In February 2021, the City of Victoria Council, through a workshop, proposed community boundary changes to the Fernwood neighbourhood.  Prior to describing the objective of the petition, we would like to acknowledge that all of these boundary changes are located on the unceded Coast Salish Territory of the Lekwungen and W̱SÁNEĆ nations. 

In a meeting held on February 25th, council members expressed that the primary intent of these boundary changes is:

• “to harmonize how people see themselves living in the city…it’s feelings based, where do people feel they live” (Mayor Helps)
• “when you knock on somebody’s door and ask them what neighbourhood do you live in, the answer they give you should [align] with their neighbourhood association” (Councillor Young)
• “reconcile a logical geography” (Councillor Alto), and 
• “provide residents with a sense of place on how they conceive where they live” (Councillor Isitt).

One of the boundary changes they have proposed is to push Fernwood East by moving the boundary from Cook Street (where it currently stands) over to the less trafficked Chambers Street.  This would run the length of Chambers from Bay (North) to Pandora (South). This change would impact more than 200 individual households and no less than 10 apartment buildings, in other words, close to 10% of Fernwood’s existing population.   In addition to residents, this change would impact a significant number Fernwood’s commercial businesses including the popular Fernwood Coffee Company, among others.

I am a proud resident of Fernwood and live within the proposed area between Cook and Chambers. My mother immigrated to Canada and grew up in Fernwood in the 1960’s so living in Fernwood was always a driver for us when in 2018, after trying for many years, we were finally able to purchase our first home.  Immediately we felt an immense sense of pride and belonging and wanted to do more to be a part of this engaging community.  I quickly reached out to the Fernwood Neighbourhood Resource Group (NRG) and began volunteering with Fernwood’s community newspaper, in December 2018.  Additionally, I Captained a Blockwatch program to get to know my neighbours and strengthen the feeling of safety and security on our block.  Needless to say, I feel a connection to my community and am fervently passionate about continuing to call Fernwood my forever home.

If the primary intent is to have people live in the community that is where they feel they belong, where they know who their neighbourhood association is, where makes geographical sense, and provides a sense of place, then I, am a Fernwoodian through and through!

Why the boundaries should remain in tact:

1. Current residents feel a strong connection to their existing community of Fernwood
2. Business have staked their brand on being located in this neighbourhood (e.g. The Fernwood Coffee Company)
3. Cook is a logical geographical boundary; community borders should logically be busy through streets  Cook is only getting busier.
4. It will cost all residents of Victoria valuable taxpayer dollars to reconcile these changes through time consuming administrative work to change maps, policies, GIS data, etc.
5. Other less transparent objectives such as density and zoning and creating central corridors don’t need to be changed through such measures as boundary changes

Please show your support and sign the petition below. Just like supporting small business, by signing this petition, a real person will do a little happy dance for every signature.