Capital Letters: Top priorities for newly elected local governments

In a couple of weeks, newly elected mayors and councils across Greater Victoria will hold their inaugural meetings and get down to the business of governing their respective communities.

We asked Capital Daily readers which issues they want to see take priority at the council table. Below, we've printed a few representative samples.

Controlling the urban deer population

I realize that there are many pressing issues facing the city of Victoria, such as affordable housing, but as a gardener, I would like the city government to do something about the infestation of deer. Why can’t Victoria, Saanich and Oak Bay get together on a joint contraception program (or better yet, merciful culling)?

Sincerely,

Elizabeth Tumasonis

Moderation and walk-in clinics in View Royal

We live in View Royal. We've watched moderate growth in the almost 20 years we've lived here, with new condo buildings, plazas, increasing population, etc. We will need some major upgrades in infrastructure given that there are so many through-fares that run through this Municipality. Many of our residents have concerns about traffic flow through these main arteries that touch up against several family-oriented neighbourhoods.

A second major concern is securing 1 or 2 Walk-in Clinics. Currently, people are experiencing long wait times on the doorstep of VGH. This is absolutely inappropriate. How are we expected to wait for hours out in the cold and rain while we are sick with gawd knows what symptoms? Not everything is Covid.

Please help, we are all suffering the consequences of poor planning from our government at various levels.

Kind regards, Ingrid Kuhrt

Three major priorities

1. More police, probably bike police because the crime rate is just absurd.

2. Affordable housing

3. Additional transit especially earlier hours for people who go to work early

Ian

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Reconsidering Clover Point access

I'd like to see closure of Clover Point loop during the winter revisited as [Marianne] Alto and [Councillor Charlayne] Thornton Joe previously proposed.

Colleen Smith

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We voted. I’d like to see the picnic tables and chairs moved at Clover Point so we can drive around and there is more parking for us. We, who have lived here all our lives and been comfortable with the “Sunday drives”

So many decisions [have been] made to suit more mobile citizens while those who are elderly or with mobility issues weren’t considered. It is a wonderful point to sit and watch Mother Nature on a wild wet West Coast day at an older age.

Poor decisions were made around where the bike routes have been made. I’m a biker, don’t get me wrong, but I feel for shop owners and bus drivers on Fort Street. Richardson Street, which was a main artery, was closed to traffic and a residential street is now being overrun by cars.

Skyscrapers are going up and enclosing the downtown core taking away the natural light. Time to slow down and think about the future of Victoria.

I would like to see the infrastructure updated throughout. Old sewer and water lines, [and] storm drains installed on residential streets.

Lastly, if only the Growlers’ rumble can go away and never return.

Cathy Jupp Campbell

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Dog walkers miss Cadboro Bay beach access for furry friends

I want the new mayor and council to revisit the issue of dogs off-leash on Cadboro Bay beach. There used to be a wonderful dog walker community that met up with neighbours at the beach while their dogs ran and played. It was great exercise and socialization for both dogs and their owners.

The beach was an off-leash area post-Labour Day to June and half on-leash June to Labour Day after 0900. The issue of it being a bird sanctuary and dogs disturbing birds was overblown and misrepresented. The 'sanctuary' was enacted to stop birds being hunted and shot by people and not intended to address dogs on the beach. Birds have many areas along the coast that dogs and people cannot access on foot.

One of the things I loved about living in Saanich was the balancing of community needs. The recent changes that have banned all off-leash dogs on Cadboro Bay beach is not balanced. It meets the needs of one small segment of Saanich residents and ignores the needs of the rest of us.

Lynda Bell

Housing, housing, housing

More non-profit and affordable rentals.

Maria Nathans

I want Victoria councillors to state and demonstrate they have each read the entire current [Missing Middle] proposal and the contracted consultant’s financial feasibility report. Then, how each understands the reasons why MM was not passed in its existing form by the last council.

I want the new council to suggest any further refinements of the plan that has to include mandated ‘affordability,’ i.e. 1/3 of income. Can the city legislate that ONLY ‘affordable’ housing can be built on certain lots?

I also want to know if the city is in the market for buying neglected properties to develop for co-ops.

Further, how actively are non-profit housing providers bird-dogging properties for sale that said providers could build on? I referred Cool Aid to a couple of Menzies St properties just down from those the aforementioned developer bought; their real estate arm didn’t know about them.

Pat McGuire

Action on new shelter sites with washroom facilities and regular health and safety checks—not in parks.

Work with other levels of government and non-profits to provide affordable subsidized and supportive housing.

Improve road surfaces.

Improve recycling collection to include glass.

Create a recycling depot for other plastics, Styrofoam, etc.

Ban use of old wood-burning fireplaces because of health risk.

I could add more but...

Mary Phillips

Thoughts from the Twittersphere

Reduced VicPD budget, fare-free public transit, expanding AAA network, social housing, [and] an end to the horse carriages!

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Excited about [Missing Middle Housing Initaitive], expansion of the AAA [cycling] network, [and] seeing how the new prolific offender registry changes/affects policing, as well as the outreach models alongside policing.

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Would love to see just a blanket ban on right turns on red throughout the city.

Better access to the parks and more parking downtown. Implementation of the recommendations in the governance review.

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I want my council (Victoria) to welcome wheelchair and mobility scooter users to roll on bike and roll routes, and get serious about reducing traffic (VKT) 25% by 2030 (as per provincial climate plan.)