Chronology of Neglect and Betrayal: St. John’s at 1401 Comox Street
West End Neighbours (WEN) is alarmed about a sudden and precipitous announcement that threatens the very core of our community. Citing fire concerns, Westbank/Peterson, the owners of St. John’s Church at 1401 Comox Street, have applied for a permit to demolish this valued landmark of the West End. This church has special significance for our community, with its 100 year history of progressive social attitudes and activities, including engagement in the struggle for the rights of the LGBT community and minority groups. The number of signatures on the petition to stop spot rezoning until the West End has a community plan is over 11,000 and continues to grow.
This demolition permit application contradicts the developer’s promise not to demolish the Church “prior to Council consideration of the rezoning application,” as conveyed to us by Vancouver City Director of Planning, Brent Toderian in a November 2009 e-mail message.
WEN finds the stated reasons for demolition unconvincing. Developers able to build a twenty-two storey building should also be able to operate a fire alarm and sprinklers in a two storey structure. We question why the developers have not used the existing alarm and sprinklers in the church over these many months. Instead neighbours were forced to monitor the safety of the building and report unusual activity. If there was a building safety concern, why did these multi-million dollar corporations not demonstrate their interest previously? And why is demolition now so urgent? A hundred years of neighbourliness can surely continue until the future of the property is determined. The owners should turn the fire alarm and sprinklers back on, secure the site, and abide by the usual and accepted practices of the city.
This is a chronology of the events
April 16, 2011 – WEN holds neighbourhood information rally in front of church.
April 7, 2011 – City issues demolition permit to Westbank and Peterson.
February 10, 2011 – The fire department is called to the church to discover a ritual fire ceremony taking place inside the church. Described by Ian Gillespie as a fire hazard, it has caused great concern in the community and with neighbours that Gillespie allowed this fire on his property without a permit from the city and without water or a functioning sprinkler system in the building. Local residents lives and property were jeopardized by this act. Click here for full story, photos and video.
January 26, 2011 – Westbank owner Ian Gillespie announces in the West Ender that he has applied to the City for a demolition permit because of the hazards posed by fire, insurance risks.
January 26, 2011 – A neighbour notices a hole cut in the metal garage door bars. It is repaired January 26, 2011.
November 6, 2010 – Another arrest made. 24-hour security on duty for five days. Finally Westbank has building secured.
November 5, 2011 – After numerous requests over the last few weeks to Westbank about re-securing damaged doors at St. John’s, lots of activity today. This follows three or four visits by police to find and boot out interlopers over the last two weeks.
November 4, 2010 – Again the police called to St. John’s at 1:00 a.m. Two squatters are caught. Two weeks after the last major break-in call (this is the third call to police), the developer has done nothing about damage to the doors. Concerns raised again with Westbank.
November 3, 2010 – Security company reports about 20 holes in basement walls due to metal and wire theft.
November 2, 2010 – Basement door in front found propped open again.
Mid-October, 2010 – Signs of another break-in. Door re-secured.
September 16, 2010 – First break-in occurs. Inside alarm beeping. Door at the bottom of the stairwell in the front was forced open. Damage inside. Westbank was informed. Over the next week:
- Indoor/outdoor lights are shut off
- Security system not being used, may be shut off.
August 5, 2010 – Metal fencing is erected around 1401 Comox, St John’s church, cutting the volunteer gardeners and community off from the gardens and church grounds.
August, 2010 – Westbank shuts off water for the church gardens and lawn forcing local residents to find another water supply to maintain the church gardens for the community.
July 29, 2011 – A third open house was planned but cancelled on the day of the event. More information is available at the city website.
July, 2010 – Mayor Gregor Robertson announces that the project is on hold while West End Mayor’s Advisory Committee (WEMAC) is put together.
April 20, 2010 – Another open house is held in spring 2010. Much public opposition. “No rezoning without a community plan” petition grows to thousands of signatures.
2010 – Westbank offers space at the base of the tower to Qmunity and Gordon Neighbourhood House. Some design changes are made.
November 24, 2009 – An open house is held and there is much public opposition.
In late fall, 2009 – A proposal is announced for a tower built under the STIR program for market-rate rental apartments.
September 2009 – Sale to Westbank/Petersen Group is completed for $4.25 million, less than the asking price. Soon after, Westbank’s property manager agrees to allow volunteer community gardeners – who have been over the last few years slowly turning the grounds into a natural, diverse garden along with a composting centre – to continue with watering, lawn and garden maintenance.
July and August 2009 – The Globe and Mail reports that the United Church Conference (UCC) Executive Secretary Doug Goodwin approaches Ian Gillespie, owner of Westbank Corp.
A number of offers to purchase the St. John’s property are made by other spiritual, religious, and possibly community organizations. Although the City’s Real Estates Services department considered purchasing it, and said “Our office has been notified of the listing from many different sources and is being reviewed,” the City did not purchase it.
July 6, 2009 – Applications for STIR projects begin and ending December 15, 2011.
June 19, 2009 – Short Term Incentives for Rentals (STIR) bylaw passed by Vancouver City Council.
June 2, 2009 – Staff report on Short Term Incentives for Rentals (STIR) released.
January 2009 – With the congregation disbanded, the single mother rental tenant, her daughter and all community groups evicted, the ownership of the church is transferred to the UCC and put up for sale at an asking price of $4,495,000. The UCC says it wants to the church and property to go towards a use that would benefit the community.
Quote from former church trustee: “Although the United Church has expressed strong interest in finding a buyer to uphold its social goals, one church official told our trustees, we all need to be proactive so that this beautiful property continues to be a community resource and not a financial windfall for developers.”
Quote from Colliers International memorandum: : “Given the history of this property as a place of worship as well as a centre for various social services and related community organizations, preference will be given to purchasers who are prepared to preserve the legacy of the St. John’s mission in Vancouver’s West End and provide benefit to the local community.”
Circa 2005 – Church’s cedar roof starts leaking. Inadequate repairs are made. Tarps are in place for years. According to members of the former congregation, the main church, the United Church Conference (UCC) wanted to close and sell St. John’s for up to ten years. The UCC refuses to fund repairs. The roof continues to deteriorate. The congregation dwindles in number. Financial pressures mount up to the fall of 2008, even though about 60% of church income came from rentals to community/arts groups such as the Rainbow Community Church, Rainbow Band, Weight Watchers, AA and other 12-step groups, Prime Timers, a gay square-dancing group, Vancouver School Board, boy cubs and scouts, band rehearsals, opera group rehearsals, various one-off rentals (elections, for example). The other big user was the Youth Search program, funded by the federal government and managed by Gordon Neighbourhood House.
1903 – A community formed, bought the property at Comox and Broughton Street and built St. John’s Presbyterian Church. The cornerstone is laid in 1906 (still on site in the garden).
Quote from Colliers International memorandum: “St. John’s Church has been a cornerstone of Vancouver’s West End since 1903. Although a fire destroyed the original building in 1974, the Church was rebuilt in 1981, and, apart from some improvements over the past 30 years, it has largely remained in its original condition.”
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