Citizens Concerned with Highway Expansion

January

A small organizing group gets together in East Vancouver to form ‘Citizens Concerned with Highway Expansion’

February

CCHE holds a large public meeting on Feb 10 at the Britannia Community Centre to raise awareness around this issue.  This results in significant media coverage partly because of the synergy created by the Cross Pedestrians ‘Roads are for Hockey’ event that followed on Feb 13.

March

CCHE hosts a smaller organizing meeting on Mar 10 to strategize around how to move forward.  About twenty people attend and many become organizers.

CCHE has a table at a talk given by Shirley Chan as part of the Local Heroes speakers’ series organized by the City and the Vancouver Museum.

CCHE starts weekly ‘Highway Updates’ and launches its website (www.stophighwayexpansion.ca)

CCHE holds its first ‘Critical U’ event on Mar 17 re: communicating this issue to friends, family and neighbours.

April

Regular leafleting and Cross-walk Actions taking place along First Avenue

CCHE attends a meeting in Langley at the Windsong Co-Housing unit.

CCHE releases its results from research re: vehicle traffic counts over the Port Mann Bridge.  This generates significant positive media coverage and causes the Premier and the Transportation Minister to have to respond.

CCHE hosts a public meeting at Hastings Community Centre on April 11.

CCHE attends a meeting of the Western Canada Wilderness Committee to raise awareness about the Highway 1 issue.

Cross Pedestrians hosts its second period of the ‘Roads are for Hockey’ hockey game.  CCHE has a table for leafleting and asking questions.  The third version of our brochure is ready for distribution.

Let Them Have Shrubs! Takes place on April 30 at Grandview Park.  By this point we have postcards, brochures, FAQ sheets, petitions, a theme song, buttons, banners, maps and a positive message about alternatives.

May

CCHE attends a screening of the Hitch-Hiker’s Guide to the Galaxy and distributes flyers.

CCHE attends a meeting of the Hastings-Sunrise Traffic Sub-Committee.  The City representative arranges to have maps made of the communities in East Vancouver for us to use when talking with community groups.

CCHE works with Federal NDP MP Libby Davies to put together a 1-page document that was distributed to 10% of households in her riding.  These arrived on peoples’ doorsteps within days of the provincial election.

CCHE raises awareness of the Highway issue during the election campaign, leading up to the provincial election on May 17.

June

CCHE has a table at the Car-Free Commercial Drive Festival which generates a lot of signatures for petitions and more information and more positive media coverage.