Victoria West Community Profile and Baseline Conditions Report DRAFT Created for the Victoria West Neighbourhood Plan September 2016 The Victoria West Community Profile highlights key baseline information and aspects of the unique features of the Victoria West neighbourhood. This information will help inform community discussions on various planning issues that will be addressed through the neighbourhood planning process. Contents Introduction ............................................................................5 Neighbourhood Context .........................................................6 Key Locations and Points of Interest ...................................... 7 Background and Objectives ...................................................8 Purpose of the Plan ...............................................................9 About this Baseline Review .................................................10 Relevant Plans and Policies ................................................ 11 OCP Strategic Directions .....................................................15 Community Overview ..........................................................17 Existing Land Use ................................................................ 18 Population Density ............................................................... 19 Demographics ...................................................................... 20 Housing ................................................................................ 22 Transportation and Mobility .................................................. 24 Jobs and Local Economy ..................................................... 30 Parks and Open Space ........................................................ 32 Heritage ................................................................................ 36 Environment.......................................................................... 37 Infrastructure ........................................................................ 41 Appendix A: OCP Goals by Topic Area ................................45 Glossary ..............................................................................48 1 / Introduction This Community Profile and Baseline Report highlights some of the current conditions and key issues of the Victoria West Neighbourhood, which will assist and help to inform the neighbourhood planning process. The first few sections of the Profile outline the Following this, a Community Overview is provided, background to the Victoria West Neighbourhood outlining key information about the community, planning process, including relevant policies and including demographics, housing, transporta- projects, the purpose and objectives of the plan, tion, economy, parks, heritage, environment, and and what the Official Community Plan says about infrastructure. the neighbourhood. Demographics Housing Transportation Economy Parks Heritage Environment Infrastructure Pg 20 Pg 22 Pg 24 Pg 30 Pg 32 Pg 36 Pg 37 Pg 41 DRAFT CITY OF VICTORIA | Victoria West Community Profile and Baseline Report 5 2 / Neighbourhood Context Victoria West, commonly called Vic West, is an historic neighbourhood located just west of downtown across Victoria Harbour, bordering on the Township of Esquimalt. The Victoria West neighbourhood is Victoria in 1842 to establish Fort Victoria, the located in the neighbourhood, particularly in approximately 158 hectares (390 acres). neighbourhood now known as Victoria West the area of the Gorge waterway, much of the Located in the west portion of the City, it is was the site of a village of the Songhees, development in the area was for working-class accessible from the rest of Victoria by two the aboriginal people of the Victoria area. families. The Esquimalt and Nanaimo Railway bridges and the Selkirk Trestle (Galloping Goose The Songhees called the Gorge waterway line passes through Victoria West, and the Trail). In 2011, the population was approximately Camossung, named for a girl who turned to roundhouse was located in the neighbourhood. 6,805 people, about 9% of Victoria’s total stone at the Gorge tidal rapids. Songhees In addition, at one time there were as many as population. Victoria West is a peninsula with longhouses once extended from Songhees seven shipbuilding companies in the area. water on three sides and borders Esquimalt Point to beyond the present day Johnson Street at Dominion Road. It is a diverse and rapidly Bridge. The Songhees people were relocated in growing area, with a relatively new village 1911 conciding with industrial development of centre, industrial land, several large scale, high Victoria West. density developments (e.g., Bayview, Dockside Much of the residential and early commercial Green, Railyards, Roundhouse), older single development of Victoria West occurred in the family residential areas, numerous institutional 1890s up until 1913. Residential development sites, and heritage sites. was facilitated by the arrival of streetcar service When the Hudson’s Bay Company arrived in in 1890. While a few expensive homes were 6 Victoria West Community Profile and Baseline Report | CITY OF VICTORIA DRAFT Key Locations and Points of Interest Victoria West is home to many destinations for people living in the neighbourhood, elsewhere in the City, region, and abroad. The map on the left shows just a selection of some key locations and points of interest in the neighbourhood. 1 2 5 1 4 Banfield Park Westsong Walkway 3 4 3 6 Westside Village Craigflower Village 5 6 2 0 55110 220 330 440 Meters I Selkirk Trestle Victoria West Park DRAFT CITY OF VICTORIA | Victoria West Community Profile and Baseline Report 7 3 / Plan Background and Objectives In 2012 the City of Victoria adopted a new Official Community Plan (OCP) which identifies the need to undertake neighbourhood plans in local communities and identifies specific locations where growth and change is envisaged to meet city-wide growth targets. Background to the Victoria West of Reference for the program through a • Preparing policies and design guidelines Neighbourhood Plan collaborative workshop later this year that will guide the physical development of City Council asked staff to look at ways to The purpose of the neighbourhood plans is to both private sites; complete local area plans more quickly and guide future growth, change and development • Identify local priorities to inform public report back in the fall of 2015 with a new, envisaged in the OCP and build on the strong investment and capital spending within the accelerated local area planning program. sense of community within Victoria West. An local area; On October 29, 2015 it was moved and innovative, co-planning approach will help • Providing a meaningful connection by all seconded that Council: develop a plan and set of development policies modes of transportation within the local 1. Initiate local area planning in accordance and standards that will reflect the community’s area, as well as to surrounding areas; with the new planning approach outlined needs and unique cultural heritage. The plan will • Supporting the area as a destination for in the body of this report and the following also provide strong design guidance for both both local residents and visitors alike, by schedule: public and private lands providing certainty for the development industry, communities and planning for and directing growth and • March 2016 - February 2017: Fairfield, investment by the City and the private sector. change envisioned in the Official Community Gonzales and Victoria West. Plan. • March 2017 - February 2018: Fernwood, Project Objectives • Providing recommendations on Jubilee, North Park, Rockland, as well as infrastructure/servicing to support growth The Plan’s objectives include the following: Fort Street corridor within Fairfield, and and attract investment into this area; Oak Bay Village within Gonzales. • Creatively engaging and working • Relating and linking with existing and collaboratively with the neighbourhood • March 2018 - February 2019: James Bay, proposed developments in the rest of the stakeholders to create a plan that embodies Hillside-Quadra, Oaklands. community, including land uses and existing their vision for the area, through addressing strategic policies and Heritage Conservation 2. Consult with community associations, social, economic and environmental issues; groups and other interested citizens on Area/Development Permit Area Guidelines • Identifying and addressing community the new local area planning program and identified in the Official Community Plan; needs and wants. develop shared principles and other Terms 8 Victoria West Community Profile and Baseline Report | CITY OF VICTORIA DRAFT 4 / Purpose of the Plan The Victoria West Neighbourhood Plan is intended to provide a framework for the development of this area over a 20-30 year time line. Based on OCP scenario and Statistics Canada projections, by 2041, the Plan’s study area could see approximately 1,500 total housing units added (approximately 60-70 housing units per year). What is a Neighbourhood Plan? Neighbourhood plans include both long-term policies and short term actions, and often look beyond their While there is no legal definition of what a local own boundaries to consider the connections with the Official Community area plan or neighbourhood plan is or should Plan surrounding city. Neighbourhood plans work hand-in- include, generally a local area plan is a plan hand with the OCP, by detailing how the OCP’s high prepared for