To the editor:
Re: "Vancouver cohousing complex draws concern," Feb. 26.
I read with great interest and sadness the above article.
First we should clarify the location of the project. It is not on West 33rd Avenue, but on East 33rd Avenue.
One of the main speakers is Rod Raglin, a defender of the community. I highly respect Mr. Raglin in regard to the work he has done for the community. But in this case I think he has a wrong picture/impression of this - new for Vancouver - cohousing development.
Cohousing arrived in B.C. in the beginning of the 1990s. I would have loved to buy into a development in Vancouver. But the first development opened in Langley in June 1996. It is wonderful.
Unfortunately, the only choice I had was to buy a condominium, which has caused me nothing but trouble because of the politically controlled management of the strata corporations.
Cohousing is community building, which is badly needed in this city. According to research by the Vancouver Foundation, people feel lonely in this city with all the condo towers and it perfectly fulfills the mayor's task force requirement on affordability.
If anybody thinks this is bad, I invite you to have a look at the Coleman/Holborn community killing development of Little Mountain Housing at East 33rd and Main Street.
Three world famous architects (Stefan Behmisch, Peter Clewes, Lewis Villegas) who know the city, believe in four-and-a-half storey townhouses that build communities, not the James K. Cheng development of "Vancou-verism" towers.
Lisa Schwabe, Vancouver