New life thrives in Pandora’s problem zone
The City of Victoria’s new camping ban on Pandora Green comes just in time for the quiet relaunch of the long-vacant Cranberry Cafe.
Reincarnated as Cranberry’s Coffee Cup, the shop’s owner has little to say about the street population.
“I’m not worried about them – they’re people,” said Bert Higginbottom, after inspecting the installation of her new signage mere metres from the controversial boulevard.
While Higginbottom admits the boulevard camping ban will make the area more palatable, she said Pandora’s already cleaned up in the last year.
Back in 2009, Cosmos Means opened the Village Family Market at 920 Pandora Ave. The launch was heralded by city council and media alike as breathing new life into Victoria’s hot zone for drugs, prostitution, vagrancy and the street litter that comes with it.
(The accolades, however, didn’t paint an entirely accurate picture. Ten paces up the street, the long-standing Blair Mart Mediterranean and Middle Eastern Food runs a steady business catering to loyal customers.)
Despite the media-hype, however, the Family Village Market didn’t last.
The address made headlines again in August when chef Jamie Cummins launched the trendy Relish Food and Coffee, serving upscale soup and sandwiches. This time, the stars were aligned.
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