Tag Archives: Rich Coleman

#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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Where we are in December 2017

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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

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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

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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

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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.

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

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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

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BC Housing is at it again!

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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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UBC Planning Students view the last of Little Mountain heritage housing

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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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What has been going on at Little Mountain?

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What has been going on at Little Mountain?
CleaningUP_1
In the last rays of sun in Sept/Oct 2014 the owner (BC Housing or Holborn?) did a complete site cleanup, consisting of cutting the grass, trimming the trees, covering their root systems with fresh sod, and removing the rotting orange fences which once surrounded them.

Remains of Orange Fencing around Little Mountain trees

Remains of Orange Fencing around Little Mountain trees

The old orange fences were erected to protect the trees from damage during a construction boom that never happened. Instead they rotted in place, year upon year becoming more weathered and decrepit. As unsightly as they were, they provided a visual reminder of how much time had elapsed since promises were made to rebuild Little Mountain Housing.

Photo: David Vaisbord

Photograph: 4 Seasons of Little Mountain – David Vaisbord

Now they are gone and Little Mountain almost resembles a park. Ask anyone who walks by, and they’ll probably respond that they don’t remember what was there anymore.  Cutting the grass at Little Mountain where fencing once stood.

Cutting the grass at Little Mountain at the base of a tree once surrounded by orange fencing.

Landscaping at Little Mountain Fall 2014

Landscaping at Little Mountain Fall 2014

Stroller in waiting.

Little Mountain seems more park-like now that the orange fences are gone.  What was once the first social housing project in BC passes slowly into oblivion.

Well…not completely…more to come.
David V.

Support this film project at littlemountainfilm.com

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New Banners produced at Vancouver’s “Draw by Night” Event

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Hey Friends,

I’m putting up a NEW BANNER SERIES, produced for The Little Mountain Film during a very successful DRAW BY NIGHTsession held in March 2014 at the VFS campus cafe.

Draw By Night for Little Mountain by Anonymous

Draw By Night for Little Mountain Film by Anonymous

The images will revolve throughout the fundraising campaign for The Little Mountain Film.

Thank you to visual artist Kristina Fiedrich and her team of volunteers.

Here is this week’s sketch in its entirety. This artist of this sketch forgot to put their name on it. Whoever drew it please contact me!

Last week’s original sketch was by Natalia Parra:

If you have a great sketch of Little Mountain or a drawing that you think represents the theme of HOUSING, send it to me and I’ll put it up.

Click on the Housing icon to the below to visit the NEW WEB SITE and participate in the campaign to FUND THE LITTLE MOUNTAIN FILM:

We can’t do it without you.
David Vaisbord

This is the icon above – just click on it!
Yes you can…

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Little Mountain Film – The Funding Campaign Launches Today!

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Just click on the icon below to be redirected to the documentary film fundraising site:

I’m ecstatic to be finally embarking on campaign to fund the Little Mountain Film. After six years in the making, I’m ready to share this story with the world. Thank you all for joining me on the journey. Most of you have been involved in the fight for Little Mountain for just as long as I have. I’m hoping that finishing this film will create a way to get the word out about what happened at Little Mountain – the good, the bad, the ups, and the downs. Please join me in making finishing this film. Check out our crowd-funding campaign HERE and let the world hear about Little Mountain.

There’s a NEW website dedicated to the film here:   http://www.littlemountainfilm.com/
Come on board SHARE with your friends, and we can finish this film!

Please note, that I will be blogging on both this site and the Little Mountain Film site for the duration of the campaign.

David V

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Heather Place learns lessons from Little Mountain travesty

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Warning: Lack of truth beyond this sign - Little Mountain 2014

Warning: Lack of truth beyond this sign – Little Mountain 2014

Barry Growe has a new article in The Tyee, in which he links the fight to preserve social housing at Little Mountain, with recent developments at Heather Place.

The article is titled:
An Authentic First Step for Affordable Housing?
Let’s Hope Vancouver’s Heather Place learns from Little Mountain’s big mistakes.

Barry and the tenants at Heather Place, including Karen Gilchrist and Tamara Szymanska will be speaking to City Council at City Hall next week, on April 15, and I will be there to record their presentations and their thoughts on the process, for a future post.

There are many lessons to be learned at Little Mountain. I’ll cover them in my documentary.

The fundraising campaign launches on May 1st!
Check out my new FACEBOOK site at Little Mountain Film.

Cheers,
David V

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Densification Wars

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On January 19th 2014, one of the world’s leading authorities on community engagement, Dr. Wendy Sarkissian spoke to Vancouver residents about the successes and failures of community engagement in Canada, Australia and the USA.

“Densification Wars” A Conversation with Dr. Wendy Sarkissian PhD from David Vaisbord on Vimeo.

Have the last three years of community engagement at Little Mountain been a success?  That depends on who you talk to and there’s more to come in 2014.  Prior to Dr. Sarkissian’s talk, I speak for a minute about my commitment to The Little Mountain Project and ask for support for my upcoming crowdfunding campaign, this spring.

If you send me your email address, I will be able to keep you up to date on details about the campaign, to be launched in the spring.  Alternatively you can Facebook friend me or follow me on Twitter. My email is: vaisbord@gmail.com.

Dr. Sarkissian speak with Mount Pleasant and Little Mountain community, January 2014.

Dr. Sarkissian inspires Vancouver citizens in January 2014. (littlemountainproject.com).

Moderated by Stephen Bohus, the conversation took place at the Mount Pleasant Community Centre. Urbanist and community advocate Ned Jacobs begins the conversation. The following information was provided by the organizers prior to the event:

“Densification Wars.” Community Planning in New South Wales and Vancouver:
A public conversation with Dr. Wendy Sarkissian, Ned Jacobs, and You!

Dr. Wendy Sarkissian, lives and practices community planning in the Australian state of New South Wales, home to Sydney, a city experiencing similar growth and affordability pressures as Vancouver. She is co-author of the award-winning book Housing as if People Matteredand three recent books on community engagement. Dr. Sarkissian grew up in Vancouver and was an adjunct professor at the UBC School of Community and Regional Planning. Her PhD was in Environmental Ethics and Planning Education.

Jacobs & Bohus at Dr. Sarkissian's Vancouver talk.

Jacobs & Bohus at Dr. Sarkissian’s Vancouver talk.

Ned Jacobs, a son and student of the late urbanist Jane Jacobs, is an advocate for environmental sustainability, social/affordable housing, high quality urban design, and civic electoral reform. He serves on volunteer advisory groups for the redevelopment of Little Mountain Housing and the Cambie Corridor, and is the Riley Park/South Cambie Community Visions Group liaison to the Coalition of Vancouver Neighbourhoods.

Keep up to date with me, and about the project on my Facebook or Twitter accounts.
Thank you.
David Vaisbord

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Meet the NEW architect for Little Mountain – Gary Andrishak

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Welcome to the LMP screening room.  

For those of you who missed this meeting last week at the Hillcrest Community Centre, here is your video update. Gary’s talk begins around the 7 minute mark.

Advisory Committee Meeting 38: Meeting the New Architect from David Vaisbord on Vimeo.

Andrishak has stated that he does not see LM as a tower site. He quoted urban design educator and writer Jan Gehl, “a city is not the buildings alone, it’s the spaces between them that matter most.” The Advisory Committee has been concerned about urban space at Little Mountain since 2010. If you want to feel like you were there, open a second window and click through his PowerPoint PDF (courtesy of Vancouver Planning) as he speaks.

In the Q&A that follows Deborah Butler – one of the 7 members of the Advisory Committee who drafted the Community’s Position on the Policy Statement – compliments Andrishak on his presentation, but urges him to consider the neighbourhood’s criticisms of the policy statement as ratified by City Council in 2012.  I would encourage Andrishak to review both Advisory Committee Meeting 35, and Part 1 of the City Hall session of June 2012, which deal with density and height. The Little Mountain Policy Statement itself can be viewed by clicking HERE.

Other subjects covered in the meeting are:

  • The timetable of the Rezoning Process.
  • Rightsizing the retail component of the project.
  • Employing swails to deal with excess water on the property.
  • How the legibility and visibility of ground floor entryways can enhance community.
  • Inclusive design that fits many generations of user.
  • Re-energizing the community around this NEW rezoning process, through new signage around the property or by other means.
  • The constant evolution of the project, and how the new building already renders the old site plan obsolete.
  • The challenges of phasing in Social Housing over the many project phases to come.
  • The timetable for completing the first Social Housing building = late 2014 or 2015.
  • The obligation for all future builders on the site to abide by the policy statement.

PS: The discussion gets heated, and humourous at the end.

With my compliments to all participants in the room.

David Vaisbord
The Little Mountain Project.
Know MORE at littlemountainproject.com

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Sammy’s Gourmet Harvest at Little Mountain

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I was up at The Little Mountain Project yesterday, harvesting 50 pounds of organic veggies called “Sunchokes” with Sammy Chang.

Digging up Sammy’s Sunchokes at Little Mountain Housing

In case you’ve never had one, a Sunchoke, otherwise known as the Jerusalem Artichoke, is a delicacy of the root vegetable variety.

Little Mountain Sunchokes look a bit like a ginger root.

Little Mountain Sunchokes look a bit like a ginger root.

It looks like ginger root but tastes like a nutty potato.

Mr. Sammy Chang contemplates the nutritious Jerusalem Artichoke in his garden at Little Mountain.

Mr. Sammy Chang contemplates the nutritious Jerusalem Artichoke in his garden at Little Mountain.

I spent part of the afternoon with Sammy, harvesting them. In case you’re not aware of the story, Sammy rebuilt his garden here, after his last one was demolished by BC Housing in 2009. Every fall, sunchokes significantly contribute to his diet.

If you’d like some, I may be able to hook you up with a supplier, but you’ll have to dig them up yourself, and haggle with an old Chinese man on the price.

Chang and Vaisbord sample the gourmet harvest at Little Mountain.

Chang and Vaisbord sample the gourmet harvest at Little Mountain.

Next posting, Gary Andrishak, the new architect for Little Mountain, speaks about civic planning, architecture, and guiding principles with the Little Mountain Advisory Group, on video later this week.

Bon Appétit
David Vaisbord
The Little Mountain Project

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The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly: THE GOOD! The design panel looks at plans for the First NEW building at Little Mountain

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A new 3-part blog series on The Little Mountain Project.
Part 1

Although I’ve written about the preparation and groundbreaking at Little Mountain in 2013, I wanted to write something about the first 6 months of this year at Little Mountain. And the activities have been so varied and bizarre that the only way to describe them was: Good, Bad, and Ugly. So without further ado…THE GOOD!

THE GOOD
Developer begins building social housing at Little Mountain for seniors!

Urban Design panel #3 – The Little Mountain Project from David Vaisbord on Vimeo.

In January 2013 the plans for the construction of the 1st new building at Little Mountain were released. They were publicly revealed for the first time, to Vancouver City’s Urban Design Panel, see above. The panel was impressed. The new social housing is of moderate height and very well designed. Actually, it’s spectacular! Congratulations to the architectural firm of Glair Williams, to James KM Cheng architects and the Holborn Group for welcoming the highly competent and imaginative Glair Williams firm into the project.

Model of new building reviewed at Urban Design Panel

Model of new building reviewed at Urban Design Panel

Congratulations also to the community and activists who thwarted BC Housing’s dreams of demolishing the last occupied building, and compelled the government into thinking about the redevelopment of Little Mountain in a smarter and more humane way. As a result, 53 units of new seniors housing will be fast-tracked. This is particularly good news for senior citizens, who were among the hardest hit by the relocation process. Separated from their beloved neighbourhood, old friends and shopping patterns, many were highly stressed. Many complained of substandard replacement housing, and could not wait to return. Some have already passed away – the interminable wait for new housing was just that.

Rich Coleman at Little Mountain Press Conference 2013

Rich Coleman at Little Mountain Press Conference 2013

The announcement of the new building offered Rich Coleman and the BC Liberals a photo opportunity prior to the 2013 Provincial Election, and I was there to record the event (which I will integrate into feature documentary on Little Mountain).

This project was a huge win for both the activists AND the government, though I don’t think that Minister Coleman* sees it that way.

Exact location of new Little Mountain Seniors' Housing.

Exact location of new Little Mountain Seniors’ Housing. Click on image to enlarge.

*Rich Coleman, in a recent conversation with me, stated that I never had anything nice to say about Little Mountain, so I have proved him wrong, right here. There were good things to report. I don’t write the script. I merely observe the play.

Coming soon…with apologies…the bad.

Respectfully yours,
David Vaisbord
The Little Mountain Project

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Groundbreaking Event at Little Mountain attended by Housing Minister Rich Coleman

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Hello Friends,

I finally had a chance to meet and talk to the Minister today. It’s very difficult to get an interview with Rich Coleman so it was a tense moment. In the brief encounter and he said a few things, bristled and walked away from my camera. Most significantly, he asking me why he should talk to me, when I had not written a nice thing about the re-development project since it began. But why should I? This is how politicians retain control over journalists. They don’t get the interview if they don’t write nice things. I pointed to the empty wasteland as an indication of my displeasure with his project. He said that it looked just fine to him, and was proof that his plan was rolling along just as he had planned.

Coleman meets Steenhuisen and Chang

Ingrid Steenhuisen asks the Honourable Rich Coleman for an opportunity to meet and talk about social housing issues. (Sam Chang in foreground – Ms. Steenhuisen appears partially hidden behind him) Photo by David Vaisbord at the Groundbreaking at the Little Mountain Project, April 11, 2013.

Minister Coleman shook hands with Ingrid Steenhuisen and Sam Chang,(among the last tenants of the last remnant of Little Mountain Housing) and though he did not refuse Ms. Steenhuisen’s suggestion that they meet and talk about social housing concerns, he didn’t exactly set a firm date. Let me guess when that meeting might happen:  When hell freezes over.

There was very little notice given to the press (and none to the community) about when and where the press conference would take place, but in spite of the tight time frame, some key community critics of the project managed to get there on time, including David Chudnovsky and Ned Jacobs. The developer, Joo Kim Tiah; the architect, James Cheng; the head of BC Housing, Shayne Ramsay, and all of their key associates were in attendance. Apparently, they were on the invite list.

Sam Chang performs his own ground breaking ceremony at Little Mountain, April 11, 2013

Sam Chang performs his own ground breaking ceremony at Little Mountain, April 11, 2013

In his speech, Minister Coleman answered many of my questions, so I didn’t have to ask them outright. He explained what he saw when he looked out over the wasteland at Little Mountain, and his rationale for it. He’d made so much money on the sale of the land (untrue since only a small fraction of the money from the sale has changed hands) and that the demolition of their community was only a brief interlude in the lives of the tenants who would soon be in brand new housing!

Minister Rich Coleman behind Media Scrum at Little Mountain, April 2013

Minister Rich Coleman behind Media Scrum at Little Mountain, April 2013

BTW, did anybody see any coverage of the event on the evening news? During a media scrum after the main event was over, the subject swiftly changed from Little Mountain to election politics, using the Little Mountain signage as the background. That blue-coloured background was visible in several election reports, but I did not find any coverage of the groundbreaking event on television.

ps: Vote for Little Mountain Stories web project at http://www.connectthedocs.ca/
Deadline for voting is Friday April 12, 2012 @ 9pm Pacific time.

follow me on Twitter @DavidVaisbord

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Housing Minister Rich Coleman to visit Little Mountain Today!

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Hello Friends,

11:45 AM this morning (April 11th) is official groundbreaking for one new building at Little Mountain and Rich Coleman will be there! UNBELIEVABLE? Nobody can remember the last time they saw him at the project, if ever.

I’m going to be there by 11am with video camera to record Coleman, the first official appearance of the author of the destruction of Little Mountain Housing. What will he see when he casts his across the landscape. It’s hard to imagine. But not to dwell on negatives, he’s here to tell us the good news, that congratulations are in order for him and his friends, as they break ground on the building that the residents and community fought so hard for.

Yesterday I shot some footage of BC Housing, sprucing up the wasteland for today’s press conference. Here it is:

Sprucing up The Wasteland at Little Mountain from David Vaisbord on Vimeo.

By the way, if you haven’t voted yet for my new web project: Little Mountain Stories, take a second and make a few clicks. If I get enough votes I’ll be able to pitch this project at the Hot Docs documentary festival in Toronto – it’s just a couple of clicks, but could mean a huge difference in getting exposure and FUNDING for this project.

Please vote, and please share!
Vote for little mountain stories web project at http://www.connectthedocs.ca/

More to come
David Vaisbord
Little Mountain Project

follow me on Twitter @DavidVaisbord

BANNER PHOTO: ASSEMBLED PRESS RECORD THE WORDS OF MINISTER RICH COLEMAN AT THE SOD TURNING CEREMONY, APRIL 11, 2013

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Eviction Delayed for Sammy and Joan: New Hearing Date

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Eviction delayed for Sammy and Joan and the last 4 families at Little Mountain!

Sam and Joan 2012 in garden

Sammy (Sim) Chang and Joan Chang in their organic garden, soon to be evicted from their home at the Little Mountain Housing project.


Last week, on Tuesday September 18th, at their HEARING (by teleconference) with the RENTAL TENANCY BRANCH, the tenants with David Chudnovsky acting as their advocate, won the right to have an adjuication IN PERSON.

The date of that NEW hearing was announced YESTERDAY, and has been set for:
October 29, 2012 at 10am
at the RTB office in Metrotown.
Suite 400 – 5021 Kingsway Burnaby, BC.

There is a RALLY AGAINST THE EVICTION planned for that date, infront of the RTB office.

No eviction may take place until a final decision is made by the RTB, so in effect, the tenants won their first battle against BC Housing and the Holborn Group. Lawyers for BC Housing will, without a doubt, seek a definitive eviction date at the next meeting.

Meanwhile, in a recent interview in the Vancouver Sun of September 25, 2012, the Holborn Group’s Joo Kim Tiah, Holborn Group's Joo Kim Tiah at the Jan 2012 Little Mountain Open Housemade some very vague promises that construction could begin in May of 2013. This claim is NOT supported by REALITY.

The tag-team of the Holborn Group and the Ministry of Housing/BC Housing do not have the authority to over-ride the legitimate powers of The City of Vancouver to manage its own rezoning processes. The Vancouver planning department has re-iterated several times, that the process of rezoning at Little Mountain will take at least 18 months, and considering the length of time the site has already remained empty, far longer.

My interpretation is that the accelerated demolition process at Little Mountain has but one purpose:
To close the sale of the Little Mountain lands to The Holborn Group prior to the Provincial Elections of May 2013. BC Liberal Housing Minister Rich Coleman - wants to see Little Mountain cleared for the developer, the Holborn GroupThe BC Liberals are desperate for one piece of good news, and are willing displace vulnerable people (the very people they claim to protect) for short-term political gain.

This is how I predict it will go down:

With the tenants successfully evicted, the sale will go through, and the Liberal Government will announce the success of their strategy. They’ll exhume their promise to build the 14 housing sites, and trumpet their holiness! And then… NO SHOVEL will break ground, NO HOUSING CONSTRUCTION will begin, and the site will remain EMPTY for at least another year.

Amen.

David Vaisbord
Filmmaker
Neighbour – Little Mountain Community

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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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Oil tank removal at Little Mountain

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The last of 3 heating oil tanks were lifted out of the ground last week at Little Mountain, completing the sold remediation process at Little Mountain. This was routine business. Thousands of tanks are removed by Vancouver home owners each year in accordance with environmental regulations.

Watch the short video here:

Oil Tank Removal at Little Mountain – August 2012 from David Vaisbord on Vimeo.

All three were removed in a day without incident.
Environmental testing of the soil samples takes 2 weeks.

Drilling machinery was seen on site this week. Groundwater testing is the next phenomenon to occur at Little Mountain – a full 18 months early – if necessary at all. (which is doubtful)

Following the logic of the BC Ministry of Housing, it must pay somehow, to destroy communities earlier, rather than later. One must assume that if the deal between Holborn and the BC Liberals can be finalized early, and Holborn can be forced to PAY UP, then the Liberals will have some cash to throw at the debt, or other social housing committments they have reneged upon etc. etc. prior to the rapidly approaching B.C. ELECTIONS.

David Vaisbord
Little Mountain Project

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Recent Media on New EVICTIONS at Little Mountain

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BC Housing performs routine Oil Tank Removal at Little Mountain Housing

The first of three oil tanks is lifted from the ground at Little Mountain Housing

Here are a few links to articles on what promises to be a new eviction fiasco at Little Mountain Housing. The Vancouver Courier article of August 1st communicates a few important points by Ingrid Steenhuisen, one of the last and most important voices at Little Mountain, but wastes the second half rehashing old information from the developer regarding numbers of replacement housing. Most of this could be researched on line, and had nothing to do with the urgent and timely eviction issue. The Georgia Straight article which is much better than the Courier article, includes a bizarre comment by Vision councillor Kerry Jang who refers to the last remaining townhouse in plural (“those buildings”) while arguing that it will be difficult to perform remediation tasks around them. Really, Councillor Jang? As of Monday August 13th, all remaining and offending oil tanks adjacent to the townhouse were removed and samples will be sent for testing. There were no “difficulties”. Routine testing of the removal usually takes no more than a couple of weeks. FOOTAGE OF THE OIL TANK REMOVAL WILL BE UPLOADED TO THIS SITE, NEXT WEEK.

This is the final stage of routine remediation at Little Mountain

Oil Tank Removal at Little Mountain on August 13, 2012

Soil Sample Jars at Little Mountain Housing

Workers use jars at Little Mountain to select soil samples from three areas below the old oil tanks.

Final Stage of Little Mountain Remediation accomplished in a day.

Final Stage of Little Mountain Remediation accomplished in a day.

According to the workers at the site, the old tanks were filled with sand over 50 years ago. The sand absorbed most of the oil, rendering the excavation task easy and without incident. What about the claims that other forms of remediation are necessary, and that they necessitate the removal of the last building and the eviction of its tenants, 18 months prior to construction? More to come on this important subject. Important, because it involves the lives of three families who have managed to create a tiny supportive community out of the ruins of the old.

David Vaisbord
The Little Mountain Project.

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