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Springfield Harrison is turning to the B.C. Ombudspersons office in an attempt to challenge the decision to free up agricultural land for the controversial Gateway shopping centre proposed in Sidney. The Town of Sidney, in the meantime, is already discussing ways of mitigating the potential impact of increased traffic. At their August 8 meeting, Councillor Peter Wainwright suggested the Town look into creating a trolley service connecting West Sidney with the downtown core akin to the trolley operating in Langford. Wainwright said if Gateway goes ahead, Sidney should consider the idea. Other councillors immediately asked to have the term Gateway removed from the idea.

\"The unexpected success of it surprised people,\" he said. \"Some just weren't prepared for the turnout of people. There were opportunities missed in closed stores and not enough staff on hand at some businesses. Even the museum had a large lineup and people went elsewhere. \"Also, it's the 100th anniversary of the Sidney Volunteer Fire Department and as a historical society and museum, we are interested in getting involved. An idea was floated (Saturday) of combining the Lego event with fire trucks. It could be a great theme.\" [Peter Wainwright] also noted that the museum's work with the Peninsula News Review for its 100th anniversary last year opened up potential events. One of those, he continued, could be a retrospective of the Sidney Poets Group or even a historical look at Sidney's Booktown.

Being able to fit the outhouse into the museum (it's part of an exhibit of the area's pioneering days) is one of the benefits of the recent takeover of the former Military Book Shop, which has since moved to another building on Fourth Street. The added space is giving the museum the change to add new artifacts and displays that showcase the Saanich Peninsula's early to modern history. Visitors to the museum enter the upgraded space via Beacon Avenue and through what was once the book store entrance. [Peter Wainwright] said it's a bigger space, allowing more room for the reception area. A large poster outlining the society's expansion plans and fundraising effort greets people as they come in. \"We are hoping to have a representation of that (modern) era,\" Wainwright explained. \"There is currently no place where we are telling that story.\"

\"There are access problems in the washrooms and access problems with the emergency exits,\" said councillor Peter Wainwright. \"The lighting is from the 60s and it's very inefficient. There are dark spots where, in the winter, you'd take out a book and can't read the title of it.\"

\"Staff looked at the eagle as needing more maintenance seasonally, as they would have to put on and off the shell -- it's a minor concern -- but it's there,\" said [Peter Wainwright]. \"The bigger concerns were the musicians' and performers' concerns.\" \"There were very impressive presentations by all three,\" said councillor Peter Wainwright. \"Art Finlayson's design had better landscaping; to me, that's the one lack in the D'Ambrosio design, but it's a lot more practical.\"

It would be nice if we could offer more. I have no specific proposals in mind. We've done things in the past, we've had good utilization for them, then after a while they fall out of favour. It's not too surprising that things come and go in terms of popularity. Now, what would people like? I'm quite open minded about that. I have a lot of team-building abilities that I can point to. I was on the Community Advisory Committee for the Liquid Waste Management Plant, that was pretty contentious at the time. There were Central Saanich, Sidney, North Saanich and CRD appointed members representing all segments of the population including those strongly opposed to sewers and so on. It was really strongly polarized and took a while to work it out and become an effective team of people able to share their views without being adversarial, and respecting other people's opinions.

\"Basically, it would cover the whole Sidney downtown area ... [Sidney] is ideally suited for this, it's flat, with a few governement buildings in a contained area,\" [Peter Wainwright] said.

\"As mayor I can not let that happen to our residents,\" he continued. \"I can not risk our firefighters' or our residents' lives.\" \"It's what we said we were going to do,\" said [Barbara Fallot]. \"It isn't about delaying it we have an obligation to residents to do things in an appropriate process.\" \"This is the largest borrowing the Town has ever done,\" he said, \"and in the past, with smaller numbers, the Town has gone with the AAP.\"

The OCP allows this, said [Steve Price]. It does comply with the OCP. I know you can apply the OCP in many ways, and this is one way. Councillors opposed to it, and in the minority, were Erin Bremner, Barbara Fallot and Peter Wainwright. They said that existing zoning on the property would meet the needs of the developer, and the community, when it comes to density and affordable housing options. Resident Bard Edwards, opposed, felt this would mean a loss of small town charm in the area. She also pointed out the proposal didnt meet the existing OCP, and that was why the developer was seeking the OCP amendment.

The bylaw changes the definition from Multi-family Low Density (RES-3) to Multi-family Medium Density - Level 2 (RES-4.2). The Comprehensive Development zoning provides for a mix of housing forms at varying levels of affordability. Plans for the area, which is bordered by Bowerbank Road and Amelia Avenue, include a mixture of housing. The CD7 zoning allows apartment dwellings, homes with secondary suites and townhouses. Not more than 11 secondary suite dwellings are permitted. The maximum permitted density is 70 units per hectare, with lot coverage not to exceed 40 per cent, which allows for greenspace and public walking areas around the buildings.