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Mayor's 2010 Year End Review |
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Before I review the year, I want to thank members of Council for all of their efforts during the year to serve the interests of the Town and its residents. Also, I want to thank staff for their commitment and hard work over the past year. As I look back to the beginning of this middle year of the current Council term and what has been accomplished since then, 2010 has clearly been a productive year for the Town of Sidney. Among the highlights I want to comment upon the following: Committees First, I want to mention our new Committee structure. We have had our new Commissions and Committee system running for this past year, and I am very pleased with the results. Over time, these bodies will provide a sound means for Council to receive measured citizen input and policy suggestions. Council appreciates the energy and commitment of the citizen members of the new Community Development Commission, the Health Community Commission, the Protective Services Committee and the Parks and Infrastructure Committee. Sidney Ferry Terminal We have continued to work very hard to ensure the continued presence of the Washington State Ferry run to the San Juan Islands and Anacortes. BC Ferries has generously approved termination of the current lease respecting the Sidney Ferry Terminal. The Town will be proceeding with direct discussions with Washington State Ferries to secure a long-term relationship and to reinforce the critical importance of preserving the Anacortes/San Juan Islands/Sidney ferry service. Parks and Public Open Spaces The Town has been able to initiate three major projects: Lochside redevelopment, Iroquois Park redevelopment and the Town's Works Yard improvements. As the Lochside oceanfront promenade project nears completion, we look forward to our residents and visitors enjoying the new park-like setting from Tulista Park right to the Town's southern boundary. We greatly appreciate the level of cooperation and communication with our First Nations neighbours as we address the cultural sensitivities associated with the project. At the same time our plans for the makeover of Iroquois Park are well underway, with the majority of site works anticipated to be completed late next year. The long-awaited water spray feature, a project of the Sidney-by-the-Sea Rotary Club, will be an important component in the enhanced and improved Iroquois Park. Visitor Services Earlier this year the Town entered into an agreement with the Saanich Peninsula Chamber of Commerce for the operation and management of the Town's Visitor Centre in Bevan Park on Beacon Avenue. Council is very pleased with the relationship, which expands the Chamber's visitor centre operation to three facilities - Pat Bay Highway, Iroquois Park and Bevan Park - and brings the Town's facility into the provincial official Visitor Centre network. We look forward to continuing our relationship with the Chamber in the years ahead. Town Lease from School District No. 63 One ongoing and challenging problem for the Town is parking in the downtown and adjacent areas. We have been looking for opportunities to increase the amount of parking available. In mid-November the Town and School District No. 63 announced that the Town would be leasing the surplus Board property at the northeast corner of Bevan Avenue and 3rd Street to create additional public parking space in Sidney's downtown core. From the Town and School District's perspective, this is a win-win for both parties as it would rid the community of a derelict structure in the commercial area as well as providing some immediate relief to Sidney's downtown parking challenge. Freedom of the Town Event - 443 Maritime Helicopter Squadron As a community we are fortunate to have on our doorsteps the presence of Canada's West Coast Military Helicopter Squadron. In a major emergency, we all would be very aware of the assistance and support such a group would provide us. In recognition of this, on September 18 Town Council and our RCMP Detachment conducted a ceremony to complete the granting of the Freedom of the Town to the 443 Maritime Helicopter Squadron. The event was held to celebrate the close relationship with the Squadron, based at the Victoria International Airport, and to recognize the 100th Anniversary of the creation of Canada's Navy. Celebrating Partnerships The Town congratulates the following for their efforts in enhancing the cultural and social richness of Sidney and the Saanich Peninsula:
Zoning Bylaw Update As a follow up to the important Official Community Plan and the Local Area Downtown/Downtown Waterfront Plan (completed in 2008), Staff and our Advisory Planning Commission have been working very hard to make our Zoning Bylaw more user friendly and reflect the current values and conditions. We will see the final draft of the document coming to Council in the Spring for approval. Infrastructure Management The Town's Finance and Engineering Departments put in considerable effort in this past year updating and fully inventorying the status of all of the Town's infrastructure. The completion of this vital task will enable the Town to better address the issue of infrastructure replacement in the future. Beacon Wharf I want to single out the Beacon Wharf for comment. The discovery of some structural problems with the wharf was a surprise to the Town, which forced us to close the wharf to vehicular traffic. The wharf is safe to pedestrians and for the businesses that operate on there. The Town has a challenge now to develop a plan to ensure its long term viability. Mail-In Balloting For the 2011 Municipal Election, Sidney residents will, for the first time, be able to vote through a mail-in ballot process. This will enable those who are shut-in or who are away at the election time to cast a ballot. Council feels this is an important addition to our residents' ability to participate in our community. New Developments in the Downtown I am very pleased to see some important redevelopment in the downtown area. The east section of the Landmark Building has been transformed into a storefront along Seaport Place and Mineral World has moved there. This has improved the Seaport streetscape greatly. On 4th Street the old Seabreeze Restaurant building will be replaced with an attractive new building and at the corner of 4th and Bevan, a building will replace the car lot. Both these buildings will have commercial on the main floor with residential above. This mix is exactly what we envisaged in the Local Area Plan for the area. Trolley Initiative In a community development partnership with the Chamber, the Town assisted with the development of a feasibility study/business plan for a Peninsula and SIdney Trolley Run which would link the various attractions on the Peninsula to the Town. We hope that this service will come into existence next Spring and will have a very positive impact upon the economic life of the Town. Meet the Mayor This past October I had the first "Meet with the Mayor Open House". It proved to be very rewarding for me. Thirty people met with me during the day and presented many of their concerns but also their ideas for a solution. I and Staff are now following up on each of these and will continue into the near year. Because of the value this session had for me in hearing from the public, I will continue these meetings in 2011. The specific dates and times will be advertised in the paper and announced in Town Talk. Expanded Town Talk It is very important for this Council to communicate with the public. One of the most effective communication tools we have is our newsletter, Town Talk. In order to provide the residents with more information, Council increased the newsletter by 4 pages in 2010. This enables the Town to better inform people of issues, of progress and of important community events. A sad note Along with all his friends in the community, Town Council and Staff mourn the untimely passing of Town Crier Extraordinaire, Bert Stevens. We will miss his booming voice and amusing cries at public events and celebrations, and our thoughts go out to Marolyn and Bing as they cope with the loss of Bert. Looking ahead In April next year, the Town will be pleased to host the Annual Conference of the Association of Vancouver Island and Coastal Communities (AVICC). Plans are well underway for an interesting and fun program. Later in the year, the Municipal Information Systems Association (MISA) will also be holding its annual conference in Sidney. Both events will be based at the Mary Winspear Community Centre. These events will have an important economic impact upon the Town. With the Town Hall improvements nearing completion, we will move forward with upgrades at the Municipal Works Yard on Ocean Avenue. Finally, Council will continue its efforts to attract senior government partnerships to move forward with installation of a pedestrian overpass over Highway 17 at Beacon Avenue. I want to wish everyone the very best of the holiday season and New Year. Thanks again for coming and we invite you to remain to enjoy some light refreshment at the end of this meeting. |
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