Vancouverisawesome.com

The new vendor at Garry Point Park in Steveston has finally been revealed.

“Garry Point Grill & Fish ‘N” Chips” has been announced by the City of Richmond as the successor to the much-loved Pajo’s, which broke the news last month of it losing the pitch after 23 years.

Garry Point Grill is owned by Organic Villa Catering, which is based out of Garden City Road, and currently operates a number of concession stands for the Vancouver Park Board, as well as food trucks.

Its website says the new Garry Point location will open on Thursday, May 4. …

The city’s decision not to continue the lease with Pajo’s caused much uproar in the community, with claims of the process being unfair to the long-established vendor.

However, Mayor Malcolm Brodie, in a letter published last week by the Richmond News, tried to set the record straight, pointing out that the process was carried out fairly. …

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City of Richmond

For the fourth consecutive year, the City of Richmond, in collaboration with Richmond School District 38, is participating in the City Nature Challenge 2023 from Friday, April 28 to Monday, May 1. This four-day event is a global initiative that encourages friendly competition between cities to make the most observations of biodiversity.

“The City Nature Challenge is a family-friendly event that encourages residents to get outside, connect with nature and participate as citizen scientists,” said Mayor Malcolm Brodie. “This event celebrates the incredible biodiversity found throughout Richmond with a global community.” …

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Richmond News

Dear Editor,

Re: Concession stand in Garry Point Park

There has been much interest expressed with the departure of Pajo’s at Garry Point Park — and some questions about how that happened.

In the normal course of events with city properties leased out to private operators, interest from others in the market is sometimes sought before entering into a new lease. This is part of our commitment to our taxpayers that city offerings are periodically reviewed and opened up for other businesses to bid. That is what the city did with the Garry Point Park concession stand. This time, a competitor won the bid based on a fair and objective evaluation conducted under a well-established Council-approved policy similar to that used by every level of government. This approach ensures that the city gets the best value for taxpayers in the operation of the concession.

The evaluation followed predetermined simple, objective and equitable criteria. The decision for the winning bid based on these criteria came following a review by experienced, professional city staff — without political influence. In this case, the amount of rent to be paid by any proponent was established in advance so financial return to the city was not an issue. …

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Cision

Green Communities Canada (GCC) is excited to launch the National Mini Forest Pilot program this Earth Day. The kick-off planting event is being coordinated by the City of Richmond as part of its Earth Day celebration, in collaboration with Garden City Conservation Society, and will take place at Terra Nova Rural Park, Richmond, on April 22.

The National Mini Forest Pilot program is led by GCC in collaboration with Dougan & Associates, Canadian Geographic, and Wilder Climate Solutions through the Network of Nature. The program addresses the urgent need for green spaces in urban environments by transforming sites into diverse fast-growing forests.

“We are very pleased to be the first city in western Canada to be part of this program and plant a mini forest on municipal property,” said City of Richmond Mayor Malcolm Brodie. “As part of the City’s Earth Week event, this tree planting at Terra Nova Rural Park demonstrates what the community, non-profit organizations, and all levels of government can achieve by working together to make our planet a more resilient place for future generations to come.” …

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Delta Optimist

Delta Mayor George Harvie is conveying concerns about the federal government’s announcement this week that the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority’s Roberts Bank Terminal 2 (RBT2) project has been approved.

“The port expansion has been an issue of concern for residents of Delta for many years now. The protection of the Roberts Bank ecosystem, better policing of the port, and Indigenous rights are a few of the major concerns that need to be addressed. As mayor, I will continue to work diligently with the federal government and the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority to ensure this expansion is in line with our vision for Delta,” Harvie said in a statement following Thursday’s announcement. …

In a letter to Delta council, Richmond Mayor Malcolm Brodie said that, despite the potential economic benefits, Richmond was also concerned with the panel’s conclusions. …

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BC Gov News

The Province is helping improve access to Steveston Harbour by supporting dredging that will maintain the Cannery Channel approach to the harbour, the largest commercial fishing harbour in Canada.

“Reliable harbour access is vital for fishers and Steveston’s rich community of maritime businesses,” said Kelly Greene, MLA for Richmond-Steveston, on behalf of Rob Fleming, Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure. “This grant supports the Steveston Harbour Authority’s plan to improve navigation in the Steveston Harbour and channel so that vessels can access the harbour services they need in a safe and timely manner. Our vibrant fishing and maritime economy will thrive for years to come as a result of this dredging project, supported by our government.” …

“Steveston’s waterfront and harbour is an important part of Richmond’s history and economy,” said Malcolm Brodie, mayor of Richmond. “An effective long-term dredging strategy is crucial to ongoing access. The City of Richmond will continue to work with others including senior levels of government, City of Delta, Tsawwassen First Nations, Musqueam Indian Band, Steveston Harbour Authority, Vancouver Fraser Port Authority and Metro Vancouver to achieve that.” …

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Delta Optimist

Mayor George Harvie, in partnership with Tsawwassen First Nation Chief Laura Cassidy, Musqueam Chief Wayne Sparrow and City of Richmond Mayor Malcolm Brodie, recently sent another joint letter to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on the dredging issue.

lso going to Premier David Eby, the letter urges the federal and provincial governments to work collaboratively with local governments and First Nations and to commit to establishing a long-term strategy and appropriate resources for dredging of the lower Fraser River and its local channels.

Harvie noted a working group has been re-established by Delta, Richmond, Tsawwassen First Nation, Musqueam, and other key partners to develop a pilot project that may serve as a model for other waterfront communities across Canada, however, federal government support is needed to help develop a long-term funding and management model. …

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CBC News

A historic B.C. channel where boaters have been running aground due to increasingly shallow waters could soon be dredged after an injection of funding from the province, but the harbour authority says it’s still short about $2 million to finance the job.

On Monday, the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure committed $2.125 million to dredge the Steveston Harbour, the largest small craft commercial fishing harbour in Canada, according to its website, where a buildup of sediment has made it increasingly difficult for boats to come and go without running aground or dragging on the channel floor. …

“We need more than anything else a long-term, sustainable solution to this ongoing problem. Otherwise, we’re going to be standing here every two or three years saying we need funding from the various partners,” said Richmond Mayor Malcolm Brodie. …

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Voiceonline.com

Richmond Mayor Malcolm Brodie on Tuesday contradicted Surrey Mayor Brenda Locke’s claim that the Metro Vancouver Mayors’ Committee had unanimously supported retaining Surrey RCMP at its April 5 meeting.

Brodie told Global BC: “I am not mistaken in knowing what the resolution was. The resolution was to write to Victoria… write a letter to Victoria asking that they give Surrey an answer to the policing question.” …

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Vancouver Sun

Vancouver city staff is recommending that council allow 220 parcels in the Cambie Corridor area, which are currently designated for single-family homes and duplexes, to be rezoned for potentially building some 1,600 townhome and row house units.

“I think it’s wise. They would be avoiding the need to do lot-by-lot rezoning and wasting council’s time when they are going to rezone anyway,” said Tom Davidoff, a real estate economist from the University of B.C.’s Sauder School of Business. …

Some municipalities, such as Coquitlam, Victoria and Saanich, have already started more active plans and discussed these at a recent Union of B.C. Municipalities housing conference. Victoria, for example, in January adopted a missing middle initiative that allows for up to six units of infill, houseplex or corner townhomes to be developed on most average residential lots without a rezoning.

Others such as Richmond Mayor Malcolm Brodie have raised questions about how municipalities will, at the same time, cope with increased traffic, environmental impact and the need for more schools and hospitals. …

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