Named the "Chandler-Gonzales Pathway, this city-owned path connects Pemberton Park with Chandler Street. Proponents describe the path as an ideal way to safely stroll or cycle from the park to the local elementary school and beyond to Gonzales Bay.

But the 2.2 meter-wide, 173 meters-long path has been closed off for about 33 years. Noise, nuisance, and property damage complaints led to the city blocking access to the path.

Times have changed. Cycling and walking are now primary forms of recreation, exercise, commuting, and enjoyment. Greenways are prized in urban neighbourhoods.

In addition, traffic on city streets has become more dangerous often jeopardizing the safety and security of children going to and from their schools.

A call to re-open this pathway is now on the agenda. Many other similar pathways are now available in the region.

An aerial map of the path, a history of the the area, the results of a survey of interested parties, additional photos of the area, and ideas about how to participate in the discussion are available here.

To help the proponents, oppenents, and city of Victoria officials, an expert was commissioned by the City to conduct a "Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design" (CPTED) assessment of the pathway. (Download copy of Report)

And they have good reason. Homelessness has spread around the city. Worries about people hanging around, dealing drugs, break-ins and disturbing the peace are not groundless.

The CPTED report supported the neighbours' concerns and suggested a number of recommendations, including the addition of lighting, straightening the path, providing signage, widening the path, and a creative maintenance sharing process between path homeowners, the community and the city.

Without these changes, the CPTED report argues, the path will once again become a target for graffiti, vandalism, nuisance complaints, and noise. In addition, the pathway will be less safe for children who may be bullied by older users. Frequent conflicts or unsafe interactions between cyclists and pedestrians navigating the narrow space are also likely.

Although most of the people who will use the path do not live on it, the majority of users will likely live in the neighbourhood. This increases a wider sense of community ownership and pride for the care and aesthetics of the path. However a survey of property owners adjacent to the path revealed a united stance against the reopening.

We must develop an alliance between our vision of the path as a benefit to the community with a way to reduce path neighbours' worries about what might happen as a result of reopening the path.

This can be accomplished if we work together towards a common goal.