2 THE VOICE, THURSDAY, OCT. 27,2016 EDITOR VERONNICA MACKILLOP tlarge CHANDLER WALTER photo Several robbers recently released from prison could be causing the increase in bank robberies in Vancouver according to VPD. Bank heists a bad venture High risk and low reward isn’t stopping Vancouver bank robbers By CHANDLER WALTER ank robbery is on the rise in Van- couver this year, even though it’s a crime that carries a high arrest risk and has a low return, say po- lice. The bank thefts have gone up from 22 by the end of September in 2015 to 39 in the same time frame in 2016, according to a third-quarter report from the police department. These crimes have a low payoff due to banks’ centralized teller system, and robbers don’t get away with much, if at all, as the arrest rate for bank robberies is the highest of all crimes, according to Staff Sgt. Randy Fincham. Marpole residents are looking forward to changes “They do a lot of time for not a lot of money. It blows our minds that people still rob banks,” said Fincham. “You’re going to do some serious time for rob- bing a bank. You’re a getting a couple hundred dollars at a place that has got the best video security that we could have.” Police Chief Adam Palmer said that serial offenders recently released from prison likely cause the increase in heists, as those offenders often commit multiple robberies in a row before being arrested again. “We'll pick them up, we'll solve a string of five or six bank robberies, they'll go back to jail for three or four years,” he said. After many years of planning, South Van residents are tentatively hopeful about plans for the community centre By CHAHIRA MERARSI arpole residents hope the long- Ppp stcieter renewal of the Mar- pole-Oakridge Community Cen- tre will bring significant changes. Albert Leung, the vice-president of the Marpole-Oakridge Community As- sociation [MOCA], said that the com- munity consultation, due to start soon, will play a big part in determining what changes will be made to the centre. One thing is for sure, everyone wants a pool. “First and foremost, most people ask me, ‘Is there going to be a swimming pool?,” Leung said. “They’re also con- cerned about childcare.” A park-board vote four months ago to renew the centre contained a num- ber of stipulations, including a require- ment that the board consider adding a “ complementary service,” such as a day- care or the crowd-pleasing swimming pool. The centre, which opened in 1949, is the oldest in Vancouver and, for 16 years, community members have been in talks with the city about a possible renewal. After much back and forth, the Vancouver park board approved the motion to renew at its board meeting June 13. That was welcome news for the com- munity. “Us working in MOCA are very re- lieved and very happy,” Leung said. According to Mike Burdick, presi- dent of MOCA, the renewal of this com- munity centre in particular is crucial because of the growth in Marpole’s population. “We will be serving the second-larg- est population in the city,” Burdick said. “We don’t have a pool, we don’t have a rink, we have nothing. So we’re looking for some ameni- ties,” he said. r4 4 Although com- munity members We don’t are pleased with the motion to re- havea new the centre, pool, we they’re only cau- ’ tiously optimistic don t have due to the road- @ rink, blocks they faced in we have the past. . “I think that the nothing. best way to handle ’ this kind of situa- So we re tion is to take a looking for very optimistic look some ame- but you don’t want ee to be totally naive Mittes until things are MIKE BURDICK done,” Leung said. Public consulta- tion was supposed to start in 2016. However, nothing has been scheduled yet. According to Norman Zottenberg, an architect and former president of MOCA, community centres help build a fabric for the community. “It ties very different people together, and I think it’s important to [feel like] a part of the community.” MOCA PRESIDENT Fincham chalks the repeated offences up to engrained habit in the criminals. “Some of them do it because that’s what they know; that’s how they sur- vive, that’s their job, robbing a bank, that’s how they get by.” Bank officials say that while robbing banks may seem like a foolish objective, it happens more often than most would realize. “[Bank robberies are] more common than you and a lot of people might know,” said Aurora Bonin, senior media relations manager at HSBC. “They’re something we’re aware of, and we work closely with [...] the local authorities and, of course, our own internal teams to manage.” HEIST facts 1 The 'Vaulter Bandit’ is the most notori- ous bank robber in Canada. 2 The maximum penalty for bank robbery in Canada is 20 years. 3 In 1699, a bank robber could be sentenced to death in the UK. Sources: Wikipedia, express.co e ) Fitness Ce ntre | AN Marpole Oakridge x Community Centre =A So ess S CHAHIRA MERARSI photos Residents are most hopeful for the long-awaited pool, as well as childcare facilities in the centre. Teen voice comes to South Van Youth council is in the works for Vancouver By CHARLES DALE will soon have a voice in the fed- eral government. The office of Harjit Sajjan, MP for Vancouver South, has begun the selec- tion process for a local Constituency Youth Council. The council will be made up of 12 residents of South Van- couver between the ages of 13 and 18. It is intended to provide an opportunity for local high school students to be- come more engaged in the political pro- cess, have the chance to meet their MP and voice their con- cerns. Eric Gustavson, constituency assis- tant for Sajjan, said the office felt that high school — stu- dents were under- represented. “We really want to engage them in a way that maybe they can’t be in the current system in their high school,” Gustavson said. “The real idea be- hind the project is that we’re bringing these youth togeth- er and ideally get- ting them to voice whatever it is that they’re concerned about, and inspire, encourage and en- able them to actu- ally take action on it.” Jacob Mattie, a general sciences student at Langara College, thinks the council will help young people take interest in politics. “Tt’s cool to try to reach out to young people,” Mattie said. “If [Sajjan] can reach the group who don’t traditionally care about politics, that would be inter- esting.” Richard Johnston, a political science professor at UBC, thinks the council is a good idea and that a lack of engage- ment between youth and the govern- ment has been an issue for a long time, but expressed concern about potential partisan bias. “The fact that [no youth councils] have been conducted in non-Liberal ridings is interesting.” Johnston said. “Tt does sound like the governing party taking advantage of its privileged posi- tion.” However, Gustavson stressed that the council will be non-partisan. “It is open to anyone, and we didn’t ask for any sort of political leanings in our process,” Gustavson said. Sajjan’s office is currently contact- ing successful applicants, and plans to hold the first meeting before Decem- ber. Yun people in South Vancouver ERIC GUSTAVSON constituency as- sistant for Sajjan 66 The real idea be- hind the project is that we’re bring- ing these youth together MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT VANCOUVER SOUTH ¥ HARJIT S. SAJJAN CHARLES DALE photo Sajjan’s office, located in South Van is currently contacting youth.