Downtown Vancouver Updates

[BCPhil]

Yeah, but it's a rental building in an area that desperately needs them. I don't think we have to expect marvels for every building built, and anything is better than the concrete rental prisons built in the 70's.

[yogiderek]

Originally Posted by mr.x

We're planning a third phase of the convention centre already??? I didn't think that would come for at least another 10 years, very much like how the recent convention centre wasn't planned until the mid-1990s...10-years after Canada Place was built.

The site east of Canada Place by the future transportation hub is certainly the most logical and perhaps the only location the convention center can expand into....

Does anyone have any of the detailed drawings of sea port cenetr proposal. Or the Arthur Erickson convention center with the Marriot renderings.? I think another pier for cruise ships would be a good idea in any proposal like the original seaport center. I also would really like to see the extension of Granville street through the partial demolition of Granville square parkade. I'm sort of anti waterfront stadium though, seems like it would be a complete waste of money and structure now that we have the BCplace redevelopment happening.

[ozonemania]

I agree a replacement for the 2nd cruise terminal would be very nice, somehow worked into future plans. That is assuming that the cruise ship industry has a future here.

[dleung]

Originally Posted by privatejet

Changes to the 1401 Comox Street application.

http://vancouver.ca/commsvcs/planning/rezoning/applications/1401comox/index.htm

I think with the addition of a 3500 sq ft. community ammenity for a gay community group , this thing will get passed.

Ground level render from the PDF:



The tower is like a glass version of those 1960's stucco/concrete boxes... it even has all the proportions and full-width balconies at the end. Henriquez did good buildings before and have great ones coming down the pipeline... how this POS beast became part of a serious proposal is beyond me.

Two major issues with the public component. Firstly, the pink Q is so in-your-face and cliche that if I were gay I'd be embarrassed to be seen walking into the building. Secondly, there's something not quite right about how it's socially acceptable for some community groups to have exclusive privileges to certain public amenities. I doubt you have to be gay to be able to enjoy the facility, but you probably have to to be part of the staff. And if I'm wrong about even the last bit, then what's the point of designating the place as a Qmunity centre as opposed to a regular one?? This does nothing to promote a broader acceptance, but instead isolates its members within the comfort of a "support group", like with breast-cancer, etc, which I have similarily little patience for.

[geoff's two cents]

I personally don't mind the look of the building. It's no Shangri-la, but it's patently unpretentious look fits in with the surrounding neighborhood.

A Coal Harbor-type blue/green/grey sleek glass monolith (I'm not completely opposed to these - in moderation), which I'm assuming would be more popular on this forum, would by comparison stand out like a sore thumb here.

Originally Posted by dleung

This does nothing to promote a broader acceptance, but instead isolates its members within the comfort of a "support group", like with breast-cancer, etc, which I have similarily little patience for.

While I appreciate your honesty, this last sentence helps put the rest of your post in perspective.

[AlexYVR]

Originally Posted by dleung

Ground level render from the PDF:

And if I'm wrong about even the last bit, then what's the point of designating the place as a Qmunity centre as opposed to a regular one?? This does nothing to promote a broader acceptance, but instead isolates its members within the comfort of a "support group", like with breast-cancer, etc, which I have similarily little patience for.

I'm with Geoff on this one. DLeung, your posts are usually really informative and thoughtful, but this really shows just how much you've never been gay. Or had breast cancer. The current Qumunity centre is tiny, underfunded, kind of grimy, supportive, and most importantly makes no judgements. It's a hugely safe environment, especially for teenagers, and without it I'm sure there would be a lot more lost, scared people in the dark about a lot of issues in the West End. I'm glad to see they're getting the space they deserve even if it is attached to substandard architecture.

At least in that regard, this proposal will fit right in to the west end.

[mr.x]

It's really great to see the West End getting a new gay community centre...the current one, while very supportive and helpful to the local queer community, is really dingy...inside it looks more like something you'd expect from the Downtown Eastside. Even so, the current facility saves countless lives.

And I like the location, being a few blocks away from Davie it's away from the hustle and bustle (noise) of a major city street.


Dleung, I'm absolutely shocked that you'd be complaining about the purpose of such a facility for gays....and even more appalled that you would be against such support facilities for cancer patients.

[johnjimbc]

I think a lot of life is accepting differences, even celebrating them, but also recognizing the need to seek and develop common connections among people. I've noted many times in life that groups can separate themselves to the point that their face begins to seem more like a wall. That's true of everything from religions to book clubs .

Personally, I think the idea of a new gay, lesbian, and transsexual resource center / community center is great. But even I wonder a bit at the idea of a "big Q centre." I know Queer is a self-identified description . . . and it's certainly easier than the alphabet soup of "GLBT..." that is in current favour, but the term can also be a psychological barrier. I somehow just can't imagine a confused youth or well-meaning parent feeling comfortable going to the Qmunity Centre for information or a consultation unless they've already taken most of the journey already. And though I suspect heterosexual individuals and couples will be welcome, the big sign on the window will probably send a mixed signal every time they approach it.

Please don't take this the wrong way . . . I'm really not wanting to be controversial or launch a huge debate. But I read the past several comments with interest so thought I would add my thoughts. I am really glad they are putting in the new centre. I look forward to checking it out. With the world the way it still is for the queer community around the world (reading some of the horrors out of Africa just this morning), I'm actually proud of it . . . proud of Vancouver and Canada for being a nation that can celebrate diversity in such an open manner. But I do recognize that, as presented, it could seem a barrier in some ways instead of opening new avenues to the broader community.

I might be wrong, but I read dleung's comment as being a statement that it will be a wonderful day when we can just open a human support centre without feeling the need to define what kind of human to which it will be offering support. The debate, if there is one, is whether that is necessary and, if so, when should it happen.

Good day to all.

[delboy]

Originally Posted by johnjimbc

I think a lot of life is accepting differences, even celebrating them, but also recognizing the need to seek and develop common connections among people. I've noted many times in life that groups can separate themselves to the point that their face begins to seem more like a wall. That's true of everything from religions to book clubs .

Personally, I think the idea of a new gay, lesbian, and transsexual resource center / community center is great. But even I wonder a bit at the idea of a "big Q centre." I know Queer is a self-identified description . . . and it's certainly easier than the alphabet soup of "GLBT..." that is in current favour, but the term can also be a psychological barrier. I somehow just can't imagine a confused youth or well-meaning parent feeling comfortable going to the Qmunity Centre for information or a consultation unless they've already taken most of the journey already. And though I suspect heterosexual individuals and couples will be welcome, the big sign on the window will probably send a mixed signal every time they approach it.

Please don't take this the wrong way . . . I'm really not wanting to be controversial or launch a huge debate. But I read the past several comments with interest so thought I would add my thoughts. I am really glad they are putting in the new centre. I look forward to checking it out. With the world the way it still is for the queer community around the world (reading some of the horrors out of Africa just this morning), I'm actually proud of it . . . proud of Vancouver and Canada for being a nation that can celebrate diversity in such an open manner. But I do recognize that, as presented, it could seem a barrier in some ways instead of opening new avenues to the broader community.

I might be wrong, but I read dleung's comment as being a statement that it will be a wonderful day when we can just open a human support centre without feeling the need to define what kind of human to which it will be offering support. The debate, if there is one, is whether that is necessary and, if so, when should it happen.

Good day to all.

I agree with this. I remember reading an article once about a gay police applicant with the VPD. He was offended that the police were actively seeking gay applicants and making the selection process easier. He rightfully commented to the effect of "don't they get it? We are only looking for inclusion, not special treatment. By identifying us a 'special group' they are compounding the problem that gays should be treated differently."

When we do this kind of thing we are encouraging segregation. Well intended but off the mark. It's a community centre for the community, be they white black, gay, straight or Australian.

[dreambrother808]

Why anyone is threatened or bothered by the existence of this centre confuses me.

Specialized entities exist so that they can focus on the needs and issues of that group. It's kind of like going to your pharmacist for drug advice as opposed to the guy running a cycling shop. Are those also unnecessary distinctions? Are the specialized knowledge and dealings pharmacist discriminatory or unnecessary? Obviously not.

The fact that this bothers people, especially non-gay people who think they "know better" even though they aren't even gay, is troublesome and speaks to a certain kind of underlying ignorance still present in our "enlightened" culture.

[trofirhen]

All of this brouhaha about sexual orientation, and the need to display it/ hide it/ accept it/ reject it, etc makes me realize that North American society is still not only homophobic to a large extent, but also hung up on what OTHER people do and who they do it with.
*
Let me cite an example from France that clearly illustrates the more tolerant (dare I say "sophisticated?") attitude of Europeans over North Americans regarding this .......
*
Bertrand Delanoë, the mayor of Paris, is openly gay. He doesn't flaunt it, but makes no bones about the widespread public knowledge that he is gay. (and he has been re-elected more than once).....
*
Anyway, one evening, on a televised talk show with a studio audience, a male audience member thought he'd have a nice, nasty, humiliating jab at Monsieur Delanoë's sexual preference. He stood up, in the middle of the televised studio audience and asked a question everybody would know the answer to:
*
....."Monsieur Delanoë, are you married?"
*
Smiling, and with cool French aplomb, Bertrand Delanoë replied: "Non, monsieur.... et VOUS...?????"
*
The applause and laughter could have cracked the lens on a TV camera.
*
I rather doubt such a scenario would ever play out in Vancouver. We have a long way to travel down Tolerance Road.

[s211]

Originally Posted by delboy

I agree with this. I remember reading an article once about a gay police applicant with the VPD. He was offended that the police were actively seeking gay applicants and making the selection process easier. He rightfully commented to the effect of "don't they get it? We are only looking for inclusion, not special treatment. By identifying us a 'special group' they are compounding the problem that gays should be treated differently."

When we do this kind of thing we are encouraging segregation. Well intended but off the mark. It's a community centre for the community, be they white black, gay, straight or Australian.

WHOH WHOH WHOH.

Nobody said anything about Australians. Lousy Limey-wannabees.

[privatejet]

interesting discussion but back to a focus on discussion of vancouver development. in that context the Q house (or whatever) is just an example of a community group working with a developer to get some public benefit from the density bonus program. In this case it happens to be a gay community group which is working with Westbank. Past examples of denisty bonus range from Vancouver Film Society (Bravo), Contempary Arts (Mondrian) Vancouver Volunteer Centre (The Melville) Legal Society (building on Smithe) and the list goes on. Its a pretty standard arangement, the space is actually dedicated to the City and then turned over to the non-profit. In the case it doesnt work out (Cathedral Place -Folk Art Museum?) the City retains the space to turn it over to another non-profit

[delboy]

Originally Posted by dreambrother808

Why anyone is threatened or bothered by the existence of this centre confuses me.

Specialized entities exist so that they can focus on the needs and issues of that group. It's kind of like going to your pharmacist for drug advice as opposed to the guy running a cycling shop. Are those also unnecessary distinctions? Are the specialized knowledge and dealings pharmacist discriminatory or unnecessary? Obviously not.

The fact that this bothers people, especially non-gay people who think they "know better" even though they aren't even gay, is troublesome and speaks to a certain kind of underlying ignorance still present in our "enlightened" culture.

no one said they were bothered or threatened by it, but if there was a 'straight' only centre........... Besides, it's not a case of a pharamcy its a ....COMMUNITY CENTRE.... Only ignorant person here is you.

[Hed Kandi]

..

[delboy]

Originally Posted by s211

WHOH WHOH WHOH.

Nobody said anything about Australians. Lousy Limey-wannabees.

it was a line from a British Comedy Show - the royal family (no not that one)

[dreambrother808]

Originally Posted by delboy

no one said they were bothered or threatened by it, but if there was a 'straight' only centre........... Besides, it's not a case of a pharamcy its a ....COMMUNITY CENTRE.... Only ignorant person here is you.

Well I'm sorry that you fail to see my point, but whatever, such is life.

This is not simply a community centre in the sense that you know. It is a centre for gay-related activities, groups, support, health, discussion, etc. In addition, it is not built at the cost of general community centres, which already exist in the area. Since there is such a large demographic of gay people in that area and in this city, having a place of this kind is only logical and natural. No one is being excluded. Is a synagogue or a church excluding people because they are meeting places for people of a common faith? Do you believe that they shouldn't exist because you may not be jewish or christian? They are simply places to be amongst similar people, as is this. The gay population is sizeable enough to warrant its existence, period. If you feel your need vis-a-vis a community centre is not being met due to the existence of this one, then perhaps voicing dissent would make sense.

[deasine]

Hey delboy, watch your attitude here. I will not tolerate any personal attacks from you, or from any other members. Take it as a warning guys.

[Yume-sama]

It's OK. Straight people already have a community centre. GM Place during a Canucks game.

/What? Next thing you know you'll tell me gay people can like hockey, TOO!

[flight_from_kamakura]

dreambrother = yes.