Victorians must fight for Centennial Square
Like most Victorians, I find the destruction of public art disturbing and inexcusable.
The statue of James Cook on the causeway was our collective property, as much a part of our history and culture as any of the fine totems in Thunderbird Park, yet the city has done nothing about repairing or replacing it following the senseless vandalism committed by a mob of excited and poorly educated fools.
Instead, city staff have doubled down with an insane plan to destroy the iconic fountain in Centennial Square before it has offended anybody!
We desperately need more affordable housing, effective mental health treatment and better policing.
Our young people are being graduated from school without the tools to earn a living through jobs that provide enough income to afford food and shelter.
Spending what will amount to hundreds of thousands of tax dollars to desecrate a beloved public landmark is wanton stupidity by a council that should know enough when it is time to stand up to their own staff and just say “No!”
Victorians, especially those of us who have spent a lifetime working for social justice and heritage preservation, need to make ourselves heard.
David Lowther
Victoria
Victoria’s best street art must be really hated
It appears that Victoria council intends to spend $750,000 on design consultants for a makeover of Centennial Square. A normal rule of thumb is that design fees are about 10 per cent of project cost, thus the expectation is that rearranging the square would cost $7.5 million.
Council must really, really, dislike the fountain and sculpture, which is by far the best street art in downtown Victoria, to move this to the top of its cultural spending priorities.
John Keay
Retired architect
Victoria
If the fountain goes, what will be next?
The fountain in Victoria’s Centennial Square is a commemorative fountain in a commemorative city square, not some tired, slimy, unsightly pond or birdbath.
It is also a fine example of the “mid-century modern” style of architecture, furniture and design which, ironically, is ever so trendy and in demand right now among certain generations, and prized by original owners. Italian glass mosaics reflect light from the monoliths.
If repairs are needed, then proceed with them, but do not tear down this iconic piece of Victoria public art due to its being seen as out of date.
Where would the fountain end up? The landfill? Sold off to a collector in another country? Do we replace it with a splash park to be used for two months of the year, and, as one writer noted, a washing place for the unhoused?
What do the Oak Bay, Esquimalt and Saanich councils think of their gift to Victoria being thrown out? What was the cost to those taxpayers? Will they speak out?
As a previous letter writer pointed out, if Europe dumped its fountains and buildings because they were a bit worn or “out of date,” its tourism industry would severely suffer.
Its squares contain well maintained centuries-old fountains, even wells. Would Rome ever think of dumping the Trevi?
Centennial Square is a meeting place for events, protests and entertainment, and a rendezvous point for any reason.
The fountain is a cooling place in summer, a place where one can sit and listen to the rush of water amidst the city soundscape, a place where children can play; and is a piece of public art (whether the water is running or not) from a historic architectural period.
Yes, work is needed to make our main city square more inviting and safe year round, but save the centrepiece, the fountain.
If the plan to remove Victoria’s fountain goes blindly ahead, what is next? The legislature fountain? The very “old fashioned” City Hall (1878-91 construction)? “Old” Town? Chinatown?
S.P. Cummins
Sidney
A sure tourist draw: Reconciliation Trail
Eight of us have just returned from eight days of biking on another island, the distant Prince Edward.
Most of the 350 kilometres were on the Confederation Trail, a former rail bed. This was an ideal way to see the eastern part of the island where our route took us.
We deviated one day to take in the unique Greenwich National Park where a floating boardwalk ends in a supreme endless beach. Our ages range from 75 to 80.
All of us were comparing this trail to a potential rail trail here. As in P.E.I., we could grow an industry, for tourists and locals, to use with rest shelters, places to stay, and affording gorgeous ocean and forest views.
I suggest its name be the Reconciliation Trail.
The alternative? We could spend billions on restoring a railway, an idea that has been bandied back and forth for 20 years. When I last asked what power would be used, the answer was diesel. In our opinion, this refusal to grow a tourist industry attracting thousands of easy riders like us, walkers, commuters and real serious cyclists is shortsighted.
Dianne Anderson
Qualicum Beach
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