Emery Barnes Park is under attack. A mega-tower is about to be built right on the block!

The park, situated at the centre of New Yaletown, serves as the hub of our community. The city-owned land at the northeast corner of the park is currently the site of Jubilee House social housing. The City had plans and budget in place to extend the park to occupy the entire block.

Now a developer’s plans for a 100% for profit 36 storey mega-tower have been approved by the city, in violation of several of the city’s own bylaws.  The tower was approved via a series of process violations against City bylaws, and in disregard of overwhelming neighbourhood opposition.

By approving this monolithic building on a park block in an already high-density residential neighbourhood with limited green space, the City of Vancouver sets a dangerous precedent for doing this in other Vancouver neighbourhoods, including yours.

The Community Association of New Yaletown is fighting for our park and has launched a legal petition against the City of Vancouver.  Please sign our petition in support of green space in Vancouver communities, and calling on the City of Vancouver to work with us to build more social housing in the area while maintaining a livable city.

Please join CANY in calling on the City of Vancouver to:

Save and expand Emery Barnes Park
Expand Emery Barnes Park to occupy the entire block as previously planned by the City and budgeted by the Park Board, helping the City to make progress towards reaching its own (distant) “Greenest City” targets for park land in our neighbourhood.
Create new social housing near our park
Develop more new social, low-cost, and market-rate housing and social services near our park, enabling the current residents of Jubilee House and Brookland Court and the services of Pacific AIDS Resource Centre to remain in the neighbourhood they call home, and enabling the City to remain close to its own targets for social housing in the City.
Work with our community to keep New Yaletown liveable
Initiate an open, public process enabling City staff, developers, property owners, and residents of the neighbourhood to work together in investigating and collaboratively deciding on the use of land in our neighbourhood* to meet these shared goals within the limits defined by law to ensure livability under the City’s Official Development Plan and Neighbourhood Guidelines.

* Land in our neighbourhood includes 508 Helmcken (Jublilee House), 540 Helmcken (Brookland Court), the empty lots at 1099 Richards, 1105 – 1107 Seymour Street, 1111 Seymour, and other developer-owned and City-owned sites near the park.