I’m starting this column with a shout-out to my colleague, Courier sports editor Megan Stewart, who heads to Sochi Wednesday to help cover the 2014 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Stewart will work as a reporter for the Olympic News Service, which functions as a sports news wire service for all accredited media at the Games. That means Stewart will be one of the first on hand to interview medal winners and unexpected losers.
Stewart told me she’s looking forward to witnessing the efforts and achievements of Olympic athletes and is interested to see how they’ll take the opportunity to express their political views, in particular around the controversial LGBT debate. Stewart’s also excited to learn new skills.
As for security concerns, despite recent protests and terrorist threats, Stewart believes she’ll be safe in Sochi. Stewart will work with the ONS until March 20. I know I speak on behalf of all Courier staffers when I say they’re lucky to have her.
Seniors centre conflict
Not surprisingly, there’s a divide between Vision Vancouver commissioner Aaron Jasper and the NPA’s Melissa De Genova over the construction of a long-awaited seniors centre in southeast Vancouver.
I spoke with De Genova and Jasper last Tuesday at Killarney Community Centre, following an announcement by Conservative MP for Vancouver South Wai Young regarding federal funding of $2.5 million towards the centre.
The commitment tops up the $2.5 million promised by the city in 2011 and $1.3 million announced by Liberal Premier Christy Clark the day before the 2013 provincial election. In 2009, the park board agreed to provide land for the project adjacent to the Killarney Community Centre on Killarney Street at East 49th Avenue. Now all eyes are on the province to follow through with its commitment.
But De Genova says despite the fact Vision Vancouver has been promising to get the centre built for the past six years, no one contacted the province or feds until recently. Last October, Vision Vancouver Coun. Raymond Louis introduced a motion asking for financial help from the two levels of government.
“No one formally asked them until that motion at city hall,” said De Genova.
De Genova said the original estimated cost of the centre, $7.5 million, has risen in recent years to $10 million due to delays in construction. She’d like the city to commit cash from community-amenity contributions to ensure the project is completed in a timely manner. CACs are funds paid by developers when land is rezoned for higher density.
But Jasper insists money from CACs cannot be used for the centre.
“There are no CAC dollars available for this project,” said Jasper. “Those monies have to stay in the neighbourhood or area they came from. I want to make that very clear, there are very strict rules around CACs.”
De Genova argues the rules consider “current and/or future developments.” Not coincidently, Killarney’s River District is in the midst of multiple development projects.
Jasper also notes no one at the city or park board has crunched the numbers so he has no idea where De Genova arrived at the $10 million figure she used in a motion about the centre last October.
