Frances Bula
Sun
Vancouver’s mayor-elect says he is considering changes to the plan for Southeast False Creek — the site of the future 2010 Olympic athletes’ village — to allow higher towers like the ones on north False Creek, in order to get $15 million more out of the land.
The Non-Partisan Association’s Sam Sullivan said that’s one option he’s looking at to get back the $50 million the Vision/Coalition of Progressive Electors had been prepared to plow into the project in order to provide more social and affordable housing, more daycare centres, a larger community centre, and a European-style neighbourhood that would not have the kinds of tower rows that have characterized north False Creek.
Sullivan has already said he would reduce the social- and affordable-housing goals back to the existing standard in city megaprojects, which is 20 per cent social housing and 80 per cent private market.
That would cut $35 million from the cost of the development, which will occupy 32 hectares of former industrial land that is the last major chunk of empty land near the downtown.
But Sullivan, in his first day of planning after being elected mayor Saturday, said he is looking at other alternatives to find the other $15 million, such as allowing higher towers.
In spite of that, Sullivan insists he doesn’t want to startle anyone by taking radical action to reverse any of the initiatives started by the city’s previous left-wing council.
“I wouldn’t want to dismantle any of these things. The last council was legitimately elected and it had a mandate. I want to maintain the spirit of whatever they put in place.”
He also says he has made a personal commitment to carry through on the Woodward’s project and he would even like to see a way to involve his defeated opponent Jim Green, who has championed the Woodward’s redevelopment for more than a decade.
“He’s just got so much knowledge about that project and such a passion for it,” said Sullivan. “I made a commitment to Jim Green that I’m going to do anything I can to make Woodward’s work.”
However, said Sullivan, there are some financial issues that could force changes on him.
One is the impact of next year’s tax increase, which staff have predicted has the potential to be unusually high.
“Certainly my concern about tax increases next year might change some of my thinking.”
Vision Coun. Raymond Louie, who helped shepherd the Southeast False Creek project through council, was startled when he heard Sullivan’s suggestion about allowing higher towers.
Louie said that would require a new public hearing to change the area’s official development plan. And he questioned whether that idea would be welcomed by the public. The Southeast False Creek project has been the subject of intense public debate for years. Two years ago, a group of senior architects and planners got together to urge council to create a different kind of development from the high towers of north False Creek.
Louie said Sullivan should be careful not to rush into anything and that any changes should be made gradually, as different sub-areas of the site come up for their individual rezonings.
But it appears unlikely Sullivan will move too quickly on anything for the moment.
Like the Coalition of Progressive Electors three years ago, Sullivan and his team appear to have been so focused on winning a tough election that they haven’t got an immediate plan of action in place.
Sullivan said he doesn’t know yet who will be his executive assistants — and he’s not in a rush to decide because he realizes that people will see that as a symbol of what his office will become.
“Everything I take on, the first few months set a trajectory.”
Although Sullivan is cautious about putting forward any new plans, his team is not. Councillor-elect Suzanne Anton said she plans to work aggressively for more sports facilities in the city and for a regional organic-composting program. Councillor-elect Kim Capri said she wants to work to make sure the Woodward’s project becomes a reality.
“The vision was tremendous,” she said. She also wants to fight for more treatment and prevention programs for young kids at risk of drug abuse.
Elizabeth Ball also says developing initiatives for young people is one of her priorities. One COPE initiative that she plans to support is the reinstatement of the city’s child advocate.
But B.C. Lee is not rushing too quickly into action. He says it’s important to listen to everyone first and then make decisions.
“I want to visit every single community centre and see what they want.”
© The Vancouver Sun 2005
