Tag Archives: Holborn Properties

Little Mountain’s Secret Deal Is Now Public Information!

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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 DISPUTE IN BC SUPREME COURT THIS WEEK

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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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#takebackthemountain

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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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Visit Holborn Properties Little Mountain Haunted House!

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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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At Langara University with Dr. Wendy Sarkissian and Guests

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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/

Follow The Little Mountain Project on FACEBOOK:
https://www.facebook.com/david.vaisbord
https://www.facebook.com/LittleMountainFilm
Follow The Little Mountain Project on TWITTER:
https://twitter.com/davidvaisbord

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The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly: The Ugly

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A new 3-part blog series on The Little Mountain Project.
Part 3

Frankly, I wish there didn’t have to be a bad or an ugly. I would rather spend my time working on the feature documentary about Little Mountain.

The Ugly

There are small things that help us to honour the past, the Birks Clock for instance was saved, though the Birks Building was not. We call it “heritage”. We entrust the preservation of those few objects to the people who build our cities, and how they handle that heritage may reflect upon how they think about it.

Holborn's Joo Kim Tiah and Donald Trump - we're trusting them to build the new Vancouver

Holborn’s Joo Kim Tiah and Donald Trump – we’re trusting them to build the new Vancouver

Two mid-century HERITAGE LAMP POSTS have laid undisturbed on a roadway close to the new building site at Little Mountain for past last three years.

Two mid-century heritage lamps at Little Mountain lay undisturbed for 3 years .

Two mid-century heritage lamps at Little Mountain lay undisturbed for 3 years .

Little Mountain Policy statement - showing the street lamps as they once were.

Little Mountain Policy statement – showing the street lamps as they once were.

The Planning Department chose one of the lamp posts for the title page of their Little Mountain Policy statement, because it said something about the history of the place – because it was a landmark.

The demolition company which laid most of Little Mountain Housing to waste was, inexplicably, responsible for the preservation of those two heritage lamp posts. One of the lamps was the focal point of a short film I made in a snowstorm in the winter of 2009. In the film the streetlamp flashed intermittently, resembled a lighthouse emitting a  distress signal, a warning of things to come…

And then last month, a construction company named URBAN ONE started work near that part of the site.  I had noticed that they were missing from the roadway.  I went to look for them, and found them in the grass nearby.

Wasted heritage at Little Mountain, courtesy of the Holborn Group

Wasted heritage at Little Mountain

At Little Mountain Housing nothing of the past is worth keeping.

Thinking about the details at Little Mountain.

Little Mountain's heritage - it's in the details

Little Mountain: Detail of leaf-forms on capitals.

Perhaps it’s my fault.  I never lived at Little Mountain but after 5 years of filmmaking I’ve become attached to a few things.

So I’ve got some questions:

  • What constitute civic heritage for you, at Little Mountain?
  • How would you represent it in a civic art project?
  • Would a poodle on a pole be good representation of the gentrification of the site?
  • Send me your ideas and I’ll post them.

Respectfully yours,
David Vaisbord
The Little Mountain Project

 

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How to support the remaining tenants of Little Mountain

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FOUR WAYS TO SUPPORT THE REMAINING TENANTS OF LITTLE MOUNTAIN

1. Sign and circulate the petition.
Find the petition here

2. Watch and share this short film about two of the tenants who are fighting the current eviction:
“The Eviction of Sammy and Joan” by David Vaisbord

3. Make your voice heard by local media:

letters@globeandmail.com
sunletters@png.canwest.com
provletters@png.canwest.com
letters@straight.com
blink@vancourier.com

CBC radio talkback number: 604-662-6690
CKNW radio comment line: 604-331-2784

4. Make you voice heard by officials:

Provincial Government and BC Housing
Premier Christy Clark: premier@gov.bc.ca
Minister Responsible for Housing, Rich Coleman: rich.coleman.mla@leg.bc.ca
Shayne Ramsay, CEO, BC Housing: sramsay@bchousing.org
Dale McMann, ED for Lower Mainland, BC Housing: dmcmann@bchousing.org

Development team
Joo-Kim Tiah, President, Holborn Group: info@holborn.ca
James Cheng & Associates, Architectural Consultants: info@jamescheng.com

City of Vancouver
Mayor Gregor Robertson: gregor.robertson@vancouver.ca
Councillor George Affleck: clraffleck@vancouver.ca
Councillor Elizabeth Ball: clrball@vancouver.ca
Councillor Adrienne Carr: clrcarr@vancouver.ca
Councillor Heather Deal: clrdeal@vancouver.ca
Councillor Kerry Jang: clrjang@vancouver.ca
Councillor Raymond Louie: clrlouie@vancouver.ca
Councillor Geoff Meggs: clrmeggs@vancouver.ca
Councillor Andrea Reimer: clrreimer@vancouver.ca
Councillor Tim Stevenson: clrstevenson@vancouver.ca
Councillor Tony Tang: clrtang@vancouver.ca
CoV’s City Manager Penny Ballem: penny.ballem@vancouver.ca
CoV’s General Manager of Planning and Development: brian.jackson@vancouver.ca
CoV’s City Planning Staff: matt.shillito@vancouver.ca; patricia.st.michel@vancouver.ca; ben.johnson@vancouver.ca; graham.winterbottom@vancouver.ca

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