Social housing in Vancouver takes giant strides Over 200 new units in the Woodward’s redevelopment Kristina Mameli news editor ore than 200 affordable apartments were Mie Friday at the newly reinvigorated Woodward’s complex in the Downtown Eastside. The 209 subsidized units are for low- income singles, families and people with disabilities. Of the units, 125 are single-occupancy suites in the nine-storey West Hastings building; 75 are apartments for families in the 32-storey Abbott and build new affordable housing for Canada’s homeless. To aid in costs with this project, the federal government provided just over $20 million- —$15 million under the Canada-British Columbia Affordable Housing Agreement and $5.5 million through the federal Residential Rehabilitation Assistance Program. “The opening of new affordable housing in Woodward’s is a major step towards strengthening and revitalizing the Downtown Eastside,” said Mayor Gregor Robertson in a press release. “The mix of housing at Woodward’s creates a diverse, inclusive community that is crucial to neighbourhood vitality, and will help us achieve our “The opening of new affordable housing in Woodward's is a major step towards strengthening and revitalizing the Downtown Eastside. The mix of housing at Woodward’s creates a diverse, inclusive community that is crucial to neighbourhood vitality, and will help us achieve our goal of ending street homelessness.” — Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson Tower; and nine more units in the 43-storey W Tower are designed for people with disabilities. The PHS Community Services Society, the Affordable Housing Society and the Vancouver Resource Society for the Physically Disabled are responsible for each respectively. The development, which covers a full city block, also includes 206 market condos in the Abbott Tower and 330 in the W Tower. The original seven-storey Woodward’s building, constructed in 1903, houses businesses on the main floor and offices above. The complex houses 130,000 square feet for the SFU School for the Contemporary Arts, an indoor atrium open to the public complete with a mural depicting the 1971 Gastown Riot. In 2008, the Government of Canada committed more than $1.9 billion over five years to improve goal of ending street homelessness.” Increasing affordable housing, reducing homelessness and helping those who cannot help themselves is a key agenda for the Province of British Columbia, which will invest over $562 million in initiatives over the next year. “The affordable housing component at Woodward’s will provide housing options to help people most in need,” said Premier Gordon Campbell in the release. “By working collaboratively, three levels of government came together to restore an important and historic part of the Downtown Eastside community.” The total costs of affordable housing at the redevelopment are somewhere in the neighbourhood of $49.5 million. Vancouver transit system to receive new payment system? By Tanya Colledge, Staff Reporter new smart card for public transit may be At works for TransLink, as they have ounced that markers of Hong Kong’s Octopus card and London’s Oyster card are on their short list to set up similar smart cards and turnstiles to control payment and access to the transit system in Vancouver. In addition to the cards, some form of turnstiles or electronic fare gates would need to be installed at all SkyTrain and SeaBus stations, ending unrestricted access to the rapid transit system. It is estimated that 5.6 per cent of SkyTrain passengers do not pay to ride, a deprivation of an estimated $6 million dollars a year to the system. According to Ian Jarvis, CEO of TransLink, the new fare gates would help to address the public’s long- standing concern with fare evasion on SkyTrain and promote a greater sense of security for all riders. 4 However, many critics say that these new turnstiles would cost more money to install than the money that would be saved by their existence. The existing Expo Line for example, will require major renovations in order to accommodate turnstiles. The new card system would however, offer many conveniences to riders such as the elimination of the current three-zone system. Passengers might also be able to take advantage of deep discounts offered at off-peak times, very cheap fares to travel short distances and automatic refunds when travel times exceed standards. TransLink says if this new system is adopted, there is no likelihood that they will get rid of the current cash payment system for those who choose to purchase their fare that way, instead of using a pass. The company expects to sign a contract by the end of the year with one of the three firms shortlisted for the project and would be in place by 2013 at a cost of $171 million. Douglas College Wrap-Up By Kristina Mameli Douglas begins construction on an Aboriginal Gathering Place Construction of an Aboriginal Gathering Place has begun on the New Westminster Campus on the roof deck of the 4" floor near Student Services. Slated for completion by September _ 2010, according to the President’s April report, the 2000 square foot rooftop structure will act as a meeting area for Douglas’ Aboriginal community. The space will be used for everything from study/classroom space, to a place for meetings and gatherings for cultural ceremonies and celebrations. Grinding it out for Uganda The Community Social Service Worker Program challenges Douglas staff and students to take on the Grouse Grind in support of the Uganda Project on Saturday June 19 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. “Anyone and everyone is welcome to join us to help send Douglas students to Uganda to complete their social service training,’ CSSW instructor Lawrence Becker told InsideDouglas.com. “We’re also raising funds to support an endowment fund for education, social service and health programs, including one that helps send teenage girls to school in the region.” Contact Lawrence Becker for more information and pledge forms at beckerl@ douglas.bc.ca Student Ambassadors present cheque to DCF Student Ambassadors presented a cheque to the Douglas College Foundation late last week for $3,470. The money, which will go towards supporting students in need of financial aid, was raised through selling posters at both the New Westminster and David Lam Campuses last semester.