THE TALK OF THE TOWN
/What Do We Have For You This Month?
Welcome to The Talk of The Town for December 2020. Scroll through the following features (and click on images enlarge) to find:
The Month That Was & The Month Ahead: A roundup of West End-Coal Harbour community news, announcements, and other local gossip.
High Street News: Here’s where we try to keep up with the openings and closings of West End restaurants and retail outlets, as they happen.
Milestones: Events of note in the lives of our community. Career moves, unions, births, and fond farewells.
Stanley Park Notebook: Jacqui Birchall’s monthly report from the park this month introduces us to the Mounted Squad of the Vancouver City Police, whose horses are a familiar West End sight.
Name That Lane: Three years ago the City started naming eight of the laneways that run east and west through the West End. In the third of an eight-part series, Lucas Pilleri shares the story behind ted northe Lane.
West End-Coal Harbour In The News: Links to reports in BC’s leading news outlets relating directly to our community.
The Month That Was & The Month Ahead
𝗧𝗪𝗢 𝗪𝗘𝗦𝗧 𝗘𝗡𝗗 𝗚𝗥𝗢𝗖𝗘𝗥𝗦 𝗥𝗘𝗣𝗢𝗥𝗧 𝗖𝗢𝗩𝗜𝗗 𝗘𝗫𝗣𝗢𝗦𝗨𝗥𝗘𝗦
Two West End grocery outlets were among 75 exposure notices posted by Loblaws and Sobeys for November as the number of exposure notices being posted for grocery stores and pharmacies in the province also appears to be rising, along with new cases.
The notices are for Safeway at 1766 Robson where a notice was posted on November 26 and the employee had last worked on November 18, and the Independent Grocer at 1255 Davie where a notice was posted on November 30 and the employee last worked on November 25.
The notices were posted on the respective firms’ websites. Loblaws and Sobeys say they post notices for transparency. The warnings are kept online for two weeks and personal details about the employees are never shared.
Two zones in the Burrard Corridor (West End Community Plan area) where the City has waived Financial community amenity contributions (CACs) CACs and development cost levies (DCLs).
(Click on image to enlarge)
BURRARD CORRIDOR CHANGES
Developers Can Switch From Social Housing To Rental
On November 24 Vancouver City Council approved a staff recommendation that will alter the development criteria for what is referred to as “The Burrard Corridor”, giving developers the option to build rentals instead of social housing. In the report, city staff recommended that Council permit a temporary policy of considering rezoning applications for 100 percent secured rental housing in which a minimum of 20 percent of the residential floor area is secured below-market rental housing. The policy will stand for two years and potentially impact four West End developments, including The Thurlow at 1068 Burnaby, a 32-story tower at 1055 Harwood, two towers at Harwood and Thurlow, and two towers at 1040 Barclay.
You can find the official record of that and other Council decisions on that day here and the report and staff recommendations here.
West End Neighbours (WEN) a group of West End community activists, earlier last month had sent a letter to Vancouver City Council opposing the recommendations. Their letter said in part:
“The summary in the staff report makes it clear that “development uptake” on the 30-year term of the WECP has been faster than anticipated. If current economics means a modest decrease in the current “development rodeo” in the West End then that should be considered a positive situation, not something to be manipulated for the benefit of property purchasers who jumped to participate in a hyper-inflated real estate market.
”The proposal as presented includes the substitution of market and below-market rental units for truly-affordable and highly-needed social housing. The proposal is fundamentally flawed, and it is surprising that the concept has made its way to a Council agenda package. Developments approved in the Burrard Corridor, some of which are under construction, will create social housing units that are owned by the city. The current proposal would waive Community Amenity Contributions and allow the creation of privately-owned below-market rentals. These types of housing are not interchangeable – they are fundamentally different.” Read the full letter here.
The West End Journal will continue to cover community concerns about departures from the 2013 West End Community Plan in future issues.
(Click on the map to enlarge)
WEST END BUY NOTHING PROJECT GETS REGIONAL
The increasingly popular online swap-meet the Buy Nothing Project’s West End affiliate has split into four smaller subgroups in response to concerns that the larger group was starting to behave like a marketplace, “with people treating each other as sources for stuff rather than neighbours.”
You can connect with the group in your area (check the map) by following these links: Lost Lagoon here; Coal Harbour here; English Bay here; and Davie Village here.
Not everyone was pleased with the move, and the fact that you can only belong to one regional group at a time. Feeling that it was more important to have as wide a range of members, and thus a larger selection of items on offer, they have opened another inclusive Downtown Vancouver site that you can find here.
Lots of opportunities for West Enders to find items they need, and Buy Nothing!
WEST END DISSENTER WON’T WEAR A MASK
If you haven’t heard yet (and how could you not?) it is now mandatory that we wear face masks in all public spaces as well as common areas of our apartment and condo buildings. But one West End tenant has made it clear that he won’t comply.
In his apartment building, he placed a letter on his neighbours' doorsteps informing them that he will not follow the universal mask policy.
"Should anyone attempt to fine me, or force their own beliefs on myself or others rightfully defending their freedoms and health autonomy they can expect the full force of rightful law in return," he declared in writing.
"I will further seek maximum damages in civil courts for any actions that cause a loss and/or infringe upon my rights or human sovereignty, including my tenancy rights," he added in bold-faced type.
This horrified one of his neighbours, who tweeted that his response potentially puts people in her building at risk, including low-income, disabled, and elderly tenants. That prompted former B.C. Green candidate in Vancouver–West End, James Marshall, to publish an open letter to “William” via social media with this message: "Dear William. You live in a society. Wear a mask and don't be a jerk."
No word as to whether the dissident tenant has launched legal action against anyone as yet.
“Bee Safe” is a message for our time!
𝗝𝗢𝗘 𝗔𝗩𝗘𝗥𝗔𝗚𝗘 SHARES A MESSAGE
Speaking of masks, The West End’s beloved artist and activist Joe Average has just come out with his own line of colourful masks emblazoned with some of his most popular images.
Joe, whose art has graced AIDS awareness campaign posters and can be found in many West End homes, is known for his highly stylized paintings, using vivid colours and bold lines. His signature bee drawings lend themselves nicely to a “Bee Safe” theme, and his popular “One World, One Hope” mosaic-like image shares a message we can all appreciate right now.
Let's flood the West End streets and hangouts with this latest genius idea from our beloved friend and neighbour. Just in time to get festive! And $1 of every sale goes to BC children’s Hospital. Order yours here.
Artists vision of the proposed new complex. (Courtesy of City of Vancouver)
COAL HARBOUR SCHOOL & HOUSING
The City of Vancouver has announced plans to finally move forward with a long-envisioned expansion of the existing Coal Harbour Community Centre complex to include new elementary school and social housing components.
Footprint of the proposed school and social housing.
(Click any image to enlarge)
The project calls for a 10-storey building to replace the ground-level parking lot immediately west of the community centre. The waterfront site at 480 Broughton Street borders the Coal Harbour seawall.
Within the lower three levels of the mixed-use building, the elementary school will span 37,000 sq. ft. for up to 320 students. A 69-space childcare facility is slated for the fourth level, with outdoor play space located on the school’s podium rooftop
For the remaining levels, 45,000 sq. ft. of residential floor area will be dedicated for 60 units of social housing, with an emphasis on family-sized housing as 58% of the homes will be two- and three-bedroom units.
Residents will have access to a large indoor and outdoor rooftop amenity space.
There will also be significant public realm improvements that not only create new public spaces, but better integrate the redevelopment with the community centre and seawall.
The project, designed by Henriquez Partners Architects, is being designed to Passive House and LEED Gold green building standards. The goal is to create a building to “achieve zero emissions.”
There is some urgency to construct the building as soon as possible because students at Lord Roberts Annex Elementary School at Nelson Park in the West End will be temporarily relocated to the new Coal Harbour elementary school while work on the new BC Hydro substation proceeds.
Daily Hive has a complete update here.
High Street News
NICOLA DRY CLEANING CLOSES
Nicola Dry Cleaning at Nicola and Nelson closed its doors at the end of November after a 20-year run, citing an unsustainable rent increase. Popular in the community and widely regarded as “good neighbours”, the business will be missed.
Less than three months ago the building received a bright facelift by artist Carson Ting (who signs his artwork “Chairman Ting”) and collaborator Annie Chen (aka Lemonni) with a colourful mural depicting West End legend and restaurant and library namesake Joe Fortes. Here’s hoping subsequent occupants will leave the cheerful mural as a celebration of community spirit.
The West Georgia White Spot — going, going, soon to be gone.
ONCE UPON A WHITE SPOT
Vancouver’s legendary White Spot restaurant chain’s West End location, opened in 1979, closed its doors for good on November 28 to make way for a twin-tower development.
The property at 1616 West Georgia, includes the adjacent vacant lot and sold for $245 million in 2017. Plans for redevelopment by Carnival International Holdings in partnership with Aspac are for two 38-storey highrise buildings with a four-storey podium linking the towers. The development will have an anticipated 455 strata residential units in total.
West Enders will now have to travel to the Granville or West Broadway locations for their Pirate Paks. In the meantime, get the full story here.
MuMu Kitchen, as it was transitioning from Ginger Garlic. The transformation is complete.
MUMU KITCHEN
Putting a new spin on “KFC”, the West End is now home to a couple of Korean Fried Chicken outlets, the latest to the party being MuMu Kitchen at 1738 Davie. The former occupants, Ginger Garlic which specialized in Indian cuisine, closed their doors last spring after a good ten year plus run. A change of management was, according to many online reviews, the beginning of a decline in popularity.
The new eatery offers a selection of Korean eats including several varieties of KFC (obviously) and fried rice dishes, alongside grub like potato pancakes.
In addition to their signature Korean Fried Chicken, MuMu also serves up a variety of traditional Korean favourites.
Pop-up patios such as the one at Ladurée on Robson, can now stay open through to next October.
POP-UP PATIOS LIFE EXTENDED
Winterized patios have been popping up all over the West End and Coal Harbour neighbourhood, and City Council has extended the temporary expedited patio program on public property for a year. They will, at the discretion of the business owners, now remain in operation until October 31, 2021.
That means that the temporary patios – which in some cases have allowed restaurants to regain capacity at their establishments to a level close to pre-pandemic numbers – will be able to operate throughout the winter and into next spring and summer.
The program that allows temporary patios for businesses on private property was also extended until the end same date next year.
The program was introduced in June to allow restaurants with available outdoor spaces to re-purpose seating that was indoors to the outdoor area, provided that social distancing measures are maintained.
Originally, the patios approved to operate were to stay open until the end of October of this year.
Milestones
FOND FAREWELLS
Basil Pantages.
Basil Pantages was a noteworthy Howe Street player, scion of the family noted for theatres of the same name, founder of the Vancouver Polar Bear Swim, and for decades a recognizable West End presence, zipping about in his little red convertible.
Read more about Basil’s remarkable life in this month’s Joy’s Journal and catch a CBC interview here and catch the CBC story, and an interview here.
Beloved West End neighbour Margaret MacDonald.
Margaret MacDonald passed away on November 3 at the age of 102. Margaret was a popular figure as she travelled the Denman / Barclay area, frequently stopping for chats and hugs. Her cheerful smile and sunny disposition brightened many a neighbour's day. She served her country as an Air Force officer, and also earned her Master’s in social sciences.
She was a pioneer in bringing a more personal approach to doctor and patient care through a program she launched over forty years ago, which has since become a template for such initiatives. Margaret was a loving mother of four. Margaret's daughter Katherine Houston has asked us to share this message to her mother's many neighbourhood friends and fans: To all of you who loved her, thank you. Thank you for stopping her on the street. Thank you for doting on her. Thank you for making her life here so happy." Katherine then tells us that “the very proper cup of tea Margaret is holding in this photo is actually hot chocolate -- with a shot of Bailey's!”
Spencer Chandra Herbert, circa 2015.
NOTABLE DATES
A Work Anniversary: MLA Spencer Chandra Herbert woke up one day recently to realize that he had just missed the fifteenth anniversary of his career as a public servant. On November 19, 2005 a 24-year-old Spencer became the youngest person ever elected to that body. That was the year that Sam Sullivan beat out Jim Green for the mayor’s chain. Spencer may not have recalled that he came in last place in a race for seven seats, in a field of 19 candidates, with a respectable 44,562 votes. And it’s just gotten better and better for one of the most popular politicians in any race. Congratulations Spencer!
David Nacho is coming to First Baptist.
PEOPLE ON THE MOVE
A First Baptist Church Announcement tells us that beginning January 15 David Nacho will be joining the team as the director of street ministries.
David will provide leadership for “Shelter” and related ministries, and together with volunteers, will work to foster a culture that encourages congregants to extend friendship and service to those who are most vulnerable. Working with the pastoral team, David will expand the work of Shelter by developing new initiatives and community partnerships. He will also work to facilitate continued ministry among the homeless and urban poor during our displacement.
David was born and raised in Bolivia in a Christian family and was baptized in 1994. In 1997, he immigrated to Canada, where he became a member of Grandview Calvary Baptist Church.
Welcome to the West End community David!
Lynn Ross is the new executive director at PAL Vancouver.
PAL Vancouver, the Performing Arts Lodge on Cardero at West Georgia, has announced that it has named Lynn Ross to lead the organization as its executive director. Lynn took up the reigns on November 2. PAL is a housing complex for retired entertainment and show business professionals. “Retired” is probably the wrong word, as many of the residents continue to perform and create, and the eighth floor PAL Studio Theatre is the venue for many popular theatrical and musical performances — when allowed.
With over two decades working in the arts and culture sector, Lynn has been a music policy and business planning strategist with various organizations. Her work includes supporting equity, diversity, and inclusion, focusing on the LGBTQ2+ community. Her previous positions include cultural planner, City of Vancouver; general manager, Creative City Network of Canada; and general manager, Western Canada, SOCAN. She is a graduate of the University of Toronto, BCIT, and the Sandermoen School of Business, University of Fredericton.
“I am thrilled to join PAL Vancouver as its new Executive Director,” says Ross. “It is an honour to support this part of the arts and culture community I have served for much of my life. With the new building currently under construction in New Westminster, PAL Vancouver is set for growth and I will support the board as we establish the organization at a second site. We must also navigate our way forward through the COVID-19 crisis in the months ahead, and keep our residents safe and connected.”
She succeeds Gary Glacken, who has retired after 12 years as PAL Vancouver’s executive director.
Stanley Park Notebook
by Jacqui Birchall
THE VPD MOUNTED SQUAD
The VPD Mounted Squad is a huge hit whenever it appears in Stanley Park or the West End. The clip-clop draws West End residents to their windows and brings pedestrians to a dead stop, staring in wonder.
The Mounted Squad. (click images to enlarge)
Composed of five constables and one sergeant, the mounted squad boasts five female and one male officer. Sergeant Susan Sharp tells me it’s her dream job, a sentiment shared by Constable Hana du Temple who showed me around the VPD Mounted Unit’s facilities.
Nestled in Stanley Park between the Rose Garden and Beaver Lake, the VPD stables and paddocks house nine horses. The horses have to be geldings of at least 16 hands. Mares apparently cause problems in such a grouping. (Clearly, riders do not fall into the same category.)
Turbo, relaxing in his stall, is looking forward to retirement.
The horses have to be calm in crowds and not easily spooked, be at least five years old and dark in colour. Percherons and Clydesdales are perfect breeds for police work. The gentle giants of the mounted squad clearly stole my heart from Ike, a roman nosed Clydesdale of 18 hands to Stanley, a 16.2 hands, five-year-old Standardbred ex-racehorse who loves to chew the paddock fences,
The very beautiful Turbo, a black Percheron, 16.2 hands, is 17 and due to retire soon. Retiring horses are adopted into caring homes.
There is also Tex, a black Clydesdale of 14 years. He is the longest-serving member. Apollo, Jedi, Nelson, Fergus and Kojack make up the rest of the squad. Several of the horses come from a university training facility for police horses in Kentucky.
The VPD Mounted Squad has been very lucky to have the very talented Johnathan Field, a skilled and famous horseman who works with riders and horses. If you see a light coloured cowboy hat amongst the VPD Mounted Squad, that is Johnathan.
Lexi, is one of two civilian stable managers who feed the horses and clean the stalls. Even Lexi is special, providing massage therapy to horses. Officers clean their own tack and muck out the stables at the end of the day. In normal times it is possible to arrange a tour of the stables but Covid has brought visits to a halt.
The VPD Mounted Squad patrols Stanley Park, the West End, and Downtown, and takes part in ceremonial activities and crowd control. The mounted unit also works hand-in-hand with the Stanley Park Rangers.
The unit was first formed in 1908 when the stables were at Cordova and Main, before moving to Stanley Park. The squad has been disbanded at various times due to World Wars, but it is now an important part of the VPD.
The Green Winged Teal.
AMOROUS WINTER WATER FOWL
Keep your eyes peeled along the seawall, English Bay and Lost Lagoon for the beautiful winter waterfowl that have recently arrived from as far away as the tundra. Along the Seawall and English Bay watch for Barrow’s Goldeneyes. These very attractive, mussel-eating black and white birds are the huge black flocks you see close to Siwash Rock. Look for Surf Scoters (black with large square orange bills), Buffleheads, Green-Winged Teals, Harlequin Ducks, (these diving ducks like the rough surf around Siwash Rock), Long Tailed Ducks, Mergansers, Red Breasted Mergansers, and Cackling Geese. Cackling Geese look like miniature Canada Geese.
A Barrow’s Golden Eye.
On Lost Lagoon look for the Green-Winged Teal, Hooded Merganser, Common Merganser, Redhead, American Wigeon, Eurasian Wigeon, Northern Shoveler, Lesser Scaup, Canvas Back Scaup and the Ruddy Duck. Some of the birds do seem to enjoy both the Seawall and Lost Lagoon
What is very interesting is that it is mating season for these birds. Take your binoculars and watch the mating dances. Fascinating how the males strut and the females show their interest. Not to be missed.
Vancouver is on the bird migration route called the Pacific Flyway that runs from Alaska to Patagonia. Amazing!
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Name That Lane
In 2017, the City of Vancouver started to rename eight laneways in the West End after local prominent figures. Who were these people? Why are we honouring their names? What legacy did they leave behind? Let’s find out about the little-known stories of some of our greatest leaders, activists and pioneers.
ted northe lane in Vancouver’s West End.
(click images to enlarge)
TED NORTHE LANE
by Lucas Pilleri
Located between Barclay and Nelson streets, ted northe Lane runs from Burrard Street to Stanley Park.
ted northe (1939-2014) was one of Vancouver’s and Canada’s most prominent LGBT activists. His actions were instrumental in building momentum for the decriminalization of homosexuality in the country. He also helped organize many events in Vancouver, including the first Pride Parade.
In 1958, ted northe (always spelled all lower-case) famously protested with a small group of friends against the criminalization of homosexuality outside the Vancouver Art Gallery, which was the city’s courthouse at the time. All dressed in drag, looking glamorous like Gina Lollobrigida, ted northe was holding a sign reading “I am a human being,” before the police intervened to disperse the crowd.
ted north (Andre Tardif Photo)
The 1960s were no happy times for the LGBT community. As the Cold War was raging, believe it or not, gay people were thought to be communist spies! During a discriminatory era known as “The Purge”, the Canadian government spied on, exposed and removed suspected LGBT individuals from the federal public service and the Canadian Armed Forces. Because of the numerous investigations made against them, many LGBT people lost their job and social relationships. Humiliation, psychiatric treatment and torture were often used.
ted northe as Empress of Canada.
ted’s efforts were eventually noticed by Pierre Elliott Trudeau, first as Minister of Justice then as prime minister. In 1969, the politician passed the Criminal Law Amendment Act, or Bill C-150, which introduced major changes to the Canadian criminal code – homosexuality was no longer a crime. “There’s no place for the state in the bedrooms of the nation,” Pierre Elliott Trudeau famously declared.
It is said that the prime minister personally called ted over the phone, calling him “Your Majesty.” He was thereby emphasizing northe’s drag queen status as Empress of Canada in the Imperial Court System, one of the largest LGBT organizations in the world, as well as recognizing his historical impact on LGBT rights.
ted had introduced the Court to Vancouver in 1971 when he and his partner Bill Craig were operating The August Club, one of Vancouver’s earliest drag venues.
ted northe died of cancer in 2014 at the age of 74, leaving behind a strengthened, modernized LGBT community ready to embark on its next fight for equality.
West End-Coal Harbour In The News
Each month West End Journal we will bring you a summary of the previous month’s stories in local media about West End and Coal Harbour events and issues, with links to the articles — just in case you missed them.
West End Murder Case Update: The 76-year-old West Ender who was convicted of murdering two residents in the West End's Ocean Towers in 2017 will wait 13 years for parole. (The Province / Nov. 6)
Crime Concerns Expressed After West End Break-In: One day after the Vancouver Police released a survey showing the vast majority of residents are concerned with crime in the city, a West End coffee shop owner woke up to broken glass and an empty register. (News 1130 / Nov. 10)
Body Found In Stanley Park: The search for a missing woman ended tragically with the discovery of her body in Stanley Park. (CBC News / Nov. 15)
Lumiere: Exhibition brightens up Vancouver amidst COVID-19 restrictions. (CBC / Nov. 15)
Our Neighbours The Coyotes! Sightings are up all around Metro Vancouver, including the West End. (Vancouver Sun / Nov. 16)
Stanley Park Teahouse hit by multiple break-ins (Global / Nov. 22)
Hedy Fry Pulls Out of Nuclear Arms Treaty Discussion: Vancouver Centre MP Dr. Hedy Fry withdrew from a scheduled webinar on “Why hasn’t Canada signed the UN Nuclear Ban Treaty?” prompting charges of “hypocrisy”. (The Province / Nov. 22)
𝗖𝗢𝗩𝗜𝗗-𝟭𝟵 Hits Retail Hard:: Robson Street Business Association executive director Teri Smith is among those interviewed by Business In Vancouver. (BIV / Nov. 25)
