Dunbar Residents Association News and Events

This is the year with very few Pollinating Mason Bees in our yard but the colorful Wild Bumble Bees are doing a great pollinating job on our many Blueberries bushes.

I watched from my backyard bench as a colony of bumblers set up a hive in one of my Chickadee nestboxes, not to worry as I had another nestbox close by! I watched the bees coming and going, in and out of the Chickadee entrance hole for weeks, then I could only guess that something went seriously wrong in the hive. I thought just maybe the Queen bumbler some how passed away and the colony collapsed. This hive abandonment is common when the queen dies I understand.

The queen’s death could come from quite a few ways, here is a interesting one! Another small Species of Bumblebee that have no love of the larger Red Rumped species, spot the hive and decide to invade and kill the queen. The little Bumblers for thousands of years have used an invasion plan that is really unbelievable! First the little killers get friendly with the worker bumblers and even give them a hand to bring in the pollen and food for the queen, getting access to the queens quarters in the hive. When the good workers are not around for a few minutes, they KILL the queen and move on looking for another Red Rumpted Bumbler hive.

Mother Nature works in very strange ways. Now my Chickadee Nest box is empty, but I just keep watching for something else in the wonderful mysterious world of Wild Birds and Bees to happen.

Watching the bees go by is better than Painting the House!!

Terry

Hi! This is about a great, never to been seen before River event.

I was down at the Fraser River Park on this first day of summer, and observed the “Eagles of Tsusnahm” ambushing a lone Seagull flying up River.

Their nest site is in a grove of trees on Marine Drive, near Angus, and still has young in it today. The seagulls and ducks better beware, for the hunting for the little food sources available for the now hungry young eagles, continues each morning. The daily river Eagle hunt can be observed, in the morning hours, from the wooden river pier about in the middle of the Park. With no Eulachon returning to the North & Middle Arms and just a few ducks around, all that is left in the river is a few non-nesting and lonely Seagulls.

The method of a successful attack on an unexpecting low flying Gull by the male and female Eagles is some thing like a WWI aerial airplane dogfight. This is how it works! One Eagle, I think it is the female, flies and settles with her head down on top of the downriver steel Dolphin across from the Park Pier. I would think the female expects a gull to be flying low, upriver. The other eagle is at final attack position, on another steel dolphin about 300 yards upriver, also in a crouched position head down.

The usual fatal ambush attack starts with the down river Eagle making her move by chasing the unexpected gull down towards the water. This signal to the other Eagle is to immediately fly higher and come down on the now panicking gull, making a sure high speed talon strike. What happens next is that the two eagles fly together, one with a gull hanging down and the other teasing its mate. It takes quite a while before the male makes the flight to a tree next to the nest site and it is here that I can see through my Binoculars that the successful Gull killer is carefully pulling out the feathers so they flutter down to the roof of a Marine Drive mansion. The first morning eagle gull hunt of the day is over and the young eagles at last can be fed.

I expect, as last year, the young Eagles of Tsusnahm will be leaving the nest around the last week in June or the first week in July. So you have some time left, visit Fraser River Park with your binoculars in hand and eyes to the sky and look for the eagle views that you will never forget. P. S. Look for the eagles in the hunting position on the dolphins on the south side of the river and wait for the action to begin!

Terry Slack

JUNE 20 UPDATE

A message from the DRA and the Dunbar Vision Implementation Committee (DVIC):

Presentations to Trustees Feb. 11 & 12th

Register to make a presentation to the trustees
Deadline to register – Feb. 10, 2008
Contact Office of the Secretary-Treasurer at 604-713-5286
You will be given a 5 minute slot on either Feb. 11 or 12th.

JAN 28 UPDATE: The DRA sent a letter to the School Board urging the Board to extend the timelne for public consultation and feedback on the Phase 1 proposals by at least six months.

JAN 24 UPDATE: A Save Queen Elizabeth Annex website has been established by concerned parents. This site provides up to date information and suggestions for those wishing to address this issue.

On January 11, the Vancouver School Board informed parents of Queen Elizabeth Annex students that the VSB, as part of its Educational Facilities Review (EFR) proposals, plans to close QE Annex as of July 2009.

The Annex land would then be sold to help pay for renovation of the National Research Council building (at UBC) for use as a high school so that University Hill Secondary could be turned into an elementary school (see Phase 1 proposals below).

A number of concerns have been raised about this proposal including questions about why the VSB is selling off QE Annex land to fund neighbourhood schools at UBC (see Save our School flyer and UBC Commitment to School Facilities submission).

For more information on all of the issues, please review the material in the RELATED INFORMATION section below.

The VSB is holding public meetings on the proposed closure of QE Annex at QE Main School Gym, 4102 West 16th (note venue change):

• Tuesday, January 29, 7 PM
• Wednesday, February 6, 7 PM

The timeline for ‘public consultation’ on the topic is extremely short with a feedback deadline of February 15th and a VSB decision on March 11th (see Public Consultation Process and Timeline).

The Phase-1 proposals include:

• Proposed relocation of University Hill Secondary to a renovated and expanded NRC building (3250 East Mall);
• Proposed conversion of University Hill Secondary into a new elementary school at UBC;
• Proposed closure of Queen Elizabeth Annex and the disposition of the property;
• Proposed options for the locations of Jules Quesnel French Immersion and Queen Elizabeth Regular programs (either stay at the current locations or switch sites); and
• Proposed sequence and size of seismic upgrade projects involving Queen Mary, Jules Quesnel and Queen Elizabeth Elementary.

The full report Phase 1 – UBC to Dunbar St. Study Area is available on the VSB website along with other relevant information.

The proposal to close QE Annex will affect both Jules Quesnel and Queen Elizabeth (main school) by increasing capacity at these schools. The plan also includes increased capacity on-site at UBC (and decreased capacity in Dunbar).

Members of the public interested in learning more about the implications of these proposals can inform themselves further by attending the public meetings and reviewing the information in the RELATED INFORMATION section below and on the VSB website.

Comments can be submitted to the VSB via an online form available on the VSB Feedback Form webpage. Feedback deadline is February 15th.

Citizens can also make a presentation to the School Trustees at a Board meeting on February 11th or 12th; see Public Consultation Process and Timeline on the VSB website for more detailed information.

Related Information

JUNE 12 UPDATE

The EcoDensity Charter and Initial Actions were approved by City Council on June 10, 2008. You can link to the minutes and the video stream of this meeting on the City website: June 10, 2008 Council meeting page.

MAY 24 UPDATE

Debate on EcoDensity, hosted by Langara College

• Wednesday, June 11, 7:30 – 9:00 PM

• Downtown Library, Alice Mackay Room, Lower Level

The topic: RESOLVED: ECODENSITY WILL SAVE THE CITY

• Arguing the AFFIRMATIVE: Bob Ransford, Communication Consultant & Vancouver Sun Urban Affairs Columnist

• Arguing the NEGATIVE: Jonathan Baker, Lawyer & former Vancouver City Councillor

According to Jonathan Baker, “The two debaters agreed to debate the topic of EcoDensity but the precise formal topic was selected by the host after we agreed to debate each other and we had no input into the formulation of the question.”

The moderator, David Berner, will open the evening with Introductions.

The debate:  3 minutes for each side for Opening Remarks
5 minutes for each for Main Argument
3 minutes for Rebuttal
3 minutes for Closing.

That will be followed by two questions from Langara faculty panellists directed to the Debaters, then Q&A with the audience.

It will begin sharp at 7:30 and end sharp at 9.

The public has four weeks to review the material and provide written comment before the report is presented to Council for approval at the June 10, 2008 regular Council meeting. Members of the public will not be given an opportunity to present as a delegation at the Council meeting; only written submissions are invited.

The revised EcoDensity documents and information on how to submit your comments can be found on the City’s EcoDensity: What Next webpage. COMMENTS MUST BE SUBMITTED TO COUNCIL BY JUNE 10, 2008

1. the Director of Planning to revise the Draft Charter and Initial Actions in response to the public input received;
2. the revised documents to be posted on the City’s website by May 13 to allow 4 weeks for the public to review; and
3. public comment be invited through written submissions instead of delegations

An amendment put forward by Councillor Deal to allow delegations to be heard was defeated by the Mayor and the 5 NPA councillors.

For more information, see the minutes of the April 15, 2008 Council meeting. You can also view the video of this item to hear individual councillors’ comments.

Council heard the last of the speakers at the April 3rd Council meeting on EcoDensity. Of the approximately 150 registered speakers, just over 100 actually presented, as the meeting went on for 7 nights and speakers were not able to keep coming back to wait for their turn. Council discussion and decision has been referred to the next regular Council meeting scheduled for Tuesday, April 15, 2008, 2 PM.

Minutes from the 7 meetings are now available on the City website. Links to the videostreams of all of the meetings are on the Agenda/Minutes page.

On April 2, the Neighbourhoods for a Sustainable Vancouver, the citywide ad hoc coalition of neighbourhood groups, sent another letter to City Council outlining residents’ concerns with the EcoDensity initiative.

The EcoDensity Council meeting is still going on, with approximately 50 more speakers to be heard. The next two meetings are scheduled for Wednesday, April 2, 2008 at 6:30 PM and Thursday, April 3, 7:00 PM.

Due to the large number of speakers, the Council meeting on EcoDensity has stretched into several nights, the next (5th) one scheduled for Thursday, March 13, 7:30 PM.

You can view the Council meeting live online and also view videos of the previous meetings which are posted to the City website the day following each meeting.

A “Coalition of neighbourhoods against EcoDensity and for Liveability” has organized a rally (see flyer) at City Hall at 7:00 PM on February 26th, just before the Council meeting on the EcoDensity Charter. Rally organizers will present Council with a Charter of Neighbourhood Rights. The Coalition is urging citizens who are concerned about the implications of EcoDensity to join this rally.

EcoDensity is going to Council on Tuesday, February 26, 2008, 7:30 PM, Council Chambers (3rd floor City Hall).

The February 18, 2008 staff report that will be presented at this Council meeting contains the following recommendation:

THAT, after completion of the EcoDensity Special Council meeting(s), Council instruct the Director of Planning to report back with revisions to the draft Charter and draft Initial Actions, in response to public input received.

Citizens wishing to express their views on this initiative should make every effort to attend this meeting and address Council.

• To get on the Speakers’ List, contact Diane M. Clairmont, Meeting Coordinator at 604.871.6371, e-mail diane.clairmont@vancouver.ca.
• You can also sign up to speak on the day of the meeting by getting there at least 30 minutes early and registering at the sign-up table.
• Speakers are usually limited to 5 minutes but you can be as brief as you like.
• If you can’t attend the meeting, you can express your views by writing to Council (mayorandcouncil@vancouver.ca) at least a day before the meeting.

Read the Feb 19 release from the Neighbourhoods for a Sustainable Vancouver, a citywide ad hoc organization of 28 neighbourhood groups, including the DRA and the Dunbar Vision Implementation Committee. This document provides a summary of the group’s recommendations regarding the draft EcoDensity Charter and Initial Actions.

Read the Feb 18th Vancouver Sun letters section: Residents protest housing squeeze play which contains 6 letters from citizens regarding EcoDensity, 2 of which are from Dunbar area residents.

The DRA held a meeting with City Planning staff to discuss the EcoDensity initiative and its implications for Dunbar on Thursday, February 7, 7:00 – 9:00 PM, Dunbar Community Centre, Room 202.

JAN 30 UPDATE: DRA has sent a letter to City Council regarding the EcoDensity Charter.

JAN 25 UPDATE: Read Vancouver Courier article: NPA city councillor defends mayor’s density plan

Attend the Dunbar Vision Implementation Committee (DVIC) meeting on Monday, January 21, 7:00 PM, St. Philip’s Church, 3737 W. 27th, for a discussion on EcoDensity in Dunbar.

On December 19, 2007, a letter endorsed by 23 neighbourhood groups (including the DRA) was sent to City Council outlining a number of concerns with the draft EcoDensity Charter and Initial Actions as well as the process around this initiative.

On November 27, 2007, Vancouver City Council voted to send its draft EcoDensity Charter to public consultation. This will include a Special Council Meeting on February 26, 2008 to hear from the public.

In addition to the Actions contained in the draft Charter, Councillor Suzanne Anton moved a number of new Actions (some of which involve extra density) to be included in the public consultation. Please review pages 3-7 of the November 27, 2007 Council minutes for details of the additions to the Actions and the Council vote on these.

You can also review the Staff Report presented to Council which contains staff recommendations as well as the Draft EcoDensity Charter and the Draft EcoDensity Initial Actions (2008-2009).

January/February EcoDensity Workshops Announcement and Schedule

Recent related articles:

EcoDensity asserts that strategically located density will make make Vancouver more sustainable, livable and affordable but Vancouver ctizens must change and focus on being a sustainable city.

For Dunbar this would suggest:

• our three “Neighbourhood Centres” would be rezoned to allow greater density with a commercial/residential mix with, on average, probably 4 story buildings. (Permission was given at Norquay to build a 20 story highrise.)
• our main arterials (16th, Dunbar and 41st) would be rezoned for a mix of “row houses, town, houses and low rise apartments”.
• all single family dwellings would be rezoned to allow infill/laneway housing and duplexes.
• greater density alongside our parks.
• removal of height limitations and reduction of view cones.
• businesses would be allowed to operate from home.
• changes of by-laws and zoning to provide developers with substantially less government intervention.

Sites:

• Vancouver EcoDensity website – catch up on all the local EcoDensity news
• Mayor Sam Sullivan’s website
• Vancouver Colour-Coded Zoning Map
• EcoPreservation.org is a committee started by local Dunbar residents devoted to spreading the word that EcoDensity is “all for the developers”.