There goes the neighbourhood.
That phrase used to drip with racist overtones. On the North Shore, however, “There goes the neighbourhood” usually means: “there goes my parking spot and my view.”
From Marine Drive to Upper Lonsdale to Lynn Valley, the future of our neighbourhoods is up for debate.
With decent housing found rarely and sold dearly, councils often turn to developers who promise their projects will help push slumping vacancy rates to the left side of the decimal point. And as their towers rise, our governments struggle to manufacture affordable housing amidst
rocketing property values without sapping the quality of life from established residents or stealing needed industrial land.
Mayors and councillors are accused of only listening to developers. And when developments are pitched – by the old Harry Jerome site, along Marine Drive in West Vancouver, or at Emery Village – council will listen to the developers.
But the wonder of our democracy is that council is forced to listen to just about anyone who wants to talk.
Council meetings can resemble an endless slog whose participants speak in incomprehensible bureaucratese. But it’s at the end of that slog that the future will be decided.
The next municipal election is a year away. In the meantime, if you want to exercise democracy, you’ll have to do it in council chambers. Democracy doesn’t mean you’ll get what you want, but it does mean you can ask for it.
As councils resume Monday, we encourage residents to get informed and attend, to show up in droves so big that an onlooker might remark: “There goes the neighbourhood.”
What are your thoughts? Send us a letter via email by clicking here or post a comment below.
