THE TALK OF THE TOWN

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What Do We Have For You This Month?

Welcome to The Talk of The Town for March 2021. Scroll through the following features (and click on images to enlarge) to find:

  • West End News & Notes: A roundup of West End-Coal Harbour community news, announcements, and other local gossip.

  • Word On The Street: The latest news from the businesses on the Davie/Denman/Robson horseshoe - and beyond.

  • West End Moments: With many great photographers in our community, we like to share some of the best images each month.

  • Name That Lane: Three years ago the City started naming eight of the laneways that run east and west through the West End. This month Lucas Pilleri shares the story behind Jung Lane.

  • West End-Coal Harbour In The News: Links to the past month’s reports in BC’s leading news outlets relating directly to our community — in cased you missed them.

West End News & Notes

WHAT CAUSED LAST MONTH’S POWER OUTAGE?
Helium Balloons Need a Little Prick Before We Trash Them

The culprit of last month’s West End power outage.

by Glenda Bartosh

Nearly 4,200 West End homes and businesses contended with a major power outage at suppertime, Saturday, February 20 when a seemingly innocent thing short-circuited a major power line in the alley between the 1600- and 1700-blocks of Nelson and Barclay.

A live wire carrying thousands of volts dropped to the ground on Bidwell Street. Luckily, no one was injured, and quick-thinking passersby safely diverted traffic and pedestrians until emergency fire crews arrived.

It took up to five hours, three BC Hydro trucks and a four-member crew to restore power by reinstalling the wire to the circuit. Some customers had their power back within an hour, so hats off to BC Hydro for such quick service. Thousands of West Enders thank you!

The culprit in all this? A bouquet of red, helium-filled, aluminized Mylar Valentine's balloons. They floated up and got caught in the wires, short-circuiting them.

The scene of the crime. Note the little bits of scrap in front of the dumpster above. A closer look in the photo below tells the story. (Glenda Bartosh Photos)

Mylar is the brand name for clear, polyester resin that's been melted and stretched into very thin sheets. For balloons, the Mylar is coated with a thin layer of aluminum (less than 1/100th of the width of a human hair in some cases) to better contain the air or helium. So, yes, there's metal in helium balloons, and when they, or their ribbons, touch two power lines simultaneously, there's a difference in voltage. The result? An explosion and flash of light, and the kind of black-out thousands of people experienced that Saturday night.

Think of the cost to us all: Literally thousands of dollars for the crew and materials from BC Hydro, which is a Crown corporation we support with our taxes. Fire fighters tied up for hours. Restaurants and businesses forced to close on what's usually a busy night. And thousands of West Enders, many of whom are already stressed to the max with the pandemic, just about to eat supper, then forced to pay for dinner out or take-out, eat a cold meal, or go to bed hungry (and cold, themselves). Hopefully, no one was stuck in an elevator for hours.

The incident isn't unique. More and more runaway helium balloons have plagued the West End lately. We see them trapped in trees and overhead wires. Untethered helium balloons cause dozens of unnecessary power outages. Last year alone, rogue balloons were responsible for a couple of dozen outages affecting tens of thousands of BC Hydro customers across the province.

Then there's the trash factor, visually and otherwise. Balloons' ugly, soggy remains wash up on beaches and land in yards and on boulevards. Birds and wildlife can be sickened or killed when they ingest the small pieces, which also enter our waterways and oceans. The aluminum alone takes 200-500 years to break down. Then there's the ribbon and plastic.

Even when people try to be careful, helium-filled balloons slip away, morphing from something seemingly playful and fun to something unwanted — even dangerous.

While we can't confirm exactly what happened on February 20, melted balloon debris was scattered in the alley under the line break and in front of a large dumpster near Bidwell. The evidence points to someone trying to trash their helium balloons a week after Valentine's Day, and the culprits floated up into the power lines.

So what can we do?

  • Think twice before buying helium-filled balloons in the first place. Flowers, homemade paper cards/banners and treats are easy, welcome alternatives.

  • Be very careful if you or your children receive these hidden culprits as a gift. Tie them to your wrist or some support so they don't drift off, especially at the beach.

  • Don't release them "for fun." No power on a cold night isn't fun.

  • Look up! Be aware of power lines — and never carry balloons under them.

  • Don't attach latex or metallic streamers. They're excellent conductors of electricity.

  • Be responsible when you dispose of helium-filled balloons. Pop them before you drop them into the proper trash container. All it takes is a quick pin-prick.

Your neighbours — and BC Hydro — thank you.

  • Glenda Bartosh is an award-winning journalist whose dad fell in love with English Bay in the 1940s. She knew when she was nine that she would live in the West End, and first moved there in 1970.

An architect’s vision for 1728 Alberni / 735 Bidwell.

VIRTUAL OPEN HOUSE
A West End Rezoning Application

The City of Vancouver has received an application to rezone 1728 Alberni and 735 Bidwell from RM-5C (Residential) to CD-1 (Comprehensive Development) to allow for the development of two residential towers (30 stories and 34 stories) over a five-story mixed-use podium.

The towers, which have already generated some discussions in the community, will include 401 residential units, a 24-space childcare facility, and 499 resident, 20 visitor, three commericial, and two childcare parking spaces, as well as 853 bicycle parking spaces.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic hearings and Open House events have gone virtual. The Open House for this development is ongoing now, through March 14, which you’ll find here.

If you have any questions not answered there, you can contact the rezoning planner Thien Phan at thien.phan@vancouver.ca or 604.829.9225.

A group of West End residents share their concerns about this and other high-rise developments and their variance from the 2013 West End Community Plan in this month’s “West End Voices” here.

AN OPEN LETTER TO THE PARKS BOARD MANAGER
Can We Turn On The Water, Please?

(click on arrows on photo to the right to see slide show)
A group of West Enders have penned an open letter to Donnie Rosa, the recently appointed general  manager of the Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation … as follows:

Dear Ms. Rosa,
We are genuinely excited to have you as our new general manager of Parks and Recreation. We hope you have had time to settle into this position and we look forward to working with you.

We are reaching out for your assistance in addressing a matter of ongoing concern in our West End neighbourhood. For at least the past three years, several of the water features located west of Burrard have not been operational. These include those in Barclay Heritage Square, Nelson Park, Bute and the Haro mini-park, and at the intersection of Pacific and Beach avenues.

As you can well appreciate, these fountains offer residents a pleasant destination for relaxation and communing with nature -- particularly small children, adolescents, seniors and birds. When the water is not flowing, however, these parks look and feel neglected and shabby. This is particularly distressing for many of the 47,000 plus West Enders who are staying close to home during the current pandemic.

We are hoping and looking to you for a commitment to ensure that our lovely fountains are flowing again by mid-spring.

Yours sincerely,
James Oakes / Judy Graves / Anthony Norfolk / Charlotte Tarver / Jim McKnight / Daryl and Sandy Bierce / Susan St. James / Zoe Brown / Estelle Brookes / Andrea Wiesenfeld / Debra and Mark Holden

If you would like to add your voice to this request for action on our unused water features, email Ms. Rosa at Donnie.Rosa@vancouver.ca and copy Commissioner Dave Demers, who is the Board’s West End community liaison, at Dave.Demers@vancouver.ca.

IT’S POP-UP TIME!

Applications open March 1 for summer 2021 temporary pop-up patios on public property. This free program was a runaway success last season, helping small businesses survive the restrictions brought on by the pandemic. More patio life this summer in our city! With a focus on ensuring accessibility, health & safety.

Make sure your favourite cafe or restaurant knows about this opportunity and gets their application in early. And then prepare to wine and dine in the sunshine (following Dr. Henry’s guidelines!) this summer.

Word on the Street

An architect’s rendering of the soon-to-open Craft Beer Market.

OPENING THIS MONTH

The wrappers are off and any day now (by the end of the month at least) the new Craft Beer Market will open its doors on Beach Avenue, with one of the most enviable views in Vancouver and the indoor and outdoor seating to make the most of it.

Last December, it was announced that the Alberta-based beer-centric restaurant brand had taken over the former Boathouse at 1795 Beach Avenue, which opened in the late ‘80s and closed in October of 2018, and it has taken much longer than anyone anticipated back then to get the project up and running. But the moment is nigh. Craft is aiming to open its doors toward the end of March.

West End Moments

Who thought this would be an improvement for this decades old carving? (Bernie Steininger Photo)

LEAVE WELL ENOUGH ALONE!

There are several mysterious carvings in the woods of Stanley Park, with various tales circulating about their origins. We may never know for sure how they came to be or who the artist or artists were, but though it could be argued that they themselves are a form of ecological vandalism, they still add an air of intrigue to trail walks, and provide a startling discovery for those coming across them for the first time.

So why would someone do this, which is just vandalism pure and simple, to one of those carvings? Yes, time and weather will fade and wash away the paint, but we hope that others won’t follow suit — let’s just leave well enough alone folks!

𝗦𝗡𝗢𝗪 𝗢𝗡 𝗢𝗨𝗥 𝗣𝗔𝗟𝗠 𝗧𝗥𝗘𝗘𝗦

A sight seldom seen in their native environments, snow on West End palm trees is always a visual treat.

Last month’s brief snowfall (aren’t our snowfalls always brief?) softened our landscape for a few hours and gave us another snow in the tropics moment.

West End artist Hayley Monroe always thought that she'd like to paint the image, and this year she did.

Reverend Dorre Love visited the West End last summer, and didn’t really feel the love.

𝗜𝗧 𝗪𝗔𝗦𝗡'𝗧 "𝗛𝗔𝗧𝗘 𝗦𝗣𝗘𝗘𝗖𝗛"

Last year there was a series of challenging moments in Davie Village and at English Bay when a preacher set up shop, complete with megaphone and speaker, to preach the gospel and rant against the evils of homosexuality and and related “abominations”. The City called for an investigation and the results are in. Not everyone will be happy about the final report.

A Vancouver Police Department (VPD) investigation determined that the calls police answered last year in the West End and in other parts of the city regarding allegations of “street preachers” broadcasting hurtful messages targeting gay, transgender and other communities did not constituted hate speech.

In case you missed the news coverage, you can catch up here.

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.

Vivian Jung circa 1940s. (Chinatown Storytelling Centre Photo)

JUNG LANE

by Lucas Pilleri

Vivian Jung (1924-2014), born in Merritt, BC, was the first Chinese-Canadian teacher hired by the Vancouver School Board. In 1945, at a time when discriminatory policies were prevalent, she became the first woman of Chinese descent to use a public swimming pool, a space then forbidden to non-white people.

To become a teacher, Vivian Jung needed a lifesaving certificate. Her instructor and classmates would train at the Crystal Pool at Sunset Beach, Vancouver’s only public swimming pool in the 1940s. However, Jung was denied access as public policy prevented Chinese-Canadians from using the facilities. In protest, the group refused to enter without her. This act of solidarity proved effective, ending the long-standing discriminatory practice established in 1928.

This was 1945 and City policies included segregation against the Chinese people in schools, public spaces, residential housing areas, hospitals, and even cemeteries. Vivian Jung’s story therefore symbolizes the beginning of a new era when courage and perseverance were common tools.

After she got her certification, Jung was hired at Tecumseh School, where she taught for 35 years. Once retired, she became a student and then a teacher of Tai Chi, volunteered for many local organizations such as the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden, the Chinese-Canadian Military Museum Society, the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, and the Vancouver Whitecaps.

Vivian’s story is showcased at the Chinatown Storytelling Centre, giving visibility and resonance to her narrative – an inheritance that helped shape today’s social climate.

Vivian Jung passed away in 2014 at the age of 89 years.

West End-Coal Harbour In The News

Each month West End Journal brings 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.

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Thank you!
Kevin Dale McKeown
Editor & Publisher