Are Victorians suffering from “change fatigue,” as their city’s face is being transformed? Mayor Lisa Helps wonders if things are changing so fast that some residents are feeling overwhelmed.
Last week, council all but approved a 26-storey condo tower for the Hudson project that would be the tallest in the city. On the same day, councillors voted down a 44-unit rental apartment in south Fairfield.
Both projects would help ease the housing crunch in the city, but opposition to the Fairfield building from neighbours at a public hearing swayed the vote.
The opponents tended to be older, while those in favour were younger. The former want to preserve the character of the neighbourhood they love; the latter want a place to live in a city that seems to have more jobs than homes.
It’s easy to find sympathy for both sides, and for those on the sidelines who recall a time not long ago when a 26-storey tower would have been inconceivable.
“I don’t necessarily think that council or the city or the community has necessarily done the best job of managing and stewarding change in a way that everyone sees the benefits or that’s sustainable,” Helps said.
But change is unavoidable, as Victoria grew at almost the same rate as Langford between 2011 and 2016. Those newcomers need somewhere to live. In a constricted space, building up is more efficient that building out, whether “up” means four storeys or 26.
Somehow, the city must accommodate those new arrivals without driving current residents into revolt.
