Mount Pleasant ... on the Rize

COME TO CITY HALL STARTING ON FEBRUARY 27TH AT 7:30. (Please note that it is 7:30 and not 7:00.

SIGN UP TO SPEAK AND THE RESIDENTS ASSOCIATION OF MOUNT PLEASANT (RAMP) WILL TWITTER, EMAIL, AND WEB POST THE SPEAKER ORDER AND CURRENT NUMBER SPEAKING. YOU NEED ONLY SHOW UP FOR A MAXIMUM OF A HALF HOUR ON ONE OF THE MANY EXPECTED NIGHTS OF HEARINGS. EVEN IF YOU HAVE OTHER COMMITMENTS, RAMP WILL HELP TO FIT YOU IN WHEN YOU CAN BE THERE.

This has been a case study in how NOT to build a sustainable, let alone efficient, city. Check out this neighbourhood-busting urban redevelopment project that has been panned by the community ever since it was first floated over two years ago. And float it must, on an oil slick of energy profligacy and a thick layer of grease...as in from greasing many palms. The tax assessors, City Councillors, and developers will not let this one die. Every effort was made to shoehorn this skyscraping monstrosity--between three and seven times higher than it should be by code and bylaw--into a low-rise heritage neighbourhood.

The shoe don't fit, and Cinderella you ain't.

But the community is rizing up to test just how bought our political leaders are, to see just how serious they really are about housing affordability, let alone neighbourhood development, small business protection, support for the arts, and any other aspect of motherhood and apple pie to which they seem so dedicated.

This is one building that speaks to none of this, let alone the greenwashing that is an epidemic in Vancouver. This building just might try to secure a LEED Silver rating, but even this is not looking good! Passivhaus, Living Building, Architecture2030, ZED, carbon-neutral, ANYONE? Not here.

Vancouver appears now to just mint multi-million dollar glass, concrete, and steel condos for speculators.

Until.,,,until the early 70s come roaring back to take the wind--or is that just hot air--our of our sails.

Anyway, COME TO VANCOUVER CITY HALL on Monday, February 27th at 7:30 speak your piece. It'll take a LOT of dynamite to get rid of this profligate beast, so let's not start. Come enjoy the fun. With over a week to go, we have over 70 speakers signed up already.

Check out @RAMPVancouver to get updates on Twitter or go to http://www.rampvancouver.com !