Staff Correspondence Response re: Victoria Contracting
Internal staff emails and response regarding maintenance standards and costs for the medians on Island Highway.
Elena Bolster
Subject: FW: Victoria Contracting
From: Ivan Leung ILeung@viewroyal.ca
Sent: Friday, September 1, 2023 12:04 PM
To: Kim Anema KAnema@viewroyal.ca
Cc: Ben Lubberts BLubberts@viewroyal.ca
Subject: RE: Victoria Contracting
Hi Kim – see attached from Ben. There are no additional maintenance costs for these native gardens compared to the other medians in the corridor. It is all included in the VCMMC contract as incidental work (therefore each rain garden is treated evenly as maintenance level 2).
So at this time there are no accrued additional costs. If we do see additional costs associated with future contract negotiations in 2026, that may be substantial, then perhaps we could discuss this and any changes with VCMMC in 2025.
Ivan Leung, P.Eng
Director of Engineering
Town of View Royal | 45 View Royal Ave | Victoria, BC V9B 1A6
d: 250-708-2272 | p: 250-479-6800
CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: The above message contains confidential information intended for a specified individual and purpose. The information is private and protected by law. Any copying or disclosure of this transmission by anyone other than the intended recipient is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please notify the sender immediately and delete this message and any attachments from your system. Thank you.
From: Ben Lubberts BLubberts@viewroyal.ca
Sent: Monday, August 21, 2023 3:28 PM
To: Ivan Leung ILeung@viewroyal.ca
Subject: RE: Victoria Contracting
Hi Ivan,
The center medians along Island Hwy are maintained at “Maintenance Level 2 Groomed” standards in the BCLS. The main objective of Level 2 is to present a neat, orderly, groomed appearance but not to the same “near-perfect” standard as Level 1. The native plantings within the two rain gardens tend to bloom lavishly in the spring but then appear mostly normal and mundane for the rest of the year. The other two rain gardens have conventional non-native rose bushes which naturally embody a more orderly appearance throughout the year. Most of VCMMC maintenance work entails removing garbage, removing invasive grasses and weeds, and pruning back overgrowth.
Regards,
Ben Lubberts, AScT
Deputy Director of Engineering
Town of View Royal 45 View Royal Ave | Victoria, BC V9B 1A6
Ph: 250-940-5247 | Cell: 250-880-1194
CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: The above message contains confidential information intended for a specified individual and purpose. The information is private and protected by law. Any copying or disclosure of this transmission by anyone other than the intended recipient is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please notify the sender immediately and delete this message and any attachments from your system. Thank you.
From: Jon Thomas
Sent: Thursday, August 17, 2023 1:08 PM
To: Mayor And Council Email mayorandcouncil@viewroyal.ca
Subject: Victoria Contracting
It must cost the tax payers of View Royal a lot of money to have Victoria Contracting maintain the six islands of plants on the Island Highway. I'm talking about the ones in front of the 4 Mile Pub that go all the way up to the top of the hill. There is usually 3 to 5 people working and they are there for hours. When they are finished I can honestly say for the amount being paid it doesn't take my breath or anybody else's away. They seem to be there a lot more than is required. Spend the money where it needs to be spent. What a waste of money.
Jon