A referendum will be held on the future of the Johnson Street Bridge -- but just when is up in the air.
Faced with an overwhelming number of petitions demanding a vote on borrowing $42 million toward the $63-million bridge-replacement project, Victoria councillors yesterday decided to let the borrowing bylaw die. Under provincial rules, it would have had to proceed with a vote within 80 days.
While a packed gallery looked on, council directed city staff to gather additional information on both replacement and refurbishment options and report back on possible timelines and public engagement.
They also agreed borrowing for any future bridge project -- be it replacement or refurbishment -- will go to the public through a referendum.
Opponents had argued that the option of refurbishing the existing bridge, initially estimated to cost $23.6 million then adjusted to $35 million, wasn't adequately considered.
Victoria Coun. Geoff Young hopes council isn't simply trying to get its ducks in a row to better sell the replacement option.
"The public needs more information about this project. I think we should do everything we can to get that information and to re-engage with the public on this project," Young said.
He said issues surrounding refurbishing the bridge have to be fleshed out, including the impact on traffic and the bridge's heritage features, the possibility of making the bridge more pedestrian-and-cyclist friendly, and potential outside funding for the project.
The federal government has pledged to provide $21 million, one-third of the replacement cost -- funding that will remain available until 2016.
The city sought approval to borrow its $42-million share through the alternate approval process, commonly known as a counter petition, in which a referendum could be forced if 10 per cent of eligible voters (6,343) signed petition forms demanding it. In the end, the city received 9,872 valid petitions from Victoria residents.
Ross Crockford, director for johnsonstreetbridge.org, which led the petition campaign, hopes council will give serious consideration to refurbishment.
"I'm really glad there is going to be some reopening of discussion of repairing the bridge. Clearly, huge numbers of people who signed the petition -- that's what they wanted to have some discussion around," Crockford said.
The majority of council still supports replacing the 85-year-old bridge, Mayor Dean Fortin said, but the counter-petition results clearly indicate the public wants more of a say.
"Certainly, the majority of council believes that a new bridge is the most sustainable decision, is the most financially, socially, and economically the right decision," Fortin said following yesterday's special council meeting.
"But council does not want to signal that it's closed to more information coming forward.
"So ... we'll continue to look forward to more information that may or may not reinforce that decision on a new bridge."
Several councillors congratulated the many volunteers who collected signatures over the past six weeks.
"I think the alternate approval process has proven itself to work and I also want to compliment Ross Crockford personally for his respectful approach to this issue," Coun. Lynn Hunter said.
The message from the counter-petition is unclear, however, she said.
"We know that the public perhaps didn't like the process, didn't like the option of replacement or they didn't like spending $42 million," Hunter said.
> Jody Paterson: A bridge too fast, A10
