Vancouver Civic Election 2022

[chowhou]

Originally Posted by Migrant_Coconut

I highly doubt Ken used his own money here. Okay, he's spending more time in office, but we kinda need him to spend that time doing mayor stuff; right now, the new intern spending their entire day browsing social media is probably subject to more oversight/accountability than the mayor.

“The room, which is part of the Mayor’s suite, was then turned into a gym space. I personally purchased the equipment. Health and well-being are crucial, and this setup allows me to stay focused and energized amidst a demanding schedule.”

-Ken Sim

Unless you think he's lying, which wouldn't necessarily be unreasonable.

By the way, I took a look at Pete Fry's original tweet, and even he admits that this is completely ABC's prerogative, he just doesn't like it.

https://x.com/PtFry/status/1805960164303855759

This has nothing to do w/ the City Manager, he just shared information as he was advised by Mayor's office following their $180k budget increase approved by the ABC super majority. Unfortunately that's how democracy works in this case, ABC make the rules, like it or not

[officedweller]

Originally Posted by whatnext

Looks like the mayor needed some more swagger by converting a boardroom into a private gym. Not a good look Peter & co....

Vancouver mayor changed boardroom into makeshift gym: councillor
It appears one of the boardrooms at Vancouver City Hall was turned into a gym. Coun. Pete Fry posted an image of it to social media. (Courtesy Pete Fry)
By Sonia Aslam
Posted June 26, 2024 6:59 am. Last Updated June 26, 2024 7:50 am.

The spending habits and priorities of Vancouver’s mayor are being called into question after it appears one of the boardrooms at City Hall was turned into a gym.

Green Party Coun. Pete Fry posted an image of the boardroom to social media. Scattered sparsely around the carpet is some workout equipment, including what looks to be a Peleton bike, a squat rack, and one set of dumbells.
.

https://vancouver.citynews.ca/2024/0...-gym-spending/

Reporter doesn't know the difference between a squat rack and a pull-up/dip station (about $200 on Amazon)

[Migrant_Coconut]

Originally Posted by chowhou

-Ken Sim

Unless you think he's lying, which wouldn't necessarily be unreasonable.

By the way, I took a look at Pete Fry's original tweet, and even he admits that this is completely ABC's prerogative, he just doesn't like it.

https://x.com/PtFry/status/1805960164303855759

Alright, I'll give him the benefit of the doubt.

Figure it's like the JT/SNC-Lavalin/Wilson-Raybould thing (different orders of magnitude, same principle): nobody's saying he can't do it, but it's incredibly sus and he really shouldn't have.

[whatnext]

Originally Posted by chowhou

-Ken Sim

Unless you think he's lying, which wouldn't necessarily be unreasonable.

By the way, I took a look at Pete Fry's original tweet, and even he admits that this is completely ABC's prerogative, he just doesn't like it.

https://x.com/PtFry/status/1805960164303855759

But as warrenc12 pointed out, there's already a gym there. Why does he need another.

[chowhou]

Originally Posted by whatnext

But as warrenc12 pointed out, there's already a gym there. Why does he need another.

IMO the better question is, why shouldn't the mayor do this? I don't really have a good answer to that, assuming that council still has unrestricted room to conduct meetings, no public money was spent, and the powers of the mayor are not being abused.

To put it simply, where is the harm?

[WarrenC12]

Originally Posted by chowhou

IMO the better question is, why shouldn't the mayor do this? I don't really have a good answer to that, assuming that council still has unrestricted room to conduct meetings, no public money was spent, and the powers of the mayor are not being abused.

To put it simply, where is the harm?

It's definitely small potatoes, bordering on absolutely nothing.

Sim can sell his house since he lives rent free in the minds of so many people.

[Migrant_Coconut]

I mean, he's already converting the nearby offices into his own studio apartment, might as well.

[officedweller]

Originally Posted by whatnext

But as warrenc12 pointed out, there's already a gym there. Why does he need another.

Because he can deal with confidential matters with his assistant while he is working out in private.
If he uses the common area gym, he can't conduct any business at the same time and from a business perspective, that's dead time.
That's also why business people like private cars over transit - because it's a moving sound-proof booth.

[Migrant_Coconut]

Fair, but exactly how many more closed-door conversations does he expect to have than other mayors?

[whatnext]

Or he could just work out a home like the peons and work during business hours. I guess he didn't take his own committee's advice:

Vancouver Mayor's Budget Task Force says City needs "disciplined focus" on spending: report

[dreambrother808]

Originally Posted by whatnext

Or he could just work out a home like the peons and work during business hours. I guess he didn't take his own committee's advice:

Vancouver Mayor's Budget Task Force says City needs "disciplined focus" on spending: report

Except it didn’t cost anything so your point is moot. This isn’t an issue that’s going to gain any traction so focusing on it is basically a waste of time.

[WarrenC12]

Originally Posted by dreambrother808

Except it didn’t cost anything so your point is moot. This isn’t an issue that’s going to gain any traction so focusing on it is basically a waste of time.

Sim really has his haters on a hair trigger and the more they freak out about nonsense like this, the less serious they look.

[Jimbo604]

Originally Posted by WarrenC12

Sim really has his haters on a hair trigger and the more they freak out about nonsense like this, the less serious they look.

Indeed. Talk about small potatoes. How about spending some time on the bigger issues that cause the budget crisis the city is facing this upcoming year? Same as the last how many years..

I'm much more interested if the city actually moves ahead with these two recommendations this year / in next year's budget from the Mayor’s Budget Task Force Report (January 2024):

Recommendation 1: Establish a Policy Articulating the City of Vancouver’s Core Jurisdiction
Recommendation 2: Manage Spending Beyond Vancouver’s Core Jurisdiction

Reference PDF: COV - Mayor’s Budget Task Force Report - January 2024

And if the budget then includes the percentage of spending on core responsibilities and that to non-core.

Can we assume that if "establishing a policy articulating the City of Vancouver’s core jurisdiction" is needed, then the city has never actually defined what its core jurisdiction is [in a budget related way].

[whatnext]

Originally Posted by WarrenC12

Sim really has his haters on a hair trigger and the more they freak out about nonsense like this, the less serious they look.

Haters? I voted for him and his whole slate. But he's really starting to come across as a bit of d-bag bro. They're almost half way through their mandate and should be thinking about that.

[Changing City]

Originally Posted by Jimbo604

Indeed. Talk about small potatoes. How about spending some time on the bigger issues that cause the budget crisis the city is facing this upcoming year? Same as the last how many years..

I'm much more interested if the city actually moves ahead with these two recommendations this year / in next year's budget from the Mayor’s Budget Task Force Report (January 2024):

Recommendation 1: Establish a Policy Articulating the City of Vancouver’s Core Jurisdiction
Recommendation 2: Manage Spending Beyond Vancouver’s Core Jurisdiction

Reference PDF: COV - Mayor’s Budget Task Force Report - January 2024

And if the budget then includes the percentage of spending on core responsibilities and that to non-core.

Can we assume that if "establishing a policy articulating the City of Vancouver’s core jurisdiction" is needed, then the city has never actually defined what its core jurisdiction is [in a budget related way].

I think you can translate that as establishing a route to reducing the City's expenditures on social housing, health care, child care, climate initiatives, and emergency aid. In theory they're provincial responsibilities. In practice, over the years, the City has taken on a role (often in partnership with the province). You can see a similar situation in Burnaby where City Council has walked back a $6 contribution to expanding a school gym.

The Mayor’s Budget Task Force was just an advisory group - seven accountants - and its ideas were obviously non-binding. For example, it doesn't look like the idea of the fire service not attending medical calls is going anywhere yet. One idea that the mayor has obviously glommed onto is the idea to sell naming rights on city assets, and allow donors to fund city programs. You can see that in the proposal to fix up Kitsilano Pool also looking for sponsorship and offering naming rights.

[WarrenC12]

Originally Posted by whatnext

Haters? I voted for him and his whole slate. But he's really starting to come across as a bit of d-bag bro. They're almost half way through their mandate and should be thinking about that.

Him hiring another $80k/yr staffer is a much bigger budget concern.

Eliminating all parking minimums (passed last night) is one of the biggest policy changes in years.

And yet people are concerned about him wanting to exercise at work. Move on...

[whatnext]

Originally Posted by WarrenC12

Him hiring another $80k/yr staffer is a much bigger budget concern.

Eliminating all parking minimums (passed last night) is one of the biggest policy changes in years.

And yet people are concerned about him wanting to exercise at work. Move on...

Ah yes, something beloved by SSPers yet not in reality. Let's call that out for what it is - a handout to developers. Or are you eagerly awaiting a cut in condo prices to reflect it? I was at a friend's place in Yaletown, one of the Concord buildings. He had moved his car out to the street earlier so I could use his spot. That parkade was full. Two minutes walk to Yaletown Station though....

Of course the sales people in the new parking spot-less buildings will smile to the prospective presale buyer and say "oh there's lot of street parking around here". Until the building goes up and there suddenly isn't. Sets the city up nicely though to bring in a street parking fee when people have no other choice.

[WarrenC12]

Originally Posted by whatnext

Ah yes, something beloved by SSPers yet not in reality. Let's call that out for what it is - a handout to developers. Or are you eagerly awaiting a cut in condo prices to reflect it? I was at a friend's place in Yaletown, one of the Concord buildings. He had moved his car out to the street earlier so I could use his spot. That parkade was full. Two minutes walk to Yaletown Station though....

Of course the sales people in the new parking spot-less buildings will smile to the prospective presale buyer and say "oh there's lot of street parking around here". Until the building goes up and there suddenly isn't. Sets the city up nicely though to bring in a street parking fee when people have no other choice.

I would never rely on street parking personally. I don't want my vehicle out there for starters. But this will speed up construction and we'll see a bunch of zero-parking buildings get built.

From there we will start to see the real market demand for parking, including on the street. I don't have a problem with that.

[chowhou]

It seems like people have the same false narrative about parking minimums that they do about blanket upzoning.

No, legalizing multiplexes+ does not ban SFHs.

No, eliminating parking minimums does not ban building offstreet parking.

[CanSpice]

Originally Posted by whatnext

Haters? I voted for him and his whole slate. But he's really starting to come across as a bit of d-bag bro.

The books he had in his gym don't help to dispel that either, with titles like "The Bitcoin Standard" and "The Book of Swagger", and writing "sugar free = cancer free" on his standing desk.