Appendix A: Verbatim Comments - Visioning and Guiding Principles Survey

1. Walkable services - grocery, coffee shops, nice restaurants
2. Safe, reliable and efficient routes for public transportation and cyclists across the town and connecting to adjacent municipalities
3. Shopping centre around 6 Mile/Atkins, hotel, frequent bus on #53, #46 and #40) pedestrian lanes on both GGT/ E&N, 40% tree canopy, safe clean public toilets, rapid transit on the E&N, good grocery store around Island Hwy/ Helmcken
4. Doctors
5. Cant think of anything
6. More recycling options (soft plastics etc)
7. Our community is lacking commercial hubs made up of small, local businesses. More grocery stores, cafes, and businesses that meet everyday needs within walking distance from residential areas would be so welcomed (like market proposed for Helmcken).
8. transparency and consistency. Also, current residents cannot provide all the infrastructure for future residents. Fiscal fairness is needed!
9. A physical heart of the community
10. An better understanding of traffic flow. Watkiss way as an example
11. I think of View Royal as a bedroom community riddled with highways, sandwiched between Victoria and Langford/Sooke. We aren't really a community in my sense of the word community.
12. A neighborhood social meeting place (pub) and a restaurant
13. The heart of the community
14. North View Royal has had a lot of buildings built, but must drive to get to shopping, entertainment or appointments.
15. Town Centre Turn E&N into a reliable rapid transit corridor Pedestrian lane on 2 regional trails - E&N and Galloping Goose Frequent bus service on the #53, #46, and creating #40 on Admirals (UVic to Dockyards) 40% urban tree canopy toilets ch
16. Housing, rapid transit, and safe separated bike routes to all schools and businesses
17. Neighbourhood markets
18. affordable housing, protected bicycle lanes
19. grocery store/convenience store, doctors
20. Safe transportation links
21. Walkable, bikeable neighbourhoods. View Royal sits at an important regional intersection, yet even travelling within its boundaries while walking or rolling is challenging.
22. Town centre where events and gatherings can be held
23. A real hub so VR can become a ‘town’ rather than be a thoroughfare to the western communities
24. Diverse housing options
25. Continuity and connection of protected bike routes
26. A recreation centre
27. Walkabilty in many afea (i.e. Watkiss Way)
28. affordable single family homes. they keep getting torn down to develop little boxes for immigrants
29. A true sense of identity. A central gathering place. A real mix of housing types in all of our neighbourhoods.
30. Dialysis
31. Dialysis
32. Arts and culture hub town square, placemaking
33. Better access to the waterfront along the harbour and inlet; more coffee shops and restaurants.
34. View Royal is stunningly beautiful; however, it does not have a distinct community identity as illustrated by the lack of a community gathering place/centre. We are perceived as an impediment to get from Victoria to the West Shore.
35. Access to rapid transit
36. An area for downtown with adequate parking.
37. Town centre, community events, dining other than takeout, affordable housing, connection between parts of view royal maybe bridge over hwy near ft victoria rv park. Town homes, and ones that are not stratas. Freehold. Stratas add to cost of housing
38. Good middle range restaurants, walk-in medical clinic.
39. There are very few restaurants & cafes. Traffic & congestion (especially when traffic is rerouted due to an emergency) is becoming very frustrating. A train to downtown would be great.
40. rec centre
41. sidewalks to eagle creek (doesn’t matter that it’s saanich)
42. Support for seniors wanting to age in place.
43. An artificial sports turf
44. Density
45. Just common sense at times
46. Rec centre and community centre that is big enough
47. A proper "downtown" area.
48. Fully fenced dog park (would be great to add one in the off leash dog park in view royal park. Need a fully fenced area so there is no risks of dogs running onto highway, playground, swamp, etc)
49. walkable villages like Cook St Village, Quadra St Village, etc. (and unlike Admirals Walk) with cafes, bookstores, etc.
50. Walkable neighborhoods, a core center
51. A public library
52. Shopping facilities in walking distance; affordable housing; indoor and outdoor venues to congregate; more active transport options
53. Daycare places, more community gardens, affordable housing
54. traffic circles; wide, usable car lanes, sidewalks, and nightime lighting.
55. A bakery, locally owned retail stores, arts and entertainment venue, high school, traffic safety and sidewalks on side streets, seniors programming, youth drop in programs.
56. Town Centre, Doctor Clinics, Retail Shopping and Restaurants
57. 2 lane streets and good street parking.
58. places like small coffee shops, delis etc. for residents to meet in
59. Police- VR needs its own police instead of WS RCMP
60. Sufficient low-income housing + inconsistent roads/sidewalks + need for smoother flow of traffic on main arteries.
61. Small shops/cafes in the neighborhood, more public transit, more daycare and schools, sidewalks
62. Community events (festivals etc.)
63. Better bus system. Number 14 bus craigflower is crawling. I gave up taking bus and drove to town.
64. better public transportation options, eg light rail system
65. Town Centre, rapid transit corridor on E&N, pedestrian lanes of E&N and Galloping Goose, more frequent bus services on #54 and #46, new #40 UVic to Dockyards, 40% urban tree canopy, more public toilets and EV fast chargers, secure bike lockups
66. Better schools
67. Trustworthy places to leave your bike. For example an attended lot near shops and services. If we are prioritizing cycling we can't ignore bike security.
68. Sidewalks.
69. Common Sense
70. An OCP that incorporates density and development (corridors, centre's, transit hubs, etc.)
71. Diverse housing and increased density of housing in appropriate areas such as transit hubs and corridors.
72. Police presence
73. The goose is such an incredible resource. Please make it safer and lead by example to other city’s how to get the most use and safety out of the already existing and beautiful trail!
74. A reliable rapid transit corridor on the E&N; Pedestrian lane on E&N and Galloping Goose trails; More frequent bus service; 40% urban tree canopy; more Level 3 DC Fast Chargers; more and better public toilets in parks and commercial centres
75. highschool
76. Parking for guests & visitors
77. 'third spaces' for informal community engagement and regular outdoor events, like markets, etc.
78. Local public squares - lots of public parks (very good) but limited public spaces if the weather is extremely poor.
79. Safe and sustainable public transportation in all neighbourhoods
80. Connected active transportation and "third spaces" where people can meet, talk, and socialize.
81. Good restaurants and businesses
82. It is not walkable enough and the bus stops should have seating at every stop.
83. A focus on active transportation through requiring less parking. Not more. We don't need more cars on the already busy roads.
84. Primary Care site or drop-in medical centre at Eagle Creek would be nice. Close to hospital and would help with the overflow on the hospital for minor issues.
85. Restaurants, community centres, playgrounds.
86. Entertainment and restaurants, office jobs and medical practices.
87. Public library, housing for low-income people/families
88. Proper tree care for the urban forest. You arborist says yay or nay and offers to do the work. Huge conflict of interest
89. Doctors and walk in clinics
90. methods to ease traffic congestion
91. I think we have everything or so close we don’t need it
92. Supporting sports for youth. We need more turf fields, arena space & pools for kids. Also affordable housing, though VR has done quite a bit in the last few years it is not enough. Safe & affordable housing is a priority for success.
93. I live on Chilco Rd. It is not walkable to most services. It would be great to have more essential services on Six Mile Rd. It would also be great to allow small conveniences stores, cafes, bakeries in the neighborhood, rather than strict zoning.
94. library, swimming pool, more cafes
95. Functional public spaces, public transportation, walkable communities
96. Community Gardens & enjoyable community center (outdoors and indoors)
97. Character of buildings
98. cultural centre
99. Recreation center and appropriate parking for new builds
100. Better sidewalks - improving the existing ones
101. Sidewalks
102. A bus lane / efficient bus route on Craigflower/Old Island Highway; Rapid bus at Six Mile and new Island Highway; better boat launches and storage; "missing middle" housing; restaurants; multi-room indoor community centre; more waterfront access
103. Better public transport. Rail?
104. Bike lanes within the community not just through
105. Tight control on the ability of developers to remove trees.
106. A Town centre and gathering place for the community.
107. Safe bike lanes, all weather (turf) sports field, sidewalks, more ground level retail space
108. A city centre
109. Splash Park
110. Affordable housing for all family types

Question 5: What is the biggest challenge View Royal will face between now and 2050?

1. A range of accessible and affordable housing options that ensures diversity of residents
2. Resistance to the change needed to transform communities to support the growing population
3. Natural disaster (quake, fire, flood, drought); Theis Lake Dam #3 structural failure; long periods of traffic gridlock through regional over densification; unable to maintain essential infrastructure, amalgamation
4. Density pressure from the NDP. Residents should have the say about the location & types of housing and other developments.
5. Inability to live within the means of a small town. Failure to ensure development pays for infrastructure. This survey is supposed to be about the OCP Vision Statement. Please read it.
6. Safe space
7. keeping the natural environment and mature trees on non natural environment
8. Inadequate/unaffordable housing for families who need it
9. Balancing development with infrastructure and climate change (i.e. more housing needed, but issues with more cars). We need more thriving local businesses so View Royal residents can spend their money in View Royal and walk to what they need.
10. small population, aging infrastructure, large costs, damning provincial legislation. Figuring out how to retain current residents while welcoming future residents.
11. Dealing with traffic
12. Growth. Changing from a town to a city with the increase in population
13. The terrible traffic situ which dominates View Royal every weekday afternoon and turns it into a war zone of roaring cars and trucks and frustrated commuters.
14. Increased population and not enough land set aside for services. North view Royal doesn’t even have a proper restaurant. Gridlock on roads
15. A location of that heart
16. The gridlock that is already an everyday occurrence. Traffic calming Boulevards are beautiful to look at but do not keep the traffic flowing. The section from Burnside & Helmcken to Watkiss way is parking lot! New development @ corner not done!
17. over densification gridlock. Moving around without E&N corridor Disaster mitigation. Dam #3 Thetis Lake not retrofitted to seismic standards, risk 2 6Mile exit ramp economy/ lives. Craigflower Creek. Drought, water security. climate change denial
18. Housing availability and affordability, the end of car dominance
19. Remaining a liveable enclave
20. Nimbys
21. traffic jam on six mile road, old island highway, TCH is bad during rush hours! Bus stops only deserve main streets
22. Aging population fewer young people climate crisis
23. Affordability. Having work and play within walking distance and cycling distance of home is of major value, reducing hoseshold expenses.
24. Maintaining its small town charm and closeness
25. Finance - the housing crisis will put pressure on essential and non-essential services alike
26. Not being taken over by larger municipalities
27. Climate change, reconciliation, economic development
28. Growing within out boundaries
29. Overbuilding without adequate infrastructure (roads, water, sewage, schools, fire and police)
30. population control and crime
31. Too much through traffic and poor traffic management. Too many traffic lights.
32. Affordability. Many will not be able to afford to live in our community. Traffic is also a growing challenge.
33. Dialysis
34. Dialysis
35. Climate Change
36. Growth in commuter traffic between downtown Victoria and Langford
37. Requirement to increase housing/population density while preserving the beauty/character of the community and providing the infrastructure and human services required to adequately meet needs of residents and businesses.
38. The ability to provide smooth traffic flow through the community by addressing future transit options other than private vehicles and buses
39. Housing
40. Addressing a growing population
41. Afforable and relevant housing for families.
42. too much density and loss of semi rural ambiance. Traffic and pollution that results from too many people.
43. Congestion, affordable housing & preserving nature.
44. being able to serve all the new people as we densify housing and maintaining our green space
45. population growth
46. Maintaining character of existing neighborhoods versus development
47. Growing population too quickly and not preserving character
48. Affordable housing
49. Traffic
50. Recognizing that the economic wellbeing is the most important aspect of a successful city
51. Traffic and too much development
52. Climate change
53. Probably parking and traffic
54. The traffic corridor (3:30 to 5:30) may only get worse. Alternative transport seems important. Also, housing affordability.
55. Population growth (schools), housing, shopping, loss of nature
56. Weather events caused by climate change, Overdevelopment, increase in traffic congestion
57. Making the town as resilient as possible to meet the challenges of the climate crisis
58. Transportation issues, it's already a nightmare and as the population increases in the Westshore all that traffic comes through View Royal. The timing of the traffic light at the Old Island Highway and the Colwood exit needs to be adjusted
59. affordability and infrastructure that doesn't keep pace with the influx of residents.
60. responding to growth without losing it's charm and community.
61. Affordable housing without over crowding and without foreign investment.
62. Dealing with idiots that want to put in bike lanes that won't be used and high density housing that will ruin our neighbourhoods.
63. keeping growth to a manageable level while maintaining the character of our municipality
64. Crime
65. Being foward looking in this planning effort to address the population/demographics VR will have and design the community based on this -- including adequate housing at all levels; addressing climate change, etc.
66. Meeting population growth with services
67. Being a thoroughfare between downtown and the westshore and the population growth west of us
68. Density near VGH hospital. Traffic is getting backed up on Helmcken. Appreciate more housing in my area but traffic and traffic pollution is concerning. Many cars speeding on Helmcken rd. As pedestrian it feels unsafe at times.
69. climate change and increased of rising water levels and flooding
70. Getting everyone to understand the existential threat of climate change and to act on it before it is too late. Dam #3 at Thtis needs to be siesmically retrofitted, could impact on our water security.
71. Conflicts between cycling needs and vehicle needs as our population grows.
72. Congestion and increasing density
73. Pressure from Federal and Provincial governments to continue to densify with the expectation that homeowners will continue to tolerate increasing taxes
74. NIMBYism and the outdated idea that View Royal is rural despite being literally along high traffic corridors
75. Integrating effectively with regional and sub regional services in a way that meets essential human needs like access to housing, transit, healthcare and education
76. Housing development
77. Traffic and congestion, housing shortages,
78. Growing population so more cars on the road and more bicycles who could be using the goose along with people walking.
79. Educating residents about the existential threat that the climate crisis poses and actions they can take to mitigate the worst effects; even more gridlock from densification; disaster mitigation especially as regards Dam #4 at Thetis Lake;
80. Ensuring single family areas don't become over densified
81. Densification of View Royal and surrounding areas will cause major issues with infrastructure through VR
82. Managing needed growth, including roads and infrastructure
83. Development pressures - development needs to happen, but in a way that respects the community, enviroment, and "vibe" or view royal. Please don't turn into Langford and start levelling mountains and forests.
84. Staying independent from Victoria and the Western Communities
85. Infill or higher density housing options are important for tax base and a vibrant community
86. Designing our urbann space to be for people rather than automobiles. With greater housing density comes a need to re-imagine how we move around in our town.
87. Keeping municipal taxes affordable
88. Growing in a way that will not destroy the nature.
89. Allowing growth with an outdated mindset. It's to put energy into active transportation and regional transportation.
90. Make sure infrastructure is in place for the travel flow. Don't build too many apartments to meet province housing mandate.
91. Transportation and accommodating growth
92. Traffic, especially on the Island Highway
93. Climate change and climate disasters - water shortages, potential wildfires
94. Urban forest strategy hire an isa arborist with trac internally ditch the contractors. Victoria contracting has buried the flair of every tree in the district.2.
95. Population growth
96. infrastructure upgrades, traffic
97. Keeping our green space
98. High cost of living and housing.
99. This community will see many huge challenges but I think that population growth and housing is the biggest. As a community we cannot close the doors and say we are full. That is inhumane and unacceptable. The OCP needs to diversify in every area.
100. Growth and homeless population
101. Environmental disaster. Breakdown of society potentially? Who knows where things are going. Encouraging people to grow food would be a very wise move.
102. Climate change, increased traffic, political instability
103. Transportation infrastructure, housing that works for residents,
104. Pressure to making housing more dense, traffic, climate resilience
105. Changing the density of the city
106. traffic-lots of new housing going up -great-where will be all converge
107. Traffic , infrastructure e.g. health care for all the new homes, condo building poppulationgoing on.
108. Parking is not acceptable with new builds which punishes original home owners
109. Too much housing density, adding too many cars and additional traffic, burden on our infrastructure and utilities, crowding in houses, losing the feel and look of the neighborhoods ,
110. Transportation issues
111. To enhance transit and transportation and help transform more neighbourhoods into walkable places with diverse housing and shops
112. Over crowded roads
113. Not enough density
114. Reducing our greenhouse gas emissions to zero (not net zero)
115. Keeping a mix of housing types that will allow different generations to live here.
116. Improving transit to keep up with growth
117. Traffic as there is a lot of housing starts
118. Parking
119. Maintaining a tax base while balancing the development of high density housing pressure

Question 6: Use a single sentence to describe View Royal 20 years from now, what does your future View Royal look like?

1. A vibrant community that attracts and retains a diversity of residents.
2. Walkable and bikeable neighbourhood hubs that are connected and culturally diverse with shared green spaces.
3. Safe, complete, zero carbon, walkable neighbourhoods with good protective services, and frequent bus service to all areas, and high density residential along rapid bus routes (Casino corridor, Admirals road and at E&N transit hubs)
4. More trees, parks and community gardens as density requires more greenspace. Would be nice if future housing had amenities for its residents like play areas, outdoor eating areas, party rooms.
5. Overcrowded, chaoticly developed, no trees.
6. Treeless , concrete and highrises
7. Clean and using sustainable options like extended recycling services
8. A vibrant, connected, diverse, and welcoming community that meets the needs of residents' lives commercially, through nature, and with a strong sense of culture and place.
9. I see a mixture of housing - single family up to fourplex, maximum three stories; maintained or improved tree canopy, green spaces and natural habitat.
10. A place where children can walk or bicycle to school safely
11. Encroached by amalgamation
12. A place where people can walk on sidewalks in peace, ride their bikes on tree lined streets, sip a bevie at street front cafes, go to a show, eat al fresco and chat with others in public places and where kids can ride their bikes to school safely.
13. Neighborhoods with being able to access services, grocery, a pub. Without having to drive
14. A charming, well thought out community.
15. View Royal roads, Admirals & Helmcken are road artery’s for traffic to cut thru to avoid the McKenize intersection. Perhaps it will be addressed by the new bus lanes, but until that time (2 years) vehicles will still take the smaller road
16. View Royal has evolved to become a climate-conscious responsible community and an environmental, economic and social leader.
17. Bikeable and full of readily available and affordable housing options for all income levels and lifestyles, and there should be a train to connecting communities
18. An oasis of green and liability in a pass-through community
19. A place of equity and inclusion
20. A vibrant and eco-friendly community with access to many green spaces and playgrounds.
21. More diverse housing more diverse transportation options nice play to live
22. A vibrant, mostly self-contained community where residents can work and play in the same neighbourhood.
23. A haven by the sea, walkable and inclusive
24. Green, walkable, dense
25. An integrated community that prioritizes active transportation and communal outdoor green spaces.
26. Areas connected by sidewalks and safe intersections for pedestrians..lots of greenery
27. pandora or east hastings
28. More people than the infrastructure can handle.
29. Interconnected and walkable with commercial nodes. A real mix of housing types to allow many to call View Royal home. Green, vibrant, safe, and liveable.
30. Dialysis
31. Dialysis
32. Connected to the environment and a resilient, reconciled community for the future, for all residents (not just the rich ones).
33. I hope View Royal will continue to be a lively community of diverse neighbourhoods and an even better place to live, work and play.
34. A vibrant, low carbon, sustainable community of 20,000 residents who live, work, and play within a 10 minute walk of their home; linked by reliable and accessible public transportation to required health services in neighbouring communities.
35. A vibrant community that allows citizens the opportunity to live a healthy lifestyle in their community
36. We need an developed area that gives a downtown feel with services and restaurants for everyone to enjoy. Parking is a big issue and should be address for the area to encourage people to use the area that provides services including entertainment
37. Too many people
38. Unless it has a community centre and expansion of community fokd it into neighbouring municipalities. Otherwise it is the older rich and those struggling in expensive apartments. No where fir you g families
39. In the ideal it would remain very much like today with space between areas of density.
40. It will look a lot like Langford. Apartment buildings, commercial areas and traffic. Ideally, nature will be preserved and a focus on affordable single family homes.
41. A safe warm and welcoming city with beautiful green spaces and parks.
42. a walkable town with a range of housing, green spaces and diverse healthcare options.
43. Safe community with diverse options for housing and access to aging in place for Seniors
44. Outdoors, dog friendly, gardens and athletic.
45. Friendly, walkable communities where you can walk through wild/green spaces and to food and other services. A place that's self-contained but also well connected to the region by roads and transit options.
46. Strong & vibrant and focused on jobs and economic well being
47. Not much different than now. We have kept most single family dwellings, preserved our parks, forests and greenspaces and have a rec centre
48. Improved transportation networks and increased housing density.
49. Idyllic
50. Hopefully good transport (bike and bus), great greenspaces and nature, walkable areas.
51. Being able to safely walk to a shop or town center or park or school with beautiful green spaces and trees.
52. Similar character that is has now, with a council that heeds the problem of climate change, while keeping taxes reasonable
53. A "green" town with healthy air and water; people adequately housed; electric public transportation
54. A place where people want to live, with enough schools and definitely more daycare places and affordable housing
55. unused bike lanes, a lot of apartment buildings, and cars with nowhere to park.
56. Small township disguised as a suburb of a medium city.
57. Friendly Family Community
58. View royal must remain a largely suburban community with 1 and 2 story detached houses, small local businesses, no more condo towers, more parking, and no bike lanes.
59. not all that different from now
60. Safe for kids and seniors
61. A small city with roadways/sidewalks that allow for the easy flow of everyone; a sewage system w/the capacity to handle signficant water flow; alternative energy driven power able to withstand increasingly high winds.
62. A more diverse community with small walkable areas sounded serving key needsby nature
63. More community orientated (like other victoria neighbourhoods)
64. Cleaning air, less traffic and maintaining our bike paths and green space.
65. peaceful and kind
66. View Royal has evolved to become a climate-conscious, responsible community and an environmental, economic and social leader.
67. Family friendly green spaces with great parks
68. The small Canadian town that cyclists adore.
69. Preserved all the green spaces we have now and sought more. Maintain all the trails to downtown. Basically exactly what it is now.
70. Sadly the vision is not favorable as densification continues
71. Amalgamated since we are between 5 other more signifant municipalities.
72. Increased density in appropriate areas and a greater diversity of housing options, that in turn creates walkable neighborhoods and better access to amenities like groceries, etc
73. Low density housing
74. A safe, affordable community to raise a family, young and old.
75. Small shops, peace and neighborhood charm
76. Thriving, close-knit communities working together to preserve their natural surroundings and mitigate the effects of climate change
77. A vibrant family friendly suburban community with easy access to urban areas
78. View Royal is the Hub of the CRD
79. A suburban community that has managed growth to help alleviate housing shortages, while ensuring preservation of green spaces, tree cover, and alternatives to auto transport
80. Continued planned development underway along the core corridors, reduced "parking lot space" on Sooke Road and still lots of urban forest.
81. Continuing as a bedroom community for Victoria and the Western Communities
82. Smart urban density to support a vibrant community where people can work, live and play.
83. Vibrant place to walk, bike or roll to community amentities to meet up with neighbours and co-create a living, breathing place for people of all ages, races, etc.
84. View Royal will become a mass of apartment buildings with little or no parking and traffic congestion.
85. It is safe with clean air, trees for shade and nice sidewalks to get to my shopping so I can age in place.
86. A growing community of all equitable types. Density along corridors and the ocean will allow the community to benefit not just a few.
87. Mixed housing with travel flowing on and off highways.
88. A community where everyone can afford to live in high quality housing with all the amenities within walking distance.
89. I would like to see lots of people walking around and attending events or other entertainment, especially along Island Highway
90. View Royal will be a walkable community with a diverse population, healthy living spaces, and wise preparations to mitigate and defend against climate disasters.
91. Trees protected
92. A bunch of homes jammed on single family lots; crowding; vehicles with no where to park; vagrants; more crime; less trees.
93. more of the same, no real progress
94. Hold firm to preserving natural areas in a growing city
95. A mosaic of opportunity with every neighbourhood being walkable, having more shops and businesses and restaurants to employ our citizens and serve our community.
96. Hopefully similar to today
97. More self sustaining, more walkable, true communities where people know and care about each other.
98. Socially connected neighbours help each other through the difficult times and appreciate the natural world/environment of View Royal
99. A well planned community that is built on the input of residents
100. Sustainable housing growth, safe neighborhoods unique neighborhoods, lots of natural areas, protect greenspace
101. Great inclusive community
102. Open, inviting, beautiful, caring, children, seniors, home
103. Protect and seek to keep this treasure of a municipality we have as we are surrounded by all the commercial needs of our citizens. .
104. Too many cars and not enough change to better the roads for the amount of people being added
105. Keeping it much the same, community feel, improving the roads for better car flow to mitigate all the traffic jams.
106. Quiet streets, beauty of the ocean, less traffic
107. A place with diverse housing choices and people, living in walkable neighbourhoods with more density and local shops and recreation, adjacent to natural areas, the waterfront, and connected to the region via good transit and active transportation.
108. Preserve small town character with no huge apartment buildings.
109. Dense, walkable community
110. More trees with just as many 20 ft. + tall trees and all houses heated by heat pumps
111. A suburban community with high density housing along its major corridors surrounded by parks, less dense housing, and greenspace and walkable.
112. Active community, supporting growth and environmental
113. It would have a lot of trees, nice neighbourhoods with single family homes, easy transportation access.
114. I will not be working for the Town
115. A small town that has managed to maintain its charm while surrounded by larger municipalities.

Question 7: If you could change one thing about your neighbourhood or View Royal, what would you change?

1. More neighbourhood hubs with services that are within walking distance
2. Need safer bike infrastructure.
3. Implemented stricter climate mitigation policies and bylaws (zero carbon step code 4) 5 years earlier and taken stronger innovative actions with developers to protect sensitive ecosystems and healthy tree canopies.
4. Prevent the widening of roads and addition of sidewalks as people walk in areas with large trees and native vegetation.
5. I would change the focus of council and staff to serving the current residents of View Royal rather than focusing on seeing how fast they can increase the size of the town.
6. Medical services for every day
7. Incorporate the natural environment/mature trees into ongoing development projects
8. Traffic is bad during peak times
9. I would love to be able to walk more and drive less. I would love to decrease reliance on a car so that I could not only walk my kids to school, but also pick up groceries, other errands of everyday life, recreation etc. I.e. London UK neighbourhoods
10. I would keep green boulevards green. This means not allowing vehicles to be parked on boulevards such as the corner of Pallisier and Plowright which is a big mud hole nowadays.
11. Slow down traffic
12. The intersection at Watkiss. Add back the second West bound lane. Have the north bound lane get the first light to allow easier left turn. Readjust the north/South lanes to not be so staggered from each other.
13. The traffic. It sucks the life out of this community.
14. For North View Royal, a proper restaurant and pub. We’ve added so much building and population, transit is lagging. Helmcken is gridlock. Set aside some land for a neighborhood pub where we can meet our neighbours, and a restaurant
15. A walkable grocery store and restaurants.
16. North View Royal needs an extended left turn light from Chancellor going onto Helmcken.
17. That we would have started climate mitigation earlier. We would better protect urban trees from drought.
18. I would add more dense housing
19. Reduce density and more green space
20. include sidewalks
21. More community spaces
22. Better measures to lower driving speeds
23. Gridlock along the old island highway during rush hour
24. Better housing options
25. I would lower the prioritization of motor vehicles as a means of transportation.
26. More playgrounds for kids
27. Erskine Lane! Very dense, overbuilt, awful road, sight lines dangerous at intersection with #14, no walking connection to the Hospital!!
28. stop over developing the area with small box units and keep it single family homes.
29. Traffic interruptions, low speed limits, traffic calming barriers, excessive construction.
30. Make Craigflower Rd. 3 lanes wide. Then alternate the middle third lane in the morning and afternoon commute. Two lanes coming in during the morning and then two lanes going out for the afternoon. Like the Lions Gate bridge in Vancouver.
31. The traffic would be at the top of my list but I know that is not going to happen. Again, we live in a neighbourhgood of predomimantly single fanily homes. I would like to see some diversity in the housing types that would create a more diverse area.
32. Dialysis
33. Dialysis
34. More walkable amenities so we can live work and play in view royal
35. For there to be enough family doctors for everyone
36. Divert the Colwood Crawl off Island Highway.
37. Sense of community
38. More sidewalks.
39. We need a coffee shop or bakery in the plaza by Thetis Lake. Somewhere residents can walk to other than Six Mile Pub.
40. narrow streets, poor parking options, busy streets, honking, sirens (traffic).
41. More doctors in view royal
42. stop along mass cutting of trees in developments. it might not be easy to work around trees but that’s a price to be paid.
43. Westshore traffic along burnside blocking neighbourhood traffic.
44. Make it less woke
45. The horrible traffic caused by commuters who don’t live in view Royal. Naden should provide other options for their workers who live in the Westshore like a boat or buses. Each person in a single car from Langford to the base causes so much traffic.
46. I would make it easier to get approvals to construct new housing.
47. Less traffic congestion and more parking
48. Higher density for greater green space
49. Sidewalks so I can walk safely
50. Limit the height of buildings to 3 stories
51. More space for food security
52. Development needs to be more evenly distributed, I know we need it, but too much has been put on our small lane Erskine
53. I wouldn't change much, but driving at night is dangerous. There's insufficient lighting, and the lanes are hard to detect. Luckily for us, View Royal has few two-lane roads, but the ones we have are impossible to maneuver in the dark and rain.
54. walkability of certain side roads that don't have sidewalks
55. Develop the E&N Rail Line. Either commuter trains to Victoria for track repair and use all the way up island.
56. Make more of the roads have to lanes for traffic. More money to renovate schools.
57. I would like to go back to making established neighbourhoods single family zoning
58. The crime
59. The inconsistent streets and walkways, merged with inconsistent mainteance of residences.
60. Public transport
61. Better sidewalk infrastructure to the schools
62. Parking on south Conard Street (single lane traffic though only) and better traffic control on Helmcken road.
63. better and more public transportation
64. That we had started climate mitigation earlier starting with protecting our urban trees from drought and from being ripped out for developments.
65. The quality of the schools in the catchment areas, especially middle schools
66. Small business incentives that help fill our empty buildings.
67. Sidewalks for safety.
68. A government with a vision that is not supportive of Federal and provincial mandates for densification
69. The lack of grocery stores within walking distance that would likely come with more density liked mixed use commercial/residential
70. Be more supportive of densification and build more housing near transit hubs and corridors like helmcken and old island hwy
71. Would like to have a blinking sidewalk light at Helmcken and Werra. It’s extremely unsafe and cars can’t see.
72. A community hub of services located between helmcken and Old island highway
73. The entire goose needs improvements before implementing bike lanes. Encourage people to use the goose. Add emergency call buttons and light up the path at night so people feel more safe using it and less sketchy stuff happens on it!
74. Better protection from drought for our urban trees
75. More traffic calming measures and more permanent landscaping, less seasonal planting, along main roads. Sorry, that's 2 things
76. Parking options
77. Better sidewalks and more access to ensure and expand walkability and ability to move without a car
78. Only approal of mixed use buildings with chracter, and no more of the building type at Helmcken and Burnside (only residential, and huuuge).
79. Improvements to the current pedestrian infrastructure to encourage more people to walk and use public transit.
80. Sidewalks replacing open ditches in residential neighbourhoods.
81. I would switch from car dependency to more opportunities to walk, hike, paddle, bike, roll, and meet up in the outdoors.
82. I would limit growth.
83. I would improve the air, maybe by working with Songhees and the Navy to help filter the longhouse and marine diesel smoke.
84. Further housing options easily accessible for families to build. Rather than dealing with the beuracracy and control of the council.
85. More bus service.
86. Remove single house only neighborhoods, more diversity of housing stock in areas like the Harbour
87. I would make the population a bit more diverse in income types and family types.
88. A better run parks department
89. Readily accesses doctors for all.
90. The quality of hires at Town of View Royal. Some truly capable people have left over the years to go to other municipalities where they are valued, respected and paid fairly. To get truly good capable people you need to pay them
91. The 4 way stop sign at Thetis road and Nursery-hill drive people don’t see it and blow through it everyday someone is going to get killed crossing the road
92. Lower traffic.
93. I would make it more inviting. Rather than being a community everyone drives through to get to Langford or Victoria. Let’s add business and amenities that other communities don’t have and employ our residents here!
94. Neighbours who do not secure garbage and thereby attract bears
95. Get rid of strict residential only zoning in areas like Chilco Rd. Preserve the beauty and parks, but allow services to create community and to discourage driving.
96. More opportunities for neighbours to engage with neighbours
97. Lack of walkable communities & public transportation
98. Elimate colwood crawl? Maybe add a small ferry service (with lots of parking). Thank you for all that you do. It's very much appreciated.
99. We want to keep the original character of the neighbourhood.
100. The bad new road on isl hwy that is hurting owners living off Duckrill & Buddy Rd trying to get into traffic to turn left is now impossible & on one checked on that change
101. Can't think of a thing...I live in a paradise and thank you for keeping it and caring for it.
102. Safer parking and better signage on roads. For example the garbage truck can’t turn around on our culdesac because of renters parking excessive amounts of vehicles on the road which means a fire truck can’t safely save us in an emergency
103. Traffic jams of cars. Create better roads.
104. More sidewalks and less open ditches. Upgrade to nearby park.
105. Bus lanes that carry busses through the Colwood Crawl, accessible and walkable to the neighbourhood
106. Traffic
107. Access to amenities and bike lanes.
108. I would break up VR Ave. so it could not be driven from Town Hall to Helmcken except by emergency vehicles.
109. Our current Councils anti development stance.
110. Sidewalks and more frequent bus
111. The island highway corridor has a lot of run down buildings that need to be cleaned up. I would also move Fort Victoria elsewhere.
112. Better restaurant options
113. Increasing the traffic flows by removing bike lanes on artery roads, and focusing on expanding bike and walking trail networks, if possible

Question 11: What is your relationship with the Town of View Royal?

Under the category “other”, respondents left the following comments:

1. Use the parks
2. Child goes to school in View Royal
3. We own a condo in View Royal and come to the area multiple times annually -- our FT residence is elsewhere
4. Previously lived here, kids still go to school in view royal
5. I am a naturalist and birdwatch / walk on the trails in View Royal.
6. Bicycle and take transit from View Royal

Question 12: What neighbourhood do you live in?

Under the category “other”, respondents left the following comments:

1. Langford
2. Colwood

Question 13: What type of housing do you live in?

Under the category “other”, one respondent left the following comment:

1. trailer

Question 14: If you live in View Royal, does your household own or rent your home?

Under the category “other”, respondents left the following comments:

1. Co-op - we own a share
2. Housing co-op we pay housing charges but collectively own
3. Co-op
4. Parents own
5. Rent but hoping to own in View Royal soon

Question 16: What do you envision for your housing over the next 20 years?

Under the category “other”, respondents left the following comments:

1. My next move will be to a smaller detached home with a more manageable yard, but these are few and far between in View Royal.
2. Undecided at this time

Question 17: Please indicate if you self-identify with any of the groups below.

Under the category “other”, respondents left the following comments:

1. other
2. I live alone.