By way of introduction, in the city’s urban-affairs milieu I am probably best-known for the 1990 book Vanishing Vancouver and its 2012 sequel; I cobble together a living from book royalties, speaking fees, and artwork sales, although I’m mostly occupied now with creating graphic novels since the publication of Toshiko last summer. I was born in Vancouver, lived in San Francisco for a time in the 1970s, and have visited many times and lived in Sydney (not the Nova Scotia one) during the past 35 years. I volunteer on the city’s Heritage Commission and am president of the Vancouver Historical Society.
My wife and I live near Commercial Drive in a poor-quality, century-old house that we rescued from a demolition-minded builder six years ago. The radius of my daily life is about a kilometre, to shopping and services on The Drive and Hastings Street. I work from a 12 x 12 foot room at home using the miracles of telephone and internet to connect with people whom I have little interest in seeing on a daily basis; my conference room is Uprising Bakery at Venables and Commercial.
My forms of transportation are feet, bike (April to October), bus/Skytrain (I love the Compass Card), and the Yaris I share with my wife and use maybe 3 times a week. If I time it right, I can get downtown door-to-door in a half hour on the 135 express bus or by bus/Skytrain, about 10 minutes longer than it takes to cycle.
For the purposes of my guest-editorship of Pricetags, I will have few strong opinions, other than this sort of thing …
What is my role in the city? I feel that I’m a witness with a very long memory, called to testify from time to time.
I just want to say “Hi”. I have a few of your books. Looking forward to your posts this week.
Compass Card:
Pros:
Faster recognition than the old bus tickets.
Real time passenger count data for TransLink to use (hopefully) wisely.
Cons:
Congestion at fair gates.
Congestion at fair gates.
Congestion at fair gates.
Congestion at fair gates.
Congestion at fair gates.
The wonderful concourse of Waterfront Station is no longer a pleasant experience of vibrant hustle and bustle but one of beeeeeeeeep.be..beeee…eeep.beeeeeeeeeeep..eeeeep…beeeeeeeep…eeepbebebeeeeeeep..eeep.beeeeeeep…eeeepbebebbeeeeeeee…eeeeep…beeeeeeeeep.be..beeee…eeep.beeeeeeeeeeep..eeeeep…beeeeeeeep…eeepbebebeeeeeeep..eeep.beeeeeeep…eeeepbebebbeeeeeeee…eeeeep…beeeeeeeeep.be..beeee…eeep.beeeeeeeeeeep..eeeeep…beeeeeeeep…eeepbebebeeeeeeep..eeep.beeeeeeep…eeeepbebebbeeeeeeee…eeeeep…beeeeeeeeep.be..beeee…eeep.beeeeeeeeeeep..eeeeep…beeeeeeeep…eeepbebebeeeeeeep..eeep.beeeeeeep…eeeepbebebbeeeeeeee…eeeeep…beeeeeeeeep.be..beeee…eeep.beeeeeeeeeeep..eeeeep…beeeeeeeep…eeepbebebeeeeeeep..eeep.beeeeeeep…eeeepbebebbeeeeeeee…eeeeep…beeeeeeeeep.be..beeee…eeep.beeeeeeeeeeep..eeeeep…beeeeeeeep…eeepbebebeeeeeeep..eeep.beeeeeeep…eeeepbebebbeeeeeeee…eeeeep…beeeeeeeeep.be..beeee…eeep.beeeeeeeeeeep..eeeeep…beeeeeeeep…eeepbebebeeeeeeep..eeep.beeeeeeep…eeeepbebebbeeeeeeee…eeeeep…beeeeeeeeep.be..beeee…eeep.beeeeeeeeeeep..eeeeep…beeeeeeeep…eeepbebebeeeeeeep..eeep.beeeeeeep…eeeepbebebbeeeeeeee…eeeeep…
The PNE has Fair Gates.
TransLink has Fare Gates.
Give the visionary his due.
The PNE has Fair/Fare Gates,
TransLink has FalconGates.
Ha ha!
Just stick to your knitting; this is supposed to be an intelligent, respectful forum for urbanism in a rapidly growing region of 2.8 million. Please resist your petty provincial politics, particularly if you fatally lean towards a moribund movement also known for its notoriety in the 1990s, the last time it was elected.
Doesn’t sound respectful or intelligent…
Ron didn’t mention politics at all. And I thought his comment was quite humorous. I agree that this should be an intelligent, respectful forum and as such we could certainly do with less insults and name calling.
Michael, speaking of “Paving Paradise,” I’d be interested in your take on this (I posted it today on Pricetags “2040 Transportation Plan” blog (so much for creating more greenspace; Vision wants to build a super-wide concrete promenade on Point Grey Road):
March 14, 2016 12:14 pm
“Best kept secret: $50 million+ in this 2040 Plan is being wasted on the richest in our city, the North-siders of Point Grey Road. Even more will be spent if North siders get their utility poles put underground (City says it will cost one million per block). North-siders just got their road closed to commuters, and now at massive taxpayers’ expense, these homes are having their frontages extended with an extravagant super-wide park-like brand new walkway and treed front boulevard. You thought their properties went up when the road was closed; wait until this huge promenade extends their frontages for lawn parties, resident and guest parking, etc. — their home values will soar overnight. Construction is scheduled for this Spring. Last time I checked, our city was in dire need of transit improvements and social housing. The $40 million would surely be better spent on those urgent needs rather than prely aesthetic further feathering of the nests of the ultra-wealthy.”
“(Make that “$50 million”, and “purely aesthetic”: typos.)”
The promenade and boulevard will narrow the road, squashing local motorists and cyclists dangerously closer together and North side homes will have increased paved frontages for their extra living space all at the taxpayers’ huge expense. I guess it pays to be a friend of Gregor.
Michael – I look forward to your undoubtedly insightful and different viewpoint this week.