Payless Conversion to Shell

As you may know Shell Canada has owned the Payless chain of gas stations for a number of years. They are now preparing for the final step of absorbing the stations by changing the signage and other aspects of the site to conform to the Shell standards. In advance of making these changes, Shell Canada has met with representatives of the South Jubilee and the Gonzales North Neighbourhood Associations to review their plans for the Payless station on the corner of Oak Bay Avenue and Redfern. These meetings, three to date, have allowed the residents of both neighbourhoods to voice their opinions regarding the Shell proposal, as well as providing a forum for discussing other issues such as late night noise, hours of operation, and traffic along Redfern.

The representatives from Shell Canada have been very obliging in accommodating the wishes of the neighbourhood. Most of the suggestions made by the two neighbourhoods have been incorporated into the new station plan. The plan that will go to City Council for approval will include these changes (among others):

• no longer a 24 hours a day station. Hours will be 6 am to midnight
• lower signage with less illumination
• removal of vacuum cleaner at the back of the lot (a source of noise annoyance for residents behind the station)
• creation of grass boulevard along Redfern and extended curbing to discourage traffic from coming down Redfern to enter the station.
• considerable landscaping with a variety of trees and shrubs AND an underground watering system to keep them alive (Safeway - take note)

Neighbourhood representatives attending these meetings have been very encouraged by Shell's willingness to adjust their plans to suit the neighbourhood. We think the changes will greatly improve the appearance of the station. A special thanks to Michelle Wright of the Gonzales North Assocation for her articulate and detailed suggestions for change.

Oak Bay Avenue Revitalization?

When we look at our portion of Oak Bay Avenue as a co-ordinated and attractive shopping environment and compare it with the Oak Bay or Cook Street Villages, we obviously come up short. There is much room for improvement.

As a first step in building a consensus for that improvement, South Jubilee and Gonzales North are organizing a meeting in early March for the 48 merchants who currently operate along the Avenue in Victoria. Watch upcoming issues of the newsletter for a progress report.

Emergency Preparedness

The City of Victoria funds a Neighbourhood Emergency Program. This free program includes training in such things as disaster preparation, disaster first aid, light search & rescue and damage assessment. Our Association has been approached by the City to see if there is neighbourhood interest in offering such a program to residents. If you are interested, please contact Liz Hoar at 595-2685 or e-mail at lhoar@home.com.

South Jubilee or Hollywood?

Last month we lived for a day or two on a movie set. Two locations in our area were chosen for scenes from an upcoming film called I Fought the Law starring Keifer Sutherland. Ian's Jubilee Coffee Shop and the old Bank Street School were under lights on January 23rd.

For most of us the excitement was limited to noticing a street closure or perhaps seeing the large banks of lights being set up. However, for about 30 students from Sundance School it was a chance to be a film "extra". The younger classes were invited to play on the playground after school and act as if they were just having a regular recess. When asked if it were an experience worth repeating, one young extra replied, "Sure, we got to play outside longer!" A quick glimpse of a child actor was as close as they got to the stars, but then they were all stars themselves!

The film production company gave the Sundance Parent's Group $500 which will be used for fine arts projects for the whole school.

Neighbourhood Graffiti

Although we may not understand it, some urban communities consider graffiti a high-art form. Generally, however, it is applied to public and private properties - the only surface available - and is seen as an affront to those properties.

As a bit of a switch on that conventional attitude, I am interested in exploring the possibility of a Neighbourhood Matching Grant Project to build a Graffiti Wall - maybe in Redfern Park, where the "artists" could have free rein to create their visions and maybe stay off the walls and fences.

As this could be a contentious idea, I would like to hear from any of you that feel strongly, pro or con.

Roger 595-3914

Block Reps Needed

Block Reps deliver our newsletter and serve as liaison between their neighbours and our association. We still need reps for Foul Bay Road and the north half of Amphion. Call Roger at 595-3914 if you are willing to help.

Contributions welcome

If you have any articles or news items to contribute to the next newsletter,
contact Liz Hoar
phone: 595-2685
fax: 595-4148