Victoria has lost a champion on its city council. After 25 years, Coun. Pam Madoff has lost her seat. Few people have her passion for the city and her breadth of understanding of the issues that face it. Her voice will be missed.
Madoff is best known as a defender of the city’s heritage buildings, but she is also knowledgeable about planning and urban design in a way that few elected officials are.
“She has been the city’s conscience in defence of heritage conservation and good design,” said former councillor Martin Segger. “That deep experience will be missed in the new lineup.”
Developers often didn’t see eye-to-eye with Madoff, because she is consistent in her vision of preserving the unique character of Old Town. That meant limiting heights of buildings to maintain the scale that is so much a part of downtown and the Inner Harbour area.
Downtown Victoria could easily have become a forest of highrises along the water, if not for Madoff and others, including developers who saw the value in preserving what gives Victoria its character.
She welcomed the modernistic “leaning tower” design for the former McCall’s site, but worked to keep the chapel as a reminder of the city’s past, because she has not been opposed to development. Rather, she wants it to be mindful, as aware as she is of the values of community and neighbourhood.
Although she has lost her seat on council, we hope that Madoff will continue to fight for the city she loves.
