Thread by @AnthonyFloyd

#VanParkBoard Committee Meeting, Day 2: Return to Thunderdome

Tonight's first speaker is City Councilor @LisaDominato, who is speaking in support of the Vancouver Urban Food Garden.

Yes, they're still listening to speakers on this. 18 more speakers.

Are we going to get to Commissioner's motions tonight? Seems unlikely. #VanParkBoard

And, no I'm not going to live tweet this whole meeting.

However, the next speaker is against.

#VanParkBoard

Let's check back in and see what's happening at #VanParkBoard!

"Wrong location"

"Teen use of {that specific patch of grass} for casual play." 👀

I don't envy elected officials.

That was speaker #38. Speaker #39, local resident, "very much in favour".

By my math (could be way off) there are 8 more speakers! And it sounds like they're getting cut off at 5 minutes now, so only ... 40+ minutes to go for speakers.

Then the PB gets to discuss. Then vote.

Then to the next agenda item (still in committee) with its own speaker list.

Ooh, this speaker isn't holding back.

"To be honest, the park is a bit sad."

"Got the notification in the mail, was very aware of the project." (Shade. Thrown.)

(She's for the garden, btw)

#VanParkBoard

Speakers 40, and 41 are not available! Public feedback by attrition, as often happens.

On the plus side, the meeting is 10 minutes shorter now!

Speaker 42, a staff member at the in-park daycare is "enthusiastically in support".

#VanParkBoard

Oooh, wait, she represents all the staff at the daycare, 10 employees. Says all the parents she's spoken to are also excited.

From what I've heard, the supporters are all very enthusiastic.

#VanParkBoard

With all due respect to the Commissioners, it sounds like they're doing what I often hear our city council does with development projects that are brought in front of them:

Re-engineering, re-jigging, and generally doing the job that staff has already done.

#VanParkBoard

Is this really the role of elected officials?

Staff: Here's a recommendation that we've spent a tremendous amount of professional time on.
Electeds: Well, what if you did this? Put that there? Made it look like so?
Staff: ... (Looks at professional designations)

#VanParkBoard

And we're on speaker #43, whose home overlooks the park. The chair notes this is ...

The. Last. Speaker.

#VanParkBoard

He hasn't said so, but it seems this speaker is against the proposal.

"Think of the children."

"The process was flawed."

"The report is flawed."

Dog park again.

#VanParkBoard

Some back-and-forthing with Commissioners Dumont, Coupar, and Irwin (can't we just let it go?).

Oh wait. This is the local MLA, Shane Simpson. I see.

#VanParkBoard

Cynical aside: the politicians always seem to get more "air time" and questions than the civvies, despite they clearly indicate they're representing themselves only.

Why? Their opinions shouldn't "count" any more than Jane Q. Public.

:|

#VanParkBoard

And Commish Barker puts her $0.02 in as well. Why can't this be put in this other location? (The proponents of the project and staff have already explained this)

Again, why so many q's to this person when they could have been asked to pretty much any of the preceding speakers?

And now Commish Mackinnon.

Make. It. Stop.

#VanParkBoard

After a tribute from the chair who thanks Mr. Simpson for his years of service, he is dismissed.

With that, the plebes have been heard.

However the chair asks for a 5 minute "personal comfort break" ... but somebody still has a hot mike.

#VanParkBoard

Mind you, yesterday's 10 minute recess ended up being a 30 minute power nap (I'm making some assumptions here); how long a "personal comfort break" might be is anyone's guess.

Next up is discussion, so I assume that hands are being taped and mouthguards inserted.

#VanParkBoard

The meeting is RESTARTING.

The personal break was 10 minutes, not 5, but I think that's acceptable.

Also, I've been told to up my gif game.

#VanParkBoard

Commish Mackinnon moves to refer the report back to staff to consider moving the location to the NW corner of the park, where the opponents generally agreed it belonged.

#VanParkBoard

It's pretty clear that the motion to refer will be supported by the majority of the PB.

However, they each need to have their say.

#VanParkBoard

And with that, staff gets the report back for another swing.

#VanParkBoard

Now,

Agenda item 2: A report on Procedural Options for Public Feedback on Member Motions.

Relevant to the Regular Meeting that is supposed to follow this Committee Meeting.

#VanParkBoard

I mean, this sounds like a dry topic, but without these sort of changes the public cannot speak on "Member's Motions" at Regular Board Meetings.

E.g., there are no speakers for "tonight's" motion to implement a temporary active transportation lane in Stanley Park.

#VanParkBoard

Presentation has happened, Commissioners are questioning.

It's a bit technical, a bit legal, a bit confusing.

#VanParkBoard

Honestly, I like how this report is being examined by the Commissioners. It's complicated and it sounds like they are earnestly trying to understand what it all means.

I wish other items had this level of careful consideration.

#VanParkBoard

Oh no. Commish Irwin notes the time, indicates 8 speakers on this issue, as well as the Regular Meeting items.

Moves to extend tonight's meeting to 11:30pm.

Commish Coupar objects, Irwin amends to 11pm, motion passes.

Settle in, folks, the night's young.

#VanParkBoard

Aaaaand speakers haven't been queued, so there's going to be a "brief recess".

Fool me once....

#VanParkBoard

Hey, we're back!

Speaker 1 of 8. First speaker (Phil Rankin, local lawyer) is strongly opposed.

Editorializes about Commish Dumont muzzling the public with his motion tonight.

#VanParkBoard

Questioning by Commishs Coupar + Barker makes it clear this is about the bike lane motion.

Commish Barker suggests appearing in front of the board should bear more weight than emails. Speaker agrees.

They're received a lot of emails about the bike lane, I note.

#VanParkBoard

Speaker #2 also opposes. I didn't catch her name.

Honestly, I'm not sure who would appear in front of the board to support this type of motion.

Oooh. COPE and Green Party bashing. That's not going to win her very many friends.

#VanParkBoard

There's a lot of discussion about the report suggesting an override to allowing "2 commissioners" to call Special Meetings.

Note that the NPA only has 2 commissioners.

#VanParkBoard

Caller 3, same as the first two. Objects to the "2 commissioner/special meeting" wording.

I'm not saying the deck is stacked, but there's a clear theme here.

Oh, another bike lane bashing.

#VanParkBoard

You know, this is shaping up to be a bad-faith way to get people to comment about the bike lane motion that they can't comment on in the Regular Meeting.

The chair (Commish Giesbrecht) is shutting them down pretty quickly, but still. Really?

#VanParkBoard

Editorial: It seems to me that valuing in-person appearances over emails for feedback from the public is a pretty good way to discount the opinions of those who can't spend the time to appear, perhaps over multiple evenings. It devalues the less privileged.

Editorial (cont'): This seems to be the opposite to what the NPA electeds push all the time: more consultation, listen to the public, etc.

It's abhorrent to hear them to say this, in fact.

Anyway, Commissioners are arguing with caller #3 who is a retired lawyer now about details.

#VanParkBoard

Caller #4. Against. "We the people of Vancouver have a right to have our opinions heard!"

Surprising Trump reference.

Refreshingly, no mention of bike lanes.

Over quickly, moving to caller #5 ... also against. "I reject the proposed bylaw changes."

#VanParkBoard

Caller 5 praises Commish Coupar's judgment that the report needs to be sent back to staff (did I already mention that? No motion to refer ... yet).

Discuss'n of legal process. I bet this caller is also a lawyer.

I've been on too many calls with lawyers recently.

#VanParkBoard

Yes. Caller 5 admits to being a retired lawyer.

There's a trend here too.

#VanParkBoard

Caller 6. Opposed.

40 year resident of the west end.

Amazingly also sides with "in person more valuable than email". Never would have guessed.

Bike lane motion bashing begins just as he's cut off at his 5 minutes.

#VanParkBoard

The chair (Commish Giesbrecht) is getting fed up with callers bringing up the forthcoming bike lane motion, shuts down Commish Coupar's prodding of the caller to continue complaining about it.

Caller #7 of 8 is next. I bet they're opposed too.

#VanParkBoard

Caller 7 comes RIGHT OUT and says they wanted to speak on the bike lane motion but since they can't ....

#VanParkBoard

Last call, Speaker #8.

Also against. Spoke against these at a previous meeting.

"Exclusionary recommendations put forward by staff, anti-democratic, against the public interest."

#VanParkBoard

"When I worked in the court system."

Yup.

#VanParkBoard

Huzzah! Speaker have all said their piece!

Now for Commissioners to have their say.

(Looks at clock)

#VanParkBoard

Commissioner Coupar moves to refer, to seek clarification on a legal point.

I ... I think I actually agree with him on this.

#VanParkBoard

Oh, I misspoke. He's seeking to defer, not refer. So, not to send it back to staff, but to delay the motion.

Uh oh. Wait. There's confusion. Table the motion? Defer the motion? Sounds like he actually wants to table the motion (ie kill it)

#VanParkBoard

Nope, I was right to begin with. He wants to refer the motion to staff for clarification.

(suspenseful music intensifies)

#VanParkBoard

The comments from Commissioners make it clear that the motion to refer won't be successful.

But at least there'll be a vote on *something* given the 10 hours this meeting has taken so far over the past two days.

#VanParkBoard

PLOT TWIST!

Commissioner Irwin moves an amendment to change the wording so that a Special Meeting can be called if *3* commissioners agree (note, again, NPA has _two_).

Aren't you glad you didn't mute this thread?

Oooh, Commish Coupar doesn't like this one.

#VanParkBoard

Quick recess to extend the meeting to 11:30pm (it was scheduled to end at 11). Coupar and Barker object, not sure why, I mean why would you want to prolong this. Majority rules, we're going until 11:30pm now.

The amendment fails, back to the original motion.

#VanParkBoard

ANOTHER PLOT TWIST!

The chair suggests recessing the meeting, giving staff a chance to look into Commissioner Coupar's question, and then when DAY 3 of this meeting resumes, he'll have his answer without having "referred" the motion to staff.

#VanParkBoard

This motion fails, the meeting of the committee soldiers on. The majority wants to vote this through tonight (which it inevitably will).

#VanParkBoard

The recommendation of the report passes, Barker and Coupar opposed.

The Committee Meeting is adjourned.

The Regular Board Meeting will start shortly, during which I believe they will accept a staff report without fuss and then recess *that* meeting before moving to motions.

Which means, of course, that the bike lane motion (as well as the other two motions that are on the agenda) will not be considered tonight.

Yet another day of the anti-bike vitriol to ramp up on social media. It's getting *really ugly*.

#VanParkBoard

Correspondence of note:
Stanley Park temp bikeway: 233 opposed, 134 support, 6 support horse-drawn, 14 oppose perm car, 3 support perm bike lane, 1 NO CONSULTS, 1 slow bikes seawall/fast bikes roads.

Coupar wants petition with 30,000 names admitted to record.

#VanParkBoard

Staff considers that petition to have already been submitted to the Park Board and cannot be resubmitted.

#VanParkBoard

The Park Board chair proposes recessing the meeting, to be reconvened tomorrow at 6pm. Unanimous consent.

That's it for today, folks! To those of you who didn't mute this thread in time, I'm sorry. Really, I'm sorry.

#VanParkBoard