Mayor Ken Sim’s press conference at Little Mountain on April 25, 2024

Here’s Ken Sim’s PR about Little Mountain as shared on the City of Vancouver’s web site:

https://vancouver.ca/news-calendar/groundbreaking-on-little-mountain-redevelopment-april-2024.aspx

Allan Buium shared with me his thoughts on the recent “celebration” at Little Mountain (see below in italics) and I’m sharing them with you.

I was there and I did ask a question (so questions were not exclusively asked by selected news makers). I asked if BC Housing was in attendence at the event. I was told that they were not.

This was unfortunate because I was going to follow up on the story of Michelle Wright, a single mother with two children who was evicted from Little Mountain with her parents back in 2008. Michelle has been denied the right to return to where she lived until she was 12 years old. I like to think of Michelle as one of the “Children of Little Mountain“. BC Housing promised that all former tenants of Little Mountain are entitled to the right to return. Who at BC Housing is blocking the return of them and why do they continue to punish the former tenants of Little Mountain? Listen to Michelle’s interview with Stephen Quinn of CBC Radio in my previous post.

I can understand why BC Housing doesn’t want to attend. They might just face difficult questions about their most notorious and public failure — the tragedy of Little Mountain.

Here’s Allan Buium’s remarks:

— Allan is chair of the RPSC Advisory Group, a grass roots community organization —

I usually don’t comment on news articles but having attended the “ceremony” there needs to be a bit of clarification on what transpired. The media in attendance were the only people allowed to ask questions. The event was not a celebration but rather a moment to reflect on the travesty that has taken place at the site since 2008. The Campbell gov’t. sold the taxpayers of BC down the river and Holborn has been the winner in this real estate debacle. Good housing was bulldozed prior to the Olympics and the residents that were forced out were told they would be into new housing by 2010. To date, only one building (social housing) has been occupied and the second, immediately to the east of the site is an 8 storey social housing building that was to be occupied by late Fall of 2023 — Ravi Kahlon’s announcement. That building will not be occupied for quite a few months. No one made any reference to the building and when I mentioned it to the media there was no interest in that story.

There was no real commentary on the new building, that received this coverage, as it will be the new Little Mt. Neighbourhood House and that will occupy the first 2 floors of the structure. Day Care will be in this space. Unfortunately the LMNH is still waiting for final approval and this was not mentioned by the City nor Holborn. The positive comments of who will operate the social housing was noted — SUCCESS.

Sim and his Council took credit for the social housing on the site and that is not accurate. Holborn and ABC are in each other’s pockets and that was witnessed on Nov. 1st when Council approved a motion that allows Holborn to sell  3 market condo buildings but can’t occupy them until all social housing is completed and occupied. But Holborn is still able to acquire $$$ from the pre-sale of the condos — probably in the $1M plus price range.

I won’t go into the financial deal that Holborn made with the Provincial gov’t. but you can read about the deal by going to    rpscvisions.ca

Holborn was asked a question on why the progress in developing the site has been so slow. They said that they would not go back and discuss this.

The event was a PR stunt to make ABC and Holborn look like the good guys which, from the community’s perspective, is not accurate. It was a real estate debacle that we are all paying for. Holborn’s sales office just east of 33rd & Ontario is near completion and will probably be open for sales in the near future. Drive by and have a look!!!!

Riley Park South Cambie Advisory Group (RPSCAG) has been involved in this scene since 2008 and all we are able to do is be the community “watchdog” and report the “truth” of what the site represents. There’s much more to this story but you probably get the gist of what is happening.

Allan Buium, Chair

on behalf of the RPSCAG

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It was as simple as ABC – David Chudnovsky on the latest chapter of the horror show at Little Mountain.

Click on the link to read:

https://thetyee.ca/Opinion/2023/11/24/Little-Mountain-Could-Be-Model-Affordable-Housing/

In this Tyee article Chudnovsky replays the major events of the last 14 years and comments on the latest chapter.

Where does the record show that Holborn has respected any of its responsibilities to the province, to the city, and most significantly, to the former low income community over the past 14 years? And we might ask, why should they respect them? There have been no contractual or financial incentives for them to do so.

Okay, there was one obligation to the City of Vancouver, that stipulated that the replacement social housing had to built FIRST — and now it’s gone too thanks to ABC. For the tenants who were promised to return in 2010, all hope has vanished of ever returning to a home.

For the children who were forced away from Little Mountain, BC Housing gives them no hope, as we heard on CBC Radio on The Early Edition with Stephen Quinn. BC Housing doesn’t want them coming back. Click on the link to listen:

https://www.cbc.ca/listen/live-radio/1-91-the-early-edition/clip/16020369-former-little-mountain-house-resident-questions-citys-decision

Somebody explain this to me (because I thought that the BC government had cleared out all the bad apples from BC Housing) how BC Housing ended up supported Ken Sim’s decision to lift any responsibilities from Holborn to rebuild Little Mountain Housing.

Congratulations to Holborn for playing BC politics and politicians so well.

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October 2023 — Holborn wants MORE concessions

What?

News is that Holborn is crying poverty over it’s ability to borrow money for rebuilding public housing. With the help of their friends in the former BC Liberal Party (now BC United) Rich Coleman and Kevin Falcon etc. invited Holborn in 2008 to attach itself to a jewel of property at the heart of Vancouver. What did they do?

Holborn destroyed tens of millions of dollars of public housing and a low income community. Holborn was handed hundreds of millions of dollars of BC taxpayer money through a “sweetheart deal” with the Liberals. Since 2008 Holborn have done little more than cut the grass on a 16 acre vacant lot.

Holborn failed to deliver on the latest 2021 memorandum with Premier Eby to deliver the replacement housing by 2024 – they’re not even finished the first of three buildings that were specified in the memorandum.

But Holborn has spent over a year building an ultra posh sales office on 33rd and Ontario Street. It’s nearing completion.

You can read the Memorandum with Holborn on BC Housing’s website, and there’s a link in my previous posts.

Poor Holborn.

Holborn is a huge Malaysian corporation with deep pockets. They’re here to make a profit on land speculation in our inflated real estate market.

It’s time to #takebackthemountain

takebackthemountain.com

See this link:

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David Eby Reveals a New Deal for Social Housing at Little Mountain

(UPDATED April 2024)

David Eby, the Attorney General and Minister Responsible for Housing provided an update on the Little Mountain Housing Scandal on September 10 and spoke about the new MOU.

The new Memorandum of Understanding can be found below within the BC Housing Website – just look at the sidebar to the right to download the PDF.

Here’s the link: https://www.bchousing.org/projects-partners/development-projects/vancouver-little-mountain

The PDF specifies that all of the remaining social housing will be built by 2024.

BC Housing’s updated 2024 website page does not mention that the contract was not fulfilled (as usual with PR). BC Housing’s updated website claims that the two remaining social housing buildings will be started this year: “Two additional non-market buildings are expected to break ground this year.”

Watch this YouTube video of Eby’s the entire press conference – more links below.

Vancouver Mayor Sam Sullivan’s (2006 – 2009) NPA majority City Hall signed the first Memorandum of Understanding in 2007 with the BC Liberal Government. That MOU approved of the demolition of Little Mountain and included words that implied that real consultation with the tenants would take place, but those consultations never happened. Mayor Gregor Robertson‘s VISION majority council swept away Sam Sullivan’s NPA council, but did not challenge or alter the MOU, though it was in their power to do so. Gregor Robertson is gone from Vancouver civic politics. Over the last 5 years various governments at City Hall, Victoria, and Ottawa that held power during the demolition of Little Mountain (2008 – 2014 have undergone a complete change over.

The MOU named FOUR entities: BC Housing, the Province of BC, the City of Vancouver and Holborn Properties as co-signatories to an agreement to accelerate construction of social housing on the site by 2024. At the bare minimum, members of the community whose homes were destroyed, should also be included as one of the entities who have oversight over the building of nearly 200 new homes from 2021 – 2024.

How will BC Housing make it right, for the former tenants of Little Mountain? The dismal performance of BC Housing with respect to the former tenants of Little Mountain behooves that it include all of the children of all of the former tenants of Little Mountain in their plans to re-populate the new housing, when (and if) they are ever built.

Already there are lessons to be learned from the shoddy construction of the first building that was built on the site in 2012, where the word “cheap” epitomizes everything from the quality of the materials to the design of the interior living spaces/environments. A full Post Occupancy Evaluation of that first building is necessary before the new buildings are built so that in the haste to rebuild, Holborn will not once again be selling this community short.   

So what could the developer, Holborn do to redeem a reputation that is tarnished beyond redemption? They could begin by building the best social housing in the city. It could be well constructed and designed. It could be as liveable as the previous housing and attempt to replicate room for room, and square foot for square foot, the size of the suites that were destroyed. 16 years after their destruction.

The documentary film THE HOUSING GAMES, (now FORGETTING LITTLE MOUNTAIN) is nearing completion. There is a completed Rough Cut, and we’re looking for financial support to help us get to the final edit. If we get that support we’ll be done sooner, than later. We are aiming for a release in 2024. The revelation of the secret deal completes a final chapter in this story about the tragedy of Little Mountain, and opens an entirely new set of questions about why the deal was written, by whom, and in whose interests?

David Vaisbord — Filmmaker

In my previous post I discuss who was responsible for revealing the Secret Deal.

More links to RECENT PRESS ON LITTLE MOUNTAIN

CBC – ‘Someone needs to be held accountable’: Vancouver councillor says B.C.’s Little Mountain loan was a ‘bad deal.” https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/little-mountain-land-sale-reaction-1.6161389

CBC – Developer, province agree to speed up construction on Little Mountain housing after ‘abhorrent’ deal exposed. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/little-mountain-lands-vancouver-memorandum-of-understanding-1.6171659

GLOBE AND MAIL – B.C. reaches agreement with developer to speed up social housing construction at Little Mountain site https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/british-columbia/article-bc-reaches-agreement-with-developer-to-speed-up-social-housing/

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Little Mountain’s Secret Deal Is Now Public Information!

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is Chudnovsky-and-contract-2021-08-31-at-11.56.46-AM-1.png
David Chudnovsky holds up the unredacted contract.

The contract is now available to view online on the BC Housing website here: https://www.bchousing.org/projects-partners/development-projects/vancouver-little-mountain

I was at Little Mountain this morning to record David Chudnovsky announce the release of the Little Mountain contract. This land deal between Holborn Properties and the province of British Columbia, signed in 2008, assured that nothing would be built on the site for decades. Let’s #takebackthemountain – it’s about time and sign the petition on that site.

David Chudnovsky, Jeremy Allingham (CBC) and lawyers working pro bono on the team that challenged Holborn properties in the courts are responsible for the win.

Check out the news reports at the following links:

Vancouver Sun: Vaughn Palmer: Land deal shows B.C. Liberal coverup, incompetence and disregard for the public interest

https://vancouversun.com/opinion/columnists/vaughn-palmer-land-deal-shows-b-c-liberal-coverup-incompetence-and-disregard-for-the-public-interest

Vancouver Sun: Little Mountain: Documents reveal developer bought property with $211 million taxpayer-funded loan for with no interest for 18 years

https://vancouversun.com/news/local-news/little-mountain-documents-reveal-developer-bought-property-with-211m-taxpayer-funded-loan-with-no-interest-for-18-years

CTV NEWS: A colossal failure’: Secret deal for prime Vancouver real estate that saw low-income families evicted finally public

https://bc.ctvnews.ca/a-colossal-failure-secret-deal-for-prime-vancouver-real-estate-that-saw-low-income-families-evicted-finally-public-1.5569483

Business in Vancouver: Developer got sweetheart deal for Little Mountain Property says former MLA.

https://biv.com/article/2021/08/developer-got-sweetheart-deal-little-mountain-property-says-former-mla

Vancouver is Awesome: NDP government should “take back” Little Mountain from developer who got sweetheart deal

https://www.vancouverisawesome.com/opinion/david-chudnovsky-on-little-mountain-deal-in-vancouver-4271828

https://www.citynews1130.com/2021/08/31/scrap-deal-start-over-vancouver-councillor-suggests-b-c-rework-contract-for-little-mountain-development/
https://globalnews.ca/news/8157394/little-mountain-real-estate-deal/

What happens next for this filmmaker and his 13 year film project?

Previously titled “Champions of Little Mountain” David Vaisbord is completing the story of Little Mountain as a mini series titled “The Housing Games.” And finally there’s some good news at the end of this story.

David Vaisbord

September 1, 2021

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Little Mountain contract to be finally released!

Please read below, this Vancouver Sun article from Auguest 25, 2021. This is a victory for the advocates who launched the “Take Back the Mountain” campaign (takebackthemountain.com) with the call to reveal the contents of the secret document signed by the (then) Liberal Government of BC and Holborn Properties in 2008.

We have won. Now our job is to encourage provincial and civic governments to get together to take back Little Mountain, and build social and affordable housing for the people of this city. We ask you to join us in order to amplify the message…

Little Mountain developer quits fight to keep 2008 sales documents hidden

“People started asking for this contract in 2008,” retired MLA David Chudnovsky said. “And finally, it’s going to see the light of day.”

Aug 25, 2021 by Dan Fumano

The developer behind the controversial Little Mountain housing project has abruptly thrown in the towel on efforts to keep hidden the documents surrounding its 2008 purchase of the property from the B.C. government.

David Chudnovsky, the retired NDP MLA who has been fighting for years to get more information about Little Mountain, said he was glad the people of B.C. would soon be able to see details of the contentious deal that led to the demolition of 224 affordable homes on a prime piece of Vancouver real estate, which then sat mostly empty for more than a decade.

“It’s a good thing for transparency in the province. It’s a good thing for people who care about social housing,” Chudnovsky said. “People started asking for this contract in 2008. And finally, it’s going to see the light of day.”

Holborn Properties, the company that bought the six-hectare Little Mountain social housing property from the provincial government, had been fighting a September 2020 order from B.C.’s Office of Information and Privacy Commissioner that full details of the province’s sale to Holborn be released to Chudnovsky, who had filed a freedom of information request with B.C. Housing.

Holborn had previously opposed the release of the unredacted documents, with their lawyers arguing that public disclosure of the financial details, including timing of payment and commercial details regarding rezoning, could harm the company. But an adjudicator ruled in September 2020 that Holborn had failed to prove a reasonable expectation of harm if the information was disclosed, and ordered B.C. Housing to send Chudnovsky the documents.

Chudnovsky had earlier received a heavily redacted version of the sales contract and subsequent

amendments, where entire pages were blacked out.

That order was put on hold, though, when Holborn filed in the B.C. Supreme Court seeking a judicial review of the decision.  But then last month, while the parties were awaiting court dates to hear the matter, Chudnovsky was surprised to hear from Holborn’s lawyers indicating they intended to abandon their fight to keep the full records hidden from public. That became official Friday, when lawyers acting for Holborn filed the notice of discontinuance in B.C. Supreme Court.

Asked why the development company discontinued the legal fight against disclosure of the sale

documents, Holborn spokeswoman Megan Schrader said in an email that the decision “was made in the interest of moving ahead with the redevelopment of the site.”

“While the agreement was always confidential in nature, Holborn bid for and was awarded the sale on a fair, open basis,” Schrader said. She added that proceeds from the Little Mountain redevelopment were reinvested by the province to build 2,100 units of supportive housing around B.C., including 1,500 homes in Vancouver, most of which are now open or are in development.

Chudnovsky said: “I think Holborn knew that they were going to lose badly in court, and they decided they’d rather give up quietly on a Friday afternoon in the middle of the summer, than lose in a humiliating way, in public, in court.”

David Eby, the B.C. NDP MLA who is now B.C.’s minister responsible for housing, told The Globe and Mail in March of this year that he had reviewed the contract B.C.’s then-Liberal government signed with Holborn, calling it a “sweetheart deal” and adding he looked forward to the B.C. Supreme Court hearing on the question of its release.

Holborn bought the Little Mountain property, near East 33rd Avenue and Main Street in Vancouver, from the B.C. government in 2008, and soon demolished the existing 224 units of social housing with a plan to replace them with new affordable homes, along with as many as 1,400 market condos and commercial and community space.

Over the 13 years that followed, only 53 units of permanent social housing have been built, when the first of five planned social housing buildings at Little Mountain was completed in 2015. A 46-unit temporary modular housing project was also completed on the property in 2018.

Since that time, none of the other social housing buildings have been built and only one is currently under construction, a City of Vancouver representative said Monday, adding that: “No other buildings on the Little Mountain site will be in development until the social housing buildings are completed.”

dfumano@postmedia.com

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LITTLE MOUNTAIN DISPUTE IN BC SUPREME COURT THIS WEEK


The next chapter in the 14-year long Little Mountain Social Housing dispute heads to BC Supreme Court on Thursday.  The Court will hear the developer’s judicial review application (appeal) of a Freedom of Information order to make the contract between Holborn Properties Ltd. And B.C. Housing public.


The provincial FOI process resulted in a victory for former MLA David Chudnovsky and CBC Producer Jeremy Allingham who made separate applications to see the contract originally signed in 2008.  Holborn is appealing that decision.


“This is just Holborn’s latest attempt to stall the process,” said Chudnovsky.  “What are they hiding?  People have been asking since 2008 to see the contract.  The residents of BC and Vancouver – and especially those who were forced to leave their homes all those years ago – have a right to see what was in this deal.”


The Little Mountain social housing community was built in the 1950s.  Its 224 units housed almost 700 people who were told in 2007 they had to move, their homes would be rebuilt, and they would return to their new units by the Olympics (in 2010). 


Chudnovsky commented, “In the midst of an affordable housing crisis virtually nothing has been done in 14 years.  The privatization of this site was a terrible mistake by the Gordon Campbell BC Liberal government and the then Housing Minister Rich Coleman. Little Mountain is still a huge vacant lot.”


“Holborn thinks we’re going to get tired and give up.  No way.  We’re going to see that contract,” concluded Chudnovsky.


For further information contact:David Chudnovsky 604 874 1089 or 604 329 1734


Those interested can observe the court case by contacting:Superior Court Judiciary’s Communications Officer, the Honourable Bruce Cohen, at SCJCommunicationsOfficer@BCCourts.ca.

Little Mountain – Nothing remains of the public housing project.
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A hole in the ground and other recent photographs of Little Mountain

A quick synopis of the story so far…

In 2008 the British Columbia Government under Liberal Party Premiere Gordon Campbell and Housing Minister Rich Coleman sign a deal to sell British Columbia’s oldest and most successful social housing project to a foreign investment company named Holborn.

Holborn’s CEO named Joo Kim Tia, bought the 16 acre property for its land value and nothing else. Campbell and Coleman signed a confidential agreement with Tia that ensured that BC Housing would relocate and/or evict all of the tenants and deliver a wasteland to the new owner. Enough of THE SECRET DEAL – that the Community Advocates for Little Mountain (CALM) are currently fighting to reveal in BC Supreme Court – has been leaked, that there is speculation that the contract is without deadlines for paying the $300 million dollar debt, nor the rebuilding of the destroyed social housing, or any form of market housing on the site.

As a result Little Mountain has remained a nearly complete wasteland for the past 13 years. For this reason Holborn’s new slogan that “Great Stories Take Time To Write,” is particularly ironic, since the loss of Little Mountain, in housing and (most importantly) human terms was great.

What sort of person would look upon the trampling of a low income community for profit as a “great story?”

Scared into action. Holborn Properties digs a hole in the ground. Feeling the pressure by Jeremy Allingham of the CBC, David Chudnovsky of #takebackthemountain and their legal team to unlock THE SECRET DEAL, Holborn starts construction of one new building on a far corner of the site on Main Street. Photo by David Vaisbord March 2021.
Holborn erects a fence to protect their cute little building site at Little Mountain March 2021. Photo by David Vaisbord
These portapotties are for workers on numerous new projects that surround the vacant Little Mountain site. March 2021. Photo by David Vaisbord
Little Mountain March 2021. Holborn’s new display of shoes of former Little Mountain tenants. (Correction: Holborn had nothing to do with this site specific art project at Little Mountain) Photo by David Vaisbord
Little Mountain March 2021. Holborn provides a frame that highlights construction by rival construction companies on streets that border their empty lot. These many new condos will have unobstructed views of Little Mountain and Queen Elizabeth Park for decades to come. Photo by David Vaisbord
City of Vancouver stores traffic cones and other equipment along the fence at Little Mountain, March 2021. Photo by David Vaisbord
Little Mountain March 2021. Holborn’s story is a great one that starts with the destruction of a low income community and over a decade of neglect. Photo by David Vaisbord
Little Mountain March 2021. I like this cat tag better than Holbornlm.com web address. Photo by David Vaisbord
Little Mountain March 2021. Corner view of Holborn Estate Reserve Lands. Photo by David Vaisbord

The Little Mountain site, located in Vancouver B.C. has been the city’s largest urban wasteland for 13 years. It was created by the Holborn Group.

Stay tuned for the outcome of the BC Supreme Court decision (in April 2021) on the Holborn Group’s secret deal with BC Housing. Go to #takebackthemountain and show your support by signing our petition.

David Vaisbord

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How many years does it take to write a great story?

Holborn Holdings produces Vancouver’s largest and most ironic corporate statement.

Thank you Holborn Group for reminding us that Great Stories do take a long time to write.

The irony however is that this great story belongs to the former tenants of The Little Mountain Housing Project. They told the truth to power when all three levels of Canadian government either turned a blind eye, or were actively involved telling the lies that led to the destruction of their community.

Their story will be told in THE HOUSING GAMES – the upcoming documentary series on the story of The Little Mountain Housing Project – now nearing completion.

It has taken thirteen years to get here and all of the champions of Little Mountain whether they locked arms with the community 13 years ago, or got involved with the crowdfunding campaign for this film, can look forward to our day in the Supreme Court of British Columbia in April of 2021, where a decision will be made – we hope – that will de-classify of the agreement made between BC Housing and the Holborn Group in 2008.

Once this SECRET DEAL is finally brought to light, a full public inquiry is made into the contents of that deal, we can move to #takebackthemountain.

Go to takebackthemountain.com to find out how we can move forward with putting Little Mountain back in public hands. Take your comments to twitter with #takebackthemountain. We need your comments for our Freedom of Information application in order to reveal the details of the secret contract signed by the BC Liberal Government (in 2008) and the Holborn Group. Find out how to post them at takebackthemountain.com.

David Vaisbord

Filmmaker

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“The Last Word” with Mike McCardell at Little Mountain

So I was out in a snowstorm (at 33rd and Ontario St.) minding my own business when Mike McCardell of CTV walked by. McCardell produced this short segment about me and my work for CTV today.

Go to takebackthemountain.com to find out how we can move forward with putting Little Mountain back in public hands. Take your comments to twitter with #takebackthemountain. We need your comments for our Freedom of Information application in order to reveal the details of the secret contract signed by the BC Liberal Government (in 2008) and the Holborn Group. Find out how to post them at takebackthemountain.com.

Support for a motion on the Freedom of Information application on the Little Mountain contract will come to Vancouver City Council on February 12 – likely at about 3 PM. I want to encourage you to sign up to speak in support of the motion.

This is the story of the failure of three levels of government to protect the rights of its citizens, and the erosion of our city’s affordability owing to the greed of global real estate interests.

Follow me on twitter @DavidVaisbord

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#takebackthemountain

RALLY TO TAKE BACK LITTLE MOUNTAIN

If you would like to do something about the lack of progress at the former Little Mountain Housing site, then join us at the corner of 33rd Ave. and Ontario at 11am on Saturday, November 30 to mark the date ten years ago that the public housing site was demolished. Vancouver residents will rally next to the former Little Mountain Housing site to call on the government to take back Little Mountain and sign a petition to the premier.

Read and Sign the Petition: http://www.takebackthemountain.com

In 2009 BC Housing reduces Little Mountain Housing to twisted wreckage.

“Everyone knows that this project has been a failure,” said Community Advocates for Little Mountain spokesperson David Chudnovsky, 

“It’s been 12 years since residents were pushed out of their homes and ten years since those homes were demolished.  In the midst of a housing crisis the site is still a gigantic 15 acre vacant lot.  Vancouver residents can no longer tolerate this incredible waste.  It’s time for the provincial government to #Take Back The Mountain.”

Allan Buium, Riley Park South Cambie Vision Committee Chair added,

 “Our community needs social housing, affordable rental, co-ops and co-housing.  We need to start over with a project that actually deals with the affordable housing crisis.”

Organizers are asking the people of Vancouver to join us at the rally at the Little Mountain site, sign the petition, and take part in the social media photography campaign.

WHERE:  Little Mountain Social Housing site – corner of 33rd Ave. and Ontario St.  (near Riley Park Farmers Market)

WHEN: Saturday, November 30, 11 AM.

CONTACT: David Chudnovsky – 604 874 1089 or 604 329 1734 davidchudnovsky@gmail.com

Norm Dooley – 604-327-3745  norm.dooley@gmail.com

Montage Photo: Residents, neighbours and the press attend a protest at Little Mountain Housing in 2008 to stop the premature demolition of a low income community.

Read and Sign the Petition: http://www.takebackthemountain.com

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Shooting an ending to the film with OneCity and David Chudnovsky …well not quite…

David Chudnovsky chats with OneCity Council candidate Christine Boyle at OneCity Vancouver campaign headquarters.

David Chudnovsky chats with OneCity Council candidate Christine Boyle at OneCity Vancouver campaign headquarters.

On the cusp of Vancouver’s 2018 civic elections I am recording conversations with two of the central characters of “Champions of Little Mountain”  — Ingrid Steenhuisen and David Chudnovsky —  to find that their ardour for social justice and affordable housing has not waned.

Just this week, exactly 10 years since the first day I met him, I recorded some final words for the documentary with David Chudnovsky at the OneCity Vancouver campaign office, for which he is a campaign supporter. I first met Chudnovsky during the protests to save Little Mountain Housing in October of 2008. He was a key advocate during many of the conflicts between the last tenants of Little Mountain and BC Housing, and I recorded those dramatic moments for the documentary.

In fact, OneCity recently called for the rezoning of the land currently held in limbo by the current “developer” the Holborn Group, stating that “the time for developers to be sitting on empty lots and reaping excessive profits is over.”  OneCity is on the right track and I am happy to support them in any way I can!

Holborn Group displays no parking sign on fence surrounding their Little Mountain wasteland.

Holborn Group displays no parking sign on fence surrounding the wasteland they created 10 years ago at Little Mountain.

You can continue to support our work at Little Mountain by voting for OneCity Candidates tomorrow, including the progressive slate of candidates (for Parks, School Board, and Council) represented by OneCity, COPE, Green Party, and other select candidates.

In 2020 the Grunt Gallery will premiere my new short film TimeLapse,  on their Community Screen on the Rize Building, Broadway at Kingsway.  Details to come.

BC Housing's temporary modular housing fills an urgent need to rebuild the social housing destroyed by the Holborn Group at the Little Mountain site.

It’s 2018, and BC Housing’s temporary modular housing fills an urgent need to rebuild the social housing destroyed in 2009 by the Holborn Group at the Little Mountain site.  But this temporary housing is neither built by, nor paid for by the Holborn Group.  The Holborn Group have done nearly nothing with the property since they signed a deal with the Liberal Government of 2008.  In 2013 they completed one new building on the site, as a concession to the last few tenants who refused to comply with an eviction order.  These tenants argued that the developer neither had the plans nor the intention to rebuild their social housing community within any previously promised timelines. They were of course correct! That community fought to be heard and respected. Their story is the subject of my upcoming feature documentary:  Champions of Little Mountain.

And the story continues…

All for now,

David

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Have you heard me talk recently on CBC or CITR radio?

If you heard me talk recently on CBC or CITR and want to know more about the release date of my feature documentary Champions of Little Mountain follow me on facebook and twitter!

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/david.vaisbord

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/davidvaisbord?lang=en

I’ll be launching one final CROWDFUNDING CAMPAIGN this year.  Multi-year documentary films are impossible to make without support from individuals who care about getting Canadian stories out to Canadian audiences.

Previous trailers for a 2014 crowdfunding campaign can be found on Vimeo.

LITTLE MOUNTAIN FILM: CROWDFUNDING TRAILER – 2014 from David Vaisbord on Vimeo.

So what’s new? Here’s what’s new and predictable from a billionaire developer and his friends in the BC Liberal government who flattened a low income community in 2008 because they “had a plan” and were “ready to build”.

Holborn Holdings erects their new sign. Clearly Holborn is "holding" Little Mountain. The company touted "phased construction" as soon as everything on the site was demolished, but one building is nowhere near a phase...

Holborn Holdings erects their new sign.  Holborn makes an application for the development of  ONE new building – 10 years late.  Holborn plans to build an upscale Sales Centre on the corner of 33rd and Ontario, years ahead of replacing the social housing they destroyed in 2008.  Meanwhile the BC Taxpayer spends millions to build new modular social housing on Holborn’s disused site.  Where is the full social housing replacement that Holborn promised 10 years ago?  Who is Holborn?  Answer:  Joo Kim Tiah.  Where is he?  Presumably enjoying the view of Vancouver from the penthouse of his Trump Tower.

 

Regrettably yours,

David Vaisbord

 

 

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Where we are in December 2017

Hello Champions,

Happy Holidays from The Little Mountain Project.

I’ve got a few things that I would like to share with you.

  1. The editing of the documentary, Champions of Little Mountain (The Little Mountain Film) is going well, and we are close to completing a rough cut. Thank you again for your financial contribution and support.
  2. Just a couple of blocks from Little Mountain near 33rd Avenue live a family in dire need of a supportive community. Elham and her husband Rafi were Syrian refugees in 2000, both hardworking professionals in their own country who took whatever jobs they could get in Canada to make ends meet. But years of stress and ill health, no healthcare benefits, the pressure of a runaway daughter addicted to drugs, and relatives stuck in Syria, have left them broken. Suffering from degenerative health issues the future of their children, Araksi and Sevag are at risk. If you would like to help them, please consider making a donation to this Gofundme campaign started by my neighbour Janice Hague, together we can lift them up to a place where they can begin to heal and have hope for the future. At the Gofundme site, even five dollars from each of you would make a huge difference to this family.

I began my filmmaking journey at Little Mountain 9 years ago, when I heard that in my very own neighbourhood Vancouver’s oldest public housing project was on the verge of demolition. Today, the housing crisis is far worse, and Elham and Rafi are one family living under the poverty line, a couple of blocks from a demolished low income housing community that could have included them.

But wait. This holiday, have a cup of cheer, sit down by the fireplace (if you have one) and break open a copy of the 2017 Child Poverty Report Card . The good news is that the new federal Liberal and provincial NDP governments are finally moving in the right direction.

T’is the season for thoughts about dear old friends, so I’ve placed a link below to a Christmas video I made with Sim, Joan and Ingrid in 2013.

Wishing you safe and happy holidays!

Sincerely,

David Vaisbord

Xmas at Little Mountain from David Vaisbord on Vimeo.

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Lazy Summer Days at former site of the Little Mountain Housing Project

Chair_2017_03_smalr

A quiet place to view no new developments on the Little Mountain vacant lot.

A perfect summer spot to gaze upon the Rich Coleman Vacant Lot.

One of the many homeless people who park their RV’s along the edge of Little Mountain left this chair for the enjoyment of the public, to cast their eyes upon the trees, the grasses and the weeds adorning the vacant lot that was once The Little Mountain Housing Project. Here is the perfect spot to contemplate the failed housing strategies of over a decade of the Liberal Government of British Columbia.

Where will it all go from here?  With a new NDP/Green Government in power, there’s hope in the air once again.  They have a lot on their agenda, and it remains to be seen if there’s anything that can be done to either change Holborn’s gentrification plans for this site, or hasten the building of replacement social housing.

I continue to edit Champions of Little Mountain.

Meanwhile enjoy the last weeks of summer!

I may launch one more funding campaign before the end of the year.  Stay tuned for details.

Sincerely,

David Vaisbord

Outside the fences at Little Mountain developers other than Holborn have completed several new phases of construction along Main Street.

Beyond the fences, several developers other than Holborn have completed new phases of construction in the quadrant of land North East of the former Little Mountain Project.

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How to fund a Documentary Film

Welcome!

I hope you are interested to know more about my upcoming documentary film, CHAMPIONS OF LITTLE MOUNTAIN.

Since 2008 I’ve been producing and directing a documentary on the story of The Little Mountain Housing Project, we’re half way through the editing, and it’s clear that we need more funding to complete the film.

Here’s the video that launched the successful crowdfunding campaign of 2014:

LITTLE MOUNTAIN FILM: CROWDFUNDING TRAILER – 2014 from David Vaisbord on Vimeo.

Would you like to:

  • Help fund the project?
  • I will fulfill all of the items on the PERK LIST from the 2014 crowdfunding campaign.
  • Volunteer to assist a NEW fundraising campaign?
  • Help to spread the message across social media in Canada?
  • Please email me at vaisbord@gmail.com with the Title: Funding the Champions.

Scroll down to read more about the project.

Great documentaries have a unique ability to engage and connect people, transform communities, and improve societies.  Over the past nine years David Vaisbord has been successful in serving as a voice for his local community. Now, a team of dedicated individuals want to complete the feature documentary that takes this powerful David and Goliath story to local and national audiences.

Sincerely,
David Vaisbord

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The Rich Coleman VACANT LOT

A Bleak Anniversary at Little Mountain

Dedication of the Rich Colman “Vacant Lot” took place on Saturday April 8.  The project was a collaboration of Community Advocates for Little Mountain including David Chudnovsky, Barry Growe, Catherine Hembling, Linda Shuto, and David Vaisbord.

The press found our “celebration” creative and incisive. We received attention that included Global, CBC and CTV.

Global TV

Global TV – The Rich Coleman VACANT LOT: 2007 – 2017 from David Vaisbord on Vimeo.

CBC TV

CBC Television The Rich Coleman VACANT LOT: 2007 – 2017 from David Vaisbord on Vimeo.

CTV

CTV – Dedication of The Rich Coleman VACANT LOT: 2007 – 2017 from David Vaisbord on Vimeo.

And in the VANCOUVER SUN.

http://vancouversun.com/news/local-news/little-mountain-advocates-unveil-rich-coleman-vacant-lot-plaque-on-10th-anniversary-of-closure

For more information about future events and the progress of the feature documentary:  “Champions of Little Mountain”  please email me and ask to be put on the EMAIL LIST at: vaisbord@gmail.com

Photo stills from the event:

Coleman Lot Event creators

Coleman Lot Event creators Catherine Hembling, David Vaisbord, Barry Growe, Linda Shuto, David Chudnovsky, (moral support from Ned Jacobs – behind plaque), at Little Mountain.

Photo still from "Champions of Little Mountain"

Photo still from “Champions of Little Mountain” showing timeline for return of all tenant to Little Mountain by 2010.

Media attend the ceremony for The Rich Coleman Vacant Lot

Media attend the ceremony for The Rich Coleman Vacant Lot at Little Mountain.

It's wet out during ceremony at Little Mountain for the Rich Coleman Vacant Lot

It’s wet out during ceremony at Little Mountain for the Rich Coleman Vacant Lot

Supporters attend Little Mountain event

Supporters attend Little Mountain event to celebrate Rich Coleman Vacant Lot.

Vaisbord poses next to commemorative plaque at Little Mountain, April 2017

Vaisbord (Documentary filmmaker) poses next to the richly deserved commemorative plaque at Little Mountain, celebrating the work of Minister of Housing Rich Coleman from 2007 – 2017.

George Heyman, James Green, David Vaisbord at Little Mountain

George Heyman, James Green, David Vaisbord at the Rich Coleman Vacant Lot Celebration.

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Join us to “celebrate” exactly 10 years of nothing.

Watch a clip of the hilarious mock celebration below.  More clips on VIMEO.  To find them click on the links to “David Vaisbord on Vimeo” under the clip.

CTV – Dedication of The Rich Coleman VACANT LOT: 2007 – 2017 from David Vaisbord on Vimeo.

The event took place on Saturday, April 8.

Thanks to everyone who came out and made it such a successful event.  Go to “Vaisbord Vimeo” for more coverage of this hilarious mock celebration of 10 years of nothing.


Here’s the original post:

Where: 37th and Ontario
When: Saturday, April 8, 10:30 AM.

Exactly 10 years ago BC Housing and the BC Liberal Government started pushing people out of their homes at Little Mountain Social Housing. 224 units of social housing and a successful community were destroyed by the provincial government with the promise that they would be quickly rebuilt. Today, Little Mountain is a giant vacant lot.

On Saturday morning, April 8, at 10:30 AM, we (my friends including CALM, the RPSC and former tenants of Little Mountain) will hold a ceremony to mark this anniversary at the corner of 37th Avenue and Ontario Street.

I’ll be there to talk with you about the progress I’ve made with the edit of the documentary: Champions of Little Mountain (formerly The Little Mountain Film).

Please join us on Saturday morning. There will be a couple of speakers, photo and social media opportunities. FYI – we’ll have some staging materials…

Where: 37th and Ontario
When: Saturday, April 8, 10:30 AM.

Share this on facebook and twitter

https://www.facebook.com/david.vaisbord

2464536168_463be76b78

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Winter 2016-17 at Little Mountain changes view of the landscape

Hello friends of The Little Mountain Project!

The former lands of the Little Mountain Housing Project were unofficially opened to the public last month, through what appears to be motor vehicle accident that tore through the fence on the corner of Ontario Street and and 37th Avenue.  In any event, it’s time that the fence came down, as it serves no purpose than to separate citizens from a public space that will not see complete re-development for another two decades.

Montage_Sel05

Elsewhere on the property one of the Heritage Trees was damaged by the heavy snow, but it appears to be only one large branch that separated from the trunk.

Montage_Sel03

Across the fence from Little Mountain on other sites to the North-East, numerous other Vancouver Developers are well into construction of new condos.  Condos which, according to some critics of the Vancouver housing crisis, relieve some pressure from Vancouver’s overheated housing market. Holborn isn’t building any of these new homes.

Jan2017_LMP_CONDO_const_01- photo still

On the sixteen acres adjacent, Holborn CEO Joo Kim Tiah – the owner of Trump Tower – speculates on the increasing value of the former site of the Little Mountain Housing Project while doing nothing to alleviate Vancouver’s housing problems.  No new social housing, no new family housing, no new market housing, no new luxury housing.  No housing.

Montage_Sel00

The Malaysian business tycoon strictly patrols the fence around his property in order to forbid local contractors from parking next to it.

Montage_Sel01

While elsewhere along his fence a splash of pink is a reminder that the numbers of needy and homeless in Vancouver continue to rise.

Montage_Sel06

The epic winter of 2016-17 will be remembered by some for the salt crisis and by others for ice fortresses and ice skating on local streets and lakes.

IMG_8556_smaller

Happy New Year.

David Vaisbord

“Champions of Little Mountain”

Coming in 2017!

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Public Hearings at City Hall for Little Mountain REZONING – July 19, 2016

Developmental_2 B&W
Hello everyone,

Tomorrow night, July 19, at 6pm Vancouver City Hall will hold public meetings on the REZONING document for Little Mountain.  You can register to speak on line by email at publichearing@vancouver.ca. I will record this meeting and upload it to the web.

I recorded the most recent meetings of the Little Mountain Advisory Group, and will upload them as soon as I can.  As you can imagine, my time to upload content to this website is limited as I continue to edit the documentary:  Champions of Little Mountain.

I will begin to communicate more regularly as the launch date approaches.

ESSENTIAL City info here:  http://vancouver.ca/home-property-development/little-mountain.aspx

LEAVE COMMENTS  on either of my FACEBOOK SITES:
https://www.facebook.com/david.vaisbord
https://www.facebook.com/LittleMountainFilm

SEND ME a note and I’ll put you on my email list for the PREMIERE of “Champions of Little Mountain” in 2017.

See you there,
David

We welcome FINANCIAL SUPPORT this project at:
Littlemountainfilm.com

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Learn about the Rezoning Application

Hello everyone,

As I edit my feature documentary about the story of Little Mountain, Holborn conducts its first public exercise.

HOLBORN PRESENTS their Rezoning Application for Little Mountain – Nov 2015 from David Vaisbord on Vimeo.

I taped this a couple of days ago at a meeting of the Little Mountain Advisory Group. Speakers are in order of appearance, David Chudnovsky, Ben Johnson (city planner) Martin Bruckner (architect) Ned Jacobs and city planner.

 CBC REPORT on Saturday’s Open House is their TOP STORY

YOUR chance to comment is coming up at two Open Houses on November 28 at (Brock Elementary School) and December 3 — 5:00pm – 8:00pm at the Holy Name of Jesus Parish Church (4925 Cambie Street). These are your KEY opportunity to comment on the plan.

ESSENTIAL City info here:  http://vancouver.ca/home-property-development/little-mountain.aspx

LEAVE COMMENTS  on either of my FACEBOOK SITES:
https://www.facebook.com/david.vaisbord
https://www.facebook.com/LittleMountainFilm

SEND ME a note and I’ll put you on my email list for the PREMIERE of >>”Champions of Little Mountain” << click to view new TRAILER.

OPEN HOUSES:

Saturday – November 28th 2015 from 11am to 3 pm
General Brock Elementary School Gymnasium
4860 Main Street

Thursday – December 3rd 2015 from 5pm to 8 pm
Holy Name of Jesus Parish Church
4925 Cambie Street at 33rd

See you there,
David

 

SUPPORT this project at:
Littlemountainfilm.com

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Little Mountain of Memories in Summer of 2015…

From July through August 2015 my garden celebrated the lives of Sim and Joan Chang through a patch of crocosmes which I transplanted from their garden at Little Mountain to mine.

Sim and Joan were among the “champions” of Little Mountain, including Ingrid and Antonia Steenhuisen, Karin Nicholetti, David Chudnovsky, and many others who fought to save the social housing project from destruction.


Here they are on my boulevard. Local bees and crocosmes. Caught by my camera. Saved from blades of Holborn’s lawn mowers. The editing of the documentary film, “Champions of Little Mountain” continues.

Enjoying the rain,
David Vaisbord
Filmmaker

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The view of Little Mountain this morning.

Gallery

This gallery contains 8 photos.

Every few months I walk a portion of the periphery of Little Mountain to add media to an experimental film I’ve been shooting for 7 years.  This film will string together a series of thousands of stills which played at … Continue reading

Last week: the Little Mountain Project in pictures

Hello friends and colleagues,

In case you missed it, here’s a few photos from the conference and my installation at the Interurban Gallery:  May 20 – May 23 with UBC SCARP: Housing For All: a series of events on the future of public housing. This installation was a sampling of media and sculptures from a much larger exhibition (TBA).

The installation works included the 19th Birthday Party, by community engagement project mentored by Corin Browne and Patti Fraser, visible above. For more information on the event, check out my blog last week (May 23).

David Vaisbord

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Housing for All with SCARP

This is the last day of the UBC’s SCARP’s (School of Community and Regional Planning) Housing for All: a series of events on the future of public housing

Vaisbord installs "Sim's Garden" in InterUrban Gallery, Vancouver Canada May 2015

Vaisbord installs “Sim’s Garden” an installation art work, at the Interurban Gallery, Vancouver Canada May 2015

I interviewed International delegate Anaclaudia Rossbach from Brazil, for the Champions of Little Mountain documentary.  She is the Regional Adviser for Cities Alliance.  Rossbach offers an international perspective on housing difficulties in Canada, as well critique of the last 7 years of the Little Mountain Housing Project.

Congratulations to Dr. Penny Gurstein and her team of graduate and undergraduate students for putting on such a fine series of events.

UBC SCARP's Penny Gurstein introduces Keynote Panel.

UBC SCARP’s Dr. Penny Gurstein introduces Keynote Speaker and Panel at InterUrban Gallery: Speaker:  Peter Marcuse  Panel (L-R) Ray Gerow, Anaclaudia Rossbach, Ethel Witty, David Hulchanski. Wednesday May 20, 2015

David Vaisbord and Ingrid Steenhuisen (Community advocate and Little Mountain resident)at Community Dialogue at Dodson Centre, Friday May 22, 2015

David Vaisbord (filmmaker, educator, advocate) and Ingrid Steenhuisen (Community advocate and Little Mountain resident) at Community Dialogue at Dodson Centre, just prior to their interview with CBC Radio’s “On The Coast” Friday May 22, 2015.

All for now,
David Vaisbord

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Champions of Little Mountain

Welcome back to The Little Mountain Project.

SEND ME a note and I’ll put you on my email list for the PREMIERE of >>”Champions of Little Mountain” << click to view new TRAILER.

Many of you are financial supporters of The Little Mountain Film (littlemountainfilm.com) through the Indiegogo Campaign I created last May, and I would like to invite you to see how your investment has grown over the past 10 months!

In May of this year there are of events that highlight my 7 years of work on The Little Mountain Project:

INTERURBAN GALLERY
1 East Hastings St. Vancouver B.C.
Multimedia Art Exhibit May 21 – May 23, 2015
I’m exhibiting excerpts from The Little Mountain Film — a feature documentary to be completed in 2016 — on several large media screens in the gallery space, as well two installation art pieces from Champions of Little Mountain (a full scale art installation work currently seeking a gallery...) along with the work of other talented artists, exhibiting as part of the housing conference and community dialogue.

All of it In conjunction with “Housing For All: a series of events on the future of public housing” produced by UBC SCARP, The School of Community and Regional Planning.

For more details, visit http://www.futureofpublichousing.ca.

At 4:30pm on May 22, I’m interviewed on CBC Radio’s ON THE COAST, by host Stephen Quinn about my new work at the Interurban Gallery,

I am also presenting an academic paper on The Little Mountain Housing Project at the University of British Columbia on Thursday May 22nd, as part of UBC SCARP’s Housing for All: a Series of Events on the Future of Public Housing, co-sponsored by the Housing Justice Project and the Peter Wall Institute for Advanced Studies.

Housing for All: a Series of Events on the Future of Public Housing includes an academic workshop at UBC which brings together top housing researchers from around the world, as well as Futures for Public Housing: A Dialogue with International and Local Housing Stakeholders, Friday May 22nd, 1:00pm-5:00pm at the Dodson Conference Centre.

David Vaisbord

 

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Neighourhood Conversations

MPNH04

I meet Ingrid Steenhuisen at the event, who presented her perspective as long time tenant and activist at Little Mountain.

Hey everyone, Last night I showed a couple of short excerpts from the documentary work in progress: The Little Mountain Film. Also screening a short film I just edited for Marine Gardens, one of the next social housing projects in Vancouver to meet the wreckers ball.

The event was at Little Mountain Neighbourhood House:

MPNH14_crop

Engaged and diverse community group brings together international perspectives to social housing and community building in Mount Pleasant.

https://www.facebook.com/events/1438838819741190/

Upcoming events include participation with SCARP UBC in upcoming International conference on The Future of Social Housing, and a solo exhibition at the Centre A Gallery on the subject of Sim and Joan Chang titled:

Champions of Little Mountain.

Both events are coming up in May 2015.  More info to come.

MPNH01

Follow the Little Mountain Project on Facebook and Twitter.

Follow The Little Mountain Project on FACEBOOK:
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https://www.facebook.com/LittleMountainFilm
Follow The Little Mountain Project on TWITTER:
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Happy Holidays from Little Mountain

Hello Everyone,

Happy Holidays to you and your loved ones.
Here is a holiday greeting I posted last year in Dec 2013, I hope that you enjoy it.

Xmas at Little Mountain 2013 from David Vaisbord on Vimeo.

2014 had many ups and down:  Sim (Sammy) and Joan passed away; I launched a major crowdfunding campaign; the last and most stalwart tenants moved out, and their building was demolished.

I hope that you are looking forward to a new and eventful 2015.
I look forward to many new projects, including the completion of The Little Mountain Film!

Snow lounge at Little Mountain

Snow lounge at Little Mountain

With your financial support we can make a truly great film.  It’s never too late to make get involved. Find out more about the fundraising campaign at littlemountainfilm.com
Sincerely,
David Vaisbord

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Big day for BC Housing as last building goes down at Little Mountain

BC Housing finally flattens the last of 45 buildings at the Little Mountain Housing Project this week. The demolition took place on Tuesday December 16, 2014.

X-Karin&XmasDemo

Karin Nicholetti, the last tenant to move out, payed her respects.

X-MasDemo02

The last 3 Tenants had fought for and won a 5 year demolition reprieve. BC Housing attempted two times, in 2009 and 2012 to evict them.

The redevelopment of Little Mountain has been a failure. So much so that BC Housing is now taking a new approach: they intend to sell all their social housing assets to non profit organizations. This new intiative (as always with out any public consultation) will transform the housing portfolio from government responsibility to charity work. Such a profound change deserves some sober second thought. The first housing project to be sold will be Stamps Place.
X-MasDemo04_v3
When I shot this scene I assumed it would be the end of my film.  I was wrong.  Rich Coleman, the Minister of Housing was to cut the ribbon on the first new building in the spring of 2015.  I will shoot that meeting, and my final words with the Minister before I begin to edit the film.

With your financial support we can make a truly great film.  It’s never too late to make get involved. Find out more about the fundraising campaign at littlemountainfilm.com
Sincerely
David Vaisbord

Follow The Little Mountain Project on FACEBOOK:
https://www.facebook.com/david.vaisbord
https://www.facebook.com/LittleMountainFilm
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BIG newsday at Little Mountain – and you thought it was over!

1.  Police called to Little Mountain Housing AND

Karin calls Vancouver Police

2.  The last tenant leaves Little Mountain.

This week on monday morning Karin Nicholetti – the last remaining tenant of the last building at Little Mountain – called Vancouver Police to report a violation of the BC Tenancy act, claiming that BC Housing personnel had entered her suite at Little Mountain without her permission. Apparently the BC Housing operatives became somewhat cavalier after winning a court order to have Nicholetti evicted. They had neither the order itself nor any authorization to enter her suite at that time.

Karin Leaves Little Mountain

Later that day they returned to hand-deliver the order to Karin. This time Ms. Nicholetti had no cause for distress. The order granted her an additional 48 hours of tenancy.  That 48 hours ends at 4pm TODAY (Wed. November 19) when she hands over the keys to BC Housing. I’ll be there to open a bottle of champaign to celebrate her 2800 days of resistance, and the contribution that she and the last tenants made, to the history of community action in B.C.

If you want to come by and witness the passing of the keys, bring some glasses or better, a bottle of bubbly and toast with us!Police investigate violation of BC Tenancy Act at Little Mountain

Cheers,
David V

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The Long Goodbye to the Last Rowhouse at Little Mountain

BC Housing prepares the last Little Mountain Rowhouse for demolition.

Long_Goodbye2Last week a good friend of mine who is a Vancouver artist, informed me that she had just received an eviction notice from her studio.  I thought right…here’s another instance of how its getting harder and harder for anyone except the international business class to afford to live here.  The Vision party is doing what they can, a couple of months ago they held a lottery to chose one arts group – out of dozens – who would get one new studio space in Vancouver.  Forgive me if I’m underwhelmed.

Meanwhile a building at Little Mountain with 6 good suites of over 12,000 total square feet awaits demolition.  Any major dude who knew Vancouver development politics would tell you that this spot on the Little Mountain site won’t be ready for construction for at least five years.  But who’s counting.

It will be gone by Christmas.

David
ps:  I voted today.  I hope you did too.

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Thanks DOC BC for sponsoring my Hyperlocal workshop

DOChyperlocal1websizeOn Wednesday this week DOC BC presented: 6 YEARS AND COUNTING: Reflections on The Hyperlocal Documentary at the Pull Focus Film School. I had a great time, and I hope that my experiences with The Little Mountain Project will inspire others to take a more active role in the stories that they tell. Thank you to friends, supporters, DOC members and all the sponsors who make events like this possible.  A shout out to my friend Claire Yargeau, who had the brilliant idea to take out her Iphone and snap photographs during the event.

DOChyperlocal3websizeAnd a reminder to DOC members that our annual AGM and holiday/year end party is on November 26th. Check your email for the event notice with time and place.

Cheers,
David Vaisbord

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What does $75,000 buy in Vancouver’s 2014 Election?

75000websizeThe 2014 election data is out. Holborn gave $75,000 to Vision and $2,500 to NPA, so they’re betting that Vision will win this race.

What will the contribution buy them? Peace of mind? A sense that they contributed to the democratic process? After all they did fund two parties. Or do they share like many of us, a concern that a vote for the NPA might strengthen Kinder Morgan’s fight to ram a new pipeline through our city. Many big issues at stake in this election.

But most importantly for me and the community that I live in, what will this mean for Little Mountain? Especially since there’s been some talk that Holborn might renege on its committment to build community amenities as part of the redevelopment plan for Little Mountain.

For more info on $$$ look at: City Hall Watch

For more info on candidates look at: NSV Neighbourhoods for a Sustainable Vancouver.

Get out and vote!!!

David Vaisbord

 

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My upcoming workshop on the Hyperlocal Documentary!

Six Years and Counting: Reflections on the Little Mountain Film, Crowd funding and The Hyperlocal Documentary.

Find out more about Tickets, Time & Location HERE.

The Six Block Documentary: Vaisbord's thesis, that within a 6 block radius any filmmaker can find compelling subjects for his artistic practice.

The Six Block Documentary: Vaisbord’s thesis, that within a 6 block radius any filmmaker can find compelling subjects for his media practice.

Is the next great Canadian documentary waiting to be made in your neighbourhood?  Perhaps only a short walking distance from your home?

Join me for a workshop sponsored by the Documentary Organization of Canada on November 12 about the the 6-Block Manifesto, the Hyperlocal documentary and the future of the documentary film making.

This presentation will excite and engage attendees in a wide-ranging discussion on how to create a hyperlocal documentary from challenges to successes. 

Find out more HERE, and I hope to see you there!
David Vaisbord

 

 

 

 

https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/doc-bc-presents-reflections-on-the-hyperlocal-documentary-tickets-13095249243

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Visit Holborn Properties Little Mountain Haunted House!

A Holborn Halloween for Little Mountain 2014

A Holborn Haunted Halloween for Little Mountain in 2014!

Last week Holborn’s Joo Kim Tiah was in downtown Vancouver promoted his ultra luxury Trump Tower project with Donald Trump’s children.  If that wasn’t scary enough, across town in my neighbourhood, the Holborn Properties Little Mountain community office had a downright haunted look about it!

We visit new construction sites in Little Mountain vicinity

We visit new and active construction sites in Little Mountain vicinity.

Vaisbord's UBC tour visits Holborn Office

Vaisbord’s UBC tour visits Holborn Office.

We finish our tour at the last heritage bldg

We finish our tour at the last heritage bldg.

 

I was giving a tour of the area to UBC students when we came upon it. I decided to photograph it and send it to you for your enjoyment.

 

 

And be sure to check out my workshop on the Hyperlocal Documentary on November 12th.  Find out more on FACEBOOK or buy tickets here.

Have a happy and safe Halloween from the Little Mountain Project.
Boohaahaaha!
David V

 

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BC Housing is at it again!

BC Housing is poised to sell off another major piece of it’s social housing property in Vancouver, and as per usual there will be no public consultation. I hope to have some media to post on this project soon.

Meanwhile: Read about in at City Hall Watch:
http://cityhallwatch.wordpress.com/2014/10/19/stamps-place-sale-opposed

Take this link to Ray-Cam Co-operative Centre’s website where the information originates.

David V
The Little Mountain Film

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All Candidates Meet to discuss Vancouver Housing

Last night I attended SCARPE – UBC’s School of Community and Regional Planning’s all candidates debate at UBC Robson Square. Housing Debate 2014_websize

This meeting is required viewing for the upcoming election, and you can click on the link at the bottom of the page to view it.

Debate1

I was very impressed with Cope’s Lisa Barrett, two-time former mayor of Bowen Island, and Adriane Carr of the Green Party.

Debate3_sml_flt_web

One City’s RJ Aquino has his heart and policies in the right place, and I have a huge amount of respect for David Chudnovsky, who’s the fire behind One City.

Meena_sharp

Meena Wong met with audience and debate participants afterward. I spoke with her after the debate and agree with her housing policies. If she wins she will be the first woman and person of Asian descent in the mayor’s chair! They say that she has an uphill battle against the Vision machine. This will be an interesting election!

Debate2_sml_flt_web

The entire debate can be viewed here:

Kudos to Dr. Penny Gurstein and colleagues at SCARP for putting together a great event.

David Vaisbord
For information on how to support the film project go to: http://www.littlemountainfilm.com/

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At Langara University with Dr. Wendy Sarkissian and Guests

Last night I joined Dr. Wendy Sarkissian‘s Urban Planning class at Langara University in the company of dedicated civic activists including Eileen Mosca of Grandview, Gudrun Langolf of Marpole, Ned Jacobs of Riley Park/South Cambie, Randy Helten of Neighbourhoods for a Sustainable Vancouver and Jak King, president of the Grandview-Woodland Area Council.

Vaisbord@LANGARA2_finalwebsize

Vaisbord speaks to Langara University Planning Students on Oct 21, 2014

It was a great conversation. King’s overview of the event is here on his blog:  Jak’s View of Vancouver.  And kudos to students April and Elona who did a great job of of organizing the session.

Undergraduate Student, Ned Jacobs, Jak King in Sarkissian’s Langara Classroom

Dr. Wendy Sarkissian was featured in a video I posted last year titled: Densification Wars: A Conversation with Dr. Wendy Sarkissian PhD.  Sarkissian’s students who come from all parts of the globe, were eager to be informed about the current state of community and urban planning in Vancouver.

The Langara class began with a discussion of the Little Mountain Project.  A key discussion point was the clip A Moment of Truth.  The flaw within the community consultation process is clearly visible. Planner Ben Johnson must inform the community that their recommendations will never be accepted:  “a higher level of direction” controls the process that includes both senior staff and City Council  — all Vision Party dominated — rendering the entire process, nearly irrelevant.

Vaisbord@LANGARA_websize

Vaisbord speaks on the Little Mountain Project – Vancouver planner Ben Johnson projected on screen, from a video entitled: “Meeting 29: The Moment of Truth”.

I qualify the process as “nearly irrelevant” because the community, with the assistance of the planning department accomplished what they set out to do. The community was ready to unanimously support a final document but that document wasn’t good enough for “senior staff” who opted for a higher density than that recommended by the community. The fact that Vision staff and councillors chose to poison the well in the end was a huge disappointment to everyone, except the developer Holborn Properties, of course.
This, and many other flawed consultation processes are coming back to haunt the Vision Party as it seeks re-election by angry Vancouver communities seeking input into the future of their city.

All for now,
David
For information on how to support the film project go to: http://www.littlemountainfilm.com/

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UBC Planning Students view the last of Little Mountain heritage housing

UBC Urban Geography student and Vaisbord next to the Steenhuisens' family home at Little Mountain

UBC Urban Geography student and Vaisbord with Steenhuisens’ family home at Little Mountain. The last of Little Mountain’s heritage social housing.

Last Friday and Saturday (Oct 17th and 18th) I gave tours of Little Mountain to UBC Urban Geography students.

On Friday we were fortunate to catch Ingrid Steenhuisen, one of the last residents of the heritage housing at Little Mountain in the process of cleaning up and moving out. Her relatives were there to help as were neighbourhood friends.

Vaisbord, Students, Friends of the Steenhuisens

Planning Student, Friend and Vaisbord in the Steenhuisens’ basement.

While working on sorting family papers, Ingrid answered a few questions from the students.

Ingrid & UBC students

Ingrid Steenhuisen talks to planning student about the Riley Park neighbourhood while packing boxes in her former home at Little Mountain.

If any readers have had the experience of cleaning out a family home, they can appreciate how much work it took, and how difficult it was to clear out the old three bedroom suite.

Bedrooms with memories await demolition

The view from this boys’ bedroom in the Steenhuisen unit is coloured by the nostalgia for vivid seafaring tales read before bedtime.

Ingrid is moving into the new building 100 yards to the south of her family’s old rowhouse.

The old rowhouse - coming soon to a landfill near you.

The last heritage rowhouse – coming soon to a landfill near you.

Rather than being reused or remodelled, the heritage structure will be torn down by BC Housing ASAP.

This building has a relatively new roof and good structure. I know a number of artists who are desperate for studio space in Vancouver, who would move their studios to Little Mountain in a heartbeat, even if only for the two to five years it will take before anything happens here.

David Vaisbord
The Little Mountain Project & Film
For information on how to support the film project go to: http://www.littlemountainfilm.com/

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