186 replies to this topic

[Rob Randall]

I've talked about this with NavCanada in the past. As LJ stated, they are not "pushing" for active air traffic control but acknowledge that if traffic continues to increase they will have to bend to the whims of supply and demand and install it.

So as to the question of the harbour being "controlled", yes it is controlled in that there are a stack of rules and regulations and detailed maps and flight paths and updated weather and traffic info that tell pilots what to do but there is no guy with binoculars actually directing traffic just yet.

Off topic, but up until a few years ago the Area Control Centre for virtually the entire west from Edmonton to Alaska was based out of YVR (Richmond). When data transmission technology emerged in the 1970s it became possible to locate the ACC (air traffic control centre) literally anywhere. For thirty years, controllers dreamed of Transport Canada relocating ACC to the distant suburbs of Vancouver so they could watch their radar screens in a building amidst lush forest or rolling hills.

When TC's successor NavCanada finally closed down the Richmond ACC they chose for a new location...a former furniture store next to a chicken plant in Surrey.

[Sue Woods]

Industry does bring pollution and environmental risks, but in my mind these risks are acceptable in the context of most bulk commodities because of the reduced transportation costs. I suspect that we simply will have to accept the fact that over time there will be no industrial uses of the Victoria harbour.

I totally agree with you Bernard about the need to increase industry on the waterfront.

With careful planning and creativity I think we can turn our diamond in-the-rough Rock Bay area into a mix of heritage, existing industry, public amenities, business, residential, light boat industry, maybe maritime organizations like SALTS. And why not an Industrial Heritage Interpretive Center to draw tourists and families.

Victoria's 150th anniversary will be in four years - wouldn't it be neat to rebuild the historic rock bay bridge (dismantled in the 1920s) for cyclists and pedestrians as a Legacy Project. (but I know I'm dreaming on that one)

Granville island was once an eye sore—cement and cooperage – all industry. Now have boat building, residential, retail, industry, art galleries, colleges restaurants etc…

So many historic places in our city - and Rock Bay is one of the last to be looked at. Underdeveloped with lots of potential.

Used to be the site of a tannery, sawmills, a coal gasification plant, propane tank farm, and the still present concrete plants. A complex mixture of industrial and residential with different social classes co-existing for many years.

It was once the most highly contaminated bodies of water in the province. In 2007 underwent extensive cleanup by the Fed, remediating to commercial standards, and while I understand that is still ongoing, real planning could be started now along with some much needed rezoning.

Sue

[victorian fan]

wouldn't it be neat to rebuild the historic rock bay bridge

Bring back the pile drivers that were there when I was a girl.

[Caramia]

In my opinion the biggest key to preventing residential from threatening the survival of industry is making sure that any residential added is targeted to rental and if possible to students and working class families. Downtown used to have a very big residential population, and it was only when the City closed down the SROs and moved residents out of downtown that it changed. We are only now getting back to previous levels after a 30 year hiatus. The big difference is now we have wealthy people in the harbour - people who feel entitled to silence at night, and nice fresh country air... neither of which are features of the downtown. Younger people, and particularly renters are much less likely to find these things objectionable... if anything they LIKE the availability of jobs close by, and they are more likely to be part of the club scene at night than to be sitting in their homes hating it. Mixing that area up with nightclubs, breweries, student rental housing, blue collar worker SROs, industry, arts, retail and theatre would preserve so many of the things that make downtowns special - and that we are failing to preserve in our downtown.

[jklymak]

The big difference is now we have wealthy people in the harbour - people who feel entitled to silence at night, and nice fresh country air... neither of which are features of the downtown.

This is the big problem. I think City Hall has to be very proactive in stating that the harbour is a vital economic resource and that folks should not expect a bucolic retreat. Maybe development permits should be granted only if there is a disclosure statement distributed to potential buyers that the land is adjacent to a working harbour and that has its pros and cons. That way no one can complain after the fact.

Similarly with downtown. You buy a place across from "Lucky Bar," guess what? Its going to be a little noisy at night.

[North Shore]

Bring back the pile drivers that were there when I was a girl.

Wow, and you think there are noise complaints now!

Just to clarify a few earlier posts: Victoria Harbour, CYWH, is a Class 'E' control zone. It is 5 nm in radius, and up to 2500' ASL. There is no controller per se present - just a flight service specialist. The FSS (amongst other things) generates weather reports on the hour, passes along air traffic information to aircraft in the area, and in the case of IFR traffic (Helijet, generally), passes along IFR clearances. They do not control air traffic in the sense of "plane A, turn left; plane B, turn right" and so on.. As you are entering the zone in an aircraft, you would set your radio to the prescribed frequency, and report your ID, altitude and intentions. FSS would come back with winds, landing direction, other air traffic and other pertinent details (ie, the Coho is on it's way out of the Inner Harbour.) It is your responsibility as a pilot to see and avoid the other traffic in the zone, and conform to established traffic patterns - as prescribed in a book called the Canada Flight Supplement. The procedures in both Vancouver Harbour and Victoria Harbour have been greatly restricted (from what they used to be)in the last 10-15 years, ever since people started moving into Songhees/Coal Harbour/Shoal Point, and complaining about the noise..

[VicHockeyFan]

Man rescued after falling off Coho into Inner Harbour


By David Karp, timescolonist.com August 1, 2010 5:01 PM Be the first to post a comment

Read more: http://www.timescolo...l#ixzz0vP3MBxcw

Victoria police Staff Sgt. Kerry Panton said police are not looking into the matter.

“We haven’t received a complaint, and it’s not something we’d be investigating,” he said. “It sounds like it was an accident.”

Seems reasonable. But I'm sure the Coast Guard and this guy's lawyer would be keen to know what happened. I wouldn't think that simply getting out of your car would normally put you within tripping distance of falling off the ship. Unless he rolled some distance.

[bicycles]

maybe he had been at the VEMF...

[VicHockeyFan]

maybe he had been at the VEMF...

Maybe. Yesterday VEMF didn't look that far off 4:20, simply based on my observed crowd make-up. Don't they listen to Bob Marley anymore?

[Mike K.]

I've noticed that the harbour patrol has been more active in recent weeks. In fact I seem to see this black patrol vessel on an almost daily if not a daily basis and in prior years I can't recall seeing this boat more than a few times every month.

Perhaps this increased patrol has something to do with US Homeland Security requirements?

[tedward]

Noticed the Athena leaving this morning on my way to work. She was just motoring out past Laurel Point when I took the crappy phone camera pic.

[SamCB]

Tedward, I saw it going and snapped a phone pic too!
http://i.imgur.com/gxnwGZ9.jpg

[Matt R.]

It's sitting outside my window now in Ganges Harbour, took a crap iPhoto of it.

Matt.

[LJ]

Obviously MarkCB had a better crap phone camera than the rest of you.

[tedward]

Obviously MarkCB had a better crap phone camera than the rest of you.

Probably. He certainly had a better vantage point than I did.

[Bingo]

How many cranes?

 

 

Edited by Bingo, 09 November 2018 - 09:19 PM.

[D.L.]

That's really neat! At least 7

[James Bay walker]

Reaching for earplugs and trying to get back to sleep ....

"There's a plane taking off or landing every five minutes on weekdays," McClelland said. "The fumes come up where residents are and they can't even use their balconies.

http://www.straight....s-oppose-planes

My suggestions for harbour dwellers:

a) put the earplugs in when you go to bed (so, you'll not need to be woken up and then put them in)

b) wear goggles and activated charcoal breathing masks while on your balconies so the fumes are a non-issue [you're living beside a commercial operation for goodness' sake!]

c) hose down the exterior surfaces of the balconies and dwellings each week to help keep the soot accumulation manageable

jbw

ps. If I were living on the harbour near float planes, I'd probably have an activated charcoal room air filter going, too so the inside air remained clean.

[sebberry]

Yep, I see 7 as well. Now if I could only find Waldo...

[Barra]

Woke up last night at 3:15 a.m. from a loud bang in the Downton/Harbour area, followed by several flares or fireworks. Looked out and saw nothing, then more sound of fireworks. Did anybody else notice?