Among the many things Vancouverites can look forward to in the year ahead will be gifts from the citys Great Green Machine.
This includes fruit tree orchards thanks to the parks boards tree planting practices. There will be another greenway after first making the citys to-do list 17 years ago, the Comox-Helmcken Greenway will connect Stanley Park with False Creek.
And none too soon because, at long last, this summer we will see a bike share program negotiated by the city with a private operator much like those operating in 300 cities around the globe. Except for one difference: Vancouvers velo version will require riders to wear helmets, which apparently will be scrubbed clean of cooties after each time they are used.
Less certain will be progress on the proposed multi-billion dollar rapid transit line a subway down Broadway and out to UBC. Success there relies on money from the province and possibly Ottawa, too.
A looming provincial election, which will bury any municipal news this spring, and the government down in the polls make it all the more possible the taps will be turned on in Victoria.
There is also, faint hope I know, the possibility Victoria will be moved to pass legislation to allow TransLink options for a sustainable revenue source besides increasing property taxes. The regions mayors are pressing the province for movement on that front by some time next month. Proposals for taxes on road use seem to be most popular.
Pressure to garner support should also see the province throw money at affordable housing in aid of the mayors task force. The city has offered up half a dozen properties for which it has asked all comers to propose affordable housing projects. Staff is now going through those responses. Expect progress this year.
And by this spring we should see a city staff report dealing with the removal of those remnants of freeway interruptus, the Georgia and Dunsmuir viaducts. I have not been able to source rumours saying that, much like with the Berlin Wall, entrepreneurs will be able to profit by selling off small chunks of the concrete as souvenirs of a misguided political past.
If the provincial Liberals dont move this spring on Wally Oppals recommendation for regional police forces, the New Democrats will should they continue to maintain their lead and actually win the next election.
Oppals missing womens task force report roundly condemned the cops for their colossal failure in dealing with serial killer Willie Pickton and the women he selected as his victims. Oppal pointed to a fragmented effort along with their discriminatory attitudes as central to that failure.
Oppal first highlighted the problem of turf wars among police in his government-sponsored inquiry and report on community policing in 1994. Attempts to broach the subject then were vehemently opposed by cops and mayors.
Now the public mood has swung clearly in favour of amalgamation, and chiefs of police like Vancouvers Jim Chu are standing back, saying the decision should be made by politicians. Well see.
We will also see, come February, if we are any further ahead on a solution to the great Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»Art Gallery Debate. Thats city councils deadline for the gallery to come up with a proposal.
Gallery director Kathleen Bartels continues to whip up support from some of the citys most celebrated artists in favour of a new building at Larwill Park, the old bus terminal at Cambie and Georgia.
Those efforts continue to be opposed by respected philanthropist and art collector Bob Rennie. The man who made his money marketing condos says instead of the Big Box option Bartels is promoting, we would be better off using much of the $300 million in construction for art, not architecture. Hes proposing a multi-site art gallery much like that in Seattle or Honolulu. Here the scheme would include the present gallery at the courthouse renovated back in 1983 by Arthur Erickson.
The gallery debate, added to the rest of what we can expect, will make this a busy year indeed.
