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MOVments: Vancouver, All Shook Up

Posted by: Anna Wilkinson on October 30, 2012 / 5:00 PM

Ever since the ground literally moved under our feet this weekend, we, like the rest of the province, have been thinking about how we can prepare for potentially earth-shattering changes in the future. The earthquake off the coast of Haida Gwaii has had Vancouverites rushing out to get trained in emergency preparedness procedures but other potentially seismic changes also have city-dwellers stirred up. Read on for some examples of how we're gearing up for changes to our community gardens, the density of our neighbourhoods, and the availability of sustainable lumber products.
 
Community Gardens Threatened. The possible demolition of the Georgia and Dunsmuir viaducts may mean that Cottonwood and Strathcona community gardens could be displaced. This fascinating piece from The Mainlander looks at the history and social significance of the community gardens in the area and raises the issue of "eco-gentrification." As the article points out, condominiums co-opting the "language of sustainability" have begun creating their own community gardens. However, they often do so without offering the same socio-economic benefits that come from more democratic, grass-root projects.
 
Dense Districts. Two areas in the city are looking at major changes in the near future: Little Mountain and Grandview-Boundary. While highrises are being proposed for one section of the soon to be redeveloped Little Mountain area, residents in the area adjacent to the site are consulting about what new "ground-level townhomes and multi-family units" will look like in their neighbourhood. Meanwhile, city officials are looking for ways to fund infrastructure for a new high-density commercial zone at Grandview-Boundary. The former industrial area is in need of improved sewer systems, sidewalks, and bike lanes to serve residents living and working in an area that has attracted big businesses such as Bell and HSBC.
 
UBC Prof Makes Good (Wood). Like most of you, we here at MOVments had no idea what Lauan was (or why it's so bad) before reading this recent Globe and Mail article. It turns out that the wood used to make the majority of movie sets in North America does huge environmental damage in places like Southeast Asia. But UBC professor Garvin Eddy is helping to change that. He has had a hand in developing Oregan-produced ScenicPly which is sourced from sustainable forestry projects. Although it costs more, Eddy is confident that it will provide a viable and environmentally-responsible alternative: "It’s never going to be as cheap as Lauan. [But] if you’re going to use Lauan, why don’t you just go and hire a bunch of 10-year-old kids to work in the studios? Because it’s the same thing."
 
First World Car Problems. Oh, and this happened in Richmond recently. Sigh.
 
At the MOVeum:
 
[Image: Old Georgia Street viaduct, 1939. Courtesy of the City of Vancouver Archives, CVA 371-2242]
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MOVments

MOVments

Posted by: Erin Brown John on June 21, 2011 / 4:47 PM

What a week! In a few short days we have been witness to everything that is good and bad about this city. There's been no shortage of news and commentary about the riot on and it's near-impossible to summarize. So this week, a few things to think about.

Brave people who do the right thing. Like these people who formed a human chain in front of a store to prevent it from being looted. Or this man who took a beating for his efforts, and the people who dragged him to safety.

The role of social media in all this. A social media riot made for TV. A tale of two riots.

Clean up. Recognize all the great work of volunteers, police and civil workers in putting the city back together.

Grief, gratitude and apology. Many Vancouverites gratitude for police. Plywood covering smashed out windows at the Bay and BMO Bank were covered with messages of apology, support for the team, police and volunteers, and condemnation of the riots. The apology wall at the Bay has since come down, but can be viewed in it's entirety here.

Parts of the wall will be stored permanently here at the Museum of Vancouver for future Vancouverites to see.

In other news:

Only Seafoods. The Only Seafoods returns! The newly renovated restaurant will be operated by the Portland Hotel Society and will feature the restaurant's original menu.

Architects. Cornelia Hahn Oberlander was recognized this week for her 60 year career in landscape architecture and Vancouver Magazine profiles Gregory Henriquez.

Cambie corridor. The BC Court of Appeal upheld the class action suit by Cambie Street merchants about Canada Line construction.

Community gardens. Inside Vancouver visits the community garden on the lawn at City Hall.

Multiple kite world champion. Open File visits one of the most dedicated kite fliers on the lawn outside the museum at Vanier Park. He makes kites do some pretty amazing things.

Image: Erin Brown-John

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The Only Sea Foods

MOVments

Posted by: Erin Brown John on May 23, 2011 / 3:53 PM

How the internet kills great neighbourhoods. More on the demise of Videomatica and other businesses that give our city character.

Viaducts. re:place continues it’s series about the Georgia and Dunsmuir viaducts, focusing this week on the present condition of the structure and a photoessay.

Housing. Vancouver’s real estate is now more expensive than New York and London. A new wave of foreign investment and speculation is driving prices up again, and some fear that there aren’t enough high-paying jobs to support the prices.

Industrial Land. We’ve all heard about protecting farmland and the ALR but demand for housing has put industrial land and the jobs that go with it under threat too.

Olympic Village. The deficiencies are being worked on and the units are finally selling. The City has received it’s first payment from condo sales since taking over the project.

Urban gardens. The Vancouver Sun looks at a couple urban gardens and green spaces around Vancouver.

Urban dance. An SFU student is the recipient of the Pierre Elliot Trudeau scholarship for her interdisciplinary work studying the effects of public dance performance in urban spaces.

Tolls on local roads? It’s under consideration.

A pool at Pigeon Park?

Image: Eryne Donahue and Neil Fletcher via the Vancouver Observer.

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MOVments of the week

Posted by: Erin Brown John on October 01, 2010 / 5:15 PM

 

Another round-up of the things we’ve been following.

The making of. The Vancouver Observer ran a great article with some background on how the Davie Village Community Garden came to be.

Poetry in transit. Ever wondered why there are poems posted inside buses?The Tyee has answers.

Accolades! Congratulations to the students at UBC who won an Emmy for their documentary about the dumping of E-waste in Ghana! Kudos for helping to raise the profile of a very important issue.

The headaches continue. BC Housing has rejected all bids to operate the social housing at the Olympic Village. The City is now looking into the possibility of having to take on the financial burden of guaranteeing loans for potential operators, but the situation has provided another setback in it’s efforts to have the units occupied by winter.

Meanwhile, the developer of the Olympic Village has been having difficulty paying off it’s loan to the City. The City is now going after other assets held by the company and finding that many are already mortgaged.

Recommended viewing. Finally, if you have a bit of time to kill, check out 50 videos about urban planning via Democrablog.

Image credit: Steve Luscher via flickr.

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community gardens
housing
Olympic Village
poetry
social housing
transit
urban planning

Exploring the local food revival

Posted by: Rosemary Poole on April 20, 2010 / 10:55 AM

 

 

 

As our Twitter followers will have noticed, we’ve started flagging stories from here and elsewhere about the surging popularity of eating food grown locally. Credit Vancouver writers Alisa Smith and James MacKinnon for giving the local movement traction with their popular 100-Mile Diet blog, book, and television series, and the many Vancouver restaurants who champion regional suppliers (far too many places to list but Raincity Grill and C restaurant come to mind).

In August, we open a feature exhibition that will explore the homegrown scene through a collection of new photographic works. We’ll supplement the show with a series of public programs designed to educate and inspire. Stay tuned. In the meantime, we’ll continue to post about news and ideas relating to all this—there’s certainly no shortage of them.

First published in 2008, Edible Estates spotlighted the return of the kitchen garden. The just-published—and expanded—second edition looks at eight “regional prototype gardens” planted by author Fritz Haeg around the U.S. There are also essays by leading edible-landscape thinkers such as landscape architect like Rosalind Creasy, and Michael Pollan, the unofficial voice of the sustainable-food movement. The book is beautifully designed, too; lots to inspire.

Last week, I tweeted about a great slideshow on Instructurist that looks at the emergence of urban farms in inner-city neighbourhoods in parts of the U.S. It’s worth mentioning again; the range of interpretations is fascinating.

Vancouver’s version of an urban farm is taking shape on Hastings Street next to the Astoria Hotel. Called SOLEfood, it’s a project from United We Can that employs neighbourhood residents. This spring, they’ll harvest their first crop. Visit their blog for more information and ways you can get involved. Right now, they’re looking for garden tool donations.

Lots more ahead on this topic. Send us your own ideas and observations, too.

Image credit: Art Book

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community gardens
local food
urban farms
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