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The Directors of johnsonstreetbridge.org are holding a public meeting on concerns over the planned replacement of the Blue Bridge.
Tuesday August 25th 7pm to 8:30 pm – Main Meeting Room, Downtown Public Library 735 Broughton Street.
Everyone is welcome and encouraged to attend.
We will be Live Blogging the meeting – you can follow the event and points raised during the presentation and discussion.
[...] daughter live-blogged the event (using CoverItLive), and you can see the results if you click through on our blog here. Scroll down a bit on the page and you’ll see the CoverItLive widget embedded – the software [...]
I regret that I arrived at the meeting about fifteen minutes late, but feel that Ross Crockford’s telling of the recent history of the Victoria City Council’s handling of the fate of the Johnson Street Bridge was comprehensive, but went on too long.
About half the meeting should have been given over to audience participation. As it was, it was Ross for about an hour, and the people for the last half hour.
No motions or votes were taken, nor was any attempt made to conduct the meeting by Roberts’ rules. People were encouraged to pick up the johnsonstreetbridge.org group’s August 4 letter to Victoria City Council about the fate of the Johnson Street Bridge, and to sign up for the email list.
It was strictly an information meeting, and as yet, johnsonstreetbridge.org is taking things very quietly and carefully, certainly not indicating that it might yet spearhead the ‘counter petition’ process that could perhaps trigger a proper referendum.
I asked Ross Crockford a question about that process near the beginning of the question period, and Ross did his best to answer it, but without indicating any interest in pursuing it or committing the group to it participating in it.
This was disappointing to me, but I did not express that disappointment publicly.
However, I am doing so now, as I remain very concerned that no concerted and organized citizens’ group has come together yet to formally oppose this nonsense through the so-called ‘counter petition’ alternative approval process.
One Victoria City Councillor was in attendance, that being John Luton, but although he was acknowledged by Ross Crockford, did not offer to explain why he voted the way that he did on the Johnson Street Bridge demolition.
Sitting next to him was Cara Segger, daughter of former Victoria City Councillor Martin Segger. I believe that Cara is a member of the City of Victoria-appointed ‘Citizens’ Advisory Group.’
She did not speak or ask any questions publicly.
There were no television, radio or newspaper journalists in attendance, I do not believe, except for Howard Markson, who seemed to be attending as a private citizen, and was not attended by a cameraman.
The lack of corporate media coverage of an event like this is shocking, but typical in Victoria.
At the very least, ‘On the Island’ from the CBC should have been there, and so should some student journalists from Camosun College or UVic.
This is a huge public interest story of import to people all throughout the Capital Regional District.
The johnsonstreetbridge.org meeting organizers should not allow this type of corporate social irresponsibility to properly report important public interest meetings of this sort to discourage them, however.
They did an unprecedented act of public service for the whole CRD by undertaking this meeting at their own expense and should be commended and thanked for it.
It is my hope that all those opposed to seeing the City foolishly try to borrow $63,000,000 to demolish and replace the Joseph Strauss-designed Johnson Street Bridge write or phone City Hall to voice their opposition.
I will try to attend the Thursday night Victoria City Council meeting pertaining to this outrageous borrowing bylaw on behalf of the Concerned Citizens’ Coalition.
Of course, I will speak against the proposed borrowing, have informed the Mayor and Council of that fact, and have asked the Mayor and Councillors not to interrupt me when I encourage them to change their minds, for about three minutes.
Gregory Hartnell, President
Concerned Citizens’ Coalition
Gregory,
Thank you for attending the meeting, and for your comments. Some of your points are valid – others need clarification. From the beginning the johnsonstreetbridge.ORG group, which as a reminder is just three people, Ross Crockford, Yule Heibel and myself (Mat Wright), was created as an awareness platform. Our main concern then, and now, is the complete lack of knowledge regarding the plans for the Blue Bridge among the public. It is very easy for you, us and the City of Victoria to simply assume that as WE know, everyone else does as well. While some did think the presentation went on too long, and covered details that should be common knowledge, many others came up to me and the other directors after the meeting saying ‘thank you, we had no idea’.
At some point awareness may turn into action. We made it very clear our goal is to facilitate and promote other individuals and groups who may wish to organize arts events, community meetings, or letter campaigns. At no point have any of us made the suggestion that our efforts will be focused around a counter petition, or other form of protest. Awareness is key – acting as a hub for information and opinion, and pushing the City of Victoria to be far more open about it’s plans and process is the current primary goal. At some point the residents and voters will have to make a decision, but to suggest our group should be the focus of direct political action when the issue is still unfolding is somewhat disingenuous.
It should be pointed out that correct information, which we believe the City will try and present during it’s consultation process, is paramount. That certainly has been lacking over the past month, and one of the reasons we are so vocal. That applies to everyone commenting on this issue. As a correction for your own blog, it should be noted that Yule Heibel is not the ‘web director’ of johnsonstreetbridge.ORG – neither of us have set roles: we use our experience, available time and expertise to facilitate all the efforts of the group. If there are specific questions, comments or ideas regarding the website they can be directed to myself.
Thank you again Gregory for your efforts to raise awareness.
Mat Wright
[...] http://johnsonstreetbridge.org/ [...]
Thanks for the clarifications, Mat. Sorry I wasn’t able to meet you or Ross after the meeting as I had to take off to pick up my wife Dawn Keough from a long day of work.
I think we can both agree that all three of you have done a wonderful job here at this website.
I have changed my descriptor at the CCC BLOG to call all three of you ‘co-creators’ of johnsonstreetbridge.org. I hope that describes things properly and fairly.
Today at the CCC BLOG I also added a belated appreciation of the live blogging that was done by Yule and Werner’s amazingly quick and smart daughter last night at the Library… just can’t recall her name at the moment…
It’s important that readers of this website and of the CCC BLOG understand the different roles we are playing.
The CCC has a legal-political orientation. Those are our traditional historical areas of engagement since our genesis as the Greater Victoria Concerned Citizens’ Association in 1989 to fight the privatization of Saint Anne’s Academy.
JohnsonStreetBridge.org will surely evolve over time, and it is my sincere hope that you will widen your membership base so as strengthen your effectiveness and public profile, become more engaged politically (by leading the opposition to borrowing the $63,000,000 to demolish the ‘Joseph Strauss Bridge’ by spearheading the ‘counter petition’ process), and who knows what else?
At the moment, just among the three of you, you certainly seem to have the computer savvy and other networking skills to get more organized in those regards than anyone in the CCC, to be candid.
As long as it is just the three of you, however, perhaps I’m just dreaming once again?
Anyway, thanks again for doing the meeting last night, which was certainly historically significant, as far as it went.
Gregory Hartnell
Greg,
Thanks for responding so quickly, and clarifying on your own blog. Yes, we certainly are evolving: judging among ourselves, and consulting with others, the fine balance between ‘reaction’ and being ‘pro-active’.
Much of what happens in the future largely depends on the City. If they stay entrenched on the replacement, borrowing the full expected costs, and going ahead without infrastructure funding, then the game will radically change. There are other individuals and groups who have approached us over coordination – that communication will continue.
Thank you for your kind comments on our efforts, and it was my hope we could meet last night.
Cheers
Mat Wright
You are correct, I am the daughter of architectural historian and former City Councillor Martin Segger who spoke out on your blog expressing the heritage value of the Strauss Bridge. Like my father, I am in favour of restoring the bridge, or, if that is not possible, in creating something equally iconic for future generations. My background and education is in Dockland Renewal with a specific focus on Victoria’s harbour. I am a recent appointee to the CAC.
Regarding your comment that I neither spoke nor asked questions during the meeting. My thoughts and opinions can be read and tracked through this website and vibrantvictoria.com. Last night I was there to listen to the voices of others.
I notice your CCC blog post focuses on promoting the misconception that John Luton was completely silent. Perhaps it was because you were late and missed when Mat acknowledged John’s presence in the room and asked him to clarify a question, which he did. While John was also there to listen rather than to preach, he did in fact speak when asked to. You might want to correct that.
Thanks for the information, Cara, particularly your public position to prefer rehabilitation of the present Johnson Street Bridge, in concert with that of your father Martin Segger.
I didn’t hear John Luton speak the whole time I was there and I was there for most of the meeting, but if you insist he said something of value, perhaps you or he could tell us what it was, in fact.
If there is anything that he said that was in the public interest, somehow Emma Heibel-Bahlke, who was live-blogging the event, missed it too.
If there is anything that Mr. Luton would like to say to clarify his position, I have already offered him an opportunity to do so, in correspondence with him at the CCC BLOG site, when I asked him to provide compelling engineering proof that led him to think that the bridge was condemnable.
So far, like the other three Victoria City Councillors that wrote to us (Hunter, Madoff and Young), he has declined to do that.
I note that while Mat Wright quite correctly recognized Mr. Luton’s presence before my arrival, the former didn’t object to my emphasis on Mr. Luton’s quietness in his remarks above.
While no-one wants John Luton to preach, he still has a lot of explaining to do, much more than clarifying one question.
If he wants to further elaborate the content of the answer to which you refer, he is still welcome to do so at the CCC BLOG, in the comments section, or here, if he prefers.
In the meantime, I appreciate your critique, but think that I will leave the CCC BLOG title and posting as is.
Gregory Hartnell
You’re welcome.