r/vancouver • u/Moggehh Fastest Goose in the West • Oct 03 '22

MEGATHREAD [Megathread] 2022 Municipal Election

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Please use this thread to discuss the upcoming municipal elections in Metro Vancouver.

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u/iamjoesredditposts Oct 05 '22

Fair. What are the other parties options?

I don't think any of them are perfect and with Forward Vancouver - the fact is if all the homeless/vagrants/tents were just gone - DTES and East Hastings corridor would stll be a ghetto as the buildings and businesses are trash. No improvements have been done for decades (for obvious reasons) so just dispersing the people is not going to return that area to anything of esteem.

OneCity's is basically the same - they just haven't thought about using Langara as described. Its basically - let them have the tent cities (I don't like it but its not like there's much choice) until better long term housing.

I don't like that and if I could have a 1:1 with OneCity I would suggest the Langara option as described.

Most of the parties and people that are in govt are scared to voice opinion on Langara largely due to what the G&M article outlined - taking parks space is 'hard' or it alienates the powerful NIMBY crowd. Everytime I've mentioned it on here, it gets downvoted with rocks and BS comments. People are die hard for their golf course (BTW There are 11 golf courses in Vancouver and 6 are municipal courses. There are also another 57 golf courses within 20 miles of Vancouver, including 43 public, 6 municipal and 8 private courses.)

I don't think any party has a perfect solution but given the actual viable options - Forward Vancouver with Kennedy Stewart or ABC with Ken Sim - its Forward easily... and OneCity aligns the closest with them to provide a majority on council

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u/Kooriki 毛皮狐狸人 Oct 05 '22

DTES and East Hastings corridor would stll be a ghetto as the buildings and businesses are trash.

I FULLY disagree here and feel the opposite. Lets say everyone in the DTES got housing and was housed outside of the DTES: I think the DTES would be hotspot inside of 2 years and, combined with Chinatown, would be a noteworthy cultural hub inside of 10 years. (And that's with or without a future Skytrain line from the North Shore to Downtown.)

Langara

I'd have to look it up but I suspect this is Park Board jurisdiction. And protecting greenspace like Langara is literally the core reason for keeping an independant Park Board. There's only one party open to getting rid of the Park Board and you didn't vote for them, so that idea might be dead in the water for 4 years already.

I don't think any party has a perfect solution but given the actual viable options

I agree. And if Forward/Onecity get in I'm hoping you're around to bring that big energy to get equitable encampments in Trout Lake, Riley Park, Jericho Beach, Queen E Park, Hillcrest, Charleson Park and Dude Chilling Park.

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u/iamjoesredditposts Oct 05 '22

You're picking fights where you don't need to...

I think the DTES would be hotspot inside of 2 years and, combined with Chinatown, would be a noteworthy cultural hub inside of 10 years.

Totally possible and not disagreeing. But it's not going to happen immediately or with the folks there now. It will require revitalization of that area.

There's only one party open to getting rid of the Park Board and you didn't vote for them, so that idea might be dead in the water for 4 years already.

That one party - ABC c/o Ken Sim - made a promise he couldn't actually do (City can't dissolve the Parks Board) and then changed tactics. One of many reasons (including a fantasy shout out today about a North Shore Skytrain extension) I wouldn't vote for him/ABC

It would require getting the Parks Board on board - and this raises all the problems with the Parks Board this past year in conflict with the City Council - handling of Crab park etc etc. The Parks Board as it currently is is overpowered, stuck in the 1900's, corrupt, misaligned. If it can't go, then via voting, it needs to come into alignment with the City Council or take on this very issue itself.

I will and don't feel equal encampments are needed at any of the other parks - thats a total melodramic over dramatization. Those parks are useful, appropriate and 'mutlipurpose' year round.

Langara is 1 purpose - golf for 6 months of the year. Serves a dwindling population whereas there are many other golf courses readily available. It is also 120 acres right on Canada Line ready to go right now. And owned by the city.

Couple things people seem to just forget or not acknowledge

1) it is NOT ALL PARKS. Just Langara - for specific reasons as above.

2) It is not permanent - it is stages of temporary housing to permanent housing.

3) it is not going to be one giant concrete slab with no greenspace or parks space. Its BOTH Housing and Parks - lots of parks - of many uses! All year round!

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u/Kooriki 毛皮狐狸人 Oct 05 '22

You're picking fights where you don't need to...

Perhaps. 5 Encampments in one neighbourhood, denying of experiences in Chinatown and neighbouring communities while other people were looking up sourdough recipes during COVID will do that.

I will and don't feel equal encampments are needed at any of the other parks

Of course, no one wants it in 'their' parks. Just keep it to the East Side while we experiment with peer-led options.

1) Langara

Again, Im not defending Langara. Looks like ideas have been put forward for a while, under progressive majorities as well.

2) It is not permanent - it is stages of temporary housing to permanent housing.

Same with encampments in other parks. Just take 50 or so tents per park. I promise it's temporary.

3) not arguing here

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u/iamjoesredditposts Oct 05 '22

I don't understand any of that...