I
t’s a new year and time for resolutions. At the Richmond News, we’ve decided to make a few ourselves. In the spirit of recycling, we again resolve to foster conversations and bring Richmond readers the news that impacts them on a very real, material level.
More specifically, we resolve to drill down on what we saw as two key issues that emerged throughout the recent municipal election: development and accountability.
While they can be said in a word, each encapsulates a host of other issues — be they sign bylaws, affordable housing or the environment.
On the first point, because of how development has occurred in this community, we are now home to some lovely condo, well-supported community centres, excellent seniors programs, minimal rental units, prohibitively high housing prices and cultural discord — there are always two sides to a boom.
In the next year, we at the News resolve to connect the dots, point out the ways in which each micro decision (decisions such as allowing developers to pay cash in lieu of building a minimum number of affordable units) has macro implications.
We also intend to show how decisions to insist on development fees have resulted in some real jewels — the new Railway corridor, for example.
The point is, for every action there is a reaction, and that’s where the accountability comes in. While we celebrate the opening of the new museum at the Oval, a designer mall at YVR or even the construction of Storeys (an apartment complex for subsidized residents) we will make note there is no such opening for a new homeless shelter or housing co-op for lower, middle-income earners.
In other words, there is nothing inevitable about the growth of a city. Rather, it grows one small decision at a time, ultimately resulting in massive change.
Our resolution for 2015 is to help show the links.
