

 

I think that the election, if necssary, will boil down to a continued power play between Helps and Isitt with each focusing on a single champion. It may be hard for a 3rd candidate such as SA to get a win.

[Mike K.]

stew young should just run for mayor of victoria while leaving a puppet regime in place in langford.

Only to be stonewalled by his council? Not a chance.

Langford is on the precipice of a massive shake-up that will question the need for downtown Victoria to remain as the sole office node for provincial offices, considering the expense of travel to and from, both monetarily speaking and environmentally. The NDP also need to maintain their control over the Westshore which could wildly swing depending on who campaigns for the federal Conservatives or BC Liberals.

Keep in mind that the “transportation study” the NDP has embarked on is not limited to cars/trains/bikes and buses. Look beyond physical transport here.

[jonny]

Look beyond physical transport here.

 

[Mike K.]

Easy there, cowboy. Your digs nearly ended up in North Saanich and BCI had an option of calling Walmart a neighbour.

[spanky123]

The NPNA will be presenting Thursday on their views on using an "equity lens" with respect to future development. https://pub-victoria...ocumentId=38280

 

The graphic on the first page is very telling. "Equity" is not just about raising everyone to the same level, it is about taking the "privileged" down a level in the process.

[rjag]

The NPNA will be presenting Thursday on their views on using an "equity lens" with respect to future development. https://pub-victoria...ocumentId=38280

 

The graphic on the first page is very telling. "Equity" is not just about raising everyone to the same level, it is about taking the "privileged" down a level in the process.

 

Brought to you by Grievance Studies experts...Between the BS spewed from our PM and all the other 'progressives' at all levels of Government we have become the laughing stock of the world....not even the Soviets or the Chinese could have thought this up as a way of defeating the West...they just had to be patient and wait for us to do it to ourselves....whats next, seizing underutilized gardens to turn into community food production? Empty bedrooms? Savings accounts?

 

Instead of lowering everyone and punishing success how about we encourage people to lift themselves up and take personal responsibility....I know...thats anathema to progressives

Edited by rjag, 05 June 2019 - 07:42 AM.

[Nparker]

The NPNA have long since proved themselves to be anything but progressive - at least in the traditional sense of the word.

[Jackerbie]

CoV has a couple town halls regarding climate action. The next two coming up are about development and land use, and mobility. More info: https://www.victoria...town-halls.html