MANDATE

Get Involved!

The Annual General Meeting sets the direction for the Board, as do requests from strata presidents from time to time. This year, the AGM requested the Board to continue to address these four items:

1. Building a Sense of Community

There have been many articles written to say that people who live in a neighbourhood with many residential towers, like Coal Harbour, may feel a sense of alienation, or a sense that they do not belong. Both the CHRA and the Performing Arts Lodge have sponsored events to help our neighbours feel at home in the Harbour:

• The CHRA hosts a hugely successful late summer social event where people from all over the neighbourhood meet and get to know one another.

• Our AGM has been followed by a social reception sponsored by The Mill Bistro for the past few years, and this event is an opportunity for much sharing, too.

• The CHRA Board, together with the Sol Restaurant, sponsored for the first time in May, a Strata Presidents Reception to give the presidents an opportunity to get to know each other, to talk informally, and to share ideas and directions for their stratas.

• The PAL (Performing Arts Lodge) has, for many years, sponsored an impressive Canada Day Celebration for the arts community and for the neighbours, complete with a family pancake breakfast and entertainment from morning to night.

The CHRA welcomes the good will, the cooperation, and the generosity of many businesses in the neighbourhood who make our community-building events so successful by their donations of goods and services. We are so thankful for their help. The CHRA encourages residents to support our local businesses who contribute so much to the quality of life in Coal Harbour.

2. The Environment and the Airport

Since 2003, some neighbours have actively opposed the floatplane terminal’s “temporary” move from the designated business-industrial area at the foot of Burrard to the mixed residential use area of Harbour Green Park. These neighbours worried about the effects of air pollution and noise on their health and on their promised quiet enjoyment of their homes. Last year, “temporary” became permanent when the third floatplane dock was installed west of the Convention Centre seawall. The focus now is to ensure that impacts of emissions and noise are mitigated.

3. Seawall Safety

Our beautiful seawall gets busier every year as people realize what a magnificent place the seawall is to visit and to explore. In spite of designated pedestrian and bike/blade lanes, there have been instances of hits and near-misses as some of the many types of users of the seawall seem unaware of the designated areas, or become distracted, or use excessive speed. The new signage is often ignored or is unseen where it is posted. Our residents make their concerns known to the Park Board and to the City as appropriate.

4. Traffic and Safety

Although much of Coal Harbour feels like an oasis of calm in the City, the CHRA is cognizant of the fact that safety is paramount, and works with the City from time to time to address areas of concern.