Man, reading this forum is incredibly depressing. Don't you guys have anything better to do than to ***** about people who are battling addiction or struggling to survive? Like really, I live closer to Our Place than literally anyone in Victoria (okay, to be fair, my roommate is a couple feet closer) and I'm going about my life just fine. Maybe redirect your focus towards actual solutions (like housing or mental health treatments) rather than complain that the CoV hasn't yet kicked people out of BHP so you can look at flowers and ducks while not having to think about those less fortunate than you.
I read this forum as it is the only resource for up-to-date news on local urban design, architecture, etc. but I'm frankly disgusted at the selfish attitudes expressed by most users here,
People are desperate for solutions, which are a large part of this discussion.
The situation in Victoria created and fostered by the current administration is so bad that it’s garnering national attention. Yesterday morning, as an example of Victoria’s image problem, I was driving in from Gold River towards Campbell River and guess what one of the news topics was on a news segment of a radio program? A needle attached to a handrail in Victoria’s world-renowned Beacon Hill Park.
Residents of this city are being victimized, assaulted, threatened and with increasing rates displaced due to fears and concerns related to the above. Saying those who’ve experienced serious criminality or intimidation or who are seeing their neighbourhoods slide in safety, appearance and community spirit as complainers is missing the point entirely. Your city is hurting, badly, and Victorians need it to stop.
And then we have the business community that has seen its membership falter due to covid, and which is now forced to implement costly security measures just to keep the doors open and to protect their workers and staff. Is that not happening? Is it all just a joke when Gordie Dodd and his son say they’re living a literal nightmare (Love Dodd’s word, not mine)? When business owners are intimidated and told they’ll be hurt? When police have so few resources that they can’t attend B&Es or when a suspect is caught the legal system has him or her on the street hours later?
Your City Hall has had a window shot up, weeks after CTV had their window shot up. And it’s all good? That’s just survival and we should look kindly upon it?