CAROLANNE REYNOLDS
your voice on Council -- speaking up for you!

HONESTY * INTEGRITY * EXPERIENCE

TRUE openness and REAL resident input

www.carolanne.org


2011 October 13
Chamber of Commerce

healthy business community
                   vibrant social and cultural life
                                     multi-units as well as green and peaceful neighbourhoods
Who?
At your service
Carolanne brings for you her background and interests

=  small business owner
=  former councillor (first Council Liaison for Heritage)
=  attendance at all ccl mtgs except about ten since 1988
=  teacher/instructor for ten years (from five-year-olds to 65-year-olds)
=  UBC grad as well as scholarship to Carleton, courses at the (Francophone) U of Moncton, and a cultural exchange with Keio University in Japan
=  traveller (speaks other languages)
        100+ countries over about 20 years (working abroad as well)
=  Editor of newsletter West Van Matters (www.westvan.org) for almost two decades for over a decade
=  Editor of the SFU Library newsletter (oh so many years ago)
=  copy editor (in last year two books: a computer sci-fi and one on quotations)
=  copy editor of A Word A Day (with over 1M subscribers)
=  Vancouver-born (father born in Vancouver also); in WV since 1985
=  fervent/passionate Canadian and promoter of Canadian English (www.grammarinfo.ca)
=  member of many WV groups/boards/committees including:
        DWV Community Services Advisory Cmte
        DWV Civic Site Advisory Group
        DWV Community Engagement Cmte
        DWV Heritage WG and Heritage Advisory Cmtes
        West Vancouver Historical Society
        Chair of Heritage West Van (www.heritage.westvan.org and royaltea.ca)
        Old Growth Conservancy Society
        Lighthouse Park Preservation Society
        Past President, current director of ADRA (Ambleside and Dundarave Ratepayers)
        Past director of West Vancouver Streamkeeper Society
+ as well as the Heritage Society of BC and The Land Conservancy (among others)
=  Avid opera- and theatre-goer plus member of Vancouver Art Gallery
=  Supporter of Bard on the Beach
=  Council-watcher speaking up for an open process, for following procedures, and for inclusion of residents (so they can attend and speak at cmte mtgs)
=  poet (last published poem in the August 2011 World Haiku Review)



Carolanne's contributions to (life in) West Vancouver

Carolanne has dedicated the last 25 years to West Van municipal life.  She has documented DWV Council meetings and events.  She has urged transparency and public consultation.
In 1988, Carolanne advocated zero-based budgeting and has continued to do so, hoping one day that care will be taken with a view to efficiency, effectiveness, and keeping the tax rates low.
Funds/Money/Charges/Fees from developments should have say 10% for sports, 10% for the arts, 10% for the environment, and 10% for heritage (the rest at Council's discretion) so that there is guaranteed sustainable funding for those elements in West Van life without the fear (risk?) of sudden cuts.
On Council she established Heritage as an important aspect to be developed and cherished.  Carolanne organized the first heritage celebration in WV in 1989 during Heritage Week and has made sure it has been celebrated every year since.  DWV now has both a Heritage Inventory and a Heritage Registry.
Unfortunately, all DWV heritage groups have been terminated with none active for two years.   Just months ago a heritage building (primary listing on the Heritage Inventory) was demolished with no notice, and recently to our surprise we learned Council is considering demolishing the Gertrude Lawson House (the West Van Museum and the offices for the WV Historical Society).

Last year in February, the decision was made (in camera, behind closed doors) with no warning to remove Correspondence from the Council agenda.  After making allowances for anomalies during the Olympics it was alarming to find out letters from citizens would no longer be part of the council meeting or even made public -- so we can't see questions, answers, or what other residents are thinking.  Carolanne lobbied constantly -- for nine months -- and succeeded in having the Correspondence returned for public viewing/information.  It is helpful to read staff answer to our queries.
That was nothing compared with the 15 years of lobbying it took for Council to start to calculate Uplift, and another five years for a portion  to be allocated to Community Benefits.  Granting changes and increased density is the community's prerogative  It's necessary to be persistent and take the long view.  Not for the faint-hearted.
As a member of the Community Engagement Cmte, Carolanne participated in developing the guidelines for Mayor Goldsmith-Jones's valuable innovation of having Working Groups.  Carolanne has reminded Council of these guidelines hoping they will be followed/enforced thus providing the information/progress to fulfil the potential and the Mayor's good intentions.
Carolanne has been distressed at the closed door decisions and will strive to throw the doors open to welcome citizens.  When bus shelters with ads were discussed a few years ago, they were rejected, however suddenly a few weeks ago bus shelters with advertisements appeared with NO public debate at a council meeting.
Furthermore, it is hard to think that all the items discussed during the hour before EVERY council meeting qualify as in camera.
With regard to housing, a couple of years ago Carolanne recommended architects/planners present the public with drawings/designs for a selection of types for us to consider.  Then residents can see them/the drawings/ and choose which one they would like to see in their neighbourhood as a pilot project.  Rather than having them foisted on us, we should see the options/the range/ and evaluate them to see what we like and fits in.  Dare to experiment; be creative.  We can say what we like and where.
Instead of a special interest group pushing its sole view, collaboration such as that described by the WV Historical Society Oct 3rd is a positive productive approach -- maybe have a task force for the waterfront or AmblesideNOW that includes arts, culture, heritage, business, ratepayers so that plans are produced with all views being heard and considered.
Oct 3rd staff took a bold and justified move urging a Multiple Account Evaluation of the at-grade intersection on Marine Drive because of Park Royal's changing plans to make sure suitable/appropriate.  [Council agreed with a review that will start in the new year.]
Also, it is refreshing and appreciated that Council has decided to step back and look at the AmblesideNOW project in the new year with the intention of having more public input.  Get informed and make your suggestions.  Improving the heart of West Vancouver is a labour of love.
Surveys always show West Vancouverites give top priority to our setting -- park-like with village-like atmosphere.
Although 40% of the population live in multi-family housing, over 90% of the land is zoned single-family.  Choose urban or rural.  Enjoy our waterfront and our parks.

We hope
Carolanne hopes you
Join Carolanne in the exciting gentle sensitive growth of our community while preserving and enhancing our quality of life.
West Vancouver is a beautiful place we are so lucky to live in that deserves our care and careful attention.

If you want to take part in shaping West Van life and its future, and you'd like to help Carolanne doing so, please visit www.carolanne.org or phone 922 4400.
Together we can make a difference -- for the better.