Public hearing on Chinatown height study begins at Vancouver City Hall

Opponents of a proposal to allow towers up to 15 storeys in Vancouver’s Chinatown held a rally on the steps of city hall today (March 17), just as a public hearing into the plan got underway.

City council chambers and overflow seating in the foyer were packed as the hearing got underway around 8 p.m.

Supporters of the towers proposal wore red t-shirts with the phrase “Support Chinatown’s HAHR” and sat next to a panda mascot. Tower opponents held signs with phrases such as “No Towers in Chinatown.”

People attending the rally included Eugene McCann, an associate professor of geography at Simon Fraser University, and one of 30 academics who signed a letter to city council this week asking them to reject the Historic Area Height Review.

McCann said he and his academic peers who signed the letter are concerned that high-end condo towers in the neighbourhood could displace the area’s low-income residents.

“It’s very likely that these new condo towers that would be allowed in the neighbourhood would be high end, which means that they would push up the land values in the whole neighbourhood, that then of course pushes up taxes, which in turn pushes up rents,” McCann told the Straight.

“That then of course could either lead to displacement of low-income people...or the alternative is that low-income people will find ways to stay but at a much reduced quality of life.”

About 1,000 low-income residents call the neighbourhood’s single room occupancy hotels and social housing units home, according to the Carnegie Community Action Project.

McCann said he wants to see a “full and comprehensive consultative process” for Chinatown.

The proposed height policy for Chinatown would allow five towers of up to 150 feet along Main Street between Keefer and Union, and towers of up to 120 feet in the rest of Chinatown South.

The rezoning policy was severed from the Historic Area Height Review in January when city council nixed a series of controversial zoning changes proposed for areas of the Downtown Eastside while a community-led planning process takes place.

McCann said Chinatown should be included in that local area planning process

“What we’re asking for is for council to postpone any decisions on heights in Chinatown until a full consultation is done with the neighbourhood, and that it goes through the same sort of planning process as...the Downtown Eastside in general,” he said.

A coalition of Chinatown business leaders and community groups has signed a declaration to city council urging them to pass the policy, which they say would lead to economic revitalization of the area.

Mayor Gregor Robertson said 117 speakers are on the list to address city council on the issue. A second night has been scheduled for Tuesday, April 5.

You can follow Yolande Cole on Twitter at twitter.com/yolandecole.

Comments

10 Comments

Rae. Chan

Mar 18, 2011 at 12:43am

I would like to explain why "City council chambers and overflow seating in the foyer were packed as the hearing got underway around 8 p.m. " I am still outraged by what I saw tonight!!

Almost all seats in the first floor were taken by the red-shirt supporters of the plan and among the supporters were some "Chinese" youth, who later claimed they were trying to "revitalize" Chinatown and "preserve" Chinese culture (if they know what is "Chinese culture" at all!!). When a group of elderly downtown eastside residents with walkers came into the room, trying to get some seats, none of the "Chinese" volunteered to get up. Even when many others demanded seats for the elderly, none of them even listened and showed minimum respect. I am a Chinese and it is a complete shame for me for young people like them to say they are of "Chinese" identity.

I understand Cantonese and it completely disgusted me when I heard one of the speakers, who was wearing a green shirt tonight to show that "Chinese" are well integrated and cosmopolitan (for St. Patrick's Day), tried to manipulate the seating so that the Downtown Eastside residents had to squeeze at the back.

What I witnessed tonight is complete injustice by the "Chinese" youth, property owners, and the business associations. Quite an eye-opener for me to see what democracy is about in Vancouver! But bravo to DTES residents, whose solidarity and bravery is inspiring!

Good luck, Vancouver, if you are to build the condos! A piece of advice: better make sure to put up ads in countries where rich people there can be duped into your real estate business!

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Vancouverites

Mar 18, 2011 at 1:49am

Completely NON sense. The seats are first come first serve basis. There are plenty of seats in the chamber floor. DTES people are so rude and it really showed the real TRUTH of DTES Leaders! Lies, lies, lies. What a shame. Using DTES, the poor as a weapon to get what? MONEY!!! What so different from other money grabbing business? IN THE NAME OF the poor we want your money.!!! Good luck DTES, you are just a tool.

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Rae. Chan

Mar 18, 2011 at 9:07am

@ Vancourites: "first come first serve"? Isn't it basic courtesy you give up your seat when the elderly or disabled get into the bus? Show some basic human decency! If you even didn't know the basic rule of respecting others, you shouldn't call yourself a "Vancourite."

BTW, I live in the West side and had no idea the kind of injustice DTES residents have to fight against. What I witnessed at the public hearing was appalling and just outrageous!!

About money. What the DTES residents would get by stopping the condos? Nothing other than a normal life and a sense of community! When I was walking to the bus stop, I saw DTES residents waiting for the bus to get back. How about the supporters? Well-organized, got into a Mercedes Van. I was absolutely disgusted at the contrast! Who want money out of the plan??

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Vancouverites

Mar 18, 2011 at 1:45pm

@Rae. Chan:

I Totally agreed with you; respect the Elderly and Disables. There are plenty of seat in the City Hall Chamber, I want a front roll seat as well but I respect the rules and regulations as well. Unlike DTES, want special arrangements and they must sit in council's face? That's what DTES did, City Staff gave up their Front Roll seats to accommodate DTES. Is that respect? Basic Respect is EARNED, not by rude force and intimidation. I see DTES Elderlies intimidating others. That is what I saw. Please be fair to others, Respect Yourself first and Respect Others.

Injustice to WHO? DTES? Sid Tan will tell you how injustice Chinatown had been. BTW, Hastings Street used to be one of the Busiest, Vibrant area of Vancouver! Can you tell me What Happened while you were living in West side?

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Vanessa Griffiths

Mar 18, 2011 at 3:21pm

I don't really understand what is happening to our city. It seems like every single week we are being subjected to some weird development that is not suited for our city space just because some developer wants to make some money building a hideous unsustainable cheap condo or even better a casino?! Sustainable design dictates that anything over 10 stories becomes wasteful and unsustainable over a long term. If our city is aiming to be a the 'greenist' city by 2020 then how does it even begin to justify wasting the public's time fighting these developers. The developers don't care about anything other then profit. The people living here care about the future, and sustainability is the only way.

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DTES Supporter

Mar 18, 2011 at 4:03pm

Woo Woo Woo. I dont know who you guys are but I would like to give a comment.
Rae.Chan.....sine you supports DTES why you live in the westside? Why dont you move to the DTES or invite those DTES friends of yours to stay in you home so you can show your real support? About respect the older people, I am totally agree we need to respect them BUT we dont use the term "OLDER/SENIOR" as an excuse or overpower those words. Not all seniors are NICE. DO not stereotype "SENIOR = NICE'. And not all young people are rude or stupid. ABout the money and nice car part.....THEY EARNED the MONEY via hard work which you dont even know or care, they did not ask the government for help! I owned a 911 turbo but i still travel by bus and sky-train. What's the relationship between taking a bus and driving a nice car? And Why you put your fingers on those who work hard and earned money who wants to offer a better quality of life to their family???

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local guy

Mar 19, 2011 at 7:01pm

DTES supporter. You've got it right. Funny noone talks about the SRA buildings that the government purchased for $60,000 per unit and renovated for another $100,000 per unit. Now that is money. Work the math. $160,000 divided by 120 sf. That's $1,333 per sf in 2007. That was more expensive than a Yaletown waterfront condo, with kitchen and bathroom. Who is being disrespected here. Now multiple that by 1,500 units. Crazy money? Paid by you the taxpayer. Now read the CCAP and Downtown Eastside Neighbourhood Council rhetoric. They want all SRA units replaced by affordable housing. Not a bad idea cause it would be cheaper than buying and renovating SRA units. Of course paid by you the working taxpayer.

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Vancouverites

Mar 20, 2011 at 12:40am

@local guy: Thanks for the numbers. Wow, you can get Coal Harbour for that kind of money. AND you are so right!!! DTES do not pay for a dime! That is all the tax money.

@ Rae. Chan: Read CCAP's rhetoric.... summary: they want FREE housing.... that's money! Money from tax payers. Do the math.

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Steve Y

Mar 20, 2011 at 11:36am

Although i was not at the hearing, it sounds like a typical kangaroo court and a disgrace to city politics. Who cares how many people show up to council? They shouldn't listen to people from either side. Just because one side is more organized to bring in buses full of stooges shouldn't influence anything. Council people and the Mayor should make their own decisions based on the advice of the professionals working for the city. They will then be judged based on these decisions in an election. In the immortal words of our mayor, who are these f***ing hacks? I don't trust either side which each have their own reasons. Same with the casino expansion. A room full of idiots should not outway the thousands at home or work who have better things to do then attend council meetings full of drunks and morons.

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DTES Supporter

Mar 27, 2011 at 10:42am

Professionals, city councils.......if I am right, it takes them 10 years to 'study' and still cannot come up with decision. Back to the numbers from local guy...$1333/sf....many people like me need to work our butt off to afford something like that!!! Nothing is free, we know this since we are kids!! Who is the RICH and Who is the POOR here?? We, the real taxpayers pay for those expensive housing for those who did nothing and want everything for free. This is so d*mn wrong!

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