Easy Carrot, Ginger & Apple Soup

“Two days ago, my mortgage holder (a Credit Union, no less) called and told me that after 22 years, I was no longer an “A-list” borrower, and they would not renew my mortgage. I have no credit cards, never late with a payment, never late with utilities, taxes, etc., etc., BUT, because of the ‘new’ mtg. rules, they could not renew my mtg. because two years ago (as a result of a series of family crises), I took a small 2nd mtg. (ridiculous rates, but I’ve met EVERY payment, etc. – the credit union wouldn’t ‘help’). My total debt is only the two mtgs. against the property and, together, they are less than 1/2 of my equity (compared to the assessed value). My son (who is on disability) lives with me and takes care of me (as I do him), and we share our expenses with our two limited incomes. I’ll be 73 in a couple of weeks, am not well, have been isolated at “home” since the beginning of March. None of that ‘counts’. Nor does it ‘count’ that for over 50 years, I’ve been involved in environmental and social justice issues, worked pretty much full time my whole life (never collected EI, even!), contributed to my community (have received awards), raised a family, supported many others in crisis. In a month, I, and my son, could be homeless. I don’t even have the strength to champion my own personal needs. To those of us that are experiencing the REALITY of the NOW – those living in corrupt care homes, or homeless, or helplessly addicted, or victims of genocide or poverty, or racism, what it’s “called” is moot. — from commenter ‘dda’ 30 May 2020, under the article, ‘Normal Is The Problem’, by Andrew Nikiforuk, The Tyee, 30 May 2020 Also see: A Confluence of Whammies: A Single Realtor (& Airbnb-host) with a dependent child, an elderly dependent parent, two lost tenants, and dwindling business is forced to sell their house (presumably at a loss) and take a $30,000 mortgage penalty. TD Bank charges $30,000 mortgage penalty to woman forced to sell home due to pandemic – 1 Jun 2020, CBC News. Your banker may seem like a friendly guy, but the banks will always look after themselves – first and last. – ed.

I found this on Vancouver Condo info, hat tip China bust, it is a legal action brought by investors who purchased units at the Olympic Village and who now want their contracts  rescinded . They are suing the City of Vancouver. Here is the list of investors named in the law suit: ok J. Choi, Il Ho Ahn and Ra Young Choi,Yen Hai Doan, Tian Gao, Thomas Gisby,Jung Gu Han and Hyun Joo Han,Jung Kyoo Han and Sung Sub Han,In Cheol Jang and Sunkyu Choi,Heebo Kang and Soon Bin Kang,Mi Hyang Jin and Yung Jun Kwon,Mohamad Lafta, Hak Hyung Lee, Flora Kwangah Lee,Sang Wook Kwang and Hyun Jung Lee,Kyoung Won Lee and Nam Won Park,Gordon Mah, Wendy Milligan,Sook Ja Oh and Mu Hong Oh,Young Ock Park and Yi Yong Pan,Young Mi Seo, Shermar Holdings Ltd.,Susana Yim and Hardy Yim,Sook Ja Yoon and Eul Byong Yoon Here is the case, and from what I can understand, the first question is whether the City of Vancouver can be deemed to be the developer of the project. I definitely do not know or even understand the legal intricacies.  But I am an over-taxed Vancouver resident worrying about cuts to other City-funded services or a Provincial bail-out. I am also a student of the speculative frenzy in this city, where Billions of Dollars of real estate are bought and flipped or bought and left empty. A few things come to mind: 1) The names are apparently mostly Korean. I don’t know whether they are resident in Canada or not. They could be German or Mongolian, but the fact that one ethnic group has so many unhappy buyers, makes one wonder if the project was aggressively marketed to this group by a realtor. 2) Are they end users who have some concern about construction or are they speculators who are upset about the drop in value. ie were they speculating. The GetLegal blog linked thinks they are investors who bought at the top and are now regretting their decision and trying to get out of their obligations. Certainly there have been a lot of condo projects built in this city which have been late or have had issues. When the market is flying no one seems too bothered, but once it falters the law suits start flying, like Sangrila and now OV. 3) How much more is this going to cost us? What we do know is that when lawyers have the Government as a client, ie the taxpayer, the fees are exorbitant. Let us not forget the defence that we paid for in the Dave Basi and Bobby Virk case which cost us $6 Million, before they pled guilty.  To add insult to injury Judge Robert Bauman who IMVHO is a very misguided Judge, refused to allow the tax-payer’s watchdog, the Auditor General, to audit the Legal bills to see how come they were sooo high. Apparently the rights of two individuals who have already pled guilty trumps the ability of the Auditor General to do his job and point out waste and corruption. What message does that give the legal profession? If you can get a clerk in Victoria to sign off on your billing, you are audit free!!! I cannot believe what a carte blanche Bauman has given his fellow lawyers! Once again I say PPP do not work. If the project is profitable, the Private keeps it, and if it doesn’t the Public owns it. The financial sharks make sure they write the deals so that is how it works out. The other side of the table are well-meaning but naive councillors and city officials who are no match for the sharks. We are witnessing the result now. Of course the councillors are mostly gone and the officials still get their bonuses and pensions and us suckers get to pick up the tab.

The VPSN Annual General Meeting is coming up! RSVP here Our 2023 meeting will take place in Renfrew-Collingwood, at the amazing Collingwood Neighbourhood House. Since the late 1980’s, CNH has been providing a safe space – and an array of important services – to the surrounding neighbourhood. We’re honoured to be able to hold our annual meeting in this important non-profit operated public space. Our AGM agenda will include recap of our advocacy and project work over the past year, and provide a preview of our work ahead. As part of the activities we’ll also provide an update on our finances and elect a new board of directors for the upcoming year. Pre-meeting Walk – Collingwood Park Before getting down to business, we’ll also be taking a short walk through nearby Collingwood Park (5275 McKinnon Street), which is currently undergoing an important redesign process. If you’d like to join the walk, please meet at the corner of Euclid and McKinnon at 6pm. Weather permitting, the walk will last approximately 1 hr, at which point we will head to Collingwood Neighbourhood House for the AGM. Registration Please register here to let us know you’ll attend. Both the walk and the AGM are free to attend and everyone is welcome. Time & Location Tuesday, May 9, 2023 Collingwood Neighbourhood House Program Room (2nd Floor) 5288 Joyce Street 7pm-8:30pm (Meeting) 6pm – 7pm (Pre-meeting walk, meet at Euclid and McKinnon) Meeting Accessibility Wheelchair accessible elevator to 2nd floor Program Room. Wheelchair accessible, all gender, single occupancy washroom on second floor. Free underground parking.  

Summer is just around the corner, and there are lots of exciting things to do in the city’s public spaces! Coming up next Wednesday, be sure to check out our own Gardening the Streets event. You can also find info about some of the many cool activities —bike rides, museum exhibits, festivals, outdoor movies, markets, and more—that will be enlivening Vancouver spaces over the next few weeks. Special bonus for the placemakers and advocates: a funding opportunity , a new tool kit , and a chance to weigh in on your vision for the city’s parks ! * * * * *   Gardening the Streets (Access Public Space #1) Join us on the evening of Wednesday, June 19, 2024 for a discussion on the ways in which people in Vancouver are ‘gardening the streets’ and helping to turn roadways into verdant and vibrant public spaces. The event features two presentations that touch on the practice of transforming streets into beautiful green spaces. The event will also showcase some of the programs and opportunities that community members can access to take a turn at ‘greening’ our city streets and improving local public space. Joining us for the evening are: SABA FARMAND – a landscape architect and arborist. In 2019 he started documenting the many ways that community members have been stewarding street and boulevard gardens. His @eastvan_blvd_gardens instagram account project has almost 5,000 followers and has led to several successful walking tours and speaking events. ROSINA CUK – a horticulturalist and arborist who has been managing the boulevard garden on Heather and 16th and the traffic circle on Heather and 18th for the past five years. Presentations will be followed by an open conversation with audience members. Bring your questions and ideas and join in the discussion! Gardening the Streets is the first event in the VPSN’s Access Public Space series, which explores the overall accessibility – physical, economic, cultural, etc. – of the city’s open spaces, streets and civic buildings to community members and visitors. The event is FREE, but registration is required . Some light snacks will be available. Funding Opportunity City of Vancouver – Community Placemaking Grants – Deadline: June 23, 2024 Apply for up to $3,000 to fund a short-term project that enhances public spaces in Vancouver and brings people together. Possible projects include: small community gatherings, temporary displays, beautification projects. Share your ideas—old, current, or new—that bring people together and create a sense of community. | More information, or to apply . Resources Evergreen + VPSN with Happy Cities + Maximum City: Building Better Public Spaces Toolkit “For community wellbeing, social cohesion and environmental health, we need cities that maximize the potential of their public spaces.” The Vancouver Public Space Network recently collaborated with Evergreen as well as Happy Cities and KidScore by Maximum City, to develop a toolkit on creating public space inventories. Check out this new resource for civic organizations, local government and practitioners in the urban space! Free. English and French versions available. | More information . Engagement Park People – 2024 Canadian City Parks Survey – Deadline: June 23, 2024 How have you been using parks and green spaces in your city? For the past few years, Park People has been tracking the ‘state of Canadian urban parks’ – and their annual survey is a key means of informing the report. Your on the latest questionnaire will shape the 2024 Canadian City Parks Report and will help better understand how to make urban parks and green spaces more safe, welcoming and resilient. Bonus – at the end of the survey, you’ll have the opportunity to enter a draw for one of three $100 gift cards! | Take the survey . Other Upcoming Events Thursday, June 13, 2024; 5pm – Museum of Anthropology Re-opening Night AND To Be Seen, To Be Heard: First Nations in Public Spaces, 1900–1965 After an 18-month closure, MOA is open once again following the completion of the Great Hall seismic upgrades. Be the first to see the newly rebuilt Great Hall and experience the revitalized and reinterpreted displays of Northwest Coast Indigenous carvings, poles, weavings and other works. The Museum will also reopen with two new feature exhibitions, including To Be Seen, To Be Heard: First Nations in Public Spaces, 1900–1965 (running through March 30, 2025). The MOA is located at 6423 NW Marine Dr. | Reopening Night Info | Exhibit Info . Saturday, June 15, 2024 – “Church of Bike” – Saturday Formal Ride “Dress up with your finest flare, your awesome attire, your fancy finery – dress to impress! Easy park ride where you get to show off your stuff. All bikes and riders welcome – the important thing is having fun! Meet by the birds at Olympic Village / Milton Wong Plaza, 92 Athletes Way. | More Info . Friday, June 21, 2024 – National Indigenous Peoples Day Celebrations Various events celebrate National Indigenous Peoples Day on this, the unceded territory of the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh, xʷməθkʷəy̓əm & səl̓ilwətaɁɬ. 10am to 12pm – National Indigenous Peoples Day Breakfast Celebration and Chén̓chenstway Food Forest’s second birthday – “Bannock & jam, fresh herbal tea prepared from the garden’s medicinal plants as well as coffee. Hang out after you eat and make some crafts with us! We’ll have a table for making little orange t-shirts and red dresses for hanging in the garden. We’ll also have lots of native seeds

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You may have heard that Postmedia Network Canada Corporation donated approximately 5.6 million Vancouver Sun and The Province photographic negatives to the Archives in 2017. You may have also heard that around this time last year, 25,000 Vancouver Sun photo assignments (out of 250,000 in the whole donation) became available for searching on our online database. You may even be one of the many researchers who in the past year has accessed and viewed these negatives in person in our Reading Room. But do you know the steps involved in making those negatives available for viewing? Well, if not, you’re in luck! In honour of achieving a milestone 50,000 photo assignments available (that’s over 1.1 million images!), we’d like to give you a glimpse of the work that goes on behind the scenes to make this happen. The “Before” state—a banker’s box full of photo assignment envelopes The journey begins with a banker’s box. A peek inside reveals approximately 1,800 tightly-packed envelopes, each representing a single photo assignment given to a Sun photographer. These envelopes are taken out of the banker’s box in batches, making the processing more manageable. Each envelope is given a unique identifier, which becomes its reference code in our database. Stamping the first part of the identifier, ‘AM1616-S1-F,’ helps speed up the process, as all envelopes in this series will have this same eleven-character ID reflecting the fonds (AM1616) and series (S1) numbers. The six-digit file number portion of the identifier (that comes after the ‘F’) is handwritten in pencil and is unique within the series, with numbers assigned sequentially. The envelope for file AM1616-S1-F077888 After assigning the envelopes their identifiers, we count the number of images contained in each envelope and record that data in a spreadsheet. Each envelope may contain anywhere from fewer than 10 to more than 100 images on strips three frames long, for an average of 22.4 images per envelope. Counting the frames The rest of the information contained on each envelope is transcribed into the spreadsheet, including the assignment title or description of the assignment, the photographer’s name, the date, and if present, the “twincheck” number assigned by the Sun librarians when originally filing the negatives. Other information that is required to make fully standards-compliant file-level descriptions is also added. So much metadata After all of this metadata is captured, the envelopes are transferred to a new, acid-free Hollinger box. Once full, the box is labeled with the AM1616 fonds number, a unique container name and a barcode representing the container name. A full box, labeled and ready to travel The box is now ready for its trip to its new permanent home in one of our frozen storage vaults. To help the contents of the box slowly acclimatize to the -18 Celsius environment of the vault, the box is placed in a cooler bag and the cooler goes into the vault. After 24 hours, the box is removed from the cooler and placed in one of the sealed frozen storage cabinets, where it resides until someone asks to see some of the negatives. Inside a frozen storage vault Meanwhile, envelope metadata continues to be added to the spreadsheet and, when 2,500 envelopes have been entered, the spreadsheet undergoes a quality control check. We look for logical places to split very long descriptions, for glaring typographical errors and for any issues flagged during transcription. We also check for offensive or discriminatory language that is reflective of the time period in which the photographs were taken and of the attitudes of the creator. In these cases, we retain the newspaper staff’s original descriptions in order to keep the historical context of creation, but we will supply updated and/or more accurate terminology. When the quality control work is complete, the spreadsheet data is uploaded to our database and the new file-level descriptions are ready for searching by the public. Search result for “Sonny and Cher” The full file-level description of the images of Sonny and Cher when they played the Coliseum. Reference Code: AM1616-S1-F009500 Here’s a video of what this whole process looks like. As we mention in the video, to view the images, we need 48 hours’ notice, so we can repeat the negatives’ journey in reverse. Once we have a retrieval request in hand, we will pull the relevant envelope from its box and place the envelope in a plastic zip lock bag. The box is placed in the cooler bag and the cooler is brought to our preservation lab to allow the negatives to slowly acclimatize to room temperature. Once thawed, the negatives can be viewed in our reading room on a light table. Viewing the negatives If you need any assistance in finding Sun photographs relating to your research interest, or would like a photo assignment retrieved, please contact us at archives@vancouver.ca or 604-736-8561. The Reference team will be happy to help. 200,000 more envelopes to go!