Contributors and Endorsements We’re grateful to the following student groups and community groups for their contributions to this report:

University of Victoria Sustainability Project In 2012 The Uvic Sustainability Project launched the UVision project along with the UVic club Common Energy.

Univeristy of Victoria Students’ Society (UVSS) On January 5, 2014, the UVSS passed the following motions: “Whereas student volunteers have dedicated countless hours over the past 2 years to creating relevant, tangible and detailed recommendations for the 2016 campus plan; and whereas The UVSS recognizes the importance of a sustainable and accessible campus, BIRT the UVSS board endorse the UVision Report and its subsequent recommendations for UVic's 2016 Campus Plan; and, BIFRT the UVSS actively lobby UVic to adopt the recommendations of the report;”

Society for Students with a Disability (SSD) The SSD brought forward all of the recommendations found in the Accessibility section.

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UVic Pride UVic Pride contributed their independent report on Gender Neutral Washrooms.

UVic Campus Community Garden The Food Growth section was written in consultation with Campus Community Garden board members and staff, in particular the recommendations on the future of the Community Garden.

UVic Ecological Restoration Club The Restoration and Conservation section was written in collaboration with the Ecological Restoration Club.

Vancouver Island Public Interest Research Group VIPIRG offered support for the recommendations in UVision.

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Habitat Acquisition Trust The Habitat Acquisition Trust voiced support for the Conservation and Restoration section, saying “We approve of UVision’s proposed protection of the University’s natural areas in perpetuity, whether it be through a moratorium on development or a conservation covenant on the title of the land.”

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The Project UVision began on February 6th and 7th 2013, in a room buzzing with the voices and ideas of more than 100 students. This is the foundation of the UVision process - the enthusiasm and vision of students brought together to imagine a better, more sustainable campus, building on the leadership the University has already shown. The following document represents the distillation of the voices in that room and those of the more than 1300 students who filled out an online survey later that spring. At the heart of UVision is the belief that bold sustainability leadership needs to be at the centre of the 2016 Campus Plan and that student voices can lead the way in suggesting how to make that happen. In the next ten years students want to see the wild places around the Ring restored and celebrated. We want to make our campus into a model of urban food growth and community. We want to see Uvic lower its carbon footprint by improving its transportation systems. To build true sustainability we must also sustain ourselves: The UVision report begins to address this by outlining how our campus can be more accessible to all genders. We hope that this project will provoke change for a better campus and a better world.

The Process UVision began in Fall 2012 as a collaboration between the University of Victoria Student's Society (UVSS) and the student club CommonEnergy. It started with the understanding that in many ways, the University was already a leader in sustainability and student engagement, but also with the belief that more could be done. In February of 2014, the UVSS Environmental Sustainability Council (UVSS ESC) held a two day open house partnered with an evening workshop. In organizing the open house, the UVSS ESC worked with a number of student groups including the University of Victoria Sustainability Project, CommonEnergy, the Ecological Restoration Club, the Campus Community Garden, and the SPOKES bicycle program. These groups presented ideas and questions they had for students, and students were also able to share their own ideas. Students wrote responses and thoughts and voted on the ideas they liked. Over the two days, more than one hundred students participated. The final evening workshop kicked off the process of turning student ideas into a credible set of suggestions.

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In order to make sure UVision's recommendations were grounded in student opinion, UVSS ESC conducted a survey of more than 1300 students later in the spring. The survey was distributed through the UVSS's mailing list and a draw for a fifty dollar UVic Bookstore gift certificate was offered as an incentive for participation. Then, during the spring, summer, and fall of 2013, working groups put in hours and hours of effort to draft suggestions built on the ideas suggested in the open house and survey. These working groups involved more than 20 students from the student groups mentioned above, as well as suggestions from faculty and staff. Much of late 2013 and early 2014 was also spent adapting to the changing schedule of the campus planning process itself. Finally, in the summer and fall of 2014, staff and volunteers from the UVic Sustainability Project compiled the UVision submission. During this process, input was also sought from present and past campus community members. The ultimate report thus reflects the opinions and desires of more than 1300 students as well as a selection of other campus community members, and is a bold vision for the sustainability of our campus.

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Summary of Recommendations for UVic’s 2016 Campus Plan The Territories

(Page 9) UVic should consult with the Lekwungen (Esquimalt and Songhees Nations) and WSANEC (Tsartlip, Tseycum, Tsawout, Pauquachi, and Malahat) peoples to ask for input on campus planning. Respect the use of campus lands for pit cooks, cooking fires, and the gathering of traditional foods and medicines. Place signs on campus declaring place names in Lekwungen and SENĆOŦEN languages

Conservation & Restoration (Page 11) Protect the Garry Oak Meadow, Cunningham Woods, South Woods, and the Bowker Creek Headwaters in perpetuity. Restore natural areas on campus as a collaboration between students, faculty, community, and Facilities Management, and in consultation with First Nations.

Food Growth (Page 21) Develop policy in the 2016 Campus Plan to support student and faculty food growth projects Establish a permanent location for the Campus Community Garden Give native edible plants priority in landscape design Include spaces for food production and restoration projects in land use planning for the Cedar Hill Corner property

Transportation

(Page 30) UVic should commit working with surrounding municipalities to improve the safety of bike routes leading to campus Do not increase the number of parking spaces on campus proportional to student population Build more covered bicycle racks

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Implement a network of bike-only paths through campus Improve signage directing users to share the road especially at campus access points

Accessibility (Page 43) Further integrate accessibility, inclusivity and accommodation into the campus plan for persons with a disability in areas of signage; new and existing buildings, campus maps; parking; entry ways; online, outdoor, & indoor, facilities and resources; washrooms; and campus policies.

Gender-Inclusive Washrooms (Page 51) Ensure that all newly constructed buildings have gender-inclusive washrooms Convert all existing single-stall gendered washrooms and showers to single-stall gender-inclusive washrooms and showers Create policy, signage, and maps to support use of these washroom

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The Territories The University of Victoria campus is located on the unceded territories of the Lekwungen (Esquimalt and Songhees Nations) and WSANEC (Tsartlip, Tseycum, Tsawout, Pauquachi, and Malahat) peoples. A permanent Lekwungen winter village site was once based at Sungayka (“snow patches”) by what is now known as Cadboro Bay. We wanted to root this project in the idea of decolonization. This means recognizing that the land that now makes up UVic was taken under unjust circumstances. It also means committing to create a more just future. It is important to highlight and strengthen the indigenous significance of the campus lands. For example, restoration of Uvic’s Garry oak meadow would be more meaningful if it were based on a restoration of a Lekwungen camas food system. Perhaps it could be modelled after or in collaboration with the Lekwungen Food Systems Project (http://lekwungenfoodsystems.org/). As another example, signs in Mystic Vale could point out that it is an important place in WSANEC oral history. There is huge opportunity here for faculties such as Indigenous Studies, Environmental Studies, History, and Anthropology to collaborate. In the course of the Uvision project we wanted to consult with local nations and began searching for contacts through staff at the First Peoples House. We unfortunately didn’t succeed in finishing consultation and recognize that decolonization is a learning process. However, we hope that the upcoming campus planning process will be based in the same commitment.

Recommendations The following recommendations were developed in consultation with the Uvic Native Student Union: Consultation Our first recommendation is that UVic should: 1. Consult with the Lekwungen (Esquimalt and Songhees Nations) and WSANEC (Tsartlip, Tseycum, Tsawout, Pauquachi, and Malahat) peoples to ask for input on campus planning. We recommend the First Peoples House as a good place to start.

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Land Use Secondly we recommend that UVic commit to honouring their relationships with the Nations who have been here since time immemorial. This can be done by committing to respect the use, customs, ceremonies, and traditions that continue to be practiced here. Specifically this includes the use of UVic grounds for: 1. Cooking fires and pit cooks for ceremonial and other purposes that original peoples see fit. 2. The gathering of traditional foods and medicines without interference. It is recommended that these two practises are written into general land use policies going forward. Signage 1. Signs should be placed, and/or added to existing signs on campus declaring the place name in both Lekwungen and SENĆOŦEN languages.

Sources Traditional Territories of the Lekwungen. Based on Cheryl Bryce and Brenda Sam, "Lekwungen People: The Traditional Territory of the Songhees and Esquimalt People" [pamphlet], 1997. http://bcheritage.ca/salish/ph2/map/lekwungen.htm “Home Place: Campus and its Coast Salish heritage.” Nancy J. Turner with Cheryl Bryce and Brenda Beckwith, 2002. In Torch, Autumn 2002: 36. http://web.uvic.ca/torch/torch2002f/torch_autumn_2002.pdf

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Conservation & Restoration Andrew Mackinnon (Graduate of Uvic’s Restoration of Natural Systems Program) Julia Jennings (Coordinator, UVic Ecological Restoration Volunteer Committee)

Introduction According to the UVic Natural Features Study commissioned in 2007, “The University campus is comprised of 162.7 ha (402 acres). Natural areas, planted areas and lawns comprise 116.6 ha (288 acres), or 71% of the land base (University of Victoria 2003).” (Harrop-Archibald, 2007, pg. 3)” Significant areas highlighted in the Natural Features Study include: The Cedar Hill Corner Property The Garry Oak Meadow Haro Woods and Finnerty Ravine South Woods Cunningham Woods Mystic Vale and Hobbs Creek Bowker Creek Headwaters These areas include wetland and riparian ecosystems, woodlands, meadows and second growth forests. Not only do they contribute to the aesthetic beauty of the UVic campus, they are also frequented by students and faculty, providing a hands on learning environment for programs involving Environmental Restoration, native species knowledge, soil sampling and local ecology.

Why Conserve and Restore Natural Areas? Biodiversity The natural areas on campus have an environmental importance to the Douglas fir/ Garry oak ecosystem of Vancouver island. Restorative projects that are ongoing in this area help to promote biological diversity. Community and Connection to Place Natural areas do not only serve as a place of learning but also of cultural importance. The acknowledgement that we are on unceded Lekwungen and WSANEC traditional territory calls for respect of the natural ecosystems and the importance of restoring them to a 12 | U V i s i o n : U n i v e r s i t y o f V i c t o r i a S u s t a i n a b i l i t y P r o j e c t

healthy state. Intact natural environments also support immensely valuable traditional ecological knowledge. Restoration and stewardship initiatives connect students, faculty, and staff with a sense of place and community. One such valuable initiative at UVic is the Environmental Restoration Volunteer Network (ERVN), which is funded through the Restoration of Natural Systems program. The ERVN focuses on restoration of natural areas on campus, involving students and community members in invasive species removal. It hosts invasive plant pulls at least monthly throughout the academic year.

Strengthen Academic Programs Natural areas on campus are used daily as living classrooms. Some of the current Uvic programs that use natural areas on campus include: - The Restoration of Natural Systems Diploma Program - Environmental Studies ( ES 200, 240, 321) - Geography (GEOG 274, 209, 101A) - Biology ( BIOL 215) This opportunity to learn in a nearby natural environment does not exist at many universities. Environmental restoration allows students to connect with faculty and community members, build connection, and gain hands on work experience for their programs, as well as required volunteer hours. Having these natural areas around campus creates a network that connects all these assets. Campus Aesthetics and Recreation Natural areas create a signature green ring around the campus. Forested trails around the ring are well-used by the campus community for recreation and relaxation

Challenges Facing Natural Areas on Campus Campus ecosystems are in a degraded state due to human activities and invasive species. Restoration is a much-needed process for these natural areas due to the high traffic use that occurs in them. The Garry Oak Meadow in particular is the site of a very sensitive ecosystem at risk, and sustainable use and restoration are essential in reserving it for generations to come. 13 | U V i s i o n : U n i v e r s i t y o f V i c t o r i a S u s t a i n a b i l i t y P r o j e c t

The diversity of habitats is under threat of being reduced by proposed building development. Development of these areas would be detrimental to these ecosystems and the already fragmented species living within them. Loss of wildlife diversity and sensitive native plants would result from this habitat loss. Maintaining a healthy natural environment around campus also has direct impacts on the wellbeing of students, staff, faculty, and local community members.

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Recommendations Our recommendations for conservation and restoration on campus are based on Questions 1-3 in the “Green Spaces and Restoration” section of the February 2013 UVision Online Survey, and on the seven most popular “Green Spaces and Restoration” suggestions received in the February 2013 UVision Open House. This information was synthesized by Andrew Mackinnon, a graduate of Uvic’s Restoration of Natural Systems program.

Figure 3: Concept Plan map of UVic’s natural areas from of UVic’s 2003 Campus Plan, Natural 15 | U V i s i and o n :Landscaped U n i v e r s Open i t y oSpaces, f V i cpage t o r i22. a Sustainability Project

Conserve Natural Areas The University of Victoria should adapt its 2016 Campus Plan to: 1. Extend the 10 year moratorium on development of Identified Natural Protection Areas outside Ring Road (as identified in Figure 3: Concept Plan above) to a moratorium in perpetuity. (Survey #1, Open House #2) 2. Extend this moratorium in perpetuity to also protect Cunningham Woods. (Survey #1, Open House #2 and #4)

Area Affected by Freeze on Use (OS#3) from of UVic’s 2003 Campus Plan, Natural and Landscaped Open Spaces, page 19.

Restore Natural Areas The University of Victoria should adopt a long term restoration plan for all natural areas outlined in the Campus Plan 2003 OS#5 to minimize degradation of these areas,

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especially the impact of invasive species. (Survey #2 and #3, Open House #5). Specifically this plan should: 1. Be designed and implemented as a collaboration between faculty, students, community groups, Facilities Management, and First Nations. (Open House Suggestions 1 and 3) 2. Acknowledge First Nations traditional land uses and consult Lekwungen and WSANEC peoples to develop restoration goals (Open House Suggestion 1) 3. Implement an annual Ecosystem Report Card to assess progress in improving biological trajectory and biodiversity. (Survey #3, Open House #5)

4. Identify and prioritize restoration of Garry Oak ecosystems on campus. (Survey #1 and Open House #6) 5. Implement the re-routing of trails in Mystic Vale and negotiate a new storm water policy with Municipality of Saanich and Oak Bay to prevent further deterioration of Hobbs Creek. (Open House #7) Note: Faculty and students are currently in dialogue about developing this restoration plan and will eventually seek collaboration and adoption of the plan by the UVic administration.

Currently the Ecological Restoration Volunteer Network is establishing a native plant nursery is being established to complete a restoration process in Cunningham Woods. Native species will be propagated and re-introduced into this area with a focus on edible plants, such as woodland strawberry, to encourage students to continue to be engaged in the natural areas on campus. A long term restoration monitoring plan has been written by Lexi Fisher (2013) and will be revised and carried out this Fall, 2014. Ecological Restoration on campus makes restoration and volunteer events accessible to students and provides hands on learning environment as well as work experience in the restoration field.

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UVision Consultation Results UVision Online Survey: Green Spaces and Restoration 1. Cunningham Woods and all natural areas outside the ring are storehouses of biological diversity. These areas are under a ten year moratorium on development that expires in 2013. Do you support making the moratorium on development permanent in any or all of the following: Garry Oak Meadow 78.7% 1,043 Cunningham Woods 78.6% 1,042 Bowker Creek wetlands 77.4% 1,025 South Woods 75.5% 1,00 None of the Below 13.2% 175 answered question 1,325 2. An Ecosystem Report Card would monitor the health of natural areas to assess if conditions like the amount of physically suitable native plant and animal habitat, the amount of biodiversity present and the impact of human activity and invasive species on natural areas, are improving or being degraded. It would provide necessary information to improving the health of natural ecosystems on campus. Are you in favour of UVic implementing an annual Ecosystem Report Card? Yes 85.4% 1,131 No 14.6% 194 answered question 1,325 3. Restoring ecosystems on campus could tie directly with academic programs and provide a model and laboratory for restoration practices that could be used elsewhere. Do you feel restoration of significant ecosystems such as Garry Oak ecosystems and Mystic Vale and others son campus should be made an administration priority? Some commitment of resources 57.7% 764 Significant Commitment of Resources (Including staff to carry out work) 26.9% 356 Little Commitment of Resources 11.6% 154 No commitment of resources 3.8% 51 answered question 1,325

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UVision Open House Consultation: Green Spaces and Restoration 1.

Acknowledge traditional land uses by First Nations and encourage First Nations to contribute to the restoration of natural areas (40)

2.

Extend the moratorium on development of Natural Spaces outside Ring Road and Cunningham Woods (39)

3.

Include students and community in projects like invasive species removal (15)

4.

Protect Cunningham Woods (12)

5.

Implement an annual Ecosystem Report Card to assess progress in improving biological trajectory and biodiversity (10)

6.

Identify and prioritize restoration of Garry Oak ecosystems on campus (9)

7.

Implement re-routing of trails at Mystic Vale and negotiate a new storm water policy to prevent further degradation of Hobbs Creek (8)

8.

Incorporate native edible plant species grown on campus, like camas bulbs, into oncampus food options (4)

9.

Include the CJVI property in any extended moratorium (3)

10.

Have a native plant nursery for propagation and ethnobotany classes (2)

11.

Protect Finnerty Gardens

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References “University of Victoria Natural Features Study: Bowker Creek, Cunningham Woods, Upper Hobbs Creek/Mystic Vale.” Hillary Harrop-Archibald, 2007. https://www.uvic.ca/sustainability/assets/docs/Natural%20Features%20Study%20Phase% 201.May31-07.pdf “Traditional Ecological Knowledge and Wisdom of Aboriginal Peoples in British Columbia.” Nancy J. Turner, Marianne Boelscher Ignance, and Ronald Ignance, 2000. In Ecological Applications 10, no.5 (Oct 2000): 1275-1287. “Towards a Recovery Strategy for Garry Oak and Associated Ecosystems in Canada: Ecological Assessment and Literature Review.” Marilyn A Fuchs, Garry Oak Ecosystem Recovery Team, 2001. http://www.goert.ca/documents/litreview.pdf Ecological Restoration Volunteer Network http://web.uvic.ca/~nature/ Michael Mc’Gonigle and Justine Stark. Planet U: Sustaining the World, Reinventing the University. Gabriola Island: New Society Publishers, 2006.

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Food Growth Matthew Morrison (Campus Community Garden Coordinator) Katie Lauer | Emily Thiessen | Elizabeth Stevenson Aaron Topley | Justin White| Kyle Morris Larry Kimmet | Chloe Donatelli

Introduction Why Grow Food on Campus? Community building and connection to place Growing food on campus fosters a connection to the our university’s lands and their history. Food growth is also one of the best ways to build community. For example, the Campus Community Garden hosts weekly work parties and workshops that are attended by many students, faculty, staff, and community members each week. The Community Garden hosts 3 “Giving Garden” plots, where all crops are donated to the UVSS Food Bank. Health Connection to local food is an essential part of building awareness of healthy eating and sustainable consumption. Education Having food production areas integrated into the campus landscape would allow UVic programs to incorporate experiential learning into food-related courses. These courses could support the maintenance of particular plots. For example, an ethnoecology course in Environmental Studies could support a camas patch near the David Turpin building. Note: The Uvic Sustainability Project is in dialogue with faculty from Geography, Child and Youth Care, and Environmental Studies about incorporating food growth into their programs. Appendix A is a survey of faculty in Environmental Studies and Geography asking about levels of support for combining hands-on food growth with academic programs. Biodiversity Adding edible plants, especially native edible plants, to campus landscaping can convert empty land into bio diverse areas that provide habitat to other species. Adapting to peak oil and climate change Peak oil and climate change are making it increasingly expensive and risky to depend on food transported long distances. Increasing local food growth in however small a capacity, is a step toward both adapting to a peak oil and mitigating climate change. In a future world where healthy food that is sourced from a healthy environment is integral to a liveable planet, institutions that make choices to support sustainable food

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production and encourage a connection to food, take valuable leadership in building a better world.

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Recommendations Food Growth recommendations originate from Question 1 in the “Food Production” section of the February 2013 UVision online survey, Suggestions 1-5 and 7 at the February 2013 UVision Open House, and Questions 1-3 and 7 at the UVision Open House. Recommendations about the Campus Community Garden were developed with Community Garden staff, board members, and plot owners. To understand the feasibility of incorporating food growth into campus landscaping, we have consulted with Facilities Management and several faculty teaching food-related courses. We intend to continue this consultation as we develop our ideas in the future.

Develop Policy to Support Food Growth in the 2016 Campus Plan The University of Victoria should modify its Campus Plan to give additional emphasis to landscaping and land use decisions which increase the amount of edible plants and space dedicated to growing food on campus. (Open House Suggestions #1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 7.5, Survey # 1)

Support the Campus Community Garden 1.

The University of Victoria should commit to identifying and supporting the permanent establishment of a community garden on campus. (Survey #1, Open House #7)

2.

The selection of a permanent location for the community garden should occur in consultation with the UVSS Affiliated Group, the Campus Community Garden.

3.

The selection and establishment of a permanent site for the Campus Community Garden should include a design and capacity to accommodate academic use, including a teaching space and area dedicated to learning and research.

4.

The selection and establishment of a permanent site for the Campus Community Garden should be guaranteed to be the same physical area or greater than the current Community Garden site.

Design Edible Landscaping 1. Native edible plants should be given priority in landscaping design. (Open House #1)

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2. The University of Victoria should offer policy support in the 2016 Campus Plan to students and faculty in transforming unused green space such as lawns and grass boulevards into food growth areas. For example these could be turned into small permaculture gardens. (Open House #4 and #5) Note: Selection of native edible plants and identification of ideal planting conditions and location can occur in collaboration with the Uvic Sustainability Project, the Ecological Restoration Club, and other interested groups. For example. Environmental Studies student Audrey Crockett has put together a report on native berry transplants.

Make Full Use of the Cedar Hill Corner Property 1. The former farmland at Cedar Hill Corner has great potential for food growth and has captured the imagination of generations of students and faculty. We recommend that the University of Victoria should include spaces for food production and restoration projects in land use planning for Cedar Hill Corner. For example, restoration projects can take place on the edges of Mystic Vale. Incorporating gardens into residence buildings could be an excellent opportunity to build complete community. Note: Inspiration can be found in the multitude of visions students and faculty have had for the Cedar Hill Corner property (formerly CJVI) over the years. Some of these can be found here: UnCommon Ground by the Polaris institute (http://www.polisproject.org/PDFs/uncommon%20ground.pdf) Planting the Seeds by Megan Thom (http://web.uvic.ca/~ccgarden/wpcontent/uploads/2008/04/plantingtheseeds.pdf) Sustainability Initiative for UVic: UVic as a Garden Campus: http://www.coreyburger.ca/wp-content/uploads/visionpetition1.pdf Restoration of Natural Systems student Olivia Champagne is working on a restoration proposal for the Garry oak meadow patch on the edge of Cedar Hill Corners.

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UVision Consultation Results UVision Online Survey: Food Production 1. The Campus Community Garden consistently has a waiting list, while the land it occupies has only been allocated on a temporary basis and could be revoked at any time. What do you think the university should do about space for the campus community garden? Make their current space permanent and give them more space permanently 43.4% 575 Make their current space permanent 22.5% 298 Make their current space permanent and give them more space temporarily 19.9% 264 Keep the current temporary allocation 14.2% 188 answered question 1,325

UVision Open House Consultation: Food Production Suggestions 1. Grow fruit trees on landscaped areas, creating food corridors (97) 2. Grow food on building tops (31) 3. Use roofs of buildings for food production (26) 4. Permaculture gardens on campus in unused green spaces, like the Clearihue Courtyard (25) 5. Green spaces converted to permaculture zones (22) 6. Mason Bees on campus to pollinate – safe for allergies and native to BC (19) 7. Grow fruit and veggies so people can see how the compost is used (4) - Must be incorporated with the 25-50 year long term UVic plan, otherwise programs/buildings/etc. will not have space, need holistic sustainable planning (2)

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Questions 1. Is it important to have space for food production on campus? Yes (74) No (5) Don’t know (0) 2. Do you think on-campus food production contributes to food security? Yes (52) No (0) Don’t know (5) 3. Do you think the Campus Community Garden contributes to food security on campus? Yes (37) No (2) Don’t know (5) 4. Should UVic Administration invest in a UVic Farm, likely on CJVI land? Yes (59) No (2) Don’t know (0) 5. What barriers are preventing UVic from producing more food? Administration/lack of awareness and vision (4) Staff/volunteers to maintain (1) Facilities Management Liability “Business as usual” mindset Student vandalism Moving community garden every few years, it should be permanent (1) Bureaucracy Lack of motivation Inedible landscaping and aesthetics are prioritized over agricultural spaces, reprioritization of university values and interests 6. How do you think UVic could improve education of food Department of horticulture/agriculture/architecture/design What are the greenhouses used for? (biology experiments, grad work)

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Get ES 200 students involved in community gardens Include current and projected food security in info from the campus in New student packages during orientation Read the report I wrote about the CJVI lands proposal on UVSP website (Megan Thom) Posters in places where we eat 7. Should the CCG be given permanent status? Yes (15) What about semi-permanent status so that gardens can be established but if in future the gardens want to/need to expand an even better and bigger place can be found. 10 year lease? (3) Also more space! and more student input on the board! 8. Should food be grown to feed students? On campus composting to be used for fertilizer in all the new on-campus gardens (9) Open CCG board meetings to community members (9) A food studies program as part of environmental studies/UVic farm (8) Yes (7) Food services use food grown on campus, or more from local farms (4) Schools of horticulture/agriculture/architecture/design to improve/change perception of food production (4) Cadboro Commons should sponsor a garden (3) More organic food options on campus (2)

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References Appendix A: Food Growth Survey of University of Victoria Environmental Studies and Geography Faculty. 2013. Conducted by Katie Lauer Colin Sage. Environment and Food. New York: Routledge, 2011.

“UnCommon Ground: Creating Complete Community at the University of Victoria.” Jason Found and Michael Mc’Gonigle. Polis Project on Ecological Governance, 2005. http://www.polisproject.org/PDFs/uncommon%20ground.pdf Michael Mc’Gonigle and Justine Stark. Planet U: Sustaining the World, Reinventing the University. Gabriola Island: New Society Publishers, 2006.

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Transportation Robert Fabjer | Morgan Davies | Connor Beaty | Peter Gibbs | Nicole MacDonald Marjane Navab-Tehrani | Matt Hammer | Izaiah Sheerin | Ashley Currie

Introduction UVic has a long standing commitment to creating a pedestrian oriented campus. Reducing the reliance on Single Occupancy Vehicle (SOV) trips to the university is important in addressing climate change and creating a safe and welcoming environment. This commitment has been the core of many transportation related policies, including those contained in the 2003 Campus Plan, the 2009 and 2014 Sustainability Action Plans, and the Traffic and Parking Regulations Policy. The new Campus Plan should support these goals with new infrastructure investment and restructuring of current infrastructure and policy. Mode Share Goals UVic’s 2009-2014 Sustainability Action plan aimed to reduce percentage of Single Occupancy Vehicle (SOV) trips to campus to less than 30% by 2014.1 However, the most recent 2012 Campus Traffic Survey showed that SOV mode share increased slightly from 37.5% in 2008 to 39.8% in 2012.2 It is unlikely that 30% SOV mode share will have been achieved by 2014. Given this shortfall, the new Campus Plan should be more aggressive in changing infrastructure and policy to reduce SOV mode share.

http://www.uvic.ca/sustainability/assets/docs/Final%20Report%20%20Sustainability%20Action%20Plan%20Mar%2020141.pdf, page 8 1

http://www.uvic.ca/campusplanning/assets/docs/2012%20Campus%20Traffic%20Survey%20%20Final%20Report.pdf, page 5 2

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Source: Final Report - Sustainability Action Plan: Campus Operations 2009 -14, page 8 http://www.uvic.ca/sustainability/assets/docs/Final%20Report%20%20Sustainability%20Action%20Plan%20Mar%2020141.pdf

Cap on Parking The number of parking spaces on campus can directly support or dissuade commuters making SOV trips. Limiting the total number of parking spaces at UVic can be an effective way of reducing the number of SOV trips to UVic.3 At the same time, building on parking lots instead of green space, as UVic has done in the past, conserves biodiversity. Our survey indicates that student opinion supports a limit on the number of parking spaces on campus. (Survey: Transit #3) A limit on the availability of parking on campus is not abnormal for university campuses. At McGill University for example, those who live within five kilometres of campus cannot apply for a parking pass, with important exceptions for people with special needs. Seattle University’s campus is closed to vehicular traffic during class hours. In relation to other universities in BC, UVic has a relatively low parking space to full time student enrollment ratio, at 0.18 parking spaces per full time student. Other universities have lower ratios however, with the major Simon Fraser University having only 0.05 parking spaces per full time student. Cycling Infrastructure The Campus Plan should act as a guide to shift the resources of the university from a system focused on SOV trips to a system which encourages walking, cycling, bussing, and carpooling. This year UVic made improvements in public transit by building a new transit exchange. Transit usage has increased substantially over the past 15 years thanks to the introduction of the U-PASS. However, during the past decade, the percentage of cycling trips to campus has seen almost no increase. In the next ten years, we encourage the 3

“Camosun College Transportation and Parking Management Plan,” Tod Litman, 2009, http://camosun.ca/documents/about/transportation/plan-final-draft-june-2009.pdf “Transportation,” The college Sustainability Report Card, 2011, http://www.greenreportcard.org/report-card2011/categories/transportation/leaders.html “Transportation Demand Management at Canada's Post-secondary Institutions,” Transport Canada, 2010. http://data.tc.gc.ca/archive/eng/programs/environment-utsp-casestudy-cs66e-tdm-808.htm

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university to focus on cycling infrastructure and facilities. While transit usage grew substantially from 2000-2008, recent transportation audits show a decrease in usage, likely due to bus pass-ups and other service issues. Encouraging people who live within 5km of campus to ride bicycles to UVic is a good way to reduce congestion on public transit. As well, much of the campus population lives within 5km of campus. Within 5km cycling has comparable travel times with vehicle and public transit. (See graph below.)

Source: Greater Victoria Cycling Coalition A small increase in cycling trips to campus can have disproportionate benefits, and should be relatively easy and inexpensive to achieve. Safe cycling routes to campus Encouraging ridership is dependent on safe bike routes to campus. (See Open House: Cycling #2, #5 ) UVic should collaborate with all municipalities to improve cycling connections

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and wayfinding to campus.

On-campus Infrastructure In terms of on-campus infrastructure, we received broad student support for two improvements: a. Designated bike paths through campus Designated bike paths are supported by cycling students because they would allow cyclists to cross the campus centre without being slowed by pedestrian congestion. (Online Survey: Cycling #1, Open House: Cycling #1) The Society for Students with a Disability also advocate for separated bike paths because they would help pedestrians with mobility issues to avoid colliding with bicycles on campus walkways. (See Accessibility section) b. More covered bike racks Students note a lack of bike racks on campus, and especially a lack of covered bike racks. (Open House: Cycling #3) Covered bike racks make cycling much more appealing in the winter and protect bicycles from the elements. c. Improve signage Cycling on campus can be made safer with improved signage. In particular, students noted problems at UVic access routes (Open House: Cycling #5) and signage could be used to make these routes clearer.

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Recommendations The following recommendations originated from two reports: People Friendly Uvic by Robert Fabjer, Morgan Davies, Connor Beaty, Peter Gibbs, and Nicole MacDonald, and the Uvic Cycling and Pedestrian Master Plan which was developed for the CRD Read Set Go project by Marjane Navab-Tehrani, Matt Hammer, Isaiah Sheerin, and Ashley Currie. The recommendations in these two reports were compared with the UVision survey results and the survey results in “Student Voices on Transportation: University of Victoria” by Common Energy UVic (http://commonenergyuvic.files.wordpress.com/2011/09/studentvoices-on-transportation3.pdf). Based on this comparison, the recommendations most widely supported by students are listed here. They were refined in consultation with Oliver Tennant and the UVic Urban Development Club and Edward Pullman, the president of the Greater Victoria Cycling Coalition.

Limit Parking We recommend that the University of Victoria: 1. Cap the current proportion of parking spaces on campus relative to student population and consider a reduction. Conserve natural areas by building on parking lots where possible. (Online Survey: Transit #1) Parking spaces for people with disabilities should not be affected. Note: Limiting parking spaces for new buildings may involve requesting a planning variance with Oak Bay and Saanich municipal councils with each building permit that waives parking space requirements.

Improve Cycling Infrastructure We recommend that UVic: 1. Commit to working with Saanich, Oak Bay, Victoria, and the CRD to create safer cycling routes to campus. This includes building protected bike lanes and installing trafficcalming infrastructure on neighbourhood roads. It also includes installing better wayfinding signage on routes to campus. (Open House: Cycling #2, #5) 2. Increase the number of covered bike racks around campus. (Open House: Cycling #3)

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3. Implement a network of bike paths through campus. Design clear signage to designate these bike paths. (Online Survey: Cycling #1, Open House: Cycling #1) Note: The placement of these bike lanes could be tested with chalk paint before being finalised with painted lines.

UVic map with priority bike lane routes recommended in the Cycling and Pedestrian Master Plan. One lane would run from the Henderson trail through campus, and continue past the planned bike center to McKenzie. The other bike lane would span from the Midgard Ave. access point to the fountain in front of the library, staying close to the quad between trees, and backed by existing features. These lanes would connect major access routes indicated by cycling and pedestrian traffic surveys conducted in October 2007.

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4. Improve signage directing drivers and cyclists to share the road around campus, especially at UVic access points. (Open House: Cycling #5)

UVision Consultation Results UVision Online Survey: Cycling 1. Universities across the continent have created designated bike routes on campus to make biking more convenient and safer for both bicyclists and pedestrians. This however is only one option to increase bike accessibility on campus. Would you like to see designated bicycle lanes running through campus? Yes 77.1% 1,021 No 22.9% 304 answered question 1,325

UVision Open House Consultation: Cycling 1. Separated on path/dedicated bike lanes from vehicles and pedestrians (54) a. Section 4.1 of the 10 year (2003) campus plan states that UVic’s travel and parking goals are “to reduce motor vehicle traffic to the campus and to encourage increased use of public transit, cycling and walking”. Cycling lanes on campus, separated from vehicle and pedestrian traffic, are necessary to achieve this goal 2. Safer bike lanes to and from campus, especially on McKenzie between Cedar Hill and Finnerty (35) 3. More sheltered bike lock areas (17) a. that are functional and not just aesthetically pleasing (2) 4. Provide SPOKES with a better above ground location (12) a. Make SPOKES more accessible (11)

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b. Provide SPOKES with an above ground location (10) c. Increase grant funding! d. Hire staff e. Keep SPOKES where it is now but give them a bigger space 5. Section 4.3.1 of the 10 year old (2003) campus plan states the policy direction for promoting cycling to campus “the university will continue to work with bicycle stakeholders to develop safe and convenient access to campus for cyclists”. 10 years later the current access to cyclists at Henderson, Mackenzie, Finnerty and McGill roads are not safe for cyclists. The lack of perceived safety to ride to UVic is a major barrier in achieving more cyclist ridership 6. Office of Campus Planning and Sustainability are trying to develop a cycling and pedestrian master plan 7. Create a VIP parking space with video, towel, spacious, reserved, covered, surveillance, bike valet, etc., on a pay for services basis for expensive bikes so the 1% pays for the 99% 8. Bike maps 9. Indoor bike repair stations (bike kitchen is great but it can get cold) 10. Drop in bike repair workshops throughout the day/week 11. Night and weekend passes for parking

UVision Online Survey: Transit Campus Sustainability Survey 1. A multi-story parkade is planned for construction for UVic’s new athletics building (CARSA) in 2013-15. How do you feel about additional parkade construction on campus? Support without reservation 33.4% 443 Do not support 29.9% 396 Support only if total proportional number of parking spots stays the same 24.8% 328 Support only if total proportional number of parking spots is reduced 11.9% 158 answered question 1,325 38 | U V i s i o n : U n i v e r s i t y o f V i c t o r i a S u s t a i n a b i l i t y P r o j e c t

2. There are 268 student resident-only parking stalls on campus -more than the number of meter, disabled, and carpool stalls combined. How do you feel about reducing the amount of resident-only parking on campus? Neutral 42.9% 568 Support 25.5% 338 Strongly Support 14.3% 190 Oppose 12.0% 159 Strongly Oppose 5.3% 70 answered question 1,325 3. The university has already made a commitment to shifting transportation to campus away from single occupancy vehicle trips. Do you support reducing the availability of parking on campus in combination with increasing alternative transportation availability and convenience on campus? Yes 69.8% 925 No 30.2% 400 answered question 1,325 4. BC transit predicts that early morning bus congestion could be significantly reduced by having class times staggered during the morning. Do you support the university staggering the start of class times? Yes 63.2% 838 No 36.8% 487 answered question 1,325 5. Changing traffic flow on Ring Road could increase bus efficiency and make it much safer and easier to bike around campus. There are currently four parking lots which are only accessible from ring road. How do you feel about restricting vehicle traffic on ring road? Do not support any change to vehicle traffic on ring road 40.5% 536 Support restricting single occupancy vehicles to one lane to make a lane for busses and bikes 37.7% 499 Support eliminating single occupancy vehicles from the ring (with needed exceptions such as people with accessibility issues and service vehicles) 12.4% 164 Support restricting all vehicles to one lane to make a bike lane 9.5% 126

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answered question 1,325

UVision Open House Consultation: Transit 1. More bus service at night (42) 2. Ban cars on Ring Road (31) a. Make bike lanes, a track, and only allow cars for people who need extra accessibility 3. More service on #4 and not enough buses running in the morning (19) 4. Offer compensation (monetary or other) for biking or walking to UVic to motivate (17) 5. Bus and bike only on Ring Road, but develop more parking around campus (15) 6. Ideally use/convert existing lots and/or allow residential parking nearby 7. More UVic express busses in the morning (12) 8. Solve lack of parking by building parkades up (8) 9. More #26 bus services (8) 10. Walking overpass over congested Ring Road areas, ex. pedestrian walk way between SUB and Clearihue (7) 11. More service on #39 route (or at least use a double decker bus) (6) 12. Try to find the bus routes/times with the most pass-ups and address these (6) 13. A nearby park and ride (4) 14. Expanded bus loop (4) 15. Reduce parking, change required rules (3) 16. More services on #12 especially at peak times (2)

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References Appendix B: People Friendly Uvic. Robert Fabjer, Morgan Davies, Peter Gibbs, and Nicole MacDonald, 2013. Appendix C: UVic Cycling and Walking Master Plan. Marjane Navab-Tehrani, Matt Hammer, Isaiah Sheerin, and Ashley Currie, 2012. “Student Voices on Transportation: University of Victoria” Kelsey Mech, Robert Fabjer, Taylor McLeod, and Matt Hammer, Common Energy UVic, 2012. http://commonenergyuvic.files.wordpress.com/2011/09/student-voices-ontransportation3.pdf "University of Victoria Sustainability Action Plan: Campus Operations 2009-2014.” https://www.uvic.ca/sustainability/assets/docs/FinalACTIONPLAN.pdf "University of Victoria Sustainability Action Plan: Campus Operations 2014-2019.”

http://www.uvic.ca/sustainability/assets/docs/SustainabilityActionPlanBooklet2014_W EB.pdf “2012 Campus Traffic Survey University of Victoria.” Bunt & Associates. 2008.

http://www.uvic.ca/campusplanning/assets/docs/2012%20Campus%20Traffic%20Sur vey%20-%20Final%20Report.pdf “University of Victoria Traffic and Parking Management Study Final Report.” Opus Hamilton Consultants Ltd. 2008. http://www.uvic.ca/campusplanning/assets/docs/UVic%20Traffic%20and%20Parking%20 Management%20Study%20-%20FINAL%20Oct%2031-08.pdf “Traffic and Parking Regulations”, University Policy No.: BP3205. 2011. http://www.uvic.ca/universitysecretary/assets/docs/policies/BP3205_6800_.pdf “Transportation Cost and Benefit Analysis”. Todd Alexander Litman, Victoria Transport Policy Institute, 2009. http://www.vtpi.org/tca/tca01.pdf

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“Camosun College Transportation and Parking Management Plan,” Todd Litman, 2009, http://camosun.ca/documents/about/transportation/plan-final-draft-june-2009.pdf Victoria Transport Policy Institute www.vtpi.org

“University of Arizona Area Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan.” Atla Planning + Design KimleyHorn and Associates Inc., 2012. https://parking.arizona.edu/alternative/documents/UAAreaBikePedPlanFinalAugust2012.p df “Cycling and Pedestrian Master Plan.” Capital Regional District, 2013. https://www.crd.bc.ca/project/pedestrian-cycling-master-plan “UC Davis Bicycle Plan,” Transportation and Parking Services University of California Davis, 2011. http://taps.ucdavis.edu/sites/taps.ucdavis.edu/files/attachments/BikePlanUCDCampu s2011.pdf “Transportation,” The college Sustainability Report Card, 2011, http://www.greenreportcard.org/report-card-2011/categories/transportation/leaders.html “Transportation Demand Management at Canada's Post-secondary Institutions,” Transport Canada, 2010. http://data.tc.gc.ca/archive/eng/programs/environment-utspcasestudy-cs66e-tdm-808.htm

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Accessibility Accessibility, Inclusivity and Accomodation Written by the Society for Students with a Disability (SSD)

Introduction The 2016 Campus Plan should incorporate the following definitions into the plan to develop a more sophisticated understanding of accessibility for people with a disability. These definitions will provide a better reference for how existing buildings and new buildings can incorporate a safer and accessible campus for persons with a disability. There are also a number of points pertaining to these three pertinent issues that should be addressed through the upcoming Campus Plan Review. These include accessibility, inclusivity and accommodation, please see the definitions included below:

Accessibility: the quality or degree to which an environment, device or service is capable of being used, reached, seen or understood at the time of need. Inclusivity: the state or quality that does not exclude people on the grounds of gender, race, culture, class, age, sexuality, disability, etc. Accommodation: the design and adaptation of an environment to fulfill and support the needs of all types of persons as much as is possible.

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Recommendations Please note the boxes of text in the recommendations indicate specific examples or changes requested.

1.0 Pathways on campus 1.1

Build distinct bicycle lanes and pedestrian lanes on shared access pathways and crosswalks.

1.2

Shared paths should incorporate bicycle-only lanes and pedestrian-only pathways to protect persons with disabilities from being hit by vehicles due to their differences in mobility along pedestrian paths.

Bicycles are vehicles and shared pathways create an atmosphere of accidents and the fear of accidents. Members have shared stories of being hit in the back by a bicycle while walking and the long-term injuries this caused. Moreover, there is little compliance to current bicycle rules such as helmet wearing and use of lights so signs asking riders to yield to pedestrians are ineffective for providing safe walkways for pedestrians and especially pedestrians with disabilities. Including bicycle lanes throughout the university serves to balance the reduction in parking spaces and promote safe bicycling and accessibility of the campus for bicycles. This also protects the University from litigation caused from endorsing rules not in accordance with City rules regarding vehicles and pedestrians sharing pathways. It would also be helpful to provide maps of accessible pathways that are up-to-date, with larger signs in a centrally located venue on campus.

2.0 Signage There is a great need to improve signage across campus that will promote safety and accessibility for all with adequate signage. 2.1

Signage should incorporate clear large lettering

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2.2

Crosswalks should be clearly marked with road signs and added in places where the sidewalk is graded to allow people to cross more efficiently.

2.3

Accessible routes within buildings must be marked by bright colour or textural changes at floor level to provide directional cues for people with vision disabilities.

No Smoking Signage 2.4

No smoking signs need to be placed in more areas to protect those with respiratory conditions such as asthma and health costs such as second-hand smoke.

2.5

Current no smoking signs have maps of the campus as prominent and the “no smoking” message is too small to be seen at a distance and must be looked for in the sign at close range to locate the message so is ineffective.

2.6

New signs must have large clear print and be visible throughout campus with clear directions to smoking permitted areas for smokers.

2.7

No-smoking rules must be enforced, as students currently do not follow these rules even when aware of them.

2.8

The University must outline a policy of developing a campus that is accommodating to persons with respiratory conditions.

2.9

Smoking permitted areas, likewise, need better signage and signs with directions to these areas are also needed so that smokers understand there are options available that are better than non-compliance due to not being aware there are options available.

3.0 Campus Maps 3.1

The accessibility map available at UVic information booths needs to be updated to show accessibility paths, ramps, and lifts throughout the campus.

3.2

An online version that includes locations of accessible bathrooms would also be a significant addition and should also be considered.

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4.0 Disability Parking 4.1 With respect to persons with disabilities, it would be prudent to have a three-stall disability parking lot connected to the service road behind the SUB beside the SUB pharmacy to make the Cinecenta side of the SUB accessible. 4.2 Any reduction in parking to the campus must exclude disabled parking.

5.0 New and Existing Buildings In order to ensure that buildings are also inclusive, accommodating and accessible spaces, the SSD would like to make the following recommendations: 5.1 Continuous handrails should also be constructed which are a bright, contrasting colour. It would be helpful to have these ramps built on both sides and exterior to the stairs. 5.2 Floor finishes must have non-slip surfaces under wet and dry conditions. 5.3 There must be adequate disability washrooms in all buildings 5.3.1 These washrooms must include a few that maintain a lift for persons with a mobility disability 5.3.2 The doors accessing washrooms must be automatic and entrances must have dimensions for wheelchair accessibility 5.3.3 Each washroom must have a stall with wheelchair accessible dimensions 5.3.4 Mounted sinks, automatic hand-dryers or paper towel holders must be accessible and braille signage; clearer larger “high contrast” print signage within buildings is necessary and non-fluorescent lighting must be installed in a portion of the eating/sitting areas to accommodate persons with epilepsy/migraines. 5.4 Automatic doors are needed at every entry point to UVic and must be clearly marked. Moreover, accessible pedestrian routes from disability parking areas to accessible building entrances are required. Courtesy phones along these routes must be made accessible in case of emergency.

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5.5 Clearer and larger “high contrast” print signage within buildings is necessary and non-fluorescent lighting must be installed in a portion of the eating/sitting areas to accommodate persons with epilepsy/migraines. 5.6 New buildings should be accessible. Areas of accessibility include: ramps, disabled persons washroom, elevators, signage (e.g. sound for hearing at crosswalks), additional signage (eg. yield to pedestrians etc).

5.6.1 SUB Entrance to SSD The SUB entrance closest to the UVSS general office requires accessible ramps. Currently there is only one ramp into the building which requires students with disabilities to go all the way around the SUB to gain access to the SSD office. It is recommended that a ramp be built by the entrance of the SSD office. It would be helpful to have these ramps built on both sides and exterior to the stairs.

5.6.2 Health Centre Accessibility The UVic Petersen Health Centre currently has no ramp at its main entrance. It is recommended that a ramp is built to ensure all students can access this medical facility.

6.0 Facilities and Resources Online 6.1 A campus database of all rooms that have accessibility features should be developed and maintained by Facilities Management so that students with a disability can check online if specific rooms meet their accessibility needs. 6.2 Including information about contact information and resources on campus including a message about anti-stigma of mental health conditions is required in the University Calendar.

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Outdoor 6.3 There needs to be lighted nature pathways with emergency phones for walking that are not closed off from outside view (that move alongside forested areas but not just through forested areas) as safer places for vulnerable populations to walk with less probability of assault or other hostile encounter. Courtyards 6.4 There should be a quiet courtyard made for persons on the autism spectrum and other persons with environmental sensory conditions with clearly marked signs for no noise and no smoking. Indoor Kitchen Facilities 6.4.1 The University should provide an segregated safe kitchen and food outlet that provides options for persons who have specific food-related health conditions such as celiac disease and food allergies that is completely free of the following major allergens: nuts (especially peanuts and tree nuts), gluten, seafood, milk, sulphides, soy, sesame seeds, and eggs (the kitchen must have none of these ingredients present on premises. Even small cross-contamination can cause significant health risk causing illness, hospitalization, and even death. Study Spaces 6.5 There should be designated quiet study spaces, designated for students with a disability, that are easily accessible, has electrically height adjustable desks, nonfluorescent lighting for persons with epilepsy, ictal, and migraine conditions. These study spaces should not be segregated from the main studying spaces. 6.6 Study spaces need to include spaces that have electrically height adjustable desks, accessible power outlets, and non-fluorescent lighting for persons with epilepsy and migraine conditions. Moreover, these study spaces should not be segregated from the main studying spaces.

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6.7 It is recommended that a database of room accessibility features be developed and maintained by Facilities Management so that students with a disability can check online if specific rooms meet their accessibility needs. The University should demonstrate its commitment to inclusivity by having a specific budget allocated with adequate funding for accessibility and accommodation needs of all staff, and students. A map of accessible pathways should be kept up-to-date and a larger sign version of the map should be available on campus in a centrally located venue. 6.8 UVic’s audio-visual areas should include equipment for hearing impaired persons. 6.9 A quiet lounge within a quiet building at UVic for persons with environmental sensitivities would also be a welcome addition in several buildings around the campus with signage indicating these quiet spaces.

7.0

Policy

7.1 Anti-harassment policies at UVic should reflect ableism as a point of oppression and stress a need for greater protections for those with a disability. 7.2 Campus security needs to be educated through specific disability training on how to deal with the complexities of students with a disability including mental health conditions. 7.3 There needs to be a designated phone number to campus security for mental health condition issues. 7.4 Campus security answering this phone line will need training on how to follow up with a person undergoing a mental health episode and the ability to forward them to campus and off-campus resources for immediate help. Mental Health First Aid Training may be a useful resource to develop a procedural process. 7.5 There is also critical need to hire a designated person by UVic Facilities Management to be in charge of UVic disability and accessibility concerns for all buildings and websites. Inclusivity requires that designated quiet study spaces for students with a disability should be provided. A possible solution would be to build a Study Atrium where multiple study spaces for many different needs would be available in one building for all students.

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Gender Inclusive Washrooms Gender Neutral Washrooms and Showers Written by UVic Pride

Introduction Gender-inclusive washrooms are open and available to anyone, regardless of their sex, gender identity, or gender expression. These washrooms serve many populations and can be single stall or multi-stall. Access to washrooms supports basic human actions such as urination and hand-washing washrooms are necessarily ubiquitous public amenities. Gendered washrooms4 are spaces defined by who is allowed to enter, who is barred, which gender expressions and identities are allowed, and which are excluded. These are socially regulated spaces. This regulation can range from unvoiced disapproval to instances of exclusion and violence staring, whispering, being told to leave, questioning of one’s gender, physically barring entrance, and more infrequently, threats and physical assault. Many, but not all, trans and gender-variant5 persons experience difficulties feeling secure when accessing gendered spaces. Results of the Vancouver Island Trans Needs Assessment (VITNA), conducted in 2011 by Dr. Matthew Heinz, indicate that among respondents who have transitioned6 62% avoid public washrooms and 73% avoided gyms and pools (typically accessed through gendered change rooms and shower rooms, such as in the MacKinnon Gym). This avoidance of public washrooms and showers is an entirely practical response to the experiences of oppression that trans folks face. VITNA survey respondents reported that experiences of discrimination and violence specifically related to being trans are quite 4

Gendered washrooms: public washroom spaces that typically are provided in pairs and intended to be used by women and men separately. These spaces are both gendered and sexed and this is clear in the mix of signage (i.e.  ‘female  washroom’  is  often  interchangeable  with  ‘women’s  washroom’).  These  are  public  spaces  that  attempt   to emulate privacy - all users make assumptions about who is appropriate to find inside. 5

Note on terms: Trans is used here to refer to persons who often experience dismissal of their gender and/or gender expression. This includes people who identify as transgender, transsexual, genderqueer, etc. Gender variant is used similarly but seeks to better include people may not identify as trans but may also experience discrimination based on their gender expression (clothing, makeup, hairstyle, posture, etc.) which is perceived as being  “non-typical”  for  their  gender.   6

Transitioned refers to trans persons who consistently express their gender in everyday life.

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common. 82% of respondents had experienced silent harassment, 56% were verbally harassed, 16% sexually harassed, 11% physically threatened, and 13% experienced physical and/or sexual violence. Issues accessing washrooms, showers, and change rooms have been echoed by many trans and gender-variant students and staff at UVic. While some trans and gender-variant persons can comfortably access gendered washrooms and may rarely experience discrimination, most cannot easily access gendered spaces and very often experience discrimination. Gender-inclusive washrooms should not be thought of, nor advertised, as either specifically “transgender washrooms” or as spaces for “gender-inclusive” persons. They are simply spaces that are intentionally made available for users of all genders. While there are about 40 gender-inclusive washrooms on the main UVic Campus (academic and support buildings, Cadboro Commons), there are still many campus buildings lacking gender-inclusive facilities, including several with lecture halls for large enrollment classes. These include McLaurin, Cornett, and both wings of Elliot. If a student, faculty, or staff seeks a gender-inclusive washroom, they may be pushed to either travel to a distant building or to wait. This mirrors the experience of those seeking accessible washrooms. Many public buildings provide one or more accessible washrooms that are genderinclusive. In other words, accessible washrooms are often spaces where all genders are welcome to use. These facilities aim to support those who use mobility devices, need enough room to maneuver around washroom fixtures, require additional privacy in using lifts, attend to private medical actions, or are assisted by a support worker of another gender - these are typically single-stall and often the only gender-inclusive washroom in a building or on a floor. Examples on the UVic campus include Cunningham 047, Hickman 122, Strong C129, and McPherson 110D/110E. Challenges arise when the only accessible washroom is also the only gender-inclusive washroom. Trans and gender-variant persons who do not require a highly accessible space may rightly feel that they are taking needed space away from persons who do not have any other useful facility they could access. This will often be vocally noted by bystanders. Challenges in accessing washrooms, change rooms, and shower facilities are significant safety concern for many trans and gendervariant persons on campus.

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Recommendations Gender-inclusive washrooms take many different forms. They can be multi-stall genderinclusive washrooms (Student Union Building A115 and A117) or single-stall genderinclusive washrooms (i.e. Turpin/SSM). The conversion of existing gendered single-stall washrooms to gender-inclusive single-stall washrooms is not difficult, and requires minimal construction. We advocate that the University of Victoria commit to investing in the safety of its trans and queer students, staff, faculty and campus visitors via its next Campus Plan by committing to the following: 1. Ensure that all newly constructed buildings have gender-inclusive washrooms and showers included in their blueprints and construction plans. If the location is appropriate, multi-stall gender-inclusive washrooms should be prioritized 2. Convert all existing single-stall gendered washrooms and showers to single-stall gender-inclusive washrooms and showers 3. Increase washroom signage throughout buildings so that gender-inclusive washrooms are easier to find, especially if they are located on another floor or in a different wing 4. Create and maintain an up-to-date and interactive map of all gender-inclusive washrooms on campus, and make it available on the UVic website. This should include full accessibility information. (See Ryan O’Connor, “Gender-inclusive washrooms on campus.”) 5. Create a gender-inclusive washroom and showers policy/directive to support the University’s commitment to creating safer public spaces for trans and queer students, faculty, staff and campus visitors.

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Survey Results

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References “Gender-inclusive washrooms on campus.” Created by Ryan O’Connor for UVic Pride,

2011. http://uvicpride.ca/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/uvicgnw.html

“I can’t hold it in: SUB user support for multi-stall, multi-gender washrooms” Written by Kailey Willets for UVic Pride, 2012. http://uvicpride.ca/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/GIW-survey-key-_web.pdf “Island Lives: A Trans Community Needs Assessment for Vancouver Island” (2013). Matthew Heinz and Devon MacFarlane http://sgo.sagepub.com/content/3/3/2158244013503836

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Additional Survey Results The UVision student surveys covered more than the four topics above. Additional results from these surveys are listed below. We encourage UVic to take this information into consideration when developing the 2016 Campus Plan.

Energy Online Survey Developing renewable energy on campus could connect academic and sustainability priorities. Do you support the university putting resources into developing renewable energy generation on campus? Strongly support 55.9% 741 Support 38.8% 514 Oppose 3.5% 47 Strongly oppose 1.7% 23 answered question 1,325

Open House Consultation 1. 2. 3. 4.

Human powered energy in the new gym CARSA (41) Install more solar panels (31) Photovoltaics on roofs (1) Use lower quality water in toilets, and more efficient toilets and composting toilets with low flush (31) 5. Automatic light switches (16) 6. More motion-sensitive lighting in dorms/buildings (16) 7. Solar power pv and hot water (9) 8. Wind energy as well as solar (9) 9. Geothermal power for the new CARSA facility (6) 10. Change plumbing in older buildings to automatic taps and Dyson hand dryers etc. (5) 11. Auto-computer shut down (4) 12. Tidal power (2) 13. Possible public/private partnership

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14. Generators on stationary bikes (offer free spin classes), ability to charge electronic devices 15. Bio (compost) energy

Green Buildings UVision Online Survey: Green Buildings 1. 2. 3. 4.

Build up not out in order to maximize space efficiency (22) Efficient ways to heat our buildings (15) Greening existing buildings (14) Make campus community gardens a PERMANENT space, i.e. treat it like a building, no more moving the garden (13) 5. Motion-sensitive lighting in all dorms and buildings (10) 6. Sustainably- built student housing (9) 7. Make any new buildings at least LEED platinum (8) 8. Light rail to UVic (8) 9. Convert concrete walls into vertical gardens/living walls (7) 10. Reusing existing buildings (7) 11. More passive solar design (6) 12. Green building challenge (6) 13. Turn down the heat (6) 14. Composting toilets in new buildings – eventually retrofit old (6) 15. More minimal heat-loss windows and doorways (6) 16. Green roofs that are accessible to students as study and relaxing space (5) 17. Work with Saanich and Oak Bay to create a revitalization-tax-exemption bylaw that promotes benefits of “green building” construction and design (4) 18. Work with provincial government to legitimize cob building (or other earth) in the BC building code (4) 19. A green wall, maybe in the library (3) 20. Only heat 2 or 3 buildings at night/evenings instead of all buildings (3) 21. Rooftop gardens (2) 22. Draft proofing windows and doors (2) 23. Make commitment to LEED official (2) 24. Provide free sweaters and turn down the heat (2) 25. Low carbon solutions (1) 26. Energy performance/deep cost reduction (1)

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27. Foot print minimized for more green space 28. Integrate classroom booking/schedule into heating system so that class rooms are only heated when required

Waste Reduction and Recycling UVision Online Survey: Waste Reduction and Recycling 1. The majority of Uvic’s waste could be recycled or composted, and all organic waste, including paper towel, will have to be composted by 2015 because of municipal ban on organic waste. Would you use any or all of the following waste disposal options if they were available inside academic buildings?: Composting for food waste 91.5% 1,213 Composting for paper towels 89.3% 1,183 Soft plastic recycling 88.8% 1,177 Styrofoam 69.9% 926 Electronics (cell phones, batteries, etc.) 70.6% 935 None of the Above 1.2% 16 answered question 1,325

UVision Open House Consultation: Waste Reduction and Recycling 1. Put compost inside academic buildings and in spots where residents recycle and put trash (61) 2. Don’t sell bottled water anywhere on campus (46) 3. Compost bin with every garbage bin (26) 4. Diverge monetary investment of all Uvic accounts (pension plans, etc.) to social and environmentally conscious projects/credit unions or community based lending co-ops (22) 5. Get rid of all professor paper handouts. Profs still print copies of documents to distribute in class when this can be done through Moodle. There needs to be a policy to make this consistent, right now some profs use Moodle, others do not and hand things out in class. If everything goes on Moodle people who miss class because of stress don’t miss out and we save a load of paper. (15) 6. Compost campus compost ON campus and use the new soil for campus gardens and edible landscaping (14) 63 | U V i s i o n : U n i v e r s i t y o f V i c t o r i a S u s t a i n a b i l i t y P r o j e c t

7. Incorporate biodegradable packaging/coffee cups wherever possible (10) 8. Every time you purchase a muffin at Bean There it comes in a plastic bag. Plastic bag free muffins! (7) 9. Publicity! publicize the ways students can be involved, the importance and the fun of it (7) 10. Compost paper towels, use hand dryers (6) 11. No garbages. Make UVic zero waste (or close to) with composts and different kinds of recycling (5) 12. Installation of water free urinals (3) 13. Stop selling hot drinks in disposable cups, travel mugs only (3) 14. Have the recycling/compost be as accessible as possible (iPhone app) (3) 15. Use student projects to make change on campus (3) 16. No more paper towels in bathrooms only air hand dryers to save paper (2) 17. Raise price of parking on campus to encourage less cars on campus (2) 18. Get a small discount if you use your own container/plate on food/beverage purchases around campus (2) 19. More soft plastic recycling stations (1) 20. “Foot-openable” compost containers (the green ones) so you don’t have to get your hands dirty (1) 21. Compost for paper towels 22. Save tonnes of water and build composting toilets on campus, instead of mixing our waste with increasingly limited supplies of drinking water and stop flushing into the Strait of Juan de Fuca (1) 23. Use old-school cloth towel rolls in bathrooms instead of paper (1)

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Appendix A:

Food Growth Survey of Uvic Geography and Environmental Studies Faculty Katie Lauer 1. Do you currently teach a course at UVic that would benefit from having food growth on campus?

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2. If yes, please list what course(s) would benefit with a brief explanation of how or why.

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3. Are you interested in developing a new course that would benefit from having food growth on campus?

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4. If yes or maybe, please describe what type of course you would be interested in developing.

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5. What types of food growth would your course most benefit from?

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6. Are there specific location(s) on campus that would work best for food growth in relation to your courses?

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7. Any other comments?

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1. If you are interested in pursuing further collaboration on an academic plan, please provide name and contact information.

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Appendix B: Uvic Cycling and Walking Master Plan March 27 2013 Marjane Navab-Tehrani, Matt Hammer, Izaiah Sheerin, and Ashley Currie

Introduction In the past four years, the percentage of people arriving at the University of Victoria by bicycle has plateaued at approximately 8%, as shown by the 2012 traffic survey. This is in line with but slightly below the regional average of 9% cycling commuters. The CRD, in its recently released Cycling Master Plan suggests that achieving a target of 25% cycling in urban areas is viable and important to meet targets in CO2 reduction and other goals for a healthy community. Other campuses in similar climates such as UC Davis achieve 40% mode share for cycling, which suggests that a 25% target is attainable. Moreover, the cost of providing parking stalls at UVic, due to the space lost for building expansion is immense, and will only increase as the pressures for, and moves towards, university growth accelerate in the coming years. Thus this study aims to provide recommendations which will complement the CRD Master Plan: 1. Increase the percentage of people walking and cycling to campus 2. Increase the safety of pedestrians and cyclists on and at access points to campus.

Process The team began our process with a review of the literature surrounding cycling services and bike plans from other universities across the continent, especially those in similar climates and with similar sizes. This included an examination of the CRD’s Cycling and Pedestrian Master Plan. This research acted as the foundation for a brainstorming and visioning process which was also informed by the personal experiences of the team cycling on campus. Added to this initial phase was existing research on the situation at UVic, including the ongoing traffic surveys, and surveys of student opinion. These surveys of student opinion came both from the UVision process and student group CommonEnergy. This phase was largely completed by the end of February. 75 | U V i s i o n : U n i v e r s i t y o f V i c t o r i a S u s t a i n a b i l i t y P r o j e c t

The second phase, which took place in the beginning of March, involved an in person survey of the campus and on campus photography to better document and understand the physical challenges of bike movement to and on campus. This phase focused especially on access routes to and from campus and highlighted the necessity of actually moving through spaces in order to understand the challenges cyclists face. The third phase focused on stakeholder and expert interviews. Members of two campus cycling groups, SPOKES and UBic, along with the various members of the UVic administration were contacted and interviewed. These interviews filled in our knowledge gaps and formed the basis for our recommendations. This process demonstrates the breadth of information included in our recommendations.

Short Term Goals Our research of other campus cycling plans and personal experience as cycling students on the UVic campus have led us to conclude that the best course of action to meet our goals would be to focus upon education and encouragement. Through greater education on rules, regulations, safety and general layout of the cycling network, students can gain the confidence and knowhow necessary for a safe cycling lifestyle. Further, the normalization of a cycling lifestyle along with a cycling culture on the UVic campus can be reached through a variety of encouragement initiatives.

Education First a campus cycling map must be created and widely distributed, including within the basic information for the location of bike racks, shelters, and lockers, along with showers, and cycling amenities on campus. Basic hand signalling info and location of bike lanes inside the campus and immediately to the outside of campus should also be included to complete this snapshot of valuable cycling information. Next, we hope to create an expectation of ourselves and others to adhere to cycling rules and regulations by increasing the awareness of proper and safe cycling practices through an educational video. This video would provide an overview of the rules and regulations involved with cycling along with further safety tips. Proper use of hand signals, crossing lanes, left hand turning would be demonstrated in video for new riders, with an overview of all of the necessary equipment for safe cycling, such as lights, reflectors, and helmets. 76 | U V i s i o n : U n i v e r s i t y o f V i c t o r i a S u s t a i n a b i l i t y P r o j e c t

Tips of how to ride alert both on and off campus, day and night could cover areas such as avoiding catching ones clothing, hands and feet in the bike equipment, running off the road, sliding in the rain/snow, or falling off of the bike, as these have shown to be problem areas (UC Davis, 1995). Other notable topics are cycling while under the influence of a substance, or while listening to headphones, both of which are highly unsafe practices we hope to shed a light on in the video. This video should then be shown to every current and new student on the UVic campus through the already existing closed-circuit TVs, in events dedicated to orientation to the campus, and also in the introductory classes occurring in September. Another educational initiative would be to create on online cycling training and educational program available to all UVic students, faculty and staff. This webpage could be accessible through the UVic Moodle page for students and could be made a required module to pass. Following the example set by UC Davis, this page could include within it first the educational video, then a brief "quiz" to test the students on their newly gained knowledge. This could be an immediate and clear way for students to assess their knowledge on cycling safety and regulations. Lastly, we envisioned workshops to be offered on bicycle maintenance and basic repair (such as changing tires, or calibrating brakes) to give students a greater understanding of their bike, and thus greater confidence while riding. Such workshops could also aid in creating a cycling culture necessary for growth in cycling transportation

Encouragement We hope to encourage a cycling lifestyle by promoting a cycling culture. Events such as bike to school/work week could be done in the first week of the school year with prizes available for those with bikes/helmets. Further there could be games testing student's knowledge on cycling for prizes as well. These prizes could also be cycling related, such as coupons for discounts on helmets and parts, or even bike lights and reflectors. This same trend could continue in the first week of every month in a more informal way (perhaps with little or no prizes) to keep the idea of biking to campus on the forefront of commuters' mind. Other events such as bike auctions and bike part exchange programs could be thrown once or twice a semester as a means to provide cheap bikes and parts to the student body. Further, a once a semester meeting could be planned for all of the cycling and commute related stakeholders to discuss current issues and come up with fresh improvements.

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Infrastructure: Short Term Goals For our short term infrastructure goals, we focused upon the addition of signage, a crosswalk light, and a pilot implementation of non-permanent bike roads through campus. The intention of our long-term goal for bike lanes on campus is to provide effective means for crossing the campus center without being slowed down by pedestrian congestion, which ties in with existing access points to the campus. It has been shown that when bicyclists or pedestrians can navigate a network without gaps their experiences are generally more positive, which could increase the likelihood that they will continue to commute by biking or walking in the future. (Arizona bike plan). Often it can be hard to decide the best location for these on-campus bike priority lanes, so in the short term this plan could be given a trial period by using brightly coloured chalk to designate bike priority lanes. Using chalk paint is a cost effective means of accessing the popularity of the idea with the student body, and the effective placement of the routes before permanent markings are used. In Figure 1 below shows a map of the campus with suggested routes for bike priority lanes. There should also be an educational campaign before and after the placement of chalk lanes to encourage people to use them, and to educate how these lanes should be used. The long term recommendations will go over the suggested placement of the trial and permanent routes. Pedestrian Controlled Light We propose the addition of a pedestrian controlled light at the crosswalk in front of the Student Union Building and next to the #15 bus stop. This crosswalk has caused numerous problems as it has a high level of student traffic between classes and crosses ring road. Massive lineup of cars and buses became stuck at this crosswalk, and even if a group of students stop to allow the passage of vehicles to alleviate the tension, it only takes one student to step onto the crosswalk and inhibit vehicle passage. Often times however, one car will pass through, and the car next in line will stop and allow for students to pass regardless of the massive lineup of cars behind it, as this is the law at the crosswalk. This sort of awkward dance has lead to massive congestion on ring road, and has caused issues for BC transit by delaying buses. BC transit has proposed avoiding ring road completely and entering campus from the north-west corner, however that could become quite inconvenient for students who must then travel by foot across the entirety of the campus. A pedestrian controlled stoplight is a cost effective method to reduce the amount of jaywalking, giving cars their right of way and reducing overall congestion on ring road.

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Signage Our recommendations for signage are strongly related to the number of bike paths present. Clear and well placed signage will significantly reduce collision risk and effectively establish designated routes as cyclist priority. Creating a universal sign to symbolize a bike path could be done as a student contest with the winning design being used on campus. This is an interactive way to increase student awareness and involvement with cycling culture on campus. Through proper infrastructure (signs, bike lanes and bike paths, showers, et cetera), secure and convenient parking (racks, lockers), easy access to cycling education (video, online course, available map), incentives (coupons, prizes) and accessible equipment (bike auctions, bike part exchange program), the UVic campus would become a welcoming environment cycling environment with a booming cycle-culture.

Figure 1. University of Victoria Campus with suggested bike priority lane locations

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Infrastructure: Long Term Goals Long term goals refer to steps we recommend the university consider in their long term infrastructure building plans, and incorporate it into the planning stage. We focused on bike priority lanes, access route improvement, and implementing parking flexi-passes. Bike Lanes Bike priority lanes through campus would greatly reduce the amount of bikes on Ring Road, which is not a safe option for cyclists at the moment. The painted bike lanes across campus would also reduce interactions with pedestrians during transit. As shown in Figure 1 above we suggest running a bike lane from the Henderson trail through campus, and continue past the planned bike center to Mckenzie. This lane would connect two major access routes, which are indicated from cycling and pedestrian traffic surveys conducted in October, 2007. The other bike lane would span from the Midgard Ave. access point to the fountain in front of the library, staying close to the quad between trees, and backed by existing features. Following the chalk paint trials suggested in short term goals, the final placement of lanes could be marked with brightly coloured paint, and signage. In short the education and transportation changes aid in encouraging new or inexperienced riders, and increase future ridership, while taking the reliance off of other modes of transportation. It has been found that cyclists prefer paths off the road, so more expensive construction should be focused on improving path infrastructure around campus. Many paths should be widened, and have a white dotted line down the middle to initiate two direction flow of traffic. Ring Road There has been discussion about the future of ring road, and it was hard to reach a consensus so we have listed the top two three solutions below. There could be no change to the ring, but the sidewalk along the outside of the ring could be widened, and a white dotted line painted down the middle so that two directions of traffic could flow efficiently. This would require expensive construction, and a change in infrastructure. Another option is to leave one lane of the ring for cars, but use the inside lane strictly for bicycle and bus use. No change in infrastructure would be needed, but a change in behaviour would be needed to reduce traffic congestion, such as reducing single

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occupancy cars on ring road. Signage would also be needed to delineate the lane, and give instructions for cyclists on how to merge. Improving Access Points We also completed a survey of all access points with high percentages of commuters and identified a few problem areas, and possible solutions below. The Henderson rd and Cedar hill cross rd intersection is of particular concern as it was identified as confusing by students. If a path around Ring rd was incorporated the bike lane could continue on the path, and have no involvement with cars and buses. Another solution would be to install an advanced light for cyclists so they can merge safely. Finnerty rd, which has 6.3% use is going to be converted to a traffic circle, so it is important that new bike lanes entering/leaving school be incorporated into the Mckenzie bike lane. There should also be better signage installed to remind users to share the space. Gabriola rd sees 8.0% usage, and is across the road from the new planned bike center. To facilitate more cycling this crossing zone should be redesigned so that the narrow track is reconstructed to have a wide entry to line up with bike center and the on-campus bike route. Better signage for cars and bikes should be installed showing where to cross/watch out for, and sharing the road. A parking flexi-pass would also encourage users who bike or use their car to commute the option of only driving in adverse conditions. This would encourage people to bike more, and drive less and not have to pay for a full month of parking and feel like they have to use it every day to get their values worth.

How Our Recommendation Will Address Cycling Challenges Ideally this plan will provide a basic framework for improvements of bike and pedestrian services on campus. Our recommendations are based on research from other Universities Best Practices, interviews with industry professionals, and personal experience as students of the University of Victoria. Establishing a more comprehensive educational system that encourages cyclist safety and efficiency is critical to the overall success of a more bike friendly infrastructure. It could be initiated by the regular screening of an educational bike video on campus. Implementing a basic instructional video would raise student awareness about the measures necessary to safely travel on a bike and the associated health benefits. This would aid in normalizing 81 | U V i s i o n : U n i v e r s i t y o f V i c t o r i a S u s t a i n a b i l i t y P r o j e c t

“bike culture”. Another goal for this film would be to provide non-cyclists with an insight into the challenges cyclists face (poor roads, adverse conditions and so on) and become more understanding. A partnership between cyclists and cars is key to safe and efficient transport to campus. Ideally, a part time coordinator position would also be created for a student to organize bike safety related promotional events and increase overall awareness on campus. In addition, cross campus bike lanes would greatly reduce the amount of bikes on Ring Road, as Ring Road currently does not have bike lanes and thus may not be a safe option for bikers. The implementation of painted bike lanes on campus would also increase efficiency across campus by reducing interaction with pedestrians during transit. In short the education and transportation changes aid in encouraging new or inexperienced riders, thus increasing future ridership and taking the reliance off of other modes of transportation. Lastly, Increasing overall accessibility to campus and ease of travel for cyclists through campus could be accomplished by implementing cyclist designated lanes, clear signage and educational media. Ideally this would increase the percentage of cyclists and take pressure off of the BC transit system. In conclusion, these short and long term recommendations provide practical solutions to the issues presented in the CRD plan. Namely, overcrowded buses, a stalled growth in ridership, and ensuring that cycling infrastructure has a strong role in formation of the next university plan.

References Atla Planning + Design Kimley-Horn and associates inc., University of Arizona Bicycle and Pedestrian plan, Tucson, 2012. Digital file. CRD. Cycling and Pedestrian Master Plan, Victoria, 2013. Digital File. Transportation and Parking Services University of California Davis, UC Davis Bicycle Plan, Californian, 2011. Digital File.

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Appendix B: People Friendly UVic May 2013 Executive Summary UVic has the opportunity to use the current planning process to re-envision transportation to, from and within our institution. By increasing the availability and usability of public transport, biking, and other alternative transportation options, UVic can reduce the number of Single Occupancy Vehicle trips to campus. This would result in a campus which can grow sustainably, both in the environmental and social sense. This report contains ideas on how to do this, including: Updating UVic's goal of reducing Single Occupancy Vehicles to below 25% by the end of the plan A moratorium on the construction of new parkades or new parking lots until the transportation mode share goal has been met. Reducing the number of vehicle parking spaces and implementing new pricing strategies Changing residence parking to general use parking Restructuring class times so that early morning start times are staggered Increasing the availability of car sharing options Reinstating employee bus passes for employees who also choose to access parking Turning one of the lanes in ring road into a bus only lane Increasing the amount of covered bike parking and creating bike lanes on campus Embracing these ideas would allow UVic to become a leader in sustainable transportation, and enable the university to grow sustainably into the future.

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Introduction UVic has a long standing commitment to creating a pedestrian oriented campus, with the goal of becoming more sustainable and creating a safe, friendly and welcoming area for students, faculty, staff and the surrounding community. This goal has been the core of many transportation related policies, including those contained in the 2003 Campus Plan , the 2009 Sustainability Action Plan , and the Traffic and Parking Regulations Policy. The new campus plan should look to develop these goals with new infrastructure investment and restructuring of current infrastructure and policy. UVic has a stated goal of reducing the mode share of Single Occupancy Vehicle (SOV) trips to below 30% by 2014. The last transportation survey in 2012 showed SOV mode shared at 39.8%. It is unlikely that the goal of SOV mode share of 30% by 2014 will be met. The campus plan provides an opportunity to change how we approach infrastructure that supports SOV transportation. Plans to create more parking spaces in the form of parkades and increase the total number of parking spaces on campus should be altered to account for UVic’s transportation and sustainability goals. The new campus plan should aim to exceed these goals over the next 10 years. We propose reducing the daily trips to and from campus by SOV to 25% of the mode share by 2026. This will make UVic a leader in transportation and enable sustainable growth on campus. Any reduction in SOV mode share requires additional infrastructure for the transportation mode that receives the extra share of trips, be it public transit, cycling, walking or carpooling. The Campus Plan should act as a guide to shift the resources of the university from a system focused on SOV trips to a system which supports and encourages multiple forms of transportation. To support the goal of reducing the SOV mode share to 25%, no new parking should be built until these goals have been met. This will allow infrastructure investments to focus on much needed public transit infrastructure, enabling the campus to meet its sustainability goals for the future. References Traffic and Parking Regulations, University Policy No.: BP3205 University of Victoria 2003 Campus Plan University of Victoria 2009 Sustainability Action Plan

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Number of parking spaces

Introduction: The number of parking spaces can directly support or dissuade commuters making SOV trips. Maintaining the existing number of spaces as the UVic population grows or decreasing the total number of parking spaces would be highly effective ways of reducing the number of SOV trips to UVic. Recommendations: No increase in the total number of parking spaces until SOV mode share is below 25% Reduce the number of parking spaces annually by approximately 50 individual spaces until SOV mode share is below 25% To reduce demand for parking spaces, institute a policy of not granting parking passes to first-year students in residence, a common practice on many campuses across North America (http://www.aashe.org/resources/campus-car-bans) Eliminate all SOV parking spaces inside Ring Road first to create more centralized space for academic buildings and make it less convenient to drive and park on campus. Leave parking spaces inside the Ring Road for disabled, carpooling and commercial users. Request a planning variance with Oak Bay and Saanich municipal councils with each building permit that waives parking space requirements until SOV mode share is below 25% Resources: University of Victoria Traffic and Parking Management Study Final Report (2008 OPUS Hamilton)

Parkades Introduction: Parkades are an attractive option for parking infrastructure since they allow for parking to be condensed into a much smaller surface area. However, the costs of building and operating parkades are substantial, and are often larger than the revenues that they generate [VPI report on pricing]. Additionally, parkades do nothing to eliminate traffic congestion, increase transportation options, or reduce SOV mode share, while other infrastructure investments could. Parkades should not be used as a way to 85 | U V i s i o n : U n i v e r s i t y o f V i c t o r i a S u s t a i n a b i l i t y P r o j e c t

supplement or increase parking, rather they should be used as a way to reclaim land from existing parking lots once other transportation goals have been met. Recommendations: No parkades built until UVic SOV goals have been met: Building a parkade would devote much of the university resources and finances towards infrastructure which could be rendered unnecessary by changes in transportation mode share. The University should instead invest in changing mode share patterns and utilising exist parking options to meet its SOV goals. Full and comprehensive evaluation of any potential parkade project: Before any parkade is built, the project should be reviewed considering the full cost from the parkade as well as considering its costs to the environment, the potential losses from the land that it uses Parking prices should be raised: Parkades should not become a financial liability on the university and take resources away from other transportation projects. Raising parkade prices would ensure that parkades are able to meet all of their operational costs as well as the initial capital for the project. References: Transportation Cost and Benefit Analysis II – Parking Costs Victoria Transport Policy Institute (www.vtpi.org)

Parking Rates Introduction: Adjusting parking rates can be a powerful way to help UVic community members choose to take more sustainable modes of transportation. Parking rates should also reflect the total cost of parking, including potential losses due to alternative development, environmental damage, and increases in carbon emissions. Parking rates are set by the Board of Governors (R-what does this have to do with anything?). Negative impacts of rate increases on a variety of campus users need to be considered. Residence location based methods of allocating parking passes have been used at other institutions such as McGill and Simon Fraser University. Recommendations: Increase annual parking fee increase by an additional 1% per year until SOV mode share below 25%

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Parking rate increases are linked to increased accessibility of sustainable transport options (i.e. bike parking and improved bus service in underserved routes). Parking and Transportation Services continue to set parking rates “to more accurately reflect the true cost of parking on campus and to help pay for the new TDM strategy initiatives”. Explore the possibility of linking the price and/or availability of parking passes to residential address. Ensure that a portion of funds from parking fees go toward sustainability initiatives Resources: http://ring.uvic.ca/05jun09/news/parking.html Transportation Cost and Benefit Analysis II – Parking Costs Victoria Transport Policy Institute (www.vtpi.org) http://www.sfu.ca/parking/announcements/january-2009-pmp-update-to-the-board.html http://www.mcgill.ca/campusplanning/sites/mcgill.ca.campusplanning/files/2008_master_ plan_principles_report_-_final.pdf

Residence Parking Introduction: Students living on campus are able to purchase Residence (RZ) Parking Permits, which provides access to parking in ‘Residence Reserved’ lots (1 & 5). Since 2008, UVic has reserved approximately 268 parking spaces for RZ permits. This means approximately 1 out of every 10 students living on campus has access to a guaranteed parking stall permit. However, living in such close proximity to UVic’s bus loop(s) in combination with a reduced car share membership, RZ parking is not required. Reducing RZ parking permits and spaces could mitigate parking issues by alleviating pressure for more ‘General’ parking lots, and promote alternative modes of transportation. Encouraging new students to take advantage of the U-Pass and UVic’s car share reduces the likelihood of developing SOV-dependant habits. Limits on resident parking already occur in many universities: SFU runs a lottery system for most undergraduate parking at its Burnaby Campus; McGill and several universities in the US prohibit on-campus parking for freshman/first year students living in residence. Recommendations: Remove RZ parking permits and reallocate RZ lots to ‘General’ parking lots.

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Extend a free or reduced rate car share membership to all students living in University Housing.

New Bus Loop Introduction The near-term forecast for ridership increases for UVic transit ridership is to 25,000 daily trips, a 46% increase from 2012. In addition, long term forecasts estimate a daily ridership of 52,300 people, which is a 206% increase from 2012. Clearly, there is a requirement for more bus capacity and an increased number of stops. Currently, 14 bus stops exist on campus. BC Transit actually requires 17 today, 21 in the near term, and 30 in the long term. They have suggested constructing interim bus stops by the SUB and around Ring Road to facilitate near term growth, and a number of options for long term growth. BC Transit has recommended building a new, large bus loop; preferably northeast of Ring Road in parking lot 2 beside CARSA, the SUB, and University Centre. In order to increase bus capacity in the short term while this is under construction, BC Transit has also recommended the construction of several interim bus stops around ring road, which are simple modifications to concrete sidewalks and therefore relatively simple to build. We endorse these recommendations and encourage the University to prioritize the completion of a new bus loop over future parking development. We also encourage the University to consider future demand while building this new bus loop, and therefore maximize its size and utility. Recommendations: Immediate construction of interim bus stops on Ring Build a large bus loop northeast of Ring Road in parking lot 2, with the intent of vastly increasing capacity.

Class Times Introduction: Class time shifts have been used by a variety of institutions to help solve transportation issues. UBC implemented a staggered class start times system in 2000, with 1/3 of early morning classes shifted to 8 am and the other 2/3 starting at 9. Shifting to an earlier start can help spread early morning transit demand across a longer period. But moving classes by 30 minutes is not the only option. Class shifts by 15 minutes are suggested by BC

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transit in order to spread out morning transit demand and move morning commuters more effectively while using the same resources. BC Transit’s campus solutions report suggests changing class start times as a supporting action to increased transit infrastructure investment. BC transit reports that 12% more trips can be accommodated with a shift in class start times (as took place at UBC). Shifts by 15 minute both ways are also suggested to spread out demand. This step could reduce peak demand while minimizing disturbance to existing morning schedules. After the first period some students may have to wait half an hour to catch up the rest of the schedule however increased on-campus wait times are likely more desirable to students than passups and less reliable bus service. Recommendations: Commission a report to determine whether shifts in class times will have positive effects on transportation choices and additional effects on campus users If class time shift review process indicates that shifts will benefit UVic the university should work with BC transit in order to implement a smooth shift to a new system of class times. Resources: http://www.transitbc.com/transitfuture/pdf/UVIC_Transit_Plan_WEB.pdf

Car Sharing Introduction: Currently, full-time UVic employees and residents in University Family Housing are eligible for a free membership in the Victoria Car Share Co-op and members of the Graduate Students Society can purchase a membership for a reduced $50.00 fee (regular cost is $400.00). Car shares provide individuals access to a car when they need it without owning one of their own. Increased access to car sharing for UVic students could reduce parking demand, especially when students living in residence replaced their cars with car share memberships. Recommendations: Extend a free car share membership to all students living in University Housing. Reductions in RZ parking permits will be the most effective in reducing overall parking demand as each RZ permit uses a whole reserved parking space.

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Relocate one car share vehicle from behind the Campus Security building to Lot 1 or Lot 5 near residence Work with the UVSS and the Victoria Car Share Co-op to negotiate a reduced car share membership rate for all UVic students. Resources: http://www.uvic.ca/sustainability/operations/transportation/driving/

Employee Bus Pass Introduction: Currently UVic employees may purchase either a bus pass OR a UVic parking pass. This is done to encourage commuters to bus instead of driving. While the reasoning for this is to encourage employees to travel solely by transit this may limit some employees. Many commuters drive just in case of emergency or inconvenience. UVic currently offers a Flexipass which offers the user 12 days of parking per month. Allowing commuters to purchase both a bus pass and a flexi-pass may encourage more commuters to use busses more often. If the option to drive seldomly existed, without incurring great cost, more drivers might choose to purchase bus passes and drive only occasionally instead of relying on a personal vehicle as their sole mode of transport. Recommendations: UVic Parking and Transportation can explore allowing flexi-pass holders to purchase subsidized bus passes in order to encourage more people to make less of their trips to campus by personal vehicle. Consider making the employee bus pass mandatory for all or some employees References: http://www.uvic.ca/security/parking/employeebus/index.php http://www.uvic.ca/security/parking/permits/faculty/index.php http://communications.uvic.ca/releases/tip.php?date=10082005

Ring Road Uses

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Introduction: The current form of transportation at UVic prioritizes the car as the centre of its transportation paradigm. One way to change this is for the university to alter commuter driving along Ring Road. We propose a division of Ring Road to establish two distinct lanes: one lane for buses, and one lane for all other cars. By providing buses with a dedicated lane, this proposal would increase bus speed along the ring (a major factor in bus wait times according to BC transit) and would begin deprioritizing car transportation on Ring Road, and increase the ease of establishing car-free days. Restricting cars to a single lane would reduce the potential for speeding and eliminate overtaking/passing, which is promoted by a two-car-lane infrastructure. Reducing car speeds on Ring Road would increase safety for drivers, cyclists and pedestrians alike. Recommendations: - Dividing the Ring Road into two separate lanes: One specifically reserved for public transit buses, and one for all other vehicles to share (single-occupancy, maintenance vehicles etc.). - For the sake of clarity, engineers should consider different coloured pavement for each lane in order to increase driver perceptions. References: OPUS Hamilton Report (Traffic & Parking mgmt 08)

Cycling Introduction: Cycling provides a low cost, carbon friendly and healthy transportation option. Unlike transportation by SOV, biking takes very few resources to support. Since bike parking takes much less surface area than car parking, bike parking scales well with campus growth and requires relatively little infrastructure investment. Although some of the community is prevented from bicycling to campus due to health or distance restrictions, supporting those riders who are wary of biking in current conditions can be done through small, smart infrastructure investments. Biking is currently under utilized on campus, and is a low cost opportunity for the university to meet its goal of lowering SOV transportation. Recommendations: -Partition campus paths to create bike lanes: In order to increase campus bike accessibility and pedestrian safety, selected walking routes should be divided into pedestrian paths and bike lanes. 91 | U V i s i o n : U n i v e r s i t y o f V i c t o r i a S u s t a i n a b i l i t y P r o j e c t

-Covered bike parking: increasing covered bike parking would encourage year round bike use by providing a dry storage area for bikes. This has frequently been stated as a reason for not commuting by bike. -Bike parking proportionally linked to the size of the campus community: in order for the campus to sustainably grow in size, bike parking needs to grow proportionally with the size of the campus community rather than with each new infrastructure investment. -Create a center for bike repairs and bike loans: A campus center for bike repairs and loans would enable many who do not own a bike or own one in disrepair to begin using them for their personal transportation. done - update this

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