EW04
T HE VA N C O U V E R C O U R I E R F R I D AY, S E P T E M B E R 1 5 , 2 0 1 0
news
Respondents hailed from Downtown Eastside, West Side
Continued from page 1 She acknowledged for many people Vancouver is not an affordable city, with recent findings released by an international consulting company suggesting Vancouver is the most expensive city in Canada in which to live. There’s also the city’s continuing drug problem, homelessness and a desperate population of mentally ill people that continue to test city services, health agencies, politicians and the Vancouver Police Department. Justason said the survey quizzed respondents from across the city, including residents from the Downtown Eastside and the West Side. But the survey didn’t break down the results for each neighbourhood, although 41 per cent of residents in the downtown peninsula were satisfied with their quality of life while 50 per cent gave the same response on
the East Side. “It was too small of a survey, so the Downtown Eastside would be included among the East Side of Vancouver as part of our polling,” she said. Last week, Justason released a poll focused on civic issues. One of the questions asked the same group of respondents in the “quality of life” poll their greatest concerns for the city. Homelessness and poverty ranked number one. A report released Monday by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives and Social Planning and Research Council of B.C. said there has only been a net increase of 280 social housing units built over the past five years in B.C. While the number of households assisted by provincial housing programs increased by 11,530 since 2006, most of this assistance does not represent
actual new social housing units, the report said. In March, the city’s homeless count found 1,762 people without a home. In May, the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives released a report suggesting families in Metro Vancouver would require each parent to work fulltime at an hourly wage of $18.17 “to pay for necessities that support the healthy development of their children and participate in the social and civil life” of their communities. “About 40 per cent of Metro Vancouver families with children live below what we calculate the living family wage to be,” said Seth Klein, director of the B.C. office of the Canadian Centre. “And a lot of low income people don’t have phones, so they’re not going to get captured in a phone poll [about quality of life].” mhowell@vancourier.com
Eighty three per cent of residents surveyed by Justason Market Intelligence were satisfied with their quality of life. photo Dan Toulgoet
Architect says planned density increase not that significant Continued from page 1 “The concerns range from what on Earth is going to happen to my liquor store to why on Earth isn’t there an area plan that’s up to date and takes into account what to do with the growth,” Langolf added. Like the STIR projects in the West End, the proposal has residents, including Vancouver’s former assistant director of planning, Trish French, calling on
the city to develop a comprehensive area plan with the community before any significant redevelopment is approved. Brent Toderian, director of planning for the city, said staff will report to council this fall whether Grandview-Woodland, the West End/downtown or Marpole should undergo area planning next. The STIR program, running until December 2011, aims to boost the city’s
aging and static stock of rental housing. It offers an increase in building density as an incentive to developers. Architect Gregory Henriquez, whose firm is working on three STIR projects, argues the density increase at the Marpole site is not as significant as some might think. Langolf argues the STIR program isn’t so vital because older rental buildings in the area have more
affordable and spacious units than new suites. Henriquez estimates of the 172 rental units proposed, 110 would be approximately 500-squarefoot one-bedrooms and 62 approximately 780 squarefoot two-bedrooms. He expects a one-bedroom would rent for $1,075 a month, a two-bedroom for $1,677. He’s mainly heard concerns about the loss of the liquor store, which he believes would be included
CAVELL GARDENS
– Leo Buscaglia
Experience the warmth of our welcome by visiting us at:
2835 Sophia Street at 12th Ave.Vancouver, B.C. V5T 4V2
Call 604.637.1207 www.cavellgardens.com games comics quizzes puzzles
w w w. v a n c o u r i e r . c o m
70th Ave. with remarks from Toderian, Henriquez, Langolf and the head of the Marpole business association at 6:30 p.m. and a question and answer session at 7:30 p.m. A community information meeting and open house about the Marine Gateway project at the southern foot of Cambie Street runs tonight, Sept. 15, at 8515 Cambie St. from 5 to 8 p.m. crossi@vancourier.com
$4.2 Million Receivership Sale
A Full Service Retirement Community in the Heart of Vancouver where meeting the social needs of our seniors is a matter of priority.
“A single rose can be my garden, a single friend my world”
in a redevelopment, and about the need for open space. His firm is looking at incorporating two “pocket parks” into the design. A lane will run behind the Safeway to keep delivery trucks off Granville, he added. The application includes a traffic report. He and Toderian emphasized that the proposal is in its early stages so residents should attend the open house Sept. 20. It runs from 5 to 8:30 p.m. at 1305 West
F F O % 0 7 % 50 Mon-Fri 9-6 Sat 10-5
Fixtures & Accessories #113-5560 Trapp Avenue, Burnaby
timeline sales corp. commercial liquidations since 1985
www.timelinesales.com
Visa MC Debit & Cash