OPINION 10
WEDNESDAY
April 29 2015
Houses make good neighbours
Vol. 106 No. 33
CITY LIVING 12
Movie poster mania THEATRE 22
Sweeney Todd a cut above There’s more online at
vancourier.com MIDWEEK EDITION
THE VOICE of VANCOUVER NEIGHBOURHOODS since 1908
Land sale raises fears Residents meet to discuss Jericho
Naoibh O’Connor
noconnor@vancourier.com
WHEEL MAD Eager skater Theo Caseley, 12, was among hundreds of people who gathered Sunday to rally in support of the skatepark in Mount Pleasant Park. PHOTO CHUNG CHOW
Skatepark’s fate put on hold Skaters ‘scapegoated’ Megan Stewart
mstewart@vancourier.com
Like a mid-trick ollie, the future of the Mount Pleasant skatepark hangs in the balance. The Vancouver park board decided Monday night to defer its decision to tear out the 430-square-foot concrete landscape on West 16th Avenue. Instead, the NPA-majority board voted for more public input and a revised report, one that looks more closely at a transparent, noise-dampening wall. “Perhaps the options up there […] are
maybe a little extreme at this point,” said park board chairman John Coupar of the NPA. “There may be other ways to mitigate the noise that we haven’t fully considered before if we’re able to find a way forward, perhaps that solves a problem for everybody and is respectful of the tax dollars we’ve already spent.” Because of three dozen neighbourhood noise complaints (some potentially from the same residents) and $26,000 worth of extra nighttime surveillance spanning the three years since the park was built, a staff report recommended planting grass in place of the skatepark or simplifying the ramps and rails to appeal to only beginners. Tearing out the park would cost $40,000 and downgrading it $25,000.
The park cost $80,000 to build. The possibility of a new skatepark at Jonathan Rogers Park — potentially the city’s 10th just nine blocks north — hinges on the future of the West 16th Avenue spot. Vision Vancouver Commissioner Catherine Evans asked if there is really “such a thing as a beginner skateboard park” since anyone on a skateboard can make the most of a basic curb. Despite standing room only at the meeting hall on Beach Drive, commissioners did not formally hear from any speakers before deciding to seek more feedback and revised recommendations. The 60-minute debate was punctuated by comments and applause from the crowd. Continued on page 3
Provincial government talks regarding the potential sale of its 38.4-acre portion of the Jericho Lands promises to be a hot topic at West Point Grey Residents Association’s April 29 public meeting. The meeting was initially arranged to focus on the Department of National Defense property — the 52-acre parcel of Jericho Lands that the federal government sold for development in October. But WPGRA spokesperson Phyllis Tyers said now both sites will be discussed at the meeting. “It was supposed to be focused on the DND portion, but I’m sure there’s going to be a lot of questions regarding the province now,” she said, adding that the association is concerned the province will sell the land without public consultation. Last fall, three First Nations — Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh — announced they’d partnered with Canada Lands, a federal Crown corporation, to acquire the 52-acre part of the site. The federal government sold the land, which sits between West Fourth Avenue and Highbury Street to the east and Eighth Avenue to the south, for $237 million. The provincial government portion of Jericho Lands is located immediately to the west and stretches to Discovery Street. It houses Vancouver Parks Board facilities — the Jericho Hill Centre and the Jericho Hill Gym and Pool, as well as West Point Grey Academy. These leases run until 2020. Word of exploratory talks taking place between the provincial government and First Nations emerged in a Global News piece in December. Vancouver-Point Grey NDP MLA David Eby asked the government on April 15 about its talks with First Nations, a potential sale, and whether there would be public consultation beforehand. Amrik Virk, Minister of Technology, Innovation and Citizens’ Services, responded to Eby by saying that more formal talks had indeed begun. Continued on page 4
DYSLEXIA DIDN’T STOP ALBERT. We don’t let dyslexia or language-related learning disabilities affect our students, either. They learn differently, and we offer them an education in a setting where they can thrive. See for yourself at the Fraser Academy Open House: Thursday, May 14, 9:30-11:15am. For more info or to RSVP, visit www.fraseracademy.ca or call 604 736 5575. © Estate of Yousuf Karsh