DRA & DV2020 Election Questions
for a Better Downtown Victoria
Submitted by Joseph Boutelier
www.futureisnow.ca• Please list specific initiatives and proposals you will put forward to improve the livability of Downtown for its residents.
From my website at www.futureisnow.ca:
Expand identification of historic elements downtown with outdoor markings, signs, photos and interactive features for all ages.
- Increase downtown resident density through designs reflective of existing downtown neighbourhoods.
- Alter heritage designation definition to preserve unique structures from different eras and promote continuing downtown diversity.
- Boost the development of more supported, transitional and long-term housing throughout the downtown area with self-supporting facilities and resources to reduce cross-class conflict and miscommunication.
- Increase the amount of grassroots art projects and entertainment festivities in Market Square and other open venues.
- Increase the number of supervised or automatically-secure public washroom facilities, payphones, water fountains/dispensers and other basic services for tourists and citizens, male and female, homeless and housed, alike.
- Form a collective, community-owned, moderated and operated system of security cameras and features downtown, with a universal privacy policy to ensure complete transparency.
- Explore alternative methods of distributing information on local services and tourist attractions as well as self-guided tours using technology such as interactive texting for mobile phones, maps for GPS units, and bluetooth 'broadcasts' for PDAs and other devices.
- Preserve downtown greenspace at every opportunity, and encourage more green-themed development preserving a cohesive Garden City image.
- Create more 'park & ride' style lots on the outskirts of the core to encourage the use of public transportation downtown.
- Test the potential of car-free segments of the core by celebrating 'car-free' days in certain spaces and exploring unique ways of getting visitors and residents to the front doors of stores and services.
- Revive the municipal 'blue bike' program with local funding and added safety and security features.
- Review options for guiding the late-night entertainment scene to select downtown areas to accommodate business interests while improving safety, law and order.
- Provide clear pedestrian routes to and from existing attractions and create more public walkways around the waterfront to preserve public viewpoints and access.
• 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
Preserve and enhance downtown greenspaces and encourage greenspace integration in collective downtown developments.
• Late night downtown issues
Closing late-night eateries is not the solution to late night downtown issues. We need better security measures, urban design and transportation strategies to reduce strain on small portions of the urban core and encourage a healthier diversity in late-night consumers and 'night-life' locations.
• Policing and safety
We need a larger focus on general law-enforcement and we also need to recognize that added security doesn't have to be costly to our community or our wallets. I support integrated police forces for investigative and road-safety initiatives, and community-owned security cameras and legal programs, along with support for restorative justice and community courts, to offer the Vic PD and our residents fresh options of addressing issues of safety and security with long-term objectives.
• Continuing residential development
I support the growth of downtown residence and community, with higher-than-common density (locally) when we can develop according to cohesive neighbourhood and urban visions and ensuring a new standard for consultation. We also have to be more supportive of secondary-suites and affordable housing projects. We have to recognize that these creations also have potential to alleviate stress on local businesses and our economy in the future by providing spaces for potential employees and supporting downtown diversity.
• Additional cultural/social amenities
We need to celebrate our existing arts and cultural community by integrating more collaborative programs in the community and encouraging a larger variety of downtown arts and entertainment events.
• Commercial prosperity
I support improved even access to local small businesses and greater engagement among our commercial and residential communities in the downtown decision-making process, as well as broader, non-profit tourism initiatives, diversified industries with incentives for employers and manufacturers in the tech, arts and entertainment sectors, and investments in environmental and economic sustainability through renewable energy and infrastructure movements. We also need to consider diversifying our property tax standards for businesses that contribute to our economic climate, environment and social evolution.
Transportation planning
Ensure that public transportation is evenly accessible, not just for users but to the businesses and services it connects us to. Also, consider the creation of a free shuttle that goes between downtown attractions, with financial support from a network of businesses.
• Infrastructure improvements
We should posses a much higher standard in infrastructure creation and maintenance, reflective of our property prices and demand. We need to work on environmental sustainability, access for people with disabilities, aesthetics and design elements that make new buildings more compatible with places of historical and cultural significance, and improve our downtown community planning process to ensure we reach beyond consultation and engage our citizens in brainstorming tomorrow.
• Budget priorities
Addressing social issues is key to improving the downtown environment, which is, in turn, key to improving the independence and sustainability of our economy.
• Property taxes
We need a larger diversity of property taxes, with lower rates for community services provided at reasonable rates (ie child care) and higher rates for residential properties only occupied for select months each year (ie vacation suites). We may also consider new incentives for businesses that have demonstrated long-time neighbourhood support and contributions and are pillars of our downtown community.
• 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.
I support the creation of a contract to be drafted between social service providers and neighbouring residents and businesses to provide forethought into potential conflicts and draft solutions for future reference. Social service providers need to have additional support from local government in coordinating policies and networks to ensure adequate safety, security and control of client traffic. I also believe we need more active opportunities for residents to contribute to downtown planning and visioning, and not after-the-fact consultation.
• 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?
The city needs to play a role in advocating, collaborating and strategizing to ensure that all NGOs have clear objectives without overlap and that priority funding is always available. We have also seen the potential for the downtown community and the business community to come together in exciting fundraising efforts and community economic development initiatives that can contribute collectively and cooperatively for the support of necessary social services.
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?
We need to start looking at alternative methods of communication. We need more front-line workers and 'front-line livers' on our advisory committees and more opportunities for representatives to communicate and offer input through public forums, online communication tools, referendums and City Hall events. We also have to make our Coalition more visible and mobile, bringing it into the community and encouraging coordinated volunteer events, campaigns, fundraisers and initiatives.
• 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.
We need new energy and stalwart councillors who care about actions more than words. We need community 'watch-dog' organization to provide guidance and advocacy on civic plans and we need clear timelines and objectives for every plan and policy approved by council.
• 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.
This plan should be a top priority in terms of improving Victoria's livability and pedestrian-friendliness, and there is potential for an expanded mandate to see issues in close proximity to the harbourfront addressed simultaneously (such as the cycling havoc that ensues off the Johnson St. Bridge and revitalization of the nearby park).
• 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.
Both these plans, along with a plan to expand Victoria's garden-city image and cohesive green-structure, could be implemented with a large amount of community support and not a particularly high price tag. It's a matter of providing guidelines, visions and logistical organizing; all things that city staff are well capable of under the right guidance from council.
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?
Yes; actions and results have to come from of targets, dates and firm commitments.
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?
Diversifying our demographics in terms of visitors and residents, ensuring we can afford to house or young workforce that contributes to local-businesses growth (as customers and employees), and push Victoria to its potential as an attractive destination for those drawn to witnessing exciting new initiatives in the environment, transportation, arts and culture and recreation. Furthermore, we have to take advantage of provincial grant money to revitalize our downtown core and to address civic issues and provincial objectives in simultaneous collaboration.
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, it is possible to increase density without destroying the historic significance and cohesive vision of our downtown environments or building higher than our zoning and community plans suggest. We need a high standard in new developments, preserving the aesthetics and functionality of today's neighbourhoods and improving our social and environmental preparedness through smart design.
Yes. Please see my first answer for more information.
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?
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?
The quality educational, cultural and historical attractions of Victoria have proved to be the most prosperous and valuable of our downtown investments, and we must continue this legacy with continued priority for the development of new facilities and amenities for residents and visitors. These proposals should be top priorities among tourism and economic-development initiatives.
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