Okay, this isn’t strictly urban issues but I just couldn’t help noticing this story about plans to open up campgrounds near (i.e. within a couple of hours) of Vancouver/Whistler so that Olympics tourists could stay there if they wanted. I have to say, the Games are starting to feel more and more like some out-of-control […]
Entries from January 2016
Camping in February: An Olympics idea
October 19th, 2009 · 13 Comments
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Parks general manager to leave even earlier than originally planned
October 19th, 2009 · 4 Comments
This internal email from parks general manager Susan Mundick just flew in my window. Now, instead of “helping with the transition for as long as needed,” she is now leaving immediately. Hmm, sounds like there’s unpleasantness going on. I’m sure the scuffling in the past month, when Mundick was on vacation part of the time, […]
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One more way to gently ease people out of their cars
October 19th, 2009 · 12 Comments
A reader sent in this link on interesting efforts to tinker with the carrots and sticks for drivers in order to get them onto transit. “Another interesting discussion for your blog perhaps? http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-parking-experiment15-2009oct15,0,2933172.story The article discusses Santa Monica’s plan to use market rates to manage their parking to short term stops, higher fees and programming […]
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Let the mayor’s personal torch relay begin
October 19th, 2009 · 3 Comments
This just in (or out) from city hall Mayor Robertson to travel to London, Greece to take part in Olympic Flame ceremonies Mayor Gregor Robertson will travel to Greece this week, where as Mayor of the 2010 Winter Olympics host city he will take part in the lighting of the Olympic Flame ceremony in Olympia […]
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Should Vancouver’s viaducts come down?
October 19th, 2009 · 19 Comments
I’ve been away in the Kootenays doing a media workshop in the town where I got my first-ever newspaper job 26 years ago, Creston, so excuse my lateness on various burning urban issues that broke out in the last few days. As a result of my sojourn (and digressively, I must say, was it ever […]
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A job opens up at city hall
October 15th, 2009 · 6 Comments
This just in, or going out to city hall, or something. I’m a bit surprised. I thought Marg WAS the city clerk and doing a good job. From: Ballem, Penny Sent: Thursday, October 15, 2009 2:35 PM To: Mayor and Council (COV) – DL; Corporate Management Team (COV) – DL Cc: Di Nozzi, Caterina; Naklicki, […]
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The doctor is in: A close look at Penny Ballem
October 14th, 2009 · 20 Comments
My latest column in Vancouver magazine is on Vancouver city manager Penny Ballem, who seems to be enjoying her job more every day. (Heard her ALL over the radio all day today telling people they should leave their cars at home during the Olympics.) She’s a fascinating woman to watch in action and to hear […]
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Report on Vision Vancouver fundraiser and NPA annual general meeting
October 14th, 2009 · 6 Comments
Just too much going on for me this week, so I didn’t get to the VV fundraiser, but here’s the report from Jonathan Ross at civicscene, detailing the lively goings-on. A quieter, more angst-ridden scene tonight at the NPA annual general meeting, I expect. This report from city caucus sets the stage, although as NPA […]
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Copenhagen: Bike heaven
October 14th, 2009 · 23 Comments
When my Globe and Mail colleague Gary Mason headed off to Copenhagen two weeks ago to cover the announcement of the 2016 Olympics, I blathered on to him before he left about how the city had done an amazing job of getting people out of cars and onto bikes. More than a third of people […]
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Awaiting news on VANOC plan for Sea to Sky traffic
October 14th, 2009 · 4 Comments
The media briefing started just a few minutes ago but a little bird sent me a message last night saying that VANOC will not use a transponder system to try to deal with the traffic up to Whistler during the Olympics. The highway is potentially one of their main traffic nightmares, since they will be […]
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