Time: Wednesday, December 9 at 12:00 PM- 2 PM
Venue:: Denman between Nelson and Comox
Place: 1030 Denman St, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Host: Canadian Memorial Unietd Church
Join Voters Tacking Action on Climate and Canadian Memorial United Church for a vigil outside Hedy Fry’s office. We would like to know why Hedy voted to delay passage of Bill C311, the Climate Change Accountability Act. Is she in support of strong action on climate change? This event is part of the Fast and Vigil for Courage in Copenhagen. Fast for a day or more during the talks to bear witness to the urgency of the climate crisis. Join in vigils at MP’s offices throughout the Lower Mainland.
Last night was the public hearing for the rezoning application for 1215 Bidwell St. I presented as the President of the West End Residents Association. The public hear has been schedule for a second night on Thursday December 10 at 7:30 at City Hall. One can still sign up to speak at the public hearing be calling the City Clerk at 604 871 6355. Here is the presentation that I attempted to give last night.
“In regards to the rezoning of 1215 Bidwell St. WERA has attempted to facilitate a responsible and critical public dialogue among residents.
In practical terms, what this has meant is that we have encourage as many residents as possible to be engaged in the public process. WERA has invited folks to attend open houses, fill out comments forums, write to Mayor and Council and to attend Council meetings to communicate what they think about the proposed changes to their community.
WERA has attempted to focus the dialogue and thinking around this rezoning application in light of the critical issues that challenging the City and our community. WERA views Vancouver’s future through three critical lenses: affordability, livability, and ecological sustainability. Continue reading 1215 Bidwell St. public hearing as WERA President →
I have been asked by CKNW to speak to the proposed light display that is being planned for False Creek during the Olympics. I am unsure of the artistic merits of the proposed are artwork are.
My main point about the work is the process. It seems that VANOC is pushing its agenda about is going to happen during the Olympics and City of Vancouver is compromising its usual standards of community consultation.
As President of WERA I received an invite about a meeting on Friday for the following Monday, which is pretty short notice.
Anyways, below is the press release about the project that went out yesterday and I have also posted the invite from the City for the meeting to present the project.
I am looking for comments about the merits of the project and its potential impacts on the surrounding residents.
Vectorial Elevation to light up Vancouver nights during 2010 Winter Games
Worldwide online audience invited to create spectacular patterns of light in sky
VANCOUVER, Nov. 25 /CNW/ – Beams of light pointed towards the stars will illuminate English Bay and the night sky in downtown Vancouver this coming February as part of a Cultural Olympiad and City of Vancouver special event for the 2010 Winter Games.
Starting at dusk on February 4, 2010, 20 robotic searchlights will create a quiet canopy of light in the night sky above and on the sparkling surface of English Bay below with designs created by people around the world and delivered via the Internet. Called Vectorial Elevation, it is the first time the internationally celebrated work of art will be displayed in Canada and over a body of water.
The 10,000-watt lights will move and create patterns silently from locations in Vanier Park and Sunset Beach that cover an area of 100,000 square metres and be visible within 15 kilometres of the city’s downtown core, stretching to Richmond, the peaks of Cypress and Grouse mountains and freighters and boats on the water.
This large-scale temporary public art installation is co-commissioned by the City of Vancouver’s Olympic and Paralympic Public Art Program and Vancouver 2010 Cultural Olympiad, presented by Bell, with support from the Province of Quebec. The installation – considered one of the world’s largest interactive artworks – is by Canadian artist Rafael Lozano-Hemmer and is part of CODE, the Cultural Olympiad’s Digital Edition.
“As Host City for the 2010 Winter Games, we’re happy to collaborate with the Vancouver 2010 Cultural Olympiad and the Province of Quebec to bring this amazing artwork to Vancouver,” said Mayor Gregor Robertson. “Vectorial Elevation is a unique, magical work that local residents, visitors and people from around the world can enjoy. The installation will not only brighten our night skies, but also bring the Games to the world in an unexpected, interactive way.”
More than two million people are expected to view the installation in person in Metro Vancouver, as well as internationally via www.vectorialvancouver.net or www.vancouver2010.com/code. The event runs regardless of the weather until February 28, 2010.
Visitors to www.vectorialvancouver.net can design how the lights will move, their angles and how they are clustered in timed sequences to create their own patterns for the world to see. A personalized webpage will be automatically created for each participant to document their design. Organizers estimate 130,000 different patterns will be created in the 24 days the project operates from dusk to dawn.
“Vectorial Elevation is world-renowned and we wanted to see its majestic choreography unfold over Canadian skies for the very first time as part of the 2010 Winter Games,” said Burke Taylor, vice president of culture and celebrations for the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC). “Lozano-Hemmer’s inspired work manifests the spirit of connectivity that we want to convey through the entire CODE project. It’s about using the power of digital technology to include the world in our celebrations.”
A real-time video stream of the work from four cameras placed around English Bay can be accessed on the Internet. Those who opt to create patterns can also send a personal dedication to friends or a sweetheart anywhere in the world at www.vectorialvancouver.net. The project was developed in consultation with the Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation.
“Vectorial Elevation is a quiet, contemplative display of light sculptures that will connect many countries around the world with Vancouver. When I saw English Bay I knew it would be the perfect spot to create our largest canopy of light to date and for the first time we are also able to use renewable energy,” said Montreal-based Lozano-Hemmer.
Previously, the installation was staged in Mexico, Spain, Ireland, and France where it received accolades such as Lyon’s prestigious Trophée des Lumières.
Invitation from City of Vancouver received on Friday Nov. 20, 2009
VANOC and the City of Vancouver invite you to attend an information session on an important Cultural Olympiad 2010/City of Vancouver Public Art project. Vectorial Elevation is a site specific work created by world-renowned Mexican-Canadian artist Rafael Lozano-Hemmer.
Please join Mr. Lozano-Hemmer and representatives from the Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation, the City of Vancouver and Cultural Olympiad 2010 for an artistic and technical overview of the project.
Monday, November 23
6:00 pm
Museum of Vancouver @ The Joyce Walley Learning Centre
Action Plan From WERA Community Forum
1. Attend open house on Nov. 24 for rezoning application of 1401 Comox St.:
Coast Plaza Hotel, Nelson Room, 1763 Comox St., 4 to 7 pm
For more info:
Rezoning application
Jackie Wong article
open house notification letter
2. Sign up to speak at public hearing on Tuesday Dec 1. On the rezoning application of 1215 Bidwell. St., Council Chamber City Hall call 604 871 6355 to put on the speakers list.
3. Email Mayor and Council and let them know what your views of the proposed rezoning application
mayorandcouncil@vancouver.ca
or
Vancouver City Hall
453 West 12th Avenue
Vancouver, BC V5Y1V4
or call
311
More info available at:
The Right to the City: Housing, Homelessness and the 2010 Olympics
A Public Forum Hosted by the Impact on Communities Coalition
Monday, November 23, 2009
7:00 – 9:00 pm
Fletcher Challenge Theatre, SFU Harbour Centre
Reverend Ric Matthews, First United Church
Christine Ackermann, West End Residents Association
Wendy Pederson, Carnegie Community Action Project
Nathan Edelson, Former Senior Planner, City of Vancouver
Martha Lewis, Tenants Resource Advisory Centre
Am Johal, Impact on Communities Coalition
David Dennis, United Native Nations
Monte Paulson, Investigative Editor, The Tyee
Christine Parnell-Smith, Vancouver Aboriginal Transformative Justice Society
Moderated by Stefanie Ratjen, Board Member, Impact on Communities Coalition
When the Olympic bid process was underway, the Inner City Inclusive Commitment was signed in 2003 and included commitments around a housing legacy and protection from Olympic related evictions. This panel will look at the impacts of the 2010 Olympics on housing and other urbanization processes underway in Vancouver including the crisis of affordability, the proliferation of homelessness and loopholes in tenancy legislation which are resulting in evictions.
You can find out more about this event on Facebook.