Melissa Fong

not your model minority. PhD Planning abd @UofT * #ChinatownYVR #vanpoli #vanRE musings

[Kevin Huang｜黃儀軒 😷 @yskevinhuang]

Merrick: We engaged Joe Wai but he took a position that made him not able to work with us.

(Noting here that Joe Wai, before his passing, took a strong position against #105keefer. I remember seeing Joe attend the community alternative open houses as well.)

[Melody Ma | 馬勻雅 @melodyma]

I’m thankful for @CityofVancouver staff for generally being accommodating to elders who wanted speak at the #105Keefer hearing, but this has got to be the most chaotic city hearing ever despite having two prior practice runs. Some chaotic and questionable highlights:

1) The public was not allowed to witness the Development Permit Board hearing in or near council chambers even though the decision will disproportionately impact the community. Speakers had to go through 3 to 4 layers of uncoordinated security, and some were initially denied access despite their speaker numbers called.

2) In the holding room, a City staff person told a very young kid (who was just being a kid), and a volunteer watching the kid that they were being “disruptive” and should go outside.

3) A parent who was a speaker was told by security they’re not allowed to bring their underaged kid with them to council chambers. Now the kid’s first core memory of democratic proceedings was of one that didn’t want them there at all.

4) An almost 90-year-old elder who had accessibility issues was held to wait for many hours after recess because the City didn’t want to vary speaker order to accommodate any more elderly. I also had to negotiate extensively with several security members to be able to escort her in the chambers to help her with her accessibility issues.

5) Security initially shooed away a volunteer from offering pre-dinner snacks to people in the holding room for no apparent reason even though people have been sitting there without food or water for hours.

6) I was told by City staff and security to inform all speakers to do this or that, but I’m neither staff nor a speaker concierge, and I definitely do not control people who wanted to speak. This should have been the City’s responsibility.

7) It was funny to hear the Chair of the Board provide the rules in English for speeches that needed translation, when speakers who required translation would not have been able to understand the English instructions at all. Thankfully the City’s translator offered to translate the rules.

All in all, it was a feat to make it through all the 100+ speakers by everyone involved, but this #105Keefer hearing was by far the most difficult and chaotic out of the three.

What it showed was that the @CityofVancouver has a *lot* of work to do ahead of them to make hearings more inclusive, accessible, and democratic for children, families, seniors, and a multicultural public.

#vanpoli #ChinatownYVR

[Deanna Cheng 🇨🇦 (she/her) @writerly_dee]

Chinatown Seniors Return to City Hall to Protest 105 Keefer https://t.co/LK6XJCLKNe via @bychrischeung / #vanpoli #vanRE #cdnpoli #ChinatownYVR #Chinatown #community #RealEstate #AsianCanadian

[Kevin Huang｜黃儀軒 😷 @yskevinhuang]

in 2017, the DPB said that the proposal was "simply not good enough" and does not mean the design test. It still does not. By suing their way to development, it shows that Beedie never wanted to build something that is contextually compliant nor engage community. #105keefer.

[Stephanie Smith 🐸 @spkr118]

At the Development Permit Board to speak to #105Keefer. In a holding area on main

City Hall security are telling parents they aren’t allowed to bring their children up to chambers when they speak, even when there is no parent to supervise the child.

wtf, @CityofVancouver?

[Kevin Huang｜黃儀軒 😷 @yskevinhuang]

It is also a site of healing, where the City held the apology process for historical discrimination.

Believes that #105keefer will impede these activities.

Has concerns that the storefronts will privatize public space. Will anyone want to use the plaza in front of a loud bar?

[Kevin Huang｜黃儀軒 😷 @yskevinhuang]

Stephanie Smith @spkr118 opposes #105keefer. Reminds that the board that Beedie decided to sue instead of working with the community. Within the 6-7 years, there are growing crises around housing, pandemic impacts, etc.

[The Mainlander @MainlanderNews]

Another strong showing of community support at City Hall against condos at 105 Keefer #vanpoli

[Kevin Huang｜黃儀軒 😷 @yskevinhuang]

"Progress shouldn't come at the cost of dignity and humanity of the existing community."

Denise Fong, speaking as public scholar and curator of recent and inaugural exhibit at the Chinese Canadian Museum. Opposes #105keefer. Wants the board to uphold the 2017 DPB decision.

[Kevin Huang｜黃儀軒 😷 @yskevinhuang]

The proposal (still) does not further livability and lack seniors and social housing.

Cites the Vancouver Plan that calls for protections of social fabric that is as important as the physical integrity of places. #105keefer poses an unique threat to the community.

[Asian Canadian Writers' Workshop (ACWW) @acww]

Woohoo! ACWW board of director Alyssa Sy de Jesus @al_sdj speaks at #105Keefer speaks to the colonial approach of the Beedie building at the Development Permit Board on Jun 12th. Great speech, Alyssa! #AsianCanadian

[Kevin Huang｜黃儀軒 😷 @yskevinhuang]

Russel Chiong opposes #105keefer. States that Beedie and other developers keep on trying to lure communities into supporting their developments with the guise of revitalization. These developments instead, drive gentrification, and force existing businesses out.

[Kevin Huang｜黃儀軒 😷 @yskevinhuang]

Chinatown is the legacy of our ancestors.

The seven 'legacy organizations' does not represent the people. They did not reach out to the people. They don't represent me; I only found out about their support for #105keefer from reading about it in @VancouverSun.

[Kevin Huang｜黃儀軒 😷 @yskevinhuang]

Nathan Edelson, former senior planner at the City of Vancouver for 15+ years opposes #105keefer. Recognizes a lot has changed in the past 6 years but still cannot support the current proposal.

Wants the City to work w/ developer to adhere to new #chinatownyvr design guidelines.

[Kevin Huang｜黃儀軒 😷 @yskevinhuang]

Eugene McCann @EJMcCann, professor who specializes in gentrification opposes #105keefer for three reasons:

1. 2011 mistake by the City to upzone the DTES/Chinatown. Eugene spoke against the upzoning then. 105 is a legacy of this mistake.

[Kevin Huang｜黃儀軒 😷 @yskevinhuang]

Andy Zhao opposes #105keefer, 1st generation immigrant from China. Works in the DTES. Paints a picture of loss of affordable, culturally appropriate, businesses and the rise of "$20 sandwiches".

What kind of thriving Chinatown do we want? Who is it for?

[Kevin Huang｜黃儀軒 😷 @yskevinhuang]

Many seniors speaking for the first time. Many people not speaking out due to language, racism, and other barriers. They lost belief in the system.

Wants the board to give these silenced seniors the belief that their voice matters, and that the City is listening. #105keefer

[Kevin Huang｜黃儀軒 😷 @yskevinhuang]

Cites the senior housing study that estimates that there is ~4000 unit shortfall of Chinese senior housing. Wants #105keefer to be for affordable, cultural appropriate, housing.

105 has design issues: sawtooth street profile, and massing. Proposal does not comply with zoning.

[Kevin Huang｜黃儀軒 😷 @yskevinhuang]

Candie Tanaka @candietanaka opposes #105keefer. Has lived experience living and working in #chinatownyvr.

Reminds the board of their 2017 rationale that the site's significance and proximity to the memorial. Wants community input future development of the site.