If you didn’t vote, please don’t complain
I could swear that more than 38 per cent of the residents of Victoria complain about the state of affairs, yet only 38 per cent of the people voted.
So, if you are one of the non-voters, I politely ask that you refrain from expressing any negativity about your city or the people that have the energy to show up to run it.
And as for all the voters, whether or not I agree with your decisions, I thank you for caring.
Hilary McIntyre
Victoria
Lisa Helps leaves a legacy, she made a difference
Victoria critics abound when it comes to political posturing or taxpayer complaints, but with soaring energy prices and the demand for a sustainable future, Victoria stands out as a remarkable example of how a city should upgrade transportation infrastructure to include bicycle lanes.
Lisa Helps has done a remarkable job not only with the introduction of numerous bicycle lanes throughout the city but the latest “free coat-check-style bicycle valet service” provided beside City Hall in June shows not only ingenuity, but genuine consideration for your everyday commuting cyclist.
As the husband of a Dutch wife and after years living in a progressive country like the Netherlands, I can relate to someone like Helps who has had a vision for the future and the smarts to get it done.
She will be greatly missed when she steps down as mayor, but the legacy left behind by this remarkable mayor will forever be an asset to this beautiful city of Victoria long into the future.
Michael Leeper
Victoria
Out with the old — well, sort of, anyway
If the civic election results said anything, it is out with the old, because anything else has to be better!
This is probably not entirely true in the case of mayor-elect Marianne Alto. Her election campaign, I am quite certain, was guided from the get-go by Lisa Helps, so don’t expect any direction from the new mayor’s chair, to be anything different than what we saw from Helps.
One thing Alto could do differently than Helps: Return some respect to our streets and roads, spend a few million on paving, not repairing, our pathetic roads and she could be mayor of Victoria as long as she desires.
Jim Laing
Saanich
After the election, can we hire more police?
We all wish Victoria’s new council well as they take on the trying and challenging task of city governance. I find it disheartening that the 2018 Victoria civic election saw 29,707 voters out of a possible 66,243 and this year only 27,452 out of 72,284.
The BCGEU/Victoria Labour Council- endorsed slate once again are the winners. They have stated they will govern in the interests of all citizens. Good.
Ken Sim and the smashing ABC victory in 91原创 are going about trying to solve the downtown issues by hiring 100 new police officers and 100 new mental-health nurses.
Would it not be wise for our new council to at least try to solve our downtown issues by actions rather than allowing the problems to subsist and grow? More police officers on our downtown streets does not mean ill to the less fortunate but reassurance to all.
Patrick Skillings
Victoria
End the madness, force amalgamation
Am I the only resident of Victoria that thinks 13 mayors as well as the Capital Regional District for a population of less than 400,000 is so ridiculous, it’s almost unbelievable?
We have so many municipalities that our regional mayors could form their own starting 11-person soccer team and still have two mayors and the head of the CRD on the bench!
Victoria has more mayors than the cities of London, England; Paris, France; New York, Chicago and Toronto combined.
Victoria is my hometown and I love it here. The fact we have 13 mayors however just makes me downright angry especially considering the prohibitive cost of living here, the medical crisis, homelessness, growing mental health problems, etc. The list goes on and on.
The current landscape is wasteful and embarrassing. It’s time for a premier to have the gumption to legislate amalgamation and stop this madness.
Alex Mackay
Saanichton
Langford, Victoria coverage has fallen short
In the Times 91原创’s coverage of Victoria politics, the overall tone is often quite critical and negative, with a lot of focus on perceived dysfunction and controversies (which often aren’t real controversies).
Meanwhile, coverage of Langford has typically been quite uncritical, often cheerleading all the exciting new things that are being done there.
You would think that if these narratives were true, then Victoria voters would have rejected the status quo and voted for change, while Langford voters would have happily re-elected their incumbent mayor and councillors.
In fact, the opposite happened.
In Victoria, Marianne Alto, a close council ally of Lisa Helps, was easily elected with 56 per cent of the vote versus 36 per cent for Stephen Andrew, who ran a campaign focused on change. Similarly, the five council candidates endorsed by Lisa Helps finished in the top five spots in the election. Meanwhile in Langford, Stew Young and his Community First slate all went down to defeat.
Perhaps the majority of Victoria residents are happier than you think with the way the city has been run for the past eight years, despite a very vocal minority of critics. And perhaps not everything has been quite as rosy in Young’s Langford than what your cheerleading coverage has implied.
Steven Murray
Victoria
Polling station behind low Esquimalt turnout
One of the reasons for low voter turnout is the fact that there is only one polling station and it isn’t centrally located.
It’s easy to stroll to the polling place if you live in Saxe Point or Highlands, the least densely populated areas. Municipal elections are the only ones where Esquimalt High isn’t used.
We are going to demand that there are two polling stations in the next election or, if there is only one, it is at École Victor-Brodeur.
There is a huge class divide in Esquimalt and this election made it abundantly clear. Winning an election by 400 votes from 27 per cent of the eligible electorate is hardly a mandate for business as usual.
Jacob Zerb
Esquimalt
Now, about the shape of Victoria’s roads
Jack Knox wrote this in his post-election column: “Municipal governments usually devote their small slice of the tax pie to local roads.”
As a professional driver in Victoria for the past 10 years, I ask this question: When will mayor and council of this city fix the state of our decrepit roads, and also post proper signage to explain to drivers every single instance when the speed limit changes from one speed to another?
“End of 30 km/h zone” signs, or “Resume speed” signs, do not explain to the confused, and/or uninformed local or visiting drivers, what the speed limit on any stretch of the battered and neglected asphalt in Victoria is.
Is this going to be a “stay in your lane” — and fix it — type of council? Don’t hold your breath, because they likely would not even begin to understand the metaphor.
Trevor Amon
Victoria
Courtesy to seniors was much appreciated
I arrived at the Cook Street Activity Centre Saturday morning to vote and could see a long line.
I told one of the officials that I wasn’t able to stand for that long, expecting maybe a chair, but he led me to the arm of another worker who escorted me inside and to the head of the line!
I was through with my voting within 15 minutes of having arrived.
I am not sure whether this courtesy to seniors is the policy of the municipal election organizers or just that of Cook Street, but the procedure was done with kindness and respect and very much appreciated.
Sheila Kaye
Victoria
Advance voting spots were not convenient
One wonders how many city of Victoria voters were put off from voting by the very long lineups at some of the locations and who, like me, would have preferred to vote at an advance polling station had those locations been more convenient.
Gillian Bloom
Victoria
What about voters with mobility issues?
I was proud to get out and vote. My wife and I exercised our franchise at G.R. Pearkes Arena in Saanich. Marla was using her scooter as this was an accessible facility.
Thankfully it was such a nice day outside that the warm wonderful weather was not a burden to us for the 90 minutes it took to make it inside and vote.
However, I noticed something along the way. Voters who were using walkers, canes, or mobility assistance were leaving the lines. Some tired out from the lengthy standing in line.
Maybe they just gave up and joined the throng of those who didn’t vote, or maybe they thought they would come back later. However, this line and others like it existed all day long.
It seems to me that somewhere along the way, the organizers forgot or ignored the needs of physically challenged people who also have the right to vote in our elections.
There were no instructions of how handicapped people could vote available in the notifications or advertising for the election. Because of that lack of thought, some voices to choose their government were lost.
Blake Handley
Victoria
A double standard about residency
So I have to prove that I reside in Victoria to vote for a candidate who doesn’t. Huh?
Stewart Ballantyne
Victoria
Another reminder of the need to merge
The population of Greater Victoria is about 395,000. This does not make us a metropolis.
Why then, do we have 13 separate municipalities requiring the same number of mayors, councillors and policing? If this madness has not resonated with inhabitants here, surely it must have made a dent in the consciousness of some who were trying to sort out the extravagant numbers running for office in various municipalities, or going cross-eyed trying to read all of the signage on the boulevards.
There were numbers given in the media about the number of voting sites in each municipality, but no addresses attached as to where these polls were located.
I live in Colwood, and I guess we must be in the “missing middle” as I have no idea how many polling stations we have or where they are as no numbers were provided about this municipality.
Also, it struck me that the number of polling stations had no reflection of the number of citizens residing in each municipality, nor do those running for office need to reside in the municipality in which they are running for office.
For the first time in memory I have not voted, as the process has simply become too mind-boggling.
Whatever it takes to incorporate some sanity into “Dysfunction By The Sea,” to quote my favourite TC columnist, please somebody, get on with it.
Shirley Stirrett
Colwood
Sad reflection in our voting record
While we congratulate all who offered themselves for office in the recent local government elections, we have to reflect as well on how so few of our citizens actually voted — well under 40 per cent in most cases. This is a sad reflection on civic participation.
All the municipalities in Greater Victoria have huge issues before them, including affordable housing and infrastructure. When we start complaining, as we inevitably will, about what the new councils are doing, or not doing for us, just ask yourself this question: did I vote?
David Collins
Victoria
A great spot for the maritime museum
One of my favourite stores bites the dust. But an opportunity presents itself: The Maritime Museum of B.C. needs a home.
Will the new Victoria council, the provincial government and Reliance Properties get together and make it happen?
A waterfront building with parking. At the edge of Tourist Victoria.
Lorne Argyle
Esquimalt
Days when Capital Iron offered canned surprises
My favourite memory of Capital Iron is from about 75 years ago. Food tins had been flooded and lost their labels. They were cheap, so my parents bought lots.
We never knew whether we were having pork and beans or peaches for lunch.
Diane Whitehead
Victoria
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