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A package of bylaws on Vancouver city council’s Tuesday agenda is “critical” for hosting the Olympics, according to city manager and VANOC director Penny Ballem.
The broad amendments cover 10 categories and would either relax or restrict activities for the first three months of 2010 in wide areas around Olympic and Paralympic competition, training, support and celebration venues.
The bylaws would, for example:
--Allow temporary buildings at VANOC sites and civic live sites;
--Allow round-the-clock deliveries and early morning and late night garbage removal;
--Allow amplified music and public address systems until midnight and patios to open until 1 a.m.;
--Enable 24-hour outdoor radio and TV broadcasts;
--Mandate graffiti removal from private property and construction fences;
--Close streets near venues and for Olympic lanes;
--Ban taxi advertising but allow suburban taxis to pick-up fares in the city.
--Ban weapons, luggage and megaphones at or near live sites, where attendees would be subject to airport-style security checkpoints and surveillance cameras;
--Unlicensed vending and distribution of advertising would also be banned.
“Advertising materials with commercial content are the focus of the proposed by-law changes
regulating the distribution and display of advertising materials,” said the report. “The proposed changes, which are limited in time and location, will have no impact on freedom of political expression or the right to lawful protest.”
The advertising on streets clauses say a person must not exhibit, place or distribute handbills, printed matter, brochures or leaflets... “on, in or above any zone street, venue corridor, pedestrian corridor or Olympic lane.”
The city hall report, by assistant Olympic operations manager Paul Henderson, cites security and transportation planning and commitments to prevent advertising by competitors of Olympic sponsors.
Vision Vancouver Coun. Geoff Meggs said most residents won’t notice any difference because the bylaws are “designed to facilitate a smooth Games, especially for businesses and people in the downtown core.”
He denied council is trying to prevent the distribution of free newspapers, such as 24 hours. The VANOC sponsor roster includes the Canwest newspaper chain and the Globe and Mail.
“Advertising and free speech are often stuck together, but they don’t really fit together in the sense that we’re trying to control free speech; that’s not the objective here,” Meggs said. “The (bylaw) wording may seem rather broad but it’s certainly no intention to stop the publication of a newspaper or interfere with it.”
British Columbia Civil Liberties Association executive director David Eby is not convinced.
“Political messages that are in favour of the games, opposed to the games, whatever, by sponsors or non-sponsors -- it’s not up to (city council) to restrict speech,” Eby said. “It seems to discriminate against the very small businesses that really help Vancouver be the city that it is.”
The Olympic package will be tabled Tuesday. Citizens have requested to speak, so the vote may be delayed until Thursday.
Even more bylaw changes could be coming in the fall when the legislature moves on proposed Vancouver Charter amendments that were tabled by city council Jan. 20. There will also be changes to the Ticket Offences bylaw.