WhatB次元官网网址檚 the best way to approach sewage treatment on Greater VictoriaB次元官网网址檚 west side?
That will be determined using feedback garnered from a series of open houses held recently by Westside Solutions in Colwood, Esquimalt, Langford, Songhees First Nation, and last Thursday at View Royal town hall.
So where do we go from here?
Colwood Mayor Carol Hamilton said now the hard work begins, which is to take that feedback, streamline it and come up with concrete options for the project to present back to the public during round 2 of the consultations.
Despite a good turnout at the open houses, many people struggled to offer feedback because they wanted actual treatment options to choose from, said Michael Baxter, ColwoodB次元官网网址檚 director of engineering.
Given that the process is largely starting from scratch again after a Capital Region-wide plan for sewage treatment fell apart, the Westside program is in the early stages.
B次元官网网址淲e need to ask them the very general questions up front and get a sense of what they want,B次元官网网址� he said.
B次元官网网址淭hen you take that information and come back to them with, B次元官网网址榯his is what you wanted, hereB次元官网网址檚 the price tag.B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址�
According to Christine Houghton of Aurora Consultants, the consulting firm tasked with project communication, among other things, aspects of feedback gathered from open houses and surveys will be incorporated into the plan, where possible.
B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e not taking anything off the table at this point,B次元官网网址� she said at the View Royal session.
While the input process is complicated, she added, itB次元官网网址檚 important to get it right at the start of projects of this size. This new consultation stage is informed by the failure of the larger project and the way it came together.
B次元官网网址淚f you feel someone is doing something to you,B次元官网网址� Houghton said, B次元官网网址測our reaction is to push back. But if you feel someone is doing something with you, youB次元官网网址檙e more likely to; if not to participate; at least feel kindlier towards the initiative, knowing itB次元官网网址檚 not something thatB次元官网网址檚 being imposed on you.B次元官网网址�
Hamilton agreed.
B次元官网网址淭here were some key steps in the process that were missed during the previous try at this,B次元官网网址� she said.
With Colwood having independently researched and consulted with various other treatment facilities over the last number of months, theyB次元官网网址檇 be ready if the city chose to go that route, Hamilton said.
B次元官网网址淩ight from the beginning we were doing our research and developing a plan to have a facility in Colwood for Colwood,B次元官网网址� she said adding that would give them a huge head start on any agreed-upon initiatives down the line.
B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檝e done our homework and we continue to explore, alongside the Westside Solutions discussions, B次元官网网址� the factors of what we can and canB次元官网网址檛 do. Whether itB次元官网网址檚 just as Colwood or with whatever (Westside Solutions) ends up developing, weB次元官网网址檒l be ready when the time comes to get this done.B次元官网网址�
Victoria resident Bryan Gilbert brought his own research to the View Royal consultation in an attempt to help simplify the issue for people.
B次元官网网址淲hen we commit ourselves to a billion dollars in capital, and commit ourselves to $15 million of operating costs every year into the future, I think thereB次元官网网址檚 something to be concerned about,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 a complex topic, so I consider it just part of my civic duty to help simplify it for people. IB次元官网网址檝e done a lot of research on this, so IB次元官网网址檓 just here to help people digest the information a little easier.B次元官网网址�
Gilbert admitted he B次元官网网址渦sed to be in the camp of B次元官网网址榣etB次元官网网址檚 not do this at all.B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址� He said he now realizes this is something that needs to happen and is going to happen, so he hopes others will engage the process positively, rather than looking at the mistakes of past efforts.
B次元官网网址淲here weB次元官网网址檙e at right now is great. WeB次元官网网址檙e being consulted this time,B次元官网网址� he said.
B次元官网网址淭his isnB次元官网网址檛 just them telling us what theyB次元官网网址檙e going to do, this is a time where the public can B次元官网网址� and needs to B次元官网网址� get informed and help make the decision. We can actually have a voice this time, if we get ourselves up to speed on it.
B次元官网网址淚 would like to move forward. I donB次元官网网址檛 want to go bashing the old stuff. There were lots of mistakes made and it would be nice if people admitted them, but we are where we are right now, so letB次元官网网址檚 move on. LetB次元官网网址檚 go.B次元官网网址�
The next round of public consultations will take place once there are feasible options to discuss. No timeline has been determined for that stage of input.
mdavies@goldstreamgazette.com
