Official Community Plan - 14.0 Community Well-Being and Culture
Policies focusing on health, heritage preservation, civic engagement, and food security.
14.0 Community Well-Being and Culture
14.1 CONTEXT
Community well-being in View Royal is shaped by the social, cultural, and economic conditions that support residents’ health, safety, belonging, and ability to participate in society. As View Royal grows and diversifies, the Town’s role in supporting social needs continues to evolve, with an emphasis on equity, inclusion, accessibility, and collaboration with the Xʷsepsəm and Songhees Nations and other partners in the region.
COMMUNITY HEALTH AND WELL-BEING
Community health is important to residents, and the character of a community is directly related to the quality of life and social, mental and physical well-being experienced by its residents. As the host for one of the region’s two major hospitals (Victoria General Hospital), View Royal plays a key role in facilitating healthcare services for local and regional residents alike, and generally supports expanding the services provided at this facility in the future.
Community well-being extends far beyond mental and physical health services. It encompasses various community facilities and spaces, including parks, trails, and recreational and community facilities, as shown on Map 15. Schools and daycares in View Royal are essential, offering education for youth, opportunities for social, educational, and recreational enrichment, and support for local families. Parks, trails, and recreation areas (see Section 13.0) play a significant role in supporting the mental, physical, and social health of the community through access to nature and opportunities for connection and exercise.
Contemplating and addressing the needs and abilities of residents across demographic groups is vital to ensure the well-being of all community members. Prioritizing accessibility is key to creating a more equitable community, allowing everyone to safely, comfortably, and fully participate in life in View Royal. The Town’s demographic data indicates that there is a growing aging population, based on the last Census period (2021), which means meaningful steps must be taken now to support the needs of residents to age in place in the future. A more complete overview of the Town’s demographics is available for review in the Community Profile in Appendix A.
COMMUNITY CULTURE
View Royal’s heritage resources, arts and cultural spaces, creative sector, and community organizations help foster a safe, welcoming, and inclusive community with a strong sense of place. View Royal is home to some of the oldest buildings in the Capital Regional District and some of Canada’s National Historic Sites. The Craigflower Manor site, completed in 1856, is one of the four original farms the Hudson’s Bay Company set up in the Greater Victoria Area. The Town is a full participant in the Capital Regional District Arts & Culture Support Service, which provides operating and project grants to local festivals, performing arts, general arts, and visual arts of non-profit organizations such as the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria, Ballet Victoria, the Victoria Jazz Society, and the Victoria Symphony. This partnership aims to acknowledge the key role that arts and culture play in fostering a sense of place and community and contributing to overall well-being. It is a priority of the Town to partner with the Xʷsepsəm and Songhees Nations to integrate aspects of Indigenous culture into the community fabric wherever possible, such as public art, interpretive signage, and the hosting of public events and festivals, amongst others.
FIRE PROTECTION
The Department operates out of the Town’s Public Safety Building located on Island Highway, and it is comprised of a mix of career and paid on call part time fire fighters. The department is responsible for fire-related incidents and emergency response, fire prevention and inspections, disaster responses, training, and public education. The Fire Department has joint agreements with neighbouring municipalities, including Langford, Colwood, and Esquimalt to provide fire and emergency management coverage and reliable service for residents and businesses in the area. In addition, the Fire Department provides fire emergency response as well as emergency disaster management for the Xʷsepsəm and Songhees Nation.
POLICE SERVICE
The Town of View Royal is policed by the West Shore Royal Canadian Mounted Police Detachment, located in Langford. The West Shore Royal Canadian Mounted Police also serve the City of Langford, City of Colwood, District of Metchosin, District of Highlands, and the Xʷsepsəm and Songhees Nations. To ensure the Royal Canadian Mounted Police have the space required to serve the West Shore's growing population over the next 25 years, the ownership group (consisting of Langford, Colwood and View Royal) have embarked on an expansion of the facility.
This section aims to advance objectives and policies that strengthen community health and well-being, cultural identity, enhance accessibility and inclusion, protect heritage, and expand opportunities for youth, families, and seniors, while fostering a safe, connected, and culturally rich community where all residents can thrive.
The following Official Community Plan Goals may be achieved through the objectives and policy direction provided in this section:
- Community Well-Being
- Community Safety and Security
- Community Input and Governance
- Regional Partnerships
14.2 OBJECTIVES
14.2.1 HISTORIC AND CULTURAL IDENTITY
Celebrate the diverse heritage of View Royal by identifying, recognizing, protecting, and celebrating natural, cultural, and built heritage resources, including those of significance to the Xʷsepsəm and Songhees Nations.
14.2.2 ARTS AND COMMUNITY REPRESENTATION
Support the enrichment of arts, culture, and heritage by attracting artists through the provision of spaces and events, programs, and policies. Collaboration with Xʷsepsəm and Songhees Nations and neighbouring municipalities is encouraged.
14.2.3 CREATING A DIVERSE, EQUITABLE, AND INCLUSIVE COMMUNITY
Enhance the quality of life for all residents by fostering an environment where diversity, equity, and inclusion are promoted and embedded in Town policies, programs, and spaces. Successful implementation of a diverse, equitable, and inclusive approach recognizes and addresses the evolving needs of View Royal’s residents and understands and respects the diverse needs of persons of all ages, abilities, identities, and backgrounds.
14.2.4 COMMUNITY AND IDENTITY
Strengthen the sense of belonging, shared identity, and emotional connections within View Royal to establish a strong sense of place and community.
14.2.5 COMMUNITY SAFETY AND SUPPORT
Ensure that View Royal is a safe community by working with emergency services, the community, volunteer groups, and residents with diverse living and lived experiences who wish to advance community safety, health, and well-being.
14.2.6 THE IMPORTANCE OF YOUTH, FAMILIES, AND FUTURE LEADERS
Attract and retain youth and families in the community and foster an environment that encourages growth, support, and enrichment for future community leaders. The success of youth and families relies heavily on the investments and resources provided to them in their neighbourhoods and broader community.
14.2.7 COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT THROUGH KNOWLEDGE AND INVOLVEMENT
Identify and develop innovative approaches to civic engagement to ensure that all community members have an opportunity to participate in the Town’s decision-making processes. Opportunities to empower community members through education and volunteerism are encouraged.
14.3 POLICIES
14.3.1 BUILT, NATURAL, AND CULTURAL HERITAGE
A. Continue to identify and add heritage properties to the Town’s Heritage Register. B. Clarify and evolve heritage protection in View Royal through creation of a Heritage Protection program. C. Encourage adaptive reuse of heritage buildings where appropriate. Work with property owners to find innovative solutions that will permit change while preserving and celebrating key heritage values. D. Recognize the role of the View Royal Community Archives as an important resource for local history by advancing and encouraging volunteerism, grants, material donations, and collaborating with the Xʷsepsəm and Songhees Nations. E. Continue to advocate and support the Province with the preservation of Craigflower Manor as a provincial heritage asset by ensuring its ongoing maintenance, restoration, and integration into the community’s cultural landscape. F. Collaborate with Xʷsepsəm and Songhees Nations and community organizations to support increased public education and awareness of the history of View Royal. This may include educational campaigns and exhibits, collaborations with local schools, installations of historical plaques or markers, permanent displays, and public events or meetings. G. Encourage the creation and enhancement of public gathering spaces such as plazas, parks, community halls, schools, outdoor performance areas, waterfront areas, and streets. H. Encourage the hosting of local cultural events and activities, such as annual celebrations, fairs and festivals, outdoor markets, and arts and sports events. Partner with the organizations that host these events, where possible. I. Encourage opportunities for local First Nations art to be included in the design and construction of new development.
Staff Recommendation: C-140-26: THAT a photograph of the rock wall art installation on Island Highway titled "Love Story" be included in the draft Official Community Plan. A photograph has been added this page.
14.3.2 ARTS AND CULTURE
A. Continue to advocate for the development of a West Shore arts and culture facility to service the West Shore communities. B. Support maker spaces, art, and production studios in the Western Gateway Corridor. C. Create community and cultural spaces that promote health and well-being, social belonging, and creativity.
14.3.3 LOCAL GOVERNANCE AND CIVIC ENGAGEMENT
A. Continue to implement the Community Engagement Strategy, applying International Association of Public Participation principles and an equity-focused approach to engagement that seeks participation from all demographic and socioeconomic groups, with particular focus on elevating the voices of equity-deserving peoples.
The International Association of Public Participation is a global organization that instills best practices of public participation amongst entities in service of the public interest. The Town has endorsed International Association of Public Participation’s pillars of engagement.
B. Support and build neighbourhood capacity in strengthening social connections, climate action, and community resilience through neighbourhood-driven initiatives. C. Commit to transparent, ongoing public dialogue about growth management strategies, emphasizing how proactive planning can protect established neighbourhoods and guide change in a manner that benefits the entire community. D. Encourage applicants proposing development to consult with stakeholders and the broader public prior to the statutory consultation phase of a development application. E. Consider opportunities to improve knowledge of and access to volunteer opportunities, including standing committees, within the Town. F. Explore opportunities and actions to strengthen civic engagement, especially among underrepresented community members, by building their capacity and knowledge of municipal processes to foster diverse involvement in Town initiatives.
14.3.4 SUPPORTING YOUTH AND SENIOR POPULATIONS
A. Encourage diverse, quality, accessible and affordable daycare programs, including early childhood daycare, preschool, and out-of-school care spaces through partnerships, coordination, advocacy to senior governments and ongoing supportive land use policies and regulations. B. Investigate opportunities to provide childcare spaces as a public amenity in new development, preferably near schools, parks, transit and other amenities. C. Ensure that youth interests are appropriately integrated into Town initiatives, events, and activities. This may involve conducting outreach in View Royal Schools, disseminating information regarding youth initiatives through Town update channels such as RSS feeds and social media, and adapting Town programs and activities to accommodate the needs of youth when applicable. D. Continue to support opportunities for youth to be involved in leadership roles in recreational and leisure activities, as a municipal member of West Shore Parks and Recreation. E. Undertake efforts to understand how the Town can partner with community organizations, public agencies, and the Province to better accommodate an aging population. F. Ensure that the interests of seniors are appropriately integrated in Town initiatives, events, and activities. This could include support services, housing that facilitates aging in place, and engaging with and supporting caregivers who assist seniors.
14.3.5 COMMUNITY HEALTH AND SAFETY
A. Collaborate with Island Health to enhance health care services, ancillary services, and access to clinics, as well as the redevelopment of existing facilities where appropriate. B. Increase the number of medical practitioners to support the needs of View Royal residents. C. Continue to advocate for and support community-based and public agency initiatives to prevent crime and reduce potential harm to individuals, such as Block Watch, school, and Royal Canadian Mounted Police community-outreach programs. D. Ensure the Town is equipped to respond to any local and regional states of emergency. E. Continue to coordinate policing matters with the West Shore Royal Canadian Mounted Police. F. Collaborate with Xʷsepsəm Nation to regularly review the Memorandum of Understanding between View Royal and Xʷsepsəm Nation for Protective Services to support continuous and appropriate fire and emergency service provision. G. Enhance community knowledge of fire prevention and life safety measures.
14.3.6 CREATING AN INCLUSIVE COMMUNITY
A. Improve wayfinding to key destinations to ensure residents and visitors of all ages, abilities, and incomes can easily access Town locations. B. Ensure all public buildings and spaces integrate principles of Universal Design to allow anyone in the community to enjoy time in a space, regardless of their abilities or age. C. Continue to seek out and provide equitable access to a broad range of inclusivity measures in the public realm, such as barrier free access, lighting, and seating, that support the mental and physical health of residents of all ages and abilities. This includes people with visible or invisible disabilities. D. Explore the feasibility of obtaining community meeting space through new mixed-use, multi-unit residential development. E. Advocate and collaborate with property owners and management groups to provide community access to meeting and gathering spaces, where possible, that are both safe and accessible. F. Attract and retain businesses and jobs that offer livable, household-sustaining wages, support community wealth, and enable View Royal residents to live and work locally. G. Advocate and collaborate with the Capital Regional District and the Province to address local social needs and issues, such as the needs of equity-deserving peoples, homelessness, poverty, food security, substance use and addiction, and mental health.
14.3.7 SCHOOLS
A. Recognize public schools as important community gathering places, education centres, recreational, and cultural activity spaces in View Royal. B. Strengthen relationships between the Town and individual schools, the School District, and groups operating within the schools to support the further development of these facilities as community resources. This may include facility upgrades, school development projects, and the long-term use of surplus facilities or land, amongst others.
14.3.8 FOOD SECURITY
A. Ensure all members of the community have access to affordable, healthy, and local food. B. Encourage the development of small-scale, healthy and affordable food retail options such as year-round and seasonal farmers markets, small to mid-size locally-owned grocery stores, mobile food vendors, bakeries, and restaurants. C. Support opportunities for urban agriculture on privately and publicly owned lands. D. Support priority access to community gardens for View Royal residents who do not have access to a private garden. E. Continue to work with non-profit organizations to manage and maintain the existing community gardens within the town. F. Collaborate with Xʷsepsəm and Songhees Nations to identify, protect, and restore lands and waters in support of gathering and harvesting traditional foods. G. Engage and collaborate with Xʷsepsəm and Songhees Nations, where there is interest, to develop Indigenous gardens and harvesting areas that focus on cultivating culturally important plant species for food, ceremony, and medicinal purposes. H. Engage and collaborate with the Xʷsepsəm and Songhees Nations to celebrate and bring awareness to traditional foods through collaboration in festivals, markets, and other appropriate events.
