When completed, Senakw will include rental homes for more than 9,000 people in 11 towers – including one that will be 58 stories tall. “It makes me very sad,” said Jeremy Braude, who insists he mostly supports the project — but not an access road that would pave a 300-meter stretch along the inside edge of Vanier Park. “It’s all about compromise and making it work for everyone and not just this one-sided approach to design and construction.” For the Squamish Nation, Senakw is not only about building for the future, but also about reconciling the injustices of the past. “The last of our families were forcibly removed from the area on a barge,” said Squamish councilor Wilson Williams. “Whether it was the same day or the next day, they set fire to the village. Before European contact, Squamish had a thriving fishing village on the site of today’s Vanier Park and Kits Point. Canada would later limit the Squamish’s territory in the area to 80 acres designated as a reserve, but over the years parcels of this land were expropriated by the town. Finally, in 1913, the settlers drove out the last of the indigenous inhabitants and destroyed their homes. The site is now home to Vanier Park and a residential neighborhood consisting primarily of multi-million dollar single-family homes. Squamish regained control of about 11 acres of undeveloped land under and around the south end of the Burrard Bridge after settling a court case in the early 2000s. The park is federal land leased by the City of Vancouver and it was the feds who gave the green light for the new access road. The city signed an agreement with the First Nation to provide services such as sewer, water and police. Aside from the road, the rest of the development is on reserve land and that means the Squamish Nation has no obligation to comply with city zoning regulations or consult with the surrounding community. However, in time they hope to build bridges with their neighbors. “I think it’s a bit of a shock for a lot of people, but at the same time we’re coming in a good way,” Wilson said. Braude is organizing street opposition and has planned a rally in the park for Saturday, September 17. “You start to worry about what’s happening in your backyard and frankly, this is my backyard and so are the people in Canada’s backyard,” Braude said. “This is a federal park. Why should the federal government grant it for no good reason?” With the Canadian government in control of the park land and also working with the Squamish Nation to provide a $1.4 billion loan for the first two phases of construction, those opposed to the road appear to have an uphill battle trying to stop it .
