DON’T FENCE ME IN!

PARKS ARE FOR PEOPLE

If you’re concerned about being locked out of school parks…

You’re not alone!

Tell the VSB you want Nelson Elementary field back!

Email the VSB Trustees, the Superintendent and GWAC:

Victoria.Jung@vsb.bc.ca; Preeti.Faridkot@vsb.bc.ca; lois.chan-pedley@vsb.bc.ca; Alfred.Chien@vsb.bc.ca; janet.fraser@vsb.bc.ca; Suzie.Mah@vsb.bc.ca; jennifer.reddy@vsb.bc.ca; Christopher.Richardson@vsb.bc.ca; Joshua.Zhang@vsb.bc.ca; mmliu@vsb.bc.ca; hmcgregor@vsb.bc.ca; snichols@vsb.bc.ca; info@gwac.ca

Tell them:

Nelson is part of our community. School greenspace is public space. Reopen the field at Lord Nelson Elementary immediately.

Background

Over a century ago, public space in Grandview Woodland was granted into the stewardship of the VSB with the understanding that it would be a shared community asset for use by the school community as needed and otherwise available to the broader community, including the students, outside of school hours.

Disturbingly, the greenspace at Lord Nelson was recently fenced and then locked off, without any consultation of the school community or broader community. This lack of consultation is disrespectful and unacceptable.

GWAC is asking that all locks on this space be immediately removed with the space left accessible to the public outside of school hours, pending further consultation on the issue.

You’re Invited to the GWAC AGM

Saturday, May 6th at 6PM

GWAC 2023 AGM – Saturday, May 6th at 6PM

Join us in-person at the Britannia CFEC room or via zoom for our GWAC Annual General Meeting

Join Zoom Meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86540230936?pwd=QXIzQmJXdzlNdEM4QmZFUEVHelNEQT09
Meeting ID: 865 4023 0936, Passcode: 265386, Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kxzAL3Y7I

Our Guest Speaker will be Professor Patrick Condon, the UBC James Taylor Chair in Landscape and Liveable Environments, with his presentation:

It’s all about the Dirt! – Why new density is a good thing, but unfortunately won’t lower prices

Much of current city policy, as embodied in the Broadway plan and the city-wide Vancouver plan is based on the presumption that insufficient housing supply is the reason for high prices.

Solution? Upzone the whole city for massive potential population and housing unit increases. Sadly, if your objective is more affordable housing, there is little evidence that this will help.

Come discuss the way forward for Vancouver with Professor Condon and GWAC.

If you’d like to get involved with GWAC or join the Board of Directors, please contact us for more info at: info@gwac.ca

Parks and Greenspace in Grandview Woodland

What does the future hold for Grandview’s precious park space?

Monday, April 3rd at 7PM Add to Calendar

Join via zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89991400541?pwd=bmNleEpMVVduVGRmOXRJZEVDeU44QT09
Meeting ID: 899 9140 0541, Passcode: 517418
Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kd6KzTN2df

With a growing population in Grandview, we have no new plans for parks or greenspace on the horizon

Join us for a conversation with
UBC Landscape Architect Daniel Roehr and our Vancouver Park Board Commissioners

Come share with us what you need from greenspace – play, calm, sport, relief from the heat

How should new greenspace take shape in Grandview Woodland?

On another note…

Join us for the
GWAC Annual General Meeting
Saturday, May 6th at 6PM
CFEC Room at Britannia Centre
1655 William Street (2nd floor)
Add to Calendar

Details to follow…

GWAC WALK_BIKE_RIDE_DRIVE PLAN

How should we change the way we move in GW?

Monday, March 27th at 7PM via zoom

Join via zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82881854985?pwd=MGxEazVkUytLM2xrVFBtaitGa2NMUT09

Meeting ID: 828 8185 4985, Passcode: 209280, Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kgoabABlP

Tell GWAC what transportation changes should be made in Grandview Woodland – cycling safety improvements, traffic calming, new ways of using road space for people

Now that the City is “Prioritizing Commercial Drive as a Pedestrian-First High Street”, we need to decide what that should look like as a community

Wally Kunz will present his Little Italy proposal for a new way to use the surplus vehicle lanes on Commercial Drive between First Ave and Grandview Highway – a better way for local businesses and people moving on the Drive

On another note…

Join us for the
GWAC Annual General Meeting
Saturday, May 6th at 6PM
CFEC Room at Britannia Centre
1655 William Street (2nd floor)
Add to Calendar

Details to follow…

Schools of the Future:

A Dialogue with VSB School Trustees about pursuing excellence in East Van Schools

Tuesday, February 7th from 6:45-8:15pm (Join via zoom – see Community Calendar for “copy to calendar” link)

Join via zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89374158835?pwd=aHZkZG5HWE1meUIxbWwzWlB2cWg3UT09
Meeting ID: 893 7415 8835, Passcode: 078497, Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kes4hmBYtT

Join parents, caregivers and educators in our community to connect with three VSB School Trustees for a discussion of:

parent priorities
the School Board’s mandate for this term and implementation of the Education Plan
ideas and plans to invest in programs, technology and resources in East Van schools for excellence in education

***Trustees Victoria Jung (Chair), Lois Chan-Pedley and Janet Fraser will be joining us in person with a presentation on the Education Plan 2026!

Santa Barbara Market Flash Mob!

Tuesday, January 31^st, 1:00PM

Farewell Celebration for Santa Barbara Market! Music! A couple of short speeches! Singalong! Festivities!

Tuesday is the last day our wonderful Santa Barbara Market will be open!

Yes, it will be reopening, but the new store will reportedly have a new name and new staff. Most, if not all, of the current staff will be leaving.

It would be so sad if the store just closed quietly and if our great community wasn’t able to give them a big send-off.

So let’s meet at Santa Barbara at 1:00 on Tuesday, January 31^st, and let them know how much we love and appreciate them … and thank them for their many years of hard work and wonderful fruits and veggies and deli foods!

Spread the word to everyone you know who shops there!

Commercial Drive as a Pedestrian-First High Street

Monday, Jan 9th at 7PM

Commercial Drive
As a Pedestrian-First High Street

Monday, Jan 9th at 7PM

GWAC will be joined by
Paul Storer and Lon Laclaire

Two of the City’s Big Wheels on Transportation for a discussion of Council’s Motion
“Prioritizing Commercial Drive as a Pedestrian-First High Street”

What changes are coming to The Drive?

Come hear about their plans and share your thoughts about the best street in Vancouver!

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81025178894?pwd=R1p6NFhtV3RKV3o1TTE1T0dLRldkdz09
Meeting ID: 810 2517 8894, Passcode: 378569
Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kcRlZVxebZ

Full Motion: https://council.vancouver.ca/20210519/documents/pspc20210519min.pdf (see page 18)

Safeway site Public Hearing is set for July 7th. Scot Hein’s analysis of the project and history is available for review

The Public Hearing for the development proposed for 1780 East Broadway on the Safeway Site will begin on Thursday, July 7th at 6pm. The agenda for this Public Hearing is up and it’s already possible to send in comments. Speaker registration for the meeting will open early in the morning on Friday, June 24th, and will be available by 8:30am. A “Request to Speak” button will be available once the speaker sign up is available on the agenda page.

Former City of Vancouver Senior Urban Designer Scot Hein presented an overview of the current state of the Safeway site Rezoning Application on June 6th, 2022 at our monthly GWAC Public Forum. This presentation is available in its entirety in the following video.

Further details about the rezoning application at 1780 E Broadway is in a staff policy report that was referred to Public Hearing earlier this month by City Council. The No Safeway Megatowers group also has further analysis on this rezoning application.

Great Grandview Garage Sale (June 18, 10am to 2pm)

The Great Grandview Garage Sale is back. The event will be held on Saturday, June 18th, from 10am to 2pm. Further details can be found at www.greatgrandview.com.

The Safeway Site Public Hearing will be in early July. GWAC Public Forum – Monday, June 6th at 7PM

GWAC Public Forum Monday, June 6^th at 7PM

Where to Next? The Safeway Site Public Hearing will be in early July
Get the Facts

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82139078614?pwd=S1JTc2VxaGcwd2N4MnIvSU51NnR3Zz09
Meeting ID: 821 3907 8614, Passcode: 885871
Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kcPYvu73Za

Join us for a discussion about a generational decision for Grandview-Woodland.

Former City of Vancouver Senior Urban Designer Scot Hein will present an overview of the current state of the Safeway site Rezoning Application (1780 E Broadway).

According to City planners, this three tower proposal will be sent to a Public Hearing around the beginning of July.

Find out more about this proposal and how to have your voice heard in the public hearing process.

The agenda page of the June 7 Regular Council Meeting includes a policy report will be considered for referral to a Public Hearing. If the majority on Council choose to refer this this report, then a Public Hearing will likely begin on July 5th or July 7th. You can read what planners are proposing by downloading this policy report.