Jan 23 - Mayor says Victoria has done enough

Good morning !

Check out that forecast: we’re going to get into minus digits. Cool.

There’s a new-old look coming to the corner of Richmond and Birch near the Royal Jubilee.
But we start with an update on Victoria’s $10M project to make downtown great again.

— Mark

Today’s approx. read time: 5 minutes

🌡️ Weather Forecast

Today: 🌤️ 7 / -4

Tomorrow: 🌤️ 5 / 1

Sunday: 🌤️ 5 / 1

7-day forecast

NEWS

Victoria's community safety plan on track as city continues to seek a helping hand

“We've done a lot, and we've done enough,” Mayor Marianne Alto said yesterday as she gave an update to the city’s Community Safety and Wellbeing Plan, now in its seventh month. 

When asked for whom those words were aimed, the mayor responded that it was a message to anyone who’s listening—and it wouldn’t be outrageous to presume she hoped some of her colleagues in surrounding municipalities were among them.  

“We have high expectations that we have demonstrated how to do this work, how to balance this work, how to pay for this work, how important it is, and that now it is for others to use these examples and take the lead in their own communities.”

The city’s $10.35-million, 99-point plan was designed to address complex social challenges the city faces, such as street crime, drug use, mental illness, and homelessness.

It includes a mandate to fill gaps and find solutions in housing, healthcare, service delivery, policing, and attention to downtown in terms of cleanliness and serving business owners. 

The strategy was unveiled in July, and it seems to be on or ahead of schedule.

The city already has implemented all 11 of its priority actions, with five completed, including the hiring of nine additional dedicated police officers at VicPD.

Read the rest of the story here. 

⚠️ Capital Bulletin

Saanich road closures: 
* Kremlin between Kisber and Broadmead, 7:30am-3:30pm, through Feb. 27
* Sea View between Bedford and Miramontes, 9am-3:30pm, today 

Saanich single-lane traffic: Maddock West between Burnside West and Wascana, 7:30am-4:30pm, through Jan. 30

Mount Cain ski hill near Woss closes for the weekend and awaits more snow. Mt. Washington is open, but there is no night skiing this weekend.

Driving today? Check the current traffic situation via Google.

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NEWS

Turner building replacement approved; will take 2 years to build

Victoria’s Jubilee neighbourhood is set to have a new community hub at Richmond and Birch, where another once stood.

The Turner building, known for its rounded facade, was once home to the popular Ian’s Coffee Stop (often called Ian’s Coffee Shop) and other small businesses. But for more than 20 years, it had sat vacant until multiple fires led to its demolition last year.

A new development is set to replace it—and it has echoes of the former landmark.
Mock-ups of the development show it has a similar, rounded, flatiron style to the Turner building, maintaining the distinct architecture of the area.

But this building will offer even more features to bring the community together. The development will feature six storeys, with 55 rental units and three commercial spaces. There will also be a public plaza on Birch—to be named Turner Plaza—where approximately 100 feet of the street will be designated as pedestrian-only.

According to Empresa Properties, the developer that owns the lot, the “plaza provides the neighbourhood opportunities such as farmers markets, community gatherings, small music events, and a sense of connectivity between the natural and built environment.”

A dedicated dining space within the building has already been listed for rent, with a call going out to local restaurateurs interested in acquiring the spot. The plaza will allow for patio space for the eatery.

Empresa also struck a deal last year with the owner of downtown’s Hey Happy coffee shop to open a second location on the building’s ground floor.

The City of Victoria is providing up to $530K for the plaza’s construction, with the rest of the funding coming from Empresa.

This story ran for our Insiders on Jan. 18. Consider becoming an Insider today and be the first to receive stories every Sunday.

⭐️ Capital Picks

🏒 Victoria Grizzlies host Prince George Spruce Kings tonight at the Q Centre. 

🐷 🦙 Different kind of spectator: Alpacas at Beacon Hill Children's Farm keep an eye on the pigs as they enjoy some hay. [BHCF]

🗞️ In Other News

Bald eagle euthanized in Metchosin after being shot multiple times 
A woman in Metchosin found an eagle on her property that appeared to be injured and unable to fly. She contacted Wild ARC, which brought the bird in for X-rays. Three pellets were found in the eagle—one in the wing, one in the body, and one in the leg. Its injuries were too severe, leading conservationists to euthanize it.  How the eagle was shot remains unclear. Bald eagles are a protected species, and hunting one could lead to hefty fines and possible jail time. [CHEK] 

Hotel sites proposed for new Colwood waterfront development
The Beachlands property in Royal Bay is expected to be built over the next 15 years, with 2,850 homes, parks, plazas, and dozens of dining and retail businesses. Now, the developers are looking to add hotels to the area. An application for two designated hotel sites was submitted to Colwood council this week, with one location on Metchosin Road and another in the site’s centre. Developers say the hotels would be key to boosting tourism and commercial success in the neighbourhood. [Times Colonist]

YMCA/YWCA eyes March move to the Bay Centre
The exact opening date of the new location hasn’t been finalized yet, but YMCA/YWCA operators have a tentative plan to be out of the community centre’s long-term home on Broughton in the next two months. The gym will occupy 20K square feet of the Bay Centre’s top floor, with mostly new equipment. Underground parking at the mall will be free for members while accessing the gym. The City of Victoria will take over the lease of the former YMCA building, with plans for upgrades before it eventually opens during the Crystal Pool’s five-year closure. [Victoria News]

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🗓️ Things To Do

🎻 Oliver Swain's BIG MACHINE & The Unfaithful Servants: BC's most exciting newgrass band delivers explosive instrumentals, compelling storytelling, and high-powered vocals while touring in support of their sophomore record, Fallen Angel. Mary Winspear Centre. Tonight. 7:30pm. [Info]

🤣 Improve Comedy Live: Some of the best comedy improv Victoria has to offer, featuring Entertainment Village and Adrienne Fish with exclusive happy hour deals. The Mint. Tonight. 8pm. [Info]

🧿 Community Day: Swimming into the New Year!: Start the new year with curiosity and creativity, exploring the exhibit 1858: Black Routes, Black Roots, and making beaded fish inspired by coastal waters. Maritime Museum of BC. Tomorrow. 9:30am-4:30pm (crafts 1:30-4pm). [Info]

🐦 Mini Mariner Mornings—Bird is the Word: Learn about local birds and check out bird-watching tools from the museum collection while making your own pair of binoculars to spot birds in your neighbourhood. Maritime Museum of BC. Tomorrow. 10-11am. [Info]

😆 Hecklers Presents: Adrienne Fish: Saturday night comedy featuring top comics from across Canada and beyond, with early and late shows available. Hecklers Bar & Grill. Tomorrow. 7pm and 10pm. [Info]

🎶 The Village Choir Winter Concert with Dawn Pemberton: This genre-agnostic singing community performs music by D'Angelo, Shania Twain, Imogen Heap, and more, featuring special guest vocalist Dawn Pemberton. McPherson Playhouse. Tomorrow. 7:30pm. [Info]

🎼 The Choirs YYJ Winter Concert with Special Guests: Multiple choirs share original arrangements of songs by Heart, Blur, Enya, and Neko Case, with special guests Jay Malinowski and Stephanie Cadman. The Farquhar at UVic. Tomorrow. 7:30pm. [Info]

🎼 The Planets: Symphony in Space: Blast off with music from out of this world, from Holst's The Planets to John Williams' Star Wars and beyond, exploring concert classics and inspired film scores. Royal Theatre. Tomorrow-Sun. 7:30pm/2:30pm. [Info]

🎭 The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical: The Canadian College of Performing Arts (CCPA) presents an adaptation of Rick Riordan’s beloved book about a quest to find Zeus’s missing lightning bolt. CCPA Performance Hall. Jan. 30-Feb. 7. [Info]

👀 In Case You Missed It

Thursday’s headlines: BC appoints housing adviser to North Saanich; More bike lanes going in: on Cook and on Blanshard; Hartland Landfill future being decided. [Jan. 22]

Saanich slaying spurs calls to address gender violence. [CP / CTV]

Stolen $3,500 e-bike: Langford councillor registered and tracked it. [Times Colonist]

Inside the new Telus Ocean building near the Empress. [CHEK] 

Closed: Goldstream Provincial Park day-use area and trail to Niagara Falls. [BC Parks]

Northern lights over Oak Bay. [Facebook photo]

Ice bubbles seen in the Songhees/Gorge area. [Facebook photos]  

That’s it!

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