[DefendGrandview-Announce] Emergency Callout in Defense of Grandview Park

[defend-grandview at riseup.net]

***PLEASE POST THIS WIDELY***Check out vancouver.mediacoop.ca for more info

******************************************
Emergency Callout in Defense of Grandview Park!!!

2:00pm
Saturday August 14 2010


Venue: Grandview Park (Commercial & Charles)


Emergency Callout in Defense of Grandview Park!!

Saturday August 14th, 2010

What's Happening?

- Barbeque, Community Feast, Potluck @2:00pm Grandview Park

Please don't shy away, no one turned away for lack of contribution!

- Mass Assembly @3:30pm Grandview Park

In continuation of past General assemblies, please come and take part!

- Live Music @7:00pm Grandview Park



Here's the lowdown:

Grandview Park on Commercial Drive has just recently had a
construction fence built around it. The Tennis Courts have also been
torn up. Defend Grandview had already planned for barbeque to happen in
Grandview this Saturday but now we find ourselves in a much more urgent
situation and we feel the need to step up the momentum.

Commercial Drive is a rapidly gentrifying neighborhood. At Charles
and Commercial lies Grandview Park. Over the last few years, there has
been a controversial plan to redevelop the park which was initiated by
"The Friends of Grandview". The "friends" of Grandview are a group of
property owners living near the park who would like to live in a
different neighborhood but refuse to move away. The plan is to strangle
the life from Grandview park by eliminating loitering in the park, and
the use of the park by "non-families". The new plan includes the
removal of bushes and trees to discourage homeless people and youth
from using the park as the trees and bushes provide shelter from
various predators such as police and security.

In response a number of people have come together through general
assemblies, and have tried to build momentum to oppose the
redevelopment. After streamlining the process, for the use of
developers, the park has now been closed, and as should be expected, no
body but the middle class professionals are being listened to!

We urge everyone to come out and show solidarity, with the youth,
the poor, and various others who use the park and wish to oppose the
redevelopment!

And don't forget to have good time!

We hope with these events and others like these, we can build
alternatives to this world where stolen native land can be continuously
redeveloped and retaken for the interests of those who make a profit
(whether culturally or economically)!!!!

We say,Defend Grandview!!!!

Gentrification Canceled!!!