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Incorporate UBC Into Vancouver? Proceed With Caution
We need more information if we are to consider incorporating UBC’s Point Grey campus into the City of Vancouver (“Council Hopeful Backs Proposal to Incorporate Campus into Vancouver” The Campus Resident, May 2026).
Would campus residents truly benefit by such a measure? This should be a major consideration. Another would be what will happen to our taxes. Would they stay the same or increase? (They will definitely not decrease). Would we still pay the UBC Services Levy in addition to new taxes?
What about the status of the land itself? Would it remain a UBC endowment or would the city take it over? In which case, does the land value of our residential property continue to decrease, as we get closer to the end of our 100-year leases, or are we to find that it increases in value magically? The latter is likely guaranteed for municipal taxation purposes.
In a British newspaper that I read recently, a Vancouver resident sent a warning letter about entering partnerships. Essentially, when one is a minor partner joining a major partner, one will find that the latter claims to have all the experience (council members) and therefore will make all the decisions. When the dust settles, the funds will end up in the hands of that major partner, and you will be left with the experience.
Caution and perspicacity please.
ANTHONY WALTER, RESIDENT
Campus Waterways Are an Eyesore, Need Fixing
I was pondering writing a letter to comment on the inability of the UNA to actually keep the waterways in Wesbrook functional, then opened your latest edition (“Wesbrook Water Features Aren’t Just for Looks” The Campus Resident, May 2026).
Over the past two years, we’ve gone from off again/on again repairs, to now what looks like they have just given up.
Especially the watercourse from Khorana Park to Michael Smith Park. The pond in Michael Smith park is just a muddy pit, with the waterway just stagnant ponds.
It’s gone from being a very nice feature with the sound of water flowing both invigorating and masking neighbourhood background noise, as well as a source of water for wildlife (not the least birds), to an eyesore that is a health hazard (breeding mosquitoes) and devaluing properties in the neighbourhood.
The past two months were especially egregious. Nothing done, nothing changed, no flow at all.
Appreciate your thoughts and efforts to get the UNA to take action to restore a very simple system – if you hire the right people to fix it.
RICHARD S, WESBROOK RESIDENT