Over the next six weeks, citizens are invited to share their thoughts on the future of Burnside Gorge neighbourhood. Input will help shape a new local area plan to guide residential and commercial development and future capital projects in the area such as cycling and pedestrian improvements and park space.
“This is an exciting opportunity for residents and business owners to get involved and provide input as we work together to create a vision for the Burnside Gorge area,” said Mayor Lisa Helps. “We know our residents and business owners have creative and innovative ideas; we need these to help shape the future of this vibrant neighbourhood.”
Opportunities for community input include an online survey that runs until Sunday, May 31, walking tours in Burnside throughout May, and events including:
- A drop-in event on Thursday, April 30 from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. at Second Crack Coffee Lab (2612 Bridge Street)
- Community conversations on Saturday, May 9 from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at Burnside Gorge Community Centre (471 Cecelia Road). Two sessions will run during the day; one from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and a second in the afternoon from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Each session will be followed by an optional one hour walking tour through the Burnside area.
- Community Conversations on Thursday, May 21 from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. at Gabriel Ross (2500 Rock Bay Avenue)
The Burnside Gorge neighbourhood is home to 6,000 residents and is one of the largest neighbourhoods in Victoria. With 1,400 businesses providing work for more than 14,000 people, it is a key employment area for the Greater Victoria region. The diverse neighbourhood is comprised of regionally significant industrial and employment areas alongside established residential areas crossed by several key transportation corridors including the Douglas Street Corridor and the Lochside Trail.
Victoria is expected to grow by 20,000 residents over the next 30 years. Victoria’s Official Community Plan identifies that 10,000 new residents will be accommodated in the downtown core area with the remaining focused in village centres across the city, including village centres in the Burnside Gorge neighbourhood.
Village centres are places that include a mix of residential, shopping, and community services within a small geographic area, allowing people to meet their daily needs without the use of a car. In Burnside Gorge, village centres are envisioned to develop along Douglas Street in the areas identified as Humber Green Village and Mayfair Town Centre. The area known as Selkirk Village is also envisioned to establish as a village centre.
Feedback collected will inform a new draft local area plan that will be considered by Council next year. A new local area plan for the neighbourhood will advance objectives of the City’s Official Community Plan and provide guidance for future projects in the area.
The new plan for the Burnside Gorge area is the first local area plan to be created since the Downtown Core Area Plan was approved in 2011 and is the largest local area plan to be undertaken by the City. Subject to final approval April 30, City Council will be adding $200,000 to expedite local area plans across the city over the next four years.
For more information, visit www.victoria.ca/burnside
