VICTORIA -- The City of Victoria is considering closing a part of Clover Point to cars, after city staff recommended an almost complete closure of the area to traffic earlier this month.
In early February, city staff proposed closing the loop road at Clover Point Park in order to expand the area for pedestrians and cyclists.
The move would create 3,600 more square-metres of oceanfront space for pedestrians, but reduce parking to 15 stalls, 10 of which are considered "accessible."
The park is currently home to approximately 90 parking spaces.
Now, staff have presented an alternative to council, which would only close half of the loop road to vehicles.
The alternate proposal would leave room for 10 more parking spaces, for a total of 25, and would include a "generously sized pull-through passenger loading area" for people to drop off park supplies before finding parking elsewhere.
This second option would create 2,400 square-metres of pedestrian space.
Staff estimate that the initial proposal, which would shut down all of Clover Point to vehicles, would cost approximately $260,000 to implement. The alternate proposal, which would shut down half of the loop road to cars, would cost approximately $275,000.
The city hopes to start construction of the park redevelopment when the CRD completes its work on the wastewater treatment facility later this year, so that the same crews can continue work in the area.
Victoria city council will discuss the proposals at a committee of the whole meeting Thursday.
Diagrams of the two different proposals can be found below.
