Letters to The Sun: HBC building is ideal new home for Vancouver Art Gallery​on March 26, 2025 at 11:00 pm

Re: Vancouver Art Gallery aiming for small, simple, cost-conscious new building

With the abandonment of the Herzog & de Meuron plan for a future Vancouver Art Gallery on the old bus depot site, a less-costly alternative needs to be explored. With the current liquidation of Hudson’s Bay, retention of its downtown heritage building would present an ideal expansion for the Vancouver Art Gallery. Interior renovations would be significantly less costly than building an architecturally worthy structure. It would also provide a dining room for the public to spend more time in the facility. More important, it would preserve Vancouver’s history and invite local contributors such as Bob Rennie.

Terry Gardy, Port Moody

This is a no-brainer: Move the Vancouver Art Gallery to a newly renovated Hudson’s Bay building — a heritage facade, transportation hub, sufficient space (especially given the potential vertical expansion) at an attainable pricetag compared to the proposed $600-million project at Cambie and West Georgia.

Stephen Chatman, professor emeritus, UBC

Re: B.C. cities are making changes for an influx of seniors. Will they be enough?

Having recently had my 74th birthday, Lori Culbert’s article spoke directly to me. I’m in reasonably good health, have great health care and my general plan is to age in place, having lived in the same (small) Vancouver house for the past 42 years.

The article made passing mention of shingles and the available vaccines. In Ontario, they are free for those over 65. Not so in B.C., nor were they covered by the extended health-care plan from which I benefit. Consequently, I paid for the shots out of pocket.

An article in the current edition of The Economist titled “Do viruses trigger Alzheimer’s?” suggests evidence strongly supporting the claim that the shingles vaccine reduces its incidence. One would hope this might cause the provincial health authorities to consider the efficacy of this preventive treatment for a major medical concern.

John Buckberrough, Vancouver

As Canadians, we often absorb the best and the worst of American culture. With an important Canadian federal election approaching, let us, as responsible citizens, hold all candidates to a higher standard than mere trash talk about their opponents. Surely, we do not need more Trump-style blaming and slandering of the opposition. Let each candidate state their agenda if elected. Voters can determine the rest. They decide who will represent them.