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Illustration by Lori Brown

“There is no power for change greater than a community discovering what it cares about.” Margaret Wheatley

“Everyone has the right to live in a great place. More importantly, everyone has the right to contribute to making the place where they already live great.” Fred Kent, Project for Public Spaces

December 19, 2025 Update and Addendum to December 8 Newsletter

City Hall released the minutes on December 19, 2025  for the “Developer Relief Program”  considered by Council on December 10  Minutes – Standing Committee on City Finance and Services – December 10, 2025. All Council members voted in favour of the developer relief measures, except Sean Orr.  Councillors Orr, Bligh, Maloney and Fry voted against the measure to abolish compulsory Community Benefits Agreements for large projects but were outnumbered by the majority ABC Council members.  

The staff report made it clear that the Safeway site was on the list for some incentives – insofar as it, along with other addresses was included on the last page of the report in Appendix I. What wasn’t clear, was what incentives would apply to what sites. We are all still in the dark on which developers and which sites are benefitting and by how much. When pressed by Councillor Sean Orr, Josh White, Chief Planner, estimated that the breaks would generally be equivalent to 3 or 4 % of total project costs.

However, the size of the subsidies for developers will vary significantly by project. As shown by our analysis, the removal of the below market rent requirement from projects is by far the most significant windfall. It was clarified in White’s presentation to Council that large sites of about 2 acres or more, (the Point Grey Safeway site is 3 acres) would not be eligible for the developer’s “Rental Development Relief Program”. Consequently, the estimates made in our previous report need to omit the large rent subsidy calculation, making our subsidy estimate about over $3 million of easily quantifiable subsidies.

In addition to the numerous development industry breaks mentioned in the Friends of PGV report, it was also made apparent that the Safeway site and all other projects from now on will be exempt from the highly successful and progressive Community Benefits Agreement Policy.

This was a condition of project rezoning approval for the BGO Safeway site, adopted by Council on March 11, 2025:  

7. Community Benefit Agreement

The proposed development is over 45,000 sq. m (484,376 sq. ft.) of new development floor area, making this project subject to the Community Benefit Agreement (CBA) Policy. The applicant is to enter a CBA to commit that the development and on-going operations of the project contain local, inclusive hiring practices, along with social and local procurement targets. These requirements are geared towards generating local economic benefits through conditions and processes outlined in the rezoning conditions.

Friends of Point Grey Village question the legality of Council changing a condition of rezoning approval outside of a public hearing process.

Community delegations appeared at the Council meeting of December 10, 2025 to plead that the CBA Policy remain a requirement for large projects. The CBA Policy was part of a progressive triple bottom line approach, adopted by Council in 2018. “The impact of the CBA program is real and life-changing,” said Marcia Noziak, with EMBERS, an organization dedicated to finding employees for corporate “social-impact” programs.“ The CBA turned construction sites into engines of economic mobility. There are people who simply needed a chance.”

Those pleas fell on deaf ears and Council abolished the requirement of a compulsory Community Benefits Agreement for large projects on December 10, 2025. No dollar value was given for the financial benefit to developers of abolishing the program, but it must be significant for some in the development industry to lobby for this callous, short-sighted measure. Let’s hope that BGO will appreciate the value of this program and voluntarily enter into a Community Benefits Agreement.

December 8, 2025 Newsletter

CTV coverage: The following story made the top news story on CTV Vancouver News, 6pm, December 9, 2025. Josh White is quoted saying the development industry subsidies are needed to encourage affordable rental housing supply but the measures he proposes wipes out the most affordable rental units from several large rental housing projects in the pipeline.

CTV News clip https://www.ctvnews.ca/vancouver/video/2025/12/10/scrapping-affordable-units-in-vancouver-development/

CTV storyhttps://www.ctvnews.ca/vancouver/article/as-vancouver-eyes-relief-for-developers-some-push-back/

Point Grey Safeway Site: Is Council on the Brink of Giving BGO a Bailout?

Community Action Needed: On December 10^th City of Vancouver Council is being presented a report that, if approved, will undo any notion of frugality for citizens gained through the zero increase in property taxes. The bailouts being suggested for developers are too rich and there is not enough information for the Council to make an informed decision for its citizens.

Write to City Council by going to this site Standing Committee on City Finance and services agenda December 10, 2025 by Tuesday evening, December 9. Let them know what you think about the bailout package and your suggestions for taking an alternate course of action.

Vancouver City Council gave approval to the 571-unit development project on the 10th Safeway site in March, 2025. Over the last several months Friends of Point Grey Village (FPGV) has often been asked, why hasn’t BGO submitted a development permit application? Is the development going ahead? We thought its delay was odd given that every time we had asked BGO to discuss possible improvements prior to the public hearing, we were told that BGO would not be changing anything, and it must push ahead to get approval. The housing crisis was used as the reason for urgency.

You may recall that BGO is a real estate firm with world headquarters in Miami. Its website boasts of $89 billion (US) of assets under its management. BGO | Investing in a world of opportunity. It is the real estate arm of SunLife Financials, headquartered in Toronto, which manages trillions of dollars in worldwide assets.

A 50-page report going to Council on December 10, 2025 gives clues to what BGO has been up to behind closed doors, along with many of the City’s largest developers. Josh White, the Director of Planning has prepared a report titled  Report Back on Supporting Development Viability and Unlocking New Housing Supply – Standing Committee on City Finance and Services – December 10, 2025

The purpose of the report is as follows:

“Collectively, these initiatives will help advance stalled projects, sustain construction employment, and preserve progress toward the City’s housing targets of 35,500 new rental units and 28,900 net new homes by 2028. By combining financial relief, process efficiency, and planning certainty, the City is maintaining momentum toward long-term housing affordability and economic resilience.”

We certainly support process efficiency and planning certainty. And development fees/charges should be reduced if they are not based on equitable, accurate calculations. No explanation is given about why these fees have been reduced. Does this mean other developers who are not in the development pipeline at the moment, should be compensated retrospectively? 

Mysteriously, the report does not give any information on which developers get the bailout, why, and for how much. The last page of the last Appendix (H) gives a clue, with the following list of addresses provided and there is our Point Grey site in the middle of the list. READ MORE

September 8, 2025 Newsletter

Safeway Site Update

Vancouver City Council approved the rezoning for the Safeway site in March 2025. Friends of Point Grey Village contacted City staff a month or so ago asking the timing on the development permit application. Both a development permit and building permit are required before construction can begin. City staff informed us that they had not yet received a development permit application from BGO. It has now been over 7 years, July 2018, when Safeway closed its doors for the last time. We also contacted the developer, and received a reply from one of the PR consultants working on the project. READ MORE https://friendsofpointgreyvillage.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/december-8-2025-newsletter-fpgv.pdf

June 19, 2025 Newsletter

Warning: Proposed Reckless, Ill-Conceived City-wide Social Housing Policy to Impact Point Grey Village and Surrounding Neighbourhood if Approved by Council. Read on

April 14, 2025 Newsletter

Point Grey Safeway Site Post-Mortem Makes National New – “crude and clumsy.”

The Globe & Mail ran a three-quarter-page article in its national edition March 28, 2025 titled, “Residents’ group despairs as Point Grey Village plan moves forward” by Kerry Gold. A PDF of the article can be found here.

Council can find some answers to poor ABC election results in this article.

Among the many quotes in the article from residents and from urban experts, Michael Geller, developer and property consultant, said he too opposed the design, calling it ‘crude and clumsy.’ He is hopeful that BGO and staff will do some “fine tuning during the development permit stage”. He stated that “It’s a question of making it feel like it continues the tradition of a village”. Read more

March 14, 2025

Congratulations to Safouh El Rayes!

The BC Pharmacy Association has announced that Safouh El Rayes, owner and pharmacist of Point Grey Pharmacy, has won this year’s Excellence in Patient Care Award. This award is presented to a pharmacist who has demonstrated ongoing excellence in patient care in their professional practice.

Disappointing Results on Future of the Safeway Site

On March 11, 2025, Vancouver City Council unanimously approved the rezoning application for the Point Grey Safeway site, with no additional conditions. Unanimous, but we should note that Mayor Sim did not attend Council even though this landmark development is in his neighbourhood.  

Friends of Point Grey Village had high hopes that Council would do some problem-solving on the floor of Council and address the many constructive suggestions made by the community, Friends of Point Grey Village, the Urban Design Panel and the Point Grey Business Improvement Association.  Although a number of Councillors acknowledged the long term, passionate engagement by Point Grey residents, City Council ultimately decided against requiring any of the additional improvements that were asked for.  

The developer, BGO, a multi-national real estate firm with its global headquarters in Miami, has succeeded in creating a long term investment for Sun Life International.

Jean Baird, Chair of Friends of Point Grey Village explained to Council at the public hearing that despite many attempts by the community to improve the development. “We are offered an aggressive and over-built financial product with no attention to urban design, village scale or character, and no community facilities. “

The table below shows what we asked for and what we got from City Council:

Suggested Improvement	Council Action
Provide a childcare, given current deficit in spaces and added demand created by new development	REJECTED
Construct a mid-block crosswalk to assist in traffic calming, pedestrian safety and place-making	REJECTED
Create a 40 Km Pedestrian Priority Zone on West 10th	REJECTED
Ask the developer to comply to City guidelines on spacing between western tower and Point Grey Place. Distance is only 65 feet when it should be 80 feet. Reduce height of building in NW corner to prevent boxing in of Point Grey Place.	REJECTED
Ask the developer to enclose the entire open entrance ramp for truck deliveries off Sasamat–this will cause noise and pollution for existing businesses and residents and future residents.	REJECTED
Improve the boring façade on 10th Avenue by providing more shopfronts and a small plaza at the entrance of the grocery store	REJECTED
Increase the amount of green space at ground level–paths are very narrow and are located in limited corridors.	REJECTED

Some of these actions listed above can be taken by the City now, independently of the rezoning application. Council says they care about our village and our local businesses. Actions will speak louder than words.

Sadly, the narrative embraced by Council led to its inaction, as follows:

1. The population of Point Grey has remained about the same for the last couple of decades (true) and the injection of new residents and replacement of the grocery store will solve all the village prosperity issues with no additional actions from Council.  The reality is that much can be done by the City to improve pedestrian safety and place-making in order to maximize the benefits of the new development and help revitalize the village.
2. All the public benefit from the development is used up by requiring the developer to provide 20% of the units as below rental market housing. No development contributions  are left to address community benefits like a child care, traffic calming, better public spaces. No City funds have been spent on the Point Grey Village streetscape for at least two decades.There are two other sources of funds that no Council or staff mentioned as a way to provide for community benefits: a) property taxes from residents and businesses b) $8 million in Development Cost levies as a result of the commercial portion of the development.
3. It is okay for Council to approve large developments that add population in established neighbourhoods and not care about whether adequate community services are provided. This is not the path to a better city. As explained in Business in BC magazine, March 2025, Frances Bula observes that the City Is adding population in established neighbourhoods “with a lack of attention to urban design or neighbourhood improvement that is a startling reversal of past practices.”
4. Council was led to believe by staff and the developer that significant changes had been made to the development from the initial proposal. Actually, not much changed from BGO’s  initial rezoning proposal submitted in November 2023. A new vehicular entrance was provided off Sasamat, the towers were pushed back and the podium height was reduced. In exchange, the developer was given a net increase in density, including increasing the tower heights to 21 and 19 storeys from 19 and 17 storeys. The plaza was expanded by approximately the size of one picnic table and the sidewalk was modestly expanded in parts. The City made no effort to look at the use of City property to improve the public realm.

In the media :

U.S. developer snags $611,000 property tax break for creating Vancouver ‘dog park’ | Vancouver Sun

Tale of 3 Safeways: What their redevelopment plans say about Vancouver | Vancouver SunThree Safeway developments: ‘Overbuilding everywhere’ across Vancouver | Vancouver Sun

Three Safeway developments: ‘Overbuilding everywhere’ across Vancouver | Vancouver Sun

https://canada.constructconnect.com/joc/news/projects/2025/03/another-vancouver-safeway-site-to-be-redeveloped

Friends of Point Grey Village Newsletter March 3, 2025

A Report on the Public Hearing for the Safeway Site on February 25, 2025

Including: “Why did the process take six years?”

At the Public Hearing on February 25, 2025, Council deferred making a decision until the Council meeting on March 11, 2025. This is a good move from Friends’ perspective. It means Council and staff will have a chance to consider the many requests made by Friends of Point Grey Village, Point Grey Business Improvement Association (BIA), and others in the community asking for improvements to the development.
Big thanks to all of you who wrote in and came out to speak to Council. In total there were 519 written submissions. Read more

Friends of Point Grey Village Newsletter February 18, 2025

Last Chance to Tell Council what you think about the Safeway Site Proposal

Over the past three plus years Friends have received a lot of email thanking us for doing the work, and keeping the community informed. We get stopped in the street and in stores with people expressing the same message, or suggesting ideas. That support and appreciation has been much appreciated, and has motivated us to continue. Read more

Friends of Point Grey Village Newsletter January 19, 2025

The planning process leading to an approved development on the Safeway site is drawing to a close. The January 21, 2025 City of Vancouver Council agenda contains a report from staff recommending that the Safeway development proposal proceed to public hearing. A date has not been set for the public hearing, but it will most likely be in late February. We will let you know the date of the public hearing as soon as it is available. At that point we ask that you send your comments to City Council and/or appear as a delegation expressing your views on the development.
Here is the link to the Council report on the proposal.
Referral Report, CD-1 Rezoning: 4545-4575 West 10th Avenue, January 21, 2025

Unfortunately, the proposal does not appear to have changed much from the last version that was posted on the City website in the summer of 2024.

Our community efforts for a better development—now spanning three years—have largely been ignored by BGO and the City. Yes, the grocery store will be replaced, and we will get 571 units of rental housing, with 20% of the units having a subsidy, and that means more customers for our village shops. But we will not get any community facilities such as a childcare centre or a purpose-built library which further strains our childcare crisis and our undersized library occupying a former bank branch. 

Many members of the community have aspirations for a wide sidewalk and a lively street front, lined with smaller shops, cafés and restaurants with the grocery store tucked in behind. The developer could not see why that would be a winning formula for the village and for the development. However, this is precisely the design proposed for the Kits Safeway site on 4th, by the same architect. https://www.shapeyourcity.ca/2315-w-4-ave

Friends also had hopes for a lovely public square which would have become the community’s meeting place. On several occasions, Friends asked the developer and the City to follow the adopted Vancouver Plan and implement policies for neighbourhood centres and People First Streets. We asked for more flexibility from the City on the proportion of rental housing for below market in order to be able to secure some community amenities. Our requests were ignored.

We always assumed that BGO, a Miami-based real estate firm, would attach little importance to community and neighbourliness. This project is clearly a bland and characterless financial product for the company. We did not, however, expect the City to have such low expectations for such an important site to the future of Point Grey Village. We also did not expect the City to ignore the Business Improvement Association in its many attempts to get traffic calming measures in the village, a proven strategy not only for safety but for the prosperity of local businesses.

Here is our latest letter sent on January 19, 2025 to Mayor and Council.

January 19, 2025

Dear Mayor, Council and City Staff:

Re: Agenda for January 21, 2025 4545-4575 West 10th Avenue (Safeway site in Point Grey) Referral Report, Item 10

Over the past three years, Friends of Point Grey Village (FPGV) and our community have dedicated hundreds of volunteer hours to this important project on the old Safeway site. We recognized that a well-designed development on this 3-acre site, occupying one third of the entire commercial area of the village, could make a tremendous contribution to the enduring prosperity and livability of Point Grey Village. READ MORE

December 9 2024 Newsletter SHOP LOCAL and Resident Response on Kitsilano Safeway Site Proposal

December 2, 2024 Newsletter SHOP LOCAL and Kitsilano Safeway Site Proposal

Community Still Hoping for a Livable, Lively and Prosperous Development for the Village

November 25, 2024 Newsletter

Revised proposal for Safeway Site by developer BGO, Source City of Vancouver, Summer 2024 4545 West 10th Avenue Rezoning Proposal

The two notable improvements offered by BGO in the revised design are:
1) 10th Ave streetscape:
Setting back the towers an extra 22 feet and reducing the podium height by 2 storeys, to give more of a village feel, and comply with City-wide policy.
BGO compensated itself for the loss of density created by the podium re-design by adding two storeys to each of the towers and increasing the overall amount of floorspace. The towers are now 21 and 19 storeys. This proposed extra height undermines the village scale objectives. (BGO’s first proposal was 14 storeys—the height of the new building at Broadway and Alma—now BGO is asking for 50% more height)
2) Providing a second exit/entrance off Sasamat:
BGO had proposed only one entrance/exit to for all shoppers and residents which was clearly problematic. City staff asked them to add an additional entrance, from Sasama.

What is still missing from the BGO Proposal?

This diagram shows the 7 design improvements suggested by Friends of Point Grey Village over a year ago. BGO has responded to only 2 of the suggestions.

The suggested improvements ignored by BGO include:
1) A larger, centrally located plaza. BGO ignored suggestions to move the plaza to a much more attractive and functional site in the middle of the frontage. BGO did, however, increase the size of the plaza to a size equivalent to a small bedroom- 9 feet by 8 feet for a total of 72 feet. Enough to earn BGO the sound bite that it had “increased the size of the plaza”.
2) A wider sidewalk of a suggested 22 feet along the entire frontage to make room for outdoor spaces, café seating, bicycle racks, tree planning, etc.
3) Undergrounding the truck loading bay access ramp: It is unusual in such a large, dense development for the loading bays to be at ground level, creating unnecessary noise and pollution.
4) Add community amenities, such as a badly needed childcare. FPGV find it alarming that BGO and City staff have not yet figured out how to get a childcare on the site. Imagine the convenience it would create for new and existing residents.
5) More Greenspace/wider pathways at ground level

Other problems that remain are:
1)A long, boring façade created by the supermarket. This can be remedied by smaller shops being placed in the façade, as often found in European cities.
2) There is still inadequate distance between Point Grey Place at Tolmie and 10th and the proposed development. The City calls for 80 feet separation from adjacent residential buildings.
3) The housing units are small and few will be suitable for families.

What street improvements will the City propose?
The best developments are the product of an enlightened developer, an active, informed community, and enlightened civic staff/elected representatives.
On several occasions FPGV and the Point Grey Business Improvement Association (BIA) have tried to engage City staff on what street improvements the City will request in conjunction with the Safeway site development. Complete silence so far.
We know Mayor and Council are looking for progressive measures from the Engineering Department, given the numerous of City policies designed to enhance pedestrian access and place-making, including the Vancouver Plan People First Street Policies.
The most important request to the City is a mid-block crosswalk to help slow down traffic, and create safe, direct pedestrian access to and from the new development.

November 25, 2024 Newsletter Read more

August 14, 2024 Newsletter

In the last Friends of Point Grey Village newsletter (July 2024) we alerted you to the revised proposal of the Safeway site development which is available for public review on the Shape your City website. FPGV has reviewed the proposal and has submitted the following letter to the City. Please go to the City website to view the proposal and send your comments in the online comments section as soon as possible 4545 W 10th Ave rezoning application | Shape Your City.

August, 2024 Open Letter from Friends of Point Grey to City Hall Staff, Mayor and Council

Dear Mayor, Council and City Staff:

Re: Revised Proposal for 4545 West 10th Avenue (Safeway site in Point Grey)

Thank you for posting online BGO’s revised rezoning application for 4545 West 10th Avenue for public comment.

Over the past three years, Friends of Point Grey Village (FPGV) have dedicated hundreds of volunteer hours to this project in recognition that a well-designed development on this large 3-acre site could make a tremendous contribution to the enduring prosperity and livability of Point Grey Village. Vancouver Plan, endorsed by Council in 2022, has clearly articulated the vision for healthy, prosperous neighbourhood centres and in our volunteer capacity we have worked hard to make that vision a reality in our neighbourhood, working closely with the Point Grey Business Improvement Association.

FPGV have evaluated the revised scheme released at the end of July 2024 to determine if community aspirations have been achieved. We regard the following revisions as important improvements:

1.           A podium height reduction from six storeys to four storeys and setting the high rise buildings back by 22 feet, from previous proposed 10 feet from the property line to 32 feet, to help maintain the village scale.

2.           Additional vehicle entrance/exit off Sasamat Street to provide a second and essential access point.

3.           Relocation of the west tower lobby from West 10 to the plaza – reducing the amount of boring frontage on West 10th and resulting in wrapping the westerly commercial unit around onto 10th, providing more pedestrian interest.

We are disappointed that the developer at this stage in the public process continues to propose the bare minimum in terms of community amenity/urban design. For example, the community and the Urban Design Panel asked for a much better designed, larger plaza in an optimum location. In response, BGO made the plaza only 1.2 % larger (100 square feet) and left it in the same poor location, away from the focal point where it should be in the centre of the block.

The community is aware that Sun Life Insurance bought this site from Empire Company Ltd. with an existing C-2 zoning which permitted one storey commercial and three storeys residential. Sun Life/BGO’s acquisition costs presumably reflected those zoning rights. Later, City Council changed the C-2 zoning schedule to permit up to 5 storeys of rental housing in addition to one storey commercial. BGO informed Friends of Point Grey Village at the outset of the project that it wished to build rental housing as the business model for Sun Life, a multinational corporation holding onto financial assets for the long term.

We understand that BGO was willing to build under the existing zoning. City staff and Council intervened and asked BGO to build under the MIRHPP (Moderate Income Rental Housing Pilot Program) and changed the MIRHPP parameters for this particular unusually large development to be eligible. The formula involved density bonuses in exchange for 20% of the rental units to be below market. This proved to be a misguided policy direction on the part of the City, not recognizing the importance of the large site to the future of the village and not understanding the need to have community facilities accompany large increases in density. The well-intentioned MIRHPP policy is badly flawed and was designed for one or two lot infill projects where additional amenities would not be needed or could not reasonably be required for such small projects.

This particular MIRHPP development grew from 6 storeys as permitted under the C-2 zoning, to 14 storeys in its first proposal in May 2022, then 17 and 19 storeys in the initial rezoning application, and now 19 and 21 storeys in July 2024. Despite the large density increases, no community amenities or creative urban design elements are proposed. Density without amenities does not build communities.

BGO will now lobby Council demanding that the project be approved immediately and claim it has responded to community/staff input. The truth is that BGO has wasted its own time as well as City Hall staff and citizens by not responding to input at critical steps in the process. The amount of floorspace BGO can cram on the site remains its prime, narrow focus, not community enhancement.

The MIRHPP program since its inception in 2017 has been modified many times, including significant program changes to reduce subsidy levels required by the development industry.  FPGV and the community are asking for similar flexibility in the modification of 20% below market parameter. A reduction in the number of below market units can help finance community amenities such as a childcare centre. Another alternative is that BGO be required to allot a portion of the site for co-operative housing, which would provide truly affordable housing rather than the private sector version of affordability.

We offer the following additional suggestions for improvements:

1. Match density increases with necessary community facilities.

With 571 housing units proposed, both new and current residents require access to necessary community facilities. The provision of a childcare centre is a bare minimum requirement.

We have researched and visited other projects of this scale and found all sorts of imaginative City/developer collaborations on the mezzanine level of a supermarket.

2. Create significant improvements to place-making.

The size, location, ownership and banality of the plaza has received much criticism, stuck at the west end for the developer’s convenience without consideration of how to make a lively and dynamic public space and streetscape. We suggest that the plaza be moved to a central location. The shape and entrance of the supermarket can be re-configured to accommodate a central plaza. The large Canadian supermarket chains also have a responsibility to show how creative size and design of the space can contribute to community place-making. A central plaza would be the heart of the village, a place for people to gather.

Ensure perpetual rights of unrestricted public access to the plaza.

Reimagine the western end of the development: We realize that the current plaza location is a result of the developer needing to provide a separation from Point Grey Place, the existing condo building on the south west corner. The placement of one or two storey commercial/institutional buildings in the current plaza location at the western end of the development would allow closer building proximity to Point Grey Place and make good use of the real estate.

Widen 10th Ave sidewalk: We note that the width of the sidewalk has not changed from the last proposal and remains at 19 feet, except for a few minor locations of deeper setbacks. All of the existing 10th Avenue village frontages are too narrow to accommodate safe, functional public space as well as room for outdoor café/restaurant seating, tree planting, public seating, bike racks and the display of retail goods.

This is the village’s opportunity to enhance the public realm by having wider sidewalks at this location. We ask that the sidewalks be increased from 19 feet to at least 22 feet for the entire frontage.

The wider sidewalk will also help make up the deficit in green space on the site through perhaps double rows of tree planting and other landscaping. These public realm improvements should be made with no further increases in density.

An urban designer’s impression of what the Safeway development could look like if the City and the developer pursued financial viability in conjunction with community placemaking and amenities.

3. Implement transportation solutions which enhance safety and livability

It is most unusual in an urban setting with densities reaching almost 4 FSR to have an open ramp for truck and car access. This creates much noise and pollution as sound bounces around the walls of the ramp and buildings. We ask that the ramps originating from Sasamat Street be enclosed.

The best urban solutions, particularly in commercial areas where the public realm is so important, often come from a collaboration of the public and private sector. Vancouver Plan in Direction 5.2 People First Streets provides many important policies to calm arterials in neighbourhood centres that could be implemented in this project.

No mention has been made so far on how the City can contribute to the quality and safety of the development and the village. One popular idea is a mid-block crosswalk. The 4500 block is over 200 metres long which is 50 metres longer than typical city blocks. A mid-block crosswalk would help create an attractive streetscape and address safety and excessive speed problems.

 An urban designer’s impression of what a crosswalk could look like connecting the Safeway development to the south side of the street. The sketch imagines a lively, safe, human-scale streetscape as outlined in Vancouver Plan.

4. Provide more functional, livable and affordable housing units

Many residents have pointed out that the units are too small for families with no room, for example, to park a stroller, walker or wheelchair and all the other space requirements for families. There is no indication of which units are handicapped accessible nor how many there are. The guidelines in the MIRHPP policy are still being ignored with respect to housing mix. Given the many flaws in the MIRHPP model, co-operative housing instead of private market housing would be a better enduring solution to the affordability crisis.

Conclusion: A whole village and community should not have to suffer with bad design and lack of community facilities for decades to come because of a mis-applied housing experiment. We are all anxious to have the development approved and built as soon as possible. The improvements listed above can be implemented through one additional design iteration. We would be happy to meet with you and the developer to discuss these ideas

Friends of Point Grey Village request the developer and the City not to squander this opportunity to create livable density and contribute to the future prosperity of our local businesses. Significant community improvements and good design will only be achieved through clear direction from City staff and Council.

Jean Baird

Chair of Friends of Point Grey Village

July 15, 2024 Newsletter

BGO to include design improvements in the Safeway site proposal

Sign posted on Point Grey Place on May 15, 2024

We are pleased to report that the City’s Planning Department has asked BGO, the developer, to incorporate design improvements in its proposal. Friends of Point Grey Village have not been informed what design improvements have been requested. We were toldthat the revised proposal will be available for public review on the Shape your City site once it has been completed by BGO and reviewed by staff 4545 W 10th Ave rezoning application | Shape Your City Vancouver.

The requested improvements were based on input from the City’sUrban Design Panel of experts, community feedback, and staff review. FPGV has not yet been given a timeline for the next steps in the process. We are eager for the project to be built as soon as possible but are hopefulthat incorporating the proposed improvements will provide enduring value for new residents, the community, local businesses, and the developer for decades to come.

BGO invited Councillors to visit the site on two occasions of which we are aware. The first occasion was March 15, 2024. Four ABC councillors attended: Mike Klassen, Rebecca Bligh, Brian Montague, and Lenny Zhou. On May 15, 2024 Sarah Kirby-Yung and Peter Meiszner were hosted by David Roche of BGO and its chief architect Mark Whitehead of MCM Architects.

Fortunately, FPGV were able to “piggyback” on the BGO meeting of May 15, 2024 by waiting until after the developer hadfinished its tour. FPGV members asked Councillors Meiszner and Kirby-Yung for a few minutes of their time to explain the community’sperspective. They kindly stayed and gave ample time to learn about our concerns and ideas to improve BGO’s development proposal. We are grateful for this opportunity.

Councillors Meiszner and Kirby-Yung speaking with FPGV member John Leach and taking a photo of a list of key suggestions for improvements.

Read the July 15, 2024 Newsletter here

May 8, 2024 Newsletter:

Not too late to make important improvements to the Safeway Site Proposal

Meeting with David Eby, MLA

Friends of Point Grey Village met with David Eby, MLA in mid-April. It was clear that he is as keen as we are to get the development approved as soon as possible for the convenience of the residents, for the prosperity of the village and for the contribution to badly-needed new housing supply.

We outlined our suggestions for improvements to the project to maximize village revitalization potential. We then focused on the need for provincial funding to include a childcare.  Eby said that funding could be available under current programs. His staff and City staff are exploring opportunities. It is possible that the addition of a childcare could add a few months to the process but this slight delay is certainly worth the benefits that would result for current and new families in Point Grey. It is also an important way, in Eby’s own riding, for his government to demonstrate that new housing supply requires adequate social and utility infrastructure to support complete communities.

Joyce Murray Supports Community Engagement

Joyce Murray, MLA lives a short walk from local shops in Point Grey Village. She appreciates the value of the village in day-to-day convenience and the opportunities the Safeway site brings to help the village prosper. She also understands the value of community input to help improve the project. One of our readers provided FPGV with a letter Joyce Murray wrote to Mayor and Council earlier this year.

Here are some excerpts from her letter:

“Many constituents have approached me about the future of the Safeway site, clearly a pivotal site for the future of the village. They have suggested creative ideas on how the development can be enhanced. I have heard their support for market and below market housing and have also heard their excitement and interest in adding missing community services such as a childcare, a heart to the village through good urban design, livable density, and place-making. They also have practical suggestions on traffic management and calming 10th Avenue, all which would add to the attractiveness and future prosperity of the village…

“This volunteer neighbourhood collaboration is a valuable resource and a pillar of sustainable communities. I sincerely hope that in this stage of consultation, the City will create opportunities for everyone to work together and for all voices to be heard. This collaboration need not delay the approval process and can pay lasting dividends to both the developer and the Point Grey community.”

Read the full letter from Joyce Murray MP to Mayor and Council

Analysis of Transportation Study Finds Errors and Omissions and Lack of Solutions
FPGV was fortunate to have a local transportation planner review the Bunt & Associates study commissioned by BGO. The purpose of the Bunt study was to analyse the impact of the potential traffic and offer solutions. Unfortunately, the only solution Bunt suggested is a full traffic light at Tolmie. A summary of findings can be found here:https://friendsofpointgreyvillage.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/may-8-2024-newsletter.pdf