As someone who has supported Government Street community leadership for many years, it is unfortunate to see Victoria Mayor Lisa Helps throw in the towel and close yet another door in Victoria鈥檚 downtown to industry.
First came the loss of community voice on the waterfront.
And now, with real solutions available and when leadership is needed, Mayor Helps walks away from the Government Street area. What she is really doing is walking away from her community.
In reference to table and chairs, she will find public seating is just one of a myriad of street enhancements, in addition to traffic calming, that came from a community forum that she herself supported and whose results the Downtown Victoria Business Association decided to just ignore.
It鈥檚 like it never happened.
The mayor鈥檚 Government Street comments in my view reflect a further goodbye to a fair and equitable downtown that works for both community and business.
听
John Vickers
Toronto
