Vancouver man takes a crack at unique entrepreneurship venture

Good morning!

It’s a great day to be officially launched here at Vancity Lookout, and we hope you have as good a time reading this as we had putting it together.

Today, we’ve got stories about an entrepreneurial venture that might not be all it’s cracked up to be, a park in need of a revamp, a Mount Pleasant duplex that might actually be a steal and much more.

– Nathan Caddell

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Weather Report

Wednesday: 9 🌡️ 7 | 🌧️

Thursday: 9 🌡️ 9 | 🌧️

Friday: 11 🌡️ 9 | 🌧️

VANCOUVER BY THE NUMBERS

9.8: Percent of downtown office vacancy in Vancouver in the last quarter of 2022, according to a new report from real estate firm CBRE.

75: Number of people laid off by Vancouver tech unicorn Thinkific this week.

$850: Price per month listed for a Downtown Vancouver spot that will make you envious of Harry Potter’s closet under the stairs. [Vancouver Is Awesome]

NEWS

Is Vancouver about to get a crack and heroin store?

What happened: A Vancouver man named Jerry Martin has announced plans to open the country’s first store selling crack, meth, heroin and other drugs, according to the National Post.

Background: On Jan. 31, B.C. will decriminalize personal-use quantities of hard drugs like heroin, fentanyl, cocaine and MDMA. At the end of the month, possessing less than 2.5 grams of those drugs will no longer be illegal.

• Martin wants to start up a business called The Drugs Store to sell these items in a safe way. A former cocaine user, Martin told Vice News that he wants to educate users on how to quit while selling them drugs.

But: Let’s not go praising Martin’s entrepreneurial spirit just yet. The fine print of the law dictates that while personal-use possession will become legal, it will remain illegal to sell or traffic these drugs. He very much knows this and told Vice that being arrested is “the whole idea.” He plans to launch a constitutional challenge if he gets criminally charged.

Analysis: We’re always here for a sneaky way of throwing down a “TECHNICALLY this should be fine,” but it’s going to be hard for Martin to actually pull this off. Of course, if his plan was just to create a stir, he’s already done that.

TOP QUOTE

“Best of all, no one knew we were there. We hiked, we kayaked, we played – in peace,” Prince Harry on living in North Saanich. [IHeartRadio]

PARKS

Notorious park scheduled for $4 million redesign

What happened: Yaletown Park, which CBC journalist and noted Twitter ranker of stuff Justin McElroy and his team absolutely lambasted in a ranking of the city’s parks a couple of years ago, may be getting a complete overhaul in the form of a $4-million redesign.

• It’s part of City of Vancouver plans that call for $67 million in renewal and upgrades of existing parks.

Background: In the ranking, McElroy and crew questioned Yaletown Park’s very existence.

• “Why, in a city starved for land and a Downtown growing incredibly quickly, was this considered an efficient use of space?” reads the ranking. McElroy sunk his teeth back into the park earlier this year, calling it a “pile of garbage.”

What’s next: The park would be the second in Yaletown to get an upgrade after sθәqәlxenәm ts'exwts'áxwi7, which sits at Smithe and Richards streets, was officially opened in April 2022. The Daily Hive suggests that planning for Yaletown Park could begin in 2024, with construction starting by the end of 2026 and completion by 2028.

Want to see what other parks ranked from A+ to F? You can read all of McElroy and his crew’s rankings here. Guess which one topped the list.

In other park news: Metro Vancouver adds up December storm damage to regional parks. [Vancouver Sun]

DREAM HOME

3206 Carolina St.

The deets: Wow, here we go. A fully renovated duplex on a corner lot with a fenced-in backyard. And you’re with the cool kids in Fraserhood. Imagine those brisk walks to Sal y Limon, Savio Volpe and the jerky place. It’s also… not insanely expensive compared to some of its counterparts in the city?

But, um: We can’t help but look at the phrasing in the listing and wonder if the Vancouver real estate industry has learned absolutely nothing. The listing gives a potential buyer three options:

• “1/ Live in one side and rent out the other unit.”

• Okay yeah, that makes sense.

• “2/ Consider buying jointly with another family; like two townhouses, each with its own big yard.”

• That sounds lovely.

• 3/ And, of course, the option of an excellent investment/holding property with a Vancouver address that can generate substantial income.”

• Uhhhhhhhhhh. We’re really “and of course”-ing real estate speculation in a housing crisis?

See how much this place will set you back.

TWO MINS IN THE BOX

Bo Horvat headed south?

What happened: Sportsnet broadcaster Elliotte Friedman stirred up some controversy recently when he suggested that Canucks captain Bo Horvat might be traded to the rival Seattle Kraken. That prompted some diehard Canucks fans to dream up trade proposals from our Southern neighbours. Spoiler alert: They were not realistic.

The details: It’s a bit difficult to see the Kraken giving up what the Canucks would need (namely, a top-end prospect and a first round draft pick, at the very least), even as the recent expansion franchise is rocketing up the standings. And yes, it’s depressing that, just two seasons in, the Kraken are already looking like a playoff team.

The bottom line: Shane Wright is not getting traded to the Canucks. Stop it.

The even bottomer line: It’s hard to see these two teams agreeing on a deal of this magnitude at this time.

QUICK HITS

🥗 Dock Lunch, the small Mount Pleasant eatery tucked just off Main Street announced that it will close its doors due to its building’s owners opting for renovations. [CBC]

🥐 Another beloved East Van spot left things a bit up in the air, as cafe Oh Carolina threw up an Instagram post that seemed to signal the end, at least of its current form.

🏋️ Long lineups at Hillcrest Community Centre has locals calling for more facilities. The problem is only going to get more pronounced over weeks of rain. [Vancouver Is Awesome]

🍲 Hot soup thrown in Vancouver convenience store lead to an assault with a weapon charge. [Daily Hive]

COMMUNITY HIGHLIGHTS

• Check out five things to do this week in the city, including celebrating the Year of the Rabbit [Vanmag]

• The Reddit Vancouver channel is hosting a best of everything Vancouver, with nominations and voting. [Reddit]

• An ex-YVR worker is getting paid in a big way by the airline for wrongful dismissal. [Narcity]

• The City of Vancouver is hiring for these jobs that pay over $30 an hour. [Curiocity]

• The aforementioned Justin McElroy’s next ranking project? It might be public places. [Twitter]

• A group of West Point Grey residents is trying to recall their MLA, who also happens to be the premier. [Twitter]

TOP PHOTO

Let's remember this for the next couple days, before the rain ruins everything again..  

Have you got photos you’d like to share? Hit us up!

NEWS QUIZ

Earlier in the newsletter, we mentioned the neighbourhood many like to refer to as Fraserhood. What (very good) cocktail bar used to adorn the ‘hood before it was shuttered in 2019?