Inaugural Lighting of Canadian Flag Installation
at Lost Lagoon in Stanley Park on Monday, January 25

In the spirit of the upcoming 2010 Winter Games and to show off our national pride, Park Board staff have designed and installed a Canadian flag display for Lost Lagoon in Stanley Park. The public and media are invited to the inaugural lighting.

Inaugural Lighting
5:00 pm
Monday, January 25
Lost Lagoon
Best viewing from in front of the Nature House
(at the foot of Chilco Street)

The display features a 12 by 6 foot Canadian flag on a 52 foot pole surrounded at the base by a bed of white energy-efficient S.L.E.D. (seasonal light-emitting diodes) and three 36 watt L.E.D. spotlights. The location was chosen because the Stanley Park Causeway is a primary gateway into and out of the City. The display will be lit every night from dusk to dawn during the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.
The Board wishes to thank Coca-Cola Bottling Company for funding the project through the Park Board’s Corporate Sponsorship Program.

The new English Bay Bistro to replace the existing concession will be heard at the Development Permit Board today. All citizens of Vancouver are welcome to attend ask to speak to the proposal. The Hearing is at 3pm today on the 3rd floor of City Hall in Committee room 1.

WERA’s letter to DPB:
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A plot in the Mole Hill Community Garden (which was built and jointly managed by the West End Residents Association) is a finalist in the “David Suzuki Digs My Garden” organic garden contest. The plot belongs to former WERA directors Terry and Sharon.

The Mole Hill Community Garden was created in the winter of 2001-2002 by volunteers from WERA and the Mole Hill Community Housing Society. It consists of more than 60 3×6 feet plots in the Mole Hill laneway, occupying land reclaimed from parking spaces.

Terry and Sharon’s  plot is entry 6D in the “Starting Over” category. If it wins, the publicity for the Mole Hill Community Garden and for activists reclaiming streets for green spaces would be great.

You can enter the contest here

photos of Nelson Park

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< %image(20080621-nelsonpark1.jpg|420|278|The cake for the official opening)%>

Nelson Park was officially re-opened on Saturday, June 22, 2008, ending the four-year revitalization process. WERA and its community partners spent many long hours working on the redevelopment of the park. Though there are still a few shortcomings (most notably the lack of a public washroom), overall we are pleased with the park and its features, including an enclosed offleash dog area, community gardens, a water feature and a children's play area.

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To sign up for a community garden plot, send an email to plots@vcn.bc.ca.

< %image(20080429-2jasper_VPB.jpg|450|337|WERA Director Aaron Jasper specking with VPB)%>

WERA Director Aaron Jasper speaking to the Vancouver Park Board about the proposed English Bay Bistro stated:

“Like a lot of West Enders I consider the beaches and the parks to be our backyard. Most of us live in condos and apartments. We are very sensitive to what goes on in public spaces. Our association is not necessarily against a bistro on the beach, but our attitude is the devil is in the details. Our overriding concern is around process.

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The Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation (VPB) is proposing a high end Bistro in English Bay. Many Vancouver citizens are concerned about how the proposed restaurant is going to affect the affordability of the experience of coming down to English Bay on a hot summer night. Given that the proposed restaurant is going to be built on public land entrusted to the VPB for its stewardship should it not be a restaurant that is financially accessible to most citizens and not a venue that is targeted to just a select few to raise revenues for the Vancouver Park Board?

Here are two stories in the media about the project and the VPB staff report:

http://www.canada.com/theprovince/news/story.html?id=87629cea-9e1f-46f8-861a-c8d08c7e6bdc

http://www.news1130.com/news/local/article.jsp?contentPaths=/shared/article.jsp&content=20080422_0944

http://www.city.vancouver.bc.ca/parks/board/2008/080428/index.htm

Media contact for WERA: Aaron Jasper 604 669 3131

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In 2005 Vancouver Park Board and Recreations (VPB) erected a fence around Haywood Bandstand in attempt to displace homeless folks from sleeping in the bandstand. Responding to concerns from area residents and VPB staff about safety, vandalism and vagrancy, the open steel fence was intended to be a temporary structure till a more permanent fix could be developed.

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Residents of Mole Hill celebrated B.C. Day with a barbeque and festivities in the laneway, which was closed to traffic for the event on August 4.