So... the task force struck to suggest changes to the Belleville Terminal -- the place the MV Coho (above) and the Clipper catamarans dock -- reported to City Council yesterday. Currently, the terminal is dull and outdated -- I am not arguing that point -- but I cannot understand why this group has decided that the terminal should be "pedestrian friendly," or rather why they have rolled up the red carpet and told Blackball ferries that their car-ferry is no longer welcome after nearly 50 years of berthing in the Inner Harbour.
Apparently, Blackball executives were blindsided by this suggestion, as was I -- I found myself yelling, "Are you KIDDING???!" at my radio when I heard the news. Of course, on reflection, I think Esquimalt council should be tripping over themselves trying to find a spot for Blackball along their waterfront.
But really what irks me the most, is that it is yet another Public-Private-Partnership being floated (Hello? Mayor Lowe? Is that arena thing still not fresh in your mind?) and while we are the capital city of BC, there has been no mention of provincial or federal funding. Why not? The province stepped up to spray cash (over $800 million) at the expansion of Vancouver's Conference Centre, so why isn't anyone signing a cheque for Victoria? My bet is no one asked.
And while it's all well and good to upgrade the terminal, do we really need another "landmark hotel" in the Inner Harbour? Do we need a waterfront that looks like every other waterfront in North America? Personally, I like our outdated and quirky waterfront. It's not that I'm not open to change (change can be good), but this is not the right plan.
Please, Mayor Lowe, send your task force back to the meeting room for another go.
2 comments:
Hear, hear!
Total nonsense all around that seems to have started with Lowe and whomever else framed the terms of reference. They were given 90 days, told they could get no money and included a rep from a competing service to the Coho.
Total bollocks is what I would say to the plan and another f#@!ng hotel! you have GOT to be kidding!
It's funny . . . as I was sitting at the Coho Ferry terminal last summer, I looked up into those lovely maple trees and wondered how long its charming scruffiness would last.
Thanks for posting the links. It's worth writing a letter.
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