DRA & DV2020 Election Questions
for a Better Downtown Victoria
Submitted by Rob Reid
http://www.runwithrob.caPlease list specific initiatives and proposals you will put forward to improve the livability of Downtown for its residents.
• I will hold a strategy session with representatives of Tourism Victoria , community associations, the provincial tourism ministry, and our City Council to create a fresh and innovative Victoria that will entice tourists back to our city. Our strategy needs to include a Victoria with clean, appealing and safe streets to celebrate its designation as a cultural, as well as provincial, capital.
• I will initiate a resolution to pilot a community court system in support of restorative justice.
• I will work with the Premier and key provincial ministers on the Belleville Terminal project to explore and evaluate some shared opportunities to revitalize this important transportation gateway.
Please state your opinion about, and a corresponding action you would propose that the City of Victoria adopt, on the following issues:
• Park planning/green space
The first step is to zone parks as such. I want to formalize a plan with staff to meet the needs of all residents and support the high standard of live Victorians expect and deserve.
• Late night downtown issues
The answer to many concerns is to have an active, vibrant downtown. This has worked well in other Canadian cities (Halifax an excellent example), and European cities flourish in an environment where there are people enjoying the streets at night time. This means increase hours for eating establishment, transportation options, and the staggering of closing hours. It is, obviously important that this be achieved without negatively impacting quality of life for downtown residents. I will consult with them and with businesses to find a mutually acceptable beneficial solution.
• Policing and safety
I will meet the new Chief and Board to build a plan for the region and downtown that tackles the key concerns of the residents of both Victoria and other municipalities. Citizen feedback, including at town hall meetings, will be encouraged, together with opportunities to collaboration with other municipalities. We need workable responsive policing and to look at one officer per car and more of them on active street patrol.
• Continuing residential development
I will see that the official community plan is updated. Staff will work on terms of reference in the new year, with a firm timeline for the task to be completed. This will increase the confidence of both communities and developers. The process must be re-worked to be, and to be seen as, both timely and effective.
• Additional cultural/social amenities
This is part of the vision we need to invigorate our city. As the provincial capital, we should be working with the Provincial Capital Commission, whose mandate is to "connect and celebrate the Capital with all British Columbians."
We need to consider senior demographics in our plans, and develop a plan such as the Healthy Communities Program in Saanich. These actions will attract people downtown again.
• Commercial prosperity
Much needs to be done to maximize the full potential of our exceptional community. A first step is to pull the 2020 vision off of the shelf and get it done. This community's broad vision covers business and social issues. What we have lacked is leadership and focus. I want to build th e DVBA to a larger scale, provide better support for local businesses, and empower the Greater Victoria Economic Development Commission to be more proactive.
• Transportation planning
All regional partners must unite to follow through on a plan in the next year. We will work with the Island Corridor Foundation to support the E&N initiative and review our traffic calming measures. We will review routes for transit and tour buses and encourage operators to develop green transport. Transportation planning will include the harbour and airport, as we rebuild our relationship with the Federal Ministry of Transport on pending changes to water and airport regulations. I will ask Minister Baird to visit Victoria to join in a these discussions.
• Infrastructure improvements
A comprehensive answer depends on what budget we will be working with. We have been promised monies from the Province, and as we are now in provincial pre-election mode, I expect more such announcements. I will work with city staff in actively pursuing grant opportunities more effectively.
• Budget priorities
I will be involved with budget and financial matters with staff. One first step is to examine the books for the past decade to see where money has been spent: which departments have grown, with what results, to see where what should be adjusted. My business success is a result of planning skills that I will continue to use in City Hall.
• Property taxes
In times of financial restraint, property taxes should ideally be lowered, but with a pending secondary sewage treatment system, we know this isn't possible. However, we also know that greater costs put greater financial strain particularly on seniors and those on limited or fixed incomes, We must protect both property owners and tenants from undue increases and seek other ways to meet our fiscal responsibilities.
Please explain your plan to ensure that an effective Good Neighbour Agreement with respect to social service providers is put in place to avoid negative effects in the surrounding area.
First of all, social service providers must have adequate resources to meet the demands, and then ensure that they are allocated appropriately. Our downtown core is too vital to our long-term sustainability for us to sacrifice. A Good Neighbour Agreement is a tool we can use to enhance solid relationships and understandings. We need to work carefully and constructively with our communities, including downtown, to ensure that consultation is meaningful and sincere.
The Social Health of Downtown
There are 214 non-profit groups funded by the United Way in Victoria. A funding analysis shows that their volunteer base and number of funders are declining. Many of the groups provide essential services for citizens; this is the social health of our downtown. As the economy weakens, these services are more important than ever.
How would you work to support Non Profits in the community, and what role do you see the City playing in helping keep this sector strong?
Through my work on the United Way Cabinet, I support their not duplicating services with the 60 community partners for 105 programs in the Greater Victoria Region. We need an umbrella to group these efforts. We need efficiency in service provision. We need collaboration with the Province to make our social safety net stronger. We need a comprehensive provincial plan for major cities.
We have a Coalition to End Homelessness , we have a plan, but we don't yet have all organizations working together. The new Mayor and Council need to unite us or the Coalition will not succeed and problems will worsen.
How do you propose getting all 214 non-profits to come to the table and work together under the Greater Victoria Coalition to End Homelessness to provide a more seamless provision of services to those in need and stop providing a duplication of services and therefore a waste of valuable funding?
I strongly believe that coordination with key partners is necessary through the Coalition to strengthen their role in finding solutions. A strategy with timelines is important. The United Way can be useful in bringing in the non profits as their structure already works. Coordination with VIHA is needed as well, and the Coalition can be part of this. However, we need to remember that we must devise a mufti-faceted approach for the diverse groups that comprise the homeless. A coordinator for each area could streamline action plans. Organization charts for the Coalition should be action-driven, not overly layered or complicated. Partnering with the media is crucial. Open houses and community town halls could be useful in sharing progress.
Making Plans become Realities
The City Planning Department, with other community associations and stakeholder groups, has come up with excellent strategies to ensure the viability and vitality of downtown, but some of these have been "in the works" for many years without visible progress. In particular, I am concerned about the following::
• The Downtown Plan – The City needs to adopt the plan, consider how to make it work, fund it, and make it a reality.
• The Harbourfront Walkway Plan – This would connect the harbour from Ogden Point all the way up to the Selkirk trestle. Two key areas are the Belleville Terminal and the Blue Bridge.
• Downtown Beautification Strategy - An excellent plan adopted in 1992 which seems to have been abandoned.
• The Greenways Plan – This will make our city a more sustainable, and pleasant way to live, work and walk around.
Are you aware of all these initiatives? How will you move these ideas out of the "plans and incentives stage" and towards action and results?
Staff, groups, and communities should be empowered to make these plans a reality. A financial plan must be in place, with timelines to support their implementation – thus increasing the confidence of both communities and developers. If these initiates are not implemented, there is no progression of the economy, no vision of what our city stands for. If we choose, and we should, we can be on the cutting edge of new development trends arising from excellent ideas.
Monitoring the Well-being of Downtown
Much of the progress downtown Victoria has made over the last few years has been the result of a very strong economic climate. This climate has weakened somewhat, and the question now is: “Can the progress we've made sustain us through more difficult times?”
How would you provide diligence in monitoring the health of downtown retail and services?
By supporting organizations we already have, funded and in place. Performance measures with clearly communicated results can keep us on track and accountable.
Are you willing to take a stand in supporting more residential density downtown as part of ensuring environmental, social and economic sustainability in our region?
Yes, we need balance with a plan for creative smaller units affordable for those working downtown. More residents living downtown will be very beneficial for Victoria; empty condos will do nothing.
Are you prepared to take leadership in ensuring that downtown provides the cultural and educational resources appropriate to it's role as the hub of the provincial capital?
Most definitely.
What kind of priority will you give issues such as building a new and up-to-date Central Library, encouraging institutions such as the Art Gallery, or University to come downtown?
This is a great opportunity to breathe life into our downtown. These ideas need to be given as much priority as social issues we have been addressing. Quality of life in Victoria can grow with projects/ developments that define “our culture”. I will work with the PCC to guarantee that their properties are used productively to enhance our downtown core and achieve their objectives.
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