Affordability, the centralization of community centre associations and the final design of an approved seniors facility for southeast Vancouver were the key issues of an all candidates meeting held Wednesday night at the Killarney Community Centre.
The seniors centre in particular dominated discussion, with residents and rival candidates grilling Vision Vancouver city council incumbent Raymond Louie about funding and an expected completion date for the long-promised centre to be built adjacent to Killarney Community Centre.
“I hope it gets built before I croak,” resident Nelson Didulo told the candidates at the standing room-only meeting, one of the first major public candidate events in the election campaign. In addition to Louie, council candidates facing questioners included park board commissioner Niki Sharma of Vision Vancouver, Non-Partisan Association’s park board commissioner Melissa De Genova, incumbent Coun. Elizabeth Ball and Greg Baker, RJ Aquino from One City, the Green Party’s incumbent Coun. Adriane Carr and Cleta Brown, the Cedar Party’s Nicholas Chernen, Charlene Gunn and Jeremy Gustafson, and the Coalition of Progressive Electors’ Lisa Barrett, Gayle Gavin and Jennifer O’Keeffe.
The first question to the candidates was about money from the city for the completion of the centre. The city recently announced it will no longer commit $1.2 million of $3.7 million initially promised towards the long-awaited centre due to the fact the provincial government finally agreed to a long-awaited contribution. But seniors want that money to create a new entrance, which would allow easy access to the interior elevator, and a driveway to enable HandyDart to safely drop off clients.
The Green Party’s Carr told the crowd if elected she would “push hard” for the reinstatement of that funding.
OneCity’s Aquino offered, “a promise made should be a promise kept,” in regards to that extra funding, and added he’d support spending the money on the seniors centre.
But Louie, who’s been working on getting the centre built since 2002, said it’s estimated the project will be completed on time and within the $7.5 million budget.
Margaret Hommonay, a board member of the Southeast Vancouver Seniors’ Arts and Cultural Centre Society, asked Louie when his estimate was completed. Upon hearing it was 2002, Hommonay said she’s skeptical the 10,000-square foot centre can be completed within the $7.5 million budget.
Louie promised the $1.2 million will be held in reserve should there be a cost overrun.
COPE’s O’Keeffe, a “politically active community artist,” launched an aggressive attack against Vision Vancouver over everything from its record in dealing with affordability and homelessness, its “disrespect” towards seniors, and its policy on Freedom of Information requests. She accused Vision Vancouver of being morally bankrupt.
Didulo questioned the length of time taken to get the seniors centre built. The building might not be completed until 2018, a timeline Didulo said he couldn’t fathom.
Louie said the city was waiting for the final letter of agreement from the federal government before it could break ground on the project.
“Maybe they’ll give you the funds if you give them a date,” Didulo responded.
De Genova asked Louie why consultation with the community’s seniors and the Killarney Community Centre’s association hasn’t started, despite $375,000 committed by the federal government for consultations.
The Cedar Party’s Chernen gave the crowd his theory on why the centre’s completion is going to take so long.
“It’s taking five years because seniors are not a priority,” said Chernen.
COPE’s Gayle Gavin said it was time to address the “elephant in the room.”
“That’s the attempt to throw those [community centre] associations out,” said Gavin. “We would not be sitting here today if not for them.”
Six associations have been given eviction notices following a lawsuit launched against the park board citing accusations of breaches of the joint operating agreement.
Resident Rick Evans said the city is becoming more unaffordable partly due to some of this city’s policies. He noted campers at the homeless settlement at Oppenheimer Park came from as far away as Quebec and Cuba.
“We have these people crossing Canada for a free place to live, while the working people are going,” said Evans. “They’re feeding the homeless and giving free swimming lessons to kids paid for by our taxes. My pocket is empty.”
Carr said a definitive measure needs to be created to better define the term “affordable,” when it comes to the city’s housing stock.
“There’s a bylaw that defines social housing, but it doesn’t include any shelter rates,” said Carr. “We need to do more for those in the deepest need.”
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