A Slice of Tulips

A Brave New World At GWAC

Just a month or so ago, I had written the obituary of the venerable Grandview-Woodland Area Council (GWAC). Luckily, I had allowed myself one out: “I guess it is possible for an activist and progressive group to win control of the Board at the AGM in March …” and that did indeed play out this afternoon.

The AGM was very well-attended, with the Canucks Family Room bursting at the seams.  It was good to see so many of the community taking this level of interest. The President’s Report and the Treasurer’s Report were quickly disposed of, and we were quickly into the elections.

There are twelve positions on the Board, for which seventeeen candidates stood and made their pitches.  A progressive group of diverse community activists took all twelve positions.

Of last year’s Board, three progressive voices (Dorothy, Jim, Craig) were re-elected, while another four (Eileen, David, Vicky, Nick) were defeated. All four of the defeated incumbents were pro-Boffo Tower, with the majority having been long-time obstructionists opposed to GWAC’s active role.

The nine new Directors are a great mix of veterans and youth, renters and owners, male and female, workers and professionals. All have experience in community groups, in support for good ideas and in opposition to bad ones. I have enormous hope for this reincarnation of GWAC and I look forward to being a cooperative and interested member of the neighbourhood

PS: Daniel Boffo was overheard in conversation with NIck of the BIA to say “Well, we got the result we were looking for”.  As that is true only in irony, one is obliged to assume he and his high-priced manufacturing consent PR brigade will try to spin this as a No Tower takeover. However, if they look at the composition of the new Board, they will have to conclude that is simply wrong. The community has spoken. Now, if Boffo Kettle could only understand …

 

Western Lake Is Just the Best

OK, we interrupt a busy day to give yet another unsolicited and uncompensated ad for Western Lake dim sum at 34th and Victoria.

We have been there scores of times now, maybe more than a hundred times, and each time, like some medieval miracle, the food just gets better and better. It was beyond good today, everything freshly cooked, and exactly what we wanted.

If you haven’t been before, prepare for a wait. It is popular from the moment it opens on Monday morning through to Sunday lunchtime, and you nearly always have to wait.  Get a number from reception and people-watch while you wait. It is all part of the experience at Western Lake. And always worth it.

Today we had deep fried squid with garlic, pan-fried rice noodles with soy, ha-gao, green beans with pork, and finished with goji berry & lychee jelly. Filling and thoroughly delicious.

I am already thinking of the next time we go.

Night Music: Wouldn’t It Be Nice