City Talks: Is Downtown Dying, Thriving or Surviving
Just a short post today to make sure that all of you are aware that I am co-hosting a panel discussion on Downtown Victoria. The event will be at theDock Co-Working Space on Cormorant Street next Thursday. The event is being put on by myself, Ray Straatsma from the Greater Victoria Placemaking Network and theDock. The event is on October 24, 2024 from 6 - 8. Make sure to read to the end because I am giving away two tickets.
As you know, I am a strong supporter of a vibrant Downtown Victoria. You may remember my series on revitalizing downtown from 2023. You can read those articles here, here, and here. Later that same year, I wrote an article on co-working spaces in Victoria with a focus on theDock on Cormorant Street. In conversation with Colin Richards from theDock and Ray Straatsma from the Greater Victoria Placemaking Network at the time, we thought about the need for a ‘brainstorming’ by the community that focused on idea generation on how to make downtown better. In my opinion, there is too much focus on the success or failures of city council, instead of talking about what the rest of us can be doing to improve the city. I mean there are 100k of us!
It took us a while to get to this point, but we finally got the plan in motion and I am so excited to be co-hosting this event. We have pulled together a group of thought leaders from Victoria to discuss the challenges and opportunities that are facing the city. And there are lots of both! From the flight of office workers; to the growth of online shopping; while also trying to reckon with a toxic drug crisis; homelessness; thousands of new downtown residents; and shifting demographics.
For the panel, we have Michael Demakiling, Christine Lintott and Wendy Welch. Guiding them through this discussion will be Eric Bramble as moderator. Here are their impressive bios:
Michael Demakiling - Panelist
Michael is an In-House Consultant/Advisor for a national dental company, specializing in organizational behaviour, training and development, and consumer behaviour. Beyond work, Michael serves as Chair of the Urban Livability and Urban Ecology & Agriculture Committees with the Victoria Downtown Residents Association. Michael is also a member of the Downtown Victoria Coolkit and serves on the Yates Street Community Garden Steering Committee. Living on Vancouver Island, Michael enjoys various outdoor activities and has recently become a coffee and tea enthusiast. Michael is an amateur nature photographer who skillfully captures the essence of life's most precious moments. For personal wellness, Michael is an avid runner and has recently delved into yoga, finding balance and tranquillity in both activities. Furthermore, Michael has recently become the co-owner of Zero Waste Emporium Inc. and is working with a committee to convert the grocery store into a cooperative.
Christine Lintott - Panelist
Christine is the Founding Principal of the firm Christine Lintott Architects Inc. and has immersed herself in professional practice on Vancouver Island since 2000. She is a lifelong learner, which led her to pursue professional certification in Biomimicry, an approach that is the foundation for regenerative design in the practice. Her interests in ecological principles, optimized performance and constructability have shaped the firm’s portfolio, and have resulted in regulatory, document production and construction industry impact.
Christine is a sought after contributor and speaker, acknowledged in the community for her leadership in ecological design practices, systematized production, and social entrepreneurship. She is often tinkering in spaces beyond architectural design and is consistently challenging the paradigms that shape decisions. She loves practicing architecture and is deeply inspired by doing better every day.
Wendy Welch - Panelist
Wendy is a Victoria-based artist, instructor, writer and free-lance curator. Her art practice includes installation, painting and drawing and she has exhibited her work in Calgary, Lethbridge, Richmond, Surrey, Nanaimo, Montreal, Los Angeles, Portland and Victoria . Wendy is also Executive Director and Founder of the Vancouver Island School of Art, an independent school registered under the BC Ministry of Advanced Education. Wendy is an avid walker and enjoys thinking about what makes a city a good experience for a pedestrian. She has lived in downtown Victoria for 30 years and has recently moved to James Bay, but still works downtown at VISA which located at 301-733 Johnson St.
Eric Bramble - Moderator
Eric Bramble was born in Victoria. He studied Real Estate Appraisal at Langara College in 1983. He then embarked on a career as a Commercial Realtor in London, UK, from 1986 to 1999. Upon returning to Victoria, he continued to work in commercial real estate from 2000 to 2022. In 2012, Eric founded 29er Radio, hosting the signature show "Lisa Gene and Eric," which focused on urban development and revitalization until 2022.
Doors are at 6pm with the discussion starting at 615pm. Following a discussion by the panel, we will be expanding it to include the audience. If you have a great idea that you want to share or think that there is a problem that no one is talking about, you need to be here. Tickets are available on Eventbrite here. There is a $5 cost to cover the expenses for theDock, but to be clear, this is not a money making event. I really hope that many of you can join us!
Contest
In thanks to all of you that are regular readers (or people that want to become regular readers), I am planning to give away two tickets to the event. To enter, just make sure you are a subscriber to the blog (subscribe button is at the top of the page) and then leave a comment in the comment section for this article saying you want to be entered. I will do a draw on Monday night at 8pm. I really hope to see many of you there!
