Category Archives: News

Vancouver Broadway Plan, and Its Impact on the Kitsilano Neighbourhood

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This past Thursday evening, in an event sponsored by CityHallWatch — the online activist civic affairs journal — in a crowded, overflow event held at Kitsilano Neighbourhood House, a broad spectrum of speakers addressed the Broadway Plan — an extensive development plan for the future of Vancouver’s Broadway corridor, a growth plan that envisions an additional 50,000 residents who will take up residence along the corridor from Clark to Arbutus streets, between 1st and 16th avenues — and the implications of the Plan on the Kitsilano neighbourhood.


The Broadway Plan will provide a framework for the types of buildings, with towers between 20 to 40 storeys allowed in the light blue ‘centres’. The graphic above was supplied by the City of Vancouver.

The evening was MC’d by Larry Benge, a co-founder and co-Chairperson of the Coalition of Vancouver Neighbourhoods — an alliance of more than 20 community and residents’ associations, who have long sought and continue to seek a respectful relationship between the powers that be at City Hall,  and the 23 neighbourhood communities that comprise and are at the heart of the City of Vancouver.


Video | Vancouver’s Broadway Plan: What does it mean for Kitsilano? Townhall Meeting March 14, 2024

Well-informed, respected and accomplished speakers at Town Hall included …

    • Brian Palmquist, a Vancouver-based architect, and publisher of the ‘you must subscribe to’ City Conversations substack, an in-depth journal that provides detailed coverage of development in the City of Vancouver, and its implications for the health, safety and well-being of those of us who reside in the city;
    • Arny Wise, an urban planner, retired developer, and mediator of municipal housing disputes in Vancouver;
      In front, l-r: Stephen Bohus, Brian Palmquist, Randy Helten. In behind: Arny Wise.
    • Michael Geller, an urban planner, real estate consultant and property developer, who serves on the adjunct faculty of Simon Fraser University’s Centre for Sustainable Development and School of Resource and Environmental Management. His blog may be found at gellersworldtravel.blogspot.ca;
    • Scot Hein, a retired senior urban designer employed by the City of Vancouver for more than 30 years, and at present an Adjunct Professor in the Master of Urban Design Programme at UBC where he works with his colleague …
    • Patrick Condon, the James Taylor chair in Landscape and Livable Environments at the University of British Columbia’s School of Architecture and Landscape Architecture, and the founding chair of the UBC Urban Design programme.

    In addition to those named above, during the question, answer and commentary portion of the meeting, former Vancouver City Councillor Colleen Hardwick spoke about the lack of civic democracy, while an architect present with his family in attendance spoke of the work of an old Simon Fraser University pal of VanRamblings, the University of Victoria’s Robert Gifford, a Professor of Psychology and Environmental Studies, who in his paper titled The Consequences of Living in High-Rise Buildings [PDF], writes …

    “… high-rises are less satisfactory than other housing forms for most people, are sub-optimal environments to raise children, social relations within high-rise towers tends to be more impersonal and less than satisfactory than is the case with more ground-oriented housing forms, there is an increased incidence of crime and fear of crime among those who reside in high-rise developments, social cohesion is more difficult and substantively less present in tower developments, while independent studies have found that tower high-rise living may well be a strong contributory and determinative factor that can lead to an increased incidence of suicidal ideation and actual suicide among residents who live in concrete, steel and glass tower constructed buildings.”


    The future of the Kitsilano neighbourhood along the West Broadway / West 4th Avenue corridors

The thrust of Arny Wise’s address to those gathered at the Kitsilano Neighbourhood House Town Hall was that the advent of environmentally unsound steel, concrete and glass towers to increase density in the Kitsilano neighbourhood is simply not an optimal form of development to achieve the density desired by planners at Vancouver City Hall.

Scot Hein made reference to the Arbutus Walk neighbourhood, west of Arbutus Street and West 12th Avenue that, originally, was presented by the Molson-Carling developers and planners back in the day at Vancouver City Hall as three 50-storey concrete and steel towers — a development which the neighbourhood residents very much objected to — that under Mr. Hein’s watch was transformed into a neighbourhood-friendly and livable townhouse, 3-5-and-10 storey condominium and affordable housing development, with a walkable green space centering the development, and a 10-storey housing co-op established in the northwest corner.

It should be noted in passing that the final Arbutus Walk neighbourhood achieved much higher densification, overall, than would have been the case had the originally planned three 50-storey podium and tower development gone forward.

Two final notes for today (there’s more coming tomorrow) …

As UBC’s Patrick Condon pointed out at meetings’ end …

“Vancouver has tripled the number of housing units in our city since the 1970s, more than any other urban centre on the continent, certainly a laudable and unprecedented development feat, far outstripping the number of developments elsewhere. Yet, if supply is “the answer”, why is it that even with a 300% increase in development in Vancouver, we have the poorest supply of affordable housing for residents, the highest land prices, the highest rents of any jurisdiction across the continent, and the most expensive condominiums? Supply, alone, is not the answer.”

And, finally, on a somewhat hopeful note: both Arny Wise and Brian Palmquist pointed out during their presentations that the Planning, Urban Design and Sustainability Department at City Hall has had a change of heart respecting tower development along the Broadway corridor. No longer will citizens face the prospect of dark corridors lined with towers on either side of arterial streets.


Sensitive Urban Infill Charette Report City of Surrey. Drawing: Neda Roohnia, Landscape / Urban Design

Rather, arterial streets like the Broadway corridor will allow six storey developments, while the allowable 20-to-40-storey tower developments will be situated one block behind either side of the arterial street, so as “to prevent shadowing” and obviate the dark arterial corridor residents have made known in no uncertain terms to Vancouver City Hall that, that under no circumstance they want or desire.

Arterial streets must remain walkable, and neighbourhood friendly.

Not good news, of course, for those residents who live along the tree-lined streets, off Broadway (9th Avenue), along West 10th and West 8th Avenues.

But there you have it, for what it’s worth. As we say above, more tomorrow.

Grifters, The Mirror World, The Far Right & Late Stage Conspiracy Capitalism

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UBC professor Naomi Klein: revered academic, author, social activist and filmmaker in a wide-ranging conversation, talks with PoliticsJoe’s Oli Dugmore about her 2023 book Doppelganger, A Trip Into the Mirror World, diving into the industry of conspiracy theory & right-wing propaganda in the digital age.

In the video above, University of British Columbia Associate Professor Naomi Klein — whose work within the university’s Department of Geography focuses on the intersection of crisis and political transformation, and the large-scale shocks which follow — sits down with Oli Dugmore, PoliticsJoe’s Head of Politics and News for a wide-ranging, insightful and subtly exploratory conversation on “truth” in politics.


In large measure, moreso than in Klein’s well-received previous books —  1990’s No Logo, 2007’s The Shock Doctrine, and 2017’s This Changes Everything, to name just three — Doppelganger, A Trip Into the Mirror World offers more of a first-person memoir,  the book an in-depth critique and analysis of late-stage capitalism.

Down the Rabbit Hole Equation, How The Right Has Gained a Foothold Among So Many of Our Friends

Narcissism [grandiosity] x social media addiction + mid-life crisis ÷ public shaming = right wing meltdown.

Don’t be put off by the high falutin’ words above. Naomi Klein is a wonderfully engaging and entirely human scale —  and dare we say, vulnerable — interview subject, whose life is not too dissimilar to yours or mine, believe it or not. Ms. Klein puts on no airs as she helps us understand where we stand as a society in the early part of the 21st century, what bedevils us, the lies which have taken in too many among us, and the threat of the far right to our increasingly fragile democracy.

For VanRamblings, the most distressing aspect of the first half of the interview above arises from the discussion Mr. Dugmore and Ms. Klein have on the attacks, the unrelenting casual cruelty to which Ms. Klein is subject — and has been subject for a very long time — from those on the right, as well as the left, as if offering an opinion, and verifiable truths, somehow translates into committing a crime, leaving Ms. Klein open to death threats and other challenges to her personal safety.

Call us naïve, but VanRamblings has never understood the motivation of those who choose cruelty over kindness as a way of bringing themselves to the world, who choose to attack over finding common cause, and acknowledging our common humanity, and our innate oneness. We find the cruelty to which Ms. Klein is subject to be disturbing, abhorrent and utterly unbecoming in a civil society.

As Angela Y. Davis, author of Freedom Is a Constant Struggle writes “Doppelganger swirls through the bewildering ideas of the ultra-right that often appear as a distorted mirror of left struggle and strategy,” as Klein’s book sets about to distill the political economies of corruption, crisis in our time, and necessary remediation.

Why Doppelganger? You’ll have to listen to the interview, or buy the book for the answer to that pungent, provocative, easily answered and heartrending question.

2024 Best Oscar Short Documentary Nominee |
The Last Repair Shop

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Porché Brinker plays violin in The Last Repair Shop, which tells the story of technicians who repair public school musical instruments in Los Angeles free of charge, and the kids who play them.

Only one documentary short nominee this year has the full balance of human interest, social relevance and aesthetic appeal that tends to make a winner.

It’s the Oscar-nominated The Last Repair Shop, directed by Halifax filmmaker Ben Proudfoot, who won two years ago for The Queen of Basketball, a New York Times Opinion production, and the composer Kris Bowers, who was nominated with Proudfoot for A Concerto Is a Conversation, another Times Opinion documentary.

This time, both have made their documentary with The Los Angeles Times.

“In a warehouse in the heart of Los Angeles, a dwindling handful of devoted craftspeople maintain more than 80,000 student musical instruments, the largest remaining workshop in America of its kind. In the film, you’ll meet four unforgettable characters whose broken-and-repaired lives have been dedicated to bringing so much more than music to schoolchildren in Los Angeles.”

The Last Repair Shop is a great film, a moving, elegiac and engaging must-watch if you’re a family, a teacher or are dedicated to public education.

The entirety of the film is available on YouTube, or on Disney+. If you have a Smart TV, you’ll absolutely want to watch the film on the bigger screen.


Steve Bagmanyan is the supervisor of the L.A. Unified School District’s Musical Instrument Repair Shop

In The Last Repair Shop, the repair shop of the title fixes instruments for the city’s school district, the film relating the story of the L.A. Unified School District’s Musical Instrument Repair Shop — the last public school district in the U.S. to service musical instruments free of charge — where 11 technicians service about 6,000 instruments each year for more than 1,300 schools across the city.

Steve Bagmanyan, supervisor of the repair shop: “Music can do wonderful things. Music can change lives. Music can take you off the streets. Music can fill you up with joy, with happiness.”

The opening text says the service has been offered to students for decades.

The Last Repair Shop presents the recollections of four specialists (in strings, brass, woodwinds and piano), who share their experiences of immigration, of coming to terms with being gay and even of opening for Elvis in a bluegrass band, a long-term payoff of buying a $20 fiddle at a swap meet.


Porché Brinker in Ben Proudfoot’s Oscar-nominated documentary short film, The Last Repair Shop.

Schoolchildren further testify to how music affects their lives. The contrast gives The Last Repair Shop a gentle inter-generational poignance, as it makes an uninflected case for the importance of financing public school music education.

It’s not just the students whose lives have been changed by music.

The people who repair the instruments all have their own stories to tell — whether it’s about travelling the country with a $20 fiddle from a flea market, leaving home to chase the American dream, growing up gay in the ’70s, or even surviving ethnic cleansing.

And at the centre of each story is music, and a desire to repair — and to heal.

“We all have broken relationships, broken promises. The world is, in many ways, broken. And I think what these people stand for is an optimism that sometimes you can make things whole again with enough effort and care and patience,” Ben Proudfoot says.

“You can’t fix everything that’s broken. But sometimes you can. And for that one time out of 10 where you can, it’s worth doing. And I think there’s not too many lessons better than that.”

The Last Repair Shop is a love letter to the role of music in public education, a testament to seeing how broken something may be — and fixing it anyway.

And it’s a tribute to those who toil away, largely without recognition, in service of the important task of helping the next generation realize their dreams.

#VanPoli | Our Collective Journey Towards Indigenous Reconciliation

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In contemporary discourse, acknowledgment of reconciliation at the commencement of gatherings of people — when such gatherings take place in Parliament, the Legislature, or at meetings of municipal Councils, or more informally at other types of political meetings, in churches, at housing co-operative meetings, or even when people gather to take in a screening at the Vancouver International Film Festival’s VIFF Centre — has gained considerable attention and importance.

The land acknowledgment serves as a recognition of past injustices and a commitment to moving forward with mutual respect and understanding.

Today on VanRamblings, we’ll explore the significance of the reconciliation acknowledgment in fostering inclusivity, building relationships, and promoting healing within organizations and communities.

One significant catalyst for the reconciliation acknowledgment was the global recognition of the need to address the historical and ongoing impacts of colonization on Indigenous peoples. This recognition was spurred by advocacy efforts from Indigenous communities, grassroots organizations, and allies pushing for truth, justice, and reconciliation.

In Canada, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), established in 2008, played a pivotal role in raising awareness about the legacy of residential schools and advocating for reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Canadians. As part of its Calls to Action, the TRC called on governments, organizations, and individuals to recognize and respect Indigenous rights, cultures, and traditions, through the acknowledgment of traditional territories and treaties.

By acknowledging the traditional owners of the land and recognizing the histories of colonization and marginalization, a space is created where all participants feel valued and respected. This acknowledgment extends beyond geographical boundaries, encompassing the acknowledgment of past wrongs against Indigenous peoples, marginalized communities, and minority groups.

The voicing of the land acknowledgment signals a commitment to equity and diversity, creating an environment where everyone’s voice is heard and valued.

Acknowledging reconciliation at the outset of meetings builds trust and strengthens relationships among participants. It demonstrates a willingness to confront uncomfortable truths and engage in meaningful dialogue about the legacy of colonialism, oppression, and discrimination.

The land acknowledgment also opens the door for honest conversations about privilege, power dynamics, and systemic injustices, fostering empathy and understanding among individuals with diverse backgrounds and experiences. Through the reconciliation process, relationships based on mutual respect and solidarity are cultivated, laying the foundation for collaborative action and social change.

Reconciliation acknowledgment is an essential step towards healing historical wounds and addressing intergenerational trauma. By acknowledging past injustices and their ongoing impacts, it validates the experiences of those who have been marginalized and oppressed.

This acknowledgment is not merely symbolic but serves as a tangible commitment to truth-telling, justice, and reconciliation. It provides an opportunity for healing and restoration, allowing individuals and communities to confront the legacies of the past and work towards a more equitable and inclusive future.


Canadians grieve the finding of the mass graves at the Kamloops Indian residential school, the 215 children lost to their families when they were taken by the government, but also for their lost lives.

Joanne Mills, the Executive Director of the Fraser Region Aboriginal Friendship Centre, has expressed concern about overuse of the the word reconciliation.

“Reconciliation in Canada is more about the acknowledgement that there were wrongs, but there isn’t a lot of action attached to it. It’s difficult to be talking about reconciliation while one party is in power and another is still asking for rights from the former.

There definitely isn’t an equal power distribution. We’re not coming to the table as peers, we’re still coming to the table as have and have-nots,” she says.

Joanne Mills says for reconciliation to take shape, there needs to be an honest attempt to restore to Indigenous people what was taken at the time of colonization.

“I just don’t want to talk about the stereotypes anymore. People should go and educate themselves and learn the truth,” Mills says.

Mills says inequality remains in areas of provincial jurisdiction, such as the high rates of Indigenous kids in foster care in B.C., access to education and over representation of Indigenous people in prison.

B.C. has seen changes in elementary and secondary school curriculum to include more education about Indigenous people, but there have been bumps along the way. Some teachers say they are at a loss on how to teach Indigenous content. Others say they lack sufficient resources.

The adoption of reconciliation acknowledgments reflects a broader societal shift towards acknowledging and confronting the injustices of the past, promoting dialogue, understanding, and working towards an inclusive and equitable future. While the genesis of the reconciliation acknowledgment vary across contexts, its underlying principles of recognition, respect and reconciliation remain universal.