I’ve been noticing with bemusement the phrases people employ in slamming Victoria council’s efforts to make the city more welcoming to pedestrians and cyclists.
“A solution in search of a problem.” “Pet projects.” And my favourite: “change for change’s sake.”
Is that a thing? Does any bureaucratic body put millions of precious and scarce dollars into change for change’s sake? Unlikely. There is always a reason, even if you don’t agree with it.
In this case, it has been determined that increasing opportunities for non-motorized transportation makes for better cities. Friendlier cities, ones more likely to foster human connection, with less space wasted on vast expanses of asphalt. Prettier cities that are more attractive to tourists. This is not a Victoria thing; it’s a global movement.
When I travel, I seek out cities that have pleasant, scenic walking routes — and benches and brightly coloured chairs and tables for al fresco dining — rather than unlimited free parking. Cities centred on humans, not cars, attract people who shop and eat in restaurants and cafes and ensure lively downtown spaces. It’s fundamental in urban planning.
Victoria has an abundance of walking and cycling routes, with more being added all the time, to the growing alarm of the “you can peel my steering wheel out of my cold, dead hands” crowd.
This is not a pet project or a minority agenda. This is a long-term vision for the city that is not centred on the automobile.
Rather than a solution in search of a problem, it’s a solution to a very real problem: vehicular domination of public spaces, itself a project that has had many decades to entrench itself, to the point where it seems like the natural order of things.
Ever watched footage of old-time Victoria, in the early part of the last century? The first thing you notice is that the streets are dominated by humans. Humans crossing the street willy-nilly, humans dodging the odd vehicle to go about their business.
Think of that: Vehicles were once the intruders. Now, they are the main event, with all their sprawling, ugly infrastructure.
Bike lanes and walking routes are just an attempt — albeit a small one — to right the balance. (The term “car-hating” is frequently applied to city council, the way “man-hating” was applied to those fighting for equality for women. As the saying goes, when you’re accustomed to privilege, equality feels like oppression.)
Jack Knox often jokes that Victorians’ unofficial motto is “I liked the old one.”
I’ve lived here on and off for 35 years and, frankly, I like the new one.
I adore the new bridge, which is a vast improvement on the old one for walkers and cyclists. I seek out every opportunity to walk across it, going over one side and crossing back on the other, taking in the views of the harbour, the historic brick buildings and the boats moored on the waterfront. My children think I’m slightly deranged, but it’s free and it’s fun.
Other discoveries include a delightful large plaza bordered by a cafe in the new development behind the legislature buildings. Market Square is getting better and better — every time I walk through, I see more people there.
The Ogden Point Breakwater is much more accessible, now that there are protective railings — something many objected to.
The new wide walkway along Dallas Road near Ogden Point Breakwater is a treat. On a sunny spring break day, I saw rollerbladers and countless strollers ambling along the new route, as deep blue waves crested and crashed and white seagulls flew ridiculously close over our heads, in search of snacks. I didn’t miss the old aqua-coloured seaside wall at all.
And I’m looking forward to seeing what Clover Point looks like when it’s redesigned as something other than a parking lot.
As I was walking along the Dallas Road walkway with my kids during spring break, I was thinking about all the people who railed against that project, and others like it. All those who say they never go downtown anymore, because of the bike lanes, the street people, the “filth,” the lack of parking.
If they truly are avoiding downtown, they are missing out. And the rest of us are happy to partake of all that it offers, especially those “pet projects” that together, help ensure our city ranks as one of the best places to live in the world.
Change is hard, and adjustment takes time. But just remember: The “old” one was once the new one.
