Vancouver General Discussion Thread

[s211]

Originally Posted by whatnext

The park board has officially amended its Parks Control & Ticket Offences Bylaw to include a possible fine of $500 for those “caught leaving or placing a food attractant that could attract wildlife or purposefully feeding wildlife in parks — including raccoons, rodents, coyotes & birds.”

Rabbits aren't rodents, so it would appear I'm still in the clear.

[whatnext]

Originally Posted by s211

Rabbits aren't rodents, so it would appear I'm still in the clear.

Just don’t be fooled by the squirrels.

[SpongeG]

Granville island has signs that say feeding the birds is considered animal abuse, but still you see people do it.

[jollyburger]

Originally Posted by SpongeG

Granville island has signs that say feeding the birds is considered animal abuse, but still you see people do it.

There's a guy in a BMW that shows up every day in the afternoon to one of the parking lot and dumps bags of bread for the seagulls.

[logan5]

Really wish we could get rid of all that goose shit in the summer. It's all over the parks and squished up on the seawalls.

[WarrenC12]

Originally Posted by logan5

Really wish we could get rid of all that goose shit in the summer. It's all over the parks and squished up on the seawalls.

More coyotes.

[SpongeG]

has anyone heard of this? you may be interested in entering

Retail in the 'hood? Urban planners, designers re-imagine a part of Coquitlam's Austin Heights

Registration for Urbanarium's The Mixing Middle competition closes Nov. 2.
Oct 18, 2021 2:00 PM By: Janis Cleugh

Approved by the Architectural Institute of B.C., the open contest calls for ideas for how commercial enterprises such as corner stores, eateries and doctor’s offices could fit into single-family residential areas, offering more vitality as well as goods and services for the residents living there.

The winner of the best Urbanarium's design in Coquitlam, Surrey, Vancouver or North Vancouver will receive the grand prize of $10,000. Another $10,000 will be awarded by Urbanarium’s planners’ advisory committee that includes Genevieve Bucher, Coquitlam’s director of community planning who’s currently overseeing the city’s Southwest Housing Review.

The competition deadline is Nov. 2. The winners will be named in February.

https://www.tricitynews.com/local-news/r...art-of-coquitlams-austin-heights-4526439

[SpongeG]

Vancouver is a little featured, I wonder how an approach like Amsterdam would work here? they have 40 40 20, 40% social housing, 40% mid-income and 20% market housing

• Video Link

[jollyburger]

Originally Posted by SpongeG

Vancouver is a little featured, I wonder how an approach like Amsterdam would work here? they have 40 40 20, 40% social housing, 40% mid-income and 20% market housing

I guess it would depend on what the profile of their "social" housing clients versus here in Vancouver.

[Vin]

Originally Posted by SpongeG

Vancouver is a little featured, I wonder how an approach like Amsterdam would work here? they have 40 40 20, 40% social housing, 40% mid-income and 20% market housing

• Video Link

In terms of bringing people back into the downtown core, Vancouver started out great in the 90s after the Expo. It has gone downhill ever since. Other cities may have started a little late, but they are improving by leaps and bounds, and in many ways better than Vancouver now. Toronto is such an example, where you can find social housing spread out throughout the city rather than concentrated on a few areas. Cities like Calgary and Montreal are also fast catching up when it comes to putting more people in the city centres. Other Metro Vancouver cities outside Vancouver may not have the 40 40 20 rule like Amsterdam's, but they are also doing their part, and that actually helps many working in downtown Vancouver not to have to move even further away.

[GenWhy?]

The Below-Market Rental Housing Policy, MIRHPP, standard condo builds with social housing components, the upcoming Public Hearing on Nov. 2 on the Streamlined Rental Housing Policy (C zones and RS-RT changes) is close, but not really baked in in the majority of city area.

I don't know how the 40 / 40 / 20 model is funded, but currently I don't think it would work without major gov subsidies. Maybe 60% market 40% mid-income in a 6-storey replacing some RS lots.

[GenWhy?]

Most of these changes are only possible due to the Province recently bringing in the "rental only" changes possible for municipalities, and, from what I've seen in other cities, policies like the proposed changes to the C-2, RS & RT, and form-based codes are the strongest best case / easiest.

[Klazu]

I would be very wary of mixing very different housing types in one and the same building. Most people want to live with their socioeconomic peers, so I don't find a project mixing market condos and social housing a good idea. They have to be at least a separate building as us often the case.

[Changing City]

Originally Posted by Klazu

I would be very wary of mixing very different housing types in one and the same building. Most people want to live with their socioeconomic peers, so I don't find a project mixing market condos and social housing a good idea. They have to be at least a separate building as us often the case.

There are dozens of buildings that have non-market and condos in the same building. Often it's the podium of a tower - there are three on the same block of Davie (Jervis and Mirabel). There are 200 units in Woodwards and there will be non-market units in Landmark (for example).

There are a lot of new towers in Burnaby and other municipalities that have, or will have a podium of non-market housing and a condo tower above. There are are also buildings where there is a market/non market rental building and they're mixed in together within the building, including tenants paying welfare rates right up to full market, including a tower in Coal Harbour.

There are Provincial rent supplement schemes to help low-income and welfare recipients live in market rental units; if you're in one of those buildings there's no way you could tell what socioeconomic strata your neighbour might be from.

[GenWhy?]

Originally Posted by Klazu

I would be very wary of mixing very different housing types in one and the same building. Most people want to live with their socioeconomic peers, so I don't find a project mixing market condos and social housing a good idea. They have to be at least a separate building as us often the case.

What impact would 20% condo tenants have on the other 80% of tenants in a building who are renters?

[jollyburger]

I think there should be a clarification between being in the same building vs having different entrances/facilities. The Amsterdam example seemed to have people on different levels based on their needs but no segregated sections for low income.

[Vin]

Originally Posted by jollyburger

I think there should be a clarification between being in the same building vs having different entrances/facilities. The Amsterdam example seemed to have people on different levels based on their needs but no segregated sections for low income.

In most parts of Europe, the down-and-out do not look like literal zombies such as what we have here, or in North America. Even though there are many other healthy and socially-responsible folks who need social housing, almost all condo owners here would be afraid of being put into the same buildings as the hardcore addicts/criminals/mentally unstable, whom we have plenty here. The problem is, you never know what you will get until the newer residents move in. To allay the fears, the municipality and developers need to do a better job at explaining what those social/low-income housing are meant for.

[SpongeG]

from talking about restrictions and shortages in the other thread. Went to Superstore and Walmart in Guildford this afternoon.

RCSS had no chicken, very limited beef and some pork, Flour was almost all gone, along with sugar and a few other staples. Fruit and produce were ok, overall it wasn't too bad.

Walmart had much less, no chicken, no beef, only some pork, no bread, no flour and almost no sugar. Most everything else was ok but very many near empty shelves.

I took a few pics at the Walmart

2021-11-21_06-47-27 by snub_you, on Flickr

no bread
2021-11-21_06-47-22 by snub_you, on Flickr

meat was pretty empty
2021-11-21_06-47-16 by snub_you, on Flickr

[whatnext]

Originally Posted by SpongeG

from talking about restrictions and shortages in the other thread. Went to Superstore and Walmart in Guildford this afternoon.

RCSS had no chicken, very limited beef and some pork, Flour was almost all gone, along with sugar and a few other staples. Fruit and produce were ok, overall it wasn't too bad.

Walmart had much less, no chicken, no beef, only some pork, no bread, no flour and almost no sugar. Most everything else was ok but very many near empty shelves.

I took a few pics at the Walmart

Is this a suburban thing? Granted I haven't set foot in a Walmart in over a decade but I didn't notice anything particularly dire at City Market in Arbutus or Meinhardts.

[Changing City]

Originally Posted by whatnext

Is this a suburban thing? Granted I haven't set foot in a Walmart in over a decade but I didn't notice anything particularly dire at City Market in Arbutus or Meinhardts.

I was shopping in No Frills on East Hastings today. No panic buying, seemed to be fully stocked, parking lot only half full at 10.00. Maybe it helped that the store have a policy of 2 items purchase limit for anything except produce. (That doesn't play well with the 'buy three, get a discount' on stir-fry sauces!)