The redevelopment and planning of the inner harbour area of Victoria, British Columbia
Date
1984
Authors
Webster, Brian
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Abstract
The history of contentious political debate over the future of the Inner Harbour is examined in an effort to determine the causes of past contention and the extent of current consensus over the future of Victoria's Inner Harbour area. Data were obtained through a review of historical documents, newspaper reports, interviews with participants, and a questionnaire distributed through a local weekly newspaper.
The high level of political controversy that has plagued Inner Harbour redevelopment was found to be due to five factors: the physical location of the area which makes it a centre of attention; use of the Inner Harbour as a political weapon by local politicians; a lack of communication between major political actors; the conservative tendency of t h e local community; and differences of opinion within the local community as to whether Victoria should be developed as other large urban centres have been.
It was found that the extent of current consensus over the general goals of Inner Harbour development is considerable. This was attributed to frustration with unproductive political debate over the years, a relatively harmonious City Council, and the potential for increased co-operation between levels of government.
Several recommendations emerged regarding physical changes that could be implemented to improve the Inner Harbour in the short-term . More general recommendations were also made regarding the process of planning the Inner Harbour . It was suggested: that the planning of the Inner Harbour should not be carried out on the basis of short-term economic considerations; that the nature of public participation in harbour planning should be better defined; that the City of Victoria should become more aggressive in pursuing implementation of its planning objectives; and that the development of the Inner Harbour should become a priority for action rather than discussion.