Not everyone agrees on what will make Vancouver a healthier city.
The City of Vancouver’s initiative to hear Vancouverites about how to make their city healthier started this week with a series of “idea labs.”
The city hosted its first Healthy City For All event at Trout Lake Monday night, where 60 residents presented ideas such as housing for youth coming out of foster care, bringing entertainment venues to more neighbourhoods, and building outdoor gyms. One controversial idea involved making the city more dog friendly, just as the city ponders shrinking the off-leash dog park at Trout Lake to about a fifth of its original size.
Not everyone at the workshop agreed that making the city more dog friendly should be a priority.
“We have the highest number of homeless people in Vancouver we’ve ever had, the case of First Nations women missing in the Downtown Eastside hasn’t been solved, and a good chunk of the city can’t find a family doctor,” said
Vancouver resident Karen Sawatzky, who attended Monday night’s event.
“Social sustainability is about looking at policy decisions and how they affect those of us who have the least resources or the least power,” said Sawatzky, an SFU urban studies grad student. She said a city without social justice is not sustainable.
Donovan Mahoney, a former resident of the Downtown Eastside, echoed her sentiment. “Our poor neighbourhoods are getting displaced so where are people going to go?” he asked.
The city says social sustainability is the missing piece in its plan to become the greenest city in the world. Sustainability has to be thought of in economic, ecological and social terms, according to Mary Clare Zak, the city’s managing director of social policy. The ideas lab events are only the first step of the healthy city project. The public can vote on the ideas presented and the city will pick 10 to feature in an international conference held at the end of May.
“We’re looking for things that have a long-term impact, that are practical and doable, and involves a lot of stakeholders,” said Zak.
But she said all suggestions are welcome.
“We want Vancouverites to bring their ideas of what is important to them.”
The remaining idea labs will be held Saturday, May 10, 1 to 3:30 p.m. at the Vancouver Public Library Central Branch and Thursday, May 15, 6:30 to 9 p.m. at Ryerson United Church.
Zak said that if there is enough public interest, the city will consider hosting more events.
