Dunbar Re-Vision

Dunbar, Vancouver, We have a situation.

Over the last several months we have seen some very aggressive moves by the City Council. It started with the Mayor’s Taskforce on Affordable Housing. Next, we’ve had the Community Centre Association funding fiasco. Perhaps the nub of the community’s sentiments may be seen in this memo sent to the Mayor on February 4, 2013.

“I am a member of Kerrisdale Community Centre. I have been going to the Senior’s Centre since 2004 and I sing in the Kerrisdale Seniors choir which performs at care homes all over the City. I’m also enrolled in yoga as I have severe arthritis. I started going to Kerrisdale Community Centre as a teenager in the 50’s and with my children in the 60’s and 70’s. What can you be thinking about (you and your council) you were elected to manage the taxpayers money (its not YOUR money) and make the right decisions for us – your rezoning plans stink to high heavens and brings suspicions that you are in bed with the developers. The latest grab at the Community Associations just beggers believe. Are you a Vancouverite for everyone or just for the cyclists and the developers. I am nearly 76 years of age so at no time will I be going down town on a bike, I don’t want 7 storey independent care homes on Dunbar – where people will pay a huge amount of money for a one bedroom suite and 3 meals and when their money is gone (from the sale of their house) they will be thrown out to look for community funded intensive care – do you care – I think not – and now the carry on with the Community Centres especially Kerrisdale which has been mainly paid for by the tax payers of Kerrisdale and surrounding areas. I remember my parents talking about an extra charge on their taxes to pay for the Kerrisdale Arena so where does the idea come from that that the Parks Board/City owns it – the City may have a 1/2 interest in it, but no more – our extra taxes paid 1/2 and now part of all our taxes are paying the costs for it. Kerrisdale Community Centre pays a huge amount of the costs from members and activity fees. As for Ms. Ballem and Mr. Bromley I’d sure love to have a job that pays over $300,000.00 a year. I worked from I was 16 until last year when I was 75. I never made more than $3500 a month so I’m not a rich west sider. Please wake up – I don’t’ know how you got elected last year but you’ve really set the cat among the pigeons now and I know you won’t be elected again if you keep on this path.”

Anne Monahan