The following CKNW interview on the Bill Good Show was recorded following a meeting with BC PavCo Minister Pat Bell on February 8, 2012. In the interview, Take the Giant Screen Down Now spokesperson David Cookson describes what representatives from the citizen’s group discussed with the Minister. Also explained is the group’s new conciliatory demand concerning the three giant outdoor screens at BC Place Stadium.
Despite the Minister’s non-responsiveness towards residents for the five months following the erection of the outdoor screens, and despite the screens’ continued operation daily and nightly, the group has made great concessions from its previous demands to 'Take the Giant Screen Down Now' and now instead has made a simple request: that basic City standards and processes be applied to the signage at BC Place Stadium.
Adhering to City standards and processes IS WHAT ALL CROWN CORPORATIONS HAVE ALWAYS DONE in the City of Vancouver and also very importantly IT'S WHAT PAVCO SAID THEY WOULD DO when they engaged the City in 2008 about the BC Place Stadium renovations (see the September 2008 FCN ODP 'Upgrade Commitment Agreement' where PavCo agreed "not to fetter Council discretion" concerning the development of False Creek North). This conciliatory demand that PavCo 'follow the City standards and processes' (which would mean that PavCo simply submit three sign permit applications to the City as per the City's bylaw requirements) is a completely reasonable request and one which is increasingly resonating with the vast majority of the public who are seeking a speedy resolution on this matter.
On January 17, 2012 Vancouver City Council unanimously passed a motion demanding that BC PavCo comply with the City's sign bylaws.
(CKNW radio interview player should appear just below this sentence)
Tuesday, 14 February 2012
Friday, 10 February 2012
PavCo Minister Bell deaf to new conciliatory request from TtGSDN group?
Take the Giant Screen Down Now organisation has taken a new conciliatory tone, deviating from its long-standing demands to immediately remove the giant screen at Terry Fox Plaza and the two other giant screens surrounding BC Place Stadium. Rather than continuing to insist that the screens be taken down with no further discussion, the group has made great concessions towards BC PavCo and is now simply requesting that regular processes regarding city infrastructure be followed and that existing city standards concerning entertainment district signage be applied.
During a meeting with PavCo minister Pat Bell on February 8, 2012 David Cookson, spokesperson for Take the Giant Screen Down Now told the Minister that residents would be satisfied with PavCo and the Ministry if they “Just follow the process. There’s an accepted process in this city, one which was followed by the Federal Government for the CBC Studios screen at 700 Hamilton Street. All PavCo needs to do is submit three sign application permits to the City for the three screens it wishes to operate. If indeed the public wishes there to be giant video screens at BC Place Stadium, then the City's standards and processes will certainly make it so.”
(Please click the following link for the full Metro Vancouver news story)
http://www.metronews.ca/vancouver/local/article/1092901--residents-spotlight-billboard-woes
(Please click on the following two images to view the two memorandums delivered to Pat Bell during the February 8, 2012 meeting with the Minister.)
During a meeting with PavCo minister Pat Bell on February 8, 2012 David Cookson, spokesperson for Take the Giant Screen Down Now told the Minister that residents would be satisfied with PavCo and the Ministry if they “Just follow the process. There’s an accepted process in this city, one which was followed by the Federal Government for the CBC Studios screen at 700 Hamilton Street. All PavCo needs to do is submit three sign application permits to the City for the three screens it wishes to operate. If indeed the public wishes there to be giant video screens at BC Place Stadium, then the City's standards and processes will certainly make it so.”
(Please click the following link for the full Metro Vancouver news story)
http://www.metronews.ca/vancouver/local/article/1092901--residents-spotlight-billboard-woes
(Please click on the following two images to view the two memorandums delivered to Pat Bell during the February 8, 2012 meeting with the Minister.)
MEMORANDUM-1: Questions for the Minister
MEMORANDUM-2: Conciliatory request to the Minister
Minister Bell admits: Province could have done more
In the following story by 24 Hours News, PavCo Minister Pat Bell sidesteps questions about the gross negligence demonstrated by BC PavCo in erecting three screens at BC Place stadium – the Minister instead talks about the ‘complaints’ surrounding the screens.
“The fact that emotions are as high as they are is a strong indication we haven’t communicated effectively,” Bell told 24 hours. As explained to the Minister during a meeting with Take the Giant Screen Down Now spokesperson David Cookson on February 8, 2012 “emotions are as high as they are because BC PavCo has not yet followed the City’s standard processes concerning signage. Communications with the public ‘after erecting the screens’ is really more of a damage mitigation tactic than anything else. What the Minister and PavCo need to do now is just simply follow the City’s processes – it’s that easy.”
The province and PavCo have received increasing pressure from Vancouver City Council, which passed a unanimous motion last month demanding a clear action plan from the Crown Corporation to bring the digital screens into compliance. Embarrassingly for PavCo, additional documents have also surfaced demonstrating PavCo’s written commitment in September 2008 “not to fetter council discretion” on issues regarding the development of False Creek North.
(Please click the following link for the full 24 Hours story) http://vancouver.24hrs.ca/News/local/2012/02/08/19357171.html
“The fact that emotions are as high as they are is a strong indication we haven’t communicated effectively,” Bell told 24 hours. As explained to the Minister during a meeting with Take the Giant Screen Down Now spokesperson David Cookson on February 8, 2012 “emotions are as high as they are because BC PavCo has not yet followed the City’s standard processes concerning signage. Communications with the public ‘after erecting the screens’ is really more of a damage mitigation tactic than anything else. What the Minister and PavCo need to do now is just simply follow the City’s processes – it’s that easy.”
The province and PavCo have received increasing pressure from Vancouver City Council, which passed a unanimous motion last month demanding a clear action plan from the Crown Corporation to bring the digital screens into compliance. Embarrassingly for PavCo, additional documents have also surfaced demonstrating PavCo’s written commitment in September 2008 “not to fetter council discretion” on issues regarding the development of False Creek North.
(Please click the following link for the full 24 Hours story) http://vancouver.24hrs.ca/News/local/2012/02/08/19357171.html
Tuesday, 7 February 2012
The BC Place giant screens debacle: City asks PavCo to do what it said it would do
The following story is from the personal blog of Vancouver City Councillor and citizen’s rights champion Geoff Meggs, who has officially and as a matter of public record exposed BC PavCo’s wilful disregard for due process in the BC Place giant screens debacle. On his blog, the Councillor states “When Vancouver city council voted unanimously to demand an action plan from the BC Pavilion Corporation to bring its new digital signs into compliance with city policies, the city was simply asking PavCo to do what it has always said it would do.”
Councillor Meggs then goes on to produce documents showing how in a September 2008 ‘Upgrade Commitment Agreement’, PavCo specifically promised in writing to follow the City’s wishes concerning these matters and “not to fetter council discretion regarding False Creek North Official Development Plan Amendments or otherwise”. (Please see document image below.)
This damaging document serves as yet further proof in support of the massive outcry to Provincial Ministry officials to have the rogue PavCo organisation reined in and ordered to follow the due process always followed by Crown Corporations: that is, to submit three standard sign permit applications for the three outdoor screens to the City’s Centre for Billboard Permitting for standard scrutiny under the existing Sign Bylaw provisions applicable to all entertainment districts in our city. − Is anyone else wondering where the PavCo Ministry is during all this? (i.e. The Ministry of JTI)
(Please click on the following link for Geoff Meggs’ blog) http://www.geoffmeggs.ca/2012/01/18/the-bc-place-sign-debate-city-asks-pavco-to-do-what-it-said-it-would-do/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=the-bc-place-sign-debate-city-asks-pavco-to-do-what-it-said-it-would-do
(Please click on the following image to view the ‘Upgrade Commitment Agreement’ where PavCo specifically promises to follow the City’s wishes concerning these matters. See item #3.)
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Councillor Meggs then goes on to produce documents showing how in a September 2008 ‘Upgrade Commitment Agreement’, PavCo specifically promised in writing to follow the City’s wishes concerning these matters and “not to fetter council discretion regarding False Creek North Official Development Plan Amendments or otherwise”. (Please see document image below.)
This damaging document serves as yet further proof in support of the massive outcry to Provincial Ministry officials to have the rogue PavCo organisation reined in and ordered to follow the due process always followed by Crown Corporations: that is, to submit three standard sign permit applications for the three outdoor screens to the City’s Centre for Billboard Permitting for standard scrutiny under the existing Sign Bylaw provisions applicable to all entertainment districts in our city. − Is anyone else wondering where the PavCo Ministry is during all this? (i.e. The Ministry of JTI)
(Please click on the following link for Geoff Meggs’ blog) http://www.geoffmeggs.ca/2012/01/18/the-bc-place-sign-debate-city-asks-pavco-to-do-what-it-said-it-would-do/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=the-bc-place-sign-debate-city-asks-pavco-to-do-what-it-said-it-would-do
(Please click on the following image to view the ‘Upgrade Commitment Agreement’ where PavCo specifically promises to follow the City’s wishes concerning these matters. See item #3.)
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