Single-family home neighbourhood in East Vancouver set to radically change in the coming decades

Good morning! 

I have been listening to many podcasts lately about the attention economy and how the internet, espeically social media, is dominating our minds and time. A term thrown around often is internet slop, the quick-scrolling, increasingly AI-generated videos and content that exists purely to steal our time, and of course, entertain, if it can even be called that.

That’s not to say valuable things can’t be found online. That’s how most of you found the Lookout! But it really seems like the entire internet is leading us towards an experience that is just getting worse by the week. It’s unfortunate because the internet held so much promise…

I think of this often as I write this newsletter and edit Nate’s work. The attention you all give us a few times a week is something we don’t take for granted. For that time, we will try to provide actual value. Not consumption for consumption’s sake, no AI-generated content, but a thoughtful way to spend a few minutes each morning, learning something new and gaining an appreciation and deeper understanding of the city.

The day we stop doing that is the day we shut this thing down. Luckily, there are no plans for that to happen!

Let’s dive into today’s main story about the area of Vancouver, which may look much different in the coming decades.

— Geoff Sharpe, 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

Wednesday: 19 🌡️ 13 | 🌧️

Thursday: 18 🌡️ 13 | 🌤️

Friday: 22 🌡️ 13 | 🌤️

THE LOOKOUT SUMMER RECOMMENDATIONS

Matcha berry drinks: There seems to be a real trend lately of matcha and fruit-based drinks at coffee shops around the city. Of course, the fancy drinks do come with a higher price tag, but that hasn’t stopped people from snapping them up. Cowdog Coffee is a popular one and Saunter downtown also has one, just to name a few.

Vintage shopping: Vintage is always in, but it feels like second-hand clothing, baggy pants, and oversized shirts have never been more popular. I’ve been getting my fill lately of vintage clothing stores. My favourite spot around town is the Main/Kingsway/E Broadway area (triangle??). Mintage Mall, Rewind Resale and F as in Frank are a few of my favourites. Any others you like?

Light local beers: I’ll admit, my go-to beer summer selection has been lacking lately. But I’ve always been a huge fan of Strathcona Beer’s Beach Lemon Mandarin Radler. I also discovered they have two other radlers, Strawberry Lime and Chill Spiced Plum. 33 Acres of Sunshine has been a standard one I revisit often, and a more recent addition to my rotation is the East Van Jasmine Rice Lager, a cool refreshing choice perfect for those hot days. 

— Recommendations by Geoff Sharpe, Lookout managing editor

DEVELOPMENT

Single-family home neighbourhood in East Vancouver set to radically change in the coming decades

What happened: Yesterday, Vancouver city council unanimously approved the Rupert & Renfrew Area Plan, a major new development around those two SkyTrain stations, which would see the population of the area grow by 18,700 new residents (a 60 per cent increase), 10,100 new homes and 8,300 new jobs by 2050. Most of the area right now, even around SkyTrain Stations, is single-family lots.

The area: The neighbourhood includes Parker to East 27th Ave and Boundary Road to Kamloops St. It’s just south of Hastings-Sunrise and North of Renfrew-Collingwood neighbourhoods. 

Breaking it down: The areas closest to the SkyTrain stations will see the largest development, with both mixed-use and residential high rises, starting at 22 and 29 storeys, and up to 26, 40 and 45 storeys tall, depending on the proximity to SkyTrain stations. Surrounding that will mostly be residential low-rise buildings of up to six storeys. The plan also includes incentives for market rentals, childcare spaces, and social housing. Multiplex areas will also be included, but at the edges of the development plan.

• Many of these changes are shaped by the province’s transit-oriented development legislation, which requires higher density around SkyTrain Stations, in this case, Renfrew and Rupert. 

Villages will be created at key intersections throughout the area, with four to six-story mixed-use buildings, both homes and commercial space, including corner stores and shops.

What we like: Over 1,000 Lookout readers responded to a poll last year saying they wanted more corner stores in communities throughout the city. This plan includes more corner stores in residential areas, increasing food access around walkable neighbourhoods. 

Some key considerations: Still Creek is one of only two salmon-bearing creeks that remain in the city, and because of that, there will be less underground parking in the area, as well as design elements. The area around it will also be widened. 

• The city says in their report that it will cost around $1.2 billion in capital projects over 10 years for the area, including water and sewage infrastructure, and new streets. 

One big debate has been around Community Amenity Contributions (CACs) and their impact on raising the cost of housing. The plan includes exemptions for CACs for rental buildings. 

• More walkability: The plan includes expansion of public spaces, such as turning roads into car-free greenways, allowing more walkable areas in the community. 

What it means: If you’ve ever taken the SkyTrain through those areas, you realize just how little is built around it, compared to nearby stations. 

There has been much controversy around the Broadway Plan, as rental buildings have been torn down in favour of larger towers, with some renters falling between the cracks when it comes to Broadway Plan renter protections. One benefit of this new area development is that most of the units there are single-family homes, meaning (hopefully) fewer displacements.

• Yet at the same time, 27 per cent of household incomes are below $50,000 a year.

What’s next: Rather than each midsized property going through a lengthy redevelopment process, staff will seek approval from council at a later date to rezone large parts of the area to allow low-rise apartments.

You can read the full report here, (though fair warning, it’s very long).

Get in front of almost 30,000 Vancouver locals with an ad right here

This one’s for all your business owners, event organizers and nonprofit groups looking for a new way to advertise this summer. 

As social media reach declines, it’s becoming harder and harder to reach Vancouver locals.

Partnering with Vancity Lookout is the best way to advertise. We offer a trusted space, where people actually see and read your ads (let’s be honest, how many website banner ads do you actually remember…)

And as many of the readers reading this right now have told us, they like (or don’t actively hate!) our ads. There are still ad spots available this summer, so reach out to our sales team today to get a media kit or book a meeting with us. 

THE VANCOUVER NUMBER

-7.2%

The year-over-year price decline of a one-bedroom monthly rental in Vancouver has fallen to $2,529 per month. Meanwhile, a two-bedroom costs $3,338 per month, down 7.1 per cent year-over-year. [Rentals.ca]

THE AGENDA

👎️ Kitchen garbage disposals are not all they're cracked up to be. Metro Vancouver spends around $2 million a year cleaning all the food, fats and oils that clog up the system. Now, Coun. Pete Fry has a motion before council today to ban in-sink garbage disposals in new buildings. The motion also includes a public education campaign. Read more. [CTV]

🚉 The Stanley Park Train has been a real disaster over the last few years, losing around $3 million after constant breakdowns, and there are no plans to reopen it this year due to safety concerns. The park board is looking at third-party proposals to help fund the train. Read more. [CBC]:

⛴️ You’d think there’d be fairness in how ferry systems are funded… but you’d be wrong. Premier David Eby noted in a recent interview about BC Ferries that an Atlantic Canadian ferry user receives $300 worth of subsidies for every $1 for BC Ferries from the federal government. Eby also pointed out that a ferry delivered to Marine Atlantic out east was also built at the same Chinese facility as BC Ferries is proposing, the same place that caused a media firestorm. Read more. [CityNews]

⚡️ Speaking of BC Ferries, the company refused to allow on board a tow truck carrying a damaged EV vehicle. The company said it was because of the risk of an explosion. The policy could result in thousands of vehicles stranded on the Gulf Islands and Sunshine Coast. BC Ferries says it’s complying with federal regulations around the transport of hazardous goods. Read more. [Vancouver Sun]

⚽️ The Whitecaps are dealing with a tough stretch over the last few games. After going 10-2-8 and holding the best record in Major League Soccer, the team has recently gone 2-3-0. With that said, the team is still second in the Western Conference. Read more. [TSN]

🏒 The Canucks have signed some more players, with defeceman Jett Woo and goaltender Nikita Tolopilo joining on two-way contacts. Read more. [CTV]

HOME OF THE WEEK

It’s a bit of a slower news day, so I thought we’d feature two homes this week.

Chinatown has always been a place I’ve kept an eye on, and this one on Keefer really stood out. With three bedrooms and two bathrooms, three pets allowed, and including parking, it’s honestly a perfect place for anyone looking for something at around 1,000 square feet.

And it somehow gets even better with price…

The second place is more in line with what a growing family might be looking for. It’s a three-bedroom, four(!!!) bathroom townhouse located in East Vancouver with almost 1,500 square feet of space. There’s a nice rooftop patio and a good layout affording lots of privacy at different levels.

Unfortunately this one is a little more pricey… 

VANCOUVER ARTS GUIDE

Art

The Polygon has a new series called Star Witnesses, focusing on artists and their work and observations of the cosmos. Anyone interested in the planets, moons and stars will love this exhibit. On until Sept. 28.

Stir Magazine has three recommendations for West Coast Modern Week ,which is on now until July 13, including a show on the Patkau Architects, a 2024 documentary about Arthur Erikson and a jazz show. 

Neon Superstitions is a show at This Gallery focusing on drawing life scenes in Vancouver’s Chinatown. Locals will recognize many of the landmarks in the paintings! On now until July 12.

Music

One of the most popular music events of the summer returns July 18-20. The Vancouver Folk Music Festival is serving up global tunes all weekend long. Check out the full schedule.

Just across the city boundary is Opera in the Park at Deer Lake Park on July 13 at 7:30. There’s a family-friendly pre-show at 5 pm, along with food trucks. It promises to be a memorable evening of free music. 

Movies

One of my favourite movies of all time is playing this weekend and next week at VIFF. In the Mood for Love is a love story about two neighbours, but even typing that does it a discredit. Moody and romantic, it is a dazzlingly beautifully shot movie that everyone should get to experience. 

If you love movies, then this has to be on your calendar — the new restoration of one of the most visually striking movies ever made, Kubrick’s Barry Lyndon, is on multiple times this July at Cinematheque. 

Alright, alright, alright, make your way to Rio tonight to see Dazed and Confused, as well as the 4k restoration of The Good, The Bad and the Ugly this weekend.

RESTAURANT REVIEW

Don't Argue Pizza has the best New York slice in Vancouver

Last summer I gorged myself on New York pizza, in New York. I waited in lines, paid outrageous prices, and loved every second of it, each bite a revelation. While Neapolitan continues to be my favourite, a trip to New York will have even the most ardent Italian pizza fans second-guessing themselves.

Vancouver itself is blessed with some excellent Neapolitan pizzerias. Thank You Pizza, Just Pizza, Via Tavere, the list goes on. But New York-style? That no-bend, crispy bottom dough? Not as much. 

That is, until I stopped by Don’t Argue Pizza at 1321 Commercial Drive. I am happy to argue with anyone that this is the best slice of New York pizza in Vancouver.

Read the full review

COMMUNITY HIGHLIGHTS

• Is the mall under Harbour Centre Campus haunted? This story makes the case! [The Peak]

• This Whistler resort was named by Travel+Leisure as the best in Canada. 

• TransLink has a bunch of self-guided community tours to check out!

• City of Vanpoover is not a real city of Vancouver website, but instead focuses on dog poo. [Vancouver is Awesome]

VANCOUVER NEWS QUIZ

PHOTO OF THE DAY

An artist drew this comic about the nightly crow flight across Vancouver. Very cute!

STORIES THIS WEEK