MARCH 7, 2023 MEETING MINUTES
March 11, 2023
STRATHCONA COMMUNITY CENTRE
7-9 PM
Dan Jackson, Chair
Mike Rhone, Minutes
Notes from Craig Ollenberger (president of the Grandview/Woodlands Area Council)
- Grandview/Woodland community wants a pedestrian-first approach on Commercial Drive
- Bike lanes are also being considered, but with lower interest
- The community seeks Strathcona residents’ support and feedback to push the city to implement this approach
- Community is interested in street furniture and pedestrian-centric design
- Community also wants to support Strathcona’s efforts in calming Prior Street.
880 East Hastings Development Application:
- Community is unsure about the change to social services and is concerned about disorder in the area and about the potential expansion of services beyond the proposal’s scope
- Meeting attended by SRA board members, residents
- Community expressed concern over lack of engagement with families in social housing at Stamps Place and Ray-Cam community centre
- Ray-Cam board has confirmed with low income folks they want better engagement in the future
- Suggestion of a good neighbour agreement similar to what was done with Strathcona Brewery
- Residents encouraged to report any uptick in issues to the city via 311
- Strathcona Community Policing center is available to assist and help with concerns
- General support for Get Drugs Tested Here to continue their current testing services
- Acknowledgement of their good work without causing disruption to other businesses on the street
- Suggestion of a good neighbour agreement similar to what was done with Strathcona Brewery
- Powell Street Lookout Society relocated drop-in center to 500 block of Hastings with no public notice
- Centre’s back entrance causing considerable disruption in the alley behind it (trash, fire, feces, campers).
Celebrate Strathcona:
- Event is on June 10 and planning is underway
- Last year’s event was a great success
- Looking for people to organize and connect activities (even simple ones such as teaching kids to jump rope, Bubble blowing, Sidewalk chalk art, Bean bag toss game)
- Especially hopeful to find a group to host an art-oriented activity
- Music is planned unless the eagles are nesting
- Community is being asked to spread the word about the event
Strathcona Park and off-leash dog park issues:
- Responsibility for addressing these issues will fall on the community itself.
- MacLean Park Off Leash dogs are being ticketed much more frequently due to complaints from parents
- Park Board doesn’t have the time/money to get involved in helping sort out a working dog strategy.
- The community is advocating for Strathcona Renewal to be a priority for the city. Strathcona is a high-density, low-income neighborhood with a shortage of community-oriented greenspace. The community believes that prioritizing the renewal of parks and greenspaces is important for the well-being of its residents.
- The SRA is encouraging people to write to the Park Board and ask them to prioritize the park in the next capital plan. The community can send a quick note to the Park Board through the link provided (https://vancouver.ca/your-government/contact-park-board.aspx).
- The SRA has conducted a survey to gather input on improvements that residents would like to see in the park. The survey results are available at https://strathcona-residents.org/recommended-improvements/.
New developments along Hastings
- The City has a requirement in the DTES plan that new developments in the area should have at least a 20/80 social housing mix
- Developers have opted to build 100% social housing projects to avoid mixed use
- The community is concerned that segregating people living in social housing is not in the spirit of the bylaw
- New developments are located along the heavily polluted Clark corridor, which raises concerns about air quality for seniors
- The community is interested in ensuring the building of street-level retail to create a “Great Street” in the area
- 9 out of 15 air quality monitors have been installed in the area
- UBC students conducted a study on air quality in the area
- Trefor Smith is the person to approach if the community has any questions
VFPA’s Rolling Truck Age Program:
- The Rolling Truck Age program has been delayed again for the 3rd time in 3 years.
- A member of the SRA board believes that it may shift to an incentive program
- Approximately 85% compliance has been achieved so far
- The SRA is working with the port, who are supportive of the initiative
- Communication and relationships with the port and Centrum (other communities involved) are good
Other items:
- SRA plans on following up with the port to investigate the issue of garbage concrete piling up at the end of Heatley Ave
- A resident reported that a methadone clinic on 600 block Powell St has ceased operations
- Conflicts between residents and visitors to the site were noted while another resident noted the clinic provides an essential service
- SRA was not aware of the site or operation/issues
- SRA does not take a position on the discussion currently.