Metro Vancouver's University Town

More on Parking in the UNA

2012-01-08T12:55:00.000-08:00

UBC has played a strong role in trying to shape parking regulations in the UNA. Appointed UBC administrative staff seem to bristle under the weight of democratic criticism. They also seem to feel very entitled to issue statements of support or opposition in relation tot he work of democratically elected local area representatives. Have a read of the UBC director of transport's comments on the

UNA Reverses Parking Decision - listens to community!

2011-12-09T06:29:00.001-08:00

After a flurry of emails, conversations,a nd lobbying, the UNA Board of Directors has reversed their decision to impose a 24/7 ban on all parking in the Hawthorn Place neighbourhood. Parking restrictions will be in place for the new term, but now it will be one that respects the many years of community consultation and involvement. On street parking will be regulated during the weekday business

Hawthorn Place Parking Woes

2011-12-06T14:09:00.001-08:00

Parking for residents at UBC continues to be an issue. Of course, UBC likes to sell the public on the idea of a green city on the point. Our inability to park our cars, to have family and friends over, to find a clear space in front of our homes during the day, is used by UBC to show what a great green residential community we are. Truth is there's mud lying under all that green. Way back

Metro Electoral Area A - Candidates' Web Sites

2011-11-01T08:50:00.000-07:00

All the candidates, but Colin Desjarlais, now have their web sites up and running. Scott Andrews' web site has an earnest feel to it with a lot of content. It's fairly plain in look but one can feel the youthful zeal that Scott brings to his campaign webpage. While he won't be accused of having a professional web design team, a reader will get a pretty good idea of his issues,

Preferential ballot

2011-10-31T07:19:00.000-07:00

Our current system of electing the Metro Electoral Area A Director is a first past the post system - that is the candidate with the largest number of votes, irrespective of whether they have a majority of the votes, gets the job. This tends to generate a system in which a well organized minority voice can easily win the election. Why not use a preferential balloting system when more than two

On the doorstep with Mischa Makortoff - Metro Electoral Area A Candidate

2011-10-30T12:06:00.000-07:00

I've had a chance to speak with each of the five candidates running for the position of Metro Vancouver Director - Electoral Area A. When I ran myself last time I argued that we needed "local leaders who are willing to work with diversity, who aren't afraid of being wrong, who are tolerant and open to collaboration." I also believed that we need to take decisive and immediate actions to

Meet your Metro candidates - update

2011-10-30T11:31:00.000-07:00

Earlier this week I had a chance to meet with Alexandria Mitchell and her campaign manager, D. Matthew Millar. We met in my office in the Anthropology-Sociology Building in between my Tuesday lectures. I would have prefered a more informal setting - but one takes the times that are avaible in our busy schedules! Alexandria, Alex to her friends and colleagues, is a second year Arts student at

Meet Your Metro Electoral Area A Candidates

2011-10-24T06:13:00.000-07:00

Metro Vancouver is quietly seeking input into electoral reform regarding he election of Electoral Area A director and other matters.You can find their survey here:http://www.metrovancouver.org/boards/Pages/ElectionAdministrationForm.aspxAnd the ‘invitation’ to participate here:http://www.metrovancouver.org/boards/Pages/elections.aspxOne notable thing about the electoral area ‘

UBC Proposes Three Bus Loop Options

2010-09-05T11:30:00.000-07:00

UBC is proposing three options for new bus loops to replace the failed underground bus terminal. Their consultation plan is before the UBC Board of Governors Sept. 16, 2010.For a new bus loop, UBC Campus and Community Planning has narrowed the choices down to three concepts: http://bit.ly/9uJCJCTwo of the three options will have serious impacts on Hawthorn Place communities

Metro Vancouver Directors -automatic 25% pay hike

2009-11-28T08:42:00.000-08:00

According the Bowen Island Undercurrent Metro Vancouver Directors are slated for a 25% pay rate from from $253 per meeting to $316 per meeting (rate is doubled for meetings that exceed four hours). The pay rates are automatically increased by a formula introduced several years ago to avoid directors having to vote directly on their own pay increases.According to the Bowen Island Undercurrent

Metro -UBC issue in the Georgia Straight

2009-11-26T06:45:00.000-08:00

The Georgia Straight continues its coverage of the UBC/Metro Bylaw/Governance issue with a story in the Straight's real estate section. According to the Straight:At the heart of the recent tensions between Metro Vancouver and UBC is a draft bylaw that lays out guidelines for development on campus. The Metro Vancouver document spells out a range of permitted uses, maximum heights, and

UBC Tow Tank (old news, but interesting)

2009-11-22T19:51:00.000-08:00

Some of the things that appear to have been lost with the spread of development south of 16th at UBC. The UBC Tow Tank for testing vessel hull designs was dismantled to make way for development. Question is -was it reassembled anywhere else on campus?

UBC Residents to pay bigger tax bill this year?

2009-11-21T15:00:00.000-08:00

As a result of an agreement between UBC and Metro Vancouver in the mid-1990s that paved the way for development at UBC, university town residents may well be seeing big jumps in the UBC Levy, the portion of 'property taxes' paid in the university neighbourhood areas.The service levy, first applied to Hampton Place residents as a term of their lease, was designed to cover UBC's costs for providing

A 'Tweet' report from the Electoral Area 'A' committee meeting

2009-11-21T07:48:00.000-08:00

The following are my ‘live’ tweets from the November 20th, 2009 Electoral Area ‘A’ committee meeting of Metro Vancouver. I have only reposted the UBC-related items. My twitter account can be found under the name charlesmenzies. Also in the audience actively tweeting was Samantha Jung, Ubyssey news editor. I’ve posted the comments in chronological order for ease of reading.CRM: @ubyssey UBC

UNA responds to Metro Vancouver

2009-11-21T06:59:00.000-08:00

Three delegations from the UBC community spoke to the Electoral Area 'A' committee of Metro Vancouver on Friday, November 20th, 2009. In addition to myself, Blake Fredericks, president of the AMS and Mike Feeley, chair of the UNA spoke. Included below is a statement sent to the UNA membership from Mike Feeley following the meeting. ________________Neighbours:I would like to update you on a

Open letter to Electoral Area A Committee

2009-11-17T15:25:00.000-08:00

Dear Ms. HarrisRE: Proposed Metro Zoning Bylaws for UBC and Local Area GovernanceI am writing to request that your committee take action on the following matters:Suspend the UBC Zoning Bylaw implementation process until the issue of local area governance for the UBC/UEL area has been resolved, and:Transform your proposed working group to discuss the zoning bylaw into a working group to achieve

UBC Responds to Metro-Vancouver Incursion

2009-11-16T06:56:00.000-08:00

UBC responded to metro Vancouver's proposed zoning by-law for the UBC area with a press release to the public and a letter to all staff, students, and faculty (see below).According to UBC the problem with the zoning by-law is that it represents an attack on academic freedom. That may well be the case, though it is a bit of a stretch. More realistic threats to academic freedom on campus come

Metro Vancoucver Developing Zoning Bylaws for UBC Area

2009-10-21T21:28:00.000-07:00

With little fanfare or advanced notice the Electoral Area A committee of Metro Vancouver is set to impose zoning bylaws on the UBC area. Information on their plans can be found in the agenda for the October 23rd committee meeting.The following is the text of a letter I have sent to the Electoral Area A committee members. As you are aware the system of governance for the area west of Blanca,

Former Candidate Ben West barred from running in 2011 election

2009-06-15T22:24:00.000-07:00

irwinloy.com Vancouver - Blog - No election for youA local environment advocate and frequent political candidate will be barred from running in the next municipal contest.Ben West failed to file his campaign financing disclosure statement for the 2008 municipal elections, in which he came within 10 votes from becoming director of the anomalous Electoral Area A.

UBC/UEL realestate takes a tumble

2009-05-27T08:39:00.001-07:00

Recession hits real estate on campus | Ubyssey Online

Addressing the Democratic Deficit

2009-03-13T11:35:00.000-07:00

I spoke this morning to the newly created Electoral Area A committee of Metro Vancouver on the ongoing democratic deficit and what action could be taken to deal with it.The committee referred my presentation to staff to prepare a report. If Metro Director Harris, the Electoral Area A committee, and the GVRD act in a timely fashion we could have a real and meaningful local level government in

Repurposing of Blog

2008-11-16T15:30:00.000-08:00

With the end of the election this blog is being 'repurposed' to focus on issues and news within University Town.

Thank you!

2008-11-15T22:14:00.000-08:00

Dear Neighbours,The results are in and our new Director for Electoral Area 'A' is UEL resident, Maria Harris. I look forward to working Maria and other community members to make certain that the diversity of voices our our communities are heard. As is often the case with first past the post systems Maria has won with 29%, significantly less than a plurality. This places a heavy burden upon our

Friends of the UBC Farm blog on West and Menzies (#2)

2008-11-15T12:29:00.001-08:00

Live on campus or in the UEL? How to vote!

The Straight covers Electoral Area 'A' election

2008-11-14T14:42:00.000-08:00

Candidates fear low voter turnout for UBC | Straight.comTwo candidates for regional office have slammed Metro Vancouver for failing to inform UBC students and other residents of the vast Electoral Area A that there’s an election going on. Green party activist Ben West and education advocate Charles Menzies both told the Straight that extremely low voter turnout in former elections is related to

2008-11-14T09:00:00.000-08:00

Charles' opening and closing remarks from the November 12th All Candidates' Meeting at Acadia Commons Block can be listened to here.

2008-11-14T08:01:00.001-08:00

Candidates spar in an empty room | Ubyssey Online“This isn’t quite a dead community,” Charles Menzies said at one point during Wednesday night’s Electoral Area A debate. The comment was somewhat ironic, coming out in front of no more than 20 people. Nonetheless, the five people vying to become the only elected municipal representative for the UBC area energetically debated their ideas at the

Charles Menzies for Electoral Area 'A'

2008-11-12T16:52:00.000-08:00

Q&A from first all candidate's meeting.

2008-11-06T14:45:00.000-08:00

Director, Metro Vancouver Electoral Area A all candidates meeting, Oct. 29, 2008.The University Neighbourhoods Association hosted an all candidates forum electoral area A candidates on Oct. 29, 2008 at the Old Barn Community Centre in Hawthorn Place.All five candidates, Maria Harris, Charles Menzies, Mathew Naylor, Fred Pritchard, and Ben West, attended.The filming and video streaming of this

Action Now!

2008-11-05T10:20:00.000-08:00

It’s time that we addressed the democratic deficit in Electoral Area ‘A’ by:Creating a separate elected Director for the Islands. Establishing representative local democracy for West Point Grey that respects the unique histories of the UEL and the University Town and includes students.Creating a permanent voters’ list.Turning taxes into real services for all electoral area ‘A’ residents.We must

News Coverage of Electoral Area 'A' Campaign

2008-11-04T12:54:00.000-08:00

Electoral A candidates talk for the first time | Ubyssey OnlineThe race heated up in Electoral Area A last week, as the five candidates for Director duked it out at a debate in the Old Barn Community Centre.The University Neighbourhoods Association (UNA), which hosted the debate, asked candidates to discuss their positions on governance, transit and the futures of Pacific Spirit Regional Park and

Supporting Effective Leadership in School Board

2008-10-29T10:49:00.000-07:00

As residents in the UBC/UEL portions of Electoral Area 'A' we are also able to vote for candiadtes to the Vancouver Board of Education. Being able to have a voice and an impact in the Vancouver Board of Education discussions is critically important for our community. Over the past decade essentially uncontrolled development at UBC and in the UEL has increased the pressure on our two local

Governance and Local Issues in Electoral Area A

2008-10-29T07:03:00.000-07:00

The structure of Electoral Area ‘A’ leads to an exclusion of the smaller portions of the area as issues from UBC and the UEL often takes precedence. This is one of the reasons that I believe the electoral Area should be divided into a more effective arrangement and that the Point Grey portions should move toward some form of municipal government wither as a combined area or, perhaps, as two

A Diversity of Support for Charles

2008-10-27T21:00:00.000-07:00

Support for Charles’ election as Director reflects his long-term commitment to building a livable community in the UEL/UBC area. Charles has won the regard and support of people from across diverse political backgrounds because he works hard at making democracy real in practice.On the schools committee of the UNA Charles worked to ensure that all parents voices could be heard. Working with a

Effective Local Leadership

2008-10-27T20:24:00.000-07:00

Charles is a strong supporter of community-based democracy. As the chair of the Schools Action Committee of the University Neighbourhoods Association at UBC Charles has advocated on behalf of his community for appropriate school and community facilities. Many of our children are forced to bus away from their neighbourhoods. Many others are turned away with little consideration. Development

The Tyee on Electoral Area 'A'

2008-10-24T15:06:00.000-07:00

From online news source The Tyee's political blog "The Hook""A UBC professor is vying for Director in an election few people know is even taking place.“It's a real head-scratcher,” laughed Charles Menzies, a professor of Anthropology running against four candidates in Metro Vancouver Electoral Area A. “People look at me quizzically when I tell them about the race.”For the benefit of the

Vancouver Sun Survey for Candidates in Electoral Area A

2008-10-24T08:19:00.000-07:00

Every candidate running for local area elections was provided with an opportunity to complete a Vancouver Sun survey. Of the five Electoral Area 'A' candidates I was the only one to actually fill in the survey.You can find the listing of all five candidates on the Vancouver Sun page here.You can find my replies to the Sun's questions here.

Save the UBC Farm and the UBC Campus Planning Process

2008-10-23T20:47:00.000-07:00

It’s time to do something about the UBC Farm and the planning process.The future of the UBC Farm is on the minds of many of the people attending the current series of planning workshop being hosted by UBC Campus Planning. Today’s workshop was no exception –about 80% of the people there were there because of the farm and many were affiliated with Friends of the UBC Farm. The big picture goals

Charles Menzies 先生目前正在竞选 UEL 和 UBC 地区的负责人。

2008-10-20T16:00:00.000-07:00

Charles Menzies 先生目前正在竞选 UEL 和 UBC 地区的负责人。Charles 先生和他的家人从1996年至今一直住在UBC。他一直以志愿者的身份，成为University Hill初中家长以及UNA 的咨询顾问。Charles 先生是一位强烈的地区提倡者，他说：“如果我们有权力说服政府官员倾听我们的建议，我们的社区将会更加富有，我们孩子的生活将会更加的美好”。11月15日选举日请选举Charles Menzies 作为负责人你可以选举，如果你18岁或者18岁以上，作为加拿大公民，或者你是BC省的永久居民在UBC或者UEL 住了至少30天。选举将安排在University Hill Secondary School， 11月15日早上8点至晚上8点。需要了解更多的关于选举Charles 先生的信息，请致电 604－318－2504

Four of five candidates provide profiles on the GVRD elction webpage

2008-10-17T12:10:00.000-07:00

Four of the five candidates -Harris, Menzies, Naylor, and West- provide candidate profiles for the upcoming election for Director of Area 'A.'You can read the profiles of the four candidates here.

Charles -a community builder; a community member

2008-10-14T06:56:00.000-07:00

Charles has lived in the UBC/UEL portion of Electoral Area A since 1996.Charles' children have attended school in the area since they started kindergarten at Ecole Jules Quesnel, at Crown and 16th in Vancouver proper. Today, one of his son's is at University Hill Secondary and the other is at Sir Winston Churchill Secondary. Charles is currently co-chair of the University Hill Secondary Parents

Working together for a sustainable community

2008-10-10T16:20:00.000-07:00

As a university researcher my primary focus has been researching and writing about more effective ecologically sound approaches to the use of our natural resources. Our research group, Forests and Oceans for the Future, takes as it's fundamental purpose not simply studying ecologically sound use, but the development of policies and programmes that work in real-time for real people.From my work