The Value of Investing in Canadian Downtowns - International ...

VISIONARY
Does the downtown have strong leaders who collaborate to achieve a shared vision?
Victoria experienced a strong building boom between
the 1890s and 1912. This boom led to the historic
fabric that has continued to define downtown to this
day. While Victoria’s historic building stock is a critical
asset for downtown, it is also important that the core
can support new growth. Striking the balance
between development and preservation has been a
key challenge facing downtown Victoria for decades,
but one that seems to be increasingly overcome
through detailed and community-driven planning
processes, the use of innovative planning tools and
building partnerships between the public and private
sector.
Vision
From 1990, downtown Victoria was guided by the
Downtown Victoria Plan (1990). 2 This Plan was
developed during a time of modest population and
economic growth in the core and was aimed at
enhancing heritage features and the public realm, as
well as growing interest in downtown redevelopment
opportunities. Yet today, 20 years later, downtown
Victoria is experiencing strong and positive growth
and the downtown Core Area Plan (2011) was
recently developed to respond these positive new
circumstances. 3
The Downtown Core Area Plan was developed in
partnership with the community and aims to
accommodate new development while maintaining
heritage buildings. The Plan calls for the preservation
and enhancement of iconic areas, such as Chinatown
and Government Street, clear sight lines to the
harbour and several historic districts throughout the
downtown, protection of heritage features in the Inner
Harbour (the historic western wide of the core), and
2
City of Victoria (1990). Downtown Victoria Plan 1990. Retrieved from:
http://www.victoria.ca/cityhall/pdfs/departments_plnpub_dvpln2.pdf.
Accessed 2012 February 17.
3
Holmen, R. (2011). “Micro planning throws away neighbourhood
boundaries” in Victoria News. Retrieved from:
http://www.vicnews.com/news/125574928.html. Accessed 2012 February
16.
higher density development in the commercial
districts on the eastern side of the core. 4
The City’s vision for downtown upholds and
complements the regional vision. In particular, CRD’s
Regional Growth Strategy for the Metropolitan Core
also aims to enhance downtown Victoria as the
CRD’s primary business and cultural centre.
Leadership and Collaboration
Downtown Victoria has seen steady investment over
the past few decades, maintaining its character and
vibrancy, but has continually been experiencing
transformation.
The City has been a key leader for the downtown,
facilitating new developments and intensification by
changing height and density controls, to allow for new
developments in the core. These efforts will be further
guided by the new Downtown Core Area Plan.
Victoria has policies in its
Official Plan that relate
specifically to its downtown
Victoria has had a downtown
4
Downtown Victoria 2020. (2003). Conference One: The Successful
Downtown. Retrieved from: http://dv2020.ca/conference1.html. Accessed
2012 February 10.
master plan for
21 years
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