🚨 Attention, Grandview Woodland! 🚨

Join GWAC and DJ Lawrence for an Emergency Preparedness Info Session

Monday, June 5th at 7PM – Add to Calendar

Join us in-person at the Britannia Info Centre Boardroom or via zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86536933607?pwd=TlN0TWJPcFlBTTRXaUtjZlM1Skw5UT09,

Meeting ID: 865 3693 3607, Passcode: 396658
Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kcvKwPOOlz

Disaster strikes when we least expect it, but being prepared can save lives and reduce the impact on our community. That’s why GWAC is thrilled to announce an Emergency Preparedness info session presented by the knowledgeable and experienced DJ Lawrence. 🎙️✨

Join us for a comprehensive 90-minute session that covers everything you need to know about earthquakes, floods, and wildfires. DJ Lawrence will share practical tips and real-life experiences to motivate you to start planning and preparing for any potential catastrophes that might come our way. 📝✅

Bring your notepad and pen because you won’t want to miss a single tip from this informative and entertaining session. Plus, there will be a Q&A session afterward where you can ask questions and seek further guidance. 🤔🗣️

Let’s come together as a community and ensure we are ready to face any challenges that may arise. Mark your calendars and be prepared to protect yourself, your loved ones, and your neighborhood. See you there! 🌟🤝

#EmergencyPreparedness #GWAC #GrandviewWoodland #CommunityStrong

A “State of the Drive” Update: How are our local merchants faring? And a discussion of Commercial Drive safety and security.

Join us:

Monday, November 2nd at 7PM
online via zoom

Nick Pogor, Executive Director of the Commercial Drive Business Society will give us an update regarding the state of our local merchants and share some concerns about safety and security in Grandview.

Jak King will give an overview of recent changes on the Drive.

Eileen Mosca will bring us a view from the Grandview Woodland Community Policing Centre.

Join us online for our monthly GWAC meeting and join the discussion.

Please email for the Zoom link: info [at] gwac.ca

Letter to Council: please defeat motion to rescind protection of rental units on Commercial Drive and other C-2 zones

Here’s an update. Mayor Kennedy Stewart withdrew his motion. This was announced via the City Clerk’s twitter:
Council Members’ Motion B4 – Rescinding Motion to Include C-2 Zones in Rental Housing Stock Official Development Plan, has been withdrawn.
However, for the rental protection changes to take effect, City staff still have yet to produce a report with bylaw changes in a Policy Report. The Policy Report would then need to be referred to a future Public Hearing. We’ll keep you posted about how staff progress with C-2 rental protections.

Our original post is below.
GWAC opposes the motion by Mayor Kennedy Stewart to rescind the protection of rental units along Commercial Drive and in other parts of Vancouver that fall under the C-2 zoning designation. This motion is on the Council agenda for Tuesday, March 12th.
The following letter was sent to Council with the support of GWAC and other community groups in the Coalition of Vancouver Neighbourhoods:

Re: Motion B.4 – Rescinding Motion to Include C-2 Zones in Rental Housing Stock Official Development Plan
May 12 Council Item B.4: https://council.vancouver.ca/documents/b4.pdf
The Coalition of Vancouver Neighbourhoods (CVN) opposes this Motion to rescind the previous directions from Council.
City Council, on November 26, 2019, voted by majority:
THAT Council instruct staff to prepare a report for consideration for referral to public hearing to amend the Rental Housing Stock Official Development Plan to extend rental replacement requirements to C-2, C-2C, C-2B and C-2B-1 zoning districts city-wide.
There exist, at present, arterial and high streets in neighbourhoods across Vancouver with C-2 zones. This zoning includes many grandfathered existing rental buildings, sometimes with residential rental units on all floors, some with residential rental above commercial, in a 3 or 4-storey form. These C-2 zones can be found on portions of streets including West 4th Avenue, Main Street, Commercial Drive, Kingsway, West 41st Avenue, Fraser, Victoria, East Hastings and Dunbar. Under existing conditions, these affordable rental units can be torn down and replaced with market condos.
The Mayor, through this Motion, is calling for the removal of this rental protection. Previously, through their vote, Council directed staff to draft changes to include C-2 in the Rental Housing Stock Official Development Plan to be brought forward at a future public hearing. The Rental Housing Stock ODP, which includes a “rate of change” policy that requires that rental units be replaced one-for-one in any redevelopment of a property, also provides for a tenant relocation policy.
In a time of extremely low vacancy rate for rental accommodation, we need to defeat this attempt to reverse the will of Council, and support the extension of rental protections to the C-2 zones.

The BIA’s Vision for the ‘Drive (Monday, January 9, 2017)

First meeting of the new year!

GWAC invites you to the Monday January 9, 2017, 7pm – 9pm
in the Learning Resource Centre, beneath the Library, at Britannia Community Centre

Commercial Drive’s Future:
The BIA (Business Improvement Association) will present their vision for the future of Commercial Drive, its retail environment, pedestrian & transit access, and more. Come and hear speakers expand on this vision developed in 2013, and how it now fits with the Community Plan as approved by the City of Vancouver in 2016.