Dunbar Residents Association News and Events

Since the plans for the Facility at 16th & Dunbar have been approved by Vancouver City and a Community Advisory Committee has been assembled, this is NO LONGER a Dunbar Issue.

Future postings about the facility, now know as the Dunbar Apartments will be categorized as “16th & Dunbar Apartments”.

JAN 13 UPDATE

From Raymond Penner, Project Facilitator:

Please find attached the following final documents submitted to the City of Vancouver by Coast Mental Health with respect to the Dunbar Apartments:

• Covering letter
• Operations Management Plan
• Community Advisory Committee Terms of Reference
• Consultation Report

I would like to personally thank all those who participated in the consultation process and who contributed both suggestions and concerns. All the input received and the response to this has been documented in my consultation report.

Regards – Raymond Penner

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Join the DRA and Help Us Help You!

The Dunbar Residents’ Association is working to make our neighbourhood a better place in which to live. We promote community spirit, inform residents about important issues that have an impact on our neighbourhood and work to make sure that the views of Dunbar residents are heard at City Hall.

Join or renew your membership now by downloading and printing the DRA Membership Application and sending or dropping off to the locations noted on the form.?

Ongoing Activities

• Salmonberry Days: Dunbar’s month-long neighbourhood festival held every May.

• Dunbar Community Patrol: citizens’ volunteer patrol helping to increase neighbourhood safety.

• DRA Website (www.dunbar-vancouver.org): for information on activities and issues of interest to the neighbourhood.

• DRA Board of Directors: meets monthly to discuss issues and plan activities of interest to Dunbar (see Board webpage for past minutes).

• DRA Annual General Meeting: held in November, includes invited guests and a program of interest for neighbours (2008 – held mayoral/councillor candidates’ meeting).

• DRA Newsletter: published 3 times a year, plus Salmonberry Days issue,? delivered to all households in Dunbar.

• Dunbar Neighbours Mailing List: interactive email list for communications amongst Dunbar neighbours.

• DRA Seniors’ Committee: working to advance seniors’ interests.

• DRA Tree Committee: promoting awareness & appreciation of the role of trees in enhancing livability.

• Dunbar History Project: produced The Story of Dunbar, an award-winning history of the neighbourhood.

Other Recent Activities

• Provincial Candidates Meeting (Spring 2009): organizing a Candidates’ Meeting in advance of the May 12 provincial election.

• Council Candidates’ Meeting (Nov 2008 AGM): hosted a Mayoral/Councillor Candidates’ Debate in advance of the Nov 2008 civic election, attended by over 200 residents.

• Quadra By-Election Meeting (Mar 2008): hosted a Candidates’ Meeting, attended by over 250 residents.

• Neighbourhoods for a Sustainable Vancouver (NSV): joined this city-wide coalition of neighbourhood groups working collectively to establish a meaningful dialogue with City Council & promote a positive neighbourhood-based planning process.

• 16th & Dunbar Supportive Housing Facility: took a leadership role in facilitating community input into the Operational Management Plan for this facility.

• EcoDensity: hosted a neighbourhood meeting with city planners, joined a coalition of 30 neighbourhood groups (NSV – see above), and delivered a presentation to City Councilto support our Community Vision at the EcoDensity Council meetings.

• UBC Farm: Wrote to the UBC Board of Governors urging retention of the fulll 24 hectares of UBC Farm as urban farmland.

• Queen Elizabeth Annex: supported the QE Annex school community in their successful efforts to oppose the closure of the Annex and sale of the property.

• Pacific Spirit Park: wrote to the provincial government to support retention of all Pacific Spirit Park land as undeveloped green space.

• Third Party Appeals: wrote to Council urging that it press the provindical government to reinstate 3rd party appeals to the Board of Variance. The new Council has agreed to consider this issue.

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Your membership is important to us and we hope that you will join/renew today and support our efforts. Download and print the DRA Membership Application and drop off at either Ashlee’s Gifts or Dunbar Greetings on Dunbar (addresses on form) or? send to the DRA at the maling address noted on the form.

Thank you for joining the DRA and supporting our efforts.

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You will need Adobe Reader to open the DRA Membership Applilcation. It can be downloaded for free from http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html.

Tuesday, Mar 3, 7:30 – 9:30 PM: DRA Board meeting, Dunbar Community Centre

Monday, Mar 9, 4:00 – 5:00 PM: Exploring Evolutionary Patterns Through Studies of Fossil Bivavles, Pacific Museum of the Earth, UBC

• To mark Celebrate Research Week at UBC
• Learn about evoluation through time and space using the existence of a fossil clam
• Free admission
• Refreshments served at 3:30
• For more information, visit the EOS Museum Events webpage or call 604-822-6992 or email: pme@eos.ubc.ca

Tuesday, Mar 24, 7:30 PM:? Dunbar Garden Club meeting, Dunbar Community Centre

• Ornamental Grasses with Ewan Mackenzie
• Ewan is joint owner of Exemplar Horticulture in Abbotsford
• Drop-in fee $3.00

*Tuesday, Feb 3, 7:30 – 9:30 PM: DRA Board Meeting, Dunbar Community Centre

*Wednesday, Feb 18, 7 – 9 PM: Boy Smarts – Effective Strategies for Parenting Boys, Lord Kitchener School (4055 Blenheim)

• Presentation by author Barry MacDonald on:
  • the varied needs of boys
  • how to help boys navigate cultural realities like video games
  • how to talk to boys so they’ll listen and listen so they’ll talk
  • how to help boys become courageous, caring and ethical men

• Tickets $7/person or $10/couple until Feb 13; $10/person at door (if not sold out)
• Ticket order forms available at Kitchener or Trafalgar school offices or email: shaben@telus.net or butler_james@telus.net
• For more information, see flyer.

*Tuesday, Feb 24, 7:30 PM: Dunbar Garden Club, Dunbar Community Centre

• Innovative Tips for Growing Vegetables – Mike Nassichuk
• Mike has a lifetime of experience as a home gardener, especially growing vegetables.
• Drop-in fee $3.00