Published monthly by the University Neighbourhoods Association Published monthly by the University Neighbourhoods Association
Volume 3, Issue 5
MAY 14, 2012
UNA/UBC-Funded Project Puts Haitian and Local Kids in Touch
Need for Dog Bylaw Nudges Upwards with Dog Population Estimated 1,000-2,000 dogs are now resident on UBC campus; while most are well-behaved, “unfortunate incidents” involving dogs are not unknown
Adult and young members of a group of campus residents which was successful in gaining an award under the joint UNA/ UBC Community Grant program gather at The Old Barn Community Centre for a video showing. The residents organized a project in which a video camera was sent to Haiti allowing school children there to make a film about themselves. The kids in Haiti and at UBC then swapped films about one another. Please turn to Page 5 for further details.
Transportation Minister Lets Local Metro Director Join Mayors’ Council This gives UBC and UEL residents voice on how TransLink is run Legislation introduced in Victoria May 7 enables the director for Electoral Area ‘A’ (currently Maria Harris) to sit on the Mayors’ Council on Regional Transportation, giving local residents a say in how TransLink is operated. Transportation and Infrastructure Min-
ister Blair Lekstrom introduced changes to the South Coast British Columbia Transportation Authority Act that include adding the director for Electoral Area ‘A’ to the Mayors’ Council. Electoral Area ‘A’ is part of Metro Vancouver and includes several unincorporated communities, including the University of British Columbia, University Endowment Lands, as well as Bowyer Island and Barnston Island. Mr. Lekstrom said, “After numerous discussions with the Mayors’ Council, I
have brought in changes to enhance the existing governance model. TransLink’s planning and decision-making processes will be strengthened by adding the director for Electoral Area ‘A’ to the Mayors’ Council, changing the timeline for base plans, allowing for periodic performance audits to be requested and adding two mayors to the board of directors.
COUNCIL continued on Page 4
UBC Uses Volleyball As Tool to Promote Village Shops in village need more business, spokesperson say The University of British Columbia has come up with a unique way of marketing its ‘village’ in South Campus: volleyball.
The UBC development permit board was expected to approve an application by UBC Properties Trust May 9 for the right to install eight volleyball courts on a parcel of raw land four blocks southeast of the village centre in Wesbrook Place. The parcel of land is not due for property development for up to five years. In the meantime, assuming a development
permit from the board, its courts will be used for league volleyball organized by Urban Rec, Vancouver’s premier provider of coed volleyball with over 60 courts under management around the Lower Mainland. VOLLEYBALL continued on Page 10
Thomas Beyer, vice-chair of the University Neighbourhoods Association, sums up his frustration—and the frustration of fellow members of the UNA board—at the absence of an animal control bylaw on campus with a few choice words: “Why the heck does it takes 20 years to get bylaws in place at UBC?” Mr. Beyer raised the question recently after hearing about what he calls “an unfortunate incident” in which a campus resident walking her small dog suffered both incivility and mental anguish at the hands of a neighbour whose large dog was running off-leash outside their condominium building. The anguish came when the large canine bit the small one several times in the neck. The incivility came next when the male owner of the large dog said to the distraught owner of the small dog, “There is no law stating dogs must be on leash on the UBC lands!” Mr. Beyer considers absence of a UBC animal control bylaw (or any other kind of bylaw on campus) especially egregious since it has prevailed for so long. “This is an unfortunate incident,” he says. “And it is indeed a shame that 20 years after the first residents moved into Hampton Place we still do not have a valid pet or noise bylaw for UBC residents.” The lack of any kind of bylaw on campus—not just a dog bylaw—has become a millstone around the necks of UNA directors who are fighting to get the residential areas on campus they are responsible for onto an acceptable legal and administrative footing. For example, gung-ho directors drafted what they thought was a good parking bylaw in the fall of 2008. To this very hour, however it remains in only draft form—final approval not yet hatched due to legal difficulties in making it enforceable (though an interim set of enforceable regulations was recently cobbled together with the provincial government to clear the streets of improperly-parked cars). Likewise, draft forms of a noise bylaw and animal control bylaw remain wellintended but impotent without final legal approval. Mr. Beyer judges the situation to be especially galling given the model presence of a raft of bylaws just a mile away in the city of Vancouver.
DOGS continued on Page 9
page 2
THE CAMPUS RESIDENT MAY 14, 2012
Campus Community Comes Together For Multicultural Family Resource Fair
Face of happiness.
By Nathaly Mujica, Resident, UBC Campus The campus residential community is rich in vibrant cultural diversity. The community enjoys a dynamic influx of newcomers from around the world. These unique qualities make accessing information about family services, particularly children’s health care, of vital importance to new members of the community. Over the past four years, Kitsilano Neighborhood House, in partnership with UBC Student Housing and Hospitality Services and Vancouver Coastal Health, has organized the Multicultural Family Resource Fair to meet this need. This year’s Multicultural Family Resource Fair took place on March 30, 2012 at the UBC Acadia Park Commons Block. The Fair was open to the entire campus community and was offered free of charge. Close to 20 non-profit community and health service organizations were present at this year’s Fair, offering a large variety of exhibits with information on a wide variety of topics which were of interest to families with children up to five years of age. Exhibits were engaging, comprehensive and multilingual, and featured vision, dental, nutrition, safety and daycare services as well as library, immigration and employment information. Katy Soobrian, a Fair attendant, who had just moved to UBC campus three weeks before the Fair said “I found this very helpful in finding a doctor, finding out about the local libraries and just getting connected.” The Fair also featured entertainment including: face painting, story time sessions, Annie Bannanie The Clown, NSANSA Folk-African-Latin Musical Trio, and prize draws sponsored by the UBC Bookstore, IGA, Safeway, Melonhead, Choices, Physio Works, Craft Works, Purdy’s,
Starbucks, Terra Breads and Capers. The Fair strives to provide new campus residents with a broad range of information about community services available to newcomers in addition to providing an opportunity for families with diverse cultural backgrounds to connect with new friends and neighbours, promoting the integration and cultural enrichment of the campus community. Susanne Duska, a Fair attendant commented “it is nice to find ways for people from different cultures to talk to each other.” The 2012 Fair was successful in a large part due to the invaluable contribution of over 30 volunteers who provided logistical support, entertainment and helped prepare snacks, which were very popular, especially with children. The volunteers also provided child care so parents could participate fully and visit the exhibits. Katy Potter, an event volunteer, said “it is nice to see everyone having a good time.” Ms. Potter added “there are many languages and someone is always able to help translate, which is amazing.” Patricia Paz, Kits House staff and event organizer, observed, “the success of this event wouldn’t have been possible without the team work of organizers, exhibitors, sponsors and volunteers. The Campus Community Grant that we got for this event (provided in part by UBC and the University Neighbourhoods Association) also lets us improve the quality of the event by getting better prizes for the draw, entertainment and healthy foods for all participants. The best reward is to see the smiles on children’s faces and the comments we heard from parents, exhibitors and volunteers at the end of the event. We are very excited thinking about next year’s Fair and in what ways we can improve it”. Suggestions and ideas for future Multicultural Family Resource Fairs can submitted to frontdesk@kitshouse.org.
Beware the jolly green dragon!
Happy faces, young and old, show how much children and their parents enjoy Multicultural Family Resource Fair at UBC on March 30.
THE CAMPUS RESIDENT MAY 14, 2012
page 3 Published by: University Neighbourhoods Association #202-5923 Berton Avenue, Vancouver, BC V6S OB3
Editorial Page Making Campus ‘Lawful’ A year ago, the provincial government gave UBC the right to enact bylaws. In the case of bylaws affecting mainly residents, they would become bylaws of the University Neighbourhoods Association. To date, UBC has not enacted one UNA bylaw, and this has caused considerable frustration among residents—especially the resident directors of the UNA who are answerable to residents. Everyone wonders why UBC is taking so long to make campus ‘lawful’. In the meantime, situations arise which would not otherwise arise if a body of bylaws prevailed on campus. Some of the situations are relatively benign; others not so. As to a benign situation, consider the absence of a noise bylaw. As you will read elsewhere in this issue of the Campus Resident, UBC has to ‘borrow’ from the Vancouver noise control bylaw in order to regulate a volleyball league about to leap into existence in the Wesbrook Place neighbourhood in South Campus. Rightly catering to residents living in Wesbrook Place, UBC wishes to control the noise of cheering and shouting that inevitable accompanies a highly-competitive game. It has no UNA bylaw to rely
on, however, and this has forced UBC to use the Vancouver bylaw as a standard. In a situation much less benign, the absence of an animal control bylaw left a campus resident in a state of physical shock. The shock came in two parts. First the resident—while walking her small dog on a leash outside her apartment building—witnessed her dog being bitten several times in the neck by a large dog running off-leash. Secondly moments later, the resident heard the owner of the large dog—a neighbour—essentially laugh off the unfortunate incident, saying, “There is no law stating dogs must be on leash on the UBC lands!” With a noise control bylaw in place in residential neighbourhoods on campus, UBC would not have to be rummaging around for standards from other jurisdictions. With an animal control bylaw in place, it might prevent the kind of incivility suffered by the woman while walking her dog on campus. These two situations speak poorly of a community without bylaws. To end this unacceptable situation, the UBC board of governors should start enacting bylaws at its next meeting.
Community Grant Program Proves Worthwhile Over the past three months, the Campus Resident has reported on projects funded under the Community Grant Program. This program is jointly funded by the University Neighbourhoods Association and various UBC departments, notably campus and community planning. About $10,000 in awards has been granted to applicants under the terms of this program with no project receiving more than $1,000. In this way 10 or 11 projects have been funded, and all these projects—according to our reports—have contributed to adding a ‘human element’ to the process of building a community on campus land. On Page 1 of this newspaper, you will find a report on the ‘sharing youth experiences’ project whose organizers applied for—and received—the modest grant of $452.00. These funds went towards the cost of buying a hand-held video camera so that once this camera was sent to earthquake-blighted Haiti, it could be used by school-children there to make a film of these lives at home, school and play—this film then to be sent to UBC. At the same time, school-children on the UBC campus sent their counterparts in Haiti a film about how they are growing up here. All this comes as a prelude to the group in Vancouver raising money for relief of the school in Haiti. In a second community-grant project reported in this issue (Page 2), a UBC
group applied for—and received—funds for organizing a multicultural family resource fair at the Acadia commons block on campus. Family members attending this fair spoke of it as a wonderful medium for getting to know about the best health care facilities for children on campus, how to go about applying for local daycare places, where best to search for affordable housing, and so forth. Meanwhile, in our March issue, we carried reports of three quite diverse projects which received funding under the community grant program. In one project, residents and students were invited to jointly paint a canvas with circles as way of harmonizing relations between them. In another project, doctoral students competed to see who could best explain three years of complex research work to the listening, lay public in three minutes. In a third project, students housed in Green College—none of them with acting experience—brought Shakespeare to a group of diners. These projects range from the entertaining to the educational. Yet all seem centered in the concept of making the campus community more lively and humane at modest cost. Kudos go, then, to both the UNA and UBC campus and community planning for making this project possible. (Awards in a new round of community grants will be announced shortly.)
Editor & Business Manager John Tompkins 604.827.3502 JTompkins@myuna.ca
Why I Have Enjoyed Serving on the UNA Board – and Why You Should Consider Running By Erica Frank, UNA director What I like best about having served for two terms on the board of the University Neighbourhoods Association is that I have gotten to: Address troubling issues: I believe that I was recruited and elected to the board because I am clear about the remarkable opportunities we have to build a ‘bright green’ community, compulsively volunteer to fix problems, and because I enjoy standing up against bullies. You may have a different set of opportunities or threats that you respond to, but if you notice things (events, places, people, objects) in our neighbourhood and have opinions about them, it’s a splendid way to have those opinions transformed into realities. Be in community: As a recent immigrant, it has been educational to collaborate with others who come from cultures, beliefs, politics, and experiences foreign to mine, as we have a multicultural constituency and political party-unaffiliated board. I have worked with and befriended so many neighbours, transcending boundaries that often arise from differences. Leave a legacy: When I walk out my door, I get to see playground equipment I co-selected, a community center I helped design, fruit trees I lobbied to get planted, community gardens whose establishment we encouraged and authorized, and a cof-
Erica Frank. fee shop whose vendor I co-chose. And why might you want to run beyond those reasons? There are three seats open this election cycle (two that may be opposed by incumbents, and one new one), making this one of the most auspicious times in the UNA’s history to run. And while many fundamental conditions have been established for our neighbourhoods, there are still plenty of interesting and foundational issues to address around governance, campus as a living lab, sustainability (environmental, financial, and social), and having our actions reflect our commitments. So, come to a UNA board meeting, see what we do, and consider joining us on the board.
Hampton Student Scores Award in Dunbar Outstanding contribution of Sujin Park to community is recognized; Sujin is also an outstanding student Sujin Park, a Grade 12 University Hill Secondary School student who lives in Hampton Place with her parents and sister, was awarded a $750 bursary on April 25 at the annual general meeting of the Dunbar Community Centre. This award was given in recognition of Sujin’s extraordinary contributions to the community centre and other community organizations and her school along with outstanding academic achievement. Sujin plans to enroll at UBC in the fall and to study sciences with the eventual goal of obtaining a medical degree.
Hampton Place resident Sujin Park is presented award for numerous accomplishments by Ted Hunt, member on the board of Dunbar Commuinity Centre.
See Letters to the Editor on page 4
page 4
THE CAMPUS RESIDENT MAY 14, 2012
Letters to the Editor Residents have themselves to Thank for Water Rate Refund As president of the strata council at Reflections in Hawthorn Place I was delighted to receive a letter from Pierre Ouillet, vice president, finance resources and operations at UBC, and a fat cheque, in connection with the refund of over payment of our water utilities. I wish to commend Jim Taylor for his diligence in getting to the bottom of this, to the UNA board for pressing the matter, and to UBC for stepping up to the plate and taking the right course of action. However, I was somewhat disturbed to find the following two statements in the material accompanying the letter: 1. Is this an example of the problems with unclear governance? 2. This is an example of UBC and the UNA working collaboratively to provide clarity and transparency in relation to service delivery.
While the resolution of this issue was indeed an example of collaboration, I believe this would not have come to pass if not for questions raised repeatedly by residents about high water rates over a number of years. I have personally asked for this to be investigated at several meetings of strata chairs and UNA gatherings and I know that several other residents have also raised the issue on numerous occasions. In view of this, perhaps an appropriate conclusion is that this is evidence of a failure of governance as I do not believe that either the UNA or UBC would have acted were it not for the efforts of residents. The attempt to use this as a demonstration of the effectiveness of existing governance structures seems unwarranted. John Dickinson, Resident, Hawthorn Place
Join us on FACEBOOK! The Old Barn Community Centre and the
The University Neighbourhoods Association Keep up to date with the latest news, public service announcements, events, and The Old Barn Community Centre’s programming!
Campus Residents should not Defer to Metro on Transportation Issues I reply to Gary Gibson’s letter in the last issue of the Campus Resident. I disagree with Gary about the reasonableness of the UNA and UBC considering their options in relation to ensuring the strongest possible voice for our residents and UBC on TransLink. The history of transportation initiatives in this area has nothing to do with the GVRD! Nor with the GVRD Director! They have all emanated from either the UNA or UBC. UBC (and its students) have shaped a truly ground breaking transportation agreement (UPass). And the residents (UNA) spent several years (without any help from anyone except UBC) attempting to introduce a similar program (ComPass). I see nothing unusual for those who have shown the only interest in these issues in our area wanting to ensure that they have representation on TransLink. I disagree with Gary that we should defer
Letters to the Editor & Opinions Include name, address and telephone number. Maximum lengths: Letters 400 words. Opinions 750 words. We may edit or decline to publish any submission.
to the GVRD’s Electoral Area A Director and let her represent us in this respect. Maria Harris is the elected Director of Electoral Area A. At a personal level I think she is a pleasant person. But the fact is that the UNA and UBC have, as a result of the antagonistic conduct and threats of the GVRD, been removed by the Province from the GVRD’s zoning jurisdiction. In my opinion, the GVRD never did (nor does it do) anything positive for our community. As a GVRD director Maria’s obligation is to uphold the GVRD’s interests and not those of UNA residents and UBC. So, in my opinion, it is wise for the UNA and UBC to consider the nature of TransLink representation. Indeed, I would be disappointed if the UNA was not looking after our interest as residents in this way. By the way, and conceding it is a quibble, when Gary says that “Twice, [Maria] received resounding majorities from voters on the UBC Campus and the UEL”, I think he is wrong. In the 2011 election Maria did receive a resounding majority (although there is no way on the data that the GVRD keeps on its website to determine where this support came from – whether Campus or the UEL). However, in the previous election (2008) Maria won by 10 votes (219 compared to 209). Three other candidates took 315 votes. Winning by a 10-vote margin, while drawing about 30% of the total, may hardly be described as a resounding majority. Jim Taylor, Resident, Hampton Place
Open Letter to UNA Chair Prod Laquian UNA should Deal More Respectfully with Metro Vancouver As a resident of Hampton Place, I have been following the exchange between the UNA and Metro Vancouver concerning local governance with some interest and concern, and would like to make a few comments. Before doing so, I should say that I think the UNA has generally been doing an excellent job within its limited sphere of responsibility. However, for those in the community who favour a fully empowered local government, the UNA can never fulfil this role. I believe that the UNA has pretty well maxed out on the functions it can assume. It will never be able to enact bylaws, set tax rates, and so forth. I am puzzled as to why the UNA is so adamantly opposed to Metro Vancouver making an attempt to determine the views of residents on governance. Anyone who is prepared to go to the effort and expense to find out what we, the residents, think should be encouraged. I realize that Metro Vancouver has not committed to a survey, and as a first step would like to meet with the UNA and others. However, this matter started within Metro Vancouver as a desire to determine the views of residents, and I am assuming that Metro Vancouver would still like to see that happen one way or another. One can question the wisdom of surveying residents at this time, but that is a different issue. In my view, a survey should be conducted only after there has been a serious and unbiased effort to raise the level of awareness of the governance question within the community, including identifying the pros and cons of all the options. A survey conducted before this has been
done is unlikely to reflect the informed views of residents and may be worthless. The UNA has taken the position that Metro Vancouver has no role in connection with an exploration of governance matters in our community. I would point out one thing that may have been overlooked. The legislation that provides for restructure planning grants would require, in our case, that any grant be paid to Metro Vancouver. Given this, I don’t see how the position can be maintained that Metro Vancouver has no role. In considering this matter, I have wondered what the UNA’s source of “authority” is to study local governance reform, and to otherwise become involved with the reform question. The purposes set out in the UNA’s Constitution do not appear, to me at least, to encompass such activity. Moreover, the funds which the UNA receives from UBC are required by the Constitution to be used in the fulfilment of the purposes set out in the Constitution. If those purposes do not include the study of local governance, then it would seem that the UNA should not be using the Neighbours’ Fund for that purpose. (I make the assumption that this restriction on the use of funds is intended to apply to the Neighbours’ Fund, even though the money is not actually received by the UNA. If this assumption is incorrect, the question still stands: is it a legitimate use of the Neighbours’ Fund to apply it to the study of governance?) The issue of whether our governance model should be changed is not owned by the UNA. Nor is it owned by Metro Vancouver, and certainly not by UBC. How-
ever, all these bodies, including Metro Vancouver, can play a valuable role in facilitating an open and informed discussion within the community. But nothing can happen without grass-roots interest in considering change. As you are no doubt aware, Victoria will entertain and assist with a consideration of reform—be it the formation of a municipality or amalgamation with Vancouver—only if they are satisfied that there is a broad base of community support for exploring these options. Returning to the UNA’s responses to Metro Vancouver, it behooves the UNA to set a good example and act co-operatively with governments. The UNA’s constitution requires it “to promote, in the conduct
of business and work of the Association, qualities of good neighbours, including civility, fairness, good faith, respect and understanding”. One can reasonably conclude that this requirement has not been respected in the UNA’s dealings with Metro Vancouver. Any comments you have on the above would be most welcome. Preferably they would take the form of an article in the Campus Resident, so that all residents obtain a better understanding of the UNA’s position and role in the matter of local governance reform.
COUNCIL continued from Page 1
The board provides oversight of TransLink’s strategic planning, finances, major capital projects and operations and makes decisions in the interest of TransLink within the limits established by the act. The Mayors’ Council contains representatives from each of the 21 municipalities, as well as the Tsawwassen First Nation, from within the transportation service region and collectively represents the viewpoints and interests of the citizens of the region. The Mayors’ Council appoints the board of directors for TransLink and the Commissioner. It approves any supplemental transportation and financial plans prepared by TransLink, including related funding and borrowing limits.
“I firmly believe the legislative changes (in Bill 51) will strike a balance between the mayors’ interests and keeping a professional board of directors for TransLink. TransLink must continue to be operated from a regional perspective, versus community by community decision-making.” TransLink is Metro Vancouver’s regional transportation authority. As guided by the South Coast British Columbia Transportation Authority Act, TransLink has a multi-tiered governance structure that includes: the board of directors, the Mayors’ Council on Regional Transportation and the Regional Transportation Commissioner.
Bill Holmes, Resident, Hampton Place
THE CAMPUS RESIDENT MAY 14, 2012
page 5
UNA/UBC-Funded Project Puts Haitian and Local Kids in Touch ‘Sharing youth experiences’ project is jointly funded by the UNA and UBC; school children from two countries exchange videos about their lives at school, home and play When campus resident Maria du Monceau heard the school where her sister teaches in far-away Haiti needed financial assistance due to a recent earthquake there, she thought to begin providing it by raising money for the school. Then, Ms. Monceau—along with fellow campus residents Daniela Welkner, Patricia Gonzales, Faride Unda and Yully Vivanco—thought of a better way to begin. “The fund-raising would come later” she said. First would come a collaboration that called for their children and the children of other campus residents (many with ties to Spanishspeaking countries in South America) to share their experiences of growing up at UBC with the children in Haiti. At the same time, Haiti children would share youthful experiences with their campus counterparts.
To make this project work, the determined UBC mums—all either UBC employees or the wives of UBC researchers—decided to buy a hand-held video camera (camcorder) and have the device delivered to the school in Haiti. The group then succeeded in gaining an award under the Community Grant program jointly funded by the University Neighbourhoods Association and UBC to cover the expense of buying the $452 camcorder and shipping it to Ecole Mixte Saint Charles Borromee (school) in Port au Prince, capital of Haiti. Now came the time for the kids in both Port au Prince and at UBC to get busy furthering this fine project by creating videos of themselves enjoying school, sports, recreation and other experiences. The group of UBC kids—all attending University Hill Elementary School— included: Belen Gajardo, 12, in Grade 7; Faride Anda, 12, in Grade 7; Valentina Rosalles, 10, in Grade 8; Leonardo Velasquez, 12, in Grade 6; and Diego Pizarro, 11, in Grade 6. Happily attended by both adult and young members of the UNA group, a showing of both films - each less than a half-hour long - took place Friday, April 27 at The Old Barn Community Centre.
School children in Haiti sent their counterparts at UBC a video about their lives thanks to a community grant project jointly funded by the University Neighbourhoods Association and UBC.
page 6
THE CAMPUS RESIDENT MAY 14, 2012
Jesuit Scientist-Priests Lead Cathol Father Robert Allore, SJ, pastor and chaplain is a geneticist; Father John McCarthy, SJ, assistant pastor and chaplain is an ecologist The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Vancouver has assigned two Jesuit scientist-priests—both of whom have been described as having an ‘earthy spirituality’—to head its new parish on the UBC campus. Father Robert Allore, SJ, pastor and chaplain, and Father John McCarthy, SJ, assistant pastor and chaplain, hope the new St. Mark’s Parish will grow and become an integral part of the faith and service life of UBC, the university neighbourhoods, the University Endowment Lands (UEL) and the broader Vancouver area. Father Rob said, “We actively support efforts that promote dialogue between the traditions of science and religion.” Father John said, “At the same time, we hope to build bridges between sometimes separated communities that, we believe, need to work together for the benefit of all.” St. Mark’s Parish, formed at the beginning of the year to serve students, faculty, staff and local residents, brings together the former worshipping communities of St. Ignatius of Antioch Parish and St. Mark’s College in Chancellor Place. In partnership with student support provided by the campus ministry team at St. Mark’s College (at 5935 Iona Drive), the new St. Mark’s Parish will also deliver services to the UBC hospital system.
As befits a parish in an institution of higher education, Father Rob and Father John arrive at UBC well-qualified in their respective fields of science. Father Rob is a geneticist who conducts research on gene therapy strategies for the nervous system, while Father John is an ecologist who specializes in Boreal forest ecology and the biology of lichens. Father Rob received a B.Sc. in biology from the University of Ottawa and a Ph.D. in immunology from the University of Toronto. Moving from the area of immunology to neurobiology, Father Rob’s research has, in recent years, focused on the subject of gene expression in the nervous system. He joined the Society of Jesus in 1990, completing philosophy studies at Loyola University in Chicago and theology studies at Regis College at the University of Toronto. He was ordained a Roman Catholic priest in 2001. While pursuing his training as a Jesuit, Father Rob worked at Montreal General Hospital’s division of Neurosurgery where he conducted research on gene therapy strategies for the nervous system. Before moving to Vancouver, he worked for several years at the Samuel Lunenfeld Research Institute at Mt. Sinai Hospital, investigating the genetics of nervous system development. While serving at St. Mark’s Parish, he will continue his genetics research in the UBC Department of Zoology. Father John began his university studies at Memorial University of Newfoundland where he enrolled in the pre-forestry program. In 1980, he graduated from the University of New Brunswick with a B.Sc./For. in forest tree biology. He earned an M. Sc. in soil science at the
(Left to right) Father Robert Allore, Archbishop Michael Miller and Father John McCarthy at
THE CAMPUS RESIDENT MAY 14, 2012
page 7
lics in New Parish on UBC Campus University of Florida and a Ph.D. in forest ecology at UBC. He received a degree in theology at the L’Institut D’Études Théologiques in Brussels and a further degree in systematic theology from Regis College at the University of Toronto. Father John was ordained a Roman Catholic priest in 1994. Father John is a specialist in boreal forest ecology and the biology of lichens, important biological indicators of environmental conditions. He has conducted extensive studies on the ecology of old growth forests in northern Newfoundland. He served for years as the CoChair of the Wilderness and Ecological Reserves Advisory Council for the government of Newfoundland and Labrador. His work in boreal forest conservation earned him the Canadian Environment Award, Gold Prize, from the Royal Geographical Society of Canada. Aside from his parish duties, Father John continues his ecological research activities on the biodiversity of lichens in Newfoundland and Labrador. His field work takes him to all parts of Canada and Europe to collect samples and meet with research collaborators. (In Vancouver, he usually spends several times a week attacking Grouse Mountain up the BC Mountaineering Club trail to the top.) At St. Mark’s, both priests say, all are welcome. Monday to Friday Masses at St. Mark’s are celebrated at 12:10 PM while Sunday Masses are at 9:30 and 11:30 AM (and 7:00 PM during the academic year). Eucharistic Adoration on Sundays is from 2 to 4 PM.
t Installation Mass March 4 in the new St. Mark’s Parish at UBC. Photography by Sammy Tong.
Father Rob Allore in the laboratory.
Father John McCarthy in the field, doing lichen survey work.
page 8
THE CAMPUS RESIDENT MAY 14, 2012
UNA Community News Sustainability Corner UNA Earth Day 2012 By Ralph Wells, UNA Sustainability Manager Last month, I completed my series of columns on the UBC-UNA MOU on Sustainability with a discussion about the MOU focus area on community engagement. As a nice segue, on the topic of community engagement, this month I’m highlighting our recent Earth Day events which sported great turnouts and an excellent atmosphere. Perhaps you came out yourself , bringing an old computer or tv to our e-waste drop in the Save-On-Foods parking lot on Saturday afternoon (April 21) or planted a flower using compost soil at the Children’s Garden booth on Sunday, April 22. If you did, you weren’t alone. As the accompanying photos show, our events were fun and well attended. A common theme for our events was that you could trace their origins to grassroots community involvement – the community gardens, community composting program and e-waste programs all had their start due to resident involvement (UBC also deserves credit for partnering on all of these programs). Many residents deserve credit, but special acknowledgement goes to long time volunteers,
Heather Friesen who currently chairs the UNA Community Gardens Committee, and Patrick Moore who chairs the UNA Plant Stewardship Committee and with other parents, organizes the children’s garden at our community centre. The Children’s Garden booth highlighted a great reason to participate in our composting program. Soil made locally from compost at the UBC composting facility on south campus provides soil for our community gardens – your kitchen waste never leaves campus if you compost. At our e-waste event, we were full to capacity in three hours. The UNA – UBC e-waste program ensure this e-waste will be safely recycled through the BC Product Stewardship Program. Due to the popularity of the program, we are looking at ways to improve access for residents. Your participation in our Earth Day events and your support for our community gardens, community compost program and e-waste program – and their grass roots origins – leaves little doubt in my mind that sustainability is part of the social fabric of our community. I look forward to continuing to work with you to continue to grow our sustainability programs – and grow our participation, which is the ultimate measure of success. Children enjoying Earth Day activities at The Old Barn Community Centre.
Volunteers Zoe Todd, Mankee Mah, Taylor Chau, and UNA staff Michelle Weber at the UNA Earth Day e-waste booth.
page 9
THE CAMPUS RESIDENT MAY 14, 2012 DOGS continued from Page 1 “UBC Campus is outside of Vancouver, of course, and as such, it is not covered by Vancouver bylaws. One would think that we might take existing Vancouver bylaws and clone them, perhaps tweak them, and as such it would be a matter of months, not decades to get those bylaws in place.” According to the UNA director, the knack of getting a general framework of UNA bylaws up and running lies in first kicking a specific bylaw called ‘the enforcement and dispute bylaw’ into gear. “A final draft of the enforcement and dispute by-law—approved by the UNA— is expected to be forwarded to the UBC Board of Governors in the coming weeks. This bylaw is a pre-requisite for other bylaws (such as those covering pets, noise and parking) since any fine issued needs a proper appeal or enforcement protocol. Assuming this pre-requisite bylaw gets approved, we can then work on these two bylaws (noise and pets).” Meanwhile, the campus resident whose
small dog was bitten by the large offleash dog of a neighbour pledges to hold Mr. Beyer to promises he made in the last round of UNA elections—when he was elected director. In a letter to the vice chair, the resident—who provides her name and address—says, “My dog (toy poodle) was attacked by my neighbours’ dog. The dog was unleashed, and as a result, my dog suffered numerous bite marks around her neck area. When we asked the dog’s owners to leash their dog, they refused, stating there is no law stating that their dog must be on leash on the UBC endowment lands. “As I recall, during your election, one of your promises was to implement a policy that enforces dog-owners to leash their dogs at all times in our neighborhood. I really want you to work on fulfilling this promise. As an owner of a small dog, I am worried that another attack will occur by a big unleashed dog, and that nothing would be done since there is no bylaw to prevent such accident. “I am afraid to walk my dog with a
2012 Program Needs Assessment
Your Community Centre • Your Ideas Focus Group for Adults & Retired Residents
peace of mind while knowing that big, aggressive dogs are allowed to roam in our neighbourhoods unleashed. I sincerely want to see something done to implement a policy that will protect this neighbourhood.” When the UBC Board of Governors moves eventually to implement an animal control bylaw effective in residential neighbourhoods housing up to 8,000 people, they will surely authorize a code of behaviour for dogs and their owners much like the one approved in Vancouver by its city council. First drafted in the 1950s, the Animal Control Bylaw in Vancouver underlines as much as anything the need for responsible dog ownership—and why wouldn’t it in a city where there are an estimated 100,000150,000 dogs. Indeed to bolster the objective of responsible dog ownership behaviour, Vancouver recently increased bylaw fines. According to a statement issued by the city, these changes “were adopted to help deal with issues such as ensuring humane living conditions for dogs; dog owner responsibility and accountability; and controlling vicious dogs or unsafe dog behavior.” As residents in West Point Grey and Dunbar will attest, people who live in Vancouver and have a dog older than three months need to get a license for it; the
city argues that not only is the licensing requirement part of the bylaw, it serves as a way to protect pets—for example, a dog which gets lost and is not wearing a license tag will have a much more difficult time being reunited with its owner. The Vancouver bylaw also enforces the requirement that dog-owners, ‘pick up after their pets’; the city says this is not only legally required, “it’s civilized and expected of owners”, allowing both dogowners and others to enjoy parks and green spaces together. Meanwhile, nothing resonates louder in the Vancouver animal control bylaw than the call for owners to “use a leash” when walking their dogs in all but 35 parks scattered throughout the city where welltrained dogs who respond to commands can enjoy off-leash privileges. Presumably, when the UNA obtains an animal control bylaw to enforce, it also will need to regulate a park where welltrained campus dogs can enjoy off-leash privileges. Ironically, strata bylaws relating to dogs abound campus. However, these bylaws apply only to dogs and their owners within their apartment buildings. So, an dogowner who—abiding by the bylaws of his strata-title complex—walks his animal on leash through the building may walk it off leash outside without fear of violating a UNA animal control bylaw.
Join The Old Barn Community Centre in discussions about programming! Appetizers will be provided. Child-minding is available upon request.
Tuesday May 29, 2012 5:30-7:30pm
Published monthly by the University Neighbourhoods Association
Please register with qwang@oldbarn.ca before May 25, 2012
6308 Thunderbird Blvd @ UBC
604-822-3799
Advertise with us!
www.oldbarn.ca
email - advertising@myuna.ca
page 10 VOLLEYBALL continued from Page 1
Asked why UBC was being so accommodating to volleyball players, a spokesperson for UBC Properties Trust property development arm of the university—said, “It’s a marketing tool for us. We hope people will come to the village to play, then go to Save-On-Foods to shop, or the coffee shop or the juice bar or visit other stores, and talk about their experience here afterwards.” UBC Properties Trust is known to be having difficulty in getting people—local and otherwise—to shop at 15-20 stores in the commercial heart of Wesbrook Place (the village). Al Poettcker, president of Properties, admitted at a recent public event on campus that, “It’s proving a challenge.” The volleyball gambit, then, is one way
THE CAMPUS RESIDENT MAY 14, 2012 of meeting this challenge. UBC campus and community planning department held a public open house on campus on May 8 to allow the public to review the application by Properties to install the volleyball courts on the lot (Lot 21) at Gray Avenue and Binning Road in Wesbrook Place—immediately across Binning Road from Pacific Spirit Regional Park. At its April meeting, the UBC development permit board had denied an application for the eight volleyball courts to be located a hundred yards north of Lot 21 (on Lot 13) after residents in the adjacent Keenleyside condominium development objected. The Keenleyside residents—through their strata council—argued that the prospect of volleyball for two and half hours a night four nights a week from May until
September would adversely affect their quality of life. Assuming approval of the permit application for location of the courts on Lot 21, sand—prematurely placed on Lot 13—will be relocated, a spokesperson said. However, conditions surrounding use of Lot 21 for volleyball are expected to remain the same as they were for Lot 13. For example, volleyball players will be required to park in pay-parking facilities in Wesbrook Village—four or five blocks away—rather than along the roadway nearby. Meanwhile, toilet facilities must be provided and maintained by Urban Rec. On the contentious issue of noise (there being no noise bylaw at UBC), a spokesperson said that the volleyball players will be expected to maintain the same
reasonable standard of noise containment as if they were playing in Vancouver (which has a noise bylaw). This standard calls for noise of no greater than 55 decibels to be heard at ‘the point of reception’, i.e. where people live. In the earlier application for volleyball on Lot 13, the Keenleyside residents had objected to the prospect of loud noise— shouting and cheering—in particular infiltrating their homes. However, the location of Lot 21 is more remote. A spokesperson for Properties said that hopefully the volleyball tool will work to fetch greater awareness to the Wesbook Village. “Even professors and people who come to campus every day don’t know the village exists,” he said.
41 Bus Route Now Runs through Wesbrook Place TransLink has permanently re-routed the 41 Joyce Station/Crown/UBC bus to serve Wesbrook Mall in the UBC South Campus area. Four new 41 stops (two in each direction) are in place on the south end of Wesbrook Mall (south of 16th Avenue). The 41 will no longer serve stops on W. 16th Avenue or the portion of SW Marine Drive northwest of Wesbrook. New stops are in the following locations: • Northbound: Wesbrook Mall at Birney • Southbound: Wesbrook Mall at Birney
• Soutbound: Wesbrook Mall at TRIUMF Centre • Northbound: Wesbrook Mall at TRIUMF Centre In an unrelated announcement regarding community shuttle bus service, TransLink reports a change to C19, C20, C22 boarding location. Effective April 23 September 2 only, board at Bay 14 near University Blvd. at War Memorial Gym. Service will return to Bay 15 on September 3.
page 11
THE CAMPUS RESIDENT MAY 14, 2012
Menu Makes Point Grill First in Food from UBC Farm For example, organic beetroot from Farm is available with steak at the restaurant; busy UBC Farm season is just starting up Point Grill restaurant and UBC Farm have teamed up to provide diners with an abundance of fresh, local and sustainable food straight from the farm located on campus but a few kilometers from the restaurant. Point Grill Chef Josh McWilliams says he has collected a broad array of recipes from the farm, and spring is as good a time as any to have them on the menu at the upscale and licensed restaurant at 2205 Lower Mall. “Spring is a great time to cook with fresh, seasonal and local ingredients,” says Chef McWilliams. John Butt, manager of the Point Grill, says that in the year following opening of the restaurant two years ago, he purchased food in amount of $2,000 from UBC Farm. “This year, we’ll spend $20,000,” Mr. Butt said during an interview at the restaurant. Diners with a taste for organic beetroot from UBC Farm will like to know it comes with the grilled spring Greek flat iron steak at Point Grill. Those with a taste for rhubarb from UBC Farm might prefer to order the spinach salad, while those with a liking for chard from the farm may well order the salami pasta.
Mr. Butt believes his sizeable purchase of products grown at UBC Farm in South Campus is proof of the restaurant policy of ‘buying local’. By local, however, he means not only UBC Farm. “Ninety percent of our menu comes from the Lower Mainland,” he said. “Ninety-five percent of our menu comes from British Columbia.” Some cheeses, for example, come from the Okanagan. So, he includes them as British Columbia product—not Lower Mainland product. Mr. Butt said Point Grill—managed by UBC Food Services—has just launched a new menu which has on it the largest array of UBC Farm items ever. Amy Frye, acting director of the Centre for Sustainable Food Systems at UBC Farm, called Point Grill an excellent customer and one to whom she hopes to sell as much food as ever. Moreover, “UBC Farm’s busy season is just starting up,” Chef McWilliams joined UBC Food Services at the Point Grill in September of 2011. He came to UBC from La Quercia on West 4th Ave., one of Vancouver Magazine’s top restaurants in 2011, and brings with him a wealth of experience from the Westbury Hotel in Dublin and the Opus Hotel in Vancouver. The Point Grill is open Monday through Sunday from 11AM to 10PM and open for brunch on Saturdays and Sundays from 11AM to 3PM. Visit www.food.ubc. ca/locations-and-hours for menu details.
Chef Josh McWilliams of Point Grill restaurant, and Amy Frye of UBC Farm, get ready for the start of a busy season.
‘Joy of Feeding’ Fair Fetches Home Cooking to UBC Farm International food fair is slated for UBC Farm June 10; special music for children is also on menu If you have an appetite for ‘toad in the hole’, you may wish to attend the second annual ‘Joy of Feeding’ international food fair at UBC Farm on June. For those not born in Britain, ‘toad in the hole’ translates into ‘Yorkshire pudding and sausage’, a culinary delight more often cooked in British homes than listed
on restaurant menus. Instead of toad in the hole, maybe you will enjoy attending Joy of Feeding for salmon fry bread, a dish frequently cooked at home by members of the Tsimshian First Nation. Salmon fry bread—sounds delicious!—also occupies a place on the menu of home-cooked ‘comfort foods’ from different lands to be made available at the food fair which also serves as a fund-raising event for UBC Farm. How about tasting some peperonata (stewed bell peppers and egg plant on crusty bread) from southern Italy? At the Joy of Feeding event, sixteen
home cooks of different ethnic backgrounds will offer you a wide range of family comfort foods. Founded by Meeru Dhalwala, of renown Vij’s Restaurant, the family-friend event also goes big on events for children with special activities and great music by Tarun ‘Tspoon’ Nayar (Delhi 2 Dublin), Rup Sidhu (Banyen Roots), Ndidi Cascade and friends. All proceeds from ticket sales will benefit the diverse sustainability programming at the UBC Farm, which includes a Children’s Learning Garden, Aboriginal Community Kitchens, Farm Markets, Practi-
cum in Sustainable Agriculture, a vibrant Volunteer Program as well as multidisciplinary research initiatives and courses. Date and location of Joy of Feeding: Sunday, June 10, 1:00-4:00 PM at UBC Farm. Tickets: Tickets are $50 and include a recipe book with each cook’s story and family recipe. Children 13 and under are free with their parent or guardian’s ticket purchase. Tickets are available at Lower Mainland Choices Markets or online at joyoffeeding.com.
Published monthly by the University Neighbourhoods Association
Advertise with us!
advertising@myuna.ca
page 12
THE CAMPUS RESIDENT MAY 14, 2012
Biodiversity in your backyard Our Avian Neighbours By David Toews, PhD student in the Beaty Biodiversity Research Centre and Department of Zoology UBC attracts not only talented scholars from around the world - this time of year it is also home to numerous world-travelers … of the avian variety. As the rain gives way to sun and the trees burst with blossoms, the sound of birdsong around campus reminds us that spring has finally arrived. The fact that our campus is home to one of Vancouver largest intact forests (Pacific Spirit Park and the University Endowment Lands) is one important reason so many birds take up residence, both permanently and temporarily. If you have a bird feeder you will probably have noticed white-crowned and goldencrowned sparrows arriving and singing
their hearts out. These migratory species are likely vying for space and food that house finches, song sparrows and blackcapped chickadees monopolized all winter, as they are resident on campus during the winter months. Aside from attracting birds to feeders, another way to see and study birds up close is to use mist-nets. Mist-nets, which can range in length from 6 to 12 meters long, are almost invisible and they have four to five horizontal pockets to catch birds. After birds fly into the net, the pockets hold them until they can be safely removed. Most mist-nets are made of a soft, synthetic material so as not to injure birds when they fly in. Catching migratory birds using passive mist-nets is common at bird banding stations around North America in spring and fall when large numbers move between their wintering and breeding grounds. However, catching resident birds can be more difficult, so song recordings played through a speaker can be used to entice the birds closer to the net. We usually
measure different parts of the bird, record relevant data, and apply a uniquely numbered aluminum bird band provided by the federal US/Canada bird banding labs in case the bird is ever recaptured. Recently nets were set-up around UBC Botanical Garden where a great diversity of species were caught: song sparrows, black-capped chickadees, pine siskins, spotted towhees, golden-crowned kinglets, brown creepers, pacific wrens and a fox sparrow all made cameo appearances. If you want to get involved and see birds around BC you can visit bird banding stations around the Lower Mainland, such as the Colony Farm banding station (operated by the Vancouver Avian Research Centre www.birdvancouver.com) or the Iona Island Bird Observatory (operated by Wild Research www.wildresearch.ca). Note: birds are most active early in the morning. Even more exciting (and closer to home) - you can come down to UBC Botanical Garden on days when we will be mist-netting this spring and summer. Stephanie Canaghan, a UBC student, is
volunteering this summer to set up nets around the garden. Information will be posted on the Garden’s blog as it is available (www.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/blog/) Another way to get up close and personal with birds is by visiting the Beaty Biodiversity Museum during Birding Bonanza, which closes May 25. View local birds like never before through displays of bird specimens from our exclusive behind-the-scenes collections and join in on hands-on activities with real bird specimens, birding activities and lessons, museum tours, puppet shows, scavenger hunts, crafts and more. The Beaty Biodiversity Museum is also excited to announce the opening of a new photo exhibit called Feat, which runs from May 17 to July 22. Through stunning photographs, internationally acclaimed nature photographer Brad Hill presents an intimate look at animals feasting in the wild.
David Toews, left, illustrating to student Julian Heavyside how to properly hold a bird (a Fox Sparrow) in a ‘banders grip’, which is a comfortable position to observe and measure the bird. Photography by Ildiko Szabo.