Colin Millard is right. The plan for Cordova Bay Plaza is badly flawed.
While improvements to this development area are overdue, this proposal is contrary to the wishes of Saanich residents as expressed in the approved Saanich Local Area Plan in 2008.
When Saanich residents were asked the question: “What do you most like about living in Cordova Bay,” the top two priorities were: the semi-rural character and village character of Cordova Bay.
The current proposal looks more like Uptown. Nothing but retail shopping, housing and parking, devoid of nature and community spaces. Not good enough.
Asked “What do you dislike the most about living in Cordova Bay that should be addressed in the local area plan,” the answer was: “traffic.”
Forcing most of the traffic under the new plan through dead-end Doumac into a T junction with already congested Cordova Bay Road will create dangerous congestion. There must be a better solution.
This development will be here for generations and we all need to get this right. The public, the developer and council all need to work together to turn this around.
Development can be good. Poor design and over densification will create a tragic legacy. Cordova Bay is a treasure for all of Victoria to enjoy and visit.
Yes, we must and can do better.
Colin K Campbell
Saanich