Wednesday, August 20, 2008

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

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