Here’s some of the stories the News predicts will be making headlines in 2015.
Casino review
Richmond City Council plans to review how its share of gaming revenue from the River Rock Casino and Resort has been spent and will be spent. Council has no clear, defined set of parameters for how to spend annual casino revenue.
Gaming revenue in the third financial quarter of 2014 hit $5.4 million, a record for a quarter. The year-to-date revenue is $15.4 million, which has put the city on pace for a record cash windfall. The city could collect $21 million this year and casino officials have indicated there seems to be no sign of decline in gaming at the Rock. Council has already earmarked $5 million per year for the next 10 years to pay for the new Minoru pool and seniors’ centre.
The city staff review, expected this year, could set a more concrete policy on gaming revenue expenditures.
Public consultation
Public consultation and transparency at Richmond City Council was a constant issue amongst non-incumbent city council candidates in the last municipal election.
While all the incumbents won, their relative popularity declined. And, despite the improvement, the city still only has a 32 per cent voter turnout, digging itself out of the abysmal category for citizen engagement.
Councillors Ken Johnston and Chak Au have promised town hall meetings and Coun. Carol Day wants to create neighbourhood message centres. What will city council collectively agree to do (if anything) to better inform and engage its citizens on developments, changes and events in the city?
Election promises
Remarkably, there were few concrete promises made during the municipal election from those who were voted in as councillors. Mayor Malcolm Brodie did note three specific items he would like to address: increased services for homeless, and perhaps a permanent shelter; a new or improved animal shelter; and a memorial garden.
Compass conundrum
The Translink’s beleaguered Compass card has seen numerous delays. Last year the News, and everyone else for that matter, expected the card — whose system is used successfully in numerous cities around the world — to be working last summer. Will the Canada Line finally see functioning turnstiles? Will buses have a tap-card entry/exit system? Perhaps this is an event for 2016.
Federal election
For the first time, Richmond residents will vote for two Members of Parliament in two distinct Richmond ridings on Oct. 19 (tentative date). Incumbent Richmond MP Alice Wong has not officially stated she will run again, but if she does, will voters choose to back her again? How will voters judge how Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s policies — economic, environmental, immigration, governance — have affected Richmond? What will voters make of Wong’s insistence to eat shark fins? Meanwhile, in Steveston, Conservative Kenny Chiu will attempt to go from the school board roundtable to the House of Commons. How will a Steveston riding be different with east Richmond attached to it as opposed to Delta? No Liberal, NDP or Green challengers have been declared for both ridings — and the clock is ticking.
Development
Construction will continue, per usual, in Richmond’s City Centre and throughout the city’s main arterial roads: Cranes and road disruptions should shift from Minoru Boulevard (Kiwanis) to the Aberdeen and West Cambie area as several apartment towers are slated to begin construction; Building will begin on a city-funded 129-unit affordable housing complex, named Storeys, for vulnerable residents, in City Centre; Concrete slabs will soon be raised for a Walmart next to the Garden City Lands; The new Minoru pool and seniors centre and Fire Hall No. 1 should also take some form come December.
Openings
The 30,000 square foot City Centre Community Centre should be open by the summer; the first of two Kiwanis Towers seniors homes will open in the spring; the YVR designer outlet mall should be finished by the late spring; and the Richmond Olympic Experience will open its doors at the Richmond Olympic Oval this spring, as well.
Jet fuel facility
Will VAPOR win its challenge against the environmental certificate process of the VAFFC jet fuel facility on the shores of the Fraser River at Riverport and leave egg on the face of the City of Richmond, which said the lawsuit was futile? The next court date is in mid-February.
Language sign bylaw
The city is currently undertaking “public consultation” regarding the incorporation of official languages on signage at some businesses in the city. It remains unclear how encompassing this consultation will be. Will staff only consult businesses? Will there be a public hearing? Is Richmond City Council prepared to create a bylaw and have it be challenged in court? What is an appropriate percentage of English or French on signs? What is a sign? So many questions after all these years, and 2015 is supposed to be the year all of it gets sorted out.
