tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2115390382388514565.post1521499231567150093..comments2023-08-25T08:01:18.049-07:00Comments on Baker on Vancouver: THE GRANVILLE ISLAND TRUSTJonathan Bakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10851181681609124691noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2115390382388514565.post-38917312179821403402014-07-09T14:11:41.452-07:002014-07-09T14:11:41.452-07:00Walter Hardwick, Art Phillips and Mike Harcourt we...Walter Hardwick, Art Phillips and Mike Harcourt were very supportive. Other Aldermen were not. Harry Rankin called it a "20 million dollar boondoggle." <br /><br />The Planning Department was cool to much of the Trust's approach. For one thing they felt that there was a need for more open greenspace pursuant to the parks board's formula. They also did not like the handling of traffic. King Ganong did not ask CMHC to exercise the "Queen's Prerogative" to ignore zoning and everything was peacefully settled. <br /><br />The Keg and Cleaver and Mulvaney's restaurants demonstrated the possibilities of the island but the idea of turning Granville Island into a mixed use, people place I think was Basford's. The general framwork was proposed by Rabnetts and Hotson & Co brilliantly executed the plan. <br /><br />Jonathan<br /><br />Jonathan Bakerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10851181681609124691noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2115390382388514565.post-19521376615856739322014-07-08T15:51:36.803-07:002014-07-08T15:51:36.803-07:00One aspect of Granville Island's history that ...One aspect of Granville Island's history that you didn't touch on Jonathan, is that Ron Basford took this project on because he could see how it could benefit Vancouver (and it certainly didn't hurt his re-election prospects). He was personally committed to ensuring its success. The way he accomplished this was to transfer the administration of Granville Island from Harbours and Ports (or whatever the name was then) to his then Ministry of Urban Affairs. CMHC was then under the jurisdiction of the Veterans' Affairs and Housing, as I recall, and he had it transferred to Urban Affairs. CMHC was working closely at the time with the City of Vancouver inn 1973 to 1980 on the False Creek and Champlain redevelopments, which Basford also was overseeing. So, although an unlikely fit for CMHC, the redevelopment of Granville Island was a key part of the City's redevelopment plans for the whole of False Creek. <br /><br />I'm not sure where the idea to redevelop the Island originated. The Creekhouse redevelopment and the first Keg and Cleaver restaurant in 1971-73 showed the potential for what the Island could become. I remember working with the City’s Planner, Don Hickley, who was assigned to Granville Island in 1972. The area was zoned industrial, which allowed restaurants manufacturing and whare-housing, but not office or retail uses. So I worked with Don to stickhandle our Development Permit approvals through the City. The restaurant use was intended to service the industrial workers, but it became the "Creekhouse" and then "Mulvaney's" fine dining establishments. Our architects' offices, which were in the Creekhouse prior to their redevelopment, became a "model-making shop", the shelving retailer became a "whare-house" use, etc. The Planning Department was being encouraged to be helpful in their interpretations by the TEAM Aldermen Walter Hardwick and Art Phillips.<br /><br />Bill McCreery<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com