Comments on: Olympic village developers to review construction

By: Not running for mayor

Not running for mayor — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 16:40:40 +0000

I’ve heard collegues state that there are a few people that want the project to bomb.
The project was sold to the public last fall as a failure, since then the market hasn’t tanked like expected and the loses on the project were looking to be minimal instead of enormous, they needed another angle on play.
I hope for all our sakes it’s just conspricay talk as we don’t deserve that.

By: michael geller

michael geller — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 15:11:32 +0000

My dentist’s assistant thinks the Olympic Village Housing is going to be full of mold. She read it in the newspaper. She wants to know what I think.

I think it is absolutely incumbent on the City Manager, the Mayor, and Councillor Louie (WHO’S GOING TO INVESTIGATE THIS) to tell the public, with a great deal of fanfare, what was the outcome of the investigation. Is there a mold problem, or not. Somehow, I don’t think so, but we need them to tell the world. Because this is really our project, and our money at stake. Not to mention our reputation.

By: T W

T W — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 21:34:18 +0000

When there are disparate views on what is/was happening and all the parties are in varying degrees of conflict of interest, the only way to head of potential law suits years down the path, is for an independent third party review by a respected building professional who neither works on a daily basis with city hall, or local developers but is accepted and respected by both sides and who might bring some comfort to local taxpayers. What we seem to have is a group of special interests brawling over the spoils of the Village construction project to the detriment of the poor (and now poorer) taxpayers.

How about some vision, Vision ?

By: spartikus

spartikus — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 20:10:52 +0000

Why would Ballem/Gregor etc al, not release the SEVEN reports on file approving what the union claims was bad work?

I don’t know, but I can speculate that the union’s evidence and the seven reports are so irreconcilable that one or the other is a complete lie.

Some demand City Hall and politicians in general take an instant position, but if it was me I would want to know definitively which – union or reports – was right before I made a decision on releasing them. They might not be worth the paper they’re written on.

I have no idea if that’s right or even if insulation on piping is all that important in the end. All I can say from my own (humble) experience with our condo’s rainscreen is that the code-violations were so numerous and egregious that I’ve often wondered if the inspector got of their car when approving our building.

Your other, less relevant, question should be asked of the union and not us.

Some here have alleged a conspiracy b/w this union and VV. My questions were meant to illustrate how this is not a compelling argument.

By: A. G. Tsakumis

A. G. Tsakumis — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 19:25:19 +0000

Regardless of the genuine concerns, spartikus, the question you should be asking is: Why would Ballem/Gregor etc al, not release the SEVEN reports on file approving what the union claims was bad work?

Either they are covering for an errant statement or there is a problem with an inspector–period, end of story.

Your other, less relevant, question should be asked of the union and not us.

People who do no buy that this is a political cover-up should then be demanding answers of Ms. Ballem and the Mayor.

Well…go on, I dare you.

By: spartikus

spartikus — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 15:58:14 +0000

A desperate ploy by the International Association of Heat and Frost Insulators and Allied Workers sure

Again I ask “why”? Why is this union so desperate they would engage in a public ploy that – if false – would be a PR disaster?

I see little upside.

With the information currently in the public domain, Occam’s Razor suggests this is simply a group of people who had genuine concerns.

By: Not running for mayor

Not running for mayor — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 13:35:18 +0000

Personally I don’t buy that the whole thing is a ploy by Vision. A desperate ploy by the International Association of Heat and Frost Insulators and Allied Workers sure, but not by Vision. I do beleive though that Vision is limited in it’s response as it can’t stand to offend the union as it needs all the support it can get after a couple of rough months. In an alternate world with the NPA in charge I imagine the response to the allegations would’ve been much different.

By: spartikus

spartikus — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 05:33:10 +0000

Couldn’t this have been fabricated to take the heat off of HEAT?

Except this particular union had been taking photos well before the HEAT brouhaha erupted.

Between Meggs & Louie and their close union relationships

There are lots of unions in Canada. Meggs & Louie would have relationships with CUPE locals, but I fail to see how that would hold true with the International Association of Heat and Frost Insulators and Allied Workers.

If anyone has a cite to the contrary, I’m happy to be educated.

By: Rebecca

Rebecca — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 03:43:07 +0000

Couldn’t this have been fabricated to take the heat off of HEAT? Between Meggs & Louie and their close union relationships, isn’t it viable that they came up with this?

By: spartikus

spartikus — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 00:41:05 +0000

Perhaps someone could explain to me the motive for the International Association of Heat and Frost Insulators and Allied Workers for exaggerating and/or fabricating such a story? And while they’re at it, maybe they could explain what sort of hold the International Association of Heat and Frost Insulators and Allied Workers has over Vision Vancouver that would trump the need to see the project completed successfully, as well as the hold of other interests?

Campaign donations? LOL…pennies compared to that of developers.