VPSN Mayoral Candidates Public Space Survey - Answers By Question
- What will you do to enhance the experience of public space in Vancouver?
- Do you see a need to develop a proper public, civic square in Vancouver?
- Are you willing to re-examine outdated bylaws that prohibit or complicate public gatherings from occurring in our city?
- How will you protect and enhance Vancouver's parks and green spaces?
- Will you increase the number of public toilets available, in parks, in the Downtown Eastside, and elsewhere that they are needed, and if so, how do you envision doing this? What about other public amenities like drinking fountains, street furniture, and bike racks?
- Do you plan on supporting and continuing Project Civil City?
- The Vancouver Police say that they intend to reduce street disorder by using the Safe Streets Act and Trespass Act to “combat behaviour and activities that contribute to urban decay” (VPD Business Plan 2008, p. 13). Do you support this approach?
- Do you support an expansion of surveillance cameras into public spaces?
- Would you act to remove any billboard advertising that violates the city’s by-laws?
- What is your position on the city’s funding of Downtown Ambassadors, and other possible Ambassador programs across the city?
Question 1. What will you do to enhance the experience of public space in Vancouver?
David Cadman (COPE): "Streamline the process of approving and regulating cultural festivals, social events and other public gatherings. Begin the process of examining how the city can develop an enhanced public centre as a focal point for public gatherings and events in Vancouver."
Allan De Genova (Vision Vancouver): "I would build on my five terms as a Park Board Commissioner and my longstanding commitment to ensuring that both parks and public spaces remain a critical part of our urban infrastructure."
Peter Ladner (NPA): "Look at turning some streets into pedestrian-only areas. Add spot recreation features (skateboard ramps, chin-up bars, climbing “boulders”) in parks. Create adult playgrounds where adults can exercise and play. Have an annual bike fest that showcases our daredevil mountain cyclists jumping over and off urban features. Figure out what design features cause people to play chess in the streets and build more. Add more community gardens to get people out in the streets and boulevards talking, working, exercising, beautifying together. Vastly increase promotion of citizen involvement in litter cleanup: e.g. “pick up two pieces of litter a day that aren’t yours…” Just keep adding lantern festivals, car-free festivals, public movie screenings on the side of buildings, parades, block parties… Add water features where kids can play with our rain water runoff. Add light shows projected onto buildings."
Raymond Louie (Vision Vancouver): "Vancouver residents value their public spaces, but would also like to see improvements made to them. I believe that fear of crime causes some of our public spaces to be underused. Women, seniors and young people should be able to enjoy our streets and public spaces without fear of becoming victims of crime. In particular, the attacks on Asian women around the 29th Avenue SkyTrain Station disturbed me and I took action with the local community so that people in Renfrew/Collingwood could feel safe there. I think one of the problems there is that the station is isolated in a park without commercial or residential “eyes on the street”. We need to do a better job when designing public spaces, and attempt to fix problem areas once they have been identified. I think we need to encourage pedestrians by making wider setbacks that allow for more sidewalk space. I think we need to extend the network of greenways and bikeways in the city, and I support the construction of a dedicated pedestrian and cyclist crossing of False Creek. The Atrium at the Vancouver Public Library is one of the City’s best-loved public spaces, and I would like to see other major public buildings designed with similar features."
Gregor Robertson (Vision Vancouver): "Public spaces are best when they are vibrant – with people, festivals, art. We need to create and maintain spaces that encourage interaction and dialogue. We need a more robust public art program, one that allows artists to have a voice not only in choosing what art the city supports, but in the design of the public realm. There is also room for more festivals – small neighbourhood-scale celebrations in particular. Right now much of the public realm is designed for movement of people and vehicles. It’s time to start seeing public space as the amenity that it is and value it accordingly."
Sam Sullivan (NPA): No response received.
[top]
Question 2. Do you see a need to develop a proper public, civic square in Vancouver?
David Cadman (COPE): "Yes."
Allan De Genova (Vision Vancouver): "This is a good idea and one that I will discuss with my Vision Vancouver colleagues as we develop our election platform if I am successful in my bid to become Vision’s mayoral candidate."
Peter Ladner (NPA): "Yes. I’m not sure what you mean by “proper”. I believe in working with the inherent attraction of certain public spaces, which suggests that the north plaza of the VAG is where people want to congregate for civic events. "
Raymond Louie (Vision Vancouver): "I believe Vancouver should have a public square somewhere in the central part of the city. I believe a public square would be a great asset and would help to foster a stronger sense of place, community, and citizenship. I believe such a space would be popular and heavily used. Suitable for hosting a concert, a farmers’ market, a rally, or a summer festival, such a space would provide a focus to civic life in the city. Finding an appropriate location will be a challenge. However, there may be opportunities to incorporate a public square as part of a larger planning and development process for the False Creek flats to the east of Main Street."
Gregor Robertson (Vision Vancouver): "Yes. Clearly the space around the Vancouver Art Gallery is the closest thing we have now and it is far too small for a city this size. We not only need a major public square like they have in Portland, for example, but that space needs to draw people in – for events, for amenities like cafes, for performances and rallies. Great public squares allow for a variety of activities with flexible space. There is also a need for smaller-scale squares in neighbourhoods throughout the city."
Sam Sullivan (NPA): No response received.
[top]
Question 3. Are you willing to re-examine outdated bylaws that prohibit or complicate public gatherings from occurring in our city?
David Cadman (COPE): "Yes."
Allan De Genova (Vision Vancouver): "If specific bylaws are not serving the public interest then I would be willing to re-examine them."
Peter Ladner (NPA): "Sure, but I’m not sure what you’re referring to. Public gatherings of all sizes are the essence of community."
Raymond Louie (Vision Vancouver): "I believe the City should be willing to help facilitate public events and not maintain unreasonable restrictions and barriers on public gatherings. As mayor, I would undertake a review of existing permits and regulations with a view to streamlining regulations that impede event organizers. This would include looking at issues such as policing costs, liability, traffic and transit, and environmental impact. I do not believe that a one-size-fits-all policy makes sense, and I would look at how we deal with small-scale community events. Small-scale events should not be subject to all the same requirements as major events."
Gregor Robertson (Vision Vancouver): "Yes. Many of our current by-laws were created to control and dampen public behaviour. Adapting an approach which encourages and embraces gatherings while still maintaining public safety can and should be done."
Sam Sullivan (NPA): No response received.
[top]
Question 4. How will you protect and enhance Vancouver's parks and green spaces?
David Cadman (COPE): "By providing sufficient funding to Park Board for upkeep and proper maintenance of green spaces and parks."
Allan De Genova (Vision Vancouver): "My intention as Mayor would be to build on my longstanding record as a five term Park Board Commissioner; fifteen years’ of public service devoted to protecting and enhancing Vancouver’s parks and green spaces."
Peter Ladner (NPA): "They’re already protected. They could be enhanced with better planting, programming, fun sculptures, litter pickup."
Raymond Louie (Vision Vancouver): "Working together with the Vancouver Parks Board, I will ensure that Vancouver’s parks receive the resources necessary to make sure that they are well-maintained. Green spaces are important to people’s health, well-being, and quality of life. I believe that our parks should not be further commercialized, or overly programmed. Rather they should provide spaces that people can use and enjoy 365 days a year. I support the expansion of parks, greenways, bikeways, and recreational facilities throughout the city. I support the creation of more public art, and I believe that festivals, and performing arts and music events have an important role in helping to animate our parks."
Gregor Robertson (Vision Vancouver): "The Park Board should create a “no net loss” policy for green space in the city. This was addressed last term but was rejected this term. It will, however, become increasingly difficult to amass large parcels of land for new parks. There has to be a more flexible and creative approach to defining and creating green space. For instance, sites which are empty can be converted to mini-parks until they are built out (as seen at Seymour and Pacific). Lanes are massive wasted areas of the city – with careful redesign they can become spaces where people play, garden and meet the neighbours rather than being designed strictly for cars and garbage trucks. Green roofs which are accessible should be the norm, not the exception, and should be in the public realm on public buildings. In addition, better utilization of orphan paved space, such as the area under the Cambie Street Bridge, for public activities better suited to paved spaces would take pressure off of our green spaces."
Sam Sullivan: No response received.
[top]
Question 5. Will you increase the number of public toilets available, in parks, in the Downtown Eastside, and elsewhere that they are needed, and if so, how do you envision doing this? What about other public amenities like drinking fountains, street furniture, and bike racks?
David Cadman (COPE): "The City needs to expand the existing experimental public toilet system throughout the downtown peninsula, the Broadway Corridor and busy neighbourhood shopping districts where there is considerable pedestrian traffic. The same applies to benches, bike stands,and drinking fountains for both people and pets."
Allan De Genova (Vision Vancouver): "These are all important initiatives that I would seriously consider with my City Council and Caucus colleagues if I am successful in becoming Mayor."
Peter Ladner (NPA): "I will encourage the fulfillment of our public toilet program with CBS Outdoor Media, then see what more we need. I’m open to looking at simple, open, well-screened latrines. I have initiated a public bike sharing system for Vancouver, comparable to the one in Paris, that is working its way through TransLink. It would involve hundreds of bike racks. I have proposed one way of paying for it by building well-designed water fountains all over the city and using them for street advertising, as well as promoting our city as having the purest water in the world—more health, fewer bottles."
Raymond Louie (Vision Vancouver): "The City has a new contract to provide public toilets as part of a complete line of street furniture. One of the first toilets has been installed on Main Street next to the Main St. SkyTrain Station. Over the next year, more of these will be installed at points throughout the city, including the Downtown Eastside. I will closely monitor this project to see that people are satisfied, and request changes if needed. Other types of street furniture are also on order. It is important that the design of these facilities is friendly and inviting, but also durable and highly resistant to vandalism and abuse."
Gregor Robertson (Vision Vancouver): "Absolutely. The pilot public toilet project has been successful and is being expanded. It should be expanded faster and further with an emphasis on areas where people gather and where public facilities are in short supply (like the DTES and Granville Street). The Park Board budget should support keeping bathrooms open in parks year-round. The city’s public furniture is limited by the contract with Viacom, but there are ways to expand within that contractual agreement. For example, we could have a public art contest for art that fits on a sidewalk that happens to be easy to lock a bike to. Drinking fountains are too scarce and are turned off in the winter to prevent frozen pipes. We should look at new technology using solar panels which would allow the fountains to operate year-round. All of this requires funding, and a mayor/council/park board that are willing to make the public realm a priority."
Sam Sullivan (NPA): No response received.
[top]
Question 6. Do you plan on supporting and continuing Project Civil City?
David Cadman (COPE): "No."
Allan De Genova (Vision Vancouver): "This project, led by Mayor Sullivan, has been a divisive approach to important issues and challenges facing the city. I believe that Mayor Sullivan got this and many other critical issues wrong."
Peter Ladner (NPA): "Yes"
Raymond Louie (Vision Vancouver): "Along with the other Vision Vancouver councillors, I opposed Project Civil City. I believe that large amounts of time and money have been wasted on a strategy that has failed to address the real issues. We need to recognize that most street people are struggling with issues related to poverty, homelessness, addictions, and mental illness. We need to act to solve these problems by building more affordable housing, supporting drug treatment and harm reduction programs, and getting mentally ill people the help they need. This approach attempts to criminalize “undesirable” people and sweep them under the rug. Actual criminal behaviour should be dealt with by the police under the Criminal Code of Canada."
Gregor Robertson (Vision Vancouver): "No. Civil cities are created by strong communities. They can’t be enforced or legislated. My vision focuses on building community rather than cracking down on it."
Sam Sullivan (NPA): No response received.
[top]
Question 7. The Vancouver Police say that they intend to reduce street disorder by using the Safe Streets Act and Trespass Act to “combat behaviour and activities that contribute to urban decay” (VPD Business Plan 2008, p. 13). Do you support this approach?
David Cadman (COPE): "COPE's position is that there are sufficient provisions within existing city by-laws and the federal criminal code to deal with criminal and dangerous behaviour on public streets and in public spaces. The Safe Streets Act is more about pushing a specific ideological agenda than it is about reducing perceived "street disorder.""
Allan De Genova (Vision Vancouver): "I would work closely with the VPD to improve public safety and build healthy communities while respecting and enhancing civil rights for all citizens and visitors to Vancouver."
Peter Ladner (NPA): "Yes—we have to balance the safety (actual and perceived) of ordinary citizens, especially vulnerable seniors, women and children, with the needs of people who have been sentenced to the streets by a lack of social housing, mental health treatment and addiction services. I believe the city is better off without squeegee behaviour and aggressive panhandling."
Raymond Louie (Vision Vancouver): "I do not believe the Safe Streets Act has had a positive effect. We need to recognize that most street people are struggling with issues related to poverty, homelessness, addictions, and mental illness. We need to act to solve these problems by building more affordable housing, supporting drug treatment and harm reduction programs, and getting mentally ill people the help they need. Writing tickets is not going to solve any of these problems. This approach attempts to criminalize “undesirable” people and sweep them under the rug. Actual criminal behaviour should be dealt with by the police under the Criminal Code of Canada."
Gregor Robertson (Vision Vancouver): "The Safe Streets Act should be enforced as a last resort, but the effect has been to make mental illness, poverty and addiction crimes. We know that a very small number of people are creating the majority of truly destructive behaviour. Give the police the tools to address those problems. We have seen some very progressive action on the part of the VPD and I think we need to support their efforts to be a humane and flexible police force while maintaining public safety. "
Sam Sullivan (NPA): No response received.
[top]
Question 8. Do you support an expansion of surveillance cameras into public spaces?
David Cadman (COPE): "No."
Allan De Genova (Vision Vancouver): "No."
Peter Ladner (NPA): "Yes, if people/neighbourhoods/housing complexes/businesses/community centres/schools want them. There are already hundreds in use in our city."
Raymond Louie (Vision Vancouver): "I support efforts to improve public safety in places such as SkyTrain stations, public streets, and civic facilities. In conjunction with good urban planning, and effective and visible law enforcement, cameras can contribute to making public spaces safer, but they are not a magic cure. There are issues around who has access to the video, how it is stored, and the purposes for which it can be used. I believe these issues need clear and effective policy to ensure that security cameras are not misused."
Gregor Robertson (Vision Vancouver): "Cameras don’t make communities safer. Where we have acute problem behaviour, such as Granville Street, there may be a temporary reason to use them to catch offenders, but the goal must be to stop people from committing these offences."
Sam Sullivan (NPA): No response received.
[top]
Question 9. Would you act to remove any billboard advertising that violates the city’s by-laws?
David Cadman (COPE): "Yes."
Allan De Genova (Vision Vancouver): "Yes."
Peter Ladner (NPA): "Yes, but I wouldn’t rule out a creative compromise such as using it to fund a public bike-sharing system."
Raymond Louie (Vision Vancouver): "I supported the city’s legal position with regard to regulation of billboards within the City of Vancouver. I believe city by-laws should be enforced, otherwise what is the point of having such a by-law? As mayor, I would ensure that all our by-laws regarding billboard advertising are enforced rigorously."
Gregor Robertson (Vision Vancouver): "Yes."
Sam Sullivan (NPA): No response received.
[top]
Question 10. What is your position on the city’s funding of Downtown Ambassadors, and other possible Ambassador programs across the city?
David Cadman (COPE): "COPE is opposed to public funding of private policing-type programs as exemplified by the Downtown Ambassadors because they lack the public control and oversight that sworn police are subject to. COPE is also concerned about the precedent of applying taxpayer dollars to fund a private service that is controlled by a private business organization where the public is not involved in decision making."
Allan De Genova (Vision Vancouver): "I would replace the Ambassador program with more Vancouver police officers, especially the Vancouver Mounted Squad, as they act as great ambassadors and have the ability to enforce the law."
Peter Ladner (NPA): "I’m in favour, as long as BIAs are free to choose whatever program works best for them."
Raymond Louie (Vision Vancouver): "Along with the other Vision Vancouver councillors, I voted against providing funding to the Downtown Ambassadors program. I am opposed to this move toward privatization of basic city services such as policing. The Vancouver Police Department is currently 64 officers short of its basic minimum staffing levels and I believe that taxpayer dollars would be better spent on providing proper resources to our police force rather than giving away taxpayer dollars to subsidize unaccountable, privatized security contracts."
Gregor Robertson (Vision Vancouver): "Opposed. They are a private security force, not “ambassadors”. DTA are not providing a public function. We do not have proper lines of authority for them, they are now patrolling the public realm without appropriate training or oversight. That money (over $800,000) should be spent on our homeless outreach program and a mental health professional working for the city. Some could go to the community policing centres too."
Sam Sullivan (NPA): No response received.
[top]