12 replies to this topic

[Awaiting Juno]

Gonzales has to be one of the best beaches in the City of Victoria - yet it would appear to be somewhat neglected. It's actually disheartening as there is a massive opportunity to make a space that can work better for everyone. There's a rather neglected boulevard accross the street that should really be appended to the park (did you know that Gonzales neighbourhood has less green space than average).  Doing so could mean that parking facilities for BOTH cars and bikes could be improved, and some of the space in the park that is now used for parking could be converted back to park space.  In addition - an all ages and abilities spray park could be installed (note - this is actually an item that is in the Parks plan as lacking), AND access to the beach for those who are disabled should be improved.  This is also a location that is well served by buses - so could really be used better.  I've taken a few minutes to do a google satelite view of the area with an idea for some change...

 

[punk cannonballer]

That's a lot of wasted space with the parking. I would just have angled parking off Crescent and retain a larger contiguous parcel as park. I can imagine the neighbourhood being opposed to any sort of change, given the veritable disco that happens on summer nights on that beach.

[todd]

What about also curving the road over more while moving the “meadow” over connecting it to the park creating more useable space??

[Victoria Watcher]

Dogs may no longer be allowed to run free at Gonzales Beach after the Canadian Wildlife Service informed Victoria council unleashed pets are endangering migrating birds.

 

In a letter to council June 10, the government branch reminded the city of a federally regulated migratory bird sanctuary stretching along the region’s coast from 10 Mile Point, up the Gorge Waterway, to Portage Inlet.

 

Within that space, regulation states that cat and dog owners are not allowed to permit their pets to run free.

 

Owners must have “continuous and effective control of their animal within a migratory bird sanctuary by restraining or constraining it to ensure that the dog or cat is not capable of disturbing, harassing, harming or killing a migratory bird, their eggs, or their nest,” the letter stated.

 

 

 

https://www.vicnews....off-leash-pets/

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 16 September 2021 - 07:14 AM.

[aastra]

Which birds? I assume we're not overly concerned about the Canada Geese? (but that might be a big assumption these days)

 

Pages 21 to 31 of this document are worth a read:
 

 

Canada Goose (Branta canadensis)

The Canada Goose is a native species on Vancouver Island. However, in the 1940's, the species "was mainly a migrant and a summer visitant in British Columbia" (Campbell et al. 1990). At that time, few Canada Geese spent summer or winter anywhere in B.C. Counts of wintering birds in five locations around the Lower Mainland, including Ladner and Vancouver, totaled approximately 300 or fewer Canada Geese up until 1972.

--

Then, as now, large numbers of the Canada Goose are thought to have been migrating annually up and down the length of Vancouver Island, but mostly staying offshore on the west side of the island. At that time, relatively few Canada Geese visited the east side of the Island for any reason.

--

...it would appear that it is necessary to take steps to control the geese, even though control of Canada Goose was not historically necessary, before the introduction of the mixed birds that do not appear to migrate.

 

 

The following excerpt is from "Alien Animals in British Columbia" published by the British Columbia Provincial Museum's Department of Recreation and Conservation, 1972:

 

 

SECTION V - TRANSFERS WITHIN THE PROVINCE

 

Canada Goose (Branta canadensis canadensis)

 

About a dozen birds transferred from Okanagan Valley to Elk Lake near Victoria on Vancouver Island in 1931 have established a population there. A population of about 200 birds present around Elk Lake in 1957 -- 58 appear to have dispersed in smaller flocks over the Saanich Peninsula. In recent years other transfers and introductions of Interior Canada geese have been made by private individuals to the lower mainland and on Vancouver Island (Halliday, 1971).

Edited by aastra, 16 September 2021 - 08:57 AM.

[E2V]

Long overdue to be enforced. Too many people think letting their dogs harass these birds is good exercise.

[E2V]

As far as the geese go, this spring I watched a large dog kill a gosling right by the Delta Hotel. The owner pretended to be injured until things calmed down.

[Victoria Watcher]

Long overdue to be enforced. Too many people think letting their dogs harass these birds is good exercise.

it might be for the birds. they have few natural predators in the urban areas so dogs keep them in top form.

I see way too many lazy birds these days.

the alternative is to let more wolves and bears into our urban areas.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 16 September 2021 - 09:09 AM.

[aastra]

Or maybe the time is finally right to introduce some jaguars.

[todd]

Why do we want the birds?

 

Don’t get me wrong I keep a canary.

Edited by todd, 16 September 2021 - 12:26 PM.

[todd]

 

 

 

Owners must have “continuous and effective control of their animal within a migratory bird sanctuary by restraining or constraining it to ensure that the dog or cat is not capable of disturbing, harassing, harming or killing a migratory bird, their eggs, or their nest,” the letter stated.

 

 

 

https://www.vicnews....off-leash-pets/

 

1a: to force by imposed stricture, restriction, or limitation. Teenagers often feel constrained by rules.  an artist constrained by a client's requirements

b: to restrict the motion of (a mechanical body) to a particular mode 

 

https://www.merriam-...onary/constrain

Edited by todd, 16 September 2021 - 07:11 PM.

[LJ]

The eagles make pretty good predators of the goslings, there is just not enough of them.

[todd]

It’s a weird world