Between The Bridges – January 16

ED NOTE: Since this article was submitted to Between The Bridges, Bae Side has withdrawn its request for a development permit extending the proposed liquor serving closing time to 2 a.m. It now requests a closing time of 1:00 a.m.. Its application continues to include changes to the restaurant and patio as stated below.

The owners of the restaurant, Bae Side (at the former site of Mahoney’s/Monk McQueen’s), want to make a big change, hoping to make it a major event venue. 

The restaurant has already applied to extend their liquor service hours to 2:00 a.m. nightly, against significant opposition from the neighbourhood concerned about increased noise and traffic congestion. Now, the restaurant has applied to the City for a development permit for renovations to dramatically change the restaurant and patio. Bae Side’s website advertises that patrons can expect the patio to transform into a DJ-fueled lively celebration under the stars. Neighbours are concerned that the proposed change will harm this peaceful residential community – and there are only a few days left to give the city feedback on this development application. 

The biggest change would be enclosing the North Side of the patio with a steel and retractable glass patio cover, leaving the northernmost part of the patio open to the sky. This patio would house a year-round new central bar service area for both indoor and outdoor patrons, allowing the restaurant to host DJ’s at open-air celebrations. If their extended hours alcohol license application is approved, expect that the drinks will be flowing and music to be reverberating around the neighbourhood until 2 AM, followed by rowdy patrons spilling onto the street. This patio enclosure would also block the view of the sunset over False Creek from the seating area of the seawall nearby. 
 
They are also asking the city to increase their floorspace by over 1500 square feet. This would allow them to host bigger parties with increased noise and congestion in the cul-de-sac. There is limited on-site parking, and congestion to the restaurant has already resulted in emergency vehicles being blocked by unsafe Bae-Side traffic. Local residents have been kept awake by shouting party-goers in the cul-de-sac after Bae Side events. 
 
Neighbours are concerned that Bae Side is trying to transform Stamp’s Landing into a major nightlife destination. Many feel that this dramatic change is deeply incompatible with the character of the largely residential community that many seniors and young families call home. 

What do you think? Do you have concerns about the renovation application? Tell the City by January 19, 2026 at https://www.shapeyourcity.ca/601-stamps-landing. 

Here are events to tempt you in the next few weeks.  Please join us. 

Saturday, January 24th –1– 4 pm – Wet Felting for Beginners with Erin Bruchet
A contemplative afternoon exploring life’s Wintering Season through fibre arts creativity using soft wools, rustic woods, and seaside finds. Check out Tenderwoods to see Erin’s unique workshop experiences.

Sunday, January 25th – 2 – 4 pm – Nathan’s Book Club with Robyn Chan and Sarah Brown
If you’re interested in learning more about urban issues and planning, you’re invited to the next meeting of Nathan’s Book Club. We'll be reading The Design of Childhood by Alexandra Lange, which features a chapter about False Creek South. 

Friday, January 30th – 1 – 3:30 pm - Spirit Collage with Sabina Harpe and Gloria Sutcliffe
This is an opportunity to “get out of your head”, to respond to images, and to cut and paste to create something new! When we bypass language and allow ourselves to respond intuitively, there are often surprises that happen! No artistic training or background needed! 

Tuesday, February 3rd – 7 pm - Our Continuing Travelogue Series with Nancy Kirkpatrick
Experiencing Mexico’s Day of the Dead in Oaxaca as Nancy shares stories, slides and videos from her recent trip to Oaxaca for the Day of the Dead (Dia de Muertos) festival. It has been called "one of the greatest symbols of Mexican identity, a celebration that transforms the vision of death into a celebration full of colour, joy, flavour and tradition."

Wednesday, February 11th – 10:30–11:30 am - Song Circle… Singing Your Soul Alive with Carol MacKinnon and Nancy Hinds
A gentle circle of singers or those who want to hum along, learning some simple chants that we would repeat for several minutes, with some periods of silence and meditation, perhaps some writing or movement, and a poem to start and finish.

For more information or to register, please contact *email is hidden, JavaScript is required*. If you have a group or an idea that we might include in Circles in the Square programming, let us know or drop by 665A Market Hill in the Square near Convivial Café.

Join RePlan leadership on Tuesday, January 27, at 7:00 pm for a Community Town Hall, where information about the City of Vancouver’s landowner plan, neighbourhood updates, and RePlan’s upcoming work will be shared.

2026 is shaping up to be an important year for False Creek South. The City of Vancouver, supported by consulting firm Arup, is expected to present its landowner’s plan framework to City Council early this year. RePlan has met with Arup and City staff several times in the past few months, and will share up-to-date information at the Town Hall.

You’ll also hear updates from Community Housing Trust, Community Planning Group, Co-op Authorized Working Group, Strata Residents Group, and Broadway Group.

Date: Tuesday, January 27
Time: 7:00-8:30pm
Location: Sitka Square meeting room or online

RSVP to join in person: https://forms.gle/KPqNoLv3DgjEZRSGA
RSVP to join on Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/cU9Xx8YvSH2gsF8Ck8kNKg

It is with great sadness that we share the news of the passing of Patricia Martin on December 11, 2025. 

After over three years of successful treatment for advanced cancer, she succumbed in early December to a serious infection. She lived fully over that time, continuing to contribute to her smaller community at Marine Mews, where she had lived for 15 years, as well as the larger False Creek South Neighbourhood. Her community work was an extension of her eagerness to connect in a warm and open-hearted way in all aspects of her life, with family, friends, and the many people she met in False Creek.

At Marine Mews, she was previously one of the two delegates to the False Creek South Neighbourhood Association. She helped organize a social hour in the Marine Mews courtyard and several times had neighbours for tea at her home, most recently this past fall. As an artist and crafts person (paintings, jewelry and leatherwork), she contributed over several years to an Art show and Sale in cooperation with other residents. She was a regular contributor to the FCSNA barbeque and picnic (Grill ‘n Chill). She was absolutely passionate about gardens and gardening, created a paradise in her back yard and was part of the Marine Mews residents’ landscaping improvement group.

In her work life, Patricia transmitted to many students (teens and adults) her love of and great interest in Spanish and Latin American language and cultures. She touched many people’s lives throughout her life; a great mother, grandmother, life partner, teacher and artist. Similarly, she touched many in the False Creek community, described by her neighbours as “full of life and passion... a ray of sunshine. Her footprints on this earth were so light-filled, tender and sincere... noble and accomplished”. May her legacy of enriching people’s lives in community live on.

This month's book is The Design of Childhood by Alexandra Lange. Alexandra visited False Creek South several years ago, and part of her book is a reflection about that visit. We reached out to Alexandra to ask if she had any memories or thoughts she would be willing to share with the group, please see below.

"Hello! Thank you for these photos — feels like so long ago. Appreciate you returning to my book and my work.

The subsequent writing I’ve done that connects best to False Creek South is this piece on courtyard housing, which is printed in the new edition. 
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2024-10-31/from-brooklyn-to-santa-monica-courtyards-make-apartments-more-kid-friendly

Most of the examples I discuss in the piece are more urban than your setting -- you have the gift of being truly in a park, and of buildings having both indoor and outdoor communal spaces -- but I think the social relations engendered by a courtyard setup are the same. I talked about those social relations in this recent interview.

https://www.patreon.com/posts/design-of-144866393?utm_campaign

The other aspect that struck me then is the importance of connected space: homes to safe streets to parks, schools and libraries. I'm sure you've experienced how siloed the people who work in each of these areas can be, and if North American cities want to be "family friendly" cities, all of these amenities need to be linked."

The next meeting of Nathan's Book Club is on Sunday, January 25, from 2-4pm at Circles in the Square. 

If winter comes, can spring be far behind?