DRA & DV2020 Election Questions
for a Better Downtown Victoria
Submitted by Charlayne Thornton-Joehttp://www.charlayne.ca
• Please list specific initiatives and proposals you will put forward to improve the livability of Downtown for its residents.
A few initiatives already done as an incumbent: supported positive developments in the downtown to increase population living in the downtown. Supported the hiring of more officers on the downtown beat and bike team. Worked on initiatives such as Lee Mong Kow Way, and having murals added to the downtown to showcase the history. Worked on issues of concerns by residents (noise, lighting, policing, crime, etc).
Those that I would like to put forward:
I would like to continue to work on the recommendations of the Mayor's Task Force on Homelessness, Mental Illness and Addictions (which I was Chair of the Steering committee) and the Greater Victoria Coalition to End Homelessness (which is cochaired by Mayor Lowe and the Honorable Ted Hughes) which I am a member of the Leadership Council.
I would like to continue to work towards a Community Court, which I brought to the attention of the Chamber and the Downtown Victoria Business Association when I arranged for a session on the NY Community Court. We are working towards putting everything in place to assist us in making it a reality.
• Please state your opinion about, and a corresponding action you would propose that the City of Victoria adopt, on the following issues:
• Late night downtown issues
Like most issues, this one is also muli-layered. This issue must balance the desire of having a vibrant entertainment district but also the desire to welcome more residential and tourists. We need more policing to assist with issues such as fighting, drinking and driving, public uriniatin, more late night transportation options, and liquor control enforcement. We need individuals to show more self responsibility and more respect for others. We need business's to have a business model that contributes to the vibrancy of our downtown and does not negatively effect it or add additional costs to the tax payer.
• Policing and safety
We must differentiate between the perception of safety and the reality. We need to bring the police case burden to an acceptable level. We must ensure that the CREST communication system is working effectively. We must assist in giving the police the tools they need to find compliance. We must work on the social issues so that it does not continue to be perceived as a “policing” issue. We need to work on regional issues such as gangs, cyber crimes, etc. We must work on changing the “culture” of the bar activity to decrease the disturbances.
• 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.
Any agreement/bylaw can only be as effective as the ability to be in compliance and the ability to properly enforce. To ensure that social providers are able to avoid negative effects in the surrounding area, we must work to ensure that agencies are given ongoing and appropriate operating dollars. We must not set them up for failure by funding inadequately. Also, we need more scattered sites for agencies instead of one fixed site (one shelter, one drop in centre, one needle exchange). This becomes more problematic that a solution.
• The Social Health of Downtown
There are 214 Non Profits funded by the United Way in Victoria. Funding Analysis shows that their volunteer base and number of funders is declining. Many of these Non Profits are charged with providing essential services for the social health of Victoria. Now that the economic climate is weakening 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?
As the issues are regional issues and not just Downtown issues, we need to see more regional funding and assistance coming forward.
We have a Coalition to end Homelessness, we have a plan, but we don't have all of the organizations working together yet. The new mayor and council will be charged in ensuring that this is resolved or the Coalition will not be successful and the problems will only get worse. 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?
The Mayor's Task Force's findings are now “owned” by the greater community….not just the City. It is not the new Mayor and council that will be charged in ensuring results but the entire region, other levels of government and the citizens themselves. Before we can get the organizations working together, the Coalition must have a clear strategic plan, with action items and goals. The Coalition must also have the ability to drive the funding to where the overall solutions are. We must also work to better streamline entry points so that individuals do not fall through the cracks of this very complex and confusing system.
• Making Plans become Realities
The City planning department, in cooperation with community associations and other stakeholder groups has created some excellent plans to ensure the success and vitality of downtown. Unfortunately some of these plans have been "in the works" for many years without much tangible progress on the ground. In particular we are concerned about the following four plans:
• The Downtown Plan – The City needs not just to adopt this plan but also to consider how to activate it, fund it, and make sure things come to pass.
• The Harbourfront Walkway Plan , which 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.
• An excellent plan adopted in 1992 entitled the Downtown Beautification Strategy which seems to have fallen into disuse.
• The Greenways Plan which will make our city a more sustainable, walkable and liveable place.
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?
I am aware of these initiatives. We must clearly understand the history, the constraints and the partnerships needed to move the initiatives forward.
6. 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. There are signs that this climate is weakening, and the question on our minds is, “Have we made enough progress to sustain ourselves over the coming times?”
How would you provide diligence in monitoring the health of downtown retail and services?
We must work with our partners such as Tourism Victoria, the Chamber, the Downtown Victoria Business Association, the Hotel Association, the Restaurant Association and others to be aware of the health and the concerns.
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.
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?
Yes I have and will continue.
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?
These are priorities but we must balance these priorities with other priorities of the City and its neighbourhoods.
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