Heather Deal enlightened us this past week on various programmes with which she deals in her capacity as a four term City Counsellor. By training she is a biologist involved in cancer research who worked at the Suzuki Foundation before entering politics.  Her major interests are in supporting the city’s arts and culture programmes, improving accessibility throughout the city, increasing safety of people walking and cycling, supporting local food and drink and retaining heritage. She is also the chair of the Metro Vancouver Regional Parks Committee and last year held the position of Deputy Mayor.

She answered first a question on Vancouver’s property taxes. Property assessments were to rise from 3.5% to 3.9% this year to cover the costs of a statutory city wage increase for its 70% union employees, such as firemen etc. People with high property assessments would be paying no more than the overall average of assessments, in other words there would be a ceiling.  People, often Seniors, who had occupied their homes for many years could also apply for a grant. Some Rotarians felt the tax code should be revised and money should not be spent on creating bike lanes, for instance, in lieu of raising taxes.  She was in favour of the bike lanes for the benefit of the steadily increasing population, especially of young people, who want to live in the city. Bike lanes will offset the strain on the city’s increasingly overburdening traffic problem.  As for tax revision, this was not in the city but in the provincial purview. Rezoning was also discussed with its many challenging problems such as dealing with population density in neighbourhoods of previously single dwellings. The city also needs to deal with a severe lack of rental property. One such approach, already in action is to encourage developers to build rental units rather than condos, by waiving their development cost levy, provided they build along specified regulations.  It is hoped other developers will be encouraged to do likewise.  A suggestion for STRATA to allow rentals, possibly with pets, was not approved. Another of her special interests is the preservation of Heritage homes. These homes  encompass houses of special interest, built prior to 1940, which have retained their original character both inside and out as well as their history. They are not  to be confused with Character homes, also constructed before 1940, which must have heritage style roof form, a front porch, exterior wall materials and window frames. The city encourages renovation instead of demolition for these.

 

Bill attended the morning breakfast meeting of the Puerto Vallarta Rotary club. 

That day the Interact club from Mournville Alberta visited the Local Rotary club. 

The Rotary club of Mournville, which is just North of Edmonton, has an Interact club that fund raised for their group to fly to P. V. To work at a local school 

These kids from high school raised all the money for their trip through car washes, bake sales and a Santa grotto etc in a local mall to pay for their trip. They painted the walls for a local school for orphans. 

Not only did they raise the money for their flights, motel room, van rental whilst here but left the school with a donation for operations 

And they painted the place whilst here. 

Two sets of parents attended also. 

They paid for them selves. 

The local Rotary club hosted them and contributed to the effort. 

Bill said it was a very moving meeting to see the dedication of the young Canadians. 

They started out with 15 youngsters ready to play but only 9 made it 

That's a lesson in life as well. 

The others found the fund raising to difficult and gave up. 

One lesson the Interact members attended class with the local kids and read to them.

Michael Frost

Take control of your destiny. Believe in yourself. Ignore those who try to discourage you. Avoid negative sources, people, places, things and habits. Don’t give up and don’t give in. Wanda Hope Carter – Author and Artist