Jump to content

      



























Photo

Ocean Boulevard (Esquimalt Lagoon road) future access - open or closed


  • Please log in to reply
49 replies to this topic

#21 Mike K.

Mike K.
  • Administrator
  • 83,158 posts

Posted 19 June 2021 - 07:11 AM

The Royal Bay connection and the path are alright! Let’s hope they don’t go overboard with the modernizing of the entire area though. It’s neat the way it is.
  • sebberry and mbjj like this

Know it all.
Citified.ca is Victoria's most comprehensive research resource for new-build homes and commercial spaces.


#22 JohnsonStBridge

JohnsonStBridge
  • Member
  • 342 posts
  • LocationInner Harbour

Posted 19 June 2021 - 08:56 AM

Suddenly somehow what has made a place appealing for decades is no longer appealing and needs to be changed?  I don't think so.

 

The growth of tens of thousands of people on the West Shore in the last decade would certainly warrant civic planning to ensure the space continues to be accessible. Anecdotally I've noticed a big change in how busy the lagoon is over the years and I think it is overdue for changes to ensure that people can continue to access. If the West Shore grows at a fraction of the rate it is projected to over the upcoming decades Colwood would be foolish to sit around and do nothing.



#23 sebberry

sebberry

    Resident Housekeeper

  • Moderator
  • 21,503 posts
  • LocationVictoria

Posted 19 June 2021 - 11:32 AM

The growth of tens of thousands of people on the West Shore in the last decade would certainly warrant civic planning to ensure the space continues to be accessible. Anecdotally I've noticed a big change in how busy the lagoon is over the years and I think it is overdue for changes to ensure that people can continue to access. If the West Shore grows at a fraction of the rate it is projected to over the upcoming decades Colwood would be foolish to sit around and do nothing.

 

It's perfectly accessible the way it is, as has been demonstrated by the thousands of people who enjoy it each year.  If it needs a boardwalk, then so be it - it's a pretty environmentally sensitive area though so I'm not sure where it'll go.  I'm not sure how you're coming to the conclusion that it's not accessible, or won't be accessible.  The way Colwood council defines accessible is to shut it down to through traffic, make it only one-way traffic or close it completely on the weekends.  


Victoria current weather by neighbourhood: Victoria school-based weather station network

Victoria webcams: Big Wave Dave Webcams

 


#24 Victoria Watcher

Victoria Watcher

    Old White Man On A Canadian Island

  • Member
  • 52,297 posts

Posted 20 June 2021 - 05:22 AM

Colwood council is expected to decide this month whether to partially close a portion of Ocean Boulevard for the summer.

 

Mayor Rob Martin has a motion before council’s June 28 meeting to close 400 metres of the middle section of the two-kilometre road from Friday afternoons to Sunday evenings in July and August to support special events and food trucks.

 

 

 

 

https://www.timescol...iled-1.24332720


Edited by Victoria Watcher, 20 June 2021 - 05:22 AM.


#25 Mike K.

Mike K.
  • Administrator
  • 83,158 posts

Posted 20 June 2021 - 05:30 AM

Perfect. Reduce parking capacity by 25%, then call in the food trucks :)

You can tell the municipality is itching to close the roadway down. The busier the lagoon gets, the more it appears the plan is to reduce capacity and limit access.

Know it all.
Citified.ca is Victoria's most comprehensive research resource for new-build homes and commercial spaces.


#26 Spy Black

Spy Black
  • Banned
  • 2,461 posts

Posted 20 June 2021 - 07:03 AM

But people launch boats using my mystery boat ramp, though. It just might be the only beach access at the end of a road without bollards in Saanich (or at least it always was that way, I don't know its status at this very moment). Maybe there are a couple of other such areas, but I don't know.

 

You can see boats that were presubably launched here. It's so common Streetview captured boats twice:

 

Since those pictures were taken, Saanich has installed a couple of metal bollards to ensure that nobody can launch their boat from a boat trailer in that location ... because nice things like a free boat launch for nearby residents must be eradicated by the busybody bureaucrats of Saanich Municipal Hall.

 

It's odd actually, as high tide in this location basically comes almost up to the side of the roadway ... so there isn't even a riparian zone that Saanich Parks can insist they're protecting by closing the boat launch.


  • Nparker likes this

#27 mbjj

mbjj
  • Member
  • 2,342 posts

Posted 20 June 2021 - 08:11 AM

Perfect. Reduce parking capacity by 25%, then call in the food trucks :)

You can tell the municipality is itching to close the roadway down. The busier the lagoon gets, the more it appears the plan is to reduce capacity and limit access.

 

Perfect. Reduce parking capacity by 25%, then call in the food trucks :)

You can tell the municipality is itching to close the roadway down. The busier the lagoon gets, the more it appears the plan is to reduce capacity and limit access.

I just don't understand this mind set. When these "planners" hit old age, or are in some way limited in their mobility, what will they think then? What's great about that area is if you can't walk far, you can park and basically be on the beach. When I was a kid we often drove up to Qualicum and parked right there along the highway as my grandmother was always with us and couldn't walk far. Rathtrevor was a great beach, but didn't work for older folk. 



#28 Victoria Watcher

Victoria Watcher

    Old White Man On A Canadian Island

  • Member
  • 52,297 posts

Posted 20 June 2021 - 08:14 AM

wasn’t there in the past a beach up island that allowed cars to park right on the beach? like you could drive right in if you wanted?

#29 Spy Black

Spy Black
  • Banned
  • 2,461 posts

Posted 20 June 2021 - 09:50 AM

wasn’t there in the past a beach up island that allowed cars to park right on the beach? like you could drive right in if you wanted?

When I was a kid camping at Long Beach with my parents, the beach was always being transited back and forth by cars ... it was "the thing" to do, as a full trip up and down the beach took quite a while, and the sand was rock hard.

Like any beach, when the tide came in, all was restored exactly as it had always been.

That was all pre-National Park though ... back when folks were basically given access to wherever they had the wanderlust to go.

 

It's similar to Leechtown ... when you could not only drive right into Leechtown itself ... you could also drive straight on through to Shawnigan Lake from Leechtown if you felt inclined.

 

Bureaucrats seem bent on forcing regular folks to remain on public roads, highways, and parks ... and out of the "wild places".

Bureaucrats seem pleased to oblige the general population be bent to their bureaucratic whims ... most often without explanation or reason.


  • Nparker and Victoria Watcher like this

#30 Mike K.

Mike K.
  • Administrator
  • 83,158 posts

Posted 20 June 2021 - 09:52 AM

Since those pictures were taken, Saanich has installed a couple of metal bollards to ensure that nobody can launch their boat from a boat trailer in that location ... because nice things like a free boat launch for nearby residents must be eradicated by the busybody bureaucrats of Saanich Municipal Hall.

It's odd actually, as high tide in this location basically comes almost up to the side of the roadway ... so there isn't even a riparian zone that Saanich Parks can insist they're protecting by closing the boat launch.


Ah. But of course.

I knew I had to included my qualifier, because, you know, this is one of the strangest places on earth.
  • Spy Black likes this

Know it all.
Citified.ca is Victoria's most comprehensive research resource for new-build homes and commercial spaces.


#31 Victoria Watcher

Victoria Watcher

    Old White Man On A Canadian Island

  • Member
  • 52,297 posts

Posted 20 June 2021 - 09:52 AM

that might be it! long beach.

#32 Mike K.

Mike K.
  • Administrator
  • 83,158 posts

Posted 20 June 2021 - 09:56 AM

Bureaucrats seem bent on forcing regular folks to remain on public roads, highways, and parks ... and out of the "wild places".
Bureaucrats seem pleased to oblige the general population be bent to their bureaucratic whims ... most often without explanation or reason.

Indeed. The late 60s and 70s offered us a revolutionary return to the land with logging companies losing rights to gate off mains and secondary mains.

Now the backcountry is slowly being gated off, road by road. Entire hunting and camping areas hundreds or thousands of acres large are being taken from the public access realm. Part of it is environmental protection (dubious at times), and part of it is that some people ruin it for the rest of society by creating a mess, destroying sensitive areas or being a nuisance to others. There are some areas of this island I am certain will be inaccessible in 10 years that we take for granted today. It’s sad, and there appears to be no political appetite to even raise the issue as society slides further into a gated community mentality (ie look at Bear Mountain’s recent trail and access restrictions).
  • Spy Black likes this

Know it all.
Citified.ca is Victoria's most comprehensive research resource for new-build homes and commercial spaces.


#33 Victoria Watcher

Victoria Watcher

    Old White Man On A Canadian Island

  • Member
  • 52,297 posts

Posted 20 June 2021 - 09:59 AM

why do we put up with so much crown land? 94% of our province.

we should just parcel up the province and award it to residents in a lottery.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 20 June 2021 - 10:01 AM.


#34 Mike K.

Mike K.
  • Administrator
  • 83,158 posts

Posted 20 June 2021 - 10:12 AM

I know. It’s very bizarre. Instead we provide leases and the land can be de facto controlled.

Know it all.
Citified.ca is Victoria's most comprehensive research resource for new-build homes and commercial spaces.


#35 sebberry

sebberry

    Resident Housekeeper

  • Moderator
  • 21,503 posts
  • LocationVictoria

Posted 20 June 2021 - 10:26 AM

It’s sad, and there appears to be no political appetite to even raise the issue as society slides further into a gated community mentality (ie look at Bear Mountain’s recent trail and access restrictions).

 

Because it all happens piecemeal.  It's a very slow erosion of people's ability to continue to enjoy the things they love.  One parking lot here, one viewpoint there - add them all up and many people just don't bother to go out anymore.


  • Mike K. likes this

Victoria current weather by neighbourhood: Victoria school-based weather station network

Victoria webcams: Big Wave Dave Webcams

 


#36 Victoria Watcher

Victoria Watcher

    Old White Man On A Canadian Island

  • Member
  • 52,297 posts

Posted 20 June 2021 - 10:28 AM

^ along those lines I vote the KGT viewpoint the most understated and awesome mini one in the city.

https://www.waymarki...kout_Oak_Bay_BC

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 20 June 2021 - 10:30 AM.


#37 sebberry

sebberry

    Resident Housekeeper

  • Moderator
  • 21,503 posts
  • LocationVictoria

Posted 20 June 2021 - 11:53 AM

^ along those lines I vote the KGT viewpoint the most understated and awesome mini one in the city.

https://www.waymarki...kout_Oak_Bay_BC

 

We should get rid of the parking there.  You know, to promote active transportation.


  • Nparker likes this

Victoria current weather by neighbourhood: Victoria school-based weather station network

Victoria webcams: Big Wave Dave Webcams

 


#38 JohnsonStBridge

JohnsonStBridge
  • Member
  • 342 posts
  • LocationInner Harbour

Posted 21 June 2021 - 11:01 AM

It's perfectly accessible the way it is, as has been demonstrated by the thousands of people who enjoy it each year.  If it needs a boardwalk, then so be it - it's a pretty environmentally sensitive area though so I'm not sure where it'll go.  I'm not sure how you're coming to the conclusion that it's not accessible, or won't be accessible.  The way Colwood council defines accessible is to shut it down to through traffic, make it only one-way traffic or close it completely on the weekends.  

 

Judging a space by the people who are able to enjoy it currently is a bit of a flawed outlook. What about people who were unable to access because they couldn't find parking? Those in a wheelchair who can't climb over the driftwood? Local residents who don't have a proper trail or pathway from their homes? Families with small children who don't have a proper crossing to get to the Lagoon side of the road to do some bird watching? Sure the lagoon is a great treasure as it stands but why not try to improve. The plans seem to show some solid ways to add to the experience as the area grows.



#39 JohnsonStBridge

JohnsonStBridge
  • Member
  • 342 posts
  • LocationInner Harbour

Posted 21 June 2021 - 11:05 AM

Perfect. Reduce parking capacity by 25%, then call in the food trucks :)

You can tell the municipality is itching to close the roadway down. The busier the lagoon gets, the more it appears the plan is to reduce capacity and limit access.

 

Where did you see plans to reduce parking capacity by 25%? Or is that postulation to fit your narrative.

 

The plans posted by the City looked to add a parking lot at the Pithouse Park connection and by increasing parking spaces at the North end of Coburg Peninsula. Might have the missed the removal of parking that you are referring to.



#40 sebberry

sebberry

    Resident Housekeeper

  • Moderator
  • 21,503 posts
  • LocationVictoria

Posted 21 June 2021 - 11:08 AM

What about people who were unable to access because they couldn't find parking? 

 

That's a good reason to not remove parking then, isn't it?

 

The whole feel of the place is to not be relegated to parking lots.  Pulling up to a wide open space to watch the waves is a big part of the charm and appeal of the place.


Victoria current weather by neighbourhood: Victoria school-based weather station network

Victoria webcams: Big Wave Dave Webcams

 


You're not quite at the end of this discussion topic!

Use the page links at the lower-left to go to the next page to read additional posts.
 



1 user(s) are reading this topic

0 members, 0 guests, 0 anonymous users


    Bing (1)