Grandview-Woodland ad hoc group plans to launch its own citizens’ assembly

Members of an ad hoc group in Grandview-Woodland have decided to form their own “citizens’ assembly” and plan for the community.

Jak King, a spokesperson for the Grandview-Woodland Ad-Hoc Committee, said the group of about 82 members intends to hold regular meetings and workshops to formulate a plan.

“We’ve been waiting so long for the city to do something and they’ve done absolutely nothing for months and months and months,” King told the Straight by phone.

“And we just want to get the community plan done and dusted, so the only way we seem to be able to do that is to move ahead on our own.”

King said community members have been waiting for action since the city held information sessions in January about establishing a citizens’ assembly as part of the local area planning process for the neighbourhood.

Vision Vancouver councillor Andrea Reimer, who lives near Grandview-Woodland, said when council decided to set up an assembly, it opted to pilot the new tool “from scratch”.

“I think any time you’re coming up with a new community engagement tool, you don’t want to be doing that without the community being involved in it,” she said in a phone interview.

“But it necessarily is going to take more time than, you know, open house, town hall, you name it. We have a whole bunch of tools in boxes that are ready to go, and this one is not one of them.”

According to an update e-mailed to Grandview-Woodland residents, city planners are currently in the process of reviewing a report on the workshops held in January.

Reimer said the city is also looking at how it can include a broader representation of community members on the assembly, including urban aboriginal people, youth, and more renters.

“Very, very important that you’re thinking about these things,” she said. “If the price of that is going slower, as long as there’s constant progress being made, I think it’s worth going at that slower pace.”

King indicated the ad hoc group intends to set up a citizens’ assembly that will incorporate any Grandview-Woodland residents that want to be involved. Members will then manage workshops for sub-areas of the neighbourhood, and bring in outside experts to help put together a plan.

“Whatever plan we produce will be one that’s supported by the residents of the neighbourhood,” he stated.

"And so finally, you will get presented to council a neighbourhood community plan that’s supported by residents, unlike the Oakridge and West End and Downtown Eastside situations, where they get put to council and those residents are opposed to them. We will make sure that whatever we put forward is supported."

Reimer said she hopes it will be made clear to Grandview-Woodland residents participating in the ad hoc group that it's not a city-led process.

Comments

3 Comments

John

Apr 4, 2014 at 9:42am

The article states "Vision Vancouver councillor Andrea Reimer, who lives in Grandview-Woodland,." Is this correct? A couple of weeks ago Reimer said in Council that she lives on 19th Avenue! That's most definitely not in Grandview. Broadway (aka 9th Avenue) is the southernmost limit of the community.

"Reimer said she hopes it will be made clear to Grandview-Woodland residents participating in the ad hoc group that it's not a city-led process." Well, has the city been leading? Plans for the Citizens' Assembly were announced last September, and the city has not moved forward with this yet. It's been stalled. Good on the residents for taking the lead.

zak prossak

Apr 4, 2014 at 9:52am

I drove by the area yesterday....there are new apartments going up for the poor....what is he talking about!

Yolande Cole

Apr 4, 2014 at 10:11am

Thanks John. I've updated the article.