Dear Mayor and Council:

2 pm on Wednesday, October 21, you will be considering the removal of the Georgia and
Dunsmuir Viaducts. The public is invited to address council.
For the past decade, I have spoke at such meetings, representing the hopes, aspirations and
experience of False Creek residents. Since the election of the majority ruling party on council, I
have become increasingly aware that decisions are made in advance, behind closed doors, and
that input from the public is nothing but a pro forma adherence to the Vancouver Charter.
Removing the viaducts is a done deal. The density to be allocated to Concord Pacific has been
negotiated. The CACs from Concord have been negotiated. Approving viaduct removal without
knowing the negotiated density is a classic case of buying a pig in a poke.
This public consultation is nothing but a discussion of what colour of lipstick to put on the pig.
Remember that a 9.06 acre park was agreed to by all parties, along with a total density of 7,500
units. There are now over 11,000 units. How many more units will be part of this new deal? We
dont know.
In previous plans, additional land under the viaducts, all owned by the City, was to be allocated
to youth recreation, e.g. BMX bikes, climbing walls, skateparks. Staff now claim that the new
park will be 13 acres. In reality there is no new park land; just a different shade of lipstick to
justify the increased density for Concord Pacific.
To be fair, Concord Pacific has alway been very transparent in their objections to the density in
the Official Development Plan. Years ago, Councillor Meggs invited the FCRA to the offices of
Concords architects, to review the Henriques plan for park and more towers. They have been
asking for more from the outset. And now they have it. How much more? We dont know.
For decades to come, my neighbours and I will be living amongst the rubble of destruction and
the chaos of construction - both of the viaducts and the many promised Concord towers. Of
course, there will also be the pollution of a 8 lane highway to handle the 60,000+ vehicle trips
per day. This is of no concern to the majority party on City Council. Proponents talk of city
building. But building a city is more than bricks and mortar and new roadways. It is about
building community - building relationships - nurturing local civil society. Not in this plan!
So Wednesday, at 2 pm, I will be writing letters for Amnesty International, drafting petitions to
end forced childhood marriages, sexual slavery, and female genital mutilation. In my decade of
experience as an engaged citizen of Vancouver, this international action is more likely to have a
positive impact with ISIS and the Taliban than any attempt to change the decision to remove the
viaducts.
Yours truly,
Fern Jeffries