Imagine my surprise when I saw Mark Lakeman at SIC today. (Bearded brown hoody in photo) Was great to have that short and sweet visit. Big Smile On my Face!
Above are Ana, Doug, Kym, Mark, Mighk, ?
Re: Photo above, please someone help tag the fellow on far right, I’ll be darn if I can remember his name, he has been around a long time.
That is Graham with the white shirt in the back ground talking with Doug with Marl listening, Graham is one of three architects who are volunteering with Micro Housing Victoria. He did great designs for the pod style. Hey Jeremy, hows it going?
I happily introduced Mark to residents Ana, Doug and Tara as well as others who have been hearing about him from me! Great surprise for us all!
It was a surprise it didn’t occur to Ben Isitt to let us trusted organizers know this was happening, we could have easily kept it a secret, we are aware of lack of time issues. I think back when we shared ours with him over a year ago when he took advantage of Mark Lakeman being in town when we at CTEHV brought him to town and he went on a placemaking bike ride. I wanted to learn of it and missed out then and missed out again this time and I am holding you accountable Ben Isitt. I want to ride and listen and learn.
A favour done ought to be a favour shared back brother! Please remember that.
I want to be informed for next time. Doug himself was interested but we were both unable to make last minute reorganizing plans. Many of us want to learn. How can we if we are not invited?
When CTEHV brought Mark Lakeman and Andrew Heben to town in May of 2015, Lisa Helps and Marianne Alto fully supported this and City of Victoria ended up hosting our event.
It was after as this event that support was gained and many jumped on board and joined our meetings and eventually formed the board and current Micro Housing Victoria.
Here is presentation link with Bobby Arbess introducing after Lisa Helps makes it clear this is a grass roots endeavor:
http://www.victoria.ca/EN/main/city/council-webcasting.html
I also have to clarify something Ben Isitt said at this impromptu meeting at SIC last Monday the 9th of May, which of course I am thankful Ben brought Mark to:
It is in response to SIC’s desire for months now for a kitchen built up on a trailer and how some residents brought this up with Mark there to get advice about it.
Mark was super impressed that members of SIC are in process of forming their own society. He was beaming over that one and expressed his pride in them for doing so.
The style of kitchen is somewhat like this (their ideas will develop on ground):
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/159666749260133098/
or this:
Only built on a trailer.
With designs such as this for counter space with sinks:
So, Ben mentioned that Micro House Victoria is all volunteers and that Graham the architect can do up some drawings, as Mark was suggesting to involve local supporters to get kitchen built. However, Ben suggested that the architect Grahame who was standing right there can “whip up some drawings for SIC no problem. “ Well, actually…
City of Victoria graciously rewarded this project with funds for Micro Housing Victoria and, because of laws governing the whole field of Architecture, Micro Housing Victoria had to pay Graham thousands of dollars for his work as an architect for the drawings, as he was currently employed. Fair is fair and laws are laws.
Having said that, Ben suggesting that Graham do this on behalf of SIC for free or as volunteer, was actually not a possibility. I think the excitement of the moment had him forget the facts?
What some residents at SIC are looking for is carpenters/builders to help build a simple outdoor communal eco village style kitchen on a trailer so it can be wheeled out once they get their plot of land. Building a good well-structured trailer is critical.
They are asking for help, to work with folks on ground like Ana, Doug and Katherine to CO BUILD TOGETHER their own kitchen.
So, that is why I am reaching out on behalf of many down at Super InTent City, residents who want an outdoor kitchen so that they can organize and coordinate meals on site.
They seem to have a great idea and I love it. It’s coordinating that is tough. Even on site they are working as hard as possible to communicate. They are doing amasing thru their struggles, and I am proud that they keep moving forward even when many want to stop or are angry and disappointed.
They even spoke of possibly hiring someone with food safe and kitchen experience who is together enough and has experience with coordinating many helpers to organize meals on behalf of tent city residents in a most open non oppressive manner. We had great support already going on, I hope that similar support can be salvaged as people attempt to work out differences and move forward together.
Many forge ahead even with the lack of coordination and communication. Impressive! Thank you Christ Cathedral and the many others in community for your continued support of SIC.
THAW Victoria 