The pandemic response highlights the Vancouver state’s “unusual” address
Mayor Anne McEnerny-Ogle and the city did not publish a live speech, but a produced video version
VANCOUVER – Vancouver Mayor Anne McEnerny-Ogle sat in front of a camera reading from a prompt. She contemplated “a most unusual year” during her 2021 state speech.
It came a year after the pandemic first fully unfolded. A plan to have McEnerny-Ogle address an empty room in City Hall first was canceled at the last minute.
Vancouver Mayor Anne McEnerny-Ogle delivers her speech on the state of the city in review for 2020. Photo courtesy of the City of Vancouver
That year the address marked a possible further change in the way such things are done. A professionally produced video with footage shows the mayor’s points, interview sections, and a wider audience on Clark-Vancouver Television and the city’s social media channels including YouTube and Facebook.
“In an environment of uncertainty, the city remains strong,” said the mayor. “We are resilient and are moving towards reopening.”
Most of the 30-minute speech focused on the city’s efforts to fight the pandemic, including adjusting to allow many city workers to work from home, measures to protect those who had to go to work, and even temporary leave many nonessential staff for a time.
Among them were mostly Parks and Recreation workers as the city closed parks and community centers at the height of the pandemic. Many of them returned earlier this year when the city and Clark County Public Health opened the Tower Mall No Barrier Testing Site, which has since expanded to include a community vaccination clinic four days a week.
“We have had to redefine the way we do business as we focus on adapting, evolving and primarily serving our residents while protecting the health of our employees and the community,” said McEnerny-Ogle.
Outside of the city’s operations, there was a fulcrum to keep businesses affected by the pandemic alive through closings and business losses. The city waived its 2020 business license award and helped distribute over $ 1 million in grants to small businesses along with Clark County, “with an emphasis on women and minority businesses,” added the mayor.
The city, in partnership with the Vancouver Downtown Association, launched the Street Eats initiative last summer, which allowed restaurants to expand their outdoor seating while indoor dining was banned or severely restricted. This pilot program has now been extended for a further three years to “give restaurants one more opportunity to get back on their feet and attract businesses, and to provide residents with the safety of alfresco dining”.
Development recovers quickly
McEnerny-Ogle noted that commercial permits fell 30 percent in 2020 as the pandemic slowed new business growth. However, permit applications for new single-family homes increased by 70 percent, and 5,500 multi-family housing permits issued last year were almost the same as 2019.
“At the beginning of the pandemic, development activities initially decreased significantly,” said the mayor. “But when the restrictions were relaxed, activity resumed fairly quickly and is now back to pre-pandemic levels.”
The city is also well underway on several major development projects, including a six-story multi-purpose building in downtown Block 10 that was sold by the city last year.
A 179-acre mixed-use development is set to begin on the east side of the city on the former HP campus, which will be known as the Vancouver Innovation Center, and a 100-acre redevelopment of the former Fisher’s Quarry will bring a mix of these factors commercial , Office, light industrial and residential uses in the region.
The Vancouver Clinic recently opened a new clinic in the Columbia Palisades Settlement on the former quarry at 192nd Ave and SR-14, which is also said to have 600,000 square feet of commercial space. A multi-family condominium is also under development on the site.
The city council also approved final development plans for The Heights District last August, including the Tower Mall site, which is expected to bring a major redevelopment of around 200 acres in the central part of the city. Over the next 20 years, the city expects a mix of housing, employment, retail and parks in the area.
Also last year, the city finalized plans for a new affordable housing development along Fourth Plain known as Fourth Plains Commons that will include a community center and food business incubator on the first floor.
“This partnership with the Vancouver Housing Authority and Fourth Plain Forward will be a tremendous asset and catalyst for the Fourth Plain area,” said McEnerny-Ogle.
Rapid progress is also being made in downtown Waterfront, including two new hotels, condominiums, apartments, restaurants and wineries. Vancouver is also working to finalize a developer agreement with Kirkland Properties for a mixed-use development on a waterfront property east of the Interstate Bridge.
Justice under the microscope
Outside the pandemic, 2020 is best known for its focus on racial injustice.
Protests and riots erupted in the United States following the death of George Floyd by police in Minneapolis, Minnesota, who is now the subject of an ongoing murder trial.
After that outcry and multiple shootings in Clark County involving black men, the Vancouver City Council moved to focus on racial injustice and justice.
This included a declaration of principle by the city council members, in which they commit themselves to the recognition of systemic racism and to a focus on justice and inclusion. The city also hosted a series of listening sessions to hear from members of the community about their own experiences of racism.
“These opportunities have helped inform our next steps as we address systemic inequalities in our community,” said McEnerny-Ogle.
The focus on police reform had already started after a series of shootings by officers in 2019, leading to a list of 84 recommendations by the Police Executive Review Forum (PERF). McEnerny-Ogle said the top 10 recommendations have already been implemented, including the establishment of a community policing task force and the addition of more full-time mental health professionals to assist officials with emergency calls on the ground.
The city is also working on the implementation of a police camera program that includes body-worn cameras, as well as video footage in patrol cars and on the dashboard.
Prosecutor Jonathan Young has also begun a review of how certain laws could disproportionately affect minorities. This led to a distraction program for those on 3rd grade accused of driving bans.
The city recently announced the hiring of a new Director for Diversity, Justice and Inclusion (DEI) who will arrive in April.
Homelessness less of a focus
In her speech, McEnerny-Ogle addressed homelessness, but signaled the city’s view that although Vancouver is a close ally, addressing the crisis will increasingly be done at the county level.
“With the county participating in a joint homelessness executive group, the city is pleased to be a key support partner in finding solutions to this critical problem,” said the mayor.
That included a $ 2.5 million investment in a new unconsolidated animal shelter on the former Howard Johnson property near the Vancouver Mall, operated by Catholic charities in western Washington.
The postponement was recently compounded after the city announced it would begin negotiations with the Fort Vancouver Regional Library to sell a building on Grand Boulevard that previously housed a day shelter and was seen as a potential hub for homeless services in central Vancouver .
The full 2020 city report is available online at this link.
City council sets priorities
Also announced on Monday was a priority framework for Vancouver City Council for the remainder of the year and through 2022.
This included re-launching the Stronger Vancouver initiative that went on sale at the start of the pandemic due to funding concerns. It included potential funding opportunities for new parks, increased fire and police services, and investments in transport infrastructure.
Through 2020, several elements of Stronger Vancouver continued, including the completion of the new DuBois Park and upgrades at several others, in addition to an expansion of Water Station 1 that included a 4 million gallon reservoir.
The city also replaced thousands of street lights with more energy-efficient LED lights, saving $ 500,000 to be used for installation and more energy improvements.
McEnerny-Ogle said police reform, transportation, housing and homelessness, implementing the Heights District plan and supporting efforts to replace the aging Interstate Bridge will be top priorities for the upcoming council.
“The values and priorities jointly formulated by the Council are our roadmap for decision-making over the next biennium,” said McEnerny-Ogle. “Our commitment to leading courageously and ensuring that the values of inclusivity and resilience guide our actions underscore our focus on growing a strong, vibrant community for all.”
The guiding values were recently agreed on a council retreat and will also focus on climate action and community security.
You can find the full report here.