Tim Van Alstine and the JBNA

By Stephen Harrison
After nearly 20 years as Chair of the James Bay Neighbourhood Association, Tim Van Alstine stepped down earlier this year to better enjoy his retirement.

Van Alstine became JBNA Chair in 1992, and he's held the position ever since. "I never had the goal to be president for life," he says, but until the last election no one had stepped up to take on the responsibility. Marg Gardiner has taken over as Chair, and Van Alstine will continue to serve as past-president.

During the late 1990s the JBNA often felt like a one man show, he says, simply because there was no other man. In recent years his fellow JBNA board members have taken on more roles, relieving some of this pressure. Van Alstine is a consummate volunteer, and he has held numerous projects with a variety of local organizations.

Originally from Edmonton, Van Alstine first came to Victoria in 1973, and he returned for good in 1977. As a letter carrier and an active volunteer, he holds a wealth of information about the development of James Bay. When I sat down with Tim for an hour lunch, he was worried he "[wouldn't] get it all in," and as we left the restaurant he continued to recount past projects and speculate about the future of the community.

He remembers the James Bay of the 1970s and 1980s as a more "rough and tough" place to live. The district had deteriorated as economic opportunities moved out of the community, he says, and in the late 1970s the "march of condos" began in earnest with Laurel Point. The community, worried it would "lose itself," was often at odds with developers. The JBNA's predecessors formed in large part to fight developers who were buying up property to create high rise apartments.

The James Bay Neighbourhood Association

The JBNA began its life as a land use and environmental issues subcommittee of the James Bay Community Project. The JBNA registered as a non-profit society in 1993, and it continues to advocate for community concerns such as affordable housing and transportation infrastructure improvements. It also puts new developments under an "ecological and social microscope" to ensure that they will be appropriate for the families who live there and the community at large.

James Bay is like a little town, says Van Alstine, and he would like to keep it from becoming an extension of downtown Victoria. "The community has to pull together," he says.

One of the JBNA's primary successes during his tenure has been the creation of a multi-stage process for new developments. In the past, developers would make assurances to the community - about viewscapes, for example - and fail to deliver. The JBNA worked with the city to ensure that "what you see is what you get" when it comes to development plans. Developers currently meet with the JBNA executive and the community to discuss issues ranging from traffic patterns to viewscapes and parks.

A recent win for the JBNA was the rediscovery of funds Shoal Point gave to the city for the development of Fisherman's Wharf Park. The money had been lost in general revenue, but a JBNA researcher found that the money was set aside for the park specifically, and they brought it to the attention of parks staff.

Looking Towards the Future

Van Alstine says development has stabilized in recent years, because there's little land left to build on. He's also observed a population shift in the neighbourhood towards a younger demographic. The development of Fisherman's Wharf and the Belleville terminal could bring additional vibrancy to the community.

He has no plans to stop being a community advocate, and he says one of the ongoing issues facing James Bay is traffic calming. Van Alstine believes the city should take action to reduce shortcutting and enforce speed limits.

He's also concerned about the impact of cruise ships on the neighbourhood, and he's not convinced that their short turnaround times translate into community benefits. The JBNA has been active on the issue of cruise ship emissions, and he would like to see changes to how many ships can be in port at once.

Van Alstine will never stop being an active volunteer, but he's looking forward to truly embracing his retirement. He enjoys skiing and sailing, and he plans to travel in Europe and North America. The Van Alstines are one of the founding families of New Amsterdam, he says, and he hopes to visit New York State to explore this part of his past.

He may be traveling the world in the coming years, but he's quick to add that he's "not going anywhere."  Van Alstine will continue to call James Bay home, and as one of the most active volunteers this neighbourhood has ever seen, the community is better for it.

The JBNA holds open meetings on the second Wednesday of every month at James Bay New Horizons, 234 Menzies Street, at 7:00 p.m.