the campus resident october 2010

Published monthly by the University Neighbourhoods Association

Volume 1, Issue 6 OCTOBER 26, 2010

Concert Hall Harks Back To Birth of CampusOld Auditorium is reopened at UBC after $21 million makeover;

concert hall was first opened in 1925

Members of the UBC Symphony Orchestra strike up a tune in the new 60-person orchestra pit beneath of the stage of the Old Auditorium. UBC recently reopened the concert hall—first opened in 1925—after a $21 million makeover. SEE STORY PAGES 11-12.

Future Housing Plans Put Condos BesideMarried Student Homes In Acadia Park

Acadia Park is located in eastern part of campus; long-range UBC plans to integrate stu-dent and market housing are unprecedented

The loss of future market housing sites on campus with UBC Farm land being re-moved from the development picture has pressed the University into creative mode about where to put homes that might have sprouted on farm land. In a long-range scenario being prepared

for approval by its governors, UBC pro-poses that a good number of the market housing units lost to non-development at UBC Farm will go instead to develop-ment at Acadia Park, a part of campus currently reserved solely for residence by married students and their families.This would present an unprecedented step in the development of a residential commu-nity at UBC with student housing making way for market housing. UBC planners point out, however, that the change would come at no loss to the student community;

HAWTHORN cont’d page 4

Residents of the Hawthorn Place neigh-bourhood at UBC should expect their community to expand over the next 15 to 20 years. Though plans are subject to approval by both UBC governors and the provincial government, UBC planners envision Hawthorn Place expanding southwards

between East Mall and Main Mall as far as 16th Avenue—adding roughly about 20% to the size of Hawthorn Place today.Given that Hawthorn Place is home to about 750 apartments and townhouses today, this adds about another 150 resi-dential units to the mid-campus com-

ACADIA cont’d page 4

Plans Put More Homes in Hawthorn NeighbourhoodCommunity is to expand southwards; timeframe is 15-20 years

Directors of the University Neigh-bourhoods Association have acclaimed Sharon Wu as the new UNA chair and president.Ms. Wu, a resident of the Hawthorn

Place neighbourhood and a member of staff at UBC, was first elected to the UNA Board in 2005, and has since been re-elected twice.Ms.Wu said, “I appreciate the opportu-

nity to contribute further to the commu-nity through my ability to offer differ-ent perspectives, to listen to the needs of the community, and to assist with multicultural issues.”She has been chair of the UNA Multi-

cultural Committee since its inception.Ms.Wu was born and raised in China,

and speaks and writes English, Manda-rin, and Cantonese.Her post-secondary education began at

the University of Southern China where she majored in business. Following this, she worked in hotel management for a five-star hotel for several years, both in Southern China and Hong Kong. Ms. Wu came to Canada in 1994 and

completed her Bachelor of Business Administration degree at Trinity West-ern University. She has since worked in the field of accounting. She earned her CGA designation in 2003 and her Mas-ters of Business Administration degree in 2006.Ms.Wu says she has found her five

years serving on the UNA Board re-warding. “I share the other market housing residents’ desire for a vibrant and livable environment on campus.”Ms.Wu and her husband have two

school age children and “we can appre-ciate the need for schools and daycare services on campus. “I can also see the needs for more open

space and amenities for our growing community.” Ms.Wu believes she can continue to

bring a balanced approach to her UNA involvement. “With an understanding of finance and living in the first co-de-velopment project on campus, I feel I have a lot to offer to the UNA.”She also believes in maintaining a

healthy balance between work and life, and enjoys running, cycling, swim-ming, and drawing with her children.

New UNA ChairChooses to

“Contribute Further”

Sharon Wu, Chair of the UNA Board

on the contrary, it would come at a gain.In an interview during an Open House

for proposed amendments to its Land Use Plan, Lisa Colby, associate director of policy planning at UBC, said, “Changes in Acadia Park will take place over the long term – i.e. the next 15 to 20 years –

and respond not only to the need to trans-fer housing density (from UBC Farm to elsewhere on campus), but respond also to feedback from students about the resi-dences in this area requiring significant updating and repairs.”

munity which began taking shape in about 2004. Hawthorn Place achieved fully-built status (in its current form) three years ago, and has attracted a lot of UBC faculty and staff to his condos and apartment rental units.

THE CAMPUS RESIDENT OCTOBER 26, 2010 THE CAMPUS RESIDENT OCTOBER 26, 2010page 2 page 3

Editor & Business Manager

University NeighbourhoodsAssociation

#202-5923 Berton Avenue,Vancouver, BC V6S OB3

604.827.5158

Published by:

John Tompkins [email protected]


PH

OTO

: LA

UR

A T

ENN

AN

T

The Supreme Court of British Co-lumbia has ruled that two parcels of Pacific Spirit Park land transferred to the Musqueam Indian band from the province as part of a ‘reconciliation agreement’ are not tax exempt.The band had requested a tax exempt

status for the land parcels, one called Block F, located in the University En-dowment Lands (UEL), and the other called Block K, located near the Mus-queam Reserve off Southwest Marine Drive after the land was assessed in 2009—Block F at $67,200,000 and Block K at $53,724,000.The band appealed the tax assessment

first to the Property Assessment Ap-peal Board, which found Blocks F and K were not entitled to the exemption. The band then appealed to the court, which confirmed the appeal board rul-ing.Block F and Block K formed part of

the Reconciliation, Settlement and Benefits Agreement, dated for refer-ence March 11, 2008 between the province and the Musqueam. Follow-ing the settlement, the Musqueam formed two companies—Block F Land Co. and Block K Land Co.—to receive the land and hold it trust for the band in land transfers effective

April 14, 2008.The court ruled Block F is not part of

the Musqueam reserve and is, there-fore, not tax exempt. The court ruled the same for Block K.Like all other land owners in the UEL,

the Musqueam First Nation would pay taxes levied and collected by the Min-istry of Finance Surveyor of Taxes for a variety of purposes including Univer-sity Endowment Landadministration, schools, hospitals and regional district. The UEL Administration sets the bud-get for the operation of the UEL.Information made available by the

UEL administration indicates the aver-

age single family dwelling in the UEL currently has an assessed taxable value of $2,839,912 with the tax bill on this home for 2010 a total of $3,725.If the $120 million of Musqueam

land—listed in court documents as residential—is taxed at the same rate, the Musqueam face a Block F and K tax bill of $157,399 annually. A UEL source said these funds should be held in trust for use in putting in commu-nity facilities—perhaps a community centre—in place on Block F as it is developed. Full court decision at www.bc.gov.ca

Court Confirms Musqueam Must Pay Blocks F and K TaxesFormer Pacific Spirit Park land was transferred to Musqueam from province;

land is assessed at $120 million

Maria Harris has succeeded in getting herself appointed to the Mayors’ Coun-cil on Regional Transportation, the group which appoints the directors and com-missioner of TransLink.UBC is one of the two biggest transit

destinations in the region (the other be-ing downtown Vancouver), and it only makes sense that UBC be represented on the Mayor’s Council, which is a com-mittee of Metro Vancouver. Ms. Har-ris—Metro Vancouver director for Elec-toral Area A, which includes UBC and

UEL—said, “I requested membership in the spring.” Her appointment as an ex-officio, non-

voting member of the council means that “Electoral Area A gets a voice at the table, and this is an important step in en-suring that local interests are understood by mayors of the region and by Trans-Link staff and board members.”Ms. Harris said, “It also means that your

Electoral Area A director is in a bet-ter position to convey back to the local community an understanding of broader

regional transportation challenges and priorities.”The Mayor’s Council on Regional Trans-

portation consists of the mayors of 21 mu-nicipalities in the Lower Mainland, chief of Tsawwassen First Nation (Kim Baird) and Ms. Harris.At Metro, Ms. Harris is also chair of

Electoral Area A Committee and a mem-ber of the Agricultural Committee, Re-gional Planning Committee and Parks Committee. She lives in the UEL and was elected to the Metro board in 2008.

‘Mayor’ Maria Harris Moves onto CouncilTransLink directors are appointed by Mayors’ Council; UBC is huge transit destination

Maria Harris, Metro Vancouver director

Letter to the EditorOption 2 Offers Best Transit for All

I’m disheartened to read our fellow UNA residents’ feedback regarding the proposed bus options. I can’t help but be reminded of and

discouraged by the “Not in My Back-yard” attitude that can often perme-ate these discussions. I worry that such attitudes, if they are present, may confound what might otherwise be productive discussions on advanc-ing perhaps more important consider-ations around long-term sustainability and accessibility. Our quaint little community is no

doubt growing and will continue to do so. As someone who values the peace-ful, idyllic setting we have, I feel un-comfortable seeing the increased traf-fic and noise, and decreased forest and park space. In spite of my personal preferences, I believe that to support this inevitable growth in a sustainable way, it’s going to be important to build a transit system that is accessible (for both students and residents). Undoubt-edly, this would have its drawbacks, but I believe that this is a sacrifice that ought to be made.

It is easy to understand, given our ego-centric nature, why many would favour Option 1. The great danger here then is in disregarding the needs of our fellow community residents (i.e., the 10,000 or so students who live along the West/Lower Mall corridor). More-over, I’m concerned by the prospect of 10,000 students traversing the width of campus on a regular basis, and the safety (as well as noise) issues that may come from that. Given these considerations, I sup-

port Option 2 with its two facilities. It would bring convenient transit access to our entire (growing) community.I hope that our UNA community may

adopt a fresh set of eyes to engage in this bus discussion, one that considers what is best for all rather than what is best for the self. David Chiu(Permanent) Hampton Place residentCar-less transit userUBC graduate student

Don Cho Helps Korean NeighboursUnderstand Local Issues

UNA volunteer is of Korean descent himself; has long been active in community

Don Cho estimates as many as 450 people of Korean descent live in the UBC area.Quite a few have difficulty with the

English language, and of Korean de-scent himself, Mr. Cho—who has lived with his family at UBC for eight years and is a member of the UNA multi-cultural committee—has volunteered to help those who wish to converse in Korean about local issues.So far, Mr. Cho has helped about 20

resident families at UBC and in the University Endowment Lands (UEL) to understand such important local is-sues as proposed bus route options and Land Use Plan amendments. The UNA volunteer would like to see

the Korean community become more active politically. “Perhaps we could raise our voice when there is an issue, and have meetings,” he said.A professional person who came to

Canada to work as a research associate in microbiology at UBC and who has since become a realtor, Mr. Ho also works as a certified interpreter for the

Provincial Language Service.If you wish to correspond with Mr.

Cho in Korean please email him at [email protected].

Don Cho, UNA Volunteer

Dear Mayor Jackson,

Thank you very much for the let-ter that you wrote that went into the newspaper (The Campus Resident) that UNA residents receive. I have lived in Hawthorn Place, within the UNA neighbourhoods, for 9 years and I continue to be very concerned about the lack of true democratic govern-ment here. Despite the protests that Jim Taylor and Mike Feeley (former UNA chairs) make in a letter that also appeared in this paper, I do not con-sider an association true representa-tive local government. In many ways, I will agree that the UNA has done a good job within the parameters that it must work within. The reality, how-ever, is that UBC has the final say in any decision that the Board makes and that non-elected representatives sit on the UNA Board and have the right to vote. Imagine, if you will, appointed members from Telus or another large corporation sitting on the City Coun-cil of Vancouver and getting to vote. As you are no doubt aware, the UNA Board has, as far as I know, no control over land use and development issues. That control remains with UBC and the Province, surely, a situation that

is bound to be less than responsive to local residents.I think what has happened is that UBC

has very cleverly created a Board that will then defend the status quo, because they are the status quo. This Board can-not and will not ask the tough questions about true democratic governance. I fail to see how a local municipality would take local control away from residents!So, despite what you may hear else-

where, there are certainly many resi-dents who have concerns about the present situation. However, we do not feel very hopeful about the Province doing the right thing on this issue. By the way, in the same issue of the

local newspaper, Gary Gibson (former Metro Vancouver director for Electoral Area A) calls for a forum on gover-nance issues to allow all sides to speak to residents on this issue. I couldn’t agree more.Thank you again for speaking out.Yours,Angela WheelockP.S. I used to edit the UNA newslet-

ter (In Your Neighbourhood), but I quit over issues related to governance. I did not feel that I could write objectively about an issue that I so completely dis-agree with.

Resident Relates To Jackson Think-PieceIn the July issue of The Campus Resident, we published an opinion-editorial by Lois Jackson, chair, Metro Vancouver, and mayor of Delta. UBC resident Angela Wheelock responded to the article in a July 28, 2010 letter to Ms. Jackson—which Metro Vancouver subsequently posted on line. Below, we publish Angela’s letter with her permission and with the following caveat she provided. “This letter was written quite a while ago. I would just add that caveat and also add that since the letter was written I have been impressed with the progress on local

bylaws/rules.”

Welcome to New Offices of University Neighbourhoods Association

UNA staff will be pleased to greet you at their new offices at #202-5923 Berton Avenue. Staff members (from left to right), Rocio Escalona, Katherine Xu, Ralph Wells, Cathie Cleveland, Glendon Scott, Jan Fialkowski and John Tompkins

Province Takeover Triggers Planning Burst

In the near future, possibly even in November, UBC will organize a public meeting where its proposed new Land Use Plan will be discussed. Since July, a considerable amount of public dis-cussion on the plan has already taken place at Open Houses on campus, in workshops both on and off campus, and on on-line surveys with UBC push-ing back several deadlines to ensure all residents on campus, on the University Endowment Lands, in West Point Grey and Dunbar had the opportunity to join in the discussion.A year ago, none of this intense pub-

lic debate would have transpired be-cause UBC was locked in a sterile relationship with Metro Vancouver whose directors—much to the chagrin of UBC—wanted to impose a zoning bylaw on campus. We must thank the provincial government in Victoria for getting UBC out of this relationship with Metro.

A memorandum of understanding (MOU) had put UBC and Metro on equal terms as far as town-planning was concerned. This democratic arrange-ment sounded as though it should have been good, whereas in fact it constantly fell flat.A government ‘Order’ has put UBC

at the service of government as far as land use planning and local governance is concerned. This ‘top-down’ arrange-ment sounds stiff, formal, bureaucratic, whereas in fact, it has unleashed all sorts of creative thinking by UBC pol-icy planners.Even some Metro directors now cheer

what has happened in the course of a year. Thank goodness for the demise of the old Metro/UBC Joint Committee, confirmed in a recent letter to Metro Chair Lois Jackson from Ben Stewart, new minister in charge of oversight for UBC (See Page 8)


• Real Estate transfers • Re-financing • Wills & Powers of Attorney • Affidavits & Statutory Declarations

Seasons greetings to you and your family

604-221-4343

2515 Alma Street (between W. 10th and W. Broadway)www.notarydeprez.com

AssociatesDeprez

“Notaries Public… a trusted tradition”

A large section of campus, Acadia Park stretches between Wesbrook Mall to the west and Acadia Road to the east, Hampton Place to the south and Uni-versity Boulevard in the north. The married students housing in Aca-

dia Park suffers from that unforgiveable blight modern-day planners refer to as ‘low density’, meaning there is nary a high-rise in sight with most student homes ‘ground-oriented’. It also suffers with age. In recent sur-

veys conducted by UBC, Ms. Colby says, students have complained about mould in some of their buildings.Looking to the future, Ms. Colby said

emphatically, “No current residents of Acadia Park will be displaced as older student family housing stock would be replaced with new, higher density stu-dent family housing on this site, and there will be no net loss in student hous-ing.” In essence, instead of married students

getting 100% of the homes in low-density Acadia Park, as is the case now, they will get 50% of the homes in high-Acadia Park—with market-housing residents getting the balance—20 years from now.UBC, which is proposing to amend its Land Use Plan and has been conducting extensive consultation with its various constituencies (see www.planning.ubc.ca), sees a social benefit to the proposed redevelopment of Acadia Park—the eastern half for market housing people,

and the western half for married stu-dents. Ms. Colby says, “Locating housing for

families close together will allow for greater integration of our family hous-ing (UBC terminology for market hous-ing) and student family communities.” She also says, “The transfer of hous-

ing density from UBC Farm and other areas supports sustainable development and UBC’s academic mission.”Meanwhile, east and west of Acadia

Park, where change may not take place for another decade or so, other develop-ments have already started. To the immediate west, UBC has be-

gun building out a relatively small market housing enclave called East Campus—Polygon Homes has applied for a development permit to build an multi-story market housing tower at Wesbrook Mall and Agronomy Road (which is being realigned).To the immediate east, the Musqueam

First Nation has begun planning the de-velopment of so-called Block F’—this was once a part of Pacific Spirit Park.Media reports indicate the Musqueam

have plans for a high-density develop-ment in Block F which lies between University Hill School to the south and University Boulevard to the north, be-tween St. Anselm’s Anglican Church to the east and University Village (on Uni-versity Endowment Lands) to the west.These same reports indicate a major

hotel chain has expressed an interest in building a facility there.

UBC has unveiled its long-range plan for Hawthorn Place as part of a larger unveiling of what planners are calling ‘transfer of housing density’ on cam-pus. UBC will update its complete Land Use Plan (LUP) for campus later this year or early next, and planners have undertaken to consult with the public on proposed amendments to the LUP.The proposed transfer of density to

Hawthorn Place of about 150 residen-tial units would compensate UBC for having to abandon the idea of one day developing UBC Farm—which sits across 16th Avenue from Hawthorn Place. A grass-roots movement both on and

off campus convinced UBC governors in November 2008 that UBC Farm should remain a farm and no longer be classified “future housing reserve’, but this convincing came at a price: UBC was compelled to find elsewhere on

campus space for housing units that might have gone on UBC farm land.As well as Hawthorn Place, part of a

block of land called Acadia Place—currently 100% occupied by mar-ried students—qualifies for density transfer as does some land in South Campus,Site of the old BC Research Corp (recently demolished) also quali-fies.A practice field for UBC Thunder-

bird football team lies on the land ear-marked for long-term expansion of Hawthorn Place. UBC Athletics will lose the use of this field eventually, but a nearby development this summer and fall will have lessened the pain of this loss.Athletics completed laying down an

artificial playing field at Thunderbird Stadium—replacing the grass turf which was there before. This artificial surface will carry twice the amount of football action that the old grass field,

Canada’s national laboratory for particle and nuclear physics

See a very large lablooking at very small things!

Drop-in Tour Times

• Forgroupsof10peopleorless• September1-May31:WednesdaysandFridaysat1:00pm• June1-August31:MondaytoFridayat1:00pm

Book a Private Tour!Contact:[email protected]

4004 Wesbrook Mall | Vancouver BC | Canada V6T 2A3 | www.triumf.ca

HAWTHORN from page 1

ACADIA from page 1

Consultations Come to Close—Hearing Next

UBC is amending its Land Use Plan (formerly known as the Official Community Plan—or OCP); public hearing is

slated for later this year

UBC recently concluded its second phase of public consultation around proposed amendments to its Land Use Plan, and a draft plan to be put before a public hearing comes next.The provincial government will con-

sider a final draft of the amended plan likely in the New Year.UBC planners say that if accepted

by the government, the new Plan will guide more sustainable community de-velopment and better meet the needs of UBC’s current residents. “We have a campus community that

was planned many years ago with very low density,” says UBC’s Campus and Community Planning associate vice president, Nancy Knight. “Our goal is to create a model university community that is vibrant, livable and sustainable, but that vision is challenged by a num-

ber of the Land Use Plan’s current pa-rameters.”UBC’s Land Use Plan (formerly

known as the Official Community Plan or OCP), is the “bylaw” establishing general land uses and policies for the entire 1,000-acre campus, with a spe-cial focus on non-institutional develop-ment. The Land Use Plan, which was created

in 1997 with a 25-year planning hori-zon, also sets housing and transporta-tion targets for the UBC campus. Each year, the university assesses its progress against these targets and has since met or exceeded them. The Land Use Plan’s first public con-

sultation events were held on July 15 had 165 people in attendance. An online consultation ran from July 19 to 30 and received 110 unique visits.

Transfer of housing density from UBC Farm and other areas

‘Night of Fun’ Nets Funds For United WayReception is held at Sage Bistro for first time; prizes are top-of-line

A night of ‘fun and fund-raising’ took place at the Sage Bistro at UBC Octo-ber 7th. Nicholas Yamada, catering co-ordina-

tor at the elegant Sage, said, “We did manage to raise just over $4,000.00 for the United Way.”The event took the form of a recep-

tion at which everyone was welcome, Mr. Yamada said. An attendee at the

Sage Bistro United Way Reception—held for the first time—called the food served there “out of this world.”Sage Bistro received prizes for its

Silent Auction from a long list of do-nors. The list included some of the top names in the hospitality industry—ho-tels, restaurants, casinos—in the Van-couver area and Whistler.

To inquire about ad availability and ad rates contact

[email protected]



Produced with the assistance ofdProdProdProdProdProdProdProdododdduceduceduceducuceduceducedddedduc d witwit witwi wit wit wititwitwitwiwitwiwiwiti h thh thh thh thhh h thh h e ase ase as asassistsistsistssistsisttanceanceanceancecencee ofof ofoffo

Jade in the Coal 4.875x7_CMYK_OUT.indd 1 10/16/10 5:49:06 PM

Trees That Touch Our Lives Stories and Photos by Charles Menzies

Lone Pine Beside Homes Testifies to Past

There used to be a fine row of pine trees growing along Thunderbird Bou-levard and Eagles Drive. One tree re-mains at the corner of the Formwerks townhouse development that stands there now.For years prior to the townhouses my

partner and I would collect pine cones from these trees for Christmas wreaths.

At the northwest corner of Agronomy Road and Main Mall stands a grand old arbutus tree. It’s an impressive example. There are

few such trees found at UBC these

days—more were likely here in the past.I first met arbutus trees on summer

visits south from my childhood home on BC’s north coast. For those more acquainted with temperate rainforest

Old Arbutus Adds Grandeur to Main Mallconifers, the arbutus tree is a surprising plant—peeling paper-thin bark, twisting smooth branches, and leaves all winter when other broad-leaf trees drop theirs.

Trees Touch Lives in Ways We AppreciateCharles Menzies, who wrote the ar-

ticles for this spread—and took the photographs—has launched a website (blog) about campus trees. Mr. Menzies, an associate professor of

anthropology at UBC and director of the ethnographic film unit in the depart-ment of anthropology, lives on campus. He says trees inspire, shelter, feed, and entertain residents. “Living at UBC, on the edge of a for-

mer rainforest, we are surrounded by trees. Some trees are imports, others survivals from earlier times, others thrive.

“The stories on these pages and in my blog are about the trees that live in our community and in our memories. If you know of a special tree let me know and I’ll write it up with a picture.”Commenting on the Menzies blog,

Linda Moore, chair of the UNA Sus-tainability Committee, said, “This is a very thoughtful initiative, and very timely given how trees at UBC more often than not continue to be destroyed without much consideration or account-ability. “Besides setting up a more accountable

process for tree maintenance, removal

and/or replacement, I think valuable community blogs like this should be linked di-rectly to the UNA Web Page so that more UNA residents – as well as the UBC popu-lation in general – know what’s going on and have a voice.” Visit Charles at his blog

about campus trees at http://blogs.ubc.ca/trees.Also contact him at cmen-

[email protected].

Arbutus tree at Agronomy Road and Main Mall

Pine tree growing along Thunderbird Boulevard and Eagles Drive

Charles Menzies

‘Ti s the Season for Giv ing & Sav ingHost your Holiday Event in one of our festively decorated Banquet Rooms between Nov 24th and Dec 23rd and save 12% on all plated banquet meals. We’ll provide complimentary non-alcoholic punch for your guests upon arrival. Contact Joni Martinson today at 604-225-2312 or [email protected].

12 Days of Chri s tmas Take the office out for a special holiday lunch. Join us December 6th to 10th, 13th to 17th, 20th and 21st for our Christmas Mistletoe Lunch Buffet for $32 per person (plus HST). To book for parties of 2 or more call 604.225.2315 for information.

For casual dining 7 days a week join us in the Westward Ho! Public House & Grill Room. We have ample free parking, weekly entrée sheets and a warm and welcoming staff. Come in, sit back and let us do the cooking for you! Visit universitygolf.com for information on our Prime Rib Dinners, Wine Weekends and to find out more about What’s Happening at UGC.

5185 University Boulevard • 604.224.7799Facebook: University Golf Club • Twitter: @UniversityGolf • universitygolf.com

There are only a few places on cam-pus where one could find cones such as these.I was so saddened by the removal of

these trees that I took a series of photos of their destruction. The lone tree at the corner of Thunderbird and Eagles Drive is a testament to the survival of trees on campus.

There are a number of examples of other trees that survived the develop-er’s axe. The trees in the pocket park on the western edge of Hawthorn Place are another nice example. As are the western row of old trees along the block on Main Mall east of Thunder-bird.

Planners will Put Saved Trees On South Campus Site

According to UBC’s community plan-ning page, valuable trees were recently rescued during a demolition project on campus. Two buildings—Earth and Ocean Sci-

ences East Building and the Engineer-ing Annex Building—were knocked down in preparation for the construc-tion of the Earth Systems Science Building (ESSB) at 2219 Main Mall. When Dean Gregory, landscape archi-

tect at campus and community plan-ning, realized that a group of Japanese maple trees and various shrubs were at risk during the demolition, he bro-kered a deal that would see the plants ultimately replanted at South Campus. This is, clearly, an important thing to

be doing. It might, however, obscure all of the ‘non-valuable’ trees that have been and continue to be removed.

What’s happening to the trees at Fair-view and Wesbrook in East Campus, for example? There’s a long list of trees that have

been cleared without ceremony across campus.Once, during a planning workshop, I

suggested that there be a biomass re-placement policy. That is, for each cu-bic meter of wood fibre removed from campus, an equivalent volume be re-planted somewhere. The senior UBC official was present.

At first he seemed to be in agreement with the policy. Then, as the implica-tion dawned, he quickly revised and said that UBC has a tree replacement policy. That is, for each tree removed, another tree is planted in its place. This is not quite the same thing, but at

least it’s a nice idea...

Trees at UBC


Student Seeks Funds for Idol-like EventUNA is asked for $10,000 seed-money; residents would be

eligible to perform in UBC’s Got Talent

Bijan Ahmadian, president, Alma Mater Society

The idea of an American Idol-like tal-ent competition at UBC has been pre-sented to directors of the University Neighbourhoods Association with the request they provide the first $10,000 to fund the student-organized event. Bijan Ahmadian, 101st president of

the (student) Alma Mater Society, said a $10,000 UNA sponsorship will help secure the Chan Centre for the Perform-ing Arts as the venue for UBC’s Got Talent and “will set the standard with other sponsors, whose contribution will then help with production costs as well costs of staff and promotions.”According to a business plan Mr. Ah-

madian presented to UNA directors at their October board meeting, UBC’s Got Talent would generate $50,000 in income from sponsorship of $40,000 (including $10,000 from the UNA) and ticket sales of $10,000.Expenses would come to $40,000,

leaving $10,000 in proceeds to be do-nated to the UBC United Way Cam-paign.UBC’s Got Talent is the first ever pro-

gram that uses performing arts as a plat-

form to inspire learning and interaction within five of the University’s commu-nities, Mr. Ahmadian said. Students, alumni, faculty, staff and

residents will watch and showcase live performances from different cultures. UBC President, Professor Stephen

Toope, and Mr. Ahmadian, have vowed to sing a duet if the event sells out (1000+ tickets).Auditions are scheduled for November

15th-16th at the Norm Theatre in the Student Union Building and applica-tions close on November 8th online. The winners—chosen by public vote

and a panel of judges—will perform live at the final talent show on January 14th at the Chan Centre.Mr. Ahmadian said the University

Neighbourhoods Association has an unparalleled branding opportunity in becoming a sponsor. “Not only will this be a strong partner-

ship building exercise with the AMS, UBC and Alumni Association, it will also serve as an opportunity for increas-ing awareness about the residential community on campus.”

MUSEUM OF ANTHROPOLOGY

6393 NW Marine Drive (UBC)Vancouver BC 604.822.5087 www.moa.ubc.ca

Canada’s contemporary museum of world arts and cultures

A place of extraordinary architectural beauty, provocative programming, and vibrant, contemporary exhibitions

'Imprint' - dancer Michelle Cheung, musician David Brown; 'Intervisible Lines' (detail) by Hayati Mokhtar and Dain Iskandar Said

Ben Stewart, the new minister with oversight for local governance at the University of British Columbia, has ex-pressed himself of the same opinion as his predecessor Bill Bennett on the po-tential for governance change on cam-pus.In a recent letter to Lois Jackson, chair

of Metro Vancouver, Mr. Stewart says, “In a May, 2010, letter, my predecessor, Honorable Bill Bennett, advised it may be time to start thinking about a more representative local government for the Point Grey Peninsula, given the signifi-cant population and projected growth, and the increasing complexity of man-aging the area with the benefit of a mu-nicipal government.“I can confirm that the Province will be

exploring the idea of greater local self-government in the area.”

According to Mr. Stewart, consider-ation is being given to the scope and timing of the process that will be estab-lished to study a new governance model of the area. In the letter, he says, “The Province

will develop a process that includes residents of the many communities on the Point Grey Peninsula, including the UNA, the UEL, the Director of Elector-al Area A (Maria Harris) and the Mus-queam First Nation, in its review for greater local self-government.”In the letter to Ms. Jackson, Mr. Stew-

art also expresses himself in support of the Electoral Area A Committee (chaired by Ms. Harris) and a second Metro committee (regional planning) providing public forums for discussion of (both) local and regional matters af-fecting UBC and its residents.

New Minister Makes Same Promise as PastBen Stewart is committed to governance review at UBC;

before him, Bill Bennett was of the same view

“The Director (of Electoral Area A Committee) will continue to represent residents on the UBC campus, the Uni-versity Endowment Lands (UEL) and other parts of the Electoral Area on the (Metro) Board.“In this role, the Director will be able

to articulate resident interests in re-gional planning and service delivery, especially in relation to Pacific Spirit Regional Park.”As well as explain why Electoral Area

A Committee has a vigorous future as a public forum on UBC land use planning and governance issues, Mr. Stewart in his letter explains why the once-impor-tant Metro Vancouver/UBC Joint Com-mittee has only a past.With respect to the joint committee, he

said, “I do not think the committee is necessary given the change in planning

Ben Stewart, minister of community and rural development

UNA Members Make Weak Show at Polls2,800 residents belong to UNA; only 14% voted in election of residents-directors

Elected UNA resident-directors Mankee Mah and Prod Laquian. The UNA direc-tors subsequently acclaimed Mr. Laquian vice-chair and Ian Burgess secretary-treasurer

Members of the University Neighbour-hoods Association made a poor show of turning out to vote at the recent election of residents-directors. At their October Board meeting, UNA

directors heard that only a little over 400 members out of a total member-ship of 2,800 voted—a turnout of about 14%.Jan Fialkowksi, UNA executive-direc-

tor, called the turnout “very, very poor.” Moreover, Ms. Fialkowki said, it came despite ample advertising about the election and notice to voters where and when it was being held.Personalized invitations to the UNA

annual general meeting, profiles of the four candidates (Mankee Mah, Prod Laquian, Linda Moore and Fred Pritchard) and mail-in ballots were sent to all UNA members at the end of August. A personalized postcard was mailed a week later to announce the lo-cation of the nearest polling place and the advance polling place.Revelation of the low turnout by UNA

staff caused some soul-searching by di-rectors.A September 14th all-candidates meet-

ing a week or so before the election gar-nered attendance of only 40 people—5 of them UNA staff and board.The ample advertising of the election

and notification of voters about when it was being held came as part of a sub-stantial UNA initiative to cast its elec-tion process in the polling-station mold of municipalities for the first time.

For the first time then, the UNA ap-pointed a professional person (Ben Aissa) with considerable experience at all levels of government elections as the UNA Chief Electoral Officer. In a preliminary written report to Di-

rector, Ms. Fialkowski revealed that on Wednesday, September 15th an Ad-vance Poll was open from 7 AM – 7 PM at the Old Barn Community Cen-tre. This was to accommodate UNA members who would not be available to attend a voting place on Sept. 22nd (Election Day). The Advance Poll was attended by 21 voters.On Wednesday, September 22nd, there

were four polling places which were open from 7 AM – 7 PM and conve-niently located in each neighbourhood (except East Campus - these residents voted at Hampton Place). The four locations were Carey Hall (Chancel-lor Place), The Chatham (Hampton Place), The Tapestry (Wesbrook Place) and The Old Barn Community Centre (Hawthorn Place). A total of 158 UNA members voted at the polling stations on September 22nd. UNA members were also permitted to

vote by mail-in ballot as is allowed in the UNA Constitution. A total of 205 people chose to mail-in their ballot.The initiative is still being analyzed

with Mr. Aissa scheduled to meet with the UNA staff at the end of October to review procedures and provide recom-mendations for future AGMs. Ms. Fi-alkowski said a more comprehensive

report will be provided to the Board in November. The third statistic Ms. Fialkowski pro-

vided followed much in the vein of the earlier ones. She said the UNA annual

general meeting, at which election re-sults were announced, was attended by only about 60 people (slightly more than in 2009). Ms. Mah and Mr. Laqui-an were elected.

According to its president, AMS is grateful for “the strong relationship that we are building with the UNA on the UBC Line campaign this year. “I would like to

create a project that has an ongoing re-lationship-building component to it. A well-run UBC’s Got Talent will make it an annual tradition. That means that every year, UBC, Alumni, UNA and AMS will get to-gether building the relationship that will facilitate their partnership on other projects.” More information is

available at www.tal-ent.ubc.ca.

responsibilities that has me replacing the Metro Vancouver Board as the local land use planning authority for the Point Grey campus.”

To inquire about ad availability and ad rates contact

[email protected]


Life Sciences Institute Café Scientifique Tuesday November 16th, 6:30 – 8:00 pm Café Perugia 2350 Health Sciences Mall University of British Columbia Please RSVP by Nov 12, 2010: Email: [email protected]

“What can be done about antibiotic resistance?”

The Life Sciences Institute is hosting another informal open forum to share the latest ideas and breakthroughs in life science research. Members of the public and university are encouraged to attend

and participate in the discussion!

Antibiotics have been successful in curing many infectious diseases over the past 60 years. However, antibiotic resistance is increasing rapidly and there is concern that we are

approaching the end of the antibiotic era. This impacts all bacterial diseases, from deadly MRSA and tuberculosis to serious illnesses you can acquire from common foods.

How did we get into this predicament, and what are the solutions?

Resistance kills Dr. Julian Davies

Department of Microbiology & Immunology CBD and BARN Research Groups

University of British Columbia

Dirty birds: what’s “bugging” your chicken? Dr. Erin Gaynor

Department of Microbiology & Immunology BARN Research Group

University of British Columbia

Moderator: Dr. Bill Mohn Department of Microbiology & Immunology

BARN Research Group University of British Columbia

visit our website: www.lsi.ubc.ca visit our facebook: Facebook

6308 Thunderbird Blvd. www.oldbarn.ca


The Madonna Painter

by Michel M arc

Bouchard tr ansl ated by

L inda Gaboriau

Direc ted by

cr a ig Hol z schuh

November 11 to 20 at 7:30 pm Telus studio TheatreTickets: $22|$14|$10 Box Office: 604.822.2678

Concert Hall Harks Back To Birth

of CampusMany celebrities have been welcomed to the Old Aud over the years; opera Don Giovanni is

planned there in NovemberCampus residents with an ear for mu-

sic—especially opera—now have an-other top-class local venue at which they may indulge their passion.UBC has reopened the Old Auditorium

following a $21 million makeover.The ‘Old Aud’, as it is affectionately

known, has offered a public stage to UBC students and world-famous per-formers and celebrities for 85 years—it belongs to the small class of UBC buildings that date from the first years of the University.Over the years, Paul Robeson has sung

African-American spirituals there; Dylan Thomas has recited some of his famous verses there; Eleanor Roosevelt has defended the New Deal policies of her husband, US President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, there; Van Morrison has rocked there.In November, the UBC Opera Ensem-

ble with the UBC Symphony Orchestra will perform Don Giovanni by Mozart there. Fifteen years ago, however, despite its

sterling artistic lineage, the Old Aud was scheduled to be torn down. Nancy Hermiston, head of voice and

opera at the UBC School of Music, had just arrived on campus then to teach. “I fell in love with this beautiful old build-ing the moment I stepped through the door,” Professor Hermiston told stu-dents, fellow faculty, UBC administra-tors, alumni and prominent members of the world of music in Vancouver, all gathered in the Old Auditorium Octo-ber 12th to commemorate and celebrate its reopening as a major facility in the creative and performing arts precinct at the north end of campus. However, she soon discovered the dark cloud of pro-spective demolition hanging over the elegant but decaying building.“I was horrified when I heard it was to

be torn down,” said Prof. Hermiston, who led the hour-long commemoration ceremony. Fortunately, others were also horrified, and out of this concern sprang a movement to save the Old Auditorium and rebuild it as a vibrant part of the School of Music—indeed the whole of campus. The 533-seat Old Auditorium’s

$21-million makeover was funded in part by $12.2 million from UBC Renew Phase One, a $120-million cost-sharing partnership between UBC and the B.C. government that will have modernized 10 historic landmark buildings at UBC by 2011. An additional $9 million will come from the University and fundrais-ing efforts.“We are committed to ensuring stu-

dents across the province have a first-class learning environment in which to pursue their post-secondary goals,” said

Moira Stilwell, Minister of Advanced Education and Labor Market Develop-ment. “The rejuvenated Old Auditorium provides students in the School of Mu-sic with a state-of-the-art performance venue that will contribute greatly to their growth and development in their craft.” Old Auditorium improvements in-

clude all new seating, a new 60-per-son orchestra pit; new stage lighting and rigging systems; modern class-room technology; two rehearsal halls; a 2,000-square-foot costume shop; ex-panded lobby, box office and reception spaces; mechanical equipment lifts, and seismic upgrades. Restored in the process were many heritage features, including wood windows, plasterwork and a wall painted with alumni auto-graphs. The Roy Barnett Recital Hall in the

School of Music building adjacent to the Old Auditorium—a second Univer-sity of British Columbia concert hall with rich history of teaching, learning and musical excellence—also officially reopened October 12th thanks to re-vitalization funding by the provincial government, the university and a donor with a passion for classical music. The newly renamed Roy Barnett Re-

cital Hall (formerly the Recital Hall) received $1 million in upgrades thanks to a donation of up to $2 million by Roy and Gunilla Barnett. Roy Barnett is a UBC alumnus and former executive at Novopharm (now Teva Canada), one of Canada’s largest generic pharmaceuti-cal companies. “Funding the renewal of the (255-seat)

Recital Hall was an exciting and effec-tive way to give back to the commu-nity,” said Roy Barnett, whose lifetime passion for classical music inspired him to enroll at the Victoria Conservatory of Music at the age of 72. “We are absolutely thrilled with these

remarkable spaces,” says Richard Kurth, professor and director of UBC’s School of Music, the largest music school in western Canada and home to the country’s top opera program. “Their modern functionality and versatility en-able us to undertake more complex and elaborate music and theatre produc-tions, and give our students and faculty a truly exceptional environment for learning, teaching and performing.” The two venues will be used by UBC’s

450 undergraduate and graduate music students, and the Old Auditorium will also host other Faculty of Arts classes and events.Campus sources say UBC Renew proj-

ects consume nearly 60 per cent less resources than demolishing and con-structing new buildings, with huge sav-

ings in capital expenses, carbon emis-sions, water, energy and landfill waste. The ten buildings targeted in phase one would have cost $209 million to de-molish and rebuild, compared to reno-vations costs of $120 million. Savings through UBC Renew essentially mean that the cost of providing every third campus building is free. “From opera star Ben Heppner to ac-

claimed composer John Estascio, thou-sands of UBC music alumni who have made outstanding contributions to the cultural fabric of Canada and the world have trained in these venues,” said UBC

President Stephen Toope. “The arts are crucial to building creative societies with innovative foundations, and I am delighted to see these historical venues revitalized for future generations.” More than 10,000 singers, musicians,

composers and scholars have trained in the venues, including the multiple Grammy award-winner Heppner, tenor Lance Ryan, mezzo-soprano Judith Forst, composers Estascio and Alexina Louie, pianist James Parker, rising op-era stars Rhoslyn Jones and Simone Osborne and school founders Harry and Frances Adaskin.

Old Auditorium as it was circa 1925

Back from the Dead: UBC restores Old Auditorium UBC Photo by Martin Dee (See also photo of page 12.)

Eleanor Roosevelt

Dylan Thomas Paul Robeson

Van Morrison

20th annual Apple festival took place at the UBC Botanical Garden on the week-end of October 16-17. Organizers ordered more than 37,000 pounds of apples, including 9,000 pounds of organic fruit from local suppliers. More than 70 va-rieties of heritage and new apples were available, including Grimes Golden and Ambrosia apples. Also available for sale were apple trees grafted onto dwarfing root stock, ideal for the home garden or patio.

Metro Makes Plea for Planning Clarity

A committee of Metro Vancouver has pleaded with UBC to explain why the proposed size of its non-student resi-dential community on campus has in-creased so dramatically. UBC now plans a market-housing

community of 25,000-30,000 people on campus (which would rise to 50,000 if students living in halls of residence are included), whereas originally it planned to have only 18,000 residents, including students.The Metro Vancouver Electoral Area A

Committee at a meeting October 15th, felt more information was needed in this proposed bump-up of population figures, and asked for UBC to provide it. Metro hopes to get this information in time for chair Lois Jackson to meet an October 27 deadline for sending UBC a letter outlining Metro concerns about proposed UBC amendments to its land-use plan.Members of the Electoral Area A Com-

mittee, chaired by Maria Harris, of the UEL, discussed a Metro report which held that “Metro Vancouver’s con-cern is about the regional implication of significant residential development at UBC that would not be for students or employees.” According to Metro, the current population in market hous-ing is 6,410, and so the proposed Land Use amendments envision an additional 19,000 to 24,000 people in the area for family housing. (Editor’s note: UNA count has 7,800 people living on cam-pus.)“This level of population growth was

not contemplated in the preparation of the Livable Region Strategic Plan or the new Regional Growth Strategy. There are a number of concerns with this level of growth, especially if this results in substantial commuting off campus,” the Metro report reads.A population of 50,000 (non-student

and student populations combined) would make UBC only slightly smaller than New Westminster. Even at current levels of population, it has the second-largest amount of transit in the Lower Mainland (only downtown Vancouver has more).All this potential growth has serious

implications for local neighbourhoods in Vancouver such as West Point Grey, Dunbar and Southlands, and the Metro directors expressed concern about this high level of impact. “UBC was never meant to be a stand-alone city,” one di-rector said.Ms. Harris and her colleagues on the

Electoral Area A committee also ex-pressed concern about a UBC proposal to remove height restrictions on its buildings. Under the current land use plan, UBC may build no higher than 18 storeys.A motion moved by Ms. Harris calls

for UBC to retain and strengthen poli-cies in its existing Land Use Plan that work towards protecting Pacific Spirit Regional Park. All committee mem-bers expressed concern that eliminat-ing height restrictions would adversely impact the integrity of surrounding Pa-cific Spirit Park.

EVERYONE CAN STAY WITH USContemporary, beautifully appointed, limited service deluxe hotel suite for visitors and business travelers to Vancouver.

• Centrally located on campus• Fully-equipped kitchen and complimentary wireless internet• Ideal for short or long term stays• Available year round

Deluxe Hotel Suites, West Coast Style

T 604 822 1000E [email protected]

PH

OTO

: UB

C A

RC

HIV

ES

THE CAMPUS RESIDENT OCTOBER 26, 2010page 12

Ad No. 1 – Tapestry at Wesbrook Village UBC (Leisure Care / Concert)Half-page (10” x 7”) – 4 colour process

Publication: Una NewspaperJune 15, 2010 – Material due: June 15, 2010 (noon) – Run date: xxx, 2010

The Idea Partner (TIP217)

Completing this fall, Tapestry’s newest full-service retirement community at Wesbrook Village UBC is an exciting prospect for seniors who choose to cultivate and develop the most positive aspects of aging and maturity. Our new Tapestry community offers ongoing educational opportunities in our UBC accredited classroom, a complete range of recreational and cultural activities, as well as all the benefits of being part of the UBC campus community.

At the heart of our philosophy is an absolute respect for personal choice, independent living and, of course, discreet support for residents who need it.

This is not an offering for sale. Such offering may be made by Disclosure Statement only. Concert Realty Services Ltd.

"We've been waiting for an opportunity like this, and we can't wait to move in."

TAPESTRY RESIDENTS Enthusiastic Students, Community Activists, Lovers of Life

Discovery Centre Now Open Visit the Tapestry Discovery Centre located at 3393 Dunbar Street (at 18th Ave.) Vancouver B.C.

604.221.0997 www.DiscoverTapestry.com/UBC

From the left, UBC President Stephen Toope, Dean of Arts Gage Averill, Director of School of Music Richard Kurth, Graduate student Leah Field, Professor of Music Nancy Hermiston, Musqueam Elder Mary Charles, and Liberal MLA for West Vancouver-Capilano Ralph Sultan. UBC Photo by Martin Dee

the campus resident october 2010

Documents

ubc governors

ubc planners

campus longrange ubc

ubc farm land

ubc symphony orchestra

ubc proposes

student housing

hawthorn place neighbourhood