Re-imagining Shelbourne. Part 2: Implement Progressive Ideas Now!

This is a continuation of Re-imagining Shelbourne. Part 1: Bureaucracy vs. Balls.

Part 2 will present five (example) ideas that could be implemented immediately in the Shelbourne Corridor. Parts 3-7 will explain and justify them. Future parts will discuss long-term phases.


(No, that is not Shelbourne nor my vision of it, but it sure looks a lot like Tuscany... Village -- a terrible place that somehow got approved by meeting maybe 3/50 good design principles, which happens to be 3 more than every other development on Shelbourne!)

A wise man recently told me that there are two kinds of people:

- those who think in 'black and white' and adhere to proper protocol

- those who think in 'grey' and believe "where there's a will, there's always a way."

MVB thinks in grey, and so ideas will be presented as concisely as possible, here, under the assumption that the tangled pathway from ideas to action can be overcome with will power and, as discussed, bravery/balls.

Moving on.

Here are those five off-the-top-of-my-head ideas that I promised.

1. Bike lanes
2. Obstacle-free or wider sidewalks
3. Higher service and residential densities
4. No parking lots in the front setbacks (space between road and building)
5. Improved aesthetics and streetscape

Not exactly re-inventing wheel.

Saanich Planning would probably tell us that they already have guidelines for most of those items.

If they do, then they are not doing a very good job of using them:

Don't worry, I see the token attempts at making Tuscany people-friendly.

If they don't, then google can provide a vision much faster than the underwhelming public opinion will.

Click here to visit the cool interactive version of this Good.is image

Or, with $$$, they could hire a consultant: Melbourne's turn-around via Gehl Architects is a favourite case of mine. Check out the cool stats via the link.

Bourke St., Melbourne, post-Gehl (photo from streetsblog.org)

But, let's get real: Saanich already knows what needs to be done. The problem is when and how, not what.

The current approach is going to tip-toe its way to gradual change in the next half-century. That way, our descendants can dislike Shelbourne a little bit less than we do. Hooray!

I want to begin phasing in progressive ideas now.

Increased densities and filled-in parking lots will not happen over night. But, the seeds to a better Shelbourne can be planted immediately without great cost or effort.

Again, New York's closing of parts of Broadway is a great example. Initially, in addition to will power, all they used was some coloured paint, traffic cones, patio chairs, and planters. How much money and time did it take to block of sections of one of the most traffic-burdened streets in North America? Not much.

 credit zimbio.com

Therefore, without further ado, here is a list of example ideas for immediate implementation. These are ideas that require minimal built environment change, could be implemented tomorrow, and should evolve over time.

(Keep in mind that these are example ideas and put together with justifications in about 20 minutes. If Saanich hires me, then I may tweak things.)

1. Add bike lanes (yes, at the cost of vehicular lanes)

2. Create pedestrian uses at parking lots

3. Eliminate minimum parking standards

4. Improve transit service

5. Plant trees, improve aesthetics, add public art.

I'll leave you with some food for thought: