save kits beach coalition
TRANSCRIPT
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7/27/2019 Save Kits Beach Coalition
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SKBC
THESAVEKITSBEACHNOWCOALITION
HOWISTHISGREEN?WHEREISTHEPROPERVISION?
SKBCarecompletelyinsupportofbike
lanes,andbikeusers,andhaveno
egregiousissueswithHUBorother
cyclinggroupsaroundthecity.To
suggestotherwiseisabsurdandmisleading.
However,SKBCdonotsupporttheill-
conceivedVancouverParkBoards
approvedplantoroutetheKitsilano
Beach(KB)andHaddenParkbikepath
throughgreen,familyrecreationalareas
inthesesacred,highly-usediconicparks
andmuchutilizedbeach.KitsBeachis
thebusiestpublicparkinVancouver.Itis
alsoregardedasoneofthehighest
profileparksinCanada.Itisapparent
thattherearealternativepathswhichare
muchmorelogicalforallparkusers,safer
forallcitizens,pedestrians,cyclists,
oggers,muchgreener,andlessdisruptivetothosethatenjoythepark
thanwhathasbeenapprovedbypavinga
3.5meter-widecyclistroadwaythrough
themiddleofthesecherished,multi-useparks.
Arecentwalkthroughtheapprovedroute
withseniorParkBoard(PB)andCityof
Vancouver(CoV)staffrevealeda
disturbingnumberofissuesraising
additionalconcerns.Itisimportanttonote
thatwhiletheParkBoardpressreleaseof
October18claimedtheunauthorized
chalkmarkingsinthepark,donotinany
wayreflecttheroutetobetaken,this
chalkrouteisactuallyveryaccurate,withinfeetandinchestotheapproved
bikepathrouteshowntoSKBC,inawalk
throughbycitystaffonTuesday,October
22nd,afteratownhallmeetinggatheredinsupportofSKBCthepriorSunday.
Apressreleaseclaimed,storiesofthe
ParkBoardmovingmemorial
benchesarecompletelyuntrue.During
thewalk-throughofthenewlyapproved
cyclingroute,VancouverCityStaffconfirmedtoSKBC,somememorial
bencheswouldneedtoberelocated.In
fact,itisstatedintheParkBoardstaff
reportofOct7,2013thatsomebenchesmayhavetoberemoved.
CONNECT
&JOIN
THECAUSE!
SAVEKITSBEACHNOWCOALITION
Email:[email protected]|Petitionlink:
http://goo.gl/TCU2yP
TWITTER
www.twitter.com/SaveKitsBeach
FACEBOOK
www.facebook.com/SaveKitsBeachCoalition
+
SIGNTHEPETITION
LIKEUSON:
FOLLOWUSON:
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SKBC
SKBCsmainconcernsarehighlightedbelow:
1.RemovalofaGreatAmountofParkSpace:1acresofnewasphaltpathsisthisreally
necessary,orcanexistingpathsbere-purposed?
Theintrusiveandnowapprovednewcyclistpathis
3.5meter-wide.Theactualuseablegreenspace
willbefurtherdecreasedbytheneedtosituate
thepathfurtherintoparkgrassareatoprotectthe
treesandmemorialbenches.Thiscreatesan
unusablespacebetweenthecyclepathandthe
pedestrianwalkwaysinadditiontothe3.5Mof
unusablegreenspace,takenawaybythisbike
path.Isthatlogical,well-thoughtoutandinany
wayagreeninitiativethatbestsupportsparityand
highestandbestuseoftheparksforallparkusers
andcitizens?
2.DisrespectforMemorialBenches:Verylittleconsiderationorrespecthasbeen,noris
beingpaidtothedonatorsofexistingMemorial
BenchesinHaddenPark.Duringtheaforementionedbikeroutewalk-throughwith
seniorstafffrombothVancouverPark&City
representatives,therewaslittleexplanation,
respectorconcernaffordedfortherelocationof
memorialbenchestomakewayforthisapproved
route.
3.NewandGreaterSafetyIssues:Whileitisvitaltoupgradecyclingroutesforimprovedsafetyfor
thosewhotransportonbikes,theapprovedcycling
routethroughKitsbeachandHaddenparks
`actuallyincreasessafetyrisksformanyand
increasestheprobabilityofcollisionandinjury.
Theapproved,12footwide,pavedrouteslices
directlythroughhighlyactivearea(s)ofHadden
andKitsBeachParks.
Whenfacedwiththissafety-issuequestionnow
presentedwithaplaygroundandcyclepath,sideby
each,Citystaffhadnologicalresponsethanto
suggestafencebeerectedaroundthebikepath
howwillchildrengettotheplayarea?Thereare
familiesandchildrenplayingintheparktheentirelengthofthebikepath.Nosuchconsiderationor
respecthasbeenaffordedtothem.
4.IncreasedLegalLiabilityfortheCity:Cyclistsarecurrentlylegallyrequiredtodismountinareasof
highcongestion(theentirelengthofthepedestrian
walkwayontheKitsBeachboardwalk).The
approvedrouteremovesanyrequirementto
dismountatall,augmentingsafetyconcernsand
increasingCOVliabilityduetocyclist-pedestrian
accidents.Operatorsofallmovingvehicles,
universally,needtokeeptheireyesonthepath/road
immediatelyinfrontofthem.Tonowpromote
cycliststoturntheirheadsandattentionfromtheir
destination,tobetterenjoytheseasideoceanviews
whilesimultaneouslyridingtheirbicycle,inthe
middleofabusypedestrianarea,isincongruent,
recklessandcontrarytobasiccommonsenseand
basicsafety.
5.BreachofTheHaddenParkCovenant:In1929,awealthydeveloperwithavisionandappreciationof
thestunningbeautyofthispropertyHarveyHadden
boughtthepropertyfromtheCPR,andbequeathed
whatisnowcalledHaddenPark,totheCityof
VancouverandplacedaRestrictiveCovenantinthe
deedrequiringanddemandingthattheCoVandPB
keepthepropertyasnearaspossibleinitspresent
stateofnatureitbeingthedesireoftheGrantor
thatthoseusingtheParkshall,asfarasreasonably
maybe,enjoythesameinitsnaturalstateandcondition.BoththeCoVandPBagreedtothese
conditions,inwriting,atthetimethepropertywas
bequeathed.Independentlegalcounseladvisesthat
theapprovedrouteisinbreachofthislegal
CovenantonapropertythatHarveyHaddenwanted
preservedaspristineandnatural.
+ HOWISTHISGREEN?WHEREISTHEPROPERVISION?
SAVEKITSBEACHNOWCOALITION
Email:[email protected]|Petitionlink:
http://goo.gl/TCU2yP
TWITTER
www.twitter.com/SaveKitsBeach
FACEBOOK
www.facebook.com/SaveKitsBeachCoalition
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Continued-Mainconcernsarehighlightedbelow:
6.Cyclistsapparentneedforabetteroceanview:SeniorPB/CoVofficialsescortedusthroughthe
proposedbikelanerouteonTuesday,October
22nd,2013,afteratwidelyattendedtownhall
meetinginthepark.Wequestionedtheneedfor
anotherseasidecycleroutegiventheexisting
officialSeasideCycleRoutealongOgden
Avenue.TheresponsefromVancouverCitystaff
was:Cyclistswantabetteroceanview/
experience.Thedesignatedcyclepathalreadyhasaspectacularview,addinganotherpath7.5
meterintotheparktocreateanewbikepathon
Ogden,whenonealreadyexists,isabsurdand
doesvirtuallynothingtoimprovethecyclists
view/experience,norbenefitanyofthecurrent
andon-goingparkusersinanymeasurableway.
Thesamecanbesaidforshiftingtherouteafew
meterswestontoArbutusSt.
6.RefusaltoConsiderMorePracticalOptions:Theapprovedrouteisapproximatelytwentyfeet,adjacenttoArbutusStreet.Thisiswithinmere
feetofthispavedcitystreet.Anoptionthathas
notbeenconsideredwouldseetheuseofexisting
pavementtocreateaprotected,designated,
2-waybikelanewhichprovidesverysignificant
improvementtosafetyforcyclistsandpedestrians
aswellasamoreenjoyableridewithoutrisk/fear
ofcollision.Thereisprecedentinotherpartsof
theseasideroutewherethecyclepathisrouted
awayfromcongestedpedestrianareas(English
Bay,asanexample.)andonlyreturnstothepark
wherethestreetishazardous.Kitsilanoresidential
streetsdonotpresentthesamehazardsfor
cyclists.
8.LackofDueProcess:TheCoVtypicallyandtraditionallyrequirescommunityengagement
throughanumberoftoolssuchasadvancedpublic
notices,publicmeetings,signageandsurveys.These
wereconductedduringtherecentKBTenniscourtupgrades,aprojectwithnoincreasedimpact.This
bicyclepathisa$2.2millionconstructionprojectthat
structurallyaltersthissacredpark,yetvirtuallyno
propernoticewasprovidedtocitizensandespecially
thousandsofregularparkusersandstakeholders.
Undeniably,noproperconsultationprocesshas
occurred.
9.MisleadingSurvey:Whathasbecomeclear,isthattheonlyopinionthe
smallinterceptsurveytestedwasaquestionvaguelyphrasedas:doyousupportseparatedwalkingandcyclingpathswherepossible?Thisisacompletely
leadingaswellasambiguousquestion.Ofcourse
everyonewouldbeinfavourofthisconcept.95%of
the370personssurveyedsaidyes.Again,whowould
sayno?Atnotimewereanyoftherespondentsasked
thebigquestionastothetruemagnitudeofthis
undertakingbyParkBoard,forexample,thequestion
shouldhavebeenphrased;doyouapprovea12
wide,1acreasphaltexclusivepath,throughthemiddleofKitsilanoBeachandHaddenParks?This
bogussurveyconcealedthePBstrueintentions.
Effectively,noneoftheapproximatelyfive-thousand
constituentsofregularparkusers,thatourcollective
organizationsrepresent,weresurveyedorconsulted.
Basically,noonewhoisimpacted,manyonadaily
basis,hadanyknowledgeofthisdramaticproject.
ThePBclaimsthisisthemostextensivesurveythey
haveeverundertaken,whichaccordingtotheir
claims,370individuals,allinthepark,weresurveyed
overathree-dayperiod.Incontrastatanimpromptu,
grassrootstownhallmeetingheldSundayOctober
20thatKitsBeach,over967concernedcitizensoffered
theirsignaturesonapetitionopposedtothisapprovedproject.
SAVEKITSBEACHNOWCOALITION
Email:[email protected]|Petitionlink:
http://goo.gl/TCU2yP
TWITTER
www.twitter.com/SaveKitsBeach
FACEBOOK
www.facebook.com/SaveKitsBeachCoalition
SKBC+ HOWISTHISGREEN?WHEREISTHEPROPERVISION?
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7/27/2019 Save Kits Beach Coalition
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SKBCNOGREEN.NOPROPERVISION
Continued-Mainconcernsarehighlightedbelow:
10.UnparalleledRushforConstruction:ThecurrenturgencydemonstratedbyPBto
constructthisprojectimmediatelydoesnot
makepracticalsenseatall.Thefollowingisplan
ofactionwithrespecttotherouteplan:
Approval:October7;Completionof2-Ddesign:
October31;Procurementof3-Dconsultant:
November15;Completionof3-Ddesign:
February15;Completionofconstruction:May
16,2014.TheRPFhasalreadybeenissuedforhiringaconsultant,whoisexpectedtobehired
within3weeks,despitePBannouncingthe
appointmentofaSpecialAdvisoryCommitteeto
helpremedythiscontentiousissueandprovide
broaderacumentoremedythissituation.Itis
virtuallyunprecedentedthattheCityactsthis
quicklyonsuchadramaticprojectwhichimpactssuchadiverseandbroadnumberofcitizens.
11.Refusaltore-consider:Onrecord,PBresponsestoveryseriouscitizenconcernshave
been,itsadonedeal,wehaveapprovaland
weremovingforward,andtheprocesswas
solidandresultswerepositive.Tobeclear,this
decisionwillnotbereversed.AaronJasper,Vice
ChairofTheParkBoard,said,Itsnotgoing
backtothedrawingboard.ParkBoard
CommissionerConstanceBarnesrecentlystated
thatthisbikepathmightonlybetweakedbut
thatitisstillbeingbuilt,althoughshepublically
concededthattheprocessofconsultationonthisprojectwasflawed,notthoroughenoughand
welcomedmoreengagementfromstakeholders.
12.MostInformedCyclistsFeelThisApprovedRouteMakesNoSense:
TheExecutiveDirectorofBCCyclingAssociation
hasstateditisnotnecessaryfortherecreational
cycleroutetogothroughthepark.Anothercyclistofferedupthisstatement,Fromsomeone
whoownsabikestore,Ilovebikepaths,butIlove
mind-fulcityplanningmore.
###
__________________________________
THE
SAVEKITSBEACHCOALITION
Representingapproximatelyfive-thousand
(andgrowing)regularKitsBeachusersandvery
concernedcitizens.
ContactPersons:
HowardKelsey
Chairman,TheCanadaOneAthleticAssociation
AdamSmith
LynneKent
KitsPointResidentsAssociation
__________________________________
+
SAVEKITSBEACHNOWCOALITION
Email:[email protected]|Petitionlink:
http://goo.gl/TCU2yP
TWITTER
http://www.twitter.com
/SaveKitsBeach
FACEBOOK
http://www.facebook.com/S
aveKitsBeachCoalition