11 replies to this topic

[Light-Keeper]

The Downtown Victoria Business Association will be leaving it's office space at #20 Centennial Square and relocating to #200 764 Yates Street at the end of October. 

 

The City of Victoria wants the space for Bylaw Enforcement offices. More blanked out windows along the Centennial Square Arcade. Row after row. Uninviting and repellant.

 

How will this help the revitalization of Centennial Square?  The 2018 Centennial Square Action Plan urges the City to return the arcade spaces below the parking lot to commercial use. The City is in the process of expending a further $750,000 for the revitalization design and planning process but won't take the advice they previously paid for.

 

Back when the retail sale of cannabis was first approved, the City would not allow retailers to blank out their storefronts. They had to show something of interest to the passerby. But the City seems to do this with impunity!.  

[Mike K.]

Welcome to VV, LK. That's quite historic. The DVBA has been there since its inception in the 1990s, I believe.

[spanky123]

^ Perhaps Jeff has been a little too outspoken about crime and filth impacting his members.

 

Smells a lot like retaliation. Like the CoV doesn't have room for a few additional bylaw officers?

Edited by spanky123, 24 October 2023 - 12:24 PM.

[aastra]

 

The 2018 Centennial Square Action Plan urges the City to return the arcade spaces below the parking lot to commercial use. The City is in the process of expending a further $750,000 for the revitalization design and planning process but won't take the advice they previously paid for.

...the City would not allow retailers to blank out their storefronts. They had to show something of interest to the passerby. But the City seems to do this with impunity!

 

The CoV has been engaging in wasteful expenditures, pursuing initiatives that contradict one another, and otherwise putting out hypocritical messaging? I suppose there's a first time for everything.

[Nparker]

...Back when the retail sale of cannabis was first approved, the City would not allow retailers to blank out their storefronts. They had to show something of interest to the passerby. But the City seems to do this with impunity!.  

Generally speaking, I am not in favour of ground level office space in the downtown core, but is there a bylaw or even an obligation that street level widows must present something interesting to passersby? 

And let's face it, Centennial Square's problems are significantly worse than covered-over street front windows.

[lanforod]

Generally speaking, I am not in favour of ground level office space in the downtown core, but is there a bylaw or even an obligation that street level widows must present something interesting to passersby? 

And let's face it, Centennial Square's problems are significantly worse than covered-over street front windows.

 

Sounds like you're against red light districts.

[Nparker]

I have no opinion on red-light districts since, to the best of my knowledge, I have never encountered one.

[Mike K.]

DVBA has confirmed they are indeed moving to a new space at Millie's Lane.

[Mike K.]

Oh, and the DVBA situated there in 2005.

[aastra]

 

Sounds like you're against red light districts.

 

Ideally the red lights would be covered over so no one can see them.

[LJ]

In Las Vegas there are strip malls that have all their storefronts covered in wraps, advertising, art whatever. You go by, you have no idea what the store is selling or even if it is open. You can spend some time looking for a doorway, open it and look inside and see if it's the store you want.

[LJ]

Bonus post - the Sphere in Las Vegas...