Convening for Action in British Columbia

DOWNLOAD A COPY OF: “Overcoming fear and doubt to build a community atop Burnaby Mountain” – released by the Partnership for Water Sustainability in March 2025

March 4, 2025 - Posted in ...2025, PUBLICATIONS & DOWNLOADS

Note to Reader:

Published by the Partnership for Water Sustainability in British Columbia, Waterbucket eNews celebrates the leadership of individuals and organizations who are guided by the Living Water Smart vision. The edition published on March 4, 2025 featured Michael Geller,

Through sheer force of personality, he took the vision for a sustainable community atop Burnaby Mountain and created UniverCity. Michael Geller is driven by a CAN DO ATTITUDE. “One of the real advantages we had at UniverCity is that I was able to try out new ideas,” says Michael Geller.

Overcoming fear and doubt to build a community atop Burnaby Mountain

Many individuals have played important roles in the green infrastructure movement in British Columbia. But whose efforts have truly been make or break? Seven individuals stand out as first-order champions. The seven rose to the moment in ways that were complementary. They changed the game in profound ways when British Columbia was at forks in the road.

“In October 1999, I took on the job as President and CEO of the SFU Community Trust. Even before I started, I got a call from Don Stenson who was then Director of Planning at the City of Burnaby,” recalls Michael Geller. “We had never met before. He asked me to come to his office. We were having a chat and he said to me something that I have never forgotten.”

“But there is no doubt, he went on to say, that it is going to be very important that whatever you build on top of that mountain, the stormwater flows into Stoney Creek must be no worse than they are today. And I thought, I have absolutely no idea whether that is possible or not.”

A complete community within 5 years

“It takes all kinds of people to make things happen. In a relatively short time we overcame fear and doubt and got UniverCity built. Today, it takes 5 years to get an approval to build a single apartment building in many municipalities. In 5 years, we managed to get approvals for a community of 4536 homes and complete the roads and first buildings.”