Programs

April 2011

MOVments
Posted by: Erin Brown John on April 26, 2011 at 2:56 pm

 

City of glass. Sometimes loved, sometimes maligned, glass towers are cheap to build and make up most of the landscape in Vancouver. However, new building codes and concerns about energy efficiency and aesthetics are driving the evolution of these buildings.

No-fun city. Mark Lakeman from Portland’s City Repair Project says that risk-adverse planning is stifling free expression and citizen engagement.

Protest. Council passed a new bylaw regulating public protest this week, legislation that some argue will not stand up in court.

Ransack the toolbox. In search of solutions to the growing affordable housing problem in Vancouver.

No casino. After much public debate, the proposed Edgewater Casino expansion was voted down by Vancouver council, stating that a larger casino would not fit Vancouver’s brand.

Taller buildings in Chinatown. Council has approved height increases for buildings in Chinatown but some are still concerned about the potential for gentrification and real estate speculation to drive out low-income residents.

Aww, it’s a mini Vancouver Special!

Image: conceptDawg via flickr

Tags
architecture, bylaws, Chinatown, city planning, Edgewater Casino, housing, MOVments, public space, real estate
MOVments
Posted by: Erin Brown John on April 21, 2011 at 10:45 am

Olympic Village. This week the City of Vancouver finally released it’s projections as to it’s financial losses resulting from the Olympic Village. However, while they have stated that actual losses will be $40-50 million, there are reasons for doubt, as the amount doesn’t include things such as the cost of the purchase of the land. Frances Bula has stated her concerns about the way that the numbers were presented to the press, and their accuracy. They are not considering a property tax increase at this time.

 

Public protest. The bylaw proposed last week that would ban all permanent structures built by protest groups on public property has been rewritten to allow protests outside consulates after heavy criticism that it specifically targeted Falun Gong protestors outside the Chinese consulate and concerns about freedom of speech.

Insite. Research results show that since the opening of Insite, deaths related to drug-overdose have decreased substantially in the Downtown East Side.

Save-on-Meats. An inside look and a lot of pictures of the renovations at Save-on-Meats and some of the exciting things planned for the space.

Rapid transit. An overview of the different proposals for rapid transit along Broadway to UBC.

Viaducts. Stephen Rees takes a close-up look at the land underneath the viaducts, and just how underutilized it is.

Sprawl. After taking possession of their treaty land, we get a first glimpse of what Tswassen First Nation has planned for it: a massive mall, larger than Metrotown and lots of low-density housing.

125 places. Vancouver Heritage Foundation has shortlisted 200 sites as it searches for 125 places that matter most to Vancouverites.

Image: unk’s dump truck via flickr.

Tags
bylaws, Downtown Eastside, drugs, Falun Gong, freedom of speech, Insite, MOVments, Olympic Village, Save-On-Meats, transit, urban planning, Vancouver Heritage Foundation, viaducts
MOVments
Posted by: Erin Brown John on April 10, 2011 at 3:27 pm

Public demonstrations. A proposed bylaw to limit Falun Gong demonstrations in front of the Chinese consulate and place restrictions on structures used in public demonstrations has sparked considerable debate and has some concerned about democratic rights and freedom of speech.Pivot Legal Society has expressed concern that this bylaw may also make temporary structures used by the homeless illegal.

And speaking of free speech, the BC Civil Liberties Association has taken the case of the woman ejected from a Skytrain by police for refusing to remove a button with the F word on it.

First Nations in public art. The electronic billboard beside the Burrard Street Bridge now features selected messages as part of the Digital Natives project. Read about the project here.

Viaducts. This week SFU hosted a forum on the future of the viaducts in Vancouver. Gordon Price provides a round-up of bloggers’ responses to the event.

Casino. The casino hearings continue. PavCo and Paragon Gaming have proposed reducing the number of slot machines planned for the development.

Save-on-Meats. The iconic Downtown East Side building will be renovated and include a new butcher shop and restaurant, rooftop garden, office space and incubator kitchen for new start-up businesses.

Garbage. What should we do with Vancouver’s garbage? There are two options on the table.

Eagle cams. It’s nesting season again and the Hancock Wildlife Foundation has set up a live stream of the nest at the Lafarge concrete plant. The eggs are expected to hatch around April 20.

Image: .mused, via flickr

Tags
bylaws, eagles, Edgewater Casino, Falun Gong, First Nations, garbage, homelessness, MOVments, Pivot Legal Society, public art, Save-On-Meats, UBC, viaducts