07/07/2021
After processing the bad news for a few days I have written a response to the city. It was not kind, I did not take no for an answer and I told them that I expect them to do better.
I am hoping that the nice lady who is my contact with the city will be an ally and help as best she can.
WHAT YOU CAN DO: please send an email to the mayor and/or city councillors. Tell them why seeing and experiancing native habitat in the city is important to you. Tell them that you support the Ross Bay native-plant garden and other projects like it. Tell them that you expect them to do better.
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected].
Here are some exerpts from my response:
What would you suggest as the next steps for getting this project approved at the location requested? I am not looking for a community garden, that was your suggestion to get this project approved. I am just looking to put in plants that naturally grow in the area. We do not need any funding, water, or other resources from the city to make this project a reality. I have a backyard full of donated and salvaged native plants for this project. We were just looking for approval and coordination to ensure the garden will last for years to come and enrich our community for the people and animals that call this area home.
I have written responses to the issues the city has with the project. I find it strange that the city would say NO to an indigenous person asking to change a public space back to it's native form. I am looking to put in plants that would naturally grow in that area. I am willing to take input from the city about their concerns and alleviate them to their satisfaction.
Sir James Douglas and Fairfield Community Centre have both agreed to help with this project. The school has agreed to produce plants for the project and would like to bring their students down to the garden to learn about native coastal habitats. The community centre has agrees to take over upkeep of the garden after it is established. Many private citizens have also voiced there support and provided funds to that ends. They are as upset as I am for a city to say no to such a simple request.
With regards to the city's concerns:
Sewer force main and Statutory Right of Way - The city can EASILY and without protest from the gardeners, dig up any portion of the native plant garden at any time for any reason. The plants will spread back to fill the space or the native plant gardeners can help the process. With a little bit of notice from the city(2 weeks or less), the community can dig up and preserve the plants in the area to be worked on. They will then be kept alive until the work is done and then put back into place.
Water - This project does not require any water for it to succeed. The water was a suggestion by the committee I consulted with and was not something the project asked for. As these are plants native to the shore they need almost no care by people to grow successfully.
Erosion - This is an important concern. To address this I think it would be best to leave the grass that is currently growing and plant in between it, removing just enough of the grass to fit the plants. The best alternative to this is to reclaim the area from the invasive grass and plant native grass and ground cover that would grow in the area. Then do as above and put in small coastal plants between the grass/groundcover. There is no planned run-off from the site alteration back to native habitat. The only run off would be from rain water that would be addressed by having constant ground cover in place, no bare soil.
Salt spray - As we are purposing plants that would and do naturally grow on the shore of this area, salt spray would not be of concern to the project. In fact, it is expected. I live across from the garden site and know very well what does and does not survive the winter storms in the area.
Movement - The contributors of creating this project would in no way want to impede the flow of pedestrian and cyclist right of ways in the area. They are in fact the same people who walk the area. They walk by and want to contribute. Native plant workers for this project who would be in the multiuser path would NOT be in conflict with the movement of pedestrian traffic. The path in question is over ten feet wide and the project would need less than two feet to park a wagon filled with supplies and plants. In reality, there are benches that obstruct movement in the area that take up a larger footprint than the workers and their supplies would use. The goal of the project to improve the experience for those very pedestrians in the area.
Visibility - The grass that grows in this area grows to 36" multiple times a year. EVERY YEAR. As I live across the road and this is my view out my window, I know this to be true. There are many native coastal plants that grow within the 18" to 24" range and will be used in this area to ensure proper visibility for safety of all users.
You and this city have the potential to be allies to this project and others like it. Or you can be obstacles to be overcome. The many people, beyond myself, behind this project are very passionate and resourcfull. A straight up NO answer to this kind of project is not acceptable, this is why reconciliation is so hard to achieve when the bureaucrats think they have all the power and can do what they think is best without consultation with the people of the land they rule.
I intended for this to be just the first in a line of restoration projects in Victoria. I have no interest in working for/with or even consulting with a city council that will not even TRY to work through a problem.
I am very disappointed in this decision. I can see the reasons behind it and am wondering what you and the city are going to do to work through the issues. The issues have been addressed and I am hoping for a successful and positive outcome for this project.
Please pass this letter onto the city of Victoria and anyone else that you think could help get this project approved.
Huychqu for your time and consideration,
Andrea Fritz
Head gardener, Ross Bay Native Plant Garden
Coast Salish artist and storyteller
