Vancouver Park Board wants to know if “A-Maze-Ing Laughter” has a home in English Bay

"A-Maze-Ing Laughter" by Yue Minjun in Morton Park down in English Bay Vancouver's West End

More photos

The Vancouver Parks Board has received an offer from the Vancouver Biennale Foundation to extend the public exhibition of this sculpture for a period of 20 years at no cost to the City, the Vancouver Parks Board or residents.

As part of the approval process, Vancouver Parks Board is doing a public consultation, asking residents if they support the idea.

If you want to participate in the process email the Park Board at pbcomment@vancouver.ca. and give them your feedback. Put “Biennale Consultation” in the subject line.

The deadline is March 16th.

Rally to protect public education, Wednesday March 7, 2 pm, Vancouver Art Gallery


Photos from the rally

A rally was organized by Vesta Teachers at the Vancouver Art Gallery this Wednesday March 7, at 2 pm.


I participated in the rally in support of teachers and public education on Wednesday March 7 at the Vancouver Art Gallery. There were easily a couple of thousand folks out on the plaza supporting the teachers.

Both of my daughters attend public schools and I attended in support of our teachers for all their efforts in teaching my girls over the years. Their school attendance mirrors the time that the BC Liberals have had their hands on the controls of government and public education. This is the second strike that my daughters’ education has had to endure. Continue reading Rally to protect public education, Wednesday March 7, 2 pm, Vancouver Art Gallery →

Parents and students rally in support of teachers-Kevin Washbrook speaks on behalf of parents

Photos from parents and students rally in support of teachers


Photos from the rally

Rally today 10 a.m. – Parents rally for teachers & education system, Christy Clark’s MLA office


For immediate release

March 5 2012

Parents rally for teachers, education system at Christy Clark’s constituency office.

10 a.m today — Monday March 5

3615 W 4th Ave, Vancouver — the constituency office of Premier Christy Clark.

Parents of students in the riding of Vancouver Point Grey will deliver collected letters of support for education system funding and a fair, negotiated settlement for teachers to the constituency office of their MLA, Premier Christy Clark, at 10 a.m. today.

Parents and students from other schools are expected to join the rally in support of teachers at the constituency office at 10 a.m. Students will be invited to read their letters to the Premier and Education Minister George Abbott.

–30–

For further details: Kevin Washbrook, 778.848.8278

Public open house, on 1860 Barclay St, March 8, 5 pm, Best Western Sands Hotel

Meeting Detaials:

Date: 8 March 2012

Time: Drop-in 5 pm to 7 pm

Place: Best Western Hotel 1755 Davie St.

Project proponent want to hear feed back from residents. Proposed Heritage Dedication and restoration of the Historic Mason residence at 1860 Barclay St. There will be information on the follow items at the open house:

-proposed development permit application

-Heritage dedication and restoration of the historic house

-New infill building behind-with in height and conditional parameters of RM5-B Zoning bylaw

-Neighbourhood character development

For further information please contact:

George Abboud, owner: host@grapevineguesthouse.com

Vancouver Police Warn Local Drug Users

This warning was issued to the public almost 2 weeks ago, it is still in effect.  Please share this information widely, remembering that most people who use heroin do not live in the DTES. Most hold jobs, pay mortgages, and no one knows… .

Judy Graves, Homeless Advocate for the City of Vancouver

January 17, 2011

The Vancouver Police Department is issuing a public warning to local drug users.

Two people have already died from what police fear is potentially fatal heroin in circulation. Two women, one 19 years old and one 26 years old, both died of possible heroin overdoses. In a third case, a man had injected heroin, but it was cut with an unknown substance and caused very serious side-effects.

The Vancouver Police are warning drug users to be extremely cautious and utilize the services of INSITE. INSITE has medical personnel on hand that can help if there are problems.

In response to these recent incidents, the VPD has advised a number of local agencies, including INSITE, Vancouver Coastal Health, local police agencies, the B.C. Ambulance Service, and other community partners.

Anyone seeing someone appearing to be in medical distress is urged to immediately call 9-1-1 and if you are a drug user who has used and don’t feel well, seek medical attention or help immediately.

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



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

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


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 →

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

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.”