Monthly Archives: February 2012
Vic Councillor to promote “Midtown” at joint council meeting
By Adam Sterling, CFAX 1070, February 29, 2012 A joint council meeting of Victoria and Saanich is scheduled for later today and one Victoria Councillor says he will be urging his colleagues to “think big and dream big.” Ben Isitt says he will be urging joint action on a master plan to develop what he … Continue reading
CFAX radio interview: Midtown Master Plan
Listen to this interview on CFAX 1070 radio with Murray Langdon from February 28, 2012, where I discuss the benefits of a Midtown Master Plan — a joint initiative between Victoria and Saanich to address priorities including jobs, affordable housing, transit, enlarged tax bases, and greenways connecting our municipalities and neighbourhoods: Link to CFAX interview, February … Continue reading
Beacon Hill Park roads could close in trial run
By Bill Cleverley, Victoria Times Colonist, February 26, 2012 Victoria could stage trial closures of some roads in Beacon Hill Park to gauge public opinion before deciding on whether to implement permanent closures. City staff have been asked to come up with options for implementation of a traffic management strategy in the popular park, including … Continue reading
Half of municipal reps on PCC board resign over land sale strategy
By Roszan Holmen, Victoria News, February 24, 2012 Victoria Coun. Ben Isitt is bucking the trend set by his fellow councillors by upholding his appointment to the Provincial Capital Board. “I think there are benefits in having a representative of the city challenging the proposed sell-off of PCC properties at the board table,” he said. … Continue reading
Two more appointees resign from PCC board
By Kim Westad, Victoria Times Colonist, February 23, 2011. Two more municipal appointees to the Provincial Capital Commission board resigned Thursday. Saanich councillors Dean Murdock and Nichola Wade have resigned. Murdock, on the board since December 2008, said a recent restructuring of the commission puts the region’s heritage properties and assets at risk. Wade works … Continue reading
PCC board member quits over land sales
By Carla Wilson and Rob Shaw, Victoria Times Colonist, February 22, 2012 Veteran Victoria Coun. Geoff Young has resigned from the Provincial Capital Commission board, the day after the province announced in its new budget that some of the agency’s property would go on the market. “I wrote out my resignation this morning and I’m … Continue reading
Negotiations for Victoria baseball team proceed
By Roszan Holmen, Victoria News, February 20, 2012 Victoria city council has given the director of parks Kate Friars the green light to negotiate a non-binding agreement with a new baseball team for summertime use of Royal Athletic Park. Under debate are the economics of running the park and the concessions required to bring a … Continue reading
Johnson Street Bridge to continue as planned
By Roszan Holmen, Victoria News, February 20, 2012 A late-in-the-game request to consider building the Johnson Street Bridge strong enough to accommodate rail split councillors into two camps. Newly elected councillors Shellie Gudgeon and Lisa Helps voted in favour of Coun. Ben Isitt’s motion to change course on Feb. 16. Returning councillors voted to stay … Continue reading
Victoria approves ban on feeding pests
By Roszan Holmen, Victoria News, February 19, 2012 If feeding pigeons, doves or gulls is your passion, you better get to know the boundaries of the downtown. Victoria city council passed a motion forbidding people from feeding these birds in the core, where they have proven themselves to be an expensive nuisance for businesses. Companies … Continue reading
Blue Bridge replacement won’t be redesigned to allow for rail
By Bill Cleverley, Victoria Times Colonist, February 16, 2012 Victoria councillors have decided against redesigning the Johnson Street Bridge project to accommodate future commuter rail. Coun. Ben Isitt wanted the council to direct staff to prepare a request for tenders for a design-build contract for a new Johnson Street Bridge. The new bridge would not … Continue reading
New councillor wants to reopen Johnson Street Bridge design debate
By Roszan Holmen, Victoria News, February 15, 2012 Coun. Ben Isitt says it would be fiscally prudent to revisit the design of the Johnson Street Bridge, whose replacement is underway. “Could we build a simpler, more functional bridge, for much cheaper?” he asked. Isitt was first elected to city council in November. On Feb. 7, … Continue reading
Baseball team’s use of park questioned
By Roszan Holmen, Victoria News, February 13, 2012 Victoria council will vote tomorrow (Feb. 16) on whether to empower the city’s parks director to enter into negotiations with a new professional baseball team. The team’s owner is a secret, but the team would be part of the West Coast League. Last week, some councillors expressed concern … Continue reading
Private estate owner eyes Victoria’s lampposts
By Roszan Holmen, Victoria News, February 12, 2012 Victoria city’s unique lampposts have caught the eye of an estate owner in New York state. Back in 2003, council granted a request by the American to reproduce the patented design. Now, the estate owner wants 12 to 16 more lampposts to be installed on his residential … Continue reading
CFAX interview: Rethinking Garbage and the Royal Athletic Park
In this February 10 interview on CFAX 1070 with Al Ferraby, I discuss Victoria City Council’s decision to reconsider its new garbage and kitchen scrap program, as well as discussions over future uses of the Royal Athletic Park: Link to CFAX Radio interview, February 10, 2012 // Download CFAX 1070 Podcast from Feb 10th, 2012 … Continue reading
Curbside trash pickup put on hold
By Jeff Bell, Victoria Times Colonist, February 10, 2012 Victoria’s garbage isn’t coming out of the backyard and onto the curbside, at least for the time being. Councillors decided Thursday night to hold off on the change, but it is expected to be back on the council’s agenda next week. The council was scheduled to … Continue reading
