I ran into this gentleman at the Saanich Fall Fair where I was volunteering today.
He will have a website at Carlforcouncil.com later in the week.
Sunday, August 31, 2008
Saturday, August 30, 2008
John Farquharson running for Victoria Council
Candidate seeks 'new way of doing business'
Carolyn Heiman, Times Colonist
Published: Saturday, August 30, 2008An organizational consultant and neighbourhood advocate is the 12th person to say he will seek a seat on Victoria city council.
John Farquharson said he's running because "what is getting done at city hall isn't enough and it takes way too long. We need a new way of doing business."
Farquharson said council members are polarized. Better collaboration is needed to make progress on goals.
With the development boom ebbing, the city has a perfect opportunity to consult with citizens and come up with a vision for Victoria that is three generations out.
That plan should be used to guide every decision at council, Farquharson said.
"It doesn't have to move a mile. Inch by inch, it will collectively add up to make it happen."
Farquharson was chairman of the Gonzales Neighbourhood Plan Steering Committee when the area agreed to open the doors to secondary suites, an idea that seemed radical at the time but was supported by residents and ended up being the model for a citywide policy on the issue.
Neighbouring municipalities are now looking at similar policies.
He followed that with a stint as chairman of the Victoria Greenways Plan steering committee, which resulted in a planning document aimed at linking pathways throughout the city to make it more pedestrian friendly.
Farquharson worries that downtown Victoria is in peril. "If we don't do something in the next three years we will lose it. Once you lose something it takes forever to get it back. We need to do a lot more for downtown communities than we are currently doing.
He calls himself an independent candidate.
© Times Colonist (Victoria) 2008
Friday, August 29, 2008
Downtown advocate joins city council race
Carolyn Heiman, Times Colonist
Published: Friday, August 29, 2008The ballot with names of people wanting to be Victoria city councillors is getting crowded.
Robert Randall, the president of the Downtown Residents Association and passionate urbanist, is the 11th person to announce he will run for a council seat. More are expected today.
Randall popped onto the civic scene about five years ago and is among a handful of citizens who regularly attend council and committee of the whole meetings. He is also active on several community committees.
His journey into civic affairs began as an artist interested in urban form and specifically the architecture shaping Victoria's downtown.
"Then I discovered there was a venue to get involved, which was the community association," Randall said.
Born and raised in Victoria, Randall said he fell in love with living downtown after he became the second person to purchase a 357-square-foot apartment in the Mosaic Building on Fort Street.
"As soon as I moved I said 'this is my new home....I have never regretted living downtown."
Randall puts the top issue facing the city as keeping the momentum started by the Greater Victoria Commission to End Homelessness. "We've done so much work to get it going...Unless we have a firm hand on it we will lose it."
His second priority is encouraging development to continue in the downtown.
In particular council has to find way to make it possible for developers to build rental projects in a creative way, he said.
Thursday, August 28, 2008
The local federal election scene
So it looks like the federal election will come. I have my own strong opinions on the issue.
I am annoyed the fed election will fall right into the middle of the local elections all over BC. Here in Victoria it is going to make the local election races even more disconnected from the public.
Here is a quick run down of the local federal ridings
VICTORIA
Denise Savoie is the incumbent. A New Democrat that finally picked up this riding for the party. I suspect that she will win again because I can not see a situation in which anyone else will be able to win.
Jack McCintock is running for the Conservative party. I like Jack and know he would make a very good MP. He is personable and would bring a good shot of experience as a cop to the governing caucus. He is also a conservationist.
Anne Shannon is the Liberal candidate. I do not know much about her, but demographically she is good fit with Victoria. She has been a senior civil servant and done related work in that sort of line since then.
Esquimalt Juan de Fuca
Keith Martin is coming back for a sixth term and a third time as a Liberal. I always wondered what he was doing in the Reform Party and not surprised that he changed to the Liberals, though I think he did not handle changing parties well. His last two elections were by much, much narrower margins than before.
Troy DeSouza is running again for the Conservatives. Troy is a very nice guy that will be a good retail MP for the riding. I think he has some chance of getting elected, but it is going to be a close race.
Jennifer Burgis is running for the NDP. This woman should be an MLA and would a be much better MLA than most of the New Democrats currently elected in the area. Frankly she would be a much better leader of the NDP than Carole James. The NDP is not doing well federally in BC and do not give her much hope of winning.
Saanich and the Gulf Islands
Gary Lunn is running again for the Conservatives. I can not see a situation in which he will lose. No one other candidate can appeal to enough people to get much over 30%.
Briony Penn is running for the Liberals and is considered a bit of a star for the party. She seems have locked up second place in the race, but I do not see her being able to pull off a win.
Julian West is the NDP candidate. I have known Julian for about 11 years now through our time working on electoral refrom issues. Julian is very smart but he is not a people person. I see the NDP's vote dropping to under 20% and possibly below the greens.
Andrew Lewis running for the Greens again. His vote went down last time, but with the Greens running at twice their support levels than in the 2006 election and the good media coverage of Elizabeth May, I suspect he will get a lot of media coverage and will break 20% of the vote.
I am annoyed the fed election will fall right into the middle of the local elections all over BC. Here in Victoria it is going to make the local election races even more disconnected from the public.
Here is a quick run down of the local federal ridings
VICTORIA
Denise Savoie is the incumbent. A New Democrat that finally picked up this riding for the party. I suspect that she will win again because I can not see a situation in which anyone else will be able to win.
Jack McCintock is running for the Conservative party. I like Jack and know he would make a very good MP. He is personable and would bring a good shot of experience as a cop to the governing caucus. He is also a conservationist.
Anne Shannon is the Liberal candidate. I do not know much about her, but demographically she is good fit with Victoria. She has been a senior civil servant and done related work in that sort of line since then.
Esquimalt Juan de Fuca
Keith Martin is coming back for a sixth term and a third time as a Liberal. I always wondered what he was doing in the Reform Party and not surprised that he changed to the Liberals, though I think he did not handle changing parties well. His last two elections were by much, much narrower margins than before.
Troy DeSouza is running again for the Conservatives. Troy is a very nice guy that will be a good retail MP for the riding. I think he has some chance of getting elected, but it is going to be a close race.
Jennifer Burgis is running for the NDP. This woman should be an MLA and would a be much better MLA than most of the New Democrats currently elected in the area. Frankly she would be a much better leader of the NDP than Carole James. The NDP is not doing well federally in BC and do not give her much hope of winning.
Saanich and the Gulf Islands
Gary Lunn is running again for the Conservatives. I can not see a situation in which he will lose. No one other candidate can appeal to enough people to get much over 30%.
Briony Penn is running for the Liberals and is considered a bit of a star for the party. She seems have locked up second place in the race, but I do not see her being able to pull off a win.
Julian West is the NDP candidate. I have known Julian for about 11 years now through our time working on electoral refrom issues. Julian is very smart but he is not a people person. I see the NDP's vote dropping to under 20% and possibly below the greens.
Andrew Lewis running for the Greens again. His vote went down last time, but with the Greens running at twice their support levels than in the 2006 election and the good media coverage of Elizabeth May, I suspect he will get a lot of media coverage and will break 20% of the vote.
An idea for a linear park
Blanshard street becomes a six lane huge street from just past Memorial Arena through to Cloverdale, a distance of about 1.75 km. The road has a large median in the centre of it.
Do we really need to have six lanes of traffic? I have rarely seen the need on this road for all of the lanes to be used.
The right of way of the road is in the range of 20 to 40 metres wide, over the whole distance, this is over 13 acres of land.
If the right of way was reduced to two lanes in either direction with no more than a concrete barrier as a median, the road way could be reduced to about 15 metres in width. This opens up a possible linear park that is about 15 metres wide.
This linear park could dedicate 3 metres to a bike path, but this still leaves on average another 12 metres of park area - about 40 feet.
There are existing green spaces that could be incorporated into the park. On the east side of Blanshard south of Tolmie there is a 1.2 acres of existing green space. The linear park would connect nicely to the existing Topaz parkand the grounds of the former SJ Willis School. At the corner of Cloverdale and Blanshard there is a 1/3 of an acre green space that would be connected as well.
All in all the region would gain a new effective park are of about 8 acres of land when one integrates the small green spaces. You would also develop a new and helpful bike commuting route into the city. As it currently stands, the galloping goose is more or less at its limit for commuter bike traffic.
Do we really need to have six lanes of traffic? I have rarely seen the need on this road for all of the lanes to be used.
The right of way of the road is in the range of 20 to 40 metres wide, over the whole distance, this is over 13 acres of land.
If the right of way was reduced to two lanes in either direction with no more than a concrete barrier as a median, the road way could be reduced to about 15 metres in width. This opens up a possible linear park that is about 15 metres wide.
This linear park could dedicate 3 metres to a bike path, but this still leaves on average another 12 metres of park area - about 40 feet.
There are existing green spaces that could be incorporated into the park. On the east side of Blanshard south of Tolmie there is a 1.2 acres of existing green space. The linear park would connect nicely to the existing Topaz parkand the grounds of the former SJ Willis School. At the corner of Cloverdale and Blanshard there is a 1/3 of an acre green space that would be connected as well.
All in all the region would gain a new effective park are of about 8 acres of land when one integrates the small green spaces. You would also develop a new and helpful bike commuting route into the city. As it currently stands, the galloping goose is more or less at its limit for commuter bike traffic.
Rob Reid for Victoria Council
Rob Reid, the owner of Frontrunners, involved with the local United Way and most recently the Terry Fox foundation, is running for Victoria city council.
Rob has more energy than is reasonable for a middle aged man. He is also one of the nicest people around. Will council be the right place for him? Will he improve council or will council burn him out?
Rob has more energy than is reasonable for a middle aged man. He is also one of the nicest people around. Will council be the right place for him? Will he improve council or will council burn him out?
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Chris Coleman is not running for Mayor
Chris let me know tonight that he is not going to run for mayor. The final blow was the impending federal election. I think this is a shame, but I understand his decision.
Chris will be running for council and I will backing him 100% for that.
Chris will be running for council and I will backing him 100% for that.
This is from the CFAX website.
Personalities
Susan Woods :: Talk
Susan recently received the Hallmark Society’s '2006 Heritage Preservation Award' for her radio show, and she was a finalist for the '2004 Victoria Women of Distinction Award' .
Susan is a professional writer with twenty-five years experience as a broadcast journalist and magazine publisher.
From a website about BC broadcasters:
Susan Fisher - Studio technician CBC-TV Vancouver 1973-74; film/videotape editor BCTV Vancouver 1974-76; reporter CKWX Vancouver 1976-79; news anchor CFUN Vancouver 1980-82; reporter CKO-FM4 Vancouver 1979-80; reporter CKVU-TV Vancouver 1982-87; now Susan Woods residing in Victoria; self-publisher Moss Rock Review community magazine Victoria 1998-current; producer/host local history program Remember When CFAX Victoria 2003-current; finalist Victoria Women of Distinction Award for her radio show 2004; recipient B.C. Heritage Preservation Award 2006
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Susan Woods running for Victoria City Council
Radio host to run for Victoria council
Carolyn Heiman, Times Colonist
Published: Tuesday, August 26, 2008Susan Woods, a radio show host, is the latest person to announce she'll seek a seat on Victoria city council.
Woods, a professional writer and host of the Saturday morning local history show on CFAX called Remember When, said the top issue facing the city is the decay of the downtown.
"I'd like the future of the city to have a good economy and safe streets. I want the character and pride in the city to come back."
There are 380,000 people participating in activities in the city but when they leave 60,000 taxpayers are left with the bil.
"It is time for all municipalities to come to the table," Woods said, stopping shy of calling for amalgamation. "We've been talking about that for ages...We need to reframe it has municipal integration."
Woods classifies herself as a centrist. "I see the good in both sides and I like to say what is right, is not who is right.
Woods was born in Halifax and raised in a military family. She moved to Victoria in 1989 and raised two children, now adults, here. "I would love them to be able to raise their own family here."
The homelessness issues is a tragedy with poverty, mental illness and drug addiction at its roots, said Woods. "But each is a different issue and you have to deal with them differently."
Woods is editor and creator of the Mss Rock Review, a magazine focused on issues in the Fairfield community. She is married to Greg Evans, executive director of the Maritime Museum of BC and lives in the Oaklands neighborhood.
Woods covered Vancouver city hall in the 1970s and 1980s when she worked as a television and radio reporter. The experience helps her understand the issues, she said.
Three members of Victoria city council have said they won't run in the November election, leaving a wide open race for new faces. Already Pieta Van Dyke, Lynn Hunter, and Michael Sharpe have expressed interest in filling those seats.
Incumbents whose names will be back on the ballot are Pam Madoff, Chris Coleman, Charlayne Thornton-Joe, Sonya Chandler and Geoff Young.
Coun. Dean Fortin is running for mayor along with Stan Sipos, Simon Nattrass, Georgia-Anne Jones and John Turner.
Just some views of the city
Here are just some pictures from around town from last night after dinner at Cafe Mexico.
The building with Sound Hounds at Oak Bay Junction has not changed since I first came to Victoria 25 years ago.
Market Square remains beautiful as a space but also remains dead as a public space.
Lower Johnson is one of the few street level retail areas that seems to be able to support decent long term businesses in this town. I love the feel of the street from Wharf to Government. The vibrant area extends along Government either direction for one block from Johnson. MEC is the only significant retailer to open something in street level in downtown Victoria in years.
The only other area downtown that seems to have a decent street side shopping is Fort between Government and Douglas with an extension down Broad street to Broughton.
What we are missing is anything like Robson Street. No major retailers are outside of the mall downtown in this city. Much of the worry about about the impact of the Eaton's Centre Mall (now the Bay Centre) has turned out to be true when it comes to retail downtown.
T-C Reporter Carolyn Heiman Leaving
Carolyn Heiman has a new job with the provincial government and will be leaving her job at the Times Colonist. Carolyn has been one of the few region wide media reporters that has done a good job of covering local government. I have enjoyed reading her column and articles over the years and will miss seeing her in the paper.
I hope the T-C assigns someone to local government that will have the same skill and ability Carolyn has, we need it in this region to keep us informed.
I hope the T-C assigns someone to local government that will have the same skill and ability Carolyn has, we need it in this region to keep us informed.
Monday, August 25, 2008
Harriet Road
I have my own self interest at stake when it comes to Harriet road from Burnside to Gorge, I live on this street so keep that in mind.
I would like to see Victoria and Saanich come together and improve Harriet road from Burnside to Gorge. For a start, we need sidewalks on the Saanich side of the road. Secondly, it would be nice to have marked lanes on the road. Ideally a driving lane and a bike lane and then some parking. I would love to see the parking not be as a road lane, but as a series of long bays with bump out areas of plantings on a regular basis along the road.
The corner of Harriet and Maddock should be upgraded to improve things for cycling. Maddock is such a perfect bike route from the Tillicum mall area to the Galloping Goose if the City of Victoria were to build some connectivity between Maddock and Cecelia.
There are a lot of people that walk along Harriet, this could be increased with more and wider sidewalks. Ideally there should be a grass verge between the sidewalk and the road.
Chris Coleman pointed out an important safety feature that sidewalks bring. A sidewalk defines the edge of the road much better and therefore gives kids a much clearer boundary. It also makes for a hard barrier for cars coming off of the road.
Harriet in this area is not a significant arterial road, but with the lanes as wide as they are and the low level of traffic, the road encourages people to drive faster than they should. By having 3 metre wide painted lanes, the traffic would be calmed on the road and improve the neighbourhood.
The cost of doing this redevelopment is not dramatically expensive and could included in the next repaving of Harriet road.
I would like to see Victoria and Saanich come together and improve Harriet road from Burnside to Gorge. For a start, we need sidewalks on the Saanich side of the road. Secondly, it would be nice to have marked lanes on the road. Ideally a driving lane and a bike lane and then some parking. I would love to see the parking not be as a road lane, but as a series of long bays with bump out areas of plantings on a regular basis along the road.
The corner of Harriet and Maddock should be upgraded to improve things for cycling. Maddock is such a perfect bike route from the Tillicum mall area to the Galloping Goose if the City of Victoria were to build some connectivity between Maddock and Cecelia.
There are a lot of people that walk along Harriet, this could be increased with more and wider sidewalks. Ideally there should be a grass verge between the sidewalk and the road.
Chris Coleman pointed out an important safety feature that sidewalks bring. A sidewalk defines the edge of the road much better and therefore gives kids a much clearer boundary. It also makes for a hard barrier for cars coming off of the road.
Harriet in this area is not a significant arterial road, but with the lanes as wide as they are and the low level of traffic, the road encourages people to drive faster than they should. By having 3 metre wide painted lanes, the traffic would be calmed on the road and improve the neighbourhood.
The cost of doing this redevelopment is not dramatically expensive and could included in the next repaving of Harriet road.
Saanich Mayor
Frank Leonard looks to be safe in Saanich as the mayor, the conventional thinking is that there little chance of anyone being able to unseat him. I think that this is a shame and a problem from democracy in Saanich.
As long as there is no serious race for mayor of Saanich, the voter turn out for the rest of the council race will be reduced. The media will little or no attention to the races for council and most people will stay away.
Many people would argue that Frank is a good mayor and that they are happy with him. But when no one votes for him, how do you measure his real support? I have my issues with Frank Leonard as mayor and most of it comes down to the lack of regional leadership from the Saanich council. Saanich needs to grow up and understand that it has an important role to play as the home for most of the people in the core of the city. Most of our car commuters are coming from Saanich.
Saanich is no longer just a bedroom community in the region. It is now becoming the northern extension of the core commercial/business core of the city and will be more so once the Uptown Town and Country is complete. It is also home to one of the biggest commuter destinations in the region - UVic.
Saanich needs to start looking at parking meters on the streets. It needs to look at adding a lot of small inexpensive but high density housing near to UVic. It has to take a lead in supporting the issues downtown in the city. Saanich has to also open the door on discussions about our stupid local boundaries for local government. Either we need amalgamation or we need to redraw the boundaries to reflect communities and neighbourhoods. Without someone running against Frank Leonard for mayor of Saanich, there will be no functional debate about the future of Saanich.
I hear the odd rumour of people considering running, but nothing I can put on "paper" - I hope the rumours are true.
As long as there is no serious race for mayor of Saanich, the voter turn out for the rest of the council race will be reduced. The media will little or no attention to the races for council and most people will stay away.
Many people would argue that Frank is a good mayor and that they are happy with him. But when no one votes for him, how do you measure his real support? I have my issues with Frank Leonard as mayor and most of it comes down to the lack of regional leadership from the Saanich council. Saanich needs to grow up and understand that it has an important role to play as the home for most of the people in the core of the city. Most of our car commuters are coming from Saanich.
Saanich is no longer just a bedroom community in the region. It is now becoming the northern extension of the core commercial/business core of the city and will be more so once the Uptown Town and Country is complete. It is also home to one of the biggest commuter destinations in the region - UVic.
Saanich needs to start looking at parking meters on the streets. It needs to look at adding a lot of small inexpensive but high density housing near to UVic. It has to take a lead in supporting the issues downtown in the city. Saanich has to also open the door on discussions about our stupid local boundaries for local government. Either we need amalgamation or we need to redraw the boundaries to reflect communities and neighbourhoods. Without someone running against Frank Leonard for mayor of Saanich, there will be no functional debate about the future of Saanich.
I hear the odd rumour of people considering running, but nothing I can put on "paper" - I hope the rumours are true.
Saturday, August 23, 2008
Saanich Civic League - news story in the local paper
Saanich News
By Roszan Holmen - Saanich News
Published: August 18, 2008 10:00 AM
Updated: August 18, 2008 10:10 AM
Canvassers survey neighbours on municipal issues
By Roszan Holmen - Saanich News
Published: August 18, 2008 10:00 AM
Updated: August 18, 2008 10:10 AM
As a new canvasser for the Saanich Civic League, Barb Latham sets out a card table on her front lawn inviting neighbours to chat local politics. The idea is to increase voter turnout by finding out what Saanichites need to know before casting their ballots on Nov. 15.
By the end of next week, the league hopes to have almost 400 new members polled about their values, frustrations and blind spots regarding municipal politics.
Latham became interested in civic life four years ago. At that time, her community association helped residents along Judge Place defeat an unwanted development proposal.
So far, Latham says the response from neighbours has been good.
Of the 35 who completed the survey, only two didn't sign up for civic league membership.
"Mostly everybody seems to say they feel badly they don't have enough information about the issues facing Saanich and how council votes," Latham said.
Sher Morgan, league chair, says ignorance is the most common response to the survey throughout Saanich.
"As soon as the surveyor introduces themselves at the door, eight times out of 10 there's a common response," Morgan said. "They ask, 'What does my municipal government do?' It seems like a no brainer, right?"
The answer, however is tricky, she said. Jurisdictions of authority between Saanich, the Capital Regional District and the province are blurred in people's minds.
"Of course, (responses are) really different in different neighbourhoods," Morgan qualified. "You can imagine that Ten Mile Point is totally different from Strawberry Vale."
A more detailed summary of responses will be unveiled in the civic league's next e-bulletin, to be released in two weeks.
By October, league volunteers also plan to compile a voting record for each of the councillors.
To find out more, visit www.saanichcivicleague.ca.
rholmen@saanichnews.com
The jury speaks
Three new houses sit at the corner of Judge Place and Jury Lane, west of Cedar Hill golf course. It's an intersection whose name tells the story of how residents defeated an unwelcome development and, in the process, became a close-knit community.
It all started in 2004 when a developer proposed four new houses on a lot by Barb Latham's home.
Latham felt the project didn't fit with the large lots in the area so she enlisted the help of neighbours and the Quadra-Cedar Hill Community Association.
They were successful in convincing council to reject the application.
"(The developer) thought that he would just kind of snow us and it was great because the neighbours weren't to be snowed," Latham said.
In the end, the developer sold the property.
Davinder Gill bought the land, built three houses according to community wishes, and moved into one.
He also agreed to name the new street Jury Lane.
"We just it thought it would be fun (because) democracy was in action here," Latham said. "We were the jury."
To celebrate their achievements, the neighbours threw a party and have continued the tradition every year.
T-C Beech to run again for Sooke council
Beech to run again for Sooke council
Times Colonist
Published: Saturday, August 23, 2008Sooke Coun. Sheila Beech has announced she will run for re-election in November.
Beech, 63, first elected three years ago, has served on several committees including Sooke's Official Community Plan review committee.
Beech was at the centre of a conflict-of-interest controversy two years ago when Sooke council took the extraordinary step of voting to go to the B.C. Supreme Court to have her disqualified from holding office. It was a decision council subsequently reversed.
At the time, several councillors and members of the public charged that Beech, a former bed-and-breakfast owner-operator, should have excused herself during discussions of vacation rental provisions in Sooke's zoning bylaw.
Beech said at the time she owned a bed and breakfast, not a vacation rental, and had done nothing wrong.
© Times Colonist (Victoria) 2008
Friday, August 22, 2008
Coffee with Chris Coleman
I had a coffee with Chris Coleman yesterday. The main topic of conversation was running for mayor, my main goal was to convince him to say yes and run.
Chris has not yet made up his mind, but is still very open to the idea. Our discussion focused on the reasons why he should run and why not. We also talked about his chances and what it will take to win in November in Victoria. The electoral math of a three way race was also under discussion.
Chris is very seriously considering a run. He had an agreement with Charlayne Thorton Joe that only one of them would run for mayor, so Charlayne's decision this week not to run opens the door for Chris to run.
Victoria needs a mayor that can make a team out of the council, that give us a local government that is much more than all of the individual members of a council. I firmly believe that Chris Coleman is the sort of person that can do this.
I am big supporter of the concept of Interest Based Negotiations. Most people take some time to understand the concept but when they do they understand it is the best way forward. It is a process that is hated by people with strong ideological positions because it focuses on achieving a good result for everyone and is not designed to deliver wins or losses for any ideological positions. I mention all this because Chris Coleman by nature works from the principles that underly interest based negotiations. This makes him a clear and obvious leader for a non-partisan approach to local governance. This makes him the best choice out there for mayor.
Would Chris be the best mayor Victoria has ever had? I can not say, but from my experience of mayors in this city, which goes back to Peter Pollen, he is clearly in a very different class than anyone before. There are past councilors that might have made good mayors that have not run or won - Denise Savoie and Geoff Young come to mind, but there is not a long list of people that have the potential for building a strong City of Victoria council.
Should Chris run in the fall and win, he will be facing a council that will have at least four new faces on it. Most people that run for local council do not understand how local government works best - that is in a non-partisan team approach. This does not mean everyone agreeing on everything, but it means being able to put aside positions and ideology in favour of governing well. Four new people on council will require a lot of leadership and mentoring from the mayor and incumbents on council.
For the record, I believe that Chris can win in the fall because he will be able to put together a strong campaign.
Chris has not yet made up his mind, but is still very open to the idea. Our discussion focused on the reasons why he should run and why not. We also talked about his chances and what it will take to win in November in Victoria. The electoral math of a three way race was also under discussion.
Chris is very seriously considering a run. He had an agreement with Charlayne Thorton Joe that only one of them would run for mayor, so Charlayne's decision this week not to run opens the door for Chris to run.
Victoria needs a mayor that can make a team out of the council, that give us a local government that is much more than all of the individual members of a council. I firmly believe that Chris Coleman is the sort of person that can do this.
I am big supporter of the concept of Interest Based Negotiations. Most people take some time to understand the concept but when they do they understand it is the best way forward. It is a process that is hated by people with strong ideological positions because it focuses on achieving a good result for everyone and is not designed to deliver wins or losses for any ideological positions. I mention all this because Chris Coleman by nature works from the principles that underly interest based negotiations. This makes him a clear and obvious leader for a non-partisan approach to local governance. This makes him the best choice out there for mayor.
Would Chris be the best mayor Victoria has ever had? I can not say, but from my experience of mayors in this city, which goes back to Peter Pollen, he is clearly in a very different class than anyone before. There are past councilors that might have made good mayors that have not run or won - Denise Savoie and Geoff Young come to mind, but there is not a long list of people that have the potential for building a strong City of Victoria council.
Should Chris run in the fall and win, he will be facing a council that will have at least four new faces on it. Most people that run for local council do not understand how local government works best - that is in a non-partisan team approach. This does not mean everyone agreeing on everything, but it means being able to put aside positions and ideology in favour of governing well. Four new people on council will require a lot of leadership and mentoring from the mayor and incumbents on council.
For the record, I believe that Chris can win in the fall because he will be able to put together a strong campaign.
Thursday, August 21, 2008
2008 Fringe Festival is on
I like the Fringe Festival and the 2008 edition for Victoria is on.
I remember when the whole thing started up back in the mid 1980s. Randy Smith decided we could pull off a Fringe Festival here in Victoria and he was right. He also employed many of my friends on UI contracts to work on the festival, including Catherine the mother of my oldest three boys.
I have not been to much Fringe lately, life and things get in the way and this year Max will likely stop me from making it to any of it. I found that the best bet with the Fringe was just to try and see 4-6 random shows. Odds are good that one of them will be VERY good and one of them will be so bad that you will have a great story to tell friends and family about it all.
If anyone out there sees something very interesting, please let me know and I will figure out a way to find the time to get out to it.
I remember when the whole thing started up back in the mid 1980s. Randy Smith decided we could pull off a Fringe Festival here in Victoria and he was right. He also employed many of my friends on UI contracts to work on the festival, including Catherine the mother of my oldest three boys.
I have not been to much Fringe lately, life and things get in the way and this year Max will likely stop me from making it to any of it. I found that the best bet with the Fringe was just to try and see 4-6 random shows. Odds are good that one of them will be VERY good and one of them will be so bad that you will have a great story to tell friends and family about it all.
If anyone out there sees something very interesting, please let me know and I will figure out a way to find the time to get out to it.
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Victoria Mayor Race
Dean Fortin continues to be the front runner, but no campaign on the ground.
Stan Sipos still has no campaign out there - though is Brad Zubyk working for him?
Charlayne Thorton-Joe is not running for mayor and Chris Coleman has not yet said no to the idea. I will be pushing him to say yes when we go for coffee tomorrow.
Stan Sipos still has no campaign out there - though is Brad Zubyk working for him?
Charlayne Thorton-Joe is not running for mayor and Chris Coleman has not yet said no to the idea. I will be pushing him to say yes when we go for coffee tomorrow.
Tillicum - Gorge - Burnside Design Charrette
As some that does consulting, I hate it when one goes to a lot of trouble to develop a report or plan of action and then only see it sit up on a shelf and collecting dust. I have done work that has been great and then not used, several reports and plans should have gone ahead but did not. I have also been paid to write reports that were a waste over everyone's time. Here in this neighbourhood there is a plan collecting dust.
In the fall of 2003 there was a design charrette process done in my neighbourhood. The outcome of the work was a vision for the core roads of this neighbourhood - Tillicum and Burnside. It is now five years later and very little has happened to implement the charrette.
Much of the plan calls for making the edge of the roads much more humane. Nothing has happened. No new developments have happened that improve the situation. The sidewalks remain not wide enough for two people to walk side by side consistently as the hydro poles get in the way. I am not certain the zoning has even been amended to allow for improvements. About all I have seen happen is the addition of a banners on lamp standards close to the Tillicum and Burnside intersection. There are a few more flowers in the median at that intersection as well.
There are not even sidewalks on Harriet Road on the Saanich side of the street.
Burnside road was repaved recently, in the last two years, and at that time there was no attempt to make the changes suggested in the charrette. Saanich could have reduced the total area of the driving lanes by 2 metres. Those 2 metres would have made the sidewalk area much more inviting for people to walk along. In this area I would route all of the bike traffic onto Maddock.
In short, I am disappointed nothing is happening
In the fall of 2003 there was a design charrette process done in my neighbourhood. The outcome of the work was a vision for the core roads of this neighbourhood - Tillicum and Burnside. It is now five years later and very little has happened to implement the charrette.
Much of the plan calls for making the edge of the roads much more humane. Nothing has happened. No new developments have happened that improve the situation. The sidewalks remain not wide enough for two people to walk side by side consistently as the hydro poles get in the way. I am not certain the zoning has even been amended to allow for improvements. About all I have seen happen is the addition of a banners on lamp standards close to the Tillicum and Burnside intersection. There are a few more flowers in the median at that intersection as well.
There are not even sidewalks on Harriet Road on the Saanich side of the street.
Burnside road was repaved recently, in the last two years, and at that time there was no attempt to make the changes suggested in the charrette. Saanich could have reduced the total area of the driving lanes by 2 metres. Those 2 metres would have made the sidewalk area much more inviting for people to walk along. In this area I would route all of the bike traffic onto Maddock.
In short, I am disappointed nothing is happening
Changing patterns of how we move around the region
It would love to see the CRD focus a lot more energy on improving walking and biking in this region. There is no reason why we could not see a lot more people walking and biking in this region, and for my own unelightened reasons, I need to walk and bike more.
We need more and better infrastructure.
In Saanich, where the largest group of people live, we need to see a plan to have sidewalks on most streets ASAP, not just 1.5 km a year. Saanich needs to add 100 to 200 km of sidewalks per year.
We need more bike lanes - a lot more bike lanes. We need to build purpose built bridges, overpasses and underpasses for bikes and pedestrians. As an example, there needs to be a bike/pedestrian bridge next to the Bay Street bridge and a much better access to the Johnson street bridge for non cars. The rail portion would seem to make sense to change this to a dedicated set of lanes for bikes, the E and N does not need to go any further than the roundhouse in any case.
Personally I would like to see the regional governments find ways to build new dedicated bike routes. As an example, Maddock does not connect with the Galloping Goose. If four properties were purchased, there could be a dedicated connection from the end of Maddock through to Cecelia Road and then the Goose. The cost to do this would be about $2 000 000 and in return there would now be a good bike route from Tillicum Mall/Pearkes/Silvercity and the core of the city. It would also offer a nice commuting route from my neighbourhood into the city, something that does not exist now. Victoria would also have about another 3000 sq metres of parkland in an area where there is not enough.
The cost of the infrastructure for bikes and walkers is not very expensive but the benefits are huge for the community and the people.
The CRD could also work towards encouraging more people to bike by offering subsidies for offices to build facilities for cyclists. The CRD could also put a lot more bike racks in place and have them watched by cameras to reduce theft. Finally, why not an annual grant to all people living in this region to buy either a bike or good runners? Say $50 per person per year? The easiest way to finance this would be for the CRD, or other local government, would be to charge a $50 per year annual tax per commercial parking space.
Here is a recent article on the same issue.
________________________________________
Victoria News
More infrastructure wanted for biking, walking
By Sam Van Schie - Victoria News
Published: August 16, 2008 10:00 AM
Updated: August 17, 2008 7:52 AM
Significant investments in cycling and pedestrian infrastructure are needed to get more people out of their cars and reduce carbon emissions, according to a report by the B.C. Climate Action Team released for public comment this month.
The team would like to see the number of trips made by bike and on foot doubled by 2020. That is one of 31 suggestions outlined in the report that could bring the province closer to its goal of reducing carbon emissions to 33 per cent below 2007 output by 2020.
But John Luton, executive director of Capital Bike and Walk, said this goal is too modest. A doubling of trips would only mean two per cent fewer car rides across the province. He thinks a better goal would be to increase the share of cycling and pedestrian trips to 10 per cent.
“It’s better to set the goal too high and fall short, rather than reach it easily and then push that one aside,” said Luton.
Bob Lapham, general manager of planning and protective services for the Capital Regional District, said the CRD saw 3.2 per cent of trips made by bike or foot in 2006. That’s up from 2.4 per cent in 2001 when the CRD started its Cycling Strategy.
The strategy also aimed to double cycling, but had a 25 year timeline to do it. Something Lapham said will likely be achieved sooner than planned.
“We got a major financial contribution from the the federal gas tax,” Lapham explained. “Whenever we can afford new infrastructure, we see a big spike in ridership.”
The CRD is ready to begin a $13-million project to convert the E&N rail line to a trail from Goldstream Park to downtown. It is also improving some problem intersections and adding more signs to mark bike routes this year.
But Maurine Karagianis, Esquimalt-Metchosin MLA and NDP transportation critic, said pressuring individuals to change their travel mode is just a symbolic gesture towards reducing carbon emissions.
“A couple more cyclists, people not driving cars – that’s made irrelevant by what big polluters continue to do, unchecked by the (Gordon) Campbell government,” said Karagianis.
Climate Action Team member Naomi Devine said transportation is an important focus of the report because that’s where the largest proportion of carbon is produced.
She said the goal to double cycling is a good starting point and she thinks Victoria will meet and exceed the target, but the rest of the province may have a little more trouble.
“We need to re-think how cities are designed, and get people living in walking and biking distance to their work, with reliable mass transit between cities,” she said. “You can’t look at climate change as a simple issue – it requires wide spread behavioural change at all levels.”
The full report by the climate action team is available online at www.LiveSmartBC.ca. Public comments on the report are accepted until Oct. 6.
The final targets set in the report will be set into law by the end of the year.
Monday, August 18, 2008
Simon Nattrass - even less is there
Simon Nattrass no longer has a website for his campaign to be mayor of Victoria. His facebook group has had no action of any sort and remains at a dismal number of members.
You can not formally become a candidate for a while yet, so all there is to go on is people's statements that they are running for office.
The evidence says he is not running.
You can not formally become a candidate for a while yet, so all there is to go on is people's statements that they are running for office.
The evidence says he is not running.
Lynn Hunter running for Victoria Council
This is an interesting addition to the candidates for Victoria city council. One term MP Lynn Hunter has decided to run for Victoria city council Lynn was an MP from 1988 to 1993 for Saanich and the Islands, the only time that the riding did not elect a right of centre MP.
Lynn Hunter does bring a strong name recognition to the table, so I would place here in a favoured position to get elected in November.
Lynn Hunter does bring a strong name recognition to the table, so I would place here in a favoured position to get elected in November.
Hunter to run for Victoria council
Times Colonist
Published: Monday, August 18, 2008Lynn Hunter, a former MP for Saanich Gulf-Islands, announced today she is running for Victoria city council in the November civic elections.
Hunter, who moved to Victoria from Saanich two years ago, says in a news release her return to public life is motivated by "a desire to make Victoria an ever greater city and particularly to address issues affecting homelessness and housing affordability."
Hunter was a member of parliament from 1988-1993 and has been active in environmental causes including the protection of wild salmon, and is a board member for Ecojustice, formerly known as the Sierra Legal Defense Fund.
She is also the Vancouver Island Coordinator for Oxfam Canada and has participated in a fact-finding tour of conflict zones in the Sudan and Eritrea as well as working abroad providing training on building democratic institutions, most recently in Albania.
In response to the comments from Ted Godwin
Ted Godwin commented on my post the other day on transit and road improvements needed in the region.
Peak Oil: It is not happening now and is not going to happen in my lifetime. The price of oil will rise and fall over the years, but the simple reality is that the current rate of consumption is not going to drain out the reserves we have globally. Because of the low oil prices a few years ago, exploration was dramatically reduced and reserves were not growing. Now with high prices there is renewed exploration and reserves are increasing.
In any case, the issue is not oil at all, it is energy. We are not facing any danger of running out of energy. As the price of oil rises, other energy sources will take the place of oil. You can only believe in peak oil as a problem if you have no understanding of economics. In the early 19th century we had 'peak wood' - the forests of the eastern US were disappearing to keep the forges of industry going and early trains rolling. The replacement fuel was coal. This in turn was replaced by oil in about 1900. Oil, which is no danger of running out, will be replaced as we develop cheaper alternative technologies.
What will not happen is that people are not going to give up their cars. There is a human love affair with being able to control your own travel. Numerous societies have measured their wealth based on how many horses or camels a man had. Others measured a man's worth by the size of his boat. These examples predate the car and show this is a fundamental human pattern. Trying to deny individual car ownership as being a core of our society is only set yourself up for disappointment.
Distribution of work and housing in the region: When I mentioned the big box stores in this context, it was not for the shoppers, but for the workers. Millstream road in Langford has become a major employment centre in the region. LRT will not work in this region for commuters because our pattern of new jobs is not to have the concentrated in one core location.
The biggest single commuter destination for transit in our region is UVic, but the pattern of where people come from to go there means that there is no clear LRT route one could construct to improve on the existing buses.
Road Works in This Region: The road works I was pointing out in that posting are not ones that would add to more suburban sprawl. For a road to to that it has to open up an area to development that was previously not available. All the roadworks I suggested, except for one, deal with existing congestion. In fact their construction would reduce the greenhouse gases we produce in this region by reducing idling.
I do admit that a interchange at the new Westshore parkway will only make that new sprawl of Westhills be more attractive, but I personally would like to be able to get out of town faster when I am going up island to camp.
Peak Oil: It is not happening now and is not going to happen in my lifetime. The price of oil will rise and fall over the years, but the simple reality is that the current rate of consumption is not going to drain out the reserves we have globally. Because of the low oil prices a few years ago, exploration was dramatically reduced and reserves were not growing. Now with high prices there is renewed exploration and reserves are increasing.
In any case, the issue is not oil at all, it is energy. We are not facing any danger of running out of energy. As the price of oil rises, other energy sources will take the place of oil. You can only believe in peak oil as a problem if you have no understanding of economics. In the early 19th century we had 'peak wood' - the forests of the eastern US were disappearing to keep the forges of industry going and early trains rolling. The replacement fuel was coal. This in turn was replaced by oil in about 1900. Oil, which is no danger of running out, will be replaced as we develop cheaper alternative technologies.
What will not happen is that people are not going to give up their cars. There is a human love affair with being able to control your own travel. Numerous societies have measured their wealth based on how many horses or camels a man had. Others measured a man's worth by the size of his boat. These examples predate the car and show this is a fundamental human pattern. Trying to deny individual car ownership as being a core of our society is only set yourself up for disappointment.
Distribution of work and housing in the region: When I mentioned the big box stores in this context, it was not for the shoppers, but for the workers. Millstream road in Langford has become a major employment centre in the region. LRT will not work in this region for commuters because our pattern of new jobs is not to have the concentrated in one core location.
The biggest single commuter destination for transit in our region is UVic, but the pattern of where people come from to go there means that there is no clear LRT route one could construct to improve on the existing buses.
Road Works in This Region: The road works I was pointing out in that posting are not ones that would add to more suburban sprawl. For a road to to that it has to open up an area to development that was previously not available. All the roadworks I suggested, except for one, deal with existing congestion. In fact their construction would reduce the greenhouse gases we produce in this region by reducing idling.
I do admit that a interchange at the new Westshore parkway will only make that new sprawl of Westhills be more attractive, but I personally would like to be able to get out of town faster when I am going up island to camp.
Saturday, August 16, 2008
Dragonboat Festival
I am tired from a day volunteering at the Dragonboat festival. I am once again impressed by how well the event is run, how accessible everything is. The event is inviting to the public and manages to look after the paddlers very well. This is in contrast to numerous other events in this city.
The Tallships festival only feels like a tourist trap money grab. Money to be on site, money to stand in line and see anything and stupid money to eat anything. Compare this to the Dragonboat festival which feels like a real community event.
The ICA Folkfest also felt like a cash grab in the last years. The ICA Folkfest used to be a wonderful celebration of community ethnic foods and performers. In the end it was a disconnected from the city. In the last few years they have been horribly shabby in their treatment of volunteers. The Dragonboat festival does a wonderful job of volunteer care - unlimited coffee, snacks, a good t-shirt, meals, drinks and a bang up appreciation party next week.
I had wanted to go to the E&N days this weekend, but volunteering for Dragonboat has made that impossible. From a report of someone that was out in Langford at the event today, it sounds like it was logistical nightmare. I wonder what the whole event was like.
I would have loved to have ridden on a Budd car again. From 1995 to 2003 I used the BC Rail Budd car service from Lillooet to North Vancouver about 50 or 60 times. I liked the quirky and slow service. Maybe next year if they run trains again and do not choose a weekend when I am busy.
The Tallships festival only feels like a tourist trap money grab. Money to be on site, money to stand in line and see anything and stupid money to eat anything. Compare this to the Dragonboat festival which feels like a real community event.
The ICA Folkfest also felt like a cash grab in the last years. The ICA Folkfest used to be a wonderful celebration of community ethnic foods and performers. In the end it was a disconnected from the city. In the last few years they have been horribly shabby in their treatment of volunteers. The Dragonboat festival does a wonderful job of volunteer care - unlimited coffee, snacks, a good t-shirt, meals, drinks and a bang up appreciation party next week.
I had wanted to go to the E&N days this weekend, but volunteering for Dragonboat has made that impossible. From a report of someone that was out in Langford at the event today, it sounds like it was logistical nightmare. I wonder what the whole event was like.
I would have loved to have ridden on a Budd car again. From 1995 to 2003 I used the BC Rail Budd car service from Lillooet to North Vancouver about 50 or 60 times. I liked the quirky and slow service. Maybe next year if they run trains again and do not choose a weekend when I am busy.
Friday, August 15, 2008
Sonya Chandler and Phillipe Lucas announce their run for Victoria Council
My friends and fellow citizens,
After much consideration, I’m happy to announce that I’ve decided to put my name on the ballot for a seat on Victoria’s city council. After missing the mark by a mere 118 votes in 2005, I know that there has long been a desire to see a different kind of politics in this city, and a need for real and effective local leadership.
Despite the low voter turn-out of our past few municipal elections, we are not a passive people when it comes to improving the world that we all share. Many of us are actively engaged in creating progressive social change, whether it’s rallying for peace in Iraq or for affordable housing; to save Clayoquot Sound and the Great Bear Rainforest; or to increase our local park space or harm reduction services, this city is filled with bright folks using creative ways to solve social issues throughout the world, and to ensure that Victoria can be a welcoming home for people of all cultures, backgrounds, and income levels.
Although Victoria is the home of many leading voices on social justice issues, the make-up of our municipal government has failed to reflect the compassionate values and progressive ideas of our local citizens for far too long. The 2005 campaign saw a brief crack in the status quo with the election of my co-candidate Sonya Chandler, a nurse with the Victoria Youth Clinic and without a doubt the most forward thinking voice on our city council, it quickly became clear that she needs help at City Hall if we hope to see Victoria reach its full potential.
With this in mind I’m now asking all you who work so hard every day to make our entire world a better place to re-direct your energy and creativity towards the municipal region for the next few months by volunteering with our campaign. From mid-September until our local elections on November 15th, I’m asking you to support better approaches to homelessness and affordable housing; to work towards more evidence-based strategies for substance use and harm reduction; to demand increased democracy and public consultation in our region; to ensure sustainable development policies and good value for money on sewage treatment; and to rally behind better public transportation and increased investment into bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure.
In other words, I’m asking you to take everything that you’ve learned through your own community involvement, activism, and advocacy, and to contribute whatever you can – time, energy, ideas, funding and resources — to ensure that your city finally represents your hopes and values. For eight weeks, let’s work together to change the way that we do politics in this town; let’s take back city council; let’s finally reach our full community potential. Let’s get involved!
Please join Sonya and I on August 24th, 1-3pm at 1104 Topaz Ave. for our first volunteer meeting/brainstorming; drinks and snacks will be provided so RSVPs are appreciated. If you can’t make it, contact me at 250-884-9821, or at plucas@uvic.ca to find out how you can help.
Many thanks,
Philippe Lucas
Candidate for Victoria City Council
===
Hi there.
As you may or may not have heard, I have decided to run again for Victoria City Council with my friend and colleague Philippe Lucas. The election this year is Nov 15th and is ramping up to be a very interesting campaign with inevitable change for the future of municipal politics here in our Capital City due to the number of seats that will be opening up. Bea Holland and Helen Hughes have both announced they aren't running, and Dean Fortin is running for Mayor. This opens three seats on council - that’s right - no matter what we will end up with 3 new city councillors! Chris Coleman and Charlayne Thornton-Jo are also both thinking of running for Mayor and if they do (because only one Mayor is elected) we could see five seats change over. This is unheard of in recent history and means we have a clear chance of getting both Philippe and I elected!
In a nutshell, our vision for Victoria is a green and family friendly City with quality harm reduction facilities and social services; sustainable economic and architectural development; strong, supported and active communities; clean and protected (and food producing!) land, air and water; and a council ready and able to be innovative and principled in their leadership.
We are hoping that all of you that are already working towards this vision in one way or another could put some time aside to contribute your expertise to our efforts. We need your help! I am emailing you today because we ran an awesome campaign in 2005 and Philippe missed a seat by just over 110 votes and so we know we have to work even harder this time around. So if you volunteer at all at any level or make contributions to any charity - please consider redirecting these energies for the next three months to support our campaign. This is the ultimate example of "thinking globally (nationally, provincially, regionally) - act locally!" Since being on council I have learned so much about the potential Victoria has to be a leader in meeting economic, social and environmental challenges, and the opportunity we have to impact real, long lasting change is within reach.
We are having a Campaign Kickoff event to get the energy flowing, and I am hoping that you will join us. There is lots to do - and something to suit everyone’s abilities and interests...from campaign management, volunteer coordination, web design, media and communication, event planning all the way to button making, knocking on doors, or even just attending events with Philippe and I.
We need YOU; Victoria needs you!!!
Aug 24th – 1-3pm, 1104 Topaz Ave.
Snacks and Beverages will be available - you just need to bring creativity, vision and the desire to change Victoria for the better!
Please RSVP so we have enough munchies...
Thanks for your support, in advance!
Sonya Chandler
Victoria City Councillor
Meagan Brame running for Esquimalt Council
This was reported in today's Times Colonist. She is a 39 and has loved i nEsquimalt for 15 years. She runs the Saxe Point Daycare
She has been involved with a lot of youth oriented organizations in Esquimalt and I assume was motivated to run because of the plans by Esquimalt to close the Archie Browning Arena.
She has a facebook group up. Here is her text from the group:
She has been involved with a lot of youth oriented organizations in Esquimalt and I assume was motivated to run because of the plans by Esquimalt to close the Archie Browning Arena.
She has a facebook group up. Here is her text from the group:
Meagan Brame is announcing her intentions to run for the Esquimalt Council this fall.
Meagan Brame is married with two teenage boys. She is an Early Childhood Educator with a BA in Child and Youth Care and owns and operates Saxe Point Daycare. She has strong ties to the community of Esquimalt and some of them include: Friends of Archie Browning Sports Centre, Macaulay PAC (past), Esquimalt Early Childhood Committee, Esquimalt Speed Skating and Esquimalt Little League (past). Within the Victoria Region, she is an active member of the Regional Child Care Council and Co-Chair of the Early Childhood Educator's of BC - Victoria Chapter.
Meagan wants to see more transparency in the municipality. She wants to offer a fresh perspective to the council and one that includes looking at options for the community that include our children, youth and famlies. She wants to see the Municipality's assets, such as the Archie Browning Sports Centre maintained, therefore keeping their value and worth for the community. It is her desire to work on the Council helping to ensure that Esquimalt residents are heard, that the community keeps the sercices it has and to promote business' to come to our fine commuity to further its growth and development.
Thursday, August 14, 2008
E and N days this weekend
Competing with the Dragonboat festival this weekend are the E and N days at the Roundhouse in Vic West.
Things are going on from 9 am to 5 pm on Saturday and Sunday. There are also things going on at the Station House Pub in Langford from 10 am to 5 pm Saturday only.
There will be rail service between the two locations on Saturday, though it is first come first served. They are limited to 72 people per ride, so I assume that they are using a Budd car.
Sounds like you will be able to ride on a speeder in Vic West.
Sounds like there will be displays from interest groups and some historical stuff.
As much as I love trains, I am not likely to make it because I am volunteering at the Dragon boats. I also trying to avoid stress and frustration and should avoid the light rail for Victoria fanatics - I have a very thin skin at the moment in relation to the economically illiterate.
Things are going on from 9 am to 5 pm on Saturday and Sunday. There are also things going on at the Station House Pub in Langford from 10 am to 5 pm Saturday only.
There will be rail service between the two locations on Saturday, though it is first come first served. They are limited to 72 people per ride, so I assume that they are using a Budd car.
Sounds like you will be able to ride on a speeder in Vic West.
Sounds like there will be displays from interest groups and some historical stuff.
As much as I love trains, I am not likely to make it because I am volunteering at the Dragon boats. I also trying to avoid stress and frustration and should avoid the light rail for Victoria fanatics - I have a very thin skin at the moment in relation to the economically illiterate.
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Transit in Greater Victoria
I would love to see better transit in this region, but we have a public that seems to be opposed to the changes we need. The obvious next step in the region is the creation of bus rapid transit on a number of routes, some routes to UVic and a major one out to the westshore. The first step was the Douglas busway.
The unholy alliance of local business nimbys and LRT evangelists killed this important next evolution in our local transit system. Business owners scared that the loss of a few unused parking spaces would harm their busineses annoys me. The public roadway is there to provide a space to move people and not there for free parking for businesses. The local governments should make it clear that no parking on any street is guaranteed and is only there till there is need for the lanes for traffic.
The other part are the LRT fanatics. People need to wake up and understand that unless there is a fundamental change to the world economics - and there are none on the horizon - we are never going to see any sort of rail transit in this region. There is no business case that can be made for rail that can not be better done with buses. The bus/rail debate was won by buses 60 years ago. The only place rail makes any sense as part of transit plan is where the volumes of passengers is high enough that surface streets can not handle the volumes - this only exists in the densest of centres.
Rail thinking is also one that assumes a 19th century/early 20th century model of cities. One where the majority of people worked and shopped in the core but lived outside of the core. This is not the pattern any longer. Most of us in Victoria do of some of our shopping in Langford - Costco and Home Depot are constantly busy. We have emerging destinations for workers and others in places like Keating Cross Road, Viatec/Camosun, UVic, the Airport, Langford and elsewhere. There is no way we can build a rail transit system that reflects where we live in work.
A basic LRT line from downtown Victoria to Langford will cost in excess of $500 000 000 to construct. Using the existing E and N line will provide an infrequent service at a huge cost per ride, expensive enough that it would bankrupt the rest of the system or force major reductions in services.
While the busway has been shelved for now, BC Transit has some interesting new services coming. There many new bus routes about to start out on the peninsula, including the new #70 that is an express service from the ferry into town.
Bear Mountain is going to get its first bus in the fall, this will be the new #49 bus.
Gordon Head - Cadboro Bay are getting two new buses, the #12 and #13 to serve the local area and I expect will be used by many people studying and working at UVic.
The #4, #6, #11, #14, #26, #27/28 and #30/31 are all schedule to run on at least every 15 minutes from 6am to 10 pm Monday to Saturday. A frequent enough service that no needs to see a timetable and can simply rely on there being a bus shortly.
Greater Victoria transit needs more and faster buses, this means bus lanes.
The unholy alliance of local business nimbys and LRT evangelists killed this important next evolution in our local transit system. Business owners scared that the loss of a few unused parking spaces would harm their busineses annoys me. The public roadway is there to provide a space to move people and not there for free parking for businesses. The local governments should make it clear that no parking on any street is guaranteed and is only there till there is need for the lanes for traffic.
The other part are the LRT fanatics. People need to wake up and understand that unless there is a fundamental change to the world economics - and there are none on the horizon - we are never going to see any sort of rail transit in this region. There is no business case that can be made for rail that can not be better done with buses. The bus/rail debate was won by buses 60 years ago. The only place rail makes any sense as part of transit plan is where the volumes of passengers is high enough that surface streets can not handle the volumes - this only exists in the densest of centres.
Rail thinking is also one that assumes a 19th century/early 20th century model of cities. One where the majority of people worked and shopped in the core but lived outside of the core. This is not the pattern any longer. Most of us in Victoria do of some of our shopping in Langford - Costco and Home Depot are constantly busy. We have emerging destinations for workers and others in places like Keating Cross Road, Viatec/Camosun, UVic, the Airport, Langford and elsewhere. There is no way we can build a rail transit system that reflects where we live in work.
A basic LRT line from downtown Victoria to Langford will cost in excess of $500 000 000 to construct. Using the existing E and N line will provide an infrequent service at a huge cost per ride, expensive enough that it would bankrupt the rest of the system or force major reductions in services.
While the busway has been shelved for now, BC Transit has some interesting new services coming. There many new bus routes about to start out on the peninsula, including the new #70 that is an express service from the ferry into town.
Bear Mountain is going to get its first bus in the fall, this will be the new #49 bus.
Gordon Head - Cadboro Bay are getting two new buses, the #12 and #13 to serve the local area and I expect will be used by many people studying and working at UVic.
The #4, #6, #11, #14, #26, #27/28 and #30/31 are all schedule to run on at least every 15 minutes from 6am to 10 pm Monday to Saturday. A frequent enough service that no needs to see a timetable and can simply rely on there being a bus shortly.
Greater Victoria transit needs more and faster buses, this means bus lanes.
Some stats on the City of Victoria Counci Election
I looked back a few elections and found some interesting stats in relation to getting elected to city council in Victoria.
In the three elections of 1999, 2002 and 2005 we had 18 incumbents run for re-election, six per election. Only twice did an incumbent lose and both times the incumbent came ninth missing out by less than 100 votes. What this means for the 2008 election is that odds are against any of the incumbents losing. New people are running for the three seats that currently open - this is the highest number in a number of elections.
On average you need to get around 5% of the votes cast to be elected. This percentage goes up when there are less candidates for office, in 2002 you needed 6.07% to get elected when there were only 24 candidates.
Candidates need to aim for at least 5000 votes to have a chance of getting elected - I expect the last candidate to get elected to have received 5700 votes. If you have 50 friends and family working on your campaign, you need to have them and yourself approach about 10 000 people to have a reasonable chance to get elected. This means in the month before the election you need to contact 300 to 350 people a day.
Each candidate also needs to remember that the voters can choose up to 8 candidates on the ballot. On average people cast 6.3 votes in Victoria. For each vote a candidate gets, 5.3 votes are going to their competition. Most of these votes will be going to the well known names, I would estimate that for each vote a new candidate gets about 3 votes will go towards the well known, an average in past elections of about 1/2 a vote each. This electoral math is an uphill battle for new candidates and the major reason incumbents rarely lose.
Smart candidates will get their closest friends and family to plump their ballots - only vote for one person, but as someone that has run for local council before, almost no one other than political junkies takes kindly being told to plump their ballot
I expect there to be 18000 voters in the city of Victoria election in November, a 5% increase on last time.
In the three elections of 1999, 2002 and 2005 we had 18 incumbents run for re-election, six per election. Only twice did an incumbent lose and both times the incumbent came ninth missing out by less than 100 votes. What this means for the 2008 election is that odds are against any of the incumbents losing. New people are running for the three seats that currently open - this is the highest number in a number of elections.
On average you need to get around 5% of the votes cast to be elected. This percentage goes up when there are less candidates for office, in 2002 you needed 6.07% to get elected when there were only 24 candidates.
Candidates need to aim for at least 5000 votes to have a chance of getting elected - I expect the last candidate to get elected to have received 5700 votes. If you have 50 friends and family working on your campaign, you need to have them and yourself approach about 10 000 people to have a reasonable chance to get elected. This means in the month before the election you need to contact 300 to 350 people a day.
Each candidate also needs to remember that the voters can choose up to 8 candidates on the ballot. On average people cast 6.3 votes in Victoria. For each vote a candidate gets, 5.3 votes are going to their competition. Most of these votes will be going to the well known names, I would estimate that for each vote a new candidate gets about 3 votes will go towards the well known, an average in past elections of about 1/2 a vote each. This electoral math is an uphill battle for new candidates and the major reason incumbents rarely lose.
Smart candidates will get their closest friends and family to plump their ballots - only vote for one person, but as someone that has run for local council before, almost no one other than political junkies takes kindly being told to plump their ballot
I expect there to be 18000 voters in the city of Victoria election in November, a 5% increase on last time.
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Road Work that needs to be done in this region
The Greater Victoria area needs some more work to be done to improve the movement of goods and people around this city. Here are my sugestions for projects that need to be done:
These are what I believe are the core road works needed for this region now.
- Four laning Wilkinson road from Royal Oak to where it becomes Helmcken Road. The west Saanich region is growing. The corner of Interurban and Wilkinson is a nightmare when there is any traffic. You end up sitting through numerous cycles of the lights to get through the intersection. West Saanich needs an artieral road from Royal Oak to VGH. Wilkinson needs to have a bus on it, currently there is nothing on it, which is not surprising because the traffic does not allow a consistent schedule.
- Four laning Interurban from where it starts are Burnside near Tillicum mall through to Camosun College. Once again, this would dramatically improve the horror corner at the Knockan Grill. This will improve the speed the 21 and 8 can get out to Camosun College.
- The Mackenzie/Hwy #1 intersection needs an overpass. The traffic splits at this location when coming into town, part going further into town and part out on Mackenzie. There is also a moderate demand for traffic to get across the highway to Admirals from Mackenzie. This overpass is needed now to keep the traffic that is existing and the future growth to allow vehicles to move and not be sitting. Consideration should be given to removing the light at Burnside and Mackenzie and thereby removing the ability to cross Mackenzie.
- Hwy #1 and the Westshore parkway. This needs an overpass ASAP because all the problems of Spencer Road will simply move to this location and frankly will get a lot worse with the huge Westhills development going in. This is more important than the Malahat. The issues with the Malahat are all related to stoppages due to accidents on the road than traffic. The traffic on the Malahat is still manageable.
- Interchange at Hwy#1 and McTavish - the demand to get to the airport is growing at the same time traffic in from the ferry and Sidney is rising. This means rebuilding the end of McTavish road and the road to the airport.
- Sayward Road and Hwy #17 - this location needs something to be done to allow the traffic to flow, the problem is that building an interchange here would be very difficult.
- Haliburton and Hwy #17 - this light has to be replaced with an interchange to allow for efficient movement of people on the highway. Another option would be the closing of this access to the highway as a light and only exit and entry in on direction. With these last two gone, you have light free driving from Town and Country through to Mount Newton Cross Road.
These are what I believe are the core road works needed for this region now.
Saanich Civic League
Something seems to have finally happened with the Saanich Civic League, they have a redone website. The website includes more information about the group.
Since the big meeting in mid June, there has been almost silence from the Saanich Civic League. I am not sure what they have been doing, but communicating with the public has not been part of it.
With the new website there are some nice additions, there is a list of who is on the steering committee. There is also a list of community partners and others. It is that list that clearly shows that the people behind the Saanich Civic League are not interested in approaching local politics differently and getting more people interested in voting.
On this one page you can see that the League is supported by the Labour Council, CUPE 374 and Tactical Outcomes (a strongly left wing political consulting company). The League should never have taken support from the Labour Council if it could not also get support from the Chamber of Commerce - most people do not trust public sector unions, something the labour sector needed to deal with 20 years ago and has still not done so. The involvement of the left wing establishment in the league is going to turn a lot of people off. Certainly the Saanich Civic League is not trying to be non-partisan. Their claim to be non-partisan on the website is stunning when there is nothing to balance a hard core left wing bias.
If I did not know Wendy Bergerud, I would assume that the Saanich Civic League was a cynical attempt to build a civic NDP. Instead I think it has been honestly created by people on the left that assume their minority opinions are right and should be the majority - they honestly do not seem to know what non-partisan means. I know Wendy is involved with the League because of the civic engagement aspect of the process and she is trying to get the league to see beyond the narrow view that they have.
The Guelph Civic League came into being because there was a need for a voice of the community in local governance. It was not a left wing group. The GCL was around for some time before it started endorsing anyone for council, the SCL is jumping straight to that part. The GCL developed their values based on talking to the people first and developed a set that was politically neutral, the SCL has already developed their values before speaking to the public.
The Saanich Civic League needs to either open the doors for business, drop all labour support or find a right wing person to be chair. Short of these steps, the Saanich Civic League will not be relevant to the 2008 election.
Since the big meeting in mid June, there has been almost silence from the Saanich Civic League. I am not sure what they have been doing, but communicating with the public has not been part of it.
With the new website there are some nice additions, there is a list of who is on the steering committee. There is also a list of community partners and others. It is that list that clearly shows that the people behind the Saanich Civic League are not interested in approaching local politics differently and getting more people interested in voting.
On this one page you can see that the League is supported by the Labour Council, CUPE 374 and Tactical Outcomes (a strongly left wing political consulting company). The League should never have taken support from the Labour Council if it could not also get support from the Chamber of Commerce - most people do not trust public sector unions, something the labour sector needed to deal with 20 years ago and has still not done so. The involvement of the left wing establishment in the league is going to turn a lot of people off. Certainly the Saanich Civic League is not trying to be non-partisan. Their claim to be non-partisan on the website is stunning when there is nothing to balance a hard core left wing bias.
If I did not know Wendy Bergerud, I would assume that the Saanich Civic League was a cynical attempt to build a civic NDP. Instead I think it has been honestly created by people on the left that assume their minority opinions are right and should be the majority - they honestly do not seem to know what non-partisan means. I know Wendy is involved with the League because of the civic engagement aspect of the process and she is trying to get the league to see beyond the narrow view that they have.
The Guelph Civic League came into being because there was a need for a voice of the community in local governance. It was not a left wing group. The GCL was around for some time before it started endorsing anyone for council, the SCL is jumping straight to that part. The GCL developed their values based on talking to the people first and developed a set that was politically neutral, the SCL has already developed their values before speaking to the public.
The Saanich Civic League needs to either open the doors for business, drop all labour support or find a right wing person to be chair. Short of these steps, the Saanich Civic League will not be relevant to the 2008 election.
Tree Concern 'fabircation'
I am posting this piece from the Peninsula News because it relates to one of the candidates, Sue Stroud. Sue is very concerned about the livablity of Brentwood Bay, but seems to have made an error.
__________________
Tree concern ‘fabrication’
Published: August 05, 2008 1:00 PMFliers anonymously delivered to Central Saanich homes asked for support in pressuring council to save a maple tree that was never considered for removal.
Impassioned letters about the tree located on public land near Brentwood Bay Lodge were brought before council, which agreed the status of the tree was a non-issue. Nobody asked it to be cut down.
“I see this as an opportunity to take a shot at council,” Councillor Bob Thompson said after the meeting. “It was a shot that should never have been fired.”
The landscape plans for the lodge to develop its OceanVillas are publicly available and show that the tree will be retained, with a deliberate design decision to make driveway access through the existing parking lot — not Brentwood Drive — to minimize development impacts on the existing vegetation.
But nobody asked to see these plans before the flier was distributed.
“People don’t realize that [municipal] staff negotiate [with developers] to protect trees,” said Thompson. “People focus on what goes, rather than what we work hard to keep.”
Sue Stroud, who is running for a position on Central Saanich council this fall, posted the plea to save the tree on her blog and told the Peninsula News Review that she printed the fliers, because she said there was a ribbon on the tree that made her think it would be cut as the lodge expands.
Lodge owner Dan Behune said that was a fabrication and he was not aware of any ribbon. The lodge arborist has actually trimmed back ivy that was damaging the tree.
“Nobody is more devoted to protecting trees than we are,” he said. “They add value to the facility.”
Stroud admits that she should have checked more thoroughly into the status of the maple tree. “It’s a lesson learned,” she said.
She removed a photo of the tree from her blog with the caption “maple to be cut,” and edited a July 13 post to read, “The maple … is to be saved apparently, but citizens will have to be watchful.”
She said she remains unconvinced that the tree won’t be cut.
“Council will only say it’s not their intention to cut it, we need a promise,” she said. “We need fines when trees do get damaged.”
Last week, council did approve a long-awaited tree protection bylaw that will ensure trees larger than 60 centimetres in diameter cannot be cut from existing developments without a permit.
editor@peninsulanewsreview.com
Monday, August 11, 2008
North Saanich Councilor Peter Chandler being sued
I have no idea if Peter Chandler is running for office again, but I found this in the Peninsula News Review.
By Cat George - Peninsula News Review
Published: August 05, 2008 1:00 PM
Councillor sued for defamation
By Cat George - Peninsula News Review
Published: August 05, 2008 1:00 PM
Claim filed against North Saanich councillor
A member of the Peninsula Recreation Commission is suing Peter Chandler, a North Saanich councillor, the Peninsula News Review has learned.
The statement of claim filed with the BC Supreme Court names Donald Hunter, a recreational consultant who sits on the PRC as the citizen representative for the district of North Saanich, in a defamation suit against Chandler.
In the statement, two separate incidents are mentioned, in which, it states, Chandler “falsely and maliciously spoke and published of and concerning the plaintiff [Hunter].” In particular, it accuses Chandler of saying “Don Hunter has a conflict of interest” and “I am going to go to his professional association about his ethics,” on April 22, 2008, and “ … if I was Don Hunter I would have a problem with my ethics …” on June 1, 2008, among other comments.
The second incident also, according to the statement of claim, included a comment which involved district of North Saanich Mayor Ted Daly: “Don Hunter applied for this position and we brought him on Ted Daly’s recommendation, neither one informed anyone of the prior conflict …”
Chandler’s statements were understood to mean, according to the claim, that Hunter, as a volunteer member of the PRC, had willfully and unethically hidden a conflict of interest and sought to profit from said conflict, and that his decisions as a member of the PRC were influenced by his own financial interests. The statements were also understood to mean, according to the claim, that “the plaintiff was a dishonest and despicable person.”
“The statements were false and malicious at the time of their being made and remain wholly false in substance,” the claim reads, adding that Chandler “knew, or ought to have known,” that Hunter was not in conflict of interest. It accuses Chandler of making the statements to discredit Hunter’s position on a number of issues considered by the PRC, and making the listed statements recklessly. No information is given in the statement of claim about what forum Chandler made the statements in, or to whom. Chandler’s position as a councillor is, however, mentioned: “The Defendant published the statements knowing that his position as a councillor … would give added weight to the statements.”
The suit involves Hunter claiming punitive damages from Chandler on the basis that Hunter has been “injured in his credit, character and reputation.” Hunter is represented in the suit by Sidney-based lawyer Nick Lott, of the firm McKimm & Lott.
Hunter was previously the General Manager of Parks, Recreation and Culture for the City of Surrey; he retired in 2002 and is now a recreation consultant living in North Saanich. As the case is now before the courts, his lawyer, Lott, said he could not give any further details about the claim.
Chandler, a first-term councillor with the district of North Saanich, is not a member of the Peninsula Recreation Commission. He did not return calls by press time.
news@peninsulanewsreview.com
Block Parties
I had been thinking about this idea for the area where I live. I would like to see the community associations in the area choose two weekends a year to encourage block parties as a way for all of us in the area to get to know each other better. Seems like I am thinking like Oak Bay is. This is from the Oak Bay News
_____________________________________Block Party initiative aims to increase sense of community
By Kerrie-Ann Schoenit - Oak Bay News
Published: July 27, 2008 1:00 PM
Updated: July 27, 2008 2:17 PM
Oak Bay is encouraging community interaction with its new block party kit.
When applying for street closures, block party hosts will now receive balloons, pens and activity information inside a reusable community bag.
"It's just basically to try and increase the sense of community," said Coun. Hazel Braithwaite, a member of the community initiatives committee which is launching the kit. "We just hope it will give people more of an initiative to have a block party and to try and get to know their neighbours a little bit better. That in turn will just increase the sense of community in Oak Bay."
The committee has been looking at ways to give back to the community. One example is the recent release of the walking trails booklet. Braithwaite says block party hosts have been asking the municipality for information, so launching the kit was a perfect fit.
Even though the kit doesn't include a lot of information, it's a starting point. The committee plans to add more and hopes the public will provide feedback as to what they would like to see in the kit.
"If you can give the kids an activity to do during a block party, it just makes it more exciting for them and maybe makes them get to know each other a bit better as well."
kschoenit@oakbaynews.com
Community Composting
For the last year I have been using a private service called Community Composting to take away my compost each month. The cost is $20 a month and this takes away a 360 litre full bin of material, though they will take more if you have more.
I can put in almost anything from yard including branches up to 6" in diameter - that is pretty big. I return I get a 20 litre bag of compost.
I like that a private business is doing this but they only have 800 subscribers at the moment in the core of the region here. This is not enough people doing it. I would like to see almost every household take part in this, something like recycling. We collectively produce a lot of yard waste and have no effective way for it to be disposed of, this service is perfect to deal with the waste issues.
I can put in almost anything from yard including branches up to 6" in diameter - that is pretty big. I return I get a 20 litre bag of compost.
I like that a private business is doing this but they only have 800 subscribers at the moment in the core of the region here. This is not enough people doing it. I would like to see almost every household take part in this, something like recycling. We collectively produce a lot of yard waste and have no effective way for it to be disposed of, this service is perfect to deal with the waste issues.
Langford and ALR lands - from the Goldstream Gazzette
Goldstream News Gazette
By Edward Hill - Goldstream News Gazette
Published: August 07, 2008 1:00 PM
Langford farming’s uncertain future
By Edward Hill - Goldstream News Gazette
Published: August 07, 2008 1:00 PM
Nearly every morning Don Steffler packs a cooler with fresh eggs for sale at the top of his driveway off Happy Valley Road. With suburbia encroaching fast, his hen house is almost a quaint throwback to the past.
While Steffler sits on 2.2 acres designated as provincial agricultural land reserve, housing subdivisions are cropping up on next door. After 12 years trying to farm the land and raise livestock, he’s applied to remove the property from the ALR.
It’s a growing refrain from Langford landowners with ALR land — they own acreage that may or may not be farmable while their non-ALR neighbours subdivide, sell and build-out.
With more housing comes more potential to pollute what soil remains, and for increasing clashes between farmers and new residents, Steffler says.
“I’ve tried farming in Langford for years but have run into so much opposition,” he says. “People don’t like the noise or dust or the smell. On one hand they say feed us and on the other they nail you to the wall.”
Langford has about 292 acres of ALR in 83 parcels, the majority in the Happy Valley area. Most are between two and five acres. Their are three commercial farms remaining in the city.
Steffler’s ALR exclusion request, like several others in Langford, is in limbo until the City forms an agricultural advisory committee to review what land is and isn’t farmable.
The provincial agricultural land commission makes the final decision on exclusions, but it takes some of it’s cues from municipal councils. Langford opposed five exclusion applications in 2006.
A 2007 report on Langford ALR land found about 111 acres had little agricultural use, but recommended the remaining 191 acres be retained. Such ALR land has “excellent potential for development for a node of vibrant agricultural activity,” the report said. It also acknowledged some south Langford rural residents had little interest in farming, while farmers weren’t likely to set up shop with acres going for $300,000.
That report initiated a plan for the City to start buying ALR farmland using a $500 development cost charge. These days the Agricultural Land Acquisition fund has about $300,000.
Mayor Stew Young says Langford wants to preserve “real” agricultural land in perpetuity for co-operative gardening and greenspace. Large-scale farming hasn’t been a reality in Langford for a long time, he says.
“Is Langford a farming community? No. Can we create hobby farms? Yes. Will that be able to feed Langford in the case of a catastrophe? Absolutely not,” Young says.
“Langford’s goal is to own as much ALR as possible that is farmable. The community will own that land. If people don’t want to farm it, that’s OK. It’s still a good benefit to own that land.”
Local farmers will sit on Langford’s agricultural review committee, among other community members, to review ALR exclusion applications.
The City’s overall agricultural strategy probably won’t be completed until early next year, said Rob Buchan, Langford’s clerk administrator.
Young says the City is trying to strike a balance between fairness to property owners and preserving what farmland remains without it being corrupted by land development.
“It’s part greenspace and part agricultural strategy,” he says. “Happy Valley is still a semi-rural area. It can be developed but within that we can preserve farmland. People have to do their homework and realize they could be buying near a farm.”
David Stott, food security co-ordinator with the Capital Families Association, said it’s understandable some Langford ALR landowners want out of the ALR system.
“Farmers have always been the ones who in effect are left out of prosperity,” Stott said. “The challenge is individual verses social needs.”
Stott said senior government, the B.C. Ministry of Agriculture for instance, needs to provide incentives for small-scale farming and the retention of ALR land. Aspects of the government’s regulatory regime suits large corporate farms but discourage small agricultural operations, he says.
Stott noted the soil around south Langford isn’t as productive as the “deep loam of Saanich,” but there is still plenty of room for agriculture, if supported by the community.
“The critical question is what will it take to induce people to support the maintenance of land for agricultural purposes?” Stott says. “If all those lands are lost to development we will lose land that could be needed for future food production.”
For landowners such as Steffler, the development of Langford’s agricultural strategy will delay his ALR exclusion application process.
Labour and transportation costs are making local commercial farming less attractive and less viable, Steffler says. Meanwhile, he points to land next door already cleared for 42 lots.
“My buffer went out the window and I have to wait for another year while Langford gets its strategy together,” he says. “I’m locked into an un-winnable situation.”
editor@goldstreamgazette.com
Some Saanich election news
Friday, August 08, 2008
Sayward Forest Canoe Route
I just got back from the Sayward Forest Canoe Route last night. I highly recommend anyone who can to try it. It is a shorter and closer Bowron Lakes.
I will also be getting back to posting about the local elections and Victoria issues later today.
Tomorrow I am going to try and drop by Ali Gaul's website launch thing.
I will also be getting back to posting about the local elections and Victoria issues later today.
Tomorrow I am going to try and drop by Ali Gaul's website launch thing.
Thursday, August 07, 2008
Langford OKs private loan for interchange
I am happy to see that this has gone ahead. The interchange is needed now - in fact there needs to be one ASAP just up the road as well and at MacKenzie and the highway.
Local governments need to be encouraged to do more innovative solutions like this. We need to see a lot more P3s as well. We have to get out of 1950s thinking and move into the 21st century when it comes to public infrastructure.
Here is the article from the Goldstream News Gazette
By Edward Hill - Goldstream News Gazette
Published: July 29, 2008 1:00 PM
Updated: July 29, 2008 5:05 PM
Local governments need to be encouraged to do more innovative solutions like this. We need to see a lot more P3s as well. We have to get out of 1950s thinking and move into the 21st century when it comes to public infrastructure.
Here is the article from the Goldstream News Gazette
Langford OKs private loan for interchange
By Edward Hill - Goldstream News Gazette
Published: July 29, 2008 1:00 PM
Updated: July 29, 2008 5:05 PM
City shuns municipal lending authority
Langford gave the nod to bylaws to borrow up to $9.75 million to finance the Spencer Road Interchange and to recoup the money from Skirt Mountain landowners.
The City has an agreement with TD Canada Trust to borrow $9.75 million at less than four per cent interest, a better rate than with the Municipal Finance Authority, said Mayor Stew Young. The MFA traditionally loans money to municipalities at lower interest rates than banks.
“(Borrowing from the bank) is a better deal. We’ll save $200,000 or $300,000,” Young said. “It works out not too bad.”
Young had a public spat with MFA chair Mayor Frank Leonard, the mayor of Saanich, in March after the authority requested the City secure a loan with a $5 million letter of credit.
Young denounced the condition as outright political interference. Leonard said the MFA is extremely risk-adverse and the loan request was unusual.
Swearing off the MFA, Langford sought loans from private lenders. City is still trying to move an outstanding $10-million loan for sewers away from the MFA to TD Bank.
“There are no weird conditions or political interference (with the interchange loan),” Young said. “Other municipalities should shop around and do the same thing.”
The City also has a signed deal with five Skirt Mountain property owners, Langford officials confirmed.
Bear Mountain, Totangi Forestry, Goldstream Heights, Clara Kramer and Bear Mountain Parkway Estates will borrow $9.75 million to finance their portion of the interchange while paying back Langford’s share.
Repayment is based on the City taxing 32 land parcels covering 182 hectares on Skirt Mountain, under a local area service agreement. Langford said the deal is backed by $135 million in the Skirt Mountain property.
Clerk administrator Rob Buchan said the City’s intent is to pay the loan back as quickly as possible.
“As development occurs, it will pay down the loan,” he said.
The interchange, Langford’s largest public works project in its history, is expected to cost about $25 million, which includes $2.5 million from development cost charges and $4.9 million from the province. It is expected to be finished late next year.
editor@goldstreamgazette.com
Wednesday, August 06, 2008
Planning in Sidney
I looked at the information online at the town of Sidney and I like what has come from the process. The biggest problem is that there is really one community out on the end of the Saanich Peninsula but several local governments. This design process would be more meaningful if it was done in a holistic manner for the whole community and not just the random and irrational boundaries that are currently in use
from the Peninsula News Review
By Laura Lavin - Peninsula News Review
Published: July 29, 2008 1:00 PM
Updated: July 29, 2008 11:09 PM
from the Peninsula News Review
New vision for Town emerging from charrette process
By Laura Lavin - Peninsula News Review
Published: July 29, 2008 1:00 PM
Updated: July 29, 2008 11:09 PM
Work on Sidney’s Local Area Plan is progressing. The final report on the design charrette is now available online at the Town of Sidney’s website, www.sidney.ca. You’ll find the Local Area Plan under Quick Links; from there, click on public events.
The charrette, an intensive planning and design session was held on April 30 with 35 people attending, including local urban design professionals, town staff, and community representatives participating in the all-day event. The charrette was facilitated by consultants from Hotson Bakker Boniface Haden.
Participants in the charrette were divided into three teams and were asked to address three topics: land use, built form and movement, including traffic, circulation and parking. Teams were given base plans, aerial photos and scaled foam core blocks to model building massing and height and given seven hours to develop an urban design concept and supporting plans. The charrette report provides a summary of the design concepts developed by the three teams.
A key component of the report is a compilation of the team concepts into a common vision. The vision is presented through a series of illustrative plans which will ultimately form the basis for the draft Local Area Plan.
The overall plan for downtown Sidney emphasisizes mixed-use development. This mix within the downtown will enhance the active and vibrant character of Sidney’s commercial streets, while also creating residences located above the ground floors for more people to live within the core area.
A network of pedestrian walking routes is envisioned to connect an internal spine of green spaces and courtyards. Enhanced pedestrian amenities will encourage more people to walk within downtown Sidney. A pedestrian priority area along Beacon Avenue between Seventh Street and the waterfront is proposed to further enhance the walkability of the core area.
A new Town Square and Town Hall are contemplated for the block bounded by Fourth, Third, Beacon and Sidney Avenue. The new Town Square could potentially have frontage on Beacon Avenue and provide an inland area for community gathering and festivities.
It was also suggested that consideration could be given to a 3-P (Public Private Partnership), whereby the former Town Hall site could be redeveloped for multiple-family residential uses in exchange for construction of a new Town Hall. There is potential for the relocation of the Fire Hall and Emergency Services to a site outside of the downtown, such as the town yard or west Sidney.
“It’s important to note that this is basically the minutes of the charrette,” said councillor Tim Chad. The draft report is not intended to be the draft LAP; rather, key elements of the charrette will form the foundation of the draft plan.
The Town has been developing the Local Area Plan for the downtown since October of 2007. The completed plan should come to a formal public hearing in October of 2008.
editor@peninsulanewsreview.com
Tuesday, August 05, 2008
Will I Vote for Dean Fortin?
It is early August and I have only two serious candidates running for mayor of Victoria. Dean Fortin and Stan Sipos are it at the moment and it is rapidly becoming too late for anyone else to enter the race.
I know very little about Stan Sipos and have no way to know if he has what it takes to be mayor. A mayor has to be able to bring the whole council together and bridge the divides, a mayor is not a local equivalent of a premier. I have faith that Dean Fortin has this skill, I have no idea at all if Stan Sipos does.
Any candidate running for mayor has to pass this hurdle before I can even consider their platform. So far only Dean gives me the confidence that he can.
My hesitation about Dean relates to my desire to have someone as mayor that is a visionary and take the city forward to the greatness that is possible. Dean is good status quo and incremental improvement.
I also have concern about his close connection to the NDP. In 2008 the most narrow minded people in Canada are the NDP members I call the "true believers". The NDP suffers from a group think mentality that ends up destroying their best and promoting their worst people. The NDP in BC is now the party in province most out of step with environmental issues. Does Dean have the back bone not to be slavishly loyal to the latest diktat from NDP central casting?
Having met Dean, I think he has the fortitude to do that which is best for Victoria and the NDP when he is mayor. I think he will learn that he is own person as mayor and not a front for the NDP (though he may not yet know it) I can see him growing into the job after a term and becoming one of our better mayors, certainly he is likely to be the best mayor from the left we have had.
As of this point I would have to convinced not to vote for Dean Fortin for mayor because at the moment he is the best candidate for the position.
I know very little about Stan Sipos and have no way to know if he has what it takes to be mayor. A mayor has to be able to bring the whole council together and bridge the divides, a mayor is not a local equivalent of a premier. I have faith that Dean Fortin has this skill, I have no idea at all if Stan Sipos does.
Any candidate running for mayor has to pass this hurdle before I can even consider their platform. So far only Dean gives me the confidence that he can.
My hesitation about Dean relates to my desire to have someone as mayor that is a visionary and take the city forward to the greatness that is possible. Dean is good status quo and incremental improvement.
I also have concern about his close connection to the NDP. In 2008 the most narrow minded people in Canada are the NDP members I call the "true believers". The NDP suffers from a group think mentality that ends up destroying their best and promoting their worst people. The NDP in BC is now the party in province most out of step with environmental issues. Does Dean have the back bone not to be slavishly loyal to the latest diktat from NDP central casting?
Having met Dean, I think he has the fortitude to do that which is best for Victoria and the NDP when he is mayor. I think he will learn that he is own person as mayor and not a front for the NDP (though he may not yet know it) I can see him growing into the job after a term and becoming one of our better mayors, certainly he is likely to be the best mayor from the left we have had.
As of this point I would have to convinced not to vote for Dean Fortin for mayor because at the moment he is the best candidate for the position.
Sunday, August 03, 2008
This is soooo COOL!
I am very, very impressed by the sort of actions being taken by UVic to encourage biking to the campus. Back when I was at UVic (1983-89) biking was not very common. I biked about 1/4 of the time and that was unusual at the time.
Here is an article from the Saanich News
By Roszan Holmen - Saanich News
Published: July 31, 2008 1:00 PM
Updated: July 31, 2008 3:01 PM
Here is an article from the Saanich News
UVic commits to keep cars off campus
By Roszan Holmen - Saanich News
Published: July 31, 2008 1:00 PM
Updated: July 31, 2008 3:01 PM
From rust-buckets to antique European-styled bicycles, the volunteer mechanics with the University of Victoria's Spokes program see it all.
The four lead mechanics, aided by a team of 40 volunteers, are working hard to fix their fleet of used bicycles to match them up with needy students and staff.
Spokes was launched in 2003 and has since loaned out 1,000 bicycles for a one-year term.
The program has 350 bicycles currently in circulation but expects another 50 applications come September. The bikes are all donated by community and arrive in all states of repair.
Some go strait to recycling, some have salvageable parts and others arrive in need of just a bit of work, says Branden Rishel whose been volunteering as a mechanic for over two years.
He says he likes the work because, unlike his day job with Victoria's Car Share Co-op, Spokes lets him get his hands dirty.
He also loves teaching the other volunteers how to fix their own bikes.
"It's wonderful to see them take apart of set of brakes and see how it all works," he said.
An exit survey of bike recipients indicates 85 per cent want to buy their own bicycle for commuting, said Sarah Webb, campus sustainability co-ordinator.
According to the last transit audit conducted by the university in 2006, six per cent of students and staff bike to campus, she said. The number has been slowly rising since it dropped from almost nine per cent in 1998 when UVic introduced the UPASS program, providing all students with a bus pass.
Spokes is part the University's strategy to reduce traffic congestion on campus. Every year UVic spends $325,000 on its Travel Choices Program, encouraging cycling, walking, ride sharing, car sharing and transit. It also contributes $170,000 towards UPASS.
UVic's commitment to reducing car traffic is fueled by more than environmentalism. It's also to keep a promise made to Saanich council in return for relaxed parking requirements on campus.
In 2006, Saanich council allowed UVic to forgo 254 parking spaces, normally required, when it built it's new science building.
The vote wasn't unanimous, however.
Coun. Wayne Hunter cautioned UVic may one day discontinue it's commitment to alternate transit. Meanwhile, Coun. Jackie Ngai argued the future will inevitably bring more cars to campus.
For now, UVic's still on track.
"Our traffic audits are proof in the pudding," said Webb. "Since 1996, our campus population has increased by 19 per cent, but when you actually look at traffic volumes, they've decreased by 17 per cent."
Annual parking pass sales have also dropped from 5,606 during the 2001-2001 school year to 4,157 last year.
In 2006, 40 per cent of students and staff cycled, walked, roller-bladed or took transit to campus. The next audit results are due in October.
rholmen@saanichnews.com
Did you know?
In September, UVic is planning to open a self-serve bike kitchen for anyone to use. The station will offer an air station and basic bike repair tools for students, staff and other cyclists commuting through campus. It will be located by the bus loop.
Saturday, August 02, 2008
Cool Cities
This is from the Cool Cities website:
Capital Regional District, BC
Mayor:
Date of Adoption:
0000-00-00
Primary Contact:
Dean Murdock
Why My City is Cool
The Capital Regional District (CRD) is the regional government for the 13 municipalities and three electoral areas that are located on the southern tip of Vancouver Island. It is leading the way in planning for a sustainable energy future.
On February 13th 2008, the regional government unanimously adopted a community energy plan and the creation of a monitoring function to measure greenhouse gas reductions. The regional Climate Action Plan will cut greenhouse gas emissions 33% by 2020.
The plan targets action for improving energy efficiency in buildings, increasing transportation efficiency, encouraging energy efficient land use planning, diversifying energy supplies, educating residents and businesses, and showing local government leadership.
The Cool Capital Coalition has helped bring about such leadership in the region. They are:
- Dean Murdock, Co-Chair, Sierra Club Victoria Group
- Irwin Henderson, President, Island Transformations.Org
- Ian Baker, Director, Values-based Business Network
- Gerry Howell Jones, The Malahat Coalition
- Susan Draper, Victoria Interfaith Committee for Global Justice (KAIROS) and the Multifaith Initiative for Justice and Peace (KAIROS)
- Rev. Kenneth Gray, Environmental Committee, Anglican Diocese of British Columbia
- Charley Beresford, Trustee, Greater Victoria School District
- Judy Gaylord, First Unitarian Church of Victoria
- Naomi Devine, Co-Founder, Common Energy
- Dan Pollock, Transitwiki.ca
- Jim McIsaac, Director Sustainability, T.Buck Suzuki Environmental Foundation
- Mary Carlisle, Stop Global Warming Victoria
- Capital Unitarian Universalist Congregation
- Dorothy Clippingdale, Greater Victoria Water Watch Coalition and Council of Canadians Victoria Chapter
- Joe Richardson, Colwood Smart Growth Association
- Ian Gartshore, Energy Solutions for Vancouver Island
- Christian Engelstoft, Central Saanich Energy Committee
- Sheila Hanna, Outreach Committee of First Metropolitan United Church
- Caspar Davis, Victoria Branch of the World Federalist Movement
- Smart Growth BC
- BC Government and Service Employees’ Union
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