Changes To The GW Community Plan

As mentioned a couple of weeks ago, certain changes to the Grandview Woodland Community Plan went to Council and were approved with almost no discussion.  As was often the case with the old Vision Council that we voted out of office, the present Council continues to present long and complex documents as part of the changes they make.

They are often so complicated and so little publicised that almost anything can slip by in them with no chance for the general public to appreciate the consequences.  It is only after careful reading, deep in the weeds, and usually after the approval has already been granted, that the full scope of problems can be assessed.

As Elizabeth Murphy notes in a mailing today:  “Having had only a few days to review the report before it was considered at public hearing, it was only after the council approval that a few key issues were found buried in Appendix A below, with no reference in the body of the staff report.”

Her analysis follows:

“This removes the language in the final approved GW Plan that defined the duplex zoning to have disincentives to demolition and incentives for retention of character houses, as were implemented in the new RT5 zoning. The amendments remove this language and leave it open for RT5 to be changed to eliminate these aspects of zoning and still be able to claim it is consistent with the GW Plan. This would result in more demolition of character houses with suites. This amendment was not related to subsequent rezonings or the rezoning as part of the public hearing. This is a breach of process and sets a terrible precedent.”

This is a reminder to everyone that (a) Council documents for By-Law or CP Changes need to be made available at least two weeks in advance of a hearing; and (b) those interested need to read everything the City reveals.  You never know what you might find in the deepest reaches of documents.

Many thanks to Elizabeth Murphy for her work and for allowing me to quote from it.

 

Night Music: American Pie

Hand Dryers: A Portrait

From the always interesting Creative Review comes this look at the work of Samuel Ryde and his epic collection of images of hand dryers in public facilities.

This is just a small selection:

“London establishments are evidently quite concerned about what their hand dryers say about them, with many vying to turn this piece of equipment into an installation or disguise it within a shrine of decorations. Pubs and eateries in other cities seem less bothered. Petrol stations anywhere in the world? Absolutely, categorically, do not care about their hand dryers.  These are some of the implications of documentary photographer Samuel Ryde’s new photo book Hand Dryers, which takes us on a tour of the many places he’s visited by way of the hand drying equipment found on the walls of public bathrooms.”

Grandview 2nd February 1920

 

“Province”, 19200202, p.19

Why 2020 02 02 Is Special

Today’s date is a rare eight-digit palindrome (reads same, forward and backward) — 02/02/2020 — the only one of its kind this century.

The previous eight-digit palindrome was 11/11/1111, 909 years ago.

We have to wait another 101 years for 12/12/2121.