155 replies to this topic

[Mike K.]

The City is pursuing a plan to replace the balustrade along Dallas Road.

 

[Brantastic]

Yes, it was mentioned in the 2019 Draft Financial Plan, along with the replacement of the Ross Bay Seawall. The report says "The existing balustrade is failing, and has been bolted to hold portions together, and is painted every two years to minimize the rust stains". They won't be replaced until 2020. I believe the incredibly rusty railings along the Gorge in Saanich are to be replaced sometime soon.

[Hotel Mike]

I have mixed feelings about this. It makes sense to have an easier-to maintain type of railing, one that matches the Ogden Point Breakwater and other city walkways, opens up the view a bit. But there is something old fashioned and cool about the old concrete wall. And we're all so used to seeing it, aren't we? Isn't that the motto for us Victorians? We like it the way it's always been.

[Brantastic]

Cost estimates are $220,000 for planning, engagement, materials, and installation.

[Mike K.]

Yes, it was mentioned in the 2019 Draft Financial Plan, along with the replacement of the Ross Bay Seawall. The report says "The existing balustrade is failing, and has been bolted to hold portions together, and is painted every two years to minimize the rust stains". They won't be replaced until 2020. I believe the incredibly rusty railings along the Gorge in Saanich are to be replaced sometime soon.

 

The City wants to fast-track this for a 2019 installation, according to a report in CoTW agenda.

[Brantastic]

I'll be happy to see them go, especially if replaced by something that opens the view up. A few months back, my friend and I got Thai food and drove down to Dallas Rd to watch the storm in our car as we ate, but it turned out the balustrades entirely blocked our view anyways.

[Mike K.]

Haha! So true. 

[aastra]

 

Isn't that the motto for us Victorians? We like it the way it's always been.

 

Yep. Say one thing, but do the opposite.

 

The motto should be, "We love it but it needs to go. It never really belonged, anyway. No worries, we'll install a plaque as a reminder of how things used to be, and then pat ourselves on the back for caring so damn much."

[aastra]

 

...to watch the storm in our car as we ate, but it turned out the balustrades entirely blocked our view...

 

Where's that cranky forumer who always gives Victorians crap for caring so much about the view from their ****ing cars?

 

Oh, wait. That's me. Victorians, stop caring so much about the view from your ****ing cars.

Edited by aastra, 06 August 2019 - 09:01 AM.

[aastra]

I'm being a stinker. Obviously a barrier such as this one along the seawall isn't going to last forever. I'm just saying please please please don't replace it with some bland utilitarian crap. The old balustrade had some personality and some distinction, so why can't the new one also have?

[spanky123]

Cost estimates are $220,000 for planning, engagement, materials, and installation.

 

According to CHEK, the costs for planning and design are $150K and installation another $1M+  You would think that since the stated plan is to make the design the same as what is already in use in other areas of the City that $150K is a little steep.

 

https://www.cheknews...-design-592299/

Edited by spanky123, 06 August 2019 - 10:57 AM.

[LJ]

They are planning the same sort of barrier wall as used elsewhere in the city, stanchions with wire rope joining them.

[grantpalin]

On a related issue, Gonzales Bay residents are making a fuss over two new houses under construction.

 

Gonzales Beach residents call new construction ‘catastrophe’

https://www.cheknews...strophe-592650/

 

It’s a construction project that is leading to many questions by summer sunseekers on Gonzales Beach.

 

“Is that just a house? Or like is that just an add on to a house?” asked Travis Perlman, while staring out at the huge new wooden wall that’s popped up on Gonzales Bay.

 

“Actually it makes me feel quite sick,” said Jane Sherwin.

 

“This huge what we call the Berlin Wall went up and it’s just a catastrophe as far as we’re concerned to Gonzales Bay.”

 

“I was shocked,” said Stephanie Weinstein.

 

“I was surprised they were able to build onto the rocks.”

 

The mystery structure will soon be a series of retaining walls the owner says will re-enforce the slope before a new house goes up.

 

But these walls go right up to the tideline.

 

“I like the tidepool behind the rocks. We can’t get to it anymore unless it’s low tide, and then the tide pool is usually dried up,” said Rita Perlman.

 

“It’s disappointing.”

 

The homeowner, who asked to remain anonymous, tells CHEK News in a statement: “We did leave a portion untouched so the public will still have access to the rocks.”.

 

But for residents, access isn’t the only concern.

 

“There’s sometimes otter and mink on rocks. It’s just one more piece that’s taken away from the natural ecosystem,” said Weinstein.

 

And according to the City of Victoria, the walls are completely legal, with provincial workers even conducting an environmental review.

 

And many locals say building retaining walls this close to the high water mark, contradicts the city’s plan for the Gonzales Bay area.

 

Within the 2018 plan, the City of Victoria outlines “for waterfront development, encourage property owners to restore coastal bluffs and natural shoreline. New hard structures are strongly discouraged.”

 

“The city is so keen on the environment, and the plan is so keen on the environment, but it doesn’t seem in allowing this to be built that they jive at all,” said Sherwin.

 

And both old-timers and the next generation are worried that if these walls go up, they’ll be the first of many.

 

“This is for everybody, this is not just your beach,” said Travis.

 

 

I happened to be down that way earlier today, and got up close to the large granite boulder that becomes accessible at low tide. Snapped a picture of the new developments in question on the west side of the bay.

 

 

Attached Images

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[aastra]

Is it just going to be bare concrete or are they going to finish it similar to the older retaining walls on the properties right next door?

[tedward]

I'm confused. Several comments were made about losing tide pools but the construction is above the high tide line.

I always thought tide pools were pools of seawater left behind at low tide?

[Mike K.]

Yeah, me too. Maybe in some areas along the coast they fill from below the surface?

[aastra]

 

They are planning the same sort of barrier wall as used elsewhere in the city, stanchions with wire rope joining them.

 

"Making Victoria generic again."

[aastra]

 

Other options, such as building a replica concrete railing were also deemed more costly, the report says.
 

...staff prefer the steel and wire design because it meets modern safety standards and has been used successfully along other waterfront paths at Ogden Point, West Songhees Walkway and the Johnson Street Bridge.

"It is modern, but it also is very practical because it allows people who are visiting or who are walking along Dallas Road to see the ocean — not something everybody can do at the moment because the mass of that wall is preventing people from actually seeing the ocean."

from the Times-Colonist...

 

 

"This is by far one of the cheapest ways forward, because as soon as you put new infrastructure in, your maintenance costs year-on-year are very much less."

from CTV

 

You certainly wouldn't want to do something that was costly. The CoV doesn't like to spend money flagrantly, right? Right? (crickets chirping)

 

I swear, there is not a city in the world that despises itself the way Victoria does. It just boggles my mind, the CoV's seemingly endless mission to subvert the place's essence and erase all of its embellishments and interesting details.

 

Does the CoV start every meeting with "Victoria is still special. What can we do today to dial it down a bit more?"

 

 

Artist Rose Currie has featured the Dallas Road railing in several of her paintings.

"A lot of times it’s people that are moving out of Victoria and they want to take a piece of Victoria with them and that’s the actual spot that they want to remember when they’re gone, because it feels very Victoria to them."

 

It doesn't have to be a replica of the existing railing. It can be a new railing (I'm acknowledging the harsh conditions down there). But for crying out loud, make it something that somebody would actually bother to take a picture of, never mind bother to capture in a painting. Victoria's uniquely genteel west coast urban vibe... how about trying to emphasize it for once instead of always trying to undo it?

 

The existing balustrade is interesting precisely BECAUSE it's more than it needs to be. It isn't merely a utilitarian railing like you'd see on a backwoods hiking trail or on a pier in some small town somewhere. It looks much more formal and weighty and distinctive. It looks civilized. And that's precisely how it should look, lining the seawall in the heart of the city. It looks like Victoria, as the artist notes:

 

 

"A lot of times it’s people that are moving out of Victoria and they want to take a piece of Victoria with them and that’s the actual spot that they want to remember when they’re gone, because it feels very Victoria to them."

 

Here's hoping that Victoria enjoys a big development boom someday so it can start pouring money into preserving (or -- gasp!) adding more interesting and uniquely Victorian texture, instead of always ripping it out.

[jasmineshinga]

Oh dear, Mayor Screech decided to put his two cents in and has started an unfortunate FB comment brawl on his page. Which is too bad, he's a decent mayor, if not always fully aware of the nature of his role.

 

https://www.facebook...068342973267610

Edited by jasmineshinga, 08 August 2019 - 07:00 AM.

[Mike K.]

The mayor’s post:
I grew up just by Gonzales Beach and am so shocked to see this allowed. How can it be? In View Royal we have a 15 metre setback required from the high tide mark. This is a travesty. Gonzales is one of the most beautiful beaches in our area and this will be a blight on it.