280 replies to this topic

[aastra]

You'd still live in a world with french fries. You just wouldn't be eating the french fries.

Edited by aastra, 31 July 2024 - 12:19 PM.

[Mike K.]

Before this project’s town square is even built, it’s already fostering such lively debates.

[Nparker]

Before this project’s town square is even built, it’s already fostering such lively debates.

The debate has certainly been peppered with a lot of juicy tidbits today.

[aastra]

If you want food for thought and things to sink your teeth into, this is the thread.

[aastra]

Victoria Watcher was getting a bit salty, I thought. But otherwise...

[Matt R.]

I don't understand why humans need such a variety of foods.
 
It seems every time you eat something different, you are "treating" yourself.
 
I feel it's unnecessary.  Just have some type of meal replacement bars all week, then treat yourself when you go out for dinner.

We had three, maybe four or five kinds of apple at the store when I was young, we never seemed to suffer from a lack. I think there are double that now, even more when you consider the organic aisle.

For about 1/3 of the year, at least one and usually two of my daily meals are Vega One shakes. Doesn’t bother me one bit, and I quite enjoy them. My other meal is usually something that requires chewing.

[Mike K.]

Grocery stores were also larger when we were kids.

Remember the giant Save Ons at Saanich Centre or whatever it’s called? That store was huge. Then it got carved up and multiple businesses now operate from the same footprint (Boston Pizza and the liquor store).

[aastra]

 

We had three, maybe four or five kinds of apple at the store when I was young, we never seemed to suffer from a lack. I think there are double that now, even more when you consider the organic aisle.

 

There has been an effort recently to revive some of the long lost apple varieties:

 

 

Where Have All the Apples Gone? An Investigation into the Disappearance of Apple Varieties

At one time, apple varieties numbered in the thousands... Since the commercialization of apples, the United States has watched that number dwindle into a few choices. Deliberately engineered apples like the Red Delicious and the Granny Smith began to dominate the market, and the heirloom apples our forefathers loved are now relegated to backyards, community orchards, and extinction. We may have lost eighty percent of our traditional apple varieties.

"many of the old apple varieties cannot participate in the conventional market system because they do not meet its standards of appearance, they bruise too easily and they are unable to withstand the transport and storage demands”. In other words, according to this argument, heirloom apples are great, and it is fun to say some of their names, but saving them is relatively pointless because they cannot be grown on a large enough scale to accommodate the demands of a nation that expects an abundance of apples year-round."

Edited by aastra, 12 January 2024 - 11:34 AM.

[Mike K.]

Yes, indeed. Apples are my favourite, I'm really enjoying new varieties showing up.

[Matt R.]

Grocery stores were also larger when we were kids.

Remember the giant Save Ons at Saanich Centre or whatever it’s called? That store was huge. Then it got carved up and multiple businesses now operate from the same footprint (Boston Pizza and the liquor store).

My local in GH wasn’t large. Didn’t even have a full service deli for most of the time I lived there, but I do remember the save on in saanich, fill your own pop!

[Victoria Watcher]

That pop wasn’t bad either. Some great flavours like strawberry and dark cherry.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 12 January 2024 - 12:36 PM.

[Matt R.]

Yes, indeed. Apples are my favourite, I'm really enjoying new varieties showing up.

I think we had almost 500 island grown varieties at this years Apple Fest.

[Mike K.]

Wow!

[Victoria Watcher]

Developer of towers at Douglas and Caledonia wants to reduce office space, add rental housing

 

Development firm Chard said they want to significantly reduce the office component and replace it with rental homes.

https://www.timescol...housing-8105584

[ventilatte]

Developer of towers at Douglas and Caledonia wants to reduce office space, add rental housing

 

Development firm Chard said they want to significantly reduce the office component and replace it with rental homes.

https://www.timescol...housing-8105584

 

 

"He noted it has meant other developers have been forced to cancel or postpone some ­projects."

 

Interesting. Is this why so many projects that got approved over a year ago haven't started? Thinking specifically of that office building that is supposed to go where Capital Six is, the hotel where Monk Office is, and the first phase of the Harris Green project. 

[aastra]

Good scoop by the TC.

[Mike K.]

"He noted it has meant other developers have been forced to cancel or postpone some ­projects."

Interesting. Is this why so many projects that got approved over a year ago haven't started? Thinking specifically of that office building that is supposed to go where Capital Six is, the hotel where Monk Office is, and the first phase of the Harris Green project.

Capital 6 might make sense when government tenants decide to vacate older spaces and consolidate into new spaces.

Harris Green Village is already a rental, so it’s not faced with a use that could be converted to rentals. The hotel on Fort and Blanshard is going to potentially be more lucrative now that AirBnBs are being banned.

Generally speaking office development is not a priority right now, so it makes sense for Chard to redesign while they easily can.

[Nparker]

Any movement on this project?

[Victoria Watcher]

Any movement on this project?

 

 

Victoria council has agreed to allow Chard Developments to tweak the design of its already approved mixed-use project at the corner of Douglas Street and Caledonia Avenue, eliminating most of the planned office space in favour of more residential units

 

Council unanimously approved the changes, which will see an additional 56 housing units in the development, including 43 more rentals, two guest suites and 11 condos.

 

The project is on a site that had been home to the White Spot restaurant and the Capital City Centre Hotel at 710 Caledonia and 1961 Douglas.

 

Chard Developments said the changes were required due to the Bank of Canada’s rate hikes in 2023, which created problems with ­financing.

 

Chard asked the city to approve an amendment to the proposal that would allow the company to convert more than 38,000 square feet of office space into residential housing in one of its towers.

 

In granting approval, council also agreed to slight alterations — between one and two metres — in the heights of the three residential­ towers and a reduced parking requirement. Residential parking will drop to 221 spaces from 300, and ­visitor parking will be reduced to 15 from 50 stalls. To offset the parking loss, Chard will expand its bike parking, e-bike and e-scooter share programs, and increase car-share spaces to six stalls from the original two.

 

 

https://www.timescol...lopment-9914796

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 06 December 2024 - 04:25 AM.

[Ryan Cook]

Makes sense to reduce the amount of commercial space for this project and add more housing