Victoria councilors have given thumbs up to a Centennial Square redesign.
The 6-3 vote took place Thursday.
"It is quite transformational without a doubt and it really imagines a completely accessible, very open, very inviting central plaza," Mayor Marianne Alto told the C-FAX morning show.
The $11-million renovation includes the removal of the fountain and three mature trees, including an iconic sequoia tree.
"It's sad in one sense because it's a fantastic tree. But it's also a tree that was planted on pavement," said Alto told. She pointed out the current square was partially built over top of Cormorant Street, which used to run continuously through that area instead of ending at Douglas Street like it currently does. That means the sequoia tree roots are growing sideways into infrastructure.
"At some point we would have had to deal with the sequoia anyways, because it was simply the wrong tree at the wrong place at the wrong time."
The new vision calls for a new entrance to the square off Douglas Street, with several new trees planted and the monoliths from the current fountain moved to this location. The "heart" of the square will be opened up and will include a water feature such as a splash pad. Beyond that, green space will be added and the current stage at the McPherson Playhouse turned into a storage area. A new performance area will be created elsewhere in the square.
While speaking on the C-FAX morning show, the mayor was asked about public safety concerns surrounding the square and whether a splash pad for children in the area makes sense. She suggested that drawing more people into a more inviting space will help with that perception. "The purpose of this is to actually make this a place that's inviting and welcoming and place that you want to go to as opposed to go through," said Alto.
The first phase of construction is expected to start next year.