January 20, 2010: neighbourhood office tomorrow, pub night date change, local government reform, Empire Field

Neighbourhood Office Tomorrow 

WHAT: COPE Traveling Neighbourhood Office

COPE representatives will be there to hear about neighbourhood priorities and ask residents “what does local democracy look like to you?”. 



WHEN: Jan 21 from 3-5pm



WHERE: Laughing Bean Café at 2695 East Hastings St



This is a great location for parents picking up kids from any of the nearby schools and a chance to talk to COPE's school trustees Jane Bouey and Al Blakey. 

This neighbourhood is the third of the 14 ward neighbourhoods (as recommended in the 2003 electoral reform commission) COPE will be visiting to ask residents what form of voting or other civic engagement would best represent their communities.

Submission to Electoral Reform Commission

This Thursday, Councillor Woodsworth will be bringing a motion to council requesting that the City make a formal submission to the Local Government Elections Task Force with regard to campaign finance reform and electoral reform. To speak to the motion, email mayorandcouncil@vancouver.ca.

The motion is available HERE. 

Pub Night -- date change to Feb 10
Our monthly pub night is happening again – this time, on Wednesday, February 10 from 8pm onward at Original Joe’s (2525 Cambie St). See you there!

Empire Field

COPE park board commissioner Loretta Woodcock presented an emergency motion at the January 18 park board meeting, requesting that the City of Vancouver, the PNE and PAVCO provide full support and resources to locate and upgrade, if needed, alternative facilities to support displaced amateur sports groups while the temporary stadium at Empire Bowl closes Empire Field for public use. A few days ago Councilor Louie's motion was released as part of the council package, indicating that the City will be looking at endorsing the development of a temporary stadium at Empire Bowl by PAVCO and the PNE for use during 2010 and 2011 while BC Place is being renovated.

According to Park Commissioner Woodcock, "the surrounding community and amateur sports groups across the city voiced their disappointment that there was no public consultation prior to the agreement being made, and they expressed concern in finding alternative field space.  I am asking the City of Vancouver along with Empire Bowl partners the PNE and PAVCO to provide full support and resources to assist park board staff to locate, and if necessary, upgrade alternative facilities to accomodate displaced amateur sports groups."

A number of local and city-wide amateur sports teams that use Empire Bowl will be displaced, including MoreSports, Vancouver Youth Soccer Association, Vancouver Metro Men's and Women's Soccer Leagues, Old timer's Soccer League, Crosstown and Vancouver Advertising Slo Pitch, Citywide Sports Softball, and others.

The Park Commissioners -- and the COPE City Councillors -- learned of the decision on Empire Stadium via a public news release. 

Commissioner Woodcock's motion passed unanimously. 

Free Speech Series: Open Source Policy

COPE will be co-hosting a series of policy discussions over the next several months. Some of the ideas generated at these events will be brought to COPE’s policy conference, but all wlll be posted online and disseminated widely for anyone interested in municipal policy to use.
The first of this series is co-hosted with Matt Hearn and will address food sovereignty. Details are below.

SUNDAY, JANUARY 31st, 1:00 pm
The Purple Thistle Centre
(975 Vernon Dr. – at Parker)
A great city has to be an ecological city.
What should urban agriculture look like here? What does ‘food security’ really mean?
Can a real city feed itself – should it even try? Does ‘greening’ the city undermine its social vitality?
-with-
David Tracey, Conrad Schmidt, Cease Wyss and Matt Hern
Co-Sponsored by COPE’s Free Speech Series: Open Source Policy

RSVP Required: matt@mightymatthern.com