Vision Vancouver Councilors Tackle Hot Topics

Vancouverites had the chance to mix and mingle with several city councilors from Vision Vancouver last night at the Havana on Commercial Drive.

About two-dozen people turned out for drinks and appetizers with Mayor Gregor Robertson, and Councilors Raymond Louie, Geoff Meggs and Andrea Reimer. During the two-hour event, the politicians worked the room, discussing the issues on the minds of the people they were elected to represent.

“We’re feeling pretty solid about everything we’ve done in the past six months,” Robertson said in his welcome. “We haven’t ticked off everything in the platform yet, but that is our guide book and we started out in the early weeks prioritizing and focusing our energy on the key pieces we could do right off the bat.”

Robertson talked about the progress that this council has made in cracking down on slumlords, introducing Car Free Days, and pursuing other initiatives to make Vancouver a greener city.

According to Robertson, Vancouver’s progress is turning some other cities green, too. Green with envy, that is.

“I was in Portland last week pushing high speed rail and getting more trains down the west coast,” Robertson said. “Portland is a little upset now, because they were thinking they had the lead on being the greenest city in North America, but we’re not giving up now.”

Encouraged by cheers and applause, Robertson couldn’t resist a little trash talking.

“We’re back in the race and we’re gonna smoke ‘em!” he declared.

The event was an informal one, with no microphones or speaking notes in sight. Chairs were in short supply, which encouraged people to stand in small clusters and work their way around the room. Robertson’s face stared down on the gathering from “votevision.ca” and “Gregor Robertson” posters hung in between pieces from the Wendy Skroce art exhibit on display in the room.

The “chat and chew” event was a hit with community members, who liked seeing city councilors in their neighbourhood outside of an election campaign.

“I found it intriguing that Vision was still meeting with voters even though the election is over,” said Erica Boettcher. “That was enough of a reason to show up and just see what they have to say.”

It was hard to hear Boettcher over all the other conversations going on at once. I had to lean in close, which was the last thing I wanted to do in that hot, stuffy room. Everyone was sweating and sipping at drinks served in frosted glasses, trying to cool down. The Havana staff couldn’t refill the pitchers of ice water set out for the group fast enough.

The timing of last night’s event was fortuitous for Robertson and Vision Vancouver. Yesterday’s Globe and Mail included a story about a former Vision Vancouver executive who left the party in part because he feels Robertson has been unresponsive to and disengaged from party members since being elected mayor.

With last night’s event at the Havana and several similar events scheduled in other neighbourhoods over the coming weeks, Robertson will have a chance to shake the image of a leader who remains detached from his base.

Photos by Brandi Cowen
Top Caption: According to Mayor Gregor Robertson, Vancouver is "gonna smoke" Portland to become the greenest city in North America.Councilor Raymond Louie and Vision Vancouver supporters listen to Mayor Gregor Robertson's remarks at the Havana last night.Councilor Geoff Meggs talks with a Vision Vancouver supporter.