ABC council axes plan for the West End Waterfront

Good morning, 

Nate with you here this Friday morning, and I’m pleased and grateful to announce that I’ll be here in your inbox every Friday for the foreseeable future.

I’ve signed on with Vancity Lookout to write this newsletter (at least) once a week and bring in-depth stories on city hall policy, politics, and culture to our paid subscribers. 

But enough of that, let’s get on to the news, info, and events that will colour your heaty weekend 🙂

— Nate Lewis, Vancity Lookout

PS - If you find this newsletter valuable, please consider forwarding it to your friends. New to the Lookout? Sign-up for free.

WEATHER

Friday: 25 🌡️ 12 | 🌤️

Saturday: 23 🌡️ 12 | ☀️

Sunday: 20 🌡️ 11 | 🌤️

Monday: 18 🌡️ 9 | 🌤️

CITY STREETS

ABC kills waterfront plan, moves to increase car access

What happened: ABC’s city council majority shelved the West End Waterfront Plan, after three and half years of consultation and planning by city staff and community members. However, ABC Coun. Sarah Kirby-Yung did take the opportunity to save a small portion of the plan that called for Beach Avenue west of Denman to be reopened to two-way motor vehicle traffic. 

Context: The busy road along English Bay has been one-way, with a bike path installed in the other lane, since 2020. This has meant that vehicles in Stanley Park can’t exit the park there — including so-called “rat-runners,” commuters who enter the park off the Stanley Park Causeway and use it as a shortcut to avoid West Georgia Street. 

• Kirby-Yung’s amendment does call for the “prioritization of a permanent AAA bike lane… prior to the removal of any existing bike lane… and prior to the reintroduction of two-way traffic.”

The data: In September 2023, the park board re-opened the Ceperley Meadow portion of Stanley Park Drive to car traffic, allowing vehicles to exit the park into the West End on streets adjacent to Beach Avenue. This resulted in a nearly 10 percent increase in vehicle traffic on these streets, according to my reporting for the West End Journal. 

Dive deeper: In August 2023, senior city staff indicated they were considering switching the traffic flow on Beach, maintaining one-way access but allowing cars to exit the park toward English Bay. While they ultimately decided against this change, staff were still considering the possibility of reopening Beach to two-way traffic, and promoted the idea as part of the larger plan to redevelop the West End Waterfront. 

• For what it’s worth, Vancouver Fire Rescue Services has said the one-way configuration on Beach does not meaningfully affect their response time or ability to access residences along the waterfront west of Denman. 

The bigger picture: ABC does have a history of removing or deferring active transportation infrastructure in the party’s short time in office — the Stanley Park bike lane pilot was axed by the then-ABC-controlled park board as quickly as they could upon entering office. 

The city also didn’t include bike lanes as part of the planned redevelopment of Broadway — but that can’t all be laid at the feet of ABC councillors, as city staff recommended they not be included, according to CBC. 

• Vancouver’s former director of city planning Brent Toderian spoke out against the decision: “I decided after today’s Council decision regarding the Beach Avenue bike infrastructure, following other recent high profile bike-related decisions, that we need a serious conversation about the implications of this backtracking for the successful positioning and continued progress of our city,” Toderian wrote on social media. 

Toderian elaborated, saying he weighed the consequences of publicly calling out the city’s current direction, in that it could undermine Vancouver’s ability to inspire forward-thinking bike and active transportation infrastructure development in other cities. 

Supporters: This is not to say that no one supports this move. David Fine, a professional filmmaker who is politically active in Vancouver, wrote a letter to city councillors in the lead up to their vote on the waterfront plan. 

• Fine’s letter specifically supported “one specific aspect” of the plan: two-way vehicle access on Beach. 

Previously, Fine set up a viral petition that advocated for the removal of the interim Stanley Park bike lane.

VANCOUVER NUMBERS

🚗 $110: The rebate that most B.C. drivers will receive from ICBC starting later this month. Basic vehicle insurance rates will stay frozen until at least early 2026, the provincial government also announced. In 2021, ICBC switched to a ‘no fault’ system in an effort to save money by reducing court proceedings resulting from crashes. [CBC]

✅ 88%: The percentage of unionized workers with West Vancouver’s Blue Bus transit operator who voted in favour of a new two-year agreement with their employer. This avoids the possibility of a strike, which the union had been publicly preparing for since last week. [CityNews]

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THE AGENDA

💻 The B.C. government has been the target of “sophisticated cybersecurity incidents” according to Premier David Eby. In a statement, the premier said there is no evidence right now that sensitive information was compromised, and pledged to provide updates on their investigation into the hacking of government networks. [BC Gov News]

👮 A Vancouver police officer was found guilty of excessive speeding in relation to a 2022 incident when the officer hit a pedestrian with their car on East Hastings. The pedestrian sustained serious injuries in the collision. The officer will be fined $2,300 as a result of the conviction. [City News]

🧯 Vancouver is “extinguishing” the sale of lockable butane lighters in the city, starting at the end of June. The prohibition follows “a surge in serious incidents sparked by the improper use of these lighters in the last fifteen months,” according to the city. In that period, 3,128 fires have been attributed to the use of this type of lighter. [City of Vancouver]

💙💚 With Game 2 on tap this evening, the city is still abuzz from the Canucks’ improbable and dramatic comeback win on Wednesday night. They scored three straight goals in the third period to take Game 1 by a score of 5-4 over Edmonton. [Sportsnet]

🏥 A UBC graduate student, in partnership with healthcare providers, has developed an interactive website to help people seeking abortions in Canada find the best option for them. By explaining the medical options available, providing locations of care providers, and offering translations of medical information, the website offers tools to help healthcare providers and prospective patients better navigate reproductive care. [City News]

⚖️ Three men have been charged for the 2023 killing in Surrey of Sikh leader and Khalistan activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. All three suspects were arrested last Friday in Edmonton and had their first court appearances virtually on Tuesday morning. [CTV News]

🏢 Some supportive-housing residents in Vancouver, and elsewhere in the province, have lost their right to host visitors without time limits or identification. This is due to the B.C. government moving to exempt support-housing residents from part of the Residential Tenancy Act — specifically the right to quiet enjoyment of one's home — after the guest restrictions had been found to violate this part of the act in the cases of several Vancouver-based tenants. [The Tyee]

✖️ Metro Vancouver will need to find a new board chairperson, after Delta Mayor George Harvie was removed from the position by vote of Delta city councillors. The councillors said this was “due to a series of regrettable actions” by Harvie, alleging the mayor has essentially ceased communication with members of council, and has been making decisions outside his authority. [Vancouver Sun]

🏘️ The Bank of Canada reported that homeowners have, so far, been able handle the increased financial burden caused by higher interest rates set by the bank. Renters have been feeling the pressure more than homeowners, the report said, with some missing car loan and credit card payments to keep up with housing costs. This certainly is the case for some Vancouverites, as we have, on average, the most expensive rental rates in Canada, according to CMHC data from January 2024. [Bank of Canada, Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation]

🏗️ In other (lack of) affordability news, a B.C. group called the Housing Justice Project say there’s a significant need for deeply subsidized housing units, in part because “affordable” (ie. 30% of a household’s income) housing rates are still out of reach for many. B.C.’s Housing Minister Ravi Khalon met briefly with the group, and agreed they have similar goals. [CBC] 

⛺ Residents and organizers representing the CRAB Park encampment traveled to the legislature in Victoria this week to demand increased involvement in the province’s responses to homelessness. [Times Colonist]

CANUCKS PLAYOFFS

Vancouver announces city viewing parties

What happened: The city has announced their plans to host Canucks viewing parties in Vancouver, starting with Game 3 on Sunday, when the Canucks will be in Edmonton to take on the Oilers.

Location, location, location: They’ve chosen Oak Meadows Park, an out-of-the-way field and dog park in central Vancouver, located behind Eric Hamber Secondary and directly across the street from Van Dusen Gardens. There will be porta potties and sanitation services on site, with room for 2,000 fans to gather, the city said. 

• Notably, Oak Meadows is not one of the many Vancouver parks that allow alcohol consumption.

Getting there: At first blush, it’s a strange spot to host a Canucks viewing party. There’s limited transit to the area; the 17 bus running up and down Oak Street can get you there, or the R4 rapid bus along 41st Avenue could get you close. 

• If you’re looking at taking the train it would require a bus connection or two, or a long walk from either the King Edward or Oakridge-41st Canada Line station. 

If you’re taking a car, Van Dusen and the surrounding neighbourhood boasts a fair amount of parking — but it can be quite a zoo during an event, as anyone who has driven to the annual Festival of Lights knows well. 

Shadows of the riot(s): Mayor Ken Sim previously cited Vancouver’s history of rioting over Canucks hockey as a reason not to host official watch parties, but the public appetite for playoff gatherings apparently won out. 

• “We’re hoping to meet people where they’re at,” Coun. Pete Fry told CBC. 

The choice of location underscores an emphasis on not encouraging people to flood into the downtown core, as was the case with the watch parties on Georgia during the 2011 Finals.

Analysis: Taking the watch party to central Vancouver comes with pros and cons. It’s well out of the downtown core, which makes sense from a cautious public safety perspective. However, it may be challenging for folks to get there for a variety of reasons. It will be interesting to see what kind of turn out the event gets on Sunday, given there will be other viewing parties at Rogers Arena, and in select community centres around Vancouver. 

Looking forward: If (and that’s still a big if) the Canucks make it past the Oilers and get to the third round, the city has said they’re planning to also host a watch party at the PNE. This event, unlike Oak Meadows, will be licensed for alcohol consumption and will be able to hold 6,000 people. 

Policing: Much was made of the Vancouver Police Department’s misplaced confidence in 2011 that people would not repeat the destructive events of 1994 — the first riot kicked off by a Canucks Game 7 Stanley Cup Final loss. 

• While different policing measures may have altered the outcome, a governmental report about the 2011 riot found that “no plausible number of police could have prevented trouble igniting in the kind of congestion we saw on Vancouver streets that night.”

Fast forward to this week, VPD spokesperson Tania Visintin said before Game 1 against the Oilers on Wednesday that Vancouver Police would “continue to deploy a large police presence” during Vancouver home games — both at and outside the arena and in the downtown core — according to Global. 

After the game on Wednesday, there were some 20 plus VPD officers mobilized in the plaza, focused on a small group of fans who stayed to revel in the Canucks’ surprising victory. The VPD are aiming to keep a lid on these celebrations after a fan climbed onto the Roger Neilson statue following Vancouver’s first win of the playoffs in late April. The statue has been fenced off since, according to Daily Hive.

WEEKEND GUIDE

DOXA Documentary Film Festival | May 10 - 12 | Various venues and times | Last weekend to catch Western Canada’s largest documentary film festival | Tickets

Mother’s Day Dinner Boat Cruise | May 12, 6pm | Departs from Plaza of Nations | Enjoy a three-hour cruise, including dinner, music, and photography | Tickets

Shipyards Night Market | May 10, 3-10pm | North Vancouver Shipyards | Hit the dock for the first Shipyards Night Market of the summer! | Free

Vancouver Farmers Markets | Saturdays and Sundays, 9 or 10 am-2pm (location dependant) | Various locations | While the farmers market season has yet to hit full swing, there are a few locations to satisfy a hankering for fresh, local food. Trout Lake, Riley Park, and Kitsilano will be open this weekend! | Free entry

2nd Annual Killarney Community Centre Outdoor Summer Concert Series | Thursdays 7pm, July 11 - August 22 | Come on down to the little community centre in East Van and enjoy an amazing lineup of awesome entertainers! | Free

Rotary May Day Parade | May 11, 11am | Port Coquitlam (parade starts at the intersection of Welcher and Shaughnessy) | Head over to PoCo to watch, or walk in, one of the longest running (101 years!) community parades in the Lower Mainland | Free

Burnaby Food Truck Festival | May 11-12, 11am | BCIT Burnaby Campus | An all-ages event featuring over 20 food trucks and live music | Free

Vancouver Canadians Baseball | May 10-12, 1pm | Nat Bailey Stadium | Catch Vancouver’s premier baseball team at the Nat this weekend (and all summer long). On Sunday they will be hosting a special Mother’s Day brunch event, which gets started at noon | Tickets

Moms and Margaritas | May 12, 2pm | The Improv Centre (Granville Island) | A family-friendly improv event, with a bar serving alcoholic drinks (including margaritas, I presume) | Tickets 

Community centre Canucks viewing parties | Game days, various times | Seven Vancouver community centres – Hillcrest, Roundhouse, Killarney, Kits, False Creek, Creekside, and Kerrisdale – will be showing Canucks games in their lobbies. But be sure to check their hours before heading to watch the games | Free

PHOTO OF THE DAY

This 1960s era photo of the intersection of Granville and Nelson is quite something. Times certainly have changed!

COMMUNITY HIGHLIGHTS

• One of Vancouver’s derelict, funky malls (looking at you too International Village) recently passed a major milestone. Kingsgate Mall has been around for 50 years, but may not stand much longer as it’s identified in the Broadway plan as a “large and unique site” for development. [Vancouver Sun] 

• The senior programmer at the Rio Theatre off Commercial Drive reflects on the business’ survival through adaptation over the last 15 years as an experience akin to episodic TV, in this fun profile of the beloved entertainment venue. [The Georgia Straight]

• In light of the Western Canadian playoff matchup – and with the Canucks’ graphics and social media team leaning into the orcas vs the oil rig imagery –  there’s bound to be civic and cultural comparisons and contrasts drawn between Vancouver and Edmonton. But who’s winning? [Vancouver Sun] 

• I once lived near Duffins Donuts on Knight, and let me tell you, it’s a deliciously dangerous spot to be (particularly with their day-old donut deal). But I didn’t know they used to be located at Main and 33rd! This charming profile of a Vancouver staple is worth your time. [Georgia Straight]

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GAME TIME

References to this word are peppered all through today’s newsletter. Can you guess what is it?