Re: "Empty lot transformed into garden," Aug. 7. Replacing a vacant lot with a temporary community garden sponsored by the property owner, London Drugs, is a great idea and at first glance seems like an entirely positive good news story for the Courier's front page.
But there's a back story to this garden project that is not as benign. Years ago, when London
Drugs first conceived of the Alba development, longtime small business owners who were engaged with the local community were put on month-to-month leases. Many of them closed or moved on and were replaced by a revolving selection of temporary businesses that came in to make a quick buck until London Drugs was ready to begin construction. These disappeared when the whole strip of small stores was demolished. Instead of promptly being replaced by an expanded London Drugs and a group of new retailers, after the demolition the heart of this once thriving block became a vacant lot surrounded by hoardings.
Because they did not have the foresight of the other developers who have succeeded with residential projects on East Hastings, after almost a year in this condition, London Drugs pulled the plug on Alba. If they had simply held onto the site, the commercial property taxes would have been substantial. By covering the lot with bark mulch and having Shifting Growth set up garden plots in moveable wooden boxes, London Drugs can now have it designated as "recreational or non-profit property" so the mill rate is reduced from 16.4852 to 5.6491.
The true cost of the Hastings North Temporary Community Garden has been a significant loss of commercial property tax revenue for the city and the needless destruction of a group of longterm small businesses that were part of the community. It's wonderful to provide garden plots for local residents and certainly a good use for a vacant lot. But when looked at in context, this garden may just be lipstick on a pig.
Eileen Mosca
Vancouver
