Wednesday, December 23, 2020

Sadly, the Vancouver Courier stopped publishing in 2020, so here is a recap of all my 2019 columns.

 My 2019 Vancouver Courier Columns in Review

MY GOODNESS. WHERE DID THE YEAR GO?

     IN 2019, I WROTE 26 COLUMNS IN THE COURIER. SEVEN ADDRESSED DIFFERENT ASPECTS OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY PLANNING, WITH AN EMPHASIS ON INCREASING THE SUPPLY AND AFFORDABILITY OF RENTAL SUITES.     THREE COLUMNS QUESTIONED WHETHER NEW CITY AND PROVINCIAL TAXES WOULD IMPROVE AFFORDABILITY, AND ANOTHER THREE EXAMINED THE DETERIORATING CONDITION OF CITY STREETS, PARKADES, AND OUR GROWING LACK OF CIVIC PRIDE.
     TWO COLUMNS FOCUSED ON WHAT I EXPECT TO BECOME A MAJOR TOPIC NEXT YEAR, NAMELY THE NEGATIVE EFFECTS OF POLLUTION AND URBAN NOISE ON OUR HEALTH. THEY LOOKED AT HOW PLANTING HEDGES ALONG BUSY ROADS HAS REDUCED THE NEGATIVE EFFECTS OF POLLUTION.


     SIX DEPLORED VANCOUVER’S INCREASED HOMELESSNESS AND OFFERED SUGGESTIONS ON IMPROVING LIVING CONDITIONS IN THE DOWNTOWN EASTSIDE.

     FOLLOWING THE TRAGIC BURNING OF NOTRE DAME CATHEDRAL, MY COLUMN LOOKED AT THE BROADER TOPIC OF HERITAGE RESTORATION.
     AFTER FEDERAL REBATES WERE ANNOUNCED FOR ELECTRIC VEHICLES, MY COLUMN EXPLORED THE BENEFITS AND CHALLENGES OF OWNING ONE.
     ANOTHER COLUMN REPORTED ON OZZIE JUROCK’S UNIQUE BRAND OF REAL ESTATE ADVICE AND LIFE PHILOSOPHY.
     IN THE YEAR’S FIRST COLUMN, I WROTE THAT I DID NOT EXPECT ANY SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN HOUSE PRICES, ESPECIALLY FOR SINGLE-FAMILY PROPERTIES. NOR WAS I EXPECTING A MAJOR CRASH IN PRICES.
I PREDICTED THAT WHILE THE SO-CALLED SPECULATION, EMPTY HOME AND NEW SCHOOL TAXES WOULD COST SOME HOMEOWNERS MORE, HOUSING AFFORDABILITY WOULD REMAIN A SERIOUS PROBLEM FOR VANCOUVER BUYERS AND RENTERS. SADLY, I WAS RIGHT.
     WHILE THESE TAXES GENERATED GOVERNMENT REVENUES, AND ENCOURAGED SOME SINGLE-FAMILY HOMEOWNERS TO RENT THEIR PROPERTIES, WE DID NOT SEE 10,000 TO 25,000 EMPTY HOMES RETURN TO THE RENTAL MARKET AS POLITICIANS PROMISED.
     IRONICALLY, MANY OWNERS OF SECOND HOMES SOLD THEIR CONDOS AND STARTED RENTING. THE RESULT WAS THE EXACT OPPOSITE OF WHAT WAS INTENDED.
     OVER THE YEARS, I OFTEN SHARED URBAN PLANNING LESSONS GLEANED FROM CITIES AROUND THE WORLD. THIS YEAR I WROTE FROM A CITY IN SOUTHERN CHINA WHERE GAS-POWERED MOTORCYCLES AND SCOOTERS HAD BEEN BANNED. INSTEAD RESIDENTS GOT AROUND ON ELECTRIC SCOOTERS WITHOUT THE NOISE AND FUMES EXPERIENCED IN MOST ASIAN CITIES.
     SEVERAL COLUMNS LOOKED AT THE CITY’S PLANNING PROCESS. WHILE I SUPPORTED AN INCREASED SUPPLY OF RENTAL HOUSING, I QUESTIONED THE APPROPRIATENESS OF SPOT-REZONINGS, INCLUDING ONE NEXT TO A HOSPICE, IN THE ABSENCE OF OVERALL NEIGHBOURHOOD PLANS.
     I ALSO QUESTIONED SOME OF THE CITY’S RIDICULOUS REQUIREMENTS SUCH AS DEMANDING AN ARBORIST’S REPORT ON TREES WITHIN THE FRONT BOULEVARD OF A HOUSE, WHEN THE APPLICANT WAS BUILDING A LANEWAY HOUSE IN THE BACK.
     IN THE SPRING, I HOPED A COLUMN ABOUT THE SORRY STATE OF URINE-SOAKED CITY-OWNED EASYPARK PARKADES AND DOWNTOWN STREETS WOULD PROMPT A DISCUSSION ABOUT THE NEED FOR MORE PUBLIC TOILETS AROUND THE CITY, ESPECIALLY IN LOCATIONS FREQUENTED BY THE HOMELESS.
     A SUBSEQUENT COLUMN, COMPLAINING ABOUT GRAFFITI COVERED BUILDINGS AND STRUCTURES, ATTRACTED CONSIDERABLE MEDIA ATTENTION AND A RESPONSE FROM A COURIER READER WHO, AT HIS OWN EXPENSE, HAD BEAUTIFIED 17 ELECTRIC SIGNAL BOXES ALONG THE ARBUTUS CORRIDOR.
     SEVERAL COLUMNS EXPRESSED CONCERN ABOUT THE INCREASING NUMBER OF HOMELESS PEOPLE CAMPING OUT ON MAJOR CITY STREETS, BOTH DURING THE DAY AND EVENING. THEY GENERATED CONSIDERABLE CRITICISM FROM THOSE WHO QUESTIONED WHERE I THOUGHT THE HOMELESS SHOULD GO. IN RESPONSE, I PROPOSED LESS EXPENSIVE RELOCATABLE MODULAR HOUSING LIKE THAT FOUND IN NORTHERN WORK CAMPS, OFFERING SMALL SLEEPING UNITS, WITH AND WITHOUT PRIVATE BATHROOMS.
     IN SEVERAL COLUMNS, I URGED GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS AND COMMUNITY ACTIVISTS TO ADOPT A MORE COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH TO ADDRESSING HOMELESSNESS.THIS WOULD INCLUDE INCREASED ADDICTION TREATMENT AND EMPLOYMENT PROGRAMS SUCH AS EMBERS EASTSIDE WORKS, AS WELL AS FAMILY REUNIFICATION PROGRAMS AND PERSONAL GROOMING AND DENTAL CARE.
     WE MUST ALSO TRY TO PREVENT FUTURE GENERATIONS FROM BECOMING HOMELESS BY SUPPORTING PROGRAMS SUCH AS KIDCARE CANADA, WHICH EDUCATES NEW PARENTS, ESPECIALLY THOSE FROM DISADVANTAGED BACKGROUNDS, ON HOW TO TAKE CARE OF THEIR BABIES.
     IN MY LAST COLUMN, I SUGGESTED INSTITUTIONAL CARE IS NEEDED FOR SOME PEOPLE SUFFERING WITH MENTAL ILLNESS WHO DON’T BELONG ON THE STREETS AND NEED MORE THAN JUST HOUSING.
     WHILE NONE OF MY 2019 COLUMNS LIKELY SOLVED ANY OF THE MANY PROBLEMS FACING OUR CITY, HOPEFULLY EACH CONTRIBUTED IN SOME SMALL WAY TOWARDS A BROADER DISCUSSION OF POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS.

     THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME TO READ THEM. HAPPY HOLIDAYS.
























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FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2019

Geller's 2019 Holiday Greeting 'Card'

For 37  years, since setting up my own company, I have designed and distributed a holiday greeting card. In the old days, I would hand write personal notes and mail them out. However, for the past few years, I have reverted to an electronic card. Not as good, but a lot less expensive and greater scope. This year's card is a revised version of my 2011 'card' offering affordable housing ideas, that was very popular. Unfortunately most people don't bother reading it to the end, which is a shame because some of the last few ideas are the best! Do let me know which you like best!



























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Friday, December 18, 2020

Geller Group's 2020 Holiday Greeting 'Card'

 For the past 37+ years, I have taken great delight in creating an annual Holiday Greeting Card. For most years they were printed, hand signed with a message, and stuffed in an envelope, Some of my past cards can be found here: http://gellersworldtravel.blogspot.com/2012/12/a-holiday-greeting-card-retrospective.html

This year's card follows the theme of twelve ideas for the twelve days of Christmas. Some of you will recognize the graphic style from a previous year's card. But the content is new since this year witnessed my first pandemic in the 37+ years I have been designing cards.

Earlier this week I sent out this 'card' as a PDF to many friends and colleagues. However, I was hit by the GMAIL problems and most bounced back. If you would like your own copy, email me at michaelarthurgeller@gmail.com and I'll happily send one along. Happy Holidays

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Saturday, November 14, 2020

Looking toward Lillooet Vancouver Sun Westcoast Homes & Design November 14th, 2020

Real estate: Looking toward Lillooet

The Fraser Canyon town is attracting city dwellers with an active lifestyle and affordable housing

Michael Geller
Nov 13, 2020  •  Last Updated 21 hours ago  •  4 minute read
The Fraser River carves out the steep, dramatic canyons surrounding Lillooet. PHOTO BY BRAD KASSELMAN/COASTPHOTO.COM /PNG

It used to be that when kids grew up, they would leave their small towns and move to the big city,” says Brooke Playfair, a server at the Fort Berens Estate Winery in Lillooet. “Now the opposite seems to be happening.”

Lillooet—located 250 kilometres northeast of Vancouver and 170 kilometres west of Kamloops—is a place that many are used to driving through. But now, an increasing number of people are not only stopping, they are moving there.

I was recently invited to Lillooet to meet Mayor Peter Busse, local planner Kevin Taylor and Jeremy Denegar, the district’s chief administrative officer. They are currently preparing a new Official Community Plan 20 years after the first OCP, to guide future planning and attract investment. They wanted me to hear about their vision for the community.

Long an important centre of Indigenous culture, the town evolved as one of the main centres of the 1858-’59 Fraser Canyon Gold Rush, when it was said to be the largest town west of Chicago and north of San Francisco. The District of Lillooet was founded in 1946, so next year is its 75th anniversary.

This was my first visit to Lillooet in over 40 years and in some respects, little had changed. The main street lives up to the community’s branding tagline “Guaranteed Rugged,” which is prominently displayed everywhere, even on the mayor’s business card with its missing corner, as if eaten by a bear.

But while some things have not changed, others have.

Taylor and Denegar moved to Lillooet from Vancouver Island as a young couple ready to start a new life. Upon arrival, they found a building lot for $78,000 and within five months had completed construction of a modern four-bedroom house for less than the price of a condominium apartment in Victoria.

Playfair and her fiancé were also attracted to Lillooet, in part, because they could purchase a house on a three-quarter-acre lot for less than a one-bedroom apartment in Vancouver.

They are not the only ones buying property in Lillooet. During my visit I learned that offshore investors have also been purchasing land in anticipation of future growth.

It is not surprising that people are now considering Lillooet. Anyone who has visited Squamish and Pemberton recently will have discovered both are growing rapidly. Each is becoming an attractive place to live, with well-designed mixed-use and residential developments located along beautifully landscaped streets.

While many buyers were initially attracted to Squamish by its lower housing prices, especially when compared to the Lower Mainland, this is no longer the case.In September 2020, the average price of a home sold in Squamish was $758,000, with detached houses selling for an average of $1.1 million. Three-bedroom townhouses are selling for $760,000, and one- and two-bedroom apartments are selling for an average of $400,000. Prices in Pemberton are not much lower. A single-family house on Eagle Drive recently sold for $1.55 million and a 780-square-foot apartment on Crabapple Court sold for $475,000.

Meanwhile, in Lillooet, of the 21 houses for sale in early October, the average list price was $420,000, and several very livable houses were listed under $300,000.

A healthy, active, outdoorsy lifestyle attracts people to communities like Squamish, Pemberton—and increasingly, the much more affordable Lillooet. PHOTO BY COURTESY OF TOURISM SQUAMISH /PNGMany planners and real estate professionals attribute the rise in single-family house prices to COVID-19. The pandemic appears to be encouraging buyers to sacrifice proximity to downtown Vancouver and move further afield where they can buy or rent a larger home, with space for a home office and enough room to raise a family. After all, thanks to technology, many of us no longer need to live close to the office or places of work.

What few of us know is whether this is a trend that will continue once the pandemic subsides. Even before COVID-19, people were moving away from Vancouver and Toronto to surrounding communities offering larger, less expensive homes.

A similar pattern occurred in London years ago. I recall visiting a crowded local pub one Thursday evening and asking the bartender whether the place was always this busy.

“Yes,” she replied, “but especially on Thursdays.” “Why not Fridays?” I asked. “People go home on Fridays,” she responded. It seemed that most of the people in the pub lived three or more hours outside of London and commuted, not daily, but weekly.

Adventure Lives Here. Hardwired for Adventure. Guaranteed Rugged.

While Pemberton, Squamish and Lillooet initially chose these branding taglines to attract tourists, they will continue to attract people like Playfair, Taylor and Denegar, ready to move away from larger Canadian cities to smaller communities where they can find more affordable housing and more active, healthier lifestyles.

I predict this is a trend that will continue long after COVID-19 subsides.

Michael Geller is a Vancouver-based planner, real estate consultant, developer and retired architect. He also serves as an adjunct professor at Simon Fraser University. He can be reached at geller@sfu.ca and his blog is found at gellersworldtravel. blogspot.com.





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Sunday, November 1, 2020

A Road Trip to Rowena's at Harrison Mills and Fraser River Lodge in Agassiz. Two terrific getaways!

A number of years ago I bought a charity silent auction item that consisted of a night stay at Rowena's resort and a round of golf at the adjacent Sandpiper golf course in Harrison Mills. Since it had to be used by October 31 of that year, Sally and I decided to take advantage of it Halloween weekend. We had absolutely no idea what to expect, and were most pleasantly surprised. One of the highlights was seeing what we thought was a squirrel jumping across the fairway, only to discover it was in fact salmon in a small small creek traversing the course. We subsequently discovered there were lots of salmon in the creeks and eagles in the trees.

The main house, once the Petty Estate, has been subdivided into a number of suites. Charlie's room is the smallest at the back. But it was very comfortable, and a relaxing place to stay. No TV!
If one of the cabins is available, book it! These are the newest ones and they are exceptionally well-appointed.  

In subsequent years, we have returned to Rowena's, (one year even booked the entire resort for a golf weekend with friends.) You can find details about the facility  here https://rowenasinnontheriver.com/ and you will see that it consists of a grand estate property that has been converted five or six suites, and a number of cabins, some of which are relatively new.

On a recent trip to play golf with colleagues from Lumon Canada I discovered that Rowena's has been purchased by Keltic Corporation, the company that also purchased the Grouse Inn property I rezoned in North Vancouver at Capilano Road and Marine drive. The company also owns a number of other unique properties around the region, including one which is very close to my home!

The golf course is quite beautiful, overlooking the water and mountains with a lot of eagles! As Sally said, this was the only eagle (or birdie for that matter) that I saw!

This weekend, Sally and I decided to return once again to Rowena's. Unfortunately, the resort was fully booked except for Charlie's room is the smallest of suites in the house. Furthermore, while we wanted to stay for two nights, it was fully Saturday night. However, we got to play golf and watch the eagles and airplanes taking off on a runway next to the 17th hole fairway. We had dinner at the Sandpiper golf club restaurant and it was excellent. I recommend the beef stroganoff!  

If you are looking for a 'stay-vacation' getaway, I can highly recommend Rowena's. Go with some friends and book a number of suites or cabins. You won't be disappointed.

Since we couldn't stay a second night, Jo our server recommended we check out the Fraser River Fishing Lodge. (You don't have to fish to stay there.) We called and were told there were two options: a $175 room, and the 'executive' honeymoon suite at $200, which included a double-jacuzzi tub and gas fireplace. We chose the latter and booked Sunday morning breakfast for $25 per person. You can find more details here: https://www.fraserriverlodge.com/





It was quite astounding to have the entire facility for ourselves (except for another couple we never saw.)

I was both surprised and somewhat disappointed to discover that other than one other couple, we were the only ones staying at the resort. One one hand, we felt exceptionally fortunate. On the other, I was quite sad that many more people were not there to take advantage of this very nice facility, in a magnificent setting with bison hanging out in front of your room.

It was fun to get close and personal with these beasts. Sally was curious whether the breakfast sausage was bison. It wasn't!

Sunday morning we enjoyed a beautifully breakfast in the lounge. We were served by a charming young man who turned out to be the son of the owners. When I complimented his parents on the creation of such a beautiful facility, he told me his father was German and his mother of UK heritage and this was the third Lodge they had developed. 

I felt somewhat guilty that he and the other staff had opened the lounge and prepared an exceptional breakfast with fresh fruit, juices, croissants and pastries, eggs, bacon and sausage, and coffee JUST FOR US. So much to Sally's chagrin, I had to offer some marketing advice since it seemed sad that more people from Vancouver were not taking advantage of this beautiful facility, especially since the Americans were unable to visit. 

At any rate, that is why I have written this blog to share our experience. Rowena's is a wonderful getaway and so is this lodge. Sally and I plan to return soon and go fishing. We may not take the Honeymoon Suite. Instead we will leave it for someone else! Like you

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A road trip to Lillooet

As you approach the town, it's hard to miss the entry sign

In late September  I accepted an invitation from Peter Busse, mayor of Lillooet, to meet Kevin Taylor, the local planner, and Jeremy Denegar, the District’s Chief Administrative Officer. Originally from the Victoria area, the mayor told me they were 'enticed' to come to Lillooet from the Okanagan.  A young, openly gay couple, ready to start a new life, upon arrival in Lillooet, they found a building lot and within five months had completed construction of a modern four-bedroom house for less than the price of a Victoria condominium apartment.

Since arriving less than a year ago, they have forged significant relationships in the community, and additionally with the surrounding First Nations communities. They have also processed two significant subdivisions that had been languishing for some time prior to their arrival. The mayor and no doubt many in the community are very happy to have them around!


Lillooet is currently preparing a new Official Community Plan (OCP) 12 years after the last OCP, to guide future planning and attract investment. The mayor and his new CAO and planner wanted me to hear about their vision for the community and beautification plans for the downtown. 

This was my first visit to Lillooet since the 1970s when I was there in my capacity as CMHC's assistant architect/planner involved with what was then called the Rural and Native Housing Program. Although our stay was short, it was most enjoyable and I have written an article that will appear in the November Westcoast Homes & Design magazine. But in the meanwhile, here is a bit of information that I think you will find of interest.
Lillooet's history is very much tied to minerals, as becomes evident when touring Main Street

Lillooet is located 130 km from Whistler, 170 km from Kamloops and 250 km north-east of Vancouver. It had its start as one of the main centres of the 1858–59 Fraser Canyon Gold Rush, during which time it was said to be the largest town west of Chicago and north of San Francisco. The District of Lillooet was founded in 1946, so next year is its 75th Anniversary.

Main Street offers room for improvement and Mayor Busse and his senior staff are well aware of this.

In some respects, little had changed since I was last there. The main street lives up to the community’s branding tagline “Guaranteed Rugged”, which is prominently displayed on the entry signage, marketing materials, and even the mayor’s business card with its missing corner, as if eaten by a bear.

Jeremy and Kevin are not the only ones buying property in Lillooet. During my visit I learned that offshore investors have also been purchasing land in anticipation of future growth.

With the new population comes a Farmers' Market!

It is not surprising that people are now considering Lillooet as a place to live. Anyone who has visited Squamish and Pemberton recently will have discovered both are growing rapidly. They are becoming very attractive places to live with well-designed mixed-use and residential developments located along beautifully landscaped streets. But they are becoming expensive, which is why an increasing number of people are now considering moving to Lillooet. 

While Lillooet desperately needs a decent hotel or inn, it does have a very good winery. https://www.fortberens.ca/ Fort Berens Winery was started by a Dutch couple and it is not only a good tasting experience, there's a good restaurant too. Lillooet now has a second winery called the Cliff and Gorge, just outside the town . In addition, the community has managed to attract a craft brewery which is presently under construction and they are hopeful to be able to attract another business, possibly a distillery. 

As you will read in my Vancouver Sun column, there was a time when kids left their small towns to move to the big city. Now it's happening in reverse. And for good reason!

Sally reads up on the town's history and connections to First Nations and the Chinese and Japanese communities.

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