NEFC : Mark Lee’s speech to Council

NEFC : Mark Lee’s speech to Council

STORY:

Mark Lee

Speech from Mark Lee to the Council at Vancouver City Hall regarding the Northeast False Creek Plan, January 31st 2018

Before I speak I would like to acknowledge that I am speaking on the unceded territories of the Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh First Nations. This is especially important given that much of the conversation today will involve the ideas of redress and reconciliation, and I hope that those words will not ring hollow, and instead manifest themselves as action.

My name is Mark Lee, and I am a Community Interpreter with Youth For Chinese Seniors, a member of the Chinatown community who spoke before you in opposition of Beedie Living’s 105 Keefer Rezoning Application last year. As a member of the Chinatown community and a descendant of people displaced from Strathcona by the City, I am here in support of the Hogan’s Alley Working Group and the Black community seeking redress and reconciliation for historical displacement enacted by the City.

I am fully in support of the amendments I have seen proposed by the Hogan’s Alley Working Group, which are:

1. Change: 15.1.4 to: “Target 100% rental housing on the Main Street Blocks consisting of at least 70% *below-market rental units which includes the 300 social housing units previously identified in the plan.”

– I believe the City could go even further than 70% “below-market” rental units, especially considering the conversations surrounding Council’s desire to have more social housing at 105 Keefer while lamenting the fact that it was privately owned land. Add to that 58 W Hastings, which has been discussed this past week and where there has been an exciting conversation surrounding commitment from Council and efforts to achieve 100% welfare, shelter and pension rates. So I think there is a bit of an implicit commitment there from Council to do better for affordable housing than 300 social housing units across two blocks which I think should be amended explicitly in the decision you make here today.

2. Change Section 4.4.3 to: Commit (rather than continue) to work with the Hogan’s Alley Working Group [to establish the long term involvement and investment of the Black Community in the future life of the block through the exploration of land trusts, long term leases, or other arrangements as appropriate.]

There is an issue though, that has been nagging at me. I do not think I am alone in feeling that as the conversation stands now, opposition to the massive commercialized plan for market condos on the waterfront and surrounding parks may jeopardize the redress and reconciliation for Hogan’s Alley.

I wonder why is it that it feels like the realization of the Sub-Area 6D, the Main Street blocks, that is, the Hogan’s Alley portion of the NEFC Plan, is contingent on the entire rest of the NEFC Plan being passed? Does it not go without saying that the City MUST give redress for the destruction of Hogan’s Alley? I would say that it absolutely should go without saying that the City must do everything in its power to give redress for the destruction of Hogan’s Alley.

And it is based on this understanding, ESPECIALLY considering that the Hogan’s Alley portion of the plan has been praised for its community process, that you as a Council MUST confirm your commitment to realizing the Hogan’s Alley plan that has been built by the community, regardless of whether or not the Northeast False Creek Plan goes ahead.

I have seen a creative suggestion from Alliance Against Displacement that the Hogan’s Alley portion be removed from the Northeast False Creek Plan, passed and solidified as its own standalone City initiative, to move forward on redress and reconciliation while also revisiting the merits of the remaining parts of the NEFC Plan. I would see this as a step further than just amending the current NEFC Plan, and a step toward a real commitment to reconciliation.

I understand from what I hear today and what I have seen through materials provided by the City, that a lot more work needs to be done on the NEFC Plan. Of note, I don’t see the actual “Social Impact Assessment” anywhere and I can’t help but feel that this is intentional smokescreening. I want to contrast that with the success of the Hogan’s Alley Working Group, of the community-driven process. I do not think it is a coincidence that the best part of this Plan is the Hogan’s Alley part. So why does it feel like we are “including” Hogan’s Alley in the NEFC Plan when it looks as though the Hogan’s Alley Working Group is really elevating the otherwise flawed NEFC Plan?

I’ll just close by saying that I see parallels with discussions around Chinatown in that I feel we are often faced with this idea that we need to buy into the City’s profit-first model in order to get anything for our communities. But the Hogan’s Alley Working Group should not have to bargain with you to have their vision realized. Your priority should be to ensure redress and reconciliation for Hogan’s Alley, and further, to return the rest of the plan to the community to improve.