25933 replies to this topic

[Belleprincess]

There needs to be more investment into cleanliness and bylaw enforcement. You can’t have groups of people sprawled out on Douglas Street with their dogs running around and passers by being heckled, with sidewalks stained from who knows what, and the smell of urine in doorways.

The aesthetics of downtown make it feel like it’s tired and burned out, or just not a priority like it may have been in decades past for municipal maintenance. Downtown should be a jewel in every respect.

I completely agree with the cleanliness part. City hall does very little in the way of regular cleaning, the dvba does the majority of it. The city never seems to power wash anything, ever. I remember Lisa helps say that the rain would wash everything away (eye roll.) There’s only so much that the dvba clean team can do with push carts and they do a fantastic job. If the city spent less money on pet projects and put that money towards beautification/ cleaning, the city would sparkle. That’s what I’m hoping for with a new council. I pay close to $1000 per month in taxes for my business alone, the sewer lines were clogged on a regular basis, I receive no services and other than causing problems - they don’t seem to do much to support businesses. Stephen Andrew and the dvba are wonderful though

[mbjj]

English breakfast is usually bacon, eggs, sausages, beans, fried tomatoes, fried bread, etc. A full English breakfast such as you would get at a B & B in the UK. 

 

Re sidewalk cleaning, we always noticed in European cities how shop owners would be out with a bucket of sudsy water scrubbing entire store fronts and sidewalks. Certainly made a difference to the overall look of the street. Some sidewalks around town are disgusting, even the one in front of the London Drugs on Yates. You'd think a health providing place would clean up a bit. 

Edited by mbjj, 22 June 2022 - 03:06 PM.

[Mike K.]

It is disgusting.

Cities hugely bigger than Victoria make sure their downtown cores shine. We seem to have given up on beautification unless it’s plantings of wildflowers and grasses (exactly the sort of stuff that doesn’t make Butchart famous).

[Belleprincess]

It is disgusting.

Cities hugely bigger than Victoria make sure their downtown cores shine. We seem to have given up on beautification unless it’s plantings of wildflowers and grasses (exactly the sort of stuff that doesn’t make Butchart famous).

All we have to do is get the “woke” folks out of city hall.

[Nparker]

All we have to do is get the “woke” folks out of city hall.

I suspect that's easier said than done.

Edited by Nparker, 22 June 2022 - 05:37 PM.

[Victoria Watcher]

A controversial temporary homeless shelter in Vic West is a step closer to becoming a permanent supportive housing site after the City of Victoria directed staff to prepare an official community plan bylaw to allow the development.

 

Council voted unanimously on Thursday to move the project at 225 Russell St. forward, although it will still require rezoning and to go through a public hearing.

 

In voting for the proposal, Coun. Jeremy Loveday said he would normally err on the side of protecting industrial and light-industrial land, but in this case that was trumped by the need for housing.

 

The site is currently being used by the province for transitional housing under the provincial government’s powers to exempt themselves from local zoning bylaws.

 

The province bought the site for $8 million in April last year to create emergency housing during the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

 

https://www.timescol...fixture-5513870

 

The existing zoning allows for a variety of light industrial uses, though the province is currently using it to run a transitional housing site for up to 50 people.

 

______________________

 

 

Coun. Geoff Young said he wrestled with the idea that repurposing the site would not require it to conform to the usual rules for setbacks and other requirements the city has for new housing projects.

 

He said he was willing to move the project forward to a public hearing in order for the immediate community to have its say, but he had reservations because there have been plenty of concerns raised by residents already.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 24 June 2022 - 02:30 AM.

[Barrrister]

One more shitshow for people who live in Victoria to put up with.

[spanky123]

One more shitshow for people who live in Victoria to put up with.

 

BC Housing feels as though they do not need to abide by zoning regulations. This is a courtesy.

 

There is already a homeless shelter there, at least this will upgrade the facilities and perhaps allow for less problematic 'guests'.

[Nparker]

Vote every last member of council out in October. They have utterly failed the citizens of Victoria. 😡

[Barrrister]

The problem is that nobody else is actually running for us to vote for.

[Nparker]

I'd rather we have no council than give these clowns another 4 years.

[Daveyboy]

For the most part, potential candidates don't really want to be labelled as ultra right-wing racist nutbars and end up receiving daily hate messages from the truly woke during the election campaign.  It's quite a personal price to pay.

[spanky123]

For the most part, potential candidates don't really want to be labelled as ultra right-wing racist nutbars and end up receiving daily hate messages from the truly woke during the election campaign.  It's quite a personal price to pay.

 

Not just during the election campaign, for the next 4 years. If you own a small business you can add having your reputation smeared by being flooded with bogus negative reviews and even likely a broken window or two.  Heaven help you if your business relies on City projects or permitting as that could vaporize if you upset the wrong person or your political opponents decide to retaliate.

Edited by spanky123, 24 June 2022 - 08:18 AM.

[phx]

 

A controversial temporary homeless shelter in Vic West is a step closer to becoming a permanent supportive housing site

 

 

 

[kitty surprise]

A controversial temporary homeless shelter in Vic West is a step closer to becoming a permanent supportive housing site ... at 225 Russell St.

Is that the highest and best use for that location?

[Victoria Watcher]

Seattle Times:


Amid rising gun violence in Seattle, three people in homeless encampments were shot and killed within a week

Fatal shootings connected to homelessness are swiftly rising. Within a week, three people died by gun violence in encampments across Seattle. To begin to unpack its causes, experts say, look to the pandemic.

___________

Six people who were living homeless in Seattle have been shot to death in 2022 so far. While a tiny fraction of the homeless population, the rise in gun violence is a worrying trend for people living on the street and those trying to serve them.

Gun violence in Seattle’s homeless encampments is a complicated issue that people who work with those living outdoors say is driven by the drug trade, sex work, unpaid debts, the pandemic and more.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 30 June 2022 - 11:21 AM.

[Nparker]

The pandemic is to blame for increased violence among the homeless?

[Victoria Watcher]

Link:

https://www.seattlet...g-faster/?amp=1

[Sparky]

David Eby is no saint.

 

"When Housing Minister David Eby cleaned house at B.C. Housing last week, he tried to minimize attention to what he was doing to the troubled social housing management agency..."

 

"...While the New Democrats were shovelling money out the door, staffers scrambled just to keep the paperwork straight..."

 

"...If this is how a Premier Eby handles news of his government’s mistakes and failings, the NDP is in no danger of losing its recent designation as the most secretive in Canada."

 

https://vancouversun...mes-b-c-premier

[Victoria Watcher]

The Ernst & Young report ran to more than 50 pages plus appendices and there were shocking, disturbing failings outlined on almost every page.

 

Lack of oversight. Lack of controls. Conflicting definitions of risk between the government and B.C. Housing.

 

Grants disbursed without any documented rationale. Properties purchased with no records to indicate how the decisions were made.

 

Duplication. Misalignment. Jurisdiction muddles. Outdated policies, antiquated systems.

 

Ernst & Young found there were no evaluation criteria for projects under the supportive housing fund and the women’s transition housing fund, both budgeted to dispense hundreds of millions of dollars.

 

The lack of transparency around some grants and projects gave rise to suspicions of favouritism and conflicts of interest.

 

_______________________________

 

Many of these failings — the lack of controls and documentation, the shovelling — were attributable to the dramatic growth of B.C. Housing under the NDP.

 

The budget was $782 million when they took office, it has grown to almost $2 billion today and is slated for a further $7 billion boost over the next decade.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

That's what happens when you just throw money at things, they scramble to just get it spent as quick as possible.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 13 July 2022 - 04:59 AM.