South Vancouver's Marine Gardens says goodbye to an era

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      This year, a touch of sadness comes with the summer barbecue party held by residents of Marine Gardens in South Vancouver.

      When they fire up the grill on Saturday (June 22), it’ll be with the knowledge that it may be their last summer gathering as a community.

      Last spring, Concord Pacific filed an application with city hall to build condo towers on the almost-one-hectare property at 445 Southwest Marine Drive. Resident Jillian Skeet said that if the rezoning proceeds without a hitch, she and her neighbours will be gone by the time demolition begins next summer.

      Skeet and her family have lived in Marine Gardens for about 10 years. It’s a leafy complex of 70 ground-oriented rental townhomes of the sort that’s becoming quite rare in large cities like Vancouver, according to the mother of two.

      “While it’s true that our complex takes up more land than a skyscraper would to house the same number of people, there are benefits that should not be overlooked,” Skeet told the Straight in a phone interview.

      Marine Gardens was designed in such a way that homes are connected by walkways and open spaces where no cars are allowed, making it a good place for kids to play.

      “It’s just a paradise for children,” Skeet said.

      Because many of the homes have shared walls, they don’t use much energy. Residents have a common laundry area. Many children from the complex walk to school together.

      “We’re all hoping that somehow the value of this kind of community will be recognized,” Skeet said.

      Concord Pacific is planning to build 514 condo units in two buildings rising 21 and 27 storeys on the site. The proposed development will also include a 6.5-storey mid-rise building housing 70 rental units to replace the same number lost at Marine Gardens, as well as the complex’s on-site daycare, with an equivalent 37 spaces.

      The Concord Pacific project is the third of five major developments anticipated around the Marine Drive station of the Canada Line. According to the land-use plan approved by city council for the Cambie Street corridor, along which the rapid transit line runs, the Marine Drive station
      area will be a dense urban community.

      Although the residents of Marine Gardens are entitled to return once the redevelopment is completed, Skeet isn’t sure whether she and her family will be coming back. She’s only certain that things won’t be the same again.

      Comments

      6 Comments

      Andy Longhurst

      Jun 19, 2013 at 10:18pm

      Will the new rental units have the same rents for the returning tenants? It's one thing to say that they have an entitlement to return, but it's quite another if they can even afford it.

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      terry slack

      Jun 21, 2013 at 8:36am

      Yws I can remember a wonderful grove of Shore Pine Trees across the street that the area kids loved and they were reduced to a pile of stumps ! Making way for more High Rises , nothing seems to get in the way of that ! Hey City Hall how about doing just a little some thing wonderful for our children , like a major park close by !

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      Anne Monahan

      Jun 21, 2013 at 6:41pm

      City Hall should take a look at Glasgow, Scotland and other cities in Britain in the 1950 knocked down all the old tenaments (which no doubt needed improvement) and built ugly high rises and a whole way of life disappeared. Children could play out side - old people who had been one floor up and could lean out their windows and talk to people passing by were polarized in 10 and 11th floor apartments and were afraid to go in the elevators and died earlier than they should have - it was a nightmare. People who had lived in the same area for years as had their parents were locked up in those big buildings and friendships were lost - it killed a whole way of life. Vancouver is making the same mistake and its heartbreaking.

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      Bob

      Jun 22, 2013 at 12:42pm

      I grew up in Glasgow, Scotland and yes Anne I agree, now the the high rises are being knocked down since they created isolation, depression and crime. Keep the community spirit alive and stop lining the corporate pockets, aren't 20% of condos in Vancouver lying empty? Why do they need to build more?

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      H. Ng

      May 15, 2014 at 10:55pm

      Our family resided there back in 1977-79. Lots of great memories with my two brothers and my parents when we were a young family. We got to know our good neighbors and made the best of friends. Whenever I drive by Marine Dr. and Cambie St, I still look back with fondness the good old days. I will certainly miss that old and beautiful complex...our "Marine Gardens". The building may soon be gone, but my memory of this place that I once called home will live on. Thanks for the sweet memories Marine Gardens.

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      tenant

      Oct 8, 2014 at 12:26pm

      As a current tenant, I can advise that the units are now old, we have roof leaks, mould issues, insect problems, thankfully our side does not have a rodent problem, but I am advised that the other side does. There is also a problem with vehicle break-ins and vandalism. If the units are not torn down, they need to be fixed!

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