The Oak Bay Beach Hotel’s delivery traffic has driven a few neighbourhood complaints but plans are now in place to truck out the issue.
Clyde Wood, a resident at the Hampshire House condos beside the hotel, says neighbours have dealt with increased traffic, as well as constant beeping, engines running, and delivery people yelling since the hotel opened its redesigned building in 2012.
“We live here to find peace and enjoyment and quiet,” said Wood. “This is our front yard – it’s not a commercial parking lot.”
Original plans for the loading area of the hotel saw all delivery trucks, recycling, garbage vehicles – and even the hotel’s own bus – making use of a private garage dock that would keep all vehicle noise to a minimum. However, Oak Bay Beach Hotel owner Kevin Walker says that, due to a design flaw, a pillar has prevented the larger vehicles from being able to exit the enclosed garage, forcing some trucks to use Satellite Street to make deliveries. Due to the flaw, Walker says they have been waiting on a redesign to remove the pillar, and he expects the issue to be fixed come September.
The timing, Wood says, isn’t quick enough.
“Sometimes we see 15 or 20 trucks a day on this little street, and they start in the morning and go all day long,” said Wood.
“They have said they will fix the problem but don’t want to disturb their guests in this season – well, what about their neighbours?”
Walker says approximately five to six trucks visit the property each day to deliver food, beverages, linens and to deal with disposal, and one or two of those larger vehicles can’t enter the garage.
“The area is actually quite functional, but we realized the flaw when we tried to get our own bus through the area, so we are addressing it,” Walker said. “The reality is that this traffic probably has less impact than the traffic that visited the older building.”
Wood, who is a longtime home owner at the condo, says the fix has already taken too long and he would like to see the adjustment made right away.
“We really do try to do our best here, and we respect our neighbours and listen to what they have to say,” said Walker. “Every now and then you will find residents who are upset about the implications that come with living beside a hotel, but for every one you find there are nine more who appreciate the way we’ve done business here.”
