Can We Get There from Here?

James Bay Neighbourhood Association

An on-going Beacon feature on land use & planning - to alert, inform, and prompt community action - and to celebrate success!

Transit Planning for the Capital Regional District

Erinn Pinkerton, Director, Corporate and Strategic Planning, and Graeme Masterton, Director, Operational Planning, BC Transit, provided a comprehensive overview of plans for development of the transit system in Greater Victoria, with concentration on the implications for the Downtown and James Bay areas. Planning goals and integration with other urban plans were stressed, and recent trends in transportation patterns and ridership were outlined. (See the website )

Four layers of service were identified: rapid transit along exclusive right-of-ways, frequent transit along major routes, local and community transit, and specialty transit.

The first rapid transit alignment will be from the West Shore Communities to Downtown using the Island Highway and the Trans-Canada Highway to the Uptown Centre in Saanich, and then Douglas Street from Uptown to Downtown. Further rapid transit routes under consideration include (a) Esquimalt to the University of Victoria via Downtown, the Royal Jubilee Hospital and Camosun College, (b) Uptown to the University of Victoria along McKenzie Avenue, and (c) Uptown to Sidney/Airport/Swartz Bay via the Pat Bay Highway. The order in which these routes will be pursued is not, as yet, determined. There are a variety of options being considered for the rapid transit connection south of Hillside Avenue, and a variety of ways in which rapid transit vehicles might be turned around to the south of the downtown core, with different implications for James Bay.

Transit is planning public open houses for October 2010:

- Tuesday, October 5th, 2 - 7pm, Ambrosia Conference Centre, 638 Fisgard St.

- Wednesday, October 6th, 3 - 8pm, Langford Legion, 761 Station Ave.

Some of the following points came out in the question & answer session following the presentation.

- Transit supports the "age in place" concept, and a smaller style of bus is being developed that could serve as a community bus in James Bay. It would be a diesel bus rather than electric powered.

- Better transit connections between James Bay and Fairfield are being considered.

- There are no current plans to provide transit service to move cruise ship passengers from Ogden Point to Downtown. The seasonally specific service required during peak cruise ship times in the summer would suck buses from the rest of the system. BC Transit would also need to find contractual ways of breaking through the Western Stevedoring-Cruise Victoria cartel to provide such a service through James Bay.

- The transit proposal presented options for the "south of Hillside Avenue" section. A JBNA member suggested that Government Street not be used for rapid transit, since its downtown segment should become a pedestrian precinct. A Belleville Street (Crystal Motel) turnaround would be best for rapid transit vehicles, and that a curb-side approach using both Douglas and Blanshard Streets is the preferable option for "south of Hillside Avenue".

Congratulate yourself on living in James Bay when you read about construction delays and 2-hour commutes from the Western Communities.

21 Pilot Street redevelopment proposal

Laura Neil and Desiree Shearer presented their proposal to construct a duplex at 21 Pilot Street. Rezoning is required due to lot size considerations, but no variances pertaining to setbacks seem to be required. They suggested that the proposed duplex is consistent with the James Bay Neighbourhood Plan on several criteria, and that the proposal has already met with positive support from a large majority of close neighbours.

A number of people made positive, and supportive, comments about the proposal. One close neighbour stated opposition to the project, being concerned about additional density and the deterioration of the "single family dwelling" look of the eastern side of Pilot Street. Another neighbour stated that they liked the design of the proposed duplex, and that increased density of the right type is inevitable. She also congratulated the proposers on the extent to which they had consulted with neighbours.

Sewage Treatment

Esquimalt continues to protest the CRD choice of McLoughlin Point as the site for a single sewage treatment facility to serve Greater Victoria. Stated concerns include: the view from approaching cruise ships and float planes, airborne odours close to dense residential areas such as James Bay, sited within a provincial tsunami zone, and the energy expenditure to move sludge the 18 kilometre distance between the proposed liquid and waste treatment sites. Others have noted that the proposal requires the installation of 3 large pipes to carry contaminated liquids under Victoria's harbour, a recognized seismic zone.

Consultants hired by the CRD recognize that, although liquid and waste treatment should be located on a consolidated site (estimated savings of $90 million), the McLoughlin Point site is too small to support both waste streams.

You can follow the opposing points of view at and

Councillor Report

Councillor Madoff gave her final report as City liaison to the James Bay Neighbourhood Association. The Chair's subsequent remarks of appreciation were met with a warm round of applause. It was also noted that Councillor Madoff has been appointed as the City's representative on the GVHA Society Board of Directors, replacing Councillor Chandler. Councillor Hunter will replace Councillor Madoff in the JBNA liaison function.

Greater Victoria Harbour Association (GVHA)

The JBNA advised the GVHA Society of their ongoing lost opportunity. GVHA had the opportunity to create Canadian cruise-tourism performance standards that could have been leading edge in the industry. Rather, GVHA has become subservient to the cruise industry. The cruise-industry needs Victoria. GVHA could do so much more - be good stewards - and be environmentally responsible. Community-identified issues have not been given priority by the GVHA Board.

When presented with the environmental impact of Ogden Point activities, the GVHA response has been to refute the information - rather than taking action to mitigate the problem. The GVHA appears not to have respected the report of the Chief Medical Health Officer, Dr Stanwick, whose key recommendations included:

(a) alerting the community, and especially persons with respiratory problems, of high sulphur dioxide emissions when cruise ships are in port;

(b) adoption of lease language by GVHA to require low sulphur fuel use (maximum 1%) by cruise ships while approaching, berthing and departing Victoria Harbour; and

(c) continued monitoring of cruise ship emissions at Ogden Point.

The GVHA has also not clarified if the recently renewed "cruise ship berth assignment agreements ... for 2010-2012" include clauses to ensure that low sulphur fuels are used in port, as required in Seattle and Vancouver.

To date, there has been no response to a JBNA proposal for a proposed joint GVHA/JBNA committee to review environmental issues and quality of life matters as related to GVHA activities on the near-by community.

Quality of Life (QoL)

The JBNA QoL Committee has undertaken, on behalf of the James Bay community, studies on transportation noise, traffic volumes, air quality, and the 2009 JB Residents survey. The related metrics/reports are available on the JBNA website "http://www.jbna.org". We seek advice from JB residents.

What do you think the JBNA could do to further the mitigation of air-shed emissions, noise pollution and traffic congestion in James Bay? What would you be willing to contribute to the resolution of the problems identified through the survey and air quality/noise studies? Please send your response to JBNA at New Horizons or directly to Brian at brianscarfe@shaw.ca or 250-360-0300.

JBNA Parks Committee Report

Dallas Road Bluffs Restoration

The City of Victoria has received a federal Habitat Stewardship Program (HSP) matching grant of $26,000 to protect, conserve, and restore critical habitat along the Dallas Road bluffs between Boyd Street and Clover Point. The HSP grant program is administered by the Canadian Wildlife Service of Environment Canada. Parks Environmental Technician, Fred Hook reports that the JBNA letter of support strengthened the city's grant application by demonstrating community backing and involvement in the project.

The first stage of this multi-year project in 2010 will include mapping, assessment and development of a restoration plan. Action to implement the plan is anticipated in 2011 and 2012. The estimated total cost of the bluffs restoration is $300,000, so additional grants will be required in the next two years to complete this major project.

Open Houses Delayed

The next Open House on the Beacon Hill Park Traffic Management Plan is expected in late November.

The Urban Forest Plan and the Parks Master Plan Open Houses are postponed until completion of the Official Community Plan (OCP). A draft of the OCP could be presented to Council in early 2011.

Urban Ungulates

Has James Bay thus-far escaped the nightly problems of deer roaming the streets and destroying gardens? They are a growing concern in other communities in the CRD and throughout the province, and Beacon Hill Park seems a likely home for a resident herd. The BC MInistry of Environment Urban Ungulates Summary Report released in June 2010 is available on the ministry website.

Community Concerns

Community concerns were raised with respect to (a) the refurbishment process for a large apartment complex, (b) traffic volumes, and particularly speeding taxis on Oswego and Montreal Streets, (c) the posting of leaflets pertaining to cruise ships and air quality while congratulating passengers who choose to walk downtown, and (d) horse drawn carriage lighting and droppings.

Join us in October to discuss the downtown plan and the portions of James Bay to be included in the plan. 

James Bay residents will have the opportunity for input or to otherwise comment on the plan and its impact on James Bay.

JBNA October General Meeting - October 13, 7 pm. James Bay New Horizons