Village Vision update – July 2021
In the preamble to the August 2017 Village Vision Final Summary Report posted at: http://www.villagevision.ca/the-project-gabriola the Local Trust Committee (LTC) was asked to prioritize five critical issues for Gabriola’s village area:
1) Implement a plan to increase attainable work-force housing options
2) Investigate mechanisms to increase community control over key village properties
3) In collaboration with the RDN and MOTI, implement pedestrian improvements
4) Develop a plan for a central public gathering place
5) Develop a multi-agency formal Village Strategy Plan to guide village core development over the next decade
Some of these issues have been addressed (at least in part) and others are in progress, although in typical Gabriola style, much of the work has been achieved primarily through the efforts of community organizations.
Housing: In 2019 the LTC created a Housing Advisory Planning Commission (HAPC) to study the various options for affordable housing on Gabriola. Delayed by COVID, the HAPC released its final report early in 2021 through an offshoot called Gabriola Housing Matters. The report, which reflects a strong response from the community regarding the need for more affordable housing, while being careful to maintain ecosystems and water resources, can be accessed at: https://gabriolamatters.ca/ghm-report-exec-summary/ Meanwhile, the Gabriola Housing Society has moved forward on a project to create 24 affordable rental units on its Paisley Place property near to the Village. Although the GHS hasn’t yet been able to secure provincial funding for the construction phase of the project, they remain committed to seeing it to completion. See: https://gabriolahousing.ca/
Community Control over village properties: The Gabriola Island Land Stewards Society was formed in 2020 with the primary objective of securing land on Gabriola for furthering community objectives (such as housing, farming, local and co-operative business ventures, community gathering spaces). More information about GILSS is available at: https://gabriolaislandlss.ca/.
Pedestrian improvements: The Village Trail, which extends for 1.4 km along North Road, from South Road to Tin Can Alley, was completed early in 2021 thanks to funding from the Community Works Fund, through the Regional District of Nanaimo. The trail is paved through the main part of the village and gravel elsewhere. It includes new crosswalks on Church, Lockinvar and Ross, and an additional crosswalk on North Rd. at Lockinvar. The LTC and a group of citizen proponents are now working on the preliminary stages of extending the trail from the village down to the ferry.
The new Village Trail, showing one of the new side-street crosswalks (on Lochinvar) and the new crosswalk on North Road
Public gathering place: No progress has been made on the creation of a public gathering space in the village area, although this is one of the potential projects of the Gabriola Island Land Stewards Society.
Village Strategy Plan: No progress has been made on a Village Strategy Plan, and there is no multi-agency body that is working on it. Perhaps there’s a community organization that would be willing to spearhead that concept.
On August 13th, Village Vision addressed the CRD's Forum on Service Delivery to the Islands
The purpose of the forum was to identify the critical service gaps in the islands and explore ways they could be addressed by the Islands Trust in collaboration with their regional districts and key provincial ministries. Most of the participants were from the southern Gulf Islands; Gabriola was the only island from the northern islands. Nonetheless there was much common ground between islands including: housing, roads, and sustainable economic development.
Village Vision’s presentation addressed the need for a safe transportation connection through the village core and described how the Village Vision approach worked within the current governance structure (i.e., LTC and RDN). We emphasized the important role of citizens working in the spaces between official governance mandates.
In addition, to local community organizations, the event was attended by Trustees (including our Trustee, Heather O’Sullivan), a regional director, MLA Adam Olson, and CRD and IT staff.
A number of other Islands have citizen-led groups doing similar work. For an example, see: www.saltspringcommunityalliance.org
August 2018: See Project Page for new information about the pedestrian pathway around the Village centre. Click on Pedestrian Pathway Plans.
Village Vision Makes Recommendations to the IT Executive Committee in Victoria
In June 2018 VVPC met with the Executive Committee of Islands Trust. We urged them to work with the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure to change the 1992 road standards agreement so that “village” areas of the Islands Trust islands can be made safe and welcoming to pedestrians, cyclists and motorists.
The presentation was well received and is expected to be added as a project in the next IT strategic plan.
There is strong support on Gabriola for changes in the Village area, and as we recommended at the IT Executive Committee, we hope that the Island Trust, the Regional Districts and the Ministry will work to change the IT-MoTI Letter of Agreement to enable infrastructure improvements that will enhance safety for everyone and provide more options for cyclists and pedestrians in their communities.
We also strongly emphasized the work of citizen-led groups like Village Vision in crystalizing community support in identifying both problems and solutions. We believe that government in collaboration with community can achieve much more than government can working alone.
On January 18, 2018, The Village Vision Planning Committee asked the Local Trust Committee to work with the Provincial Government and the Regional District of Nanaimo to bring in inter-agency policies to solve issues around the long-term future of the village core.
From the Gabriola LTC minutes of January 18, 2018:
GB-2018-002
It was MOVED and SECONDED
that the Gabriola Island Local Trust Committee refer point 1 in the Village Vision Delegation’s submission, “Amend the Letter of Agreement between the Ministry of Transportation and the Islands Trust to include specific standards for village area streetscapes as rural complete multi-modal streets”, to the Executive Committee with the inclusion of a supporting letter to be received from Village Vision.
CARRIED
GB-2018-003
It was MOVED and SECONDED
that the Gabriola Island Local Trust Committee request staff to add points 2a and 2b of the Village Vision Delegation’s submission to the agenda of the upcoming Regional District of Nanaimo and Islands Trust joint meeting:
“Adopt a co-ordinated inter-agency (Islands Trust, RDN and MOTI) approach to:
a) the development of a Master Plan for the development of accessible, safe, pedestrian friendly routes not only in the village core but also down North Road to the ferry; and
b) the development of standards, processes and shared funding programs to allow rural community Regional Districts to more efficiently and successfully collaborate with MOTI on rural village complete street improvements”.
CARRIED
GB-2018-004
It was MOVED and SECONDED
that the Gabriola Island Local Trust Committee refer point 2c of the Village Vision Delegation’s submission to the Trust Programs Committee for consideration:
“Adopt a co-ordinated inter-agency (Islands Trust, RDN and MOTI) approach to:
c) the development of standards that would allow for the safe rainwater harvesting for potable use in multi-family, commercial and institutional settings.”
CARRIED
GB-2018-005
It was MOVED and SECONDED
that the following considerations be incorporated into a Project Charter for the second phase of the Housing Options Review Project:
1) examining the appropriate scope of the area designated in the Official Community Plan for possible multi-dwelling affordable housing;
2) examining the potential for increasing density in the Village core multi-dwelling housing; and
3) exploring opportunities for mixed use buildings in the Village core.
CARRIED
The final Summary Report (see The Project page) was presented to the Gabriola Local Trust Committee on September 7, 2017 and has now been posted on the Gabriola LTC website.
Village Vision update – July 2021
In the preamble to the August 2017 Village Vision Final Summary Report posted at: http://www.villagevision.ca/the-project-gabriola the Local Trust Committee (LTC) was asked to prioritize five critical issues for Gabriola’s village area:
1) Implement a plan to increase attainable work-force housing options
2) Investigate mechanisms to increase community control over key village properties
3) In collaboration with the RDN and MOTI, implement pedestrian improvements
4) Develop a plan for a central public gathering place
5) Develop a multi-agency formal Village Strategy Plan to guide village core development over the next decade
Some of these issues have been addressed (at least in part) and others are in progress, although in typical Gabriola style, much of the work has been achieved primarily through the efforts of community organizations.
Housing: In 2019 the LTC created a Housing Advisory Planning Commission (HAPC) to study the various options for affordable housing on Gabriola. Delayed by COVID, the HAPC released its final report early in 2021 through an offshoot called Gabriola Housing Matters. The report, which reflects a strong response from the community regarding the need for more affordable housing, while being careful to maintain ecosystems and water resources, can be accessed at: https://gabriolamatters.ca/ghm-report-exec-summary/ Meanwhile, the Gabriola Housing Society has moved forward on a project to create 24 affordable rental units on its Paisley Place property near to the Village. Although the GHS hasn’t yet been able to secure provincial funding for the construction phase of the project, they remain committed to seeing it to completion. See: https://gabriolahousing.ca/
Community Control over village properties: The Gabriola Island Land Stewards Society was formed in 2020 with the primary objective of securing land on Gabriola for furthering community objectives (such as housing, farming, local and co-operative business ventures, community gathering spaces). More information about GILSS is available at: https://gabriolaislandlss.ca/.
Pedestrian improvements: The Village Trail, which extends for 1.4 km along North Road, from South Road to Tin Can Alley, was completed early in 2021 thanks to funding from the Community Works Fund, through the Regional District of Nanaimo. The trail is paved through the main part of the village and gravel elsewhere. It includes new crosswalks on Church, Lockinvar and Ross, and an additional crosswalk on North Rd. at Lockinvar. The LTC and a group of citizen proponents are now working on the preliminary stages of extending the trail from the village down to the ferry.
The new Village Trail, showing one of the new side-street crosswalks (on Lochinvar) and the new crosswalk on North Road
Public gathering place: No progress has been made on the creation of a public gathering space in the village area, although this is one of the potential projects of the Gabriola Island Land Stewards Society.
Village Strategy Plan: No progress has been made on a Village Strategy Plan, and there is no multi-agency body that is working on it. Perhaps there’s a community organization that would be willing to spearhead that concept.
On August 13th, Village Vision addressed the CRD's Forum on Service Delivery to the Islands
The purpose of the forum was to identify the critical service gaps in the islands and explore ways they could be addressed by the Islands Trust in collaboration with their regional districts and key provincial ministries. Most of the participants were from the southern Gulf Islands; Gabriola was the only island from the northern islands. Nonetheless there was much common ground between islands including: housing, roads, and sustainable economic development.
Village Vision’s presentation addressed the need for a safe transportation connection through the village core and described how the Village Vision approach worked within the current governance structure (i.e., LTC and RDN). We emphasized the important role of citizens working in the spaces between official governance mandates.
In addition, to local community organizations, the event was attended by Trustees (including our Trustee, Heather O’Sullivan), a regional director, MLA Adam Olson, and CRD and IT staff.
A number of other Islands have citizen-led groups doing similar work. For an example, see: www.saltspringcommunityalliance.org
August 2018: See Project Page for new information about the pedestrian pathway around the Village centre. Click on Pedestrian Pathway Plans.
Village Vision Makes Recommendations to the IT Executive Committee in Victoria
In June 2018 VVPC met with the Executive Committee of Islands Trust. We urged them to work with the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure to change the 1992 road standards agreement so that “village” areas of the Islands Trust islands can be made safe and welcoming to pedestrians, cyclists and motorists.
The presentation was well received and is expected to be added as a project in the next IT strategic plan.
There is strong support on Gabriola for changes in the Village area, and as we recommended at the IT Executive Committee, we hope that the Island Trust, the Regional Districts and the Ministry will work to change the IT-MoTI Letter of Agreement to enable infrastructure improvements that will enhance safety for everyone and provide more options for cyclists and pedestrians in their communities.
We also strongly emphasized the work of citizen-led groups like Village Vision in crystalizing community support in identifying both problems and solutions. We believe that government in collaboration with community can achieve much more than government can working alone.
On January 18, 2018, The Village Vision Planning Committee asked the Local Trust Committee to work with the Provincial Government and the Regional District of Nanaimo to bring in inter-agency policies to solve issues around the long-term future of the village core.
From the Gabriola LTC minutes of January 18, 2018:
GB-2018-002
It was MOVED and SECONDED
that the Gabriola Island Local Trust Committee refer point 1 in the Village Vision Delegation’s submission, “Amend the Letter of Agreement between the Ministry of Transportation and the Islands Trust to include specific standards for village area streetscapes as rural complete multi-modal streets”, to the Executive Committee with the inclusion of a supporting letter to be received from Village Vision.
CARRIED
GB-2018-003
It was MOVED and SECONDED
that the Gabriola Island Local Trust Committee request staff to add points 2a and 2b of the Village Vision Delegation’s submission to the agenda of the upcoming Regional District of Nanaimo and Islands Trust joint meeting:
“Adopt a co-ordinated inter-agency (Islands Trust, RDN and MOTI) approach to:
a) the development of a Master Plan for the development of accessible, safe, pedestrian friendly routes not only in the village core but also down North Road to the ferry; and
b) the development of standards, processes and shared funding programs to allow rural community Regional Districts to more efficiently and successfully collaborate with MOTI on rural village complete street improvements”.
CARRIED
GB-2018-004
It was MOVED and SECONDED
that the Gabriola Island Local Trust Committee refer point 2c of the Village Vision Delegation’s submission to the Trust Programs Committee for consideration:
“Adopt a co-ordinated inter-agency (Islands Trust, RDN and MOTI) approach to:
c) the development of standards that would allow for the safe rainwater harvesting for potable use in multi-family, commercial and institutional settings.”
CARRIED
GB-2018-005
It was MOVED and SECONDED
that the following considerations be incorporated into a Project Charter for the second phase of the Housing Options Review Project:
1) examining the appropriate scope of the area designated in the Official Community Plan for possible multi-dwelling affordable housing;
2) examining the potential for increasing density in the Village core multi-dwelling housing; and
3) exploring opportunities for mixed use buildings in the Village core.
CARRIED
The final Summary Report (see The Project page) was presented to the Gabriola Local Trust Committee on September 7, 2017 and has now been posted on the Gabriola LTC website.
Students at Work - Village Vision and VIU Design Visioning Workshop September 2016
.
The Project
We believe that Gabriolans should be proactive in developing a
vision for the Village core and that we should have a long-term plan
reflecting the community’s values and interests regarding future uses of the area.
The Project
We believe that Gabriolans should be proactive in developing a
vision for the Village core and that we should have a long-term plan
reflecting the community’s values and interests regarding future uses of the area.
Village Vision/VIU Design Visioning Workshop
Over the past 2 years, the Village Vision committee, in accordance with its mission to facilitate a grass roots, community-led planning process for the future of Gabriola's village core have organized a number of community workshops. These workshops have been designed to develop the basis for a long-term plan for the village core reflecting our community's values and interests. They have covered a range of topics: how to frame the project, land use, housing, water and waste management, and creating byways and people places.
On September 7, 8 and 9, 20 VIU Master of Community Planning Students, VIU faculty members and Village Vision committee members held a Design Visioning Workshop at Agi Hall. Four teams developed visionary concepts and designs for the village core area based on community input from the Village Vision workshops. The public was invited to participate at an event on each of the 3 days: September 7, 6:30-8:30 pm - a presentation by Dr. David Witty "Rural Villages - Rural by Design" followed by a Community Ideas Workshop; September 8, 6:00 - 7:00 pm - Community Drop-in - an opportunity for the public to discuss the works in progress; and September 9, 5:30 – 7:00pm - Final Presentations by each of the design teams.
This three-day Design Visioning Workshop is a significant event and will move the Village Vision project to the "next level" - we nowhave actual designs for further review and comment! Continued public participation and input are crucial to the success of the Workshop.
Village Vision/VIU Design Visioning Workshop
Over the past 2 years, the Village Vision committee, in accordance with its mission to facilitate a grass roots, community-led planning process for the future of Gabriola's village core have organized a number of community workshops. These workshops have been designed to develop the basis for a long-term plan for the village core reflecting our community's values and interests. They have covered a range of topics: how to frame the project, land use, housing, water and waste management, and creating byways and people places.
On September 7, 8 and 9, 20 VIU Master of Community Planning Students, VIU faculty members and Village Vision committee members held a Design Visioning Workshop at Agi Hall. Four teams developed visionary concepts and designs for the village core area based on community input from the Village Vision workshops. The public was invited to participate at an event on each of the 3 days: September 7, 6:30-8:30 pm - a presentation by Dr. David Witty "Rural Villages - Rural by Design" followed by a Community Ideas Workshop; September 8, 6:00 - 7:00 pm - Community Drop-in - an opportunity for the public to discuss the works in progress; and September 9, 5:30 – 7:00pm - Final Presentations by each of the design teams.
This three-day Design Visioning Workshop is a significant event and will move the Village Vision project to the "next level" - we nowhave actual designs for further review and comment! Continued public participation and input are crucial to the success of the Workshop.