He’s a member of a globally acclaimed punk-dance band and a former provincial Green Party candidate, who now calls New West home.
Stephen O’Shea and his young family – wife and one-year-old daughter – were drawn to the city because they wanted to live in a co-op, and they found one last October. A month later, the 32-year-old found a new job close to home at Fraserside Community Services, and they settled in comfortably.
O’Shea brings a lot of cred not just in the music scene – he’s a bassist in the band You Say Party – he’s also serious about community issues and politics, saying his campaign to earn a seat in Victoria was an educational experience.
“Cheaper than a year of university,” he laughs. “Learned about as much.”
O’Shea and his band have deep roots in Abbotsford, a place O’Shea jokingly says is a lot like the fictional, ultra-conservative small town in the movie Footloose, especially compared to the diversity in this city.
In our series New to New West, which chronicles what brought new people to the city, O’Shea shares what he loves, and doesn’t, about his new home:
Why New West?
I really wanted to live in a co-op. That’s probably the biggest reason. And there was an opportunity here, so I jumped on it.
What was it about a co-op?
Affordability and just the opportunity to know our neighbours. (In Abbotsford) we knew people on either side (of our place), but we didn’t really know the community and the neighbourhood all that well. We knew that moving into more of an intentional community inside of a co-op was really going to be beneficial to the type of people we are.
What do you like about the city?
I really like the walkability – that’s probably the most important. Coming from Abbotsford you pretty much had to drive everywhere to get to anything.
I really enjoy the community of people so far that I’ve gotten to know. There are a lot more good restaurants, which is huge, and amenities as well. It’s kind of like the closest thing you can have to living in downtown Vancouver without actually being there. We were drawn to the urban living. … I’ve been really happy there so far.
How have you integrated yourself here?
I’ve been making my best effort to attend the Brow of the Hill resident association meeting, and I have been pretty active with the hashtag #NewWest on Twitter, which is a great way to get to know lots of people. My wife and I, we try to get down to the farmers’ market down at the River Market as often as possible – just engaging in the local community. My wife goes to Motoring Munchkins (a toddler play gym) at the Arenex.
What do you bring to New West?
Well, I have a real passion for community and civic politics. I don’t know if I bring that here, but it’s part of my interest, so I really love architecture and how that pertains to what the development is. So my involvement with the residency association, I’ve been able to put in my two cents, as I see, with developments that are coming through here. … I’m pretty new, but I’ve got a sense of what the neighbourhood is like. I’ve walked around it a lot, just trying to get know it and get to know the people in it. There are lots of people who’ve been here a lot longer than me, and, obviously, I want to be respectful of that.
What has been the most-pleasant surprise?
Just discovering how passionate people in New West are about their home. … In the community itself, there are a lot of active members, and it’s really exciting to see.
What’s you favourite thing about the city so far?
It’s still just that everything is within walking distance – walkability is huge.
Is there anything you don’t like?
I’ve been woken up by the train whistles, just like everybody else, but I think it doesn’t bother me so much. I kind of like that we are a transit city in a way, but it’s just the navigating of that divide: (the) railroad link put to Quayside and the River Market. I haven’t quite figured out a way to blend the city together – it at times it feels disjointed. You can’t really get to Queensborough unless you are going to drive. …. I really wish they would extend the river walk, that’s what’s really missing. Vancouver has a seawall, and we have our river wall (he says, with a laugh). It’s a real asset to the whole community, and it should be celebrated.
