I’ve said this several times, but perhaps it’s too uncomfortable to register.
First Nations peoples may speak of their stewardship of the environment they have occupied for millennia, of their love and responsibility to that land, of their perspective into the future measured in generations, not fiscal quarters.
Or they can do this:
First Nations peoples may speak of their stewardship of the environment they have occupied for millennia, of their love and responsibility to that land, of their perspective into the future measured in generations, not fiscal quarters.
Or they can do this:
.
.
But not both.
And only a couple feet above sea level too. Just awful and depressing. Plus condos around the corner. I don’t understand why people would buy condos at sea level. Knowing what we know about sea level rise, earthquakes, and tsunamis, these projects seems so unethical.
Being against car-centric shopping malls is one thing, but I don’t think playing the First Nations card against the band needed to be thrown in there, especially on the heels of truth and reconciliation.
I can understand the frustration though. But, at the same time, it’s hard to imagine what other form of retail could be built. It’s hard to create a walkable shopping district like a West 4th or Commercial Drive in the middle of the suburbs. Something like Morgan Crossing is probably the best we can hope for.
Why does the land have to be used for retail? Didn’t they see that MacArthur Glen was coming online at the same time? There is enough land there to grow organic vegetables to supply all the Whole Foods in BC, hell even a high end golf course with protected wetlands is a better outcome. There are many other options for landuse.
You could equally ask the question why all of the single family houses in Vancouver can’t be demolished and the land used for agriculture.
There’s plenty of other land available for highrise housing.
Those would be mighty expensive pumpkin patches. I love my pumpkin pie, but not at any price.
One can also envision high-rise urban hydroponic farms with cheaper ALR land preserved for larger crops and livestock.
Huh? It was already farm land that was taken out of protection. What are you talking about?
I was responding to Guest’s comment three notches above. Converting $1.5 million lots to farmland? …. doesn’t make sense. Preserving existing ALR lands– absolutely!
Because…. money. Sounds like smart money is surrounding Richmond with high-end retail. Oooh, maybe they’ll put in a Nordstrom’s!
Seriously, though, like it or not, sprawling Surrey is the fastest growing muni in the whole area. Some like the car lifestyle, but a lot probably just got priced-out of the more walkable areas of Vancouver once they had kids. So, if everyone is moving there, someone with lots of land will cash in to build retail for them — right now, most of them are driving to Guildford or Metrotown. If you did a poll, I’d bet money that they’d love to have a downtown or West 4th or Main St to push their strollers around and sip coffee. But, it’s not going to happen. Instead, they get malls, some of which are disguised to look like neighbourhoods: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQ8e4PzKgqE
Unfortunately your comment illustrates the downfall of subscribing wholesale to what might be termed “left wing ideology”. IE one is against cars so one must not criticize First Nations decisions.
The fact that as a third tier of government they can ignore regional zoning has everything to do with this monstrosity. You cannot discuss one without the other.
Sure. I understand your point. And, I’m not against criticizing First Nations land use decisions, which I believe you are doing too.
But, I think Gord crossed the line that the rest of us didn’t. Instead of just criticizing the band’s decision to go against regional zoning to put in a mall, he went further and added, essentially, “they’re hypocrites who should be ashamed of themselves because they’re First Nations after all, tsk tsk.”
I think there’s a difference. A big one. But, like I said, I can understand the frustration. I just don’t like where the original post went when making the point. And, I didn’t want to leave that part of it unchallenged.
I can’t speak for Gordon, but I don’t see how it is out of line to point out First Nations are quick to trot out the “stewards of the environment” line when it suits them, yet not above conveniently ditching it when it is in their interests.
I doubt the Tsawwassen were involved in shaping the regional plan. In fact nobody probably asked them much or anything when a lot of land in the area was developed for single-family housing and industrial use. In the future the mall area can be redeveloped.
It is perhaps more hypocritical to blame the Tsawwassen for building a mall, while much of the Lower Mainland is sprawl and malls built by non-FN.
The best explanation I’ve heard is that First Nations, and their leadership, differ as much as much as second, third and other nations: between them, among them and over time. There are nations with terrible planet-ravishing cultures and leadership, and nations that do actually care. There are short-termist power-hungry leaders, and long-term thinkers. There are idiots, and responsible mature people.
Maybe referencing some FNs land-stewardship rhetorical spin is like holding Kyoto-reneging Canada to Kyoto-signing Canada? It’s all just patter and waffle.
Also, those two comparisons are amazing. The image of fat suburban schoolkid gorging on mall fare. The paradox that is Granville Island – both parking lot, and CNU-C hosting walkability.
What a disgusting example of greed and excess.
I would lay that at the feet of the BC Liberal government who brokered this deal.
Now their vision of malls, freeways, anabolic bridges and expanded exports of thermal coal is laid out to contrast with Gordon Campbell’s Carbon Tax, Run of River and Canada Line, all of which were molded to fit the interests of the private sector well ahead of any public interest accountability.
2 more years of surprises yet to come. Can’t believe the damage they are doing in this amount of time. Insane
Gordon, I think you are painting an entire people with one brush.
Kirk brought up the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Perhaps you could post the Commission’s conclusions and recommendations to provide the rather brutal cultural and economic context that leads to decisions to proceed with such projects. An analysis of the opportunities the Tsawwassen have in comparison to the neighbouring Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh, not to mention other First Nations such as the Sarcee in Alberta, would be extremely informative. All five First Nations are deeply involved in land development, but only one was talked into a massive, single-zoned suburban mall based on the discredited planning principles of 50 years ago as part of a deal worked out with Gordon Campbell regarding the Roberts Bank port. The other four are developing, or have recently developed, land in urban areas under mixed use zoning in full partnership with the federal government via the Canada Lands Company in Vancouver and Calgary.
It is no surprise that Tsawwassen Mills arose from: (a) previous lack of supply of developable public land potentially subject to a land claim; (b) an association with the freeway/mall/suburban/industrial/anti-ALR stance of the BC Liberals on this side deal to a much larger conversion of ALR land to industrial uses to support the expansion of the Roberts Bank port; and (c) no significant economic or environmental analysis of the long-term effects of this development on Delta and surrounding communities.
If the Tsawwassen First Nation was located closer to urban centres with urban federal land becoming available, then chances are the supermall wouldn’t have appeared.
i.e. the aboriginal lands around the south end of Burrard Bridge are to be developed with mid-rises and high-rises, but I haven’t heard much about that recently.
You can be assured that land won’t be used for agriculture.
It’s certainly no Southlands http://www.dpz.com/Projects/0720 Let alone Seaside…
Would have been better if there was a green roof and trees in the parking lot.
Kirk — I totally agree with you re FN discussion. The mall is a disappointment, but all nations build malls. I don’t think any nation should be subjected to name calling about this. Disagreement is part of life, hating it serves nobody. The only way to make school yards safe from bullies is to get adults to set an example and stop bullying.