Not really downtown, but some people argue that it is, so decided to post it here, besides this thread gets more attention then the general one.
Hopefully this comes to fruitation I beleive it's a good idea and the price is minimal.
http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/story.html?id=f7382074-9ee8-44a5-9abe-02b3f3f137d1
Granville Island to house $4m 'French Quarter' for 2010 games
Jeff Lee, Vancouver Sun
Published: Thursday, May 01, 2008
B.C.'s francophone community plans to build and operate a $4-million "French Quarter" on Granville Island during the 2010 Winter Olympics.
The proposal, part of a $7-million plan to promote francophone culture around the Olympics, has received support from the Vancouver Organizing Committee, the federal government and the Senate committee on official languages.
The concept, which has been submitted to the federal government's Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation as the owner of Granville Island, was discussed at a recent Senate hearing on official languages where Josee Verner, the new minister of Canadian Heritage, also endorsed the idea without committing any money.
At the hearing Vanoc CEO John Furlong briefed senators on significant efforts the organizing committee has made to improve on its official language commitments.
The improvements come after the Senate committee severely criticized Vanoc two years ago, saying it didn't believe the organizer would meet its promises to fully support Canada's two official languages.
In an interview Wednesday, Senator Maria Chaput, chairwoman of the Senate committee, said Vanoc has made significant strides, including hiring a large percentage of French-speaking staff, and committing to fully bilingual signage.
Of Vanoc's roughly 900 staff, 25 per cent are able to communicate in French -- more than triple the B.C. average of eight per cent, and near the national average of 31 per cent.
The concept for the French Quarter is being promoted by La Fédération des francophones de la Colombie-Britannique and the Fondation canadienne pour le dialogue des cultures. Stephane Audet, executive director of the federation, said Wednesday the concept is for the village, called La Place du Francophonie, is to celebrate B.C. and Canada's rich francophone culture.
B.C. has 63,000 residents whose first language is French. But it also has 300,000 residents for whom French is a second language, including many who are Asian and South Asian. B.C.'s francophone culture is significantly different from the traditional Quebecois culture in eastern Canada, he said.
"What we want to do is create a French Quarter during the Games," Audet said. "What we want to accomplish there is to concentrate a francophone presence there where all B.C., Canadian and international visitors can experience every facet of what makes Canada special."
Audet said the site will focus on francophone arts and culture, and promote tourism.
The $4 million cost is expected to largely come from the federal government, he said, with the remainder from food and beverage sales.
The concept includes two pavilions, a French bistro and pub, stage for concerts and an "artists' alley" like Rue Sainte-Anne in Quebec City.
The idea is part of a larger, $7 million Olympic-related national "action plan" the francophone community has for 2010, including recruiting and supporting bilingual volunteers from across the country, particularly in the medical and security fields.
However, the Department of Canadian Heritage says it has not yet received the proposal, which Audet said includes a request for $3.5 million in direct funding.
Audet said although his federation constantly struggles with Ottawa for support of francophone programs in the west, he's been told by federal officials that Ottawa supports the French Quarter plan.
Canadian Heritage announced earlier this year it was giving the federation $160,000 to help create a liaison with Vanoc in order to promote French-Canadian issues, and to help find enough French-speaking volunteers for the Games.
But two weeks ago the federation, which represents 35 non-profit groups in B.C., discovered half of the money was going to be siphoned from existing francophone community programs in B.C., including summer camps and civic festivals.
It was a pretty nasty discovery. We weren't too pleased," he said. "I find it exceedingly hard to get money out of Ottawa into the regions," he said.
Chaput and the Senate committee were also shocked by the discovery that support for Vanoc would come at a cost to francophone community groups, and they told Verner of their displeasure during the hearing.
"I told her this was not acceptable and that the group, which is being asked to help find volunteers for Vanoc, shouldn't then discover that the money will come from festivals and program Canadian Heritage has already committed to," Chaput said.
Under questioning, Verner told the Senate she has asked her staff to review the case.
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