An urban farm in Detroit

In Vancouver, and in cities around the world, a concerted effort to reclaim the local from the global is underway in communities. Many of these communities once relied heavily on ‘the global’ to create jobs and to bring investment. Now, like in Detroit and other US Midwestern cities, abandoned spaces are being slowly reclaimed in the wake of fleeing capital, turned green largely out of necessity but also out of opportunity.  But this post is about why Vancouver is becoming an exception to the rule, and what implications it may have for urban farming in other cities that aren’t in decline or full blown crisis, yet.

There are a number of things that make Vancouver very different from Detroit, Milwaukee or Havana, but the two most striking differences are persistent high property value coupled with increasing high density development.

Metro Vancouver still experiences high property value thanks to a strong  housing market and scarcity of land. As for Density, the City has identified it as a key pillar in its sustainability and planning goals, meaning competing uses of land which could otherwise be farmed on including Laneway housing and more high-rises or medium-rise buildings in the urban environment. Highrises in particular not only require land but they also block sunlight, essential for food production. The city’s view corridor policy ensures that long shadows aren’t cast on major shopping streets like Granville, at least during a considerable portion of daytime shopping hours , but with more highrises on the way more shadows will inevitably follow in the urban environment, but this isn’t the really pressing issue. The primary use of remaining lands for real estate development (like North East False Creek) is however. When considering land use options, the use with the highest economic return (and least public outcry or negative impact to communities) is usually what gets approved. This means that urban farmers are left with few other options but backyards or brownfields when competing against development in Vancouver; unless they want to plant their crops in Richmond of course…

Kwantlen Polytechnic University has graduated a number of enthusiastic and smart students from their Farm School who have gone on to take advantage of the farm incubator program offered through the University. With land available in Richmond, private owners have also welcomed these farm graduates onto their properties. But there’s hope that Vancouver proper can also welcome the coming crop of graduates too.

A group of 50 urban farmers and food security advocates meeting Nov 22nd, sponsored in part by Little Nest, Building Opportunities with Business and the City's Food Policy Council

Despite the inherent land use challenges Vancouver faces, similar to all major global cities, the City has been a strong ally for urban farmers and food security advocates. The Vancouver Food Policy Council was created in 2004 and it continues to support a number of initiatives within the broader food system of the City (and region), including an urban farm network which appears to be forming here. This network aims to build capacity through identifying collectively shared challenges and opportunities for urban farmers and help the City to identify trends in UF as well as develop sustainability indicators (economic, social and environmental) to help gaugue progress or challenges within this nascent but quickly emerging sector.

A working group session Jan 30th at the Mt. Pleasant Community Centre to further solidify the collective aims and purposes of an urban farm network in the city. Facilitated by Vince Verlaan of HP Lanarc it was also a delicious potluck

BOB has been working with a local urban farmer and soil science instructor at Richmond Farm School, Chris Thoreau, to convene and facilitate the stakeholders of this network which include 19 urban farms that vary in size and approach (from CSA models like Backyard Bounty to more intensive SOLEfood Inner-City Farm or Farmers on 57th) as well as experts from local universities and the private sector. The initiative has been funded with support from the Real Estate Foundation of BC as well as the Organic Sector Development Program and is poised to receive further support from other organizations as it continues to moves forward.

But despite Vancouver’s current Mayor and Council gunning for this city to be the greenest in the world by 2020, the developmental patterns inherent within modern cities in a state of growth present a challenge to urban farming- no matter how friendly the policy environment.  Farmland within other global cities, particularly ones poised for growth are under persistent threat from real estate development among other things.

There’s a reason why Detroit is poised to  become an urban farming Mecca…it has few economic choices, people in need of food and a lot of  abandoned land available.  Havana Cuba provides another example of a city embracing urban farming as subsidies and crucial trade patterns with Russia were suddenly disrupted and in a matter of weeks the whole city (and country) needed to grow its own food again. Both of these cases were in response to crisis, both economic in nature.

Dr. David Harvey of City University New York succinctly summarizes the ongoing crisis inherent within capitalism that has led to the recent global economic meltdown affecting local economies in thousands of cities and towns around the planet. Click that link to see his 10 minute RSA video,  it’s some food for thought. (no pun intended)

What an increasing number of urban farmers have said in Vancouver, is that cities don’t need to wait for economic collapse or a major crisis before urban farming should become an active part of the local economy and contribute to a more resilient food system.  It can be a robust vehicle for community economic development unto itself within a globally competitive city, and it should be. The more poignant question one could follow with is whether community economic development and global economic development are in fact complimentary or at odds with one another? Looking at the recent trends in income disparity, the wealth gap, and the effect on urban environments around the world, this is appearing to be an increasingly important question.  At the community economic development level a lot of the jobs we may see emerging will be ones dedicated to picking up the pieces (literally and figuratively) of our communities that fell prey to the global economic trends, and replanting the seeds of community building (once again literally and figuratively).

Growing food in an urban environment is nothing new, it has been done for thousands of years in towns and cities, in fact it was crucial to the formation of cities in the first place. The rise of industrialization and the profound effects it had on the urban experience began to push food production out of cities just a couple of hundred years ago, to the periphery or rural outreaches where it too became radically rearranged or reinvented by those same forces of industrialization.  Over the past 40 years the cities of North America and Europe transitioned away from industrial manufacturing to services (secondary to tertiary or quaternary employment sectors) and the old industrial lands either languished, in need of remediation, or were reborn as condo lofts and retrofitted warehouse offices (Yaletown for example). Those industrial lands that haven’t been scooped up by development present some of the best locations for economically viable urban farming-meaning a large enough parcel and close to markets. But cities, including Vancouver, have to weigh the value of urban farms vs the value of development in the urban environment. Both have benefits and both provide challenges, only one has a strong lobbying voice and billions of dollars behind it at this point.

Nov 22 Meeting Summary and Project Intro – 20 Dec Version (First group meeting involving 50+ farmers and food security advocates last November that has led to the exploration of this urban farm network in Vancouver)

Urban farms are not only providing food, but environmental services ranging from carbon sinks (urban farming rarely requires industrial heavy machinery and is in close proximity to markets, so the sink potential is not offset) to cross pollination to reduction of noise pollution. Not only do urban farms provide food, but they provide jobs, including jobs to residents with barriers to employment and have great potential to create economic spinoff opportunities through the need for distribution, processing, packaging, storage, marketing and other services. These keep wealth in the community, a key pillar of CED, rather than send it spiraling upwards into the coffers of private banks and hedge funds.

As good as all this is, unless the real estate market cools here, urban farming in Vancouver is going to likely see continued land use challenges mostly from the competition of development (in particular luxury condo development in what little space the city has left and mega-houses on ALR land) which is inextricably linked to the global real estate market and other processes of globalization. Some economists believe the city’s real estate market is primed for a major correction (“but they’ve been saying that for years!” You cry) but until that happens backyard CSAs may constitute the path of least resistance -provided they can transport their soil and crops if tenure becomes threatened. Could they ever reach economies of scale collectively and contribute to the resilience of our regional food system though? This could be debated, and is.

For Vancouver this is an interesting dilemma, and if dealt with right could be an even more interesting case study. The City wants communities to have access to local food, which has low margins of profit in many cases and needs economies of scale or high margin products to be economically sustainable. But the City also benefits from its property tax base so it can’t just turn its back on development. While the attractiveness of land to developers and investors creates high property value, making large scale farms difficult  due to land costs incurred. Not to mention that urban farming is still in contravention of Vancouver City bylaws, which means if there is a land use complaint from a resident, urban farming will inevitably come out on the losing side.

So farms need economies of scale to be economically viable but no policy exists to protect them, meaning investment or financing in large scale projects on private land, let alone brownfields, is once again made more difficult. Conversely, high end products that increase the production value per square foot are attractive from a business point of view for urban farmers, but they don’t contribute substantially to the resilience of the local food system- one of the chief reasons the City supports increased urban farming in the first place. Often times the most profitable types of urban produce are sprouts or high-end salad greens, not necessarily your staples of food security and these rely on a high-end customer base that can purchase these items (farmers markets, restaurants and in some cases hotels) because the urban farmers also need to pay rent or mortgage in one of the the least affordable cities in the world. But if Vancouver can do it, if it can continue in its pattern of dense urban development while increasing the sustainability and economic viability of urban farming, it could very well make heads turn once again and provide a model that other cities could build on in the future.

The Vancouver situation presents a unique, but what is probably going to be an increasingly common, set of circumstances. A city wants to attract foreign direct investment and develop land which in turn adds to the City coffers through taxation. As local governments are increasingly seeing responsibilities and costs devolved to them but not the matching funds from the Provinces or Ottawa to deal with increased responsibilities this is one of the best sources of revenue, at least for Canadian cities. The city then experiences high land costs fueled by a speculative real estate market that looks to develop unused or under-used land in this place which aspires to be a global city. The city also has a local government that is aware of food security issues but also supports densification of the urban environment at the same time, as smart growth and new urbanism continue to gain in popularity within the planning industry. This means that more than ever, urban farmers in cities like Vancouver (meaning growing cities that are still attracting capital, investment and Richard Florida’s Creative Class) need to work together to ensure that they have a voice that can speak to power, so that positive sum scenarios can be produced moving forward. Vancouver can once again be a leading model of planning, design and implementation if it can find the way to do this.

Members of the emergin urban farm network in Vancouver enjoy a Q&A session with Will Allen of Growing Power, January 2011

Sharing resources and skills, identifying policy gaps, developing mentorship programs, professional development, community engagement, food education, soil propegation, marketing and communications, collectively managed projects, these are the kinds of things many urban farmers and those who support them have been looking at in Vancouver’s emerging Urban Farming Network. As long as this city remains an attractive place to invest and live, urban farming will need to be resourceful, creative and well managed in order to be sustainable. This attention to entrepreneurial resourcefulness received a big boost of energy with the recent talks given by Will Allen, CEO of Growing Power USA, who spoke to urban farmers and policy makers at several venues throughout Vancouver this January.

The entrepreneurial spirit and the creativity is here among those practicing urban farming in Metro Vancouver. What remains to be seen is whether Vancouver can enable urban farming to reach those scales of production needed for economic sustainability and a real impact in the resilience of our regional food system when densification through real estate development is such a key pillar of its sustainable development goals. I have faith the City can do this, but no illusions that it’s going to be easy. Having an urban farm network to engage the city on policy and land use issues, and to work with communities to ensure farming is welcomed as an asset to urban spaces and those who live in them is definitley a good step in that process.

The event will be taking place on Wednesday, February 23, 2011 from 2:30pm – 4:30pm at the Vancouver Japanese Language School Hall (475 Alexander Street).

The event will give participants a chance to:

• Network with like-minded people;
• Hear BOB’s CEO Shirley Chan give examples of how businesses can help create a better society;
• See a presentation by Dr. Jim Frankish (Centre for Population Health Promotion Research at the University of British Columbia) on research findings related to the 2010 Olympics and the private sector; and
• Brainstorm together to identify other ways that businesses can help create a better society.

Small- to medium-sized business owners and managers may be particularly interested in this event. The event, however, is open to anyone who is interested in the topic of how businesses can help create a better society.

The goal of the forum is to encourage participants to learn, share, and network.

An educational, interactive video on how businesses can help create a better society will be produced from this event. Only notes will be recorded; no video cameras will be used.

To register for this free event, or for more information, please see:

http://blogs.ubc.ca/frankish/business-forum/

Former owner Al DesLauriers had several offers for the building in the 1990s from prospective condo developers who were drooling over the site. He turned them down, stating that he would rather give up his business for free to someone who wanted to maintain the butchery.

Rumours have been swirling since last year that Save-On Meats was being bought by restaurateur Mark Brand. Brand has ample experience in the business, having opened Boneta, The Diamond, and Sea Monstr Sushi in Gastown.

In a report published by the City of Vancouver last week, it became official: early in 2011, the doors of Save-On Meats will open once again, under Brand’s ownership.

Many organizations came together to make this happen.

Our former Business and Social Enterprise Developer, Brian Smith, helped BOB partner with Vancity to provide a $500,000 loan to Brand for this project. As well, the City of Vancouver supplied a grant of $35,000 through the Greenest City Neighbourhood Grants program to catalyze the re-opening. The façade of the building will be upgraded under the Hastings Street Renaissance Project.

Another partnership that was integral was the one with Downtown Eastside Neighbourhood House. Part of their Kitchen Tables project is to widely introduce their food philosophy in the neighbourhood. The Neighbourhood House’s food philosophy states that no one should be without access to healthy and natural foods. Food is one of the basic human rights, and nutrition can play a big role in physical and mental wellbeing.

This is where Brand hopes Save-On Meats will come in.

The building is three stories tall; each floor will have a different function.

The first floor will include a walk-in meat counter and café open to the public, as it had been since 1957.

The second floor will feature a commissary, a centralized food-making facility that will supply Brand’s restaurants. Those who work in this communal kitchen will be local residents trained through a program at Potluck Café and Catering, conveniently located across the street.

The third floor would be the operating area for the Downtown Eastside food incubator, which would encourage entrepreneurs in the neighbourhood to build upon their ideas. Incubators such as this one help small businesses sustain themselves.

The words “SAVE OUR CITY” have been painted across the boarded up storefront at Save-On Meats. Interpret it how you will, but this could be the start of a new era for Hastings Street. Once a vibrant retail area that catered to everyone regardless of income level, Save-On Meats could be the very spark to reignite the flame.

In smaller letters underneath the graffiti reads ‘Work in Progress’. It is pretty safe to say that Brand, the citizens of Vancouver, and especially DesLauriers are happy with the direction in which that progress is heading.

Ada from BOB (right) asks Chris (left), a BOB client, about his work with Recycling Alternative

To read more, please see the newsletter in full:

December Employment Newsletter

Other items featured this month include:

• Event Listings
• Job Postings

Mark began his exploration of commerce and culture as an Imagineer with Disney, developing new theme park experiences. Later, he was the Director of User Research at ECCO Design in New York leading new product development for Fortune 500 clients.

He has a BS in Engineering and an MS in Engineering Management, both from Stanford University. He was a Mayfield Entrepreneurship Fellow and has served on the Vancouver City Planning Commission. He also currently serves on the board of the Vancouver Contemporary Art Gallery.

The entire team at BOB would like to extend a very warm welcome to Mark and look forward to seeing his creativity, insight  and experience at work here in the  community!

At the first meeting of the group, there were six identified priority areas for which the group agreed to establish sub-committees.  Each sub-committee’s first objective was to prepare a short document on the priority area for the next meeting on July 14th. This draft document is to outline the main opportunity in the specific area, along with 3-5 actions that could lead to green job growth. The Working Group will then research these recommendations and incorporate them into a draft implementation plan for the Greenest City initiative, which will be open for further comment by the entire External Advisory Committee.

The sub-committee that Brian has proposed and is interested in helping to steer concerns Community Economic Development.  This applies directly to the inner-city and people who have barriers to employment, but has positive implications in other neighbourhoods too.

In Brian’s words:

…CED is applicable across the City and, in turn, could benefit a variety of neighbourhoods, small businesses, social enterprises, co-ops and people. Given the City’s apparent commitment to the Greenest City initiative, I feel there is a good opportunity to advance some CED in Vancouver.  BUT, I need your help! So, please reply to BOB with your respective interest and time availability in helping to shape a CED strategy that can be included in the Greenest City Implementation Plan.

Cheers,

Brian

Please read Brian’s overview of the CED Sub-committee below:

Community Economic Development (CED) for the Greenest City

CED is a holistic approach to economic development involving the mobilization of resources from various economic and non-economic sectors in the community with the intention of building local capacity and local solutions.  It is particularly relevant to the world’s greenest city as it uses local resources, which generally are lower in carbon intensity, to find local and more sustainable solutions to local problems.  Integrating CED into the green economy strategies for Vancouver’s Greenest City ambitions compliments the more traditional macro-economic development strategies by integrating localized approaches with broader global outreach strategies. The benefits of a CED approach include:  local employment, local investment, increased local capacity and commitment, local spending in the local economy, and appropriate sustainable solutions to local challenges.

Goal: Foster green business development and associated job creation for Vancouver’s marginalized inner-city residents

Action 1: Apply a CED Lens to all programs and policies of the City, where each department, program, grant, expenditure from parks and social development to legal services and planning would eventually be able to articulate the social, economic and environmental impact of their work/business/purchasing.

Action 1a: Establish a City of Vancouver funded Community Economic Development Commission that would:

• work internally applying the CED Lens and externally facilitating CED on the ground;
• develop and implement procurement policy that directly benefits co-operatives, social enterprises and small businesses that are committed to hiring people with barriers to employment; and,
• educate community (NGOs, workers, and businesses) about realistic opportunities for green job and green business development

Action 1b: Institutionalize – as part of any development permit process, require  a Community Benefits Agreements (CBAs) as a necessary component of all new developments (for local jobs, procurement, and/or training).

Action 2: Establish a green zone (may need an incentive attached) in the DTES for piloting green enterprise development projects.

Action 2a: Develop employment agreements with incentives for medium to large size green businesses to hire people with barriers to employment.

Action 2b: Establish and administer a green CED fund to facilitate green employment or business development projects in the inner-city;

Action 2c: By way of an immediate pilot project, establish, through the allocation of City-owned land, an Urban Farm Network that trains and hires people with barriers to employment

Action 3: Develop and direct education and training in green collar vocations to people with barriers to employment.

Please comment below or contact Brian directly at brian.smith@bobics.org to share your thoughts and ideas.

The increasing divide between rich and poor is more than a challenge or opportunity, it is a problem. Perhaps for those on the more comfortable side of the equation it’s a challenge or opportunity, but for the growing bottom percentage? Access to clean potable water in developing nations is more than a challenge, and for those struggling to find it it’s a problem far more than an opportunity. The myriad environmental, social and economic disruptions we’ve created from years of exponential production and consumption are more than just an opportunity or challenge, collectively they have become a problem of global scale.

The reason why it’s important to acknowledge that there are problems is because it creates the urgency to recognize problem solvers. Without problems how can we even have problem solvers? Challenges and opportunities are indicative of competitive language, the kind born out of free market ideologies. They denote opportunism, and that’s fine. We need opportunists to capitalize on the wealth of opportunities in the fast emerging green economy, but to Jones it goes deeper than this.  In the Green Collar Economy the challenges and opportunities that will help to create equitable wealth come from solving these environmental and social problems. It’s more than opportunities within an emerging economy, it’s about the health of human society and the living planet we depend on. Because of this, the people who are most in need of problem solving  naturally become crucial problem solvers themselves:

“We cannot afford that kind of moral shortfall. To solve our global problems, we need to engage and unleash the genius of all people, at all levels of society. Some of the minds that can solve our toughest problems are undoubtedly trapped behind prison bars, stuck behind desks in schools without decent books, or isolated in rural communities. A green economy that is designed to pull them in—as skilled laborers, innovators, inventors, and owners—will be more dynamic, more robust, and better able to save the Earth.”

Van’s book and his theories on job creation and environmentalism ring particularly true right here in Vancouver, which is simultaneously facing the challenges of rejuvenating the ‘poorest postal code in Canada‘ and  becoming the greenest city in the world.

Elastomeric coatings being painted onto a roof. Basic jobs doing straighrforward things can have a powerful effect in greening society

One of the crucial points Van makes is that this Green economy should not just be embodied by the health conscientious crowd who drive hybrids, eat organic specialty foods or buy fair trade coffee.  It’s a paradigm shift where members of society at all levels have an important role to play as laborers, planners, community leaders, investors and innovators. This perceived eco-elitism can be replaced with what he terms eco-populism, whereby those who would otherwise view being green as expensive and detached from their lives can find green options more accessible. I would say the same for those who view the green economy predominantly as emerging technologies, renewable energy and other higher-order activities. This is also part of it yes, but let’s not let the large venture capital numbers eclipse the large transformative power of communities in action.

Environmentalism here in Vancouver has demonstrated elitism as it has everywhere. Looking at it as technologies and capital investment is only a fraction of this paradigm shift. Focusing on eco-chic products, organic free range specialty foods, and other consumer goods is also only a fraction, and some argue it is the more shallow fraction at that. A rethink of how we interact within and create society, including a fundamental rethink of the shapes, sizes and flow of cities is another fraction. The deconstruction and reconstruction of urban space, repurposing of materials, waste diversion, on-site energy creation, increasing of urban agriculture and a complete re-adjustment from the old industrial paradigm to a far more equitable and community-centric paradigm will take more than Soy Lattes and Hybrid cars, no slight to either. And it will take more than investment in higher order R&D as important as this is. This change is already happening here in Vancouver, along with groundbreaking technological R&D and delicious organic fair trade Lattes we’ve become renowned for.

Seann Dory of United We Can directs a SOLEfood Urban Farm information session

Referring back to the list of recipients from BOB’s Consultant Fees Program we can see Jones’ paradigm shift taking form here in Vancouver’s inner-city. Two visions, one of a rejuvenated inner-city that historically has struggled with many social and environmental challenges, and one of Vancouver becoming the Greenest city in the world seem to be coalescing; where an experience of community economic development in which grassroots innovation and sweat equity are translating into problem solving is unfolding. This kind of problem solving creates opportunities and builds community capacity through and for an increasingly engaged population. If we can continue to do this here and continue to do this collectively, in other cities and towns around the planet, then we’ve created the global shift that Jones envisions. Like that old saying, “death by a thousand cuts”, the old paradigm is cast away from our disparate but collective movement. But how can we recognize and actualize a movement that is inclusive and simultaneously comprehensive? Societal relationships are complex and tense; particularly the relationships between those with seemingly little power and those with seemingly unimaginable power. Jones proposes that we recognize collective ideals that are clear and simple, yet able to bridge the complexities between diverse stakeholders, and appeal broadly.

Movements need principles. History teaches us that it is impossible to guide a complex series of deep changes without grounding efforts in unchanging ideals. Strategies can be complex, but goals and ideas should be clear. Bearing this in mind Jones puts forth 3 principles:

1. Equal Protection for All.

2. Equal Opportunity for All.

3. Reverence for All Creation.

These principles can appeal to free market enthusiasts eager for opportunistic reward, to problem solvers in inner-cities or rural areas, and to those who feel strong about either the social aspects of environmentalism or the ecological.

The challenges we face moving forward will require bottom-up as well as top-down solutions. The middle ground in this continuum is where the policy makers mix with the problem solvers and where the innovators mix with the investors. Here in Vancouver the inner-city/DTES is one of those places, and I hope that these principles will continue to become the pillars that support that middle ground here and elsewhere.

SOLEfood Inner-City Farm Network in Vancouver, Hawks and Hastings

I recommend Van Jones’ Green Collar Economy to anyone interested in Vancouver’s development on the whole, and in its inner-city in particular.

Pasted into this post is the executive summary. For the complete document please go here. We welcome and appreciate any comments regarding this study so please feel free to comment below or contact Shirley Chan or Brian Smith.

Building Opportunities with Business Inner-city Society’s (BOB) has commissioned an external study to survey, assess and report on the viability of using real estate development as a tool of inner-city revitalization and the role a Community Development Corporation (CDC) might play in Vancouver’s Inner-city.

The approach to this study, as determined by BOB, was to interview a number of community members with knowledge or expertise in real estate, planning, the downtown eastside, housing or funding. These interviews were supplemented with background research on models utilized elsewhere – particularly in the United States.
There was general agreement and support for the use of real estate development as a tool for inner-city revitalization, amongst the people interviewed for this report. Though there was one noteworthy exception. There are many cases of revitalization in Canada and the US – some of which result in gentrification, and some ghettoization. In generalit was felt that there is an opportunity to create a solution in Vancouver that maintains a
mixed low and middle income community in the urban core. Some interviewees suggested Vancouver was uniquely placed to achieve this delicate balance.

Each of the interviewees was provided with a definition of a CDC, which drew on the work of the Building Community Society. This generated discussion about the nature and mandate of the organization. There were three key roles that emerged from those discussions -

Investment model – in this role deal structures and governance model for
projects that allows new investment in projects would be created. These
structures would ‘grow the pie’ of possible funding dollars for projects, outside of government sources. This requires a project that will deliver a financial return, or an exit strategy with an upside for the investor. This model could be developed and implemented on a project basis and would be one way to start a CDC. The approach requires limited operational dollars. The CDC may or may not be an investor, rather a facilitator.

CDC as a developer – requires capital for the CDC. In this role the CDC
would seek sites within the DTES to pursue development projects. It would use the investment models above, as a means to leverage other funds. It could also offer development expertise to other non profits. The CDC might partner with developers to deliver housing and other amenities to the community.

Community Planning and Consultation – in this role the CDC would have
an active role in the creation of a new community plan, as part of the City

process. The CDC would become an integral part of the City’s planning process by modeling projects that are supported by, and contribute to the community.

The CDC might also offer advisory services to other developers focused on
community consultation and have a role in community amenity contribution
negotiations, representing the interests of the community.

A number of interviewees suggested that a Community Development Corporation might be started incrementally and organically. The notion being that the CDC would start as an initial project, creating an investment model and constructing deals on a oneoff basis. While this idea has a lot of merit and might be facilitated by an existing organization like BOB there were also concerns that it would be challenging to ‘evolve’ to a fuller mandate which would see the CDC playing the role of the developer.

An alternate version of the creation of a CDC emerged through discussions – that it might be initially constituted as a development organization. It was thought that, to be successful, a CDC needs to have some organizational and governance capacity from the beginning, and be a stand alone organization with a robust means of engaging with the communities that live and work in the downtown eastside.

What is BOB’s role in a CDC? Given that BOB’s does not have expertise is real estate it is not advisable for BOB, as it exists now, to undertake development activities. BOB, however, could support the development of various aspects of the CDC, from the investment model to a conceptual framework and governance model for an active development oriented CDC

For more information go here.

Over the recent years many thinkers and planners have foreseen the likely transformations of our urban and suburban communities as costs related to resources, building materials and other logistics force us to think on our feet and adjust. I recall one author even wrote a book titled “The End of Suburbia”. Actually it was a documentary now that I come to think of it. As potential challenges such as peak oil, loss of arable land, energy and water scarcity and other logistical (and social) hurdles continue to present themselves on our horizon, authors like James Howard Kunstler, Jeremy Rifkin,  and numerous scholars agree that we may need to rethink our systems and our approaches and reassess much of our infrastructure and planning as we look ahead. Vancouver has been recognized as one of the more progressive and community focused cities in North America but even we may see some major physical transformations should these challenges come to a headwaters in the next 50 years. Though I do write with the focus of BOB in mind, I’m also a geographer, so I’m inspired to look at these issues very much from the perspective of a geographer.

In the case of Vancouver our physical geography and some astute urban planning has already helped to create a clean density that we’re celebrated and noted for now, and if we continue to go dense out of necessity or desire we will likely need to maximize urban spaces. Enter the deconstruction industry and the restoration economy.

A great little video on Treehugger.com about a social enterprise in Bristol UK was sent to me from Brian here at Building Opportunities with Business (who got it from Toby Barazzuol at Eclipse Awards). The Bristol Recycling Project collects donations of unused lumber, and either finds a way to put it back into the market or reconstitutes them into products like shelving and furniture. This is a service that has developed in relationship with the deconstruction industry and the restoration economy. The restoration economy is an idea put forth by author Storm Cunningham in a 2002 book entitled (you guessed it) The Restoration Economy. Along with William McDonough’s book Cradle to Cradle, it was considered a landmark environmental book at the beginning of this decade. In short, or rather to summarize but a brief aspect of it, think of it like this. Instead of blowing up a building into a million fragments and trucking them off to the landfill, we can slowly deconstruct it and utilize as much of the materials as possible in other developments. It’s like my father-in-law (an incredibly accomplished engineer who has worked on numerous high profile projects around the world) always says, “The most sustainable building is the one already built”. Well, the logic of the restorative economy says the next best thing may be recycling all those materials as best as possible into a new format. Plus it creates jobs and stimulates the economy.

Reclaimed wood has been utilized by social enterprises and businesses in BC and specifically in the inner-city Tradeworks Training Society uses reclaimed wood for many of their products. But much of this reclaimed wood is from Pine Beetle infested lumber considered below market standard due to its blueish tint. Conversely, much of the wood used by the Bristol Wood Recycling Project comes from buildings that have been recently deconstructed or found lumber, and as other cities around the world begin to rethink their urban design many structures may need to come down in order for more efficient designs to go up. Buildings will also need improvements, retrofits and other maintenance, like our beautiful heritage buildings here in Vancouver. There’s little doubt that a large market potential for the restorative industry exists in Vancouver. As recent improvements along the Hastings Corridor (a result of the Great Beginnings and Hastings Renaissance Program) attest, we Vancouverites value the historical architecture of the inner-city. Many of these old buildings need a little love and elbow grease as time does take its toll, but they shine up real good.

But where is Vancouver’s inner-city in regards to a similar project like the one in Bristol? Well, it has been discussed, and there are still people in the community who believe a similar deconstruction social enterprise might be successful here. We do have a proud history as an enterprising lumber town after all.

Is it a matter of timing though?

As construction of high density buildings becomes more expensive, eating into the bottom line of those projects, and as space becomes less available in our city perhaps reclaimed materials from deconstruction will present an affordable and accessible option for developers? And that in turn may likely create more demand for deconstruction and restorative work, more space to develop, and perhaps contribute to more affordable housing prices? Someone would probably have to write a thesis as opposed to a blog post to really answer some of those questions. But this is a place for ideas and conversation after all.

It’s some food for thought as we look to the future of this city and our inner-city’s urban design. By looking at the Bristol Wood Recycling Project and other similar enterprises we can perhaps better imagine the choices that may present themselves to us down the road.

-Wes-