The question is simple, but the answers are likely to be complex: What is your vision for the future of Vancouver?
An NFL team? A new Interstate 5 bridge? A brewpub on every corner? Those range from absurdly Pollyannaish to wishful thinking, but they reflect the kind of thinking residents should be engaging in about our Vancouver.
That is the crux of a proposal from A Stronger Vancouver, which recently provided the impetus for outreach efforts from city officials. From focus groups to open houses to tables at local events to an online survey, city staff members have been picking the brains of residents over the past several months.
About 2,200 people have responded, providing valuable input that will help guide policy decisions. Of course, in a city of more than 180,000 people, that represents a small fraction of the populace. While there is no easy way to survey a wide swath of residents (heck, few people even bother to vote these days), we encourage officials to continue their efforts. And we encourage citizens to make their opinions heard; it is, after all, your city.
The online survey related to A Stronger Vancouver has closed, but the city still welcomes ideas and questions while providing information about the proposal. Meanwhile, the city’s website always is open with information about various projects that impact our quality of life.
That brings us back to A Stronger Vancouver. Developed over two years, the proposal is a comprehensive vision for the future of the city. Including about 60 items, it touches on a wide variety of issues, ranging from bicycle safety to assistance for homeless people. Preliminary results from the public input were recently delivered to the city council.
“The No. 1 topic overall was homelessness,” said Carol Bua, the city’s communications director. “Everywhere we went, people talked about homelessness.”
This is understandable, with homelessness being a long-standing and growing issue. Two facets of the Stronger Vancouver proposal deal with homelessness — an assistance resource team, plus new day centers and overnight shelters.
Vancouver has made strides in addressing homelessness, with voters approving a low-income housing levy in 2016. But the issue continues to demand attention, a fact that has been recognized by those who provided input to the city. Bua said the portions relating to homelessness were the most popular parts of the Stronger Vancouver proposal.
Also noteworthy is concern about Vancouver becoming an urban center rather than a small city. Bua told the council, “Everybody said, ‘I love the small-town feel here.’ And they’re worried about pushing up the cost of living and making it unaffordable for them.” Those are valid concerns that speak to the very zeitgeist of a city. Vancouver undoubtedly will continue to grow, a fact that emphasizes the need to preserve and strengthen neighborhoods in an effort to retain the city’s culture.
All of this can be complex, and will require continued input from residents. And we have not even gotten to the cost of the A Stronger Vancouver proposal — an estimated $30.1 million in additional city revenue each year. Framers have recommended dividing the cost between an increase to property taxes, beefed-up businesses taxes, and jumps in other taxes and fees.
Creating the city we desire will be expensive, but officials cannot provide effective leadership without a wish list from residents. So go ahead, tell them what you think. Even if your vision for Vancouver includes an NFL team.
