Leaders of Tomorrow Roundtable with CityStudio
Speakers:
Ian MacPhee, Planner, City of Vancouver
Lena Soots, Program Manager, CityStudio
By Bethany Chan
On Friday, March 27, Leaders of Tomorrow members made their way to CityStudio for a roundtable session with Lena Soots,Program Manager for CityStudio, and Ian MacPhee, Planner in the City of Vancouver's Transit Projects and Policy Group.
During this event, Soots informed members about CityStudio and the various projects it is currently working on. MacPhee then discussed the Mayors' Plan and the "Vote Yes" campaign, educating members on the transit referendum, but ultimately allowing them to each make their own decision.
CityStudio is a place where collaboration exists between City Hall staff, post-secondary students, and community members. It is a place where ideas are created, designed, and implemented by a collaborative team.
Students admitted into this program spend one full semester at the CityStudio hub, bringing to life their ideas for making the city more engaged, green, and healthy. Not only do students learn in a hands-on environment in an area they are passionate about, they also receive credit for the semester they spend at CityStudio. More information on past and current projects, as well as information about the program can be found on citystudiovancouver.com.
Next, MacPhee presented some research about the crucial need for more transit service in Metro Vancouver. Over the next 30 years, the population in Metro Vancouver is expected to grow by at least one million people, and the number of jobs in the area is expected to increase by 600,000. In order to accommodate for the expected growth, the Mayors' Council is proposing a comprehensive 10-year plan that will benefit all of Metro Vancouver, at a cost of $7.5 billion.
Improvements include road and bridge investments, accessibility upgrades, bus investments, and rail line capacity expansion — including a subway line along Vancouver's Broadway corridor and LRT into Surrey.
MacPhee said that voting yes will allow these changes to take place by increasing PST from 7% to 7.5%. The Mayors' Council believes this is best way to fund the project as it is the most fair as everyone will contribute to funding, and everyone will benefit (those who take public transportation, drivers who commute on congested roads and highways, as well as visitors from outside the region).
Referendum ballots have now been mailed out to all registered voters across Metro Vancouver. If you haven't received your ballot, please visit the Elections BC website to register. For more information on the benefits of the Mayors' Plan and how voting "Yes" will improve our region, visit bettertransit.info.
About Ian MacPhee
Ian MacPhee is a Planner in the City of Vancouver's Transit Projects and Policy Group. He began his work at the City of Vancouver in the Planning Department focused on the Metro Core and in particular, Central Broadway. After moving to the Transit Projects and Policy Group, he has been involved in a number of transit and transportation initiatives including the UBC Line Rapid Transit Study, the Downtown Bus Service Review and the recent update of Vancouver's Pedestrian Wayfinding system. Prior to joining the City of Vancouver, Ian completed a Masters in Urban Studies degree from Simon Fraser University.
About Lena Soots
Lena Soots is the Program Manager for CityStudio, managing the Core Studio and Partner Course programs, overseeing community engagement and events, and managing studio operations and staff. She loves her role as CityStudio's institutional bridge-builder, serving as the liaison between the City, post-secondary institutions, students, faculty and community partners. Lena is a trained facilitator and educator with a background in environmental studies, community development and education. She holds a Masters Degree in Environmental Studies from the University of Waterloo and has completed Doctoral work in Geography and Education at Simon Fraser University.
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