The Electors' Action Movement

The Electors' Action Movement (TEAM) was a centrist political party from 1968 to the mid-1980s at the municipal level in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. It fielded candidates for the office of mayor as well as for positions on the City Council, School Board, and Park Board. It was most successful in the 1970s when it held the majority of council seats from 1972 to 1976.^[1] TEAM was a civic party with a coherent platform, a concept unknown in Vancouver in 1968. In the four years of its council majority, "TEAM radically altered the face of city government".^[2]

Creation: filling a leadership void[]

For several years before the residents of Vancouver woke up to the fact that a freeway was going to be built through their historic Chinatown without anyone having asked them if they approved of such a scheme, power at City Hall was not in the hands of the elected mayor and alderman, but in those of the two appointed city commissioners. One of these, as chief planner in 1959, had generated a city plan that was "completely automobile and freeway oriented [...] In clamour for getting his plan implemented, Commissioner Sutton-Brown seems to rely on the philosophy that the decision making process should not be made cumbersome by public participation."^[3] Public participation was soon to make a difference as the freeway controversy developed.

By the fourth quarter of 1967, plans for the waterfront freeway through downtown Vancouver had progressed to the point of a public hearing to explain how the route had been chosen. Bud Elsie of The Province described how "city council and its officials were pounded [...] for their freeway decisions in the wildest, most stormy meetings ever seen at city hall. Nearly 500 people jammed rooms and corridors and almost all of them appeared opposed to council's actions on freeways."^[4] The evening served as a networking opportunity, where "dissidents chatted busily among themselves and, with their vest pocket diaries in hand, eagerly arranged to meet again for further discussion."^[5] Those further discussions led to the formation of a political movement that in just nine months would develop policies and attract candidates to run for every position in the next civic election.^[6]

TEAM came into being at a public meeting held at Vancouver's Grandview Community Centre on March 12, 1968.^[7] The founding president was Art Phillips, the head of a successful Vancouver investment firm; first and second vice-presidents were broadcasting executive Bill Bellman and labour leader Ed Lawson. Also on the founding executive committee were hotelier Frank Bernard; UBC history of medicine professor W. C. Gibson; Citizens' Housing Council president Alice Moore; head of UBC's department of community and regional planning; Peter Oberlander; UBC geography professor Walter Hardwick; businessman Charles Jordan-Knox; lawyer Haig Farris; and West Vancouver councillor Donald Lanskail.^[8]

In less than five years' time, TEAM would be in a position to shift the power balance at City Hall and implement the policies for which the electors had voted.

Policies and platform[]

TEAM sought to be a moderate reform group appealing to people of any political leanings committed to democratic principles.

The concept of a civic party having a platform was a novelty in Vancouver, and the press reported regularly on its progress. Within a month of the founding meeting, "the machinery of the new civic party [included] four subcommittees, plus a special research committee all under an over-all policy committee headed by Dr. Peter Oberlander and lawyer Haig Farris. The committees – dealing with all aspects of civic life – were formally established at a TEAM meeting attended by about 150 persons at the Waldorf Hotel."^[9] Oberlander stated, "We want to involve the maximum number of people in the evolution of our policies."^[10]

In August 1968, TEAM released its procedure on selection of candidates. Rather than candidates being appointed by the executive board, every eligible nomination would be voted on by the entire membership.^[11]

On September 6 and 7, TEAM held a meeting of the general membership to present, discuss and vote on the policies they would promote. Some were:

• the creation of a Vancouver Development Authority to plan growth in the city core and particularly False Creek and the downtown waterfront
• outside of the downtown core, planned commercial and residential districts, each with its own "core"
• a "parks for people" program aimed at securing park land for future generations
• a mayoral executive committee to oversee city management
• greater involvement in regional municipal government
• an expanded city council with some aldermen elected at large and others by district^[12]

The latter proposal was pounced on by opponents as a retrograde step to the patronage and cronyism of ward systems past. Phillips refuted this, stating that TEAM had never used the word "ward" and instead was advocating a system of partial area representation. He pointed out that Vancouver was the only major city in Canada that elected all of its aldermen at large, so this proposal was "hardly revolutionary". He listed the advantages of partial area representation: fewer names on the ballot; "district aldermen would be available to perform the ombudsman function which is so important if we are to counteract the feeling of alienation that exists all over this city;" "the points of view of all the parts of the city would be represented on council;" "with some of the aldermen elected at large, a balance would always exist" between neighbourhood and city-wide concerns.^[13]

TEAM's philosophy set it apart from the ruling Non-Partisan Association. An article exploring the motives of candidates new to politics explained the difference: "The aim of TEAM… is to achieve a specific program of civic development through tying its candidates to policies determined by the general membership. The Non-Partisan Association [. . .] will decide Nov. 12 which candidates it will back. The NPA endorses individuals but not policies."^[14] Oberlander said that TEAM was the first civic party to run on a platform and have a caucus on council, school board and park board that could coordinate coherent policy.^[15]

TEAM campaigned on a goal of wresting power from an entrenched bureaucracy in order to "give the government back to the elected representatives".^[16]

First civic election: feet in the door in 1968[]

Running under the TEAM banner, Burnaby mayor Alan Emmott was defeated by NPA incumbent Tom Campbell, who received fifty percent more votes. TEAM took two of ten council seats. Hardwick was the lone alderman-elect for the party until a recount moved Phillips up from eleventh in the placings. Oberlander topped the poll for school board; Fritz Bowers and Peter Bullen also won. Helen Boyce was elected to the park board. One analyst wrote in the aftermath that TEAM's position in favour of fluoridation in a referendum on the ballot was a tactical error, as was its choice of an outsider as its mayoral candidate.^[17] Hardwick, "while pleased about his own win, said the people were 'obviously not ready' for the TEAM concept. 'It is an organization 40 years ahead of its time.'"^[18]

In their first year on council, Phillips and Hardwick were vocal against the status quo. In a TEAM meeting, Phillips cited the lease of land to the Pacific National Exhibition and lack of development in False Creek as "glaring examples of stupid management policies". Hardwick promoted False Creek as a "major residential, recreational and service area in the future", complaining that "some aldermen can't see anything in False Creek except industry".^[19] Council adopted Phillips' motion to have the planning department investigate rezoning the 1000 block of Robson Street for a "high-rise apartment district with two levels of pedestrian-oriented shopping malls" and Hardwick proposed changes to the city charter to allow for elections earlier in the autumn, and for candidates' political affiliations to be listed on the ballots along with their names in non-alphabetical order.^[20] With NPA alderman Brian Calder, they made a helicopter tour of the city and its environs to observe the extent of air pollution. Calder often voted with them and, disenchanted with the bloc mentality of the NPA, would quit that party before the end of the year.^[21]

In early 1970, with the news that Tom Campbell might not run for another term, Province columnist Lorne Parton mused "maybe TEAM will decide to chance losing a council seat by pushing front runner Art Phillips into the battle for the big seat" and "the record of the two TEAM aldermen has given the movement respectability and credibility".^[22] TEAM was gaining traction as a threat to the left-leaning Committee of Progressive Electors (COPE), who criticized the news media for repressive and partisan reporting. A meeting where COPE alderman Harry Rankin spoke was not mentioned in The Sun, which was accused of "playing down news on city political organizations other than the one they supported, TEAM".^[23]

By the second quarter of 1970 the political ground was shifting. Park board commissioner Boyce left TEAM to join the NPA; Calder joined TEAM. In May, a candidate search was underway and TEAM was considering Oberlander as a possible mayoral nominee.^[24] In September, Phillips was elected by the Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM) as Vancouver's special representative, beating NPA nominee alderman Hugh Bird.^[25]

TEAM chose William C. Gibson as its mayoral candidate. At its nominating meeting in October, a full slate was endorsed for city council, including the three incumbents Calder, Hardwick and Phillips. The sitting school trustees were nominated along with six others, three of whom were social workers. Two university students were on the full park board slate.^[26]

Candidates for city council summarized their motivation thus: "We don't want our city ruined by pollution, traffic jams, overcrowding, poor schools and not enough green spaces [. . .] What unites us is a common concern for the quality of life in Vancouver." They pointed to the stopping of the freeway through Chinatown and the waterfront as a major accomplishment, and the progress toward development of False Creek.^[27] Initiatives in the platform for parks were walkways and bike paths linking parks; citizen involvement in design and programming; downtown mini-parks; the creation of better access to harbour and Fraser River parkland with walkways and boat ramps; some parks left in natural state; a complete review of the operations of the Park Board; and greater control of pollution. If elected, school trustees pledged to promote students' choice in schools and programs; greater autonomy for students as they aged; freedom for teachers to innovate with leadership from principals; vocational courses leading to apprenticeships and job opportunities; French courses for younger students; more support for students with disabilities and programs for dropouts; more learning from the city and citizen volunteers; adventure playgrounds; community use of school facilities evenings and weekends.^[28]

1970: Same number of seats, and other gains[]

Gibson did not defeat the incumbent mayor Tom Campbell, but closed the gap significantly compared with the 1968 result. TEAM's three sitting aldermen were re-elected, this time placing in the top five. TEAM elected three school trustees but it had been almost four. Early reports had either Margaret Mitchell or Jack Yee in the ninth place seat, with only eighteen votes between them, but the official result had an NPA candidate pulling ahead from eleventh. Journalist Olive Johnson was the new trustee for TEAM. (She won on the slogan "Why is the school board like a martini? Because they both need an olive.")^[29].Art Cowie was elected to the park board.^[30]

At the inaugural council meeting, Campbell began his third term by placing himself and his six NPA aldermen in ten choice appointments to committees and boards. "The three TEAM aldermen and Rankin had hoped for at least two of the 10 major jobs." "[Hardwick] said TEAM has tried to avoid an opposition role on council but Campbell has obviously decided to run the body on partisan political lines."^[31]

When three NPA aldermen did not attend a public meeting where citizens presented briefs in favour of parks for people, not cars, the TEAM–COPE bloc was successful in reversing an earlier council decision to proceed with plans for a six-lane road through what would become Jericho park. ^[32] Newspaper editorials expressed disenchantment with the lack of leadership from Campbell, particularly when he was on his second lengthy vacation in four months, and gave TEAM a soap-box. "Calder has come around to saying something that a lot of his fellow townsmen have been thinking for some time: The structure of city council is antiquated and incapable of efficient administration."^[who?] Calder advocated a larger council with an executive group chosen from its ranks to have full-time responsibility for governing the city. Council meetings would be held in the evening so that more citizens could attend.^[33] With Campbell absent half the time, all three TEAM aldermen filled him for him. "Phillips spent the last three weeks in the mayor's office priming an engine that had practically ceased to function. Phillips brought action on urban renewal, Jericho land proposals and scores of minor matters during his brief tenure."^[34]

At a press conference in late April, TEAM president Jack Volrich announced a campaign for the restructuring of city council and electoral procedures along the lines Calder had proposed. Further reforms included cash deposits for civic candidates, and the elimination of voting privileges for corporations. TEAM would soon establish a Civic Information Centre, run by volunteers, to provide guidance to citizens in dealing with city hall, preparing themselves to speak at council meetings, and to groups wanting help with low-income housing projects, indicating "three TEAM aldermen will be available to people processed through what the organization calls a mini-ombudsman service".^[35] In mid-1971, council appointed Hardwick, "a professional urban geographer, as a one-man committee to negotiate with the proprietors – the federal government – and to suggest some broad outlines for redevelopment" of Granville Island, to make it "a thing of beauty in 20 years".^[36]

In November, an exasperated Calder resigned his position on the Town Planning Commission, "calling it a toothless, ineffective body… that exists pretty well on sufferance. Its primary function is as a place to pasture off defeated NPA candidates… The commission, he said, should be the public's sounding board, transmitting to council the citizens' views on planning matters. It should be completely non-political."^[37]

In announcing his candidacy for mayor in the 1972 election, Phillips "said the first priority of his administration would be to make 'livability' the top planning objective in Vancouver. He said the practice of seeking development for development's sake has got to end." If opposed by either Calder or Hardwick for TEAM's nomination at its convention, he said "competition within the organization is good".^[38]

A public plebiscite on a third crossing of Burrard Inlet having been voted down in council, TEAM began its own mini-plebiscite. Volrich released the results of a survey of a thousand citizens at shopping malls in south Vancouver and the West End. "While the voting ran 3–1 against the project, Volrich said, a 'strong degree of support' was expressed for a public plebiscite on the proposed project."^[39] The NPA council majority was called "despicable" by columnist Allan Fotheringham in his coverage of a bitter public hearing on the third crossing issue. Sixty speakers were given five minutes each but four hours into the evening meeting there were still thirty to go. A motion by Rankin and another by Phillips to defer the remaining speakers to the following night were both defeated. "The mayor orders the speakers to proceed, or lose their chance forever to say their piece on the crossing. It is midnight when TEAM's Jack Volrich comes up. 'You cannot be too proud,' he addresses council, 'of a decision you made here tonight. Because you're dealing with the right of people to be heard.' He looks at them with disgust." The meeting was suddenly adjourned at 1:35am with no vote taken.^[40]

In the following months, Phillips' star was in the ascendant. In an August profile, Lisa Hobbs showcased his suitability for the city's top job: "Being in charge is not only something Phillips is good at but is something he revels in. No trace of a hang-up, philosophical or psychological, mitigates his delight in being boss."^[41] In accepting TEAM's nomination for mayor at their October meeting, Phillips said, "Citizen action won some big battles in the last few years against bulldozers and freeways and shopping centres but they won the hard way. They had to fight city hall. I want people to feel that the city government is there to serve them, not to rule them." ^[42] TEAM nominated candidates for every position and encouraged electors to vote for its whole slate.

1972: Landslide for TEAM[]

On December 13, voters preferred Phillips by a factor of nearly six to one in electing him mayor. TEAM elected eight aldermen to the ten-seat council, with Hardwick topping the poll. The others were lawyer Michael Harcourt, physician William Gibson, architect Geoffrey Massey, Volrich, Bowers, Darlene Marzari and engineer and planner Setty Pendakur. TEAM would control the school board, electing eight of nine trustees, and the park board, with four commissioners to the NPA's three.^[43] Pendakur was the first South Asian to be elected alderman,^[44] and new school trustee Jack Say Yee was the first Chinese-Canadian to be elected to civic office in Vancouver.^[45]

"The new council members were the cream of the cream in terms of educational and professional attainment. Indeed, it is likely the case that few, if any, other cosmopolitan cities with open elections have ever produced a city council composed so completely of persons of high occupational and social status. Each of the eleven had a university degree; eight of them had pursued post-graduate studies; four of them were university professors... they were on the average more than a decade younger than the NPA members of the previous council."^[46]

Following Phillip's swearing-in as Vancouver's 32nd mayor, an editorial in The Province reflected on the phenomenon of TEAM: "It will be five years ago next month that a group of Vancouverites organized a new civic political party dedicated to ending what the sponsors felt was aimless civic leadership. One of the founders was Art Phillips. This week Mr. Phillips took over as mayor and leader of a TEAM administration that will completely control civic affairs for the next two years. TEAM's drive for power is over; now the work begins." The priorities listed were: "More consultation with the people of Vancouver on policy; better bus service and, eventually, a rapid transit system; more direct leadership by elected representatives; evening council meetings that more residents can attend; restoration of the committee system that gives each alderman specific responsibilities; new downtown and West End zoning; greater co-operation with the park board in environment matters; a waterfront development study; greater leadership in the Greater Vancouver Regional District.^[47] Complete control of business at city hall meant a shake-up of the established bureaucracy, and TEAM Council's first move was to encourage the resignation of city commissioner Gerald Sutton-Brown, who had been the strongest proponent of the freeway system. "Sutton Brown's departure stood as a powerful symbol of regime change in the local state. [...] Citizen involvement in planning, a focus on regional planning, and an effort to accommodate downtown living became norms."^[48]

There were bumps along the way. Council overruled the recommendations of Hardwick's committee on the topic of underground shopping malls, which the committee opposed for the damage they do to ground-level street life.^[49] A couple of weeks later, at its annual meeting, TEAM voted to make it official party policy to ban more downtown underground malls.^[50] At the park board, Cowie was seeking some control over the finances for parks and recreation and complaining that "the new TEAM council is no more receptive to park board matters than the old NPA council".^[51] He insisted that the elected board should do more than rubber-stamp staff proposals. Some conflict was reported when a long-time bureaucrat abruptly resigned, and NPA commissioners said staff morale was "at the lowest ebb" they had ever witnessed, blaming Cowie.^[52] Council approved the expenditure of $11,000 for a management review of the park board.^[53] As part of the management review, the park board asked for public input into all aspects of its operation, and even its existence.^[54]

During its first term the TEAM council implemented much of its policy platform. The freeway proposal was finally killed. Neighbourhood participation in local area planning was encouraged. The former industrial area of False Creek was transformed into a residential area under direct development by the city itself. Granville Mall was planned and completed. A bylaw was passed to phase out advertising billboards. Zoning and procedural changes controlled downtown development. New requirements for early public notice and the creation of the Development Permit Board abolished secrecy in the development process.^[55] The False Creek plan would be an important legacy, as noted fifty years later: "TEAM and the mayor, together with planning staff led by director of planning Ray Spaxman, set at least three key precedents in the planning of False Creek South: the housing mix, the parks, and the waterfront walkway."^[56]

1974: Another majority mandate[]

The NPA mayoral candidate for 1974 was long-time park board commissioner George Puil. Puil campaigned on weaknesses in the TEAM record, specifically lack of action on increasing crime and vandalism, squandering civic resources, aggravating the housing crisis, making Vancouver a haven for welfare bums and promoting permissiveness in schools.^[57] Phillips was returned to the mayor's chair with a closer vote, 37,220 to Puil's 27,686. Five TEAM aldermen were elected: Harcourt, Bowers, Volrich, Marzari and Cowie. TEAM elected six school trustees and five park board commissioners, retaining control of both bodies.^[58]

Early in their second mandate, TEAM councillors approved the concept of a property endowment fund "with the following purposes: to maintain or increase the City's ownership of strategic land in the City of Vancouver; to support the City's planning and development objectives; and to produce a reasonable return on the City's investment in properties consistent with the City's planning and development objectives."^[59] Phillips' priorities in housing were to set policy on secondary suites to maintain quality of neighbourhoods and provide lower-priced rentals while helping families gain equity in their homes, "enough to make living in Vancouver affordable again". He also wanted the city to initiate more seniors' housing.^[60] Council gave final approval for the residential development on the south shore of False Creek against the wishes of those who wanted the area for parkland. In Kitsilano, demolition of city-owned houses to create waterfront parks was approved against the wishes of those who argued that the homes should be retained in the face of the current housing shortage. "Mayor Art Phillips who supported the demolitions said the city would probably always have a housing crisis in the future."^[61]

In June 1975, a housing co-op proposal revealed a serious rift when Phillips and Volrich voted with NPA opponents against the project, which would have created housing at double the zoned density on a single family block near UBC. Interviewed after the hearing, Alderman Marzari said "she was 'very sad' to be a member of TEAM, a 'reform party,' which she said was 'unaccountable to its members.' It is also a party which was 'irrevocably split' on this issue. But she said she was glad the split had finally come into the open."^[62] Dismay in the TEAM ranks was reported when Phillips and Volrich were requested to justify their "direct contradiction of TEAM's housing policy that a variety of housing styles serving a variety of income levels be available in all areas of the city".^[63] By the end of the summer, city hall reporter Hall Leiren was suggesting that Phillips might run for the NPA while Harcourt would be TEAM's pick for mayor on 1976.^[64] Two months later, a few days after Marzari quit TEAM to finish her term as an independent, Phillips announced he would not run in 1976, telling reporters he had accomplished most of what he had set out to do and was ready for a return to private life.^[65]

In January 1976, Province columnist Nate Smith was not optimistic about TEAM's chances in the election to be held in the fall. "TEAM morale wasn't improved any this week when the organization's president, Don Bellamy, told a television interviewer he felt 'like the captain of the Titanic'." Bellamy went on to confirm that some members of TEAM were considering joint endorsement of candidates with the NPA but that the alternative would be for TEAM to find people committed to TEAM policy. "That nebulous document known as 'TEAM policy' is the organization's problem, because at the moment TEAM really has no idea what it stands for", Smith opined.^[66] Phillips did not attend TEAM's annual general meeting in February. Marguerite Ford was elected president, the first woman to hold that position.^[67] At the meeting "Mike Harcourt warned that TEAM had to restore itself as a grassroots movement" or he would find it difficult to support. He lamented the loss of TEAM's former energy and excitement and some of its community organizers. ^[68]

In May, Volrich announced he would run for mayor, with or without TEAM's endorsement. "Volrich said some crucial questions must be faced in the city: How large a population, how much housing and what degree density, how much additional office and commercial space should be allowed."^[69] Harcourt announced his candidacy in July, saying that he would run for alderman if he lost the TEAM endorsement for mayor to Volrich. Harcourt had lost a provincial election running with the New Democratic Party (NDP) and admitted he was trying to bring new blood, including NDP members, to TEAM. ^[70] After TEAM chose Volrich as their nominee, Harcourt refused to run for TEAM as alderman and resigned from the party. ^[71] A pre-election editorial threw the support of The Province to Volrich, noting that while the differences between TEAM and the NPA seem inconsequential, given TEAM's move to the right, TEAM "is more likely to continue the trend to more human proportions in city development", noting its innovations such as Granville Mall, Gastown and the False Creek mixed housing program.^[72]

1976: Success, but with minority council[]

On November 19, Volrich became TEAM's second mayor, doubling the votes of NPA's Ed Sweeney. Successful TEAM alderman candidates were May Brown, Ford, Bill Gibson and Don Bellamy. Harcourt and Marzari were elected as independents. TEAM took the first six of nine places on the school board and kept its majority on park board, electing four commissioners.^[73]

1978 to 1984: Final chapters[]

TEAM fielded a full slate in the 1978 election, with May Brown as the mayoral hopeful. She was defeated by Volrich who, running as an independent, received a greater percentage of the vote than he had in 1976. Ford won the sole council seat for TEAM, which elected only two school trustees and two park board commissioners.^[74] The 1978 election included a plebiscite on the institution of a ward system for the city. Voters were marginally (51.7%) in favour. In 1979, council voted to examine alternatives to the current at-large system of electing aldermen. Harcourt, seconded by Marzari, proposed that council pursue a full ward system. The motion was defeated by Volrich and the NPA majority, along with Ford who thought it was too vague.^[75] By the end of 1979, the press was speculating on a third term for Volrich and commenting on the state of the civic parties. "It shouldn't be forgotten that the NPA group rode on Volrich's coat-tails in the 1978 election. . . After the Volrich victory, the NPA breathed a sigh of relief and went back to sleep. As an organization, it has virtually no identity – only a title. The Electors' Action Movement has at least held an annual meeting and elected a new panel of officers, maintaining some show of activity."^[76]

In the 1980 election, Harcourt edged out Volrich, and TEAM's Martin Zlotnik came a distant third in the mayoral race. Brown and Ford were elected to council. No TEAM candidates were elected to school or park board.

Post-election analyses of TEAM's weaknesses helped explain its fall: the discouraging perception that it was washed up; the view that it was too conservative and its members had become complacent; the defections of Marzari, Harcourt and Volrich.^[77] Brown, who regained her council seat, said the perception of TEAM could not be good or more people would have voted for Zlotnik. "'There is a big rebuilding job to come,' she said. Brown agreed that a resurrection of TEAM would take a lot of work and there would be no guarantee of success."^[78]

The big issue of 1982 was another ward system plebiscite. The bare majority in favour back in 1978 had been deemed insufficient to move ahead. The NPA was opposed and TEAM and COPE were in favour. In a pre-election analysis, the decline of TEAM, running only two candidates for council, was noted.^[79] TEAM did not propose a mayoral candidate, but its two incumbent aldermen, Brown and Ford, ran and were elected, Brown placing a close second to poll-topper Rankin. The ward system was approved by nearly 57% of voters.^[80] Alan Fotheringham wrote a pithy synopsis of Vancouver politics and TEAM's rise and fall: "The progress of the left in the city of yachts and skis began a decade ago with the collapse of the real estate shield known as the Non-Partisan Association (NPA), so-named because it was vigorously partisan, formed to keep the dreaded socialists out of city hall. An academic-based reform group, The Electors Action Movement (TEAM), picked up the pieces and greened Vancouver as the freeway forces were blocked. But TEAM, composed of quiche-eating Volvo drivers who carpooled their children to French immersion courses, didn't have the staying power of the humorless east side angries who have been steadily building their base on council, school board and park board.^[81]

In 1984, Brown and Ford again held their council seats. Two TEAM candidates for park board and one for school board were defeated. ^[82]

Early in 1986, months before the opening of Expo 86, TEAM was planning ahead for a post-exposition city without a Mayor Harcourt. In a recent by-election, COPE candidates had made a clean sweep of seats and the prospect of a COPE-dominated council with Rankin at the helm was the spur to action. "If it is to be a world-class city after Expo it needs a government that will advance the public interest, not be bogged down in partisan rivalry. [. . .] Brown is excited by the whole new mood and people wanting to get together the way they did in 1968 and she expects concrete action within two weeks. Hardwick says polarized politics are taking precedence over solving urgent civic issues. 'Ideology is clearly interfering with the advancement of public interest.'"^[83]

Phillips' former executive assistant Gordon Campbell, then an alderman, announced his candidacy for mayor and had the support of TEAM's May Brown. In the fourth quarter of 1986, a retirement party was held for Brown, who was "leaving politics without regret" after eight years on council, four on park board, and a 1978 mayoral run.^[84] Vancouver Sun columnist Pete McMartin noted, "Her absence from Vancouver civic politics will leave a very big gap to be filled. It may mean the end – in name, anyway, of TEAM and its eventual amalgamation into the remade NPA under Gordon Campbell."^[85] The idea of amalgamation of the NPA and TEAM caused a ruckus in the TEAM organization: its president resigned. "Walter Hardwick, a former Vancouver alderman and member of TEAM since its founding in 1967, said he resigned because some board members were prepared to endorse mayoral candidate Ald. Gordon Campbell and his NPA slate. 'I don't believe in coalitions and alliances', said Hardwick."^[86]

Ford was the only TEAM candidate in the November 1986 election; she ended in eleventh place. Vancouver voters agreed that COPE had overstepped: Campbell easily defeated Rankin and was elected mayor with seven NPA aldermen. COPE lost eight of its nine seats to the NPA, which swept the park board.^[87]

Legacies[]

In only two terms with a majority on council, TEAM brought in plans and policies that changed the governance and the look of the city. It was able to do so because it filled the need for civic leadership at a time when unelected and entrenched bureaucrats were ignoring the right of citizens to be informed and to participate. The voters responded by endorsing TEAM's plans for change, and TEAM's legacies continue to benefit Vancouver.

Among the innovations at city hall:

• TEAM made civic government more accessible to residents by changing the time of meetings and welcoming delegations to speak. Public input was solicited and council's dependence on staff advice was reduced.^[88]
• The development approvals process was initiated, including providing citizens with early information (development application notice boards) and their opportunity for input.
• The Heritage Advisory Board^[89] (now Heritage Commission) was created to catalog and retain historic buildings and areas.

Neighbourhoods, parks and buildings:

• The planned medium-density neighbourhood on the formerly industrial south shore of False Creek is considered one of the most attractive and livable waterfront communities in Canada.^[90] "If there was any single project that announced that Vancouver had a leading-edge planning culture and the architects to build highly livable mixed-market and non-market housing, False Creek South was it."^[91]
• Granville Island was acquired and designed.
• Gastown was preserved and revitalized.
• Granville Mall was created.
• The historic Orpheum Theatre was saved from demolition and acquired and refurbished as a civic theatre.
• Jericho Beach Park remains in a mostly natural state without a six-lane road bisecting it.
• Vancouver's Property Endowment Fund was created to keep city land in city hands, preventing it from being sold for revenue instead of raising taxes.
• The Britannia Community Centre and West End Community Centre were created.
• The historic neighbourhoods of Strathcona and Chinatown were saved from destruction for the freeway that would have also blocked the Burrard Inlet waterfront from public access.

Other amenities introduced:

• The city was made more accessible thanks to by-laws mandating curb cuts, ramps, handicap washrooms, and auditory crosswalks.
• The 9-1-1 emergency telephone service was established.
• A sign by-law largely abolished billboards.

References[]