Greenwich

Downtown Eastside (Vancouver) community members and housing advocates gathered April 22nd, 2008 to hold a consultation that they say the City of Vancouver was legally required to do, but didn't do, on a new condo project in the neighbourhood.

"The City of Vancouver may have been trying to sneak this proposal past us, suggesting that 154 condos in the first block of Hastings Street East isn't a major project that requires consultation," said Wendy Pedersen of the Carnegie Community Action Project. "We disagree, and we're going to hold our own consultation on what the neighbourhood wants to see on that site."

The consultation concerns a lot at 58 West Hastings Street owned by Concord Pacific, Canada's largest developer. The proposed project is a seven storey condominium project called "Greenwich," which proposes 154 market housing units, from two-bedroom to studio units. No social housing or other community amenities are currently proposed to be located on the site.

Rick Michaels, the Director of Planning delegate for the City of Vancouver, has already apologized for what he calls an "inadvertent shortfall in the notification process for this application," and an "incomplete notification process."

"This project got a rubber stamp from the city, even though it doesn't comply with the DTES housing plan," noted Pedersen. "How can the City approve this project without talking to the elected officials that set the plan, or the community that relies on that plan?"

Info courtesy of Carnegie Community Action Project"