Protecting Park Values Multimedia Presentation Narration

As presented to the July 8, 1005, joint meeting of the GVRD Parks and Communities Committees

Slide1. (title) Protecting Park Values

Slide2. (Wreck Beach panorama) One of the most beautiful vistas in Vancouver.

Slide3. (eagle in tree) The backdrop to this beach is the well forested slopes and cliffs of Point Grey. This natural setting is unique in the Lower Mainland and must be preserved, from Park Management Plan Policy 7.8

Slide4. (heron) quiet, no comments

Slide5. (heron wings out) A bit of history now to refresh your memory of our struggle to protect the foreshore of Point Grey, Wreck Beach, Pacific Spirit Park.

Slide6. (group with blimp) On April 10, 2004 we raised a blimp to show the visual impact of the planned towers. The tether was carefully measured with balloons tied at one story intervals…

Slide7. (blimp from beach) The blimp was raised to the heights of two of the proposed towers. Photographer Bruce McPherson photographed the blimp from below…

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Slide8. (Towers superimposed) A UBC student superimposed the architect’s drawings of the rearmost and foremost tower

Slide9. (Judy Williams and group at demo) We took our concerns to city hall and the people of Vancouver on May 18, 2004…meanwhile, back at the campus…

Slide10. (bulldozer and felled trees) A perfect buffer zone for the fragile cliffs and eagle habitat was destroyed, rare Davidia trees were felled.

Slide11. (partially constructed tower and quote from Al Poettcker) with a long pause to allow audience ample time to read quote...When Mr. Poettcker made this statement to us, Judy and I were speechless. Perhaps it reveals motivation other the the professed desperation for student housing.

Slide12. (finished tower) Now we all have to live with Mr Poettcker’s preference.

Slide13. (two views of tower) As you walk along the beach the building appears and spoils some of the best views of this formerly isolated setting.

Slide14. (tower with eagle landing) From low-low tide one sees how this poorly placed building visually impacts bald eagle habitat. One “mistake” is too much!

Slide15. (stereo pair, tower behind trees) Despite Mr Poettcker’s claim that he prefers a beach with buildings, he selected a view similar to this of the building hidden behind trees to illustrate to the GVRD/UBC Joint committee how little the building showed. Gives new meaning to peek-a-boo towers.

Slide16. (close-up of composite on left, same view of actual tower on right) Here now is a close up from our composite on the left, and the actual building on the right. Bearing in mind the University was forced to drop the final height by two storeys in mid construction our estimation was accurate and correct. Now let me take you to...

Slide17. (UBC open house message board) the June 9th public meeting where many people made comments to UBC’s slick message boards which were full of inaccuracies. On this board about hazards to birds someone posted a copy of a letter from the bird expert UBC claimed did an environmental assessment, (read it)...

Slide18. (people signing petitions) Our petition is now at twenty four thousand, plus…

Slide19. (GVRD line-of-sight diagram) two thousand, nine hundred and sixty-nine specifially supporting the GVRD Line of Sight.

Slide20. (title slide) Please hold the GVRD Line of Sight by approving Recommendations A and C.

B allows further visibility in areas that have already been violated, possibility impacting the yet untouched areas as well, so please say no to B.

Independent visibility measurements are needed before any building permit is issued. Blimp tests are simple and relatively inexpensive.

Slide21. (full page ad from NY Times) While UBC is forcing an evironmentally damaging design on the students and Pacific Spirit Park, they’re advertising in the New York Times for “Timeless Architecture” for other parts of campus.

Slide22. (BC Business cover and quote) An article in BC business details other successful struggles on campus against high-rises towers, with lower, denser buildings accommodating the same number of residents...

I’ll leave you now with some words of wisdom from Professor Einstein…

Slide23. (photo of Dennis Pavlich from BC Business and Einstein quote) Any intelligent fool can make things bigger and more complex…It takes a touch of genius - and a lot of courage to move in the opposite direction.

Slide24. (end) Hold the GVRD line of sight...etc.

All photos copyright James Loewen except:

photo 7.) Blimp from beach - photo by Bruce McPherson

slide 8.) Composite photo - photo by Bruce McPherson

slide 21.) Ad from NY times, November 7, 2004

slide 23.) Dennis Pavlich from BC Business magazine, June 2005 - photo by Paul Joseph