PENINSULA Catching up with Elizabeth May
Literary Festival this weekend
Saanich-Gulf Islands MP is confident in the future of the Green Party in Ottawa and B.C., page 3 Black Press C O M M U N I T Y
N E W S
M E D I A
NEWS REVIEW
Sidney’s first literary festival features readings, writings and contests, page 9
Friday, October 4, 2013
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Two-way debate at forum Beacon Avenue the subject of a traffic direction forum Oct. 8 Tim Collins Contributor
It was all the rage during the 1980s and ‘90s to streamline traffic flow by moving to the creation of one way streets, according to Steve Duck of the Sidney Traffic Improvement Group (STIG). But applying that concept to the one way section of Sidney’s Beacon Avenue was the wrong way to go. “The whole concept was uninviting,” said Duck. “It was a concept made popular by traffic engineers who wanted to move as many cars as possible through a city as quickly as possible. That’s not what Sidney’s main street should be about.” Duck pointed out that municipalities right across North America have been reverting back to two-way traffic in their commercial areas. That’s why the group has been lobbying town council to reconsider the choice made back in 1996 that led to the current one-way thoroughfare in the heart of downtown. The question has been under review for some months. Early in 2013, a traffic study was commissioned by council and conducted by Victoria’s Urban Systems. That study was sent on through the Community Development Committee to council and included the statement that “the one-way section of Beacon between Fifth and Second Street was counter-intuitive and did not appear to enhance the mobility of the area.” Please see: Group wants Sidney visitors, page 22
A curious pig leans in for a better look at the camera at a farm on Lochside Drive in Central Saanich.
Devon MacKenzie/News staff
Satisfied in Sidney Survey shows majority of Sidney residents happy with council, town services Steven Heywood News staff
A sample of Sidney residents are happy with their quality of life in the community and appear to be willing to pay additional taxes to maintain or improve that lifestyle. A new Ipos Reid satisfaction survey was conducted in May and June of this year. The results were made public at council’s Sept. 23 meeting and were hailed as good news for the municipality. Three hundred Sidney residents were
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contacted by phone and asked about their level of satisfaction with local services, the decisions of mayor and council, quality of life in Sidney, their top local issues and taxes, among others. In most categories, those surveyed indicated a level of satisfaction higher than the B.C. average in other municipalities. Mayor Larry Cross agrees the survey acts as a barometer on how council is doing and how its decisions impact the residents. “Overall, it shows a good reaction to
popular issues,” Cross said, “but we’re not going to rest on our laurels. We do have areas where we need to improve on.” Communications between the Town and its residents is one of those areas where improvement is needed. Most respondents either didn’t know of, or had no particular information they needed — but those who did listed taxes, budgets and land issue matters as things about which they wanted more details. Please see: Sidney’s first such survey, page 5