Events, planning No comments yet

Community open house for proposed rezoning of 1401 Comox St., Thursday, Feb. 9, 5 pm, Coast Plaza Hotel

By on January 25th, 2012


Notice of rezoning/development Permit application
(DE413347) and community open house for 1401 Comox Street
More info about the project at City’s Rezoning Centre

Henriquez Partners Architects has submitted a revised cuoncurrent rezoning and development permit application to rezone 1401 Comox Street From RM-5 (Multiple Dwelling) District to CD-1 (Comprehensive Development) District. The proposal is for a 22-storey market rental residential tower, wtih townhouses at grade. The proposal includes a floor space ratio (FSR) of 7.14 and a height of 61m 9200 Ft.). Changes from the previous revised submission (March 2010) include:
-sculping of the tower to reduce shadow impacts
-reduced height
-larger setbacks and more green space
-removal of the community facility

The proposed increase in density is to secure the provision of the rental housing.

The Open House will be a “drop-in” event where you can view the proposal. City staff and the applicant team will be available to answer your questions and receive your comments.

Community Open House
Date: Thrusday, February 9, 2012
Time: 5-8 pm
Place: Coast Plaza Hotel, nelson Room,
1763 Comox Street

For more information regarding this proposal and/or to send a written comment, please visit our website or contact the Rezoning Planner.

Website: vancouver.ca/rezapps

Contact: Karen Hoese Rezoning Planner

e-mail: karen.hoese@vancouver.ca

tel: 604.871.6403 fax: 604.873.7060

Events No comments yet

Free event, author Charlotte Gill talking about her book Eating Dirt, Monday Jan. 30

By on January 10th, 2012


Author Charlotte Gill will be talking about her new book ‘Eating Dirt: Deep Forests, Big Timber, and Life with the Tree-Planting Tribe’

A treeplanter’s vivid story of a unique subculture and the magical life of the forest.

Monday, January 30, 2012
7 pm – 9 pm
World Art Centre, Goldcorp Centre for the Arts,
149 W. Hastings Street, Vancouver, BC

Facebook event invite
Carlotte Gill’s website
Charlotte Gill spent twenty years working as a tree planter in the forests of Canada. During her million-tree career, she encountered hundreds of clearcuts, each one a collision site between human civilization and the natural world, a complicated landscape presenting geographic evidence of our appetites. Charged with sowing the new forest in these clear-cuts, tree planters are a tribe caught between the stumps and the virgin timber, between environmentalists and loggers. Continue reading Free event, author Charlotte Gill talking about her book Eating Dirt, Monday Jan. 30 →

COPE, Events No comments yet

COPE special membership consultation meeting

By on January 5th, 2012

Sunday January 22, 2012
1 pm – 4 pm
Hastings Community Centre
3096 East Hastings Street

Following the November civic elections, all members must agree that we need to start planning for the future right away. That is why in addition to an AGM, COPE is planning a special Membership Consultation Meeting. Our goal for COPE in 2012? Moving Forward. Together.

The COPE Membership Consultation meeting will be held on Sunday, January 22, 2012 from 1 pm to 4 pm at the Hastings Community Centre (3096 East Hastings Street).

Join fellow COPE members, executive and past candidates in a post election review and membership dialogue. The meeting will be a facilitated group discussion about COPE’s future and how best to position ourselves for renewal, growth, and success in a changed electoral landscape.

Members can cover any topics of concern including our performance in the November 19, 2011 civic election as well as COPE’s recent history and performance in Vancouver’s communities and neighbourhoods. As well as looking forward into the future, COPE members will be invited to discuss our place in Vancouver’s political picture, how we interact with members and the general public, and how to best position ourselves for the next election. This discussion and dialogue will be documented and posted on the COPE website for further discussion and analysis as we form a long-term plan for action and a report will be made to the AGM in February.

COPE members will start by being briefed on a data-based electoral analysis of the November 19, 2011 civic election. The meeting will then break into small facilitated discussions that will be documented. After a break COPE members will hear from a diverse panel that will discuss different points of view and analysis of COPE’s recent performance and also options for the future. Members of the panel will be announced soon. The small groups will then report the results of their dialogue before ending the day with a large group discussion. Coffee and refreshments will be served throughout the day.

Attendance to the meeting is open and free but pre-registration is requested in effort to better plan the meeting. Please RSVP online here:pre-registration

Events, Visual Art No comments yet

Arts Salon: Occupy Environmental Art, Wed. Jan 25 at the Roundhouse Community Centre

By on January 3rd, 2012

moss graffiti
Photo courtesy finiculi, finicula (flickr)
Facebook event

Another event for Wednesday Jan. 25, 2012. This one looks interesting too. I am torn as which one to go to. The following is the description of the event from the Facebook event page:

“Occupy Environmental Art is not so much a statement as an invitation for discussion.

The Occupy movement has begun a critique of contemporary Western society. Although the concerns are rooted in issues of economic justice, Occupy also inherently deals with related matters such as social inequality, democratic processes, and environmental degradation. Occupy is engaging citizens in a collective, creative process of imagining alternatives to the status quo.

Environmental arts may also provide a variety of critiques on modern life: questioning the relationship between people and the environments that support them; the methods and materials of artistic expression; and how we value art. Environmental arts explore new ways of understanding and expressing the human condition.

Where do Occupy and environmental arts intersect and where do they diverge? What, if anything, does the Occupy movement have to offer to eco-arts and what can eco-arts bring to the Occupy movement?

Please join us for a facilitated discussion at the Roundhouse, followed by an informal social gathering in Yaletown.”

Events, Transportation No comments yet

Re:Generation – Move Our City Jan 25, 2012, SFU Woodwards

By on January 3rd, 2012

This sounds like it could be a fun event.

… Ever wonder about Vancouver rail transit in the 1950s? or the future of automobile ownership? Or wondered what “Active Transportation” was? …. well ….

Elders, Boomers, Xer’s and Young Folk Tell Their Active Transportation Stories

DETAILS
Wed, Jan 25th, 2012
149 W Hastings, SFU Woodwards
Doors: 630PM,
Show: 7-10PM
Tickets: $5-10 Sliding Scale – No one turned away.
Proceeds: Partial proceeds will be donated to Vancouver Area Cycling Coalition (VACC).

RSVP TO RESERVE eventbrite


FEATURING AWESOME STORIES FROM:
SHIFT, MODO and the TRANSIT MUSEUM SOCIETY

Be regaled about rail transit in Vancouver in the 1950′s + bus transit in the 1960′s. Be Inspired about a local Pedal Powered Urban Cargo Company. Be empowered by the cooperative ownership of Auto’s.

Finally Andrea Reimer will recap the evening of sharing our city’s past innovations and project forward to paint the Greenest City Vision for how we move our city forward!

TWITTER
Hashtags: #regeneration #greenestcity #activetransport

PARTNERS
City of Vancouver
Greenest City Team
Simon Fraser University
BC Transit Museum
The Tyee
Gen Why Media

Uncategorized No comments yet

Season Greetings, Happy Holidays and Peace out.

By on December 22nd, 2011

housing No comments yet

The Fall 2011 Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation Rental Report.

By on December 13th, 2011


The CMHC 2011 Rental Report was release today December 13, 2011. The trend of lower vacancy rate is continuing while prices are remaining near the rate of inflation.

Highlights of the report for Vancouver

-Vacancy rates edge down form 1.9 in October 2010 to 1.4% in October 2011 for purpose-built rental apartments.

-The average rate of rent increase between October 2010 and October 2011 was 2.3%, near the rate of inflation of 2%.

-Most of the increase in the stock of rental units was from secondary market rental condominiums.

-Vacancy rates edged down from 2.2 % to 0.9 % in October 2011 for rental condominium apartments.

-Population growth, employment opportunities, and the relative affordability of rental accommodation compared to ownership housing are expected to support demand for rental housing.

Rental Affordability Indicator Lower

The CMHC has developed and tool to measure affordability for renters. The tool is called the “Rental Affordability Indicator”. The tool is predicated on the notion that households should only spend 30% of their income on housing to be in a prudent financial state. To spend more than 30% of a households income on housing is a known risk factor for homelessness.

The indicator uses a three-year moving average of the median income of renter household and compare it the median rent for a two-bedroom apartment. The CMHC market rental report states that:

“An indicator value of 100 indicates that 30 per cent of the median income of renter households is necessary to rent a two-bedroom apartment going at the median rent. As the rental affordability indicator increases, the market becomes more affordable: as the indicator declines, the market becomes less affordable.”

In Vancouver from 2010 to 2011 the affordability indicator fell to 83 from 86.

Now that Vancouver has this tool to measure “affordability” residents will be able to track and benchmark progress on this is issue. Given that the median household income in Vancouver is $47, 000 and over 50% of residents are renters the Rental Affordability Indicator will be a important tool in measuring the progress that the City is making as a whole on developing affordable housing options.

Full report is available here:CMHC Rental Market Report

housing, planning No comments yet

Naomi Klein endorses No Condos in the DTES

By on December 1st, 2011


On Thursday December 1, 2011 Downtown East Side (DTES) housing activists, under the slogan – DTES is not for Condo Developersthe DTES is for Low-Income people, held a media event in front of the partially demolished Pantages Theatre to protest the demolition and the proposed development of the site by Marc Williams.

Author Naomi Klein spoke at the event endorsing the housing activists’ struggle to advocate for more housing for lower income residents of the DTES. Representatives from DTES Neighbourhood Council, Vancouver Area Network of Drug Users, Aboriginal Front Door and the DTES Power of Women Group spoke about the need for the construction of 10 buildings in the next 10 years for lower income residents and a moratorium on other development construction until the housing crisis in DTES is addressed.

The groups that attended the media event are opposed to the redevelopment of the Pantages Theatre site at 150 Hasting Street East and call the proposed project “ a gentrification bomb in the heart of the DTES” because the project proposes to build condominiums in the lowest income neighbourhood in Canada. In a July 11, Straight article by Yolande Cole, Marc Williams is quoted as saying that “The development isn’t displacing anyone. The site only contained vacant commercial buildings.”

In the same article The Straight stated that:
“A development permit application has been submitted by Studio One Architecture for a mixed-used six-storey development called Sequel 138, which would include 18 social housing units, 79 “affordable home ownership” units, and 12 commercial units.”
For more info on the project check the full Straight article: The Striahgt
Photo from the event: Photos on Flickr of the media event

COPE No comments yet

Congrats, thanks and disappointment

By on November 20th, 2011

Congratulations to all the candidates who were elected in Vancouver’s civic election yesterday. Thanks to all of the candidates who put their name forward.

This has been an exciting two months. It was humbling and an honour to be a COPE candidate in this election for the Vancouver Park Board. The experience was exciting and I am so proud of what we accomplished during this campaign. Everyone on our COPE team worked hard to bring our ideas forward in a positive, creative and authentic way.

This campaign has been personally rewarding and I’ve learned an incredible amount about leadership, group dynamics, campaigning, policy and politics. I have talked with so many wonderful people throughout this city and had many rewarding experiences. I will always be grateful to my family, supporters and friends who have unfailingly encouraged me. I even think my public speaking is getting almost passable.

I am so happy that Allan Wong was re-elected on the School Board. Allan is such an intelligent, thoughtful and committed person. Vancouver is the better for electing Allan. However, I am disappointed that Alan Blakey and Jane Bouey were not re-elected yesterday.

My heart goes out to Ellen Woodsworth. I had so much fun with Ellen and learned a great deal from her. Ellen has effectively represented important issues and constituencies for the past three years as a city counselor . I feel so disappointed for her. She has been one of the hardest working people I know. I am proud to be a member of the same party as her.

There are no guarantees in elector politics. You have to work your hardest, try your best and put your ideas forward as effectively as one can. I am disappointed that I did not earn the support of Vancouver residents, but the voters have spoken. I would like to extend my gratitude to all those who did cast and entrust their vote to me.

COPE, Media Advisory No comments yet

COPE Releases Full Election Platform. Vancouver Can Count On COPE.

By on November 8th, 2011


November 8th, 2011

COPE released their full election platform this morning at SFU’s Harbour Centre. City Council candidate RJ Aquino, along with Park Board candidate, Donalda Greenwell-Baker, and School Board candidate, Jane Bouey, outlined the party’s plans to create a Vancouver for everyone.

Their comprehensive platform spoke to a number of issues ranging from transit, housing affordability and the economy, to democracy, justice, the arts, schools and parks.

Some highlights included their plans to tackle housing affordability through the creation of a City Housing Authority, an arms-length authority charged with making affordable home ownership a reality.

“The authority will create semi-market housing – units that can only be sold at pre-determined rates. The Authority will also support non-profit developers to build and sell new units at the cost of construction. Finally, it will be charged with monitoring the state of housing affordability in the city, and ensuring inclusionary zoning laws are applied to all new developments.”

The party also emphasized the need to support small, local businesses through a tiered business taxation system.

“Small businesses shouldn’t be paying the same tax rate as a big corporation. Its not fair and it’s killing small business,” said Aquino. “Small businesses create local jobs and keep our economy thriving, and without them, communities loose their character.”

Finally, they advocated for electoral reform and changes to elections spending. “COPE also wants to see big money taken out of Vancouver politics by limiting election spending and donations,” said Aquino.

Park Board candidate Donalda Greenwell-Baker highlighted COPE’s opposition to park service fee increases and called for more public washrooms around the City. “Parks and recreation facilities are community hubs that foster connections among Vancouver residents. COPE is opposed to fee increases for services, unless used to create a more sustainable option, and is committed to keeping our parks and services accessible to everyone,” said Greenwell-Baker.

Jane Bouey, School board candidate running for re-election, stated: “COPE will support and advocate for a strong, public school system that meets the needs of every child. This means smaller class sizes, support for children with special needs and more English as a second language instruction.” She also underlined the need to keep Vancouver kids safe and healthy through seismic upgrades and an emphasis on environmental sustainability.

The entire COPE platform can be foundhere