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Co-Editors: Susan Wright, Sharon Yandle
Contributing Editor: Karen Hausch
Production Editor: Robyn Chan
Proofreader: Kathryn Woodward
Contributors this Issue: Kathrin McMath (Broadway Group), Maureen Powers (Creekview Co-op), Dolores Bdzel (Creekview Co-op), Katharine McBride (Market Hill)
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Prevention Workshop at Broadway Lodge
SCAMMING SENIORS?
Kathrin McMath, Broadway Group
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In the present age of technology, education on scam prevention has never been so important! Please join Broadway Lodge in hosting the Vancouver Police Department for a special 2-hour Scam Prevention Information Session Wednesday, February 28 from 9:30am-11:30am.
This information session is specifically geared towards seniors but we invite family, friends and our False Creek community to attend. Space available for 50-60 people.
Kathrin McMath is CEO of the Broadway Group that includes Broadway Lodge on Lamey’s Mill Road and Residents For Independent Living at Sitka Square
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RePlan Office Hours
Robyn, RePlan Project Manager, and Sarah, Community Planning Assistant, are holding open office hours on Sunday, February 4 from 4:30-6:30pm. False Creek South residents are encouraged to drop by, learn more about RePlan, and ask questions. Office hours will be held in person or online.
Community Planning Beta Testing Workshop
Join Graham McGarva and the RePlan Community Planning Group to meet with community members and discuss the future of False Creek South in an interactive workshop. No planning experience is necessary, everyone is welcome!
- Wednesday, February 14 at 6pm at Sitka Square meeting room (1092 Sitka Square)
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Starting in March
NATHAN’S BOOK CLUB UNDERWAY
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In honour of Nathan Edelson, RePlan’s longtime Project Manager who passed away in September, RePlan and CoLab are launching Nathan’s Book Club, a city planning book club and lending library for False Creek South residents.
Nathan’s Book Club is an opportunity for False Creek South residents and allies to come together, discuss what good city planning and urban design means to them, and how these ideas can shape and inform dialogue about the future of False Creek South.
Books on the list include Happy City by Charles Montgomery, Housing Booms in Gateway Cities by David Ley, Feminist City by Leslie Kern, and more! Physical and/or e-books will be free to borrow for Book Club members.
The Book Club will officially launch in March with Happy City. If you are interested in more information, join our mailing list by emailing Sarah at *email is hidden, JavaScript is required*.
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Last issue Between The Bridges reported on a BC Ministry of Finance decision to change its basis for calculating the Property Transfer Tax (PTT) payable upon a leaseholder’s acceptance of the City’s 20-year lease extension offer. ( https://www.falsecreeksouth.org/2024/01/between-the-bridges-january-13/)
As reported, this recalculation significantly increased the PTT payable, leading to a group of six strata leaseholders launching an appeal. They have now been advised that the appeal was unsuccessful and the Ministry’s decision stands.
However, after further consultation, the PTT office said it would take into account any PTT already paid by those leaseholders who purchased their property after 1987 (when the tax was first introduced) if, at the time of purchase, the lease expiry date was 30 years or less.
Robert Renger (Heather Quay) has raised another issue on lease costs involving four of the Creek’s stratas: 666 Leg-In-Boot Square, Heather Quay, Spruce Village and Marine Mews. He contends that the City has wrongly calculated the cost of the 20 year extension through its inclusion of patios and balconies in the floor area. This, he said, results in overcharges of the cost of lease extension by 3% in Marine Mews and over 3% in the other three, or approximately $1.97 million in total.
Further, he added, the same matter was adjudicated almost 25 years ago when the City had included patios and balconies in determining lease costs at some False Creek South stratas. According to a news report at the time from journalist Frances Bula, the City recognized its error and compensated the owners accordingly, with interest. |
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In the present instance, the City has said that the lease costs contained in its current lease offer reflect the agreement negotiated with the SLS and will not be altered.
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Learning Social Justice
STUDENTS FIND BLACK EXCELLENCE
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As a lead-in to Black History Month in February, False Creek Elementary celebrated Black Excellence Day that included a prominent display of the results of students’ research into the teachings of Black leaders.
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Principal Sean Rupert described the school-wide activity as one where every student could connect to an individual that exhibits Black Excellence, and then share a quote from that person. The results shown here speak for themselves.
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Sustainability and Resilience
A COMMITTEE THAT GETS THINGS DONE!
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It’s a mouthful - but the Sustainability and Resilience Committee (SRC) represents a big part of the Neighbourhood Association’s ARC orientation and goals: Affordability, Resilience, Community.
Committee chair Yael Stav (Spruce Village) describes the SRC as “working to advance the environmental and social sustainability and resilience of our community.
“In the few years we have been operating, we initiated and collaborated on many projects with the school, UBC, enclaves and individuals in the community, LED retrofits, herring spawned by school students, and renewable energy for the Greater Vancouver Floating Home Co-op” (aka Spruce Harbour Marina), EV charger installations, the False Creek conservation initiative, the Butterflyway corridor and the City’s sea level rise research.
“We meet every fourth Monday of the month at 7:30 pm, and are always happy to accept new members or guests in our meetings. (You do not need to be a delegate to the FCSNA to join our committee).”
A current committee project is to compare the carbon impacts of “retrofit” versus “redevelopment” for Creekview Co-op. This study will be performed by external consultants, funded by Vancity's EnviroFund, and led by RePlan and the SRC.
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Photo: Yael Stav. Front to back left: Charlie Richmond, Henley Court; Pascale Rozada, Connaught Co-op; George McEwan, GVFHC. Front to back right: Monty Wood, Spruce Harbour; Kayin Fields, Strathearn Court; Tineke Hellwig, Fountain Terrace
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There’s a new Facebook group for False Creek South residents, led by Sarah Calvin (Alder Bay Place):
False Creek is Alive! Urban Wildlife in the Heart of Vancouver
Share the beauty you find here…
This group is a way to celebrate the birds, sea creatures, and wildlife of False Creek. Approved photography, videos, conservation news, and stories about the flora and fauna within this area can be shared here. We look forward to your posts!
We are stewards of this land. So much beautiful urban wildlife can be found here; False Creek is very much alive!
https://www.facebook.com/groups/falsecreekwildlife
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SUSTAINABILITY TIP
Maureen Powers, Creekview Co-op
Did you know that you can “rescue” leftover meals and food from local restaurants and grocery stores? Apps such as Too Good To Go allow you to purchase for pickup from your local vendors at a third of the price. Every Surprise Bag rescued saves 2.5 kg of CO2e (carbon dioxide equivalent)– the same amount that would be emitted if a lightbulb was left on for 29 days.
Lee’s Donuts and save CO2e? ... yes please!!
Maureen Powers is a Certified Sustainability Advisor and recipient of the “US President Sustainability Award in Education”.
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From Carol MacKinnon (Spruce Village): Wow, congratulations, another incredible issue of the newsletter. Thank you for steadfast leadership on this. Talk about connective tissue! So interesting about the oil spills, and about the extra property tax hit!
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Laura Harvey (Twin Rainbows) writes: I wanted to send you an update on the oil spill. Based on the recent newsletter it sounds like it is considered cleaned up but during high tides there is still significant oil with the ducks swimming around. See attached photo taken Jan. 10 in Alder Bay.
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From Maria Roth (False Creek Co-op): Thank you so much for your care, patience! and deep contributions to FCS, especially important now when so many things outside the Creek seem overwhelming.
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Adam Hawk (Harbour Terrace) comments: Re: Seawall Repairs - Looks like our constant pestering may have put it in the agenda.
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Seawall repair west of Anderson actually underway
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Bill Cooper (Kingston, Ontario) asks: What? I see a photo credit for Danielle of Convivial Café but there’s no mention of Beth Dempster. I count on the newsletter to get my regular hit of her doings. She is missed by this Kingstonian who wishes he lived full – not part – time in False Creek.
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The Butterflyway Project
COMING SOON: OUR SECOND YEAR IN THE CREEK
Dolores Bdzel, Creekview Co-op
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We are continuing to work toward building our Butterflyway, a pollinator habitat corridor from the Granville to the Cambie bridges. This includes personal balcony and patio container gardens, co-op/strata gardens and community and public gardens. We plant native plants (as much as possible) and offer educational resources.
I have had the pleasure of working with Maria Roth from the False Creek South CoLab Committee on branding for the project. Maria found Renske Werner, a wonderfully talented local artist, who designed a postcard and a t-shirt for us that will be available at events and workshops.
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The first event this year will be a seed distribution in February (date and location not presently confirmed). A small variety of seeds suitable for container planting will be available to all False Creek South residents.
As you walk around the neighbourhood you will notice the stirrings of spring. What an exciting time of the year! You can see new life everywhere you look. It’s tempting to get in and start cleaning leaves, dead plants stalks and material – but it’s important to leave everything as natural as possible. There are bees and insects hibernating.
The False Creek South Butterflyway is an initiative of The David Suzuki Foundation.
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TRADITION OF WRITING FOR RIGHTS
Katharine McBride, Market Hill
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Beth Dempster, Magdalena Mervyn, Katherine McBride, and Zainab Hashimi (L to R) gather in the Convivial Café to put pen to paper in protest of human rights violations.
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Building on a two-year tradition, False Creek locals and other supporters came together to protest international human rights violations. In early December, the Convivial Café and Katharine McBride hosted Amnesty International’s “Write for Rights” in Leg-In-Boot Square. Participants wrote more than 200 letters. They also contributed 212 signatures to petitions protesting human rights violations highlighted in 2023.
Letters went to Sri Lanka, South Africa, the USA, Tunisia, Lebanon, Eswatini, Kyrgyz Republic, Poland, Brazil, Australia, and parties Amnesty International named in British Columbia.
False Creek neighbours supported the effort by donating letter writing supplies, stamps, and money for stamps.
Plans are underway to repeat the event in 2024.
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Granville Island Rabbits
WHERE HAVE ALL THE BUNNIES GONE?
Dolores Bzdel, Creekview Co-op
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False Creek South residents saw a surge in the rabbit population in the spring and summer of 2023. It seems someone irresponsibly dumped rabbits they had as pets and then realized how much work it is, or costs, or a combination of the two. (This is sadly the case for many animals). The rabbits took up residence around the Granville Island Hotel, multiplied and spread from there.
At Creekview Co-op we noticed three rabbits in our yard in the spring. Everyone loved them, but they also presented challenges. They ate in the flower beds and gardens and dug holes everywhere (keeping the Gardening Committee somewhat busy) but mostly ate the mostly-clover lawn.
They also helped attract coyotes – a population on the rise in Vancouver, partially due to displacement and partially due to increased food sources. Residents here are familiar with howling and sightings.
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Word got out that CMHC on Granville Island was trying to trap and cull the rabbits, leading to a protest by animal rights advocates held on October 1. As a result, Rabbitat Rescue came in and set up live traps. The rabbits were then sterilized and housed. You can visit The Bunny Café in East Van to see and interact with rabbits that come into Rabbitat and are up for fostering and adoption.
Noticing our Creekview rabbits were missing, it came as a huge relief to find out that all three had been trapped. All were female, two of them pregnant; they had nine babies between them shortly after capture. They are all at The Bunny Cafe and have just recently been cleared for adoption.
Rabbitat Rescue and The Bunny Cafe are grateful for any donations to help with the costs involved with housing, feeding and medical care. They regularly hold vaccination and checkup clinics at Bunny Cafe, and Rabbitat Rescue is always looking for volunteers to host a rabbitat.
https://rabbitats.org/
https://www.bunnycafe.ca/
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Unlike the City’s previous sign festival on the seawall west of the Granville Island entrance, Engineering is dead serious about the pedestrian/bike closure east of the Cambie Bridge “due to the deteriorating condition of a structure supporting the seawall". Initially posting No Access signs that were immediately and routinely ignored by all, the City doubled down and physically blocked any possible entry, including netting, chains and locks. No electrified barbed wire yet.
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CONTRIBUTOR GUIDELINES: ARTICLES AND PHOTOS
Between The Bridges welcomes readers’ contributions of story ideas, events of interest, original photographs, and completed articles relevant to the False Creek South Neighbourhood Association’s goal to “promote an economically, social and culturally diverse neighbourhood with a friendly, positive and vibrant sense of community”. For details go to:
http://www.falsecreeksouth.org/2021/01/between-the-bridges-contributor-guidelines/
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