Resubuscribe To Vic-Alert powered by Alertable

Attention All subscribers to Vic-Alert

Vic-Alert, the City of Victoria’s emergency notification system will now be powered by Alertable and will continue to inform the community of imminent emergencies or disasters that may impact Victoria, such as gas leaks or tsunamis.

Even though you are currently subscribed to Vic-Alert, YOU MUST RESUBSCRIBE to continue receiving emergency notifications through Vic-Alert.

Alertable is highly rated, made in Canada, and free for the public. It provides many new options to receive notifications including text, email, phone, mobile app, social media, home smart speaker, and more. You can personalize notifications by type and severity, and you can choose notifications for more than one location such as home and office.

For more information and to resubscribe to Vic-Alert, visit https://victoria.ca/VicAlert

The City of Victoria’s system, Vic-Alert, is different from the Provincial 'Alert Ready' system. Alert Ready is used for Amber Alerts and tsunami warnings only. Emergency notifications from Alert Ready are automatically sent to compatible smart phones and news/radio and does not require subscription. The City’s Vic-Alert system is used for a wider variety of hazards and includes geographically specific information which will only be sent to those subscribed to Vic-Alert.

As of February 1, 2021, the City will be exclusively using Alertable to send Vic-Alert emergency notifications. Please ensure that you resubscribe to receive emergency notifications from the City of Victoria by visiting Victoria.ca/VicAlert <https://victoria.ca/VicAlert>. Thank you for your commitment to emergency preparedness and getting VictoriaReady.

For any questions, please contact VicAlert@victoria.ca or call 250.920.3373.

Emergency Management Victoria
Victoria Fire Department
City of Victoria
1234 Yates St, Victoria BC V8V 3M8

The message has been sent to you as a subscriber of the Vic-Alert notification system. If you do not resubscribe to the Vic-Alert system through Alertable, you will not receive further communications from us.

Powered by Alertable https://alertable.ca

Invitation To Participate In A UBC Research Survey Regarding Illegal Dumping In Greater Victoria

Hello Neighbourhood Associations of Greater Victoria

I am with the UBC Sauder School of Business, and my research team is conducting a short survey to learn about illegal dumping in Victoria neighbourhoods.  Illegal dumping of household items no longer utilized or wanted such as furniture, mattresses and electronics is harmful to the natural environment, creates an eyesore in public places such as parks and boulevards and places a significant burden on municipalities and by extension, taxpayers. Many of these items also contain valuable materials that can be recycled or reused if disposed of correctly. 

To help us better understand the context, problem, and strategies that have been successful & unsuccessful around the reduction of illegal dumping, we are asking neighbourhood associations to take part in this survey. Please feel free to pass this survey along to as many people in your association network as you like, we are hoping to collect as much information as possible. 

Survey Link: https://ubcbusiness.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_55ejWLCa8B0SfJQ

This survey is being conducted in accordance with UBC policies and should take less than 10 minutes to complete. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me. 

Thank you in advance for taking the time, we really appreciate it.

Warmly,

Marika Smith MSc
marikasresearch@gmail.com

City Neighbourhood Staff Report February, 2021

Community Virtuals – February’s Lunch & Learn

The Power of Community Art

Wednesday , February 17, noon- 1:30

Join our Arts, Culture and Event team and community art organizations to learn about what’s possible when thinking about more art in your neighbourhood.

Register for your free ticket and learn more about grants: victoria.ca/neighbourhoods 

Info: e-mail to neighbourhoods@victoria.ca

New Youth Poet Laureate

James Summer is Victoria’s new Youth Poet Laureate. The Youth Poet Laureate serves as Victoria’s champion for youth and the literary arts, seeking to inspire and engage local youth to share their stories through both written and spoken word, and serves a one-year honorary term. James Summer began writing poetry in his junior year of high school when he joined Vic High School’s slam poetry club. Over the years he participated and competed in Vic Voices, Hullabaloo and various open mics, and became president of the slam poetry club in his senior year. As the next Youth Poet Laureate, he hopes to connect with other youth in Victoria and share his love of poetry. He finds that poetry is a medium that can express growth, pain and love through self- expression in a safe space, and wants to be able to help create that safe space for others. Visit the City’s Webpage for more information.

New Emergency Notification System

The City of Victoria is now using Alertable to send Vic-Alert emergency notifications for incidents such as tsunamis and gas leaks.

In order for current subscribers to continue receiving emergency notifications, they must resubscribe to Vic-Alert. Signing up is easy and free at Victoria.ca/VicAlert.

You can choose to receive emergency notifications by text message, phone, email, and/or Alertable app alert.

Residential Branch Pick-Up Begins Feb. 22

The City of Victoria provides a branch chipping service to help residents remove tree branches from their yard. Please have tree branches on the boulevard for chipping by Monday, Feb. 22 at 7 a.m.

• Each household is allowed one branch pile up to 1.2 x 1.2 x 1.8 metres, which is about what a half-ton pickup truck can hold

• Loosely stack tree branches between 2.5 cm (1") to 25 cm (10") in diameter only, with cut ends together

• Trucks will make one pass down each street

• Residents can also drop off branches, leaves and garden waste year-round at the City of Victoria

  Public Works Yard on Garbally Rd.Learn more: victoria.ca/branch 

All Ages and Abilities Cycling Network

On February 5, the City will be launching online engagement for new cycling routes in the James Bay neighbourhood as part of the ongoing work on the All Ages and Abilities cycling network.

Two north-south routes and one east-west route will be pursued as part of the priority 32km AAA network. You are invited to provide feedback on full-length design concepts and weigh in on route preference.

Watch the virtual corridor tour, complete the survey,provide detailed feedback on the route map tool, or ask questions in the Q&A forum.

Investments in James Bay will be implemented as part of the final phase of the priority cycling network, in 2022. Visit the City’s webpage to take part.

Do you live, spend time in or care about the future of Fernwood, North Park and Hillside-Quadra?

The City is looking for your feedback to guide growth and change in our community over the next 20 years.

It’s important that we hear from people of diverse backgrounds, ages and incomes, including renters, youth, and families with young children. You told us what’s important … Last spring we heard about opportunities, concerns and big ideas from you and your neighbours. 

Now help us plan a future that includes everyone! We want to hear from you on how we can bring forward more housing choices, better transportation options, and improved public spaces for people of different incomes, household types, ages and lifestyles. Visit engage.victoria.ca to share your feedback through February!

Fire Services Align Across Victoria, Saanich and Oak Bay

The Victoria, Saanich and Oak Bay fire departments have updated their mutual and automatic aid firefighting agreement, ensuring continued cooperation and alignment of fire services across the three core municipalities.

The new agreement increases resource capacity, inter-municipal firefighter training opportunities and professional cooperation through operational response planning and coordinated responses to high-risk events. This more modern, all-encompassing agreement aligns with expectations of collaboration, streamlined services, and leveraging economies of scale, resulting in cost effective service delivery and best use of tax dollars.

A cost recovery process is also in place to ensure that municipalities are reimbursed for the service they provide beyond their borders. The original agreement between the three municipalities was implemented in 1980, at a time when emergency service requests were significantly lower. Calls for service are now upwards of 7,000 calls a year for Victoria; 6500 for Saanich; and 1300 for Oak Bay.

Crystal Pool and Fitness Centre Opens on Feb. 1

The City is looking forward to welcoming the community back to Crystal Pool and Fitness Centre on February 1. Registration opens on January 28 at 9 a.m. to book a swim visit, a fitness visit, or register for an upcoming recreation program, such as swim lessons and fitness classes. 

The City’s priority is safety and all required COVID-19 protocols are in place to create a safe environment for visitors and staff. Due to public health requirements and capacity limits, unscheduled drop-ins at this time are not allowed, so please register in advance.

Registration will be available at victoria.ca/crystalpool or by calling 250.361.0732. We look forward to seeing many familiar faces and welcoming new ones!

Emergency Social Services Grant - Meegan Community Care Tent

Council has allocated an Emergency Social Services Grant of $6,500 for “Meegan Community Care Tent” to the Red Cedar Café Association as the grant recipient and permit holder. The temporary site is now operational and providing outreach services on Cook Street near Dallas Road.

The association has worked through the permit process with city staff and are required to implement all the necessary safety, fire prevention and COVID measures. Community outreach workers will provide humanitarian relief to people sheltering in Beacon Hill Park by offering a dry space to get warm, where people can connect with health workers, have a bite to eat and a coffee, and get a little respite from sheltering outside in the cold and wet.

What’s Up at Council?

Decisions made at Council can be found on our Council Highlights page.

If you are interested in knowing how the councillors voted on anything, you can now see and track Council voting records with the City Council Meeting Dashboard.

Committee of the Whole (COTW) 9:00 a.m.

(Closed) Council Meeting After COTW meetings
as required

Council Meeting 6:30 p.m.

February

4th, 11th, 18th, & 25th

4th, 11th, 18th, & 25th

11th & 25th

Neighbourhood Staff Contact: Kimberley Stratford kstratford@victoria.ca

City Neighbourhood Staff Report Feb 2021

Double The Rebates For Heat Pumps - Capital Regional District - Environmental Services - January 21 to March 31, 2021

This month’s article from Capital Regional District, Environmental Services is in regards to rebates available for residents making the switch from fossil fuel heating in their home over to heat pumps.

Between now and March 21st residents have then opportunity to get double the rebates for making the switch, up to $8,000. Switching over to a heat pump helps reduce our regional GHG emissions while also saving residents money on energy bills.

Be Part Of The Climate Solution!

Right now, you can get Double the Rebates if you switch from natural gas, propane, or oil heating to an electric heat pump or heat pump water heater. You could be eligible for up to $8000 in rebates! Reduce your carbon footprint, save money on energy bills, and improve the comfort and air quality of your home by taking advantage of several exciting rebates to save money on installing a heat pump.

The energy used to power and heat our buildings accounts for about a third of our region’s greenhouse gas emissions. An electric heat pump provides a clean alternative to natural gas, oil, or wood heating. For an average home heated by natural gas, switching to a heat pump reduces your annual carbon footprint by about the same amount as not driving your car for 9 months of the year!

Heat pumps provide climate-friendly heating and cooling by using electricity to move heat energy from one place to another – in summer, it moves heat out of the house, and in the winter, it moves heat into the house even if it’s cold outside. There are many benefits to installing a heat pump including:

• Year-round comfort: A heat pump is both an air conditioner and a heating system and will dehumidify and improve air quality.

• Maximum efficiency: A heat pump is three to four times more efficient than electric baseboards or a gas furnace.

• Climate-friendly: Switching to a heat pump will significantly reduce your carbon footprint.

  Learn more about how you can get Double the Rebates at https://www.crd.bc.ca/heatpump. Register for the promo code by March 31, 2021, to apply for the Double the Rebate offer. Upgrades must be complete and invoiced by June 30, 2021.

  Now is a great time to install a heat pump and be part of the climate solution.

Double the Rebates for Heat Pumps

Hallmark Heritage Society - Breaking News About The Heritage & History Of Greater Victoria - January 2021

Heritage Designation of 2536 Richardson Road

Heritage Designation of 2536 Richmond Road

In November, the City of Victoria Heritage Advisory Panel recommended that the Council designate the home at 2536 Richmond Road. The House, constructed in 1906 for Garfield Vye, has been carefully restored by owners Don Hutton and Sheena Bellingham, both active Hallmark and community members. Full designation will be completed before Spring.

Above photo is from the 1977 University of Victoria Heritage House Survey

Additional information is available through the button below which takes you to the Hallmark web page for the address.

Link to Information.

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The historic house at 785 Island Road in Oak Bay is no more. The subject of much discussion by Oak Bay Council which resulted in the decision not to designated was partially deconstructed and then demolished earlier this month. Some elements were salvaged.

This house was lost because local governing bodies are concerned about the unknown costs of designating without the consent of the property owner, a question that should be clarified by the Province of British Columbia or some expert in property law

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The photo below, on the left, shows the old warehouses on the west side of the 1200 block Wharf Street in the late 1960s or early 1970s.

In 1974 the City of Victoria issued a demolition permit for the buildings but quickly rescinded it after the Province purchased the vacant property to the south and placed a stay on development along the waterfront (there were rumours of a Holiday Inn being built on the vacant property).

The owner of 1200 Wharf worked out a rehabilitation plan for the buildings resulting in a modest rooftop addition and the active retail and business centre now known as Hartwig Court as seen in today's photo on the right.

In 1974, we had a City Councilor and others saying the buildings were ugly warehouses and should be torn down. Fortunately, wiser heads prevailed. We hope the same vision and imagination can prevail for the Goldrush Warehouses at the end of Wharf Street next to the bridge.

Read online here.