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Downtown Victoria Business Association (DVBA) news and issues


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#101 spanky123

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Posted 16 May 2020 - 09:36 AM

^Obviously, no business would feel obligated to set up on the sidewalk. This is a good idea to allow certain businesses that have limited space to spread out their customers inside and would benefit from extending the store onto the sidewalk. True, at least one employee would have to guard it but the employer could justify it by considering it a bit of proactive promotion. 

 

This is just about giving retailers new tools to help them get back on their feet. 

 

I can't see retailers trying to operate both from the sidewalk and the store with reducing staffing and social distancing. It would be a recipe for a shoplifting spree.

 

I can see folks setting up tables in front of their stores with low cost goods to draw attention to the fact that they are open.



#102 Victoria Watcher

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Posted 21 May 2020 - 04:26 PM

“Retail goods can be outside, restaurants can serve outside, people can take meals to go. Because thank god, its the summer, we’ll have more options with regards to how to use public space,” she said.

 

 

‘Come back downtown:’ Victoria Chamber of Commerce encourages public to support businesses

 

https://www.vicnews....ort-businesses/

 

i think the reporter means "thank God, it's the summer, we'll have more options with regard".


Edited by Victoria Watcher, 21 May 2020 - 04:27 PM.


#103 Mike K.

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Posted 21 May 2020 - 08:16 PM

In the paid version of that article the grammar is correct.
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#104 Rob Randall

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Posted 22 May 2020 - 12:52 PM

"Its" should be an apostrophe and "god" should be capitalized unless you are referring to a minor diety.



#105 Nparker

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Posted 22 May 2020 - 12:57 PM

"Its" should be an apostrophe and "god" should be capitalized unless you are referring to a minor diety.

I'd posit that all gods are minor deities.


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#106 Rob Randall

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Posted 22 May 2020 - 12:58 PM

^Tell it to Strunk and White.


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#107 Mike K.

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Posted 22 May 2020 - 01:04 PM

See, we’re already thinking negatively.

“Come back” is not powerful marketing, it’s a plea. Even something like “We’re back, Victoria,” is so much more powerful.
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#108 Victoria Watcher

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Posted 22 May 2020 - 01:10 PM

and regard is not plural

#109 Nparker

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Posted 22 May 2020 - 01:18 PM

Maybe the DVBA could try this approach.

Downtown - Great Shopping and Free Accommodation!

shopping.jpg

camping.jpg


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#110 Victoria Watcher

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Posted 20 June 2020 - 05:27 AM

A former head of the Downtown Victoria Business Association is facing two criminal charges stemming from her time with a similar group in Penticton.

https://www.timescol...roup-1.24156779
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#111 Victoria Watcher

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Posted 06 August 2020 - 08:07 AM

dvba running a "save the sales" promotion.

 

https://savethesales.ca/



#112 Victoria Watcher

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Posted 24 September 2020 - 11:15 AM

not sure if everyone saw this from september 19th:

 

https://www.vicnews....ryones-support/

 

 

 

For months, the 1,500 business in the downtown core have been dealing with ever-increasing issues of street disorder, crime, break and enters, shoplifting, and property damage. Since the devastating start of COVID, these issues have only worsened. As a result of the pandemic, we are seeing record-low tourism and only 20 per cent and 30 per cent of office staff are returning. The increased encampments in and around downtown creates an impression the area is unsafe. Locals are discouraged from visiting downtown at exactly the time businesses need them most.

 

Last week, council spent four hours debating the camping situation of 250 homeless people. No time was spent discussing how to support the 1,500 businesses in the core or the thousands of direct jobs they represent. Our members are saying enough is enough. The very economic fabric of our commercial core is at stake.

 

Today, hundreds of businesses are deciding whether to close, not next year, not next month, but right now.

Unless there is a substantial change in how downtown is perceived and functions immediately, the economic devastation will be unlike anything we have seen before.

 

However, the solutions for survival of our downtown are also in our hands. No beating around the bush, downtown needs:

 

• At least 65 per cent of office workers, back in their office.

• All tenting and camping banned in the downtown core.

• Indefinite extension of the rules allowing for patios to serve liquor, and the wholesale liquor discount to bars and restaurants be made permanent, from the provincial government.

• Prioritization by this council of the enforcement of basic laws protecting the health and safety of businesses and the public.

• Our great customers from across the region who have supported downtown throughout the last several months to continue making the extra effort to come downtown and shop, dine, and continue to enjoy our jewel of a downtown.

 

Personally, I always try to be positive, but I fear we are on the verge of an economic catastrophe. I want people to understand that once these businesses close, the jobs will disappear. Many of these jobs are in the service sector, the jobs our friends, family, and neighbours depend on to pay rent, buy groceries, and clothe their children.


Edited by Victoria Watcher, 24 September 2020 - 11:15 AM.


#113 spanky123

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Posted 24 September 2020 - 11:26 AM

^

Council doesn't control whether employees return to their offices or not. Having said that, nowhere have I seen anyone predicting a 65% return even after everything returns to normal. The most optimistic number I have seen is 30% and my impression is that is starting to decline again as we move into the fall and infections are slowly increasing.

The Province is dependent on liquor revenues but since they refuse to cut any operational costs I don't see any permanent extensions occurring.

Reducing parking rates evenings and weekends would certainly help draw some folks back to the core for dining and shopping but council is entirely dependent on that revenue as they refuse to cut any operational costs.


Edited by spanky123, 24 September 2020 - 11:44 AM.


#114 aastra

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Posted 24 September 2020 - 11:31 AM

 

However, the solutions for survival of our downtown are also in our hands. No beating around the bush, downtown needs:

• At least 65 per cent of office workers, back in their office.

• All tenting and camping banned in the downtown core.

• Indefinite extension of the rules allowing for patios to serve liquor, and the wholesale liquor discount to bars and restaurants be made permanent, from the provincial government.

• Prioritization by this council of the enforcement of basic laws protecting the health and safety of businesses and the public.

• Our great customers from across the region who have supported downtown throughout the last several months to continue making the extra effort to come downtown and shop, dine, and continue to enjoy our jewel of a downtown.

 

Can we think of something else that might help? No beating around the bush, all options should be on the table, right?

 

Here are some hints. It's the thing that should never be named, because it would ruin downtown Victoria. Rhymes with schmesidential development.

 

 

Daily Colonist
October 28, 1962

Town planners like to use terms like "human scale" and "freedom from the eroding forces of the auto." But in simple terms this means: downtown is or should be for people.

 

 

 

Daily Colonist
September 30, 1973

...Greenbank went on to explain what he thinks a beautiful city should look like.

"...I think a downtown must have people living in it if it wants to amount to anything," he said.


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#115 AllseeingEye

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Posted 24 September 2020 - 11:47 AM

LOL and how - not to mention "who" - do they think can mandate 65% of office workers will return downtown "back in their office"?

 

Our d/t-based organization alone is comprised of 500+ staff and I can tell you that isn't happening until at least the turn of the new year and likely much farther along than that according to the regular updates I've seen; not to mention our primary ministry/client, which has more office people downtown than we do, has apparently told their folks not to expect to see the inside of their offices until next spring. Good luck with that one....



#116 spanky123

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Posted 24 September 2020 - 12:49 PM

LOL and how - not to mention "who" - do they think can mandate 65% of office workers will return downtown "back in their office"?

 

Our d/t-based organization alone is comprised of 500+ staff and I can tell you that isn't happening until at least the turn of the new year and likely much farther along than that according to the regular updates I've seen; not to mention our primary ministry/client, which has more office people downtown than we do, has apparently told their folks not to expect to see the inside of their offices until next spring. Good luck with that one....

 

And for most private organizations the argument is "well we seemed to have worked well remotely for the past 12 months, do we want to be renewing our 20,000 sq ft lease at $30 / sq ft or maybe we go with a few meeting rooms and some hot desks for those who need to come in".



#117 AllseeingEye

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Posted 24 September 2020 - 12:59 PM

And for most private organizations the argument is "well we seemed to have worked well remotely for the past 12 months, do we want to be renewing our 20,000 sq ft lease at $30 / sq ft or maybe we go with a few meeting rooms and some hot desks for those who need to come in".

 

That I can see for smaller orgs for sure; fortunately we're a large multinational with business on 3 continents so a d/t Victoria lease is no issue for us; that and for a host of business reasons we need to be physically close to our ministerial client. But smaller firms with finite revenue streams....definitely.



#118 aastra

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Posted 24 September 2020 - 01:39 PM

The CoV could have easily encouraged more and more residential development downtown. They've literally had decades to respond. But every "downtown is in crisis" narrative over the years has depended on downtown not having its own large local population. Imagine if there were ~25,000 more local residents than there currently are. The current crisis would be much less of a crisis. The "downtown will die" fear-mongering re: JSB-replacement would have been moot.

 

On the one hand we admit (and always have admitted) that downtown depends on the middle-class masses, but on the other hand we still worry that downtown would somehow be ruined by the middle-class masses... if they were allowed to live downtown.

 

The contradiction is illustrated in the following quotes from two different city aldermen, 1973 and 1977:

 

Daily Colonist
March 13, 1973

...the high density factor would create an undesirable environment for any resident in the downtown area.

 

Daily Colonist
November 15, 1977

 

...thousands of people would be channeled to that street (Broad Street), providing major market for businesses.

 

We're saying the presence of the very same individual can be either really positive or really negative, depending on what his home address happens to be?


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#119 aastra

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Posted 24 September 2020 - 01:43 PM

...and how - not to mention "who" - do they think can mandate 65% of office workers will return downtown "back in their office"?

 

The focus is often on things beyond local control,

on things that the CoV can't change,

or on things that the CoV has no business even trying to change (changing minds and habits through social engineering),

or on things that would have negligible effect even if they were changed.

 

Meanwhile, Victorians have been wanting to live downtown since the 1960s, and in a big way since the early 2000s. And yet the CoV is still doing nothing to water it & facilitate it. At best the CoV has evolved from the "staunch resistance" phase to the "grudging acceptance but still generally uncooperative" phase.

 

 

 

 


 


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#120 Victoria Watcher

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Posted 03 December 2020 - 04:57 PM

Not all Islanders that live in Greater Victoria can make it downtown to shop at businesses due to COVID-19 restrictions, but now, some residents can still get their favourite local products delivered at no extra cost, thanks to a new program.

A new program, called ‘Downtown Delivers,’ will allow customers that live in the Sooke to Sidney region to get products shipped to their homes for free.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 03 December 2020 - 04:58 PM.

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