Slot machines at Hastings "harmless": city report · 14.07.09

The installation of 600 slot machines at Hastings Racecourse since November 2007 has not led to increases in vehicle traffic, problem gamblers, prostitution, or crime, according to a Vancouver city staff report. This is contrary to what some neighbourhood activists predicted.

Hastings Park Conservancy member David Bornman (past-president of the Conservancy and current board member, which the Courier article neglects to mention) refuses to accept the report, calling its findings premature. Noting that cases of problem gambling in Langley (a Vancouver suburb) increased “significantly” after the Cascades casino opened in 2005, Bornman declared, “We don’t have anything close to that yet, but we know it’s coming”.

I wish I was that confident in predicting the future — it might help my handicapping.

Bornman also ignores another finding of the report — namely, that police statistics for the Hastings-Sunrise neighbourhood, where the racecourse is located, show a decrease in assaults, robberies, burglaries, auto theft, and non-fatal traffic incidents during the period 2006-08. Note that it was during this period that slot machines were installed at the track.

To put it bluntly, to accept such findings would be inconsistent with Bornman’s agenda, which I strongly suspect is less environmental (the supposed focus of the Conservancy) and more social-conservative in nature. As reported previously, he is the pastor at a neighbourhood evangelical church, and active in the anti-gambling movement. Not that there’s anything wrong with that — but in my opinion he needs to be more open about his connections.

View of Hastings Racecourse, BC Derby Day 2008 The Conservancy’s goal of restoring Hastings Park to a more natural state for the benefit of all residents of East Vancouver is completely worthy and laudable. However, the group has developed a blind spot regarding Hastings Racecourse and its owner, Great Canadian Gaming Corporation. The in-field’s newly-restored pond and marsh, with a wooden walkway and public access on non-racing days (left), are all but ignored in the Conservancy’s ParkWatch Reports and Nature Walks, despite their contribution to the “greening” of the entire park. Track management’s Community Benefits initiatives are also ignored.

Actually, I take back my last point. The Conservancy is one of six local organizations to benefit from $130,000 in casino money that the track pays into a Community Legacy Fund — they will receive $20,000 for and educational project. Bornman rationalizes the hypocrisy apparent conflict of interest by calling it a “developer’s fee” paid by a private business for the use of public land.

It’s a pity that Bornman and the Hastings Park Conservancy don’t have the same outlook as Vancouver city councillor Raymond Louie. Louie originally opposed legalizing slot machines in the city, but eventually voted in favour of them, citing potential economic benefits, creation of casino jobs, and the fact that neighbouring municipalities had already legalized slot machines and could potentially suck recreational dollars away from Vancouver. His response to the city report? "It looks positive…. It’s always nice to see that there isn’t the problems as was previously described.".

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What do you think?

  1. The track spent over 200K to change the lake so that “dogs could walk around the infield” with the notion that it never would happen so as to appease these morons. It sits there today UN-USED
    SURPRISE!!! there is gambling going on in EVERY 7/11 and Mack’s convenience store around the province, Should we be very frightened??

    — Dr. Timothy Yatcak · Jul 15, 10:06 AM · #

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