Dive Deeper into the VDRA
Vision
The VDRA envisions a sustainable, inclusive and diverse Downtown Victoria where all residents feel welcomed, valued and connected with their neighbours.
Mission
The purpose of the VDRA is to:
foster a sense of community for residents of the Downtown neighbourhood
represent Downtown neighbourhood residents’ interests to the City of Victoria
advocate for cultural and architectural heritage sites within the Downtown neighbourhood
promote, facilitate, support or undertake activities to enhance the quality of life and environment of the Downtown neighbourhood
encourage learning, understanding and proactive support of Indigenous culture and history within the Downtown neighbourhood
support climate mitigation and adaptation strategies in line with the City of Victoria’s Climate Leadership Plan
Values:
Community
Diversity
Equity
Making a difference
Constitution, Bylaws and Policies:
As a non-profit society, the VDRA is governed by our Constitution and Bylaws, along with our Governance Policies and Financial Policy.
Click on the image above to access a map of the Downtown neighbourhood boundaries.
History of the VDRA
The Victoria Downtown Residents Association was formed in 2004 as a grassroots organization by a handful of Downtown residents who were concerned about a proposed development project that was out of scale and beyond the height and density limits prescribed for Victoria’s historic Chinatown; the oldest Chinatown in Canada and a designated National Historic Site of Canada. Since those early days of its inception, the VDRA has been a strong proponent of responsible densification that supports livability. In its infancy, the VDRA focused on land use issues and community building and outreach through arts and events.
The VDRA continues to add to its membership as the Downtown neighbourhood continues to absorb the highest concentration of new residential units in the core. This growth provides a greater depth of resources and access to residents with a reliably diverse range of skills, knowledge and experiences. These local human resources have provided the VDRA the opportunity to continue to expand its activities through organizational restructuring and updating its governance to better meet the full scope of its mandate.
The VDRA Team
Staff
Jade Chicorelli - Neighbourhood Engagement Coordinator
James Davis - Executive Director
Lisa Small - Yates Street Garden Coordinator
To email a staff member, click on their photo or scroll down to the Contact Us form to get in touch with our Executive Director.
Doug Boyd (Treasurer), Michael Demakiling, Furkan Kucukdurmaz, Sherry Lee (Secretary), Mano Majumdar, Neil McKinnon, Dawn Moorhead, Jordan Royer, Sandra Severs (President) , Jeremy Zhao (Vice President)
Board of Directors
Contact Us
Victoria Downtown Residents Association
300-722 Cormorant Street
Victoria, British Columbia
Canada V8W 1P8
Fill out the form below to get in touch with us.