After 100 Conversations, Over to you!

City Conversation #101: We all need your help

February 5^th —Readers have started to share what’s important in the neighbourhoods where they live. Thanks for that, but I need more to make this work. I’ll ask you some first questions and together, we’ll take it from there.

The Vancouver Plan with its 23 neighbourhoods outlined in red by me because the official Vancouver Plan doesn’t include them

I have been gratified at the early responses to City Conversation #100. It feels like many neighbours have been awaiting the opportunity to talk to someone who might listen and share about what works—and what doesn’t—in the city we call home. 

The question was simple enough:

“What’s one aspect of your neighbourhood that makes it (or made it, if it’s going or gone) a great place to call home?”

Some of the answers (so far) to that question:

“I've lived off Commercial Drive most of my 55 years. It is a long, diverse and lively street with various businesses owned & run by shop owners. In the last 10-12 years, we have lost many of these businesses (Wonderbucks!) that made this drive, the Drive. In the last 3 months, we have lost or are losing Santa Barbara, Fets, Spank and a few more shops that I didn't visit - there are many empty windows. I also saw that El Mercato was sold and the Safeway site still looms to be too many stories over our heads. Is Commercial Drive going to end up as the eastern Broadway Plan?” — Lily

“Similar survey I did in the 80's showed that the main concern with new housing in established neighbourhoods was the interruption of the existing landscape elements. One example was the harsh stone fencing delineating lot lines, with secure gating, which changed the character of the neighbourhood. 40 years on, yes it is an excellent idea to now establish current elements that should be retained for neighbourhood character in most residential areas, something you would expect to be the task of municipal planners.” — Kim

“Trees, gardens, nature and parks are what make Dunbar special. Someone once described our residential area as “the lungs of the city,” and it’s true. Walking here is like walking in a park, and the smell is of greenery. The challenge is how to keep at least some of that while increasing housing; even city staff admitted in their recent “missing middle” presentation that six units on every 50-foot lot will mean lots of trees will be lost.” — Carol

I am busily capturing these comments and others to files corresponding to each of Vancouver’s 23 neighbourhoods, as well as to categories like green space, commerce, schools and community centres. I will try to include a selection with each subsequent City Conversation. I hope this will inspire you to add your own comments. I know it will guide me in future writings about the Vancouver we love.

Meanwhile I have thought of three additional categories of question for your consideration:

What aspects of your neighbourhood are most important to you to save—what’s most at risk where you live, work and play?

What would enhance your neighbourhood—what’s missing, lost or in need of substantial rejuvenation? Consider green spaces, schools, community centres, commercial activity—all those elements that in your experience make a neighbourhood.

What do you imagine—in a good way—for the future of your neighbourhood? What do you imagine about your neighbourhood that would attract and keep singles, families and elders for the next generations? What is your ideal future neighbourhood?

I will be returning in future Conversations to these thematic words: Save; Enhance; Imagine. These will support my thoughts about issues and neighbourhoods, as tabled in City Conversation #100 (CC100).

As I said in that Conversation: It’s not revolutionary, it’s common purpose. We can do this!

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Today’s questions are the three categories of questions above. 

I read and respond to all comments, also capturing them to relevant neighbourhood files for more detailed future conversations. 

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Brian Palmquist is a Vancouver-based architect, building envelope and building code consultant and LEED Accredited Professional (the first green building system). He is semi-retired for the moment, still teaching, writing and consulting a bit, but not beholden to any client or city hall. These conversations mix real discussion with research and observations based on a 45+ year career including the planning, design and construction of almost every type and scale of project. He is the author of the Amazon best seller “An Architect’s Guide to Construction.” and working on a book about how we can accommodate a growing population in the Vancouver we love.