1246 replies to this topic

[Nparker]

I'm not sure why CoV council in general hates North Park, but they sure do.

[spanky123]

I'm not sure why CoV council in general hates North Park, but they sure do.

They love North Park. Each encampment they take is one less in the councillors own neighbourhood

[JimV]

I never followed the North Park saga closely, but I thought they were big pals of Lisa Helps and her crowd.  Or was it only the community association?

[Victoria Watcher]

It’s a long sick story.

There are more than a few white knights in the organization.



White Knight syndrome

https://www.bphope.c...-relationships/

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 28 February 2024 - 02:27 PM.

[Nparker]

I never followed the North Park saga closely, but I thought they were big pals of Lisa Helps and her crowd.  Or was it only the community association?

The NPNA has never reflected the entirety of the North Park population. That being said, I am sure, for the most part, the lower income folks in North Park support the woke socialism espoused by the majority of the current CoV council. There is definitely a victim mentality that runs through my 'hood.

[mbjj]

I was driving on Quadra at Pandora the other day and couldn't believe the amount of garbage which was almost as far as Wildfire Bakery. Used to go there once in a while, but haven't been for ages. What a mess. I thought Our Place had folks to try pick up the debris? It was even on the inside of the fences at the Ministry of whatever on the corner. 

[Nparker]

Welcome to the results of housing first...safe consumption...and soon to be safe supply.

[Mike K.]

🔹Victoria councillor injured in cycling accident on Oak Bay Avenue🔹

Victoria councillor Matt Dell says was injured in a ‘dooring’ incident on Oak Bay Avenue on Thursday while riding his bicycle.

Dell says he was travelling down the avenue, when he suddenly had a vehicle door swing into his path, causing him to strike the door, fall back and land near a commercial truck.

“I got absolutely rocked by a car door while biking on Oak Bay Ave,” Dell wrote on X. “It happened in a split second, and my neck bounced off the top of the car door and I flung backwards into the road. I crashed onto my back and landed only 2 feet from a huge delivery truck.”

Dell also added:

“The bike is bent and the car paint took a beating. I remember when people fought against protected bike lanes on Oak Bay Ave in 2016, which is extra frustrating today. The city still isn’t safe for cycling, but thankfully I’m OK today. Be careful out there!”

We wish the councillor a speedy recovery. ‘Dooring’ incidents are quite common, when motorists or their passengers do not check to see if a bicycle or vehicle is traveling alongside the car before opening a door. Please be aware of other road users around you when existing a parked vehicle. https://x.com/mattde...LNt72cvXf0yWpgg

[dasmo]

Also be aware as a cyclist. When I was active I would be wary riding along parked cars and would look at the lights and rear view mirrors in particular to see if anyone was in the car. Situational awareness is key. Nothing is perfectly safe and if you don’t drive or ride with situational awareness you increase your risk. I’m not victim blaming, just adding to the advice given. I have witnessed dooring. Very harsh.

Edited by dasmo, 04 March 2024 - 06:57 PM.

[Mike K.]

Yes. It’s awful.

I understand the concern from cyclists. Some people just don’t think when they open their car door. You see it when driving, too. They can’t see a giant truck let alone a cyclist.

[Stephen Andrew]

The NPNA has never reflected the entirety of the North Park population. That being said, I am sure, for the most part, the lower income folks in North Park support the woke socialism espoused by the majority of the current CoV council. There is definitely a victim mentality that runs through my 'hood.

There is a lot of hand-wringing across.various neighbourhoods when it comes to supported housing.

North Park should look at the overall picture before advancing indignant opposition.

The rumours began late last year that “Tiny Town” would be relocated - options appeared to be Douglas Street near Burnside or the Rock Bay Landing neighbourhood. Both locations were seen by that community and police as completely inappropriate.

Burnside Gorge is already home to more than 40 percent of supported housing - it’s at capacity.

The City struggled with this decision to re-open the Caledonia project. It desperately needs more dollars from the province to manage the street entrenched community. Acquiescing to the province’s demand for another “Tiny Town” was one way to get more resources.

Now, one can argue that metal containers is not a solution to homelessness. I believe it isn’t

The original intent of this project was emergency housing to get people off the street and out of parks until more permanent housing was secured.

I recall at the time, Lisa Helps had a scoreboard in her office counting the number of units required to house those displaced by the pandemic.

The 30 units were a significant step forward.

When council was asked to extend the licence to maintain the project, I can say that I and others supported the move only to give BC Housing more time to deliver the permanent housing.

It appears this latest decision is tacit acknowledgment that either the units were not ready or we cannot build to meet an ever growing demand.

The scene on Pandora is not totally as perceived. I visited the area a couple of times and found many people have homes. Several honestly acknowledged they are on Pandora to socialize or to access dealers. I believe the area is too far gone - it will take a massive program to clean up the area and deal with the criminal element that preys on the vulnerable.

It also needs the political will. Current council will not touch this, so we’re stuck with it until at least 2026.

In any event, we need a regionally scattered model for supports and housing - yes that means everyone from Sooke to Oak Bay to North Saanich.

And it also means Victoria politicians need to stop seeing themselves as saviours of the world.

[Jacques Cadé]

I am sorry to hear of Councillor Dell's accident, and also wish him a speedy recovery. But I have to disagree with his characterization that people "fought" installing protected bike lanes along Oak Bay Avenue. Way back when, the City conducted public engagement about whether such lanes should first be installed on OB Ave, or along Fort Street to Foul Bay Road. Matt, who was president of the South Jubilee Neighbourhood Association, wanted them on OB Ave, but others (like me) thought Fort should be first, because it was an easier win. Fort had few retail storefronts, little existing on-street parking, and could provide a safe, continuous corridor for cyclists from downtown to the Jubilee hospital and UVic. I still think that was the correct first choice.

 

Now that he's a councillor, Matt can push the City to install protected lanes along OB Ave, and I would support that. But as Cook Street Village showed — where storefront retailers organized and got the bike route moved to Vancouver Street instead — installing protected lanes along OB Ave will be far more politically complicated than he suggests.

Edited by Jacques Cadé, 01 March 2024 - 03:12 PM.

[Nparker]

...North Park should look at the overall picture before advancing indignant opposition....

North Park (and its nearby environs) has certainly taken on - and continues to take on - its share of the homeless/addiction portfolio in the past several years. We were told multiple times that "Tiny Town" was temporary and would be closed. The bottom line is that we were lied to. Acquiescing to the province’s demand for another “Tiny Town” is a tragic, politically-motivated move on the part of the CoV council. It sacrifices the safety and security of one neighbourhood for the local equivalent of "30 pieces of silver". Why should anyone believe that "Caledonia Place" is not destined to become the next 900 block of Pandora? 

[Stephen Andrew]

[quote name="Nparker" post="733218" timestamp="1709334708"]

North Park (and its nearby environs) has certainly taken on - and continues to take on - its share of the homeless/addiction portfolio in the past several years….


The level of security at the location exceeds other supported housing across Victoria. Is that in itself justification ? No. But, it’s valuable context to those who say it’s unsafe.

North Park has nowhere near the supported housing of Burnside Gorge. Is that justification? No.


It’s why I advocate for a regionally distributed model.

I’d also argue there’s a significant support in North Park for the politicians that support this move. As they say, “careful what you wish for”….

Edited by Stephen Andrew, 01 March 2024 - 04:08 PM.

[Nparker]

...I’d also argue there’s a significant support in North Park for the politicians that support this move….

I can assure you not everyone in North Park supports the politicians who have enabled the continued existence of Tiny Town, and it certainly doesn't justify the ongoing abuse this neighbourhood suffers as a result of the homelessness/addiction issues that surround us.

[phx]

It’s why I advocate for a regionally distributed model.
 

 

How about advocating for solving the problem?

 

Don’t get me wrong; I appreciate that you are one of the more sensible people. But drug addiction can’t be taken as an acceptable lifestyle choice.

Edited by phx, 01 March 2024 - 08:05 PM.

[Awaiting Juno]

OCP is up for a refresh. Like voting, either engage or live with the consequences of those who do engage. Link here. 

[Nparker]

What a dreadfully biased, woke survey. 

[JimV]

Groan, another one where they only want to hear how much you agree with them.  No alternate ideas welcome

[Nparker]

Groan, another one where they only want to hear how much you agree with them.  No alternate ideas welcome

Exactly. I stopped giving answers about half way through.