Why locals are calling for the Vanier Park Encampment to be cleared

Good morning,

Treat local coyotes nicely, the Vancouver Parks Board is asking. It’s nesting season, so they become bolder and more aggressive. So if you’re thinking about having a picnic in Stanley Park, maybe hold off for now.

Today we’ve got an update on the Vanier Park encampment, pedestrians and cars coexisting and what housing looks like across the ocean.

Let’s go!

— Geoff Sharpe, Vancity newsletter editor

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WEATHER

Wednesday: 14 🌡️ 6 | ☀️

Thursday: 8 🌡️ 3 | 🌧

Friday: 8 🌡️ 3 | 🌧

VANCOUVER BY THE NUMBERS

$453: The price for an unfurnished bedroom rose this much from 2021 to 2022, with an average cost of $2,349. Better stop buying avocado toast! [Vancouver is Awesome]

5.2%: The annual inflation rate rose this much year-over-year in February. Grocery prices, you guessed it, continued to rise, up 10.6 percent year-over-year. [CTV]

HOMELESSESS

Fires, tents and encampments

What happened: An encampment in Kitsilano in Vanier Park has been given notice to pack up by park rangers, Vancouver Fire Rescue Services and the Vancouver Police, according to CTV.

Background: The encampment has received increasing scrutiny recently as outlets reported on the location. Local groups also raised concerns about the group’s impact on local biodiversity.

The problem: Opponents of the encampment say it poses a safety threat due to the potential of fires, with propane tanks littered throughout the area. There have been two fires reported in Vanier Park since the beginning of the year, according to CTV.

The people: One man claimed to have lived in the area for a long time, refusing to live in single-room-occupancy suites because of the living conditions, according to the Vancouver Sun.

Zoom out: Fire safety is an ongoing issue with all encampments throughout Vancouver, especially in the Downtown Eastside. Vancouver’s fire chief has expressed frustration that not much is being done to deal with it, according to CTV.

• There have been 360 fires since last July, when the fire chief called for tents and structures to be cleared.

A fire on Sunday damaged the Imperial Theatre, according to CTV. Propane tanks and gasoline cans were removed from the scene of the fire.

Yesterday: The fire department was called to deal with a propane tank explosion in the Downtown Eastside, according to CBC. Fire chief Karen Fry is now calling for the encampments to be removed away from buildings.

What it means: When asked for a response, Public Safety Minister Mike Farnsworth deferred to the provincial Fire Commissioner, according to CTV. The urgency of the challenge, matched with the complexities of the housing problem, likely means that fires will continue to be a problem. With summer approaching, the potential for fires caused by heating may lessen. But unless more housing is built, the problem is likely to return when winter returns.

TRAFFIC

Woah, slow down

Are cities meant to service cars or people? Vancouver continues to grapple with this question, as the city looks to change up a road to reduce traffic in a pedestrian area.

What’s going on: Part of Adanac Street, on the overpass, is home to a high-traffic area, as traffic speeds up to around 50 km/hr, according to Urbanized, which is dangerous for residents.

The solution: The city has a few options to address this, including speed bumps, barriers or closures of roadways. Consultations will take place throughout the spring and summer, according to Urbanized.

Zoom out: The safety of pedestrians is tied to excessive vehicle speed, as local governments balance the needs of people and vehicle transportation. In Toronto, pedestrian safety became a key issue during the 2022 municipal election, according to CBC. In 2016, the city introduced Vision Zero, with the goal of reducing traffic fatalities to zero after 78 people died in traffic accidents.

In Toronto, parts of 1,100 roadways were “designated as community, school or senior safety zones and more than 1,000 advance walk signals for pedestrians installed at crosswalks,” according to CBC. Intersections were rebuilt and photo radar was expanded.

• The results have been mixed, with 58 people dying in 2021, according to CBC.

Zoom in: In Vancouver, the city developed a “Moving Towards Zero Safety Action Plan” in 2016. The plan evaluates and prioritizes locations for improvement to increase pedestrian safety. Calls for municipalities to adopt a Vision Zero framework are growing with a recent accident in New Westminster, according to CTV.

• According to the data, the most dangerous places for pedestrian crashes in Vancouver are Main and Hastings, Cambie Street and West 49th Avenue and Main Street and Terminal Avenue, according to an analysis by Urbanized.

DREAM HOME

What’s up in North Vancouver?

Today we’re jumping across the ocean (a short jump) to North Vancouver, to see what’s affordable and downright unaffordable in the housing market.

Vancouver-affordable

If you’ve read this newsletter, you know anything under $500,000 is rare. But North Vancouver has gasp seven places that could be considered affordable. The best part is none of them are parking spots.

This place is affordable, allows pets, is a real one-bedroom and not a bachelor unit, and has a lovely layout. It may not be a dream home, but for this price, it’s not a nightmare to buy.

Not affordable

This place isn’t affordable, but this townhouse isn’t bad for a three-bedroom. It’s got a beautiful outdoor area, 1,818 square feet of space, a huge terrace, and a kitchen I would love to cook in. Plus it’s got a new roof. See how much it’ll set you back.

The “only in your dreams” home

Now we’re talking. This is a home you usually see in a movie. It’s got a kitchen for you, a kitchen for your chef, an infinity pool for all those Instagram photos, a Scandinavian spa, and a private gym, nestled in a spacious 6,225 square feet of living space. Of course, it’s pricey, but it’s not as bad as Vancouver!

THE AGENDA

🏢 From a multi-unit apartment to a single-family home, this building at 1000 Cypress St. is going in the opposite direction, as the developer seeks to replace an eight-unit rental building with three single-family homes. Now about that housing crisis… [Urbanized]

🧑‍💼 Sublease vacancies could be at an all-time high if Amazon layoffs continue after they announced 9,000 layoffs. It’s unclear whether they impact Vancouver’s new office location. The company is the third largest employer in the province. [Business in Vancouver]

​🚆 The Skytrain Millennium Line extension to UBC is getting closer to reality, with designing and planning kicking off this summer. The info will be used to create what’s called a “Provincial Business Case.” [Urbanized]

​🇵🇭 The premier and provincial politicians have been asked by the Filipino community to help build a Filipino cultural centre. There are currently 174,000 Filipino people in BC according to the 2021 census, and it’s been a long-time project of the community. [CBC]

🚓 A person was arrested for smashing multiple glass bus shelters on Granville and Georgia.He allegedly smashed more than 20 panes of glass. [CTV]

✈️ If you’ve been waiting patiently to get or renew your NEXUS card, appointments will open at YVR starting on April 3. [CityNews]

COMMUNITY HIGHLIGHTS

• Sad news, the Easter Train in Stanley Park is not running this year because of ongoing repairs. [CTV]

• Former Canucks captain Bo Horvat is selling his $5.6-million home. [Vancouver Sun]

• Business owners, you have until March 31 to submit your business property tax relief declaration. [City of Vancouver]

• Love birds? Check out Vancouver’s Heron Cam.

• Some orcas put on a show for BC Ferries passengers travelling between Vancouver and Victoria. [CTV]

PHOTO OF THE DAY

Reddit user Br81 snapped this snowy shot. Lovely!

Send us your photos and we’ll feature them in the newsletter!