Related Groups
CityHallWatch
CityHallWatch (CHW) monitors the planning and decision-making of City Hall. Once or twice a week, subscribers receive candid assessments of how the City is handling contentious issues, from rezonings to a wide variety of Council motions. The group says its goal is to give residents the tools to effectively engage with City Hall. CHW has been in operation since 2010, and always welcomes new subscribers. View the CHW website.
Coalition of Vancouver Neighbourhoods
Twenty-seven Vancouver community and residents associations make up the Coalition of Vancouver Neighbourhoods (CVN). One pressing goal for CVN is “to demand a respectful relationship between the City and the communities.” CVN aims to restore neighbourhood-based planning while strengthening community involvement and influence in decision making over land use and zoning decisions at City Hall. According to CVN, the “interests of communities and residents must come before private profits. Housing and developments should be consistent with established neighbourhood character and aimed at serving the local housing market, rather than attracting investors.” View the CVN website.
WeLoveKits
When neighbourhood homes or businesses are threatened with demolition, WeLoveKits (WLK), a relative newcomer to the community scene, can roar like a lion. In early 2021, WLK launched a large community protest in West Kitsilano against a rezoning at 4th Ave. and Balaclava St. that included a three-day public hearing. The group ultimately lost its fight, but continues to focus on “long-term and short-term change through direct action and the organizing of community.“ View the WLK website.
West Kitsilano Residents Association
Operating since 1989, the West Kitsilano Residents Association (WKRA) represents the neighbourhood from West Broadway north to Cornwall St., and from Alma to Arbutus St. The group shares many of the same goals as UKRA: encouraging the retention of character homes and streetscapes; retaining the livability of their neighbourhood; preserving green space; and maintaining affordability. In recent years, West Kits has seen the demolition and loss of many heritage houses, which has prompted neighbours to fight for change to City bylaws. View the WKRA website.
West Point Grey Residents Association
West Point Grey Residents Association’s (WPGRA) main goal is preserving the character of its neighbourhood. It does this by monitoring regional and civic planning. WPGRA’s board and volunteer members represent the views of its residents to municipal government. Its large membership extends to those living in the area bounded by 16th Ave. in the south, Alma St. in the east, Blanca St. in the west, and north to the waterfront. Currently, WPGRA is sharing residents’ input with the developers of the Jericho Lands. View the WPGRA website.