19 replies to this topic

[Victoria Watcher]

The City of Victoria is looking at designating James Bay as a heritage conservation area.

Council asked staff this week to explore the possibility and its implications for development, as part of an ongoing review of the city’s heritage program.

The motion was proposed by Mayor Marianne Alto, who noted James Bay residents showed up in droves during public hearings for the recently adopted official community plan to say their neighbourhood had been asked to carry too much of the load of housing and new development.

Alto said James Bay is unique in the city as its first colonial neighbourhood, and is somewhat isolated, with few entry and exit points.

The area also feels the impact of thousands of visitors as home to the city’s cruise-ship and Belleville Street terminals, hosts thousands during parades, races and protests, and has seen poorly planned urban sprawl in the form of towers built in the 1970s, the mayor said.


https://www.timescol...es-bay-11459907



Towers are not urban sprawl.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 08 November 2025 - 05:06 AM.

[Mike K.]

It’s all so bizarre. Now we are protecting inner city neighbourhoods from development because they’re too urban?

Vic West has seen way more development than James Bay has over the last 30 years, including being home to the Island’s tallest building for a few years. Can we get it into a special class of development-protected neighbourhoods? It has lots of old homes, too. And it only has two routes in and out of Victoria, while James Bay has 6.

[Victoria Watcher]

Alto looking for votes! Maybe to fend off a Marg Gardiner mayor run?

[Hotel Mike]

Here's the thing people forget about James Bay. To get in or out of the neighbourhood, you either have to go through downtown and the Inner Harbour, or go around Dallas Road. Whenever there is an event, a marathon, bike race, 10k, major protest or celebration, people in James Bay are hooped. Any additional development just means more delay and frustration for those who live in the area. At least while you're trapped, you might enjoy walking around and looking at the classic architecture. It's time for James Bay to be recognized for its heritage nature.

[Victoria Watcher]

Here's the thing people forget about James Bay. To get in or out of the neighbourhood, you either have to go through downtown and the Inner Harbour, or go around Dallas Road. Whenever there is an event, a marathon, bike race, 10k, major protest or celebration, people in James Bay are hooped. 

 

Well, move the races away, for one.   Lot of other places they can go.  

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 08 November 2025 - 11:27 AM.

[dasmo]

Here's the thing people forget about James Bay. To get in or out of the neighbourhood, you either have to go through downtown and the Inner Harbour, or go around Dallas Road. Whenever there is an event, a marathon, bike race, 10k, major protest or celebration, people in James Bay are hooped. Any additional development just means more delay and frustration for those who live in the area. At least while you're trapped, you might enjoy walking around and looking at the classic architecture. It's time for James Bay to be recognized for its heritage nature.

Exactly they will destroy what makes the area both desirable to live in and to visit. This is the way to block the provincial government from doing just that.

[aastra]

If the intention was actually to preserve the architectural heritage that still exists in James Bay then I'd have no problem with it. But methinks it's just the same old game of professing heritage concerns as a broader anti-development ploy. For example: Would this heritage designation not apply when someone wants to build on a surface parking lot or redevelop a post-1950 apartment block? It shouldn't apply, right?

[dasmo]

No it shouldn’t but the government didn’t consider us or the local folks when they went and up-zoned everything either. But this isn’t about anti-development it’s about defending our rights as a community for self determination against “the crown.”
We don’t have a shortage of development going on. It’s crazier than it’s ever been and the roads are already jammed. Bike lanes are empty I guess….

[max.bravo]

If anything, James Bay should become even more densely developed. They should build on the existing success of high density instead of fighting against it (it being the very thing that makes James bay interesting).

[Victoria Watcher]

Ya, I agree, I do not quite undestand.  Add another 4,000 people and you might get a second grocery store or doctor office.  Or a Dollarama!

[dasmo]

Another 4000 people trying to drive to Costco through the bike lanes downtown on Sunday!

[Victoria Watcher]

Maybe they will get a revamped gas station!

[dasmo]

They won’t have anywhere to park their cars or get gas. Making way for robotaxis I guess.

[Mike K.]

Im back after a night in James Bay!

What’s happening at the old Admiral Inn? It looks like people are living in those hotel units but the whole building also looks shuttered at the same time.

It was a quiet night downtown. Lots of people at a few places we stopped in at, but overall the downtown was very quiet. Walking back to James Bay at around 10, there were hardly any people out and about. We had a great time, though. Quite a lot of pedestrian activity on Saturday.

[Victoria Watcher]

Did you get stuck in James Bay?

[Matt R.]

Were you carb loading for the marathon?

[max.bravo]

James bay should lean into its density and become like the West End in Vancouver.

[aastra]

 

 

 But this isn’t about anti-development it’s about defending our rights as a community for self determination against “the crown.”

 

If that's what it's about then why not just say so? Why dress it up as if it were some noble battle in defense of heritage?

If Joe Public is never willing to be sincere or authentic about anything then why should he expect the overlords to be sincere or authentic about anything?

[dasmo]

We were talking about this very act towards individual houses to our friends that live there. Maybe someone in the neighborhood thought of this? Who knows. I do know that we need more support for transportation and medical dental etc before we cram more people in here. We also need some exciting architecture for me to get excited about building.

[Mike K.]

Did you get stuck in James Bay?

No, we managed to escape.

I had to park my truck on the lot that the Quebec Street tower is proposed for. The hotel recommends it for overflow parking and over height parking, which is for any larger vehicle and not just the full-size trucks because their parkade is so short. Anyway, that's going to pose a challenge once the lot is gone.