Friday, May 22, 2026

Massive protest march against Vancouver AI data centres

 https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/vancouver-ai-data-centre-protest-march

550 Madison Avenue, NYC

 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/550_Madison_Avenue This building has almost become a stump when compared to the much taller towers.

https://buildingsdb.com/NY/new-york/550-madison-avenue/  

https://www.archdaily.com/611169/ad-classics-at-and-t-building-philip-johnson-and-john-burgee

https://www.lera.com/sony-building This would be the 2nd tallest building if it was in Vancouver, in overall height.

https://www.archiweb.cz/en/b/at-t-building-sony-plaza

https://paulpiazzaarchitect.com/home/2014/09/20/the-sony-tower/ 

https://www.reddit.com/r/ReplicaBuildings/comments/17d39eg/550_madison_att_building_1984_nyc/

Cambie Street Bridge seismic upgrade

 https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/cambie-street-bridge-seismic-upgrade-federal-funding 

Unless the west sidewalk is widened, or a parallel bike bridge is constructed, the C bridge will still be missing a lane & remain with 5, instead of 6 when it opened in the 1980s.

Canada Line station platforms being extended for interchange hub with Broadway Subway

 https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/canada-line-broadway-city-hall-station-platform-extension-millennium-line-interchange

Telus Boot Tower or just another office stump in BC?

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GJqr-6j3yww This would be an impressive building if it was in Victoria, Kelowna, Kamloops or Prince George. Even in Lethbridge and Spokane, but not in Calgary or Seattle. That's because they been allowed to be proper big cities.

Its not even 25 stories, just like the Post office complex, but if it had at least 50 floors it would have been quite an impressive office tower for BC. 

https://www.reddit.com/r/vancouver/comments/1jav5f9/burnaby_approves_bc_tel_boot_redevelopment_5/ Acording to this rendering, the main part of the Telus boot stump will still be around. Its only a smaller part of its base that will face demolition.

https://www.jarmanrealestate.com/burnaby-telus-boot-redevelopment/

Burnaby or Surrey will likely have the first office tower in BC that's at least 45 stories in the next few years. Vancouver won't permit any office tower to have a 40th floor.

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/3696-kingsway-vancouver-telus-rental-housing-tower Across the street, not a 50, only a 25 story residential stump. 

Boundary Road should have already had an express bus service and eventually a rapid bus route connecting Burnaby to North Vancouver and Richmond. Unfortunately, Vancouver still doesn't seem interested in having a B.Rd. bridge to NV and Richmond, even if it would improve on regional transportation.

Thursday, May 21, 2026

Vancouver's Mark 1 SkyTrain History

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EHzj0vDg13U

The new Capstan Station recorded SkyTrain's fourth-lowest ridership after one year

 https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/skytrain-capstan-station-ridership-canada-line 

Wow, this picture almost makes it look like its a big-city train station and not just a 2 car train joke. The CLine should have opened with 5-6 car trains, or at least 3 car trains. Any station can have the potential of becoming more popular, especially when there are more residential and business structures close to it.


How Copenhagen built a metro for free https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GzamwVH3CXU&t=8s At least this could run 3 car trains right from when it started.

Penn Station $8B Renovation announced, is MSG Saved?

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9kibdpTkgwQ

Montreal's metro is absolutely fantastic. For a system built after World War II, it's also shockingly inaccessible.

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GtJ7oXZVaMU

Total government costs of FIFA World Cup in Vancouver and Toronto could reach over $1 billion

 https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/fifa-world-cup-vancouver-toronto-canada-pbo-cost-estimate

Tuesday, May 19, 2026

29-storey tower with Marriott hotel and rental housing approved for Yaletown

 https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/888-896-cambie-street-vancouver-yaletown-marriott-hotel-rezoning-approved 

Never mind it being under 50 or 40 stories, it won't even have 30 floors. 

Allegedly impaired driver arrested after crashing through Nanaimo sushi restaurant

 https://nanaimonewsnow.com/2026/05/19/allegedly-impaired-driver-arrested-after-crashing-through-nanaimo-sushi-restaurant/ 

https://nanaimobulletin.com/2026/05/19/car-crashes-into-sushi-restaurant-in-downtown-nanaimo/ 

https://vancouver.citynews.ca/2026/05/19/vehicle-crashes-into-downtown-nanaimo-restaurant/ 

https://www.timescolonist.com/local-news/driver-arrested-after-crashing-vehicle-into-nanaimo-restaurant-12302695 

https://www.reddit.com/r/nanaimo/comments/1thubmm/car_crashes_into_sushi_restaurant_in_downtown/ 

While side streets and regional major streets don't unusually have protective side barriers, bridges should, along with having a traffic divider.

Surrey-Langley Skytrain | From Bakerview 166 St Station to Langley City Centre St.

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQtJJ-j49F4

Paris

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iPrX8DtTN7g

Singapore is Finally Finishing Marina Bay Sands

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GUCsENcaoqo  


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qXjzhB5nflM 

Hong Kong's $8 Billion Expansion

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4JerMNWYjRM

First of eight new trains arrives for Amtrak Cascades service linking Vancouver, Seattle, and Portland

 https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/first-new-train-arrival-amtrak-cascades-vancouver-seattle-portland

George Washington Bridge

 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Washington_Bridge 

https://www.panynj.gov/bridges-tunnels/en/george-washington-bridge/history.html , https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JPVRdR4EKSY

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Washington_Bridge#Planning

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Washington_Bridge#Decks The upper level opened on October 25, 1931 - Although the lower level was part of the original plans for the bridge, it did not open until August 29, 1962. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Washington_Bridge#Mid_1950s_to_mid-1960s:_lower_level_and_Approach_modernization 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Washington_Bridge#Road_connections 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Washington_Bridge#Non-motorized_access 

https://www.panynj.gov/bridges-tunnels/en/george-washington-bridge.html

Truck stuck under overpass on George Washington Bridge https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rw5pNZQQ3tU

Monday, May 18, 2026

Vancouver Is Getting Two AI Data Centres

 https://thetyee.ca/Opinion/2026/05/18/Vancouver-Getting-AI-Data-Centres/

The $30B Reason LAX Won’t Stay Chaotic & Broken

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kbDTGKg8Fn4

Long lost traffic lanes of Greater Vancouver

 https://www.reddit.com/r/vancouver/comments/1tfsdxg/long_lost_days One of the few major streets within Vancouver to be at least 6 lanes wide. However, with curb lane parking it just becomes another 4 lane corridor in BC.

https://www.vancouverarchives.ca/wp-content/uploads/cropped-a9b22bf7-d985-4372-9650-7a51afbe5f94-2010-006.161-2-3.jpg This part of Granville used to have 6 lanes. The 1970s mall reduced it to just 2 lanes, causing an instant bus bottleneck-chokepoint. A 4 lane compromise still would have allowed for wider sidewalks. A 4 lane transit mall could have allowed for a constant passing lane when another bus has stopped. It was as if someone didn't want to have an efficient bus corridor for express buses, as well as local busses. When a local bus stops on a 2 lane street, its impossible for an express bus to pass, especially when there is a stopped bus on the other lane, also preventing any express bus to pass.

Several cities around the world still have wide streets, boulevards and avenues with 8-10 lanes. If Vancouver had allowed some 8 lane wide streets, 2 curb parking lanes would still provide 6 traffic lanes. Then, if 2 lanes were for buses, there would still be 2 lanes each way for general traffic.

The public and then the planning department (after being pressured) were firmly against having freeways within the city limits during the 1960s and 70s. However, there still should have been enough logic to allow for wider streets so that it would be easier and more efficient to have a bus lane each way. 

As of 2026, no bridge within the Vancouver city limits has 8 lanes and only two bridges have 6 lanes. One has 5 lanes and then there are four 4 lane bridges and the 3 lane Lion Bridge joke. 

All of the Vancouver bridges are so narrow that there was no provision for any future bus lanes. Plus, 2 bridges each had 2 lanes removed that could have been used for buses. Congestive transportation planning is the name of the game for backwards Vancouver. If there ever was a city that needs a series of bus bridges, it would be stubborn Vancouver. 

Even the Greater Vancouver region is lacking in having a series of bus bridges, especially since the Skytrain isn't a 24 hour system.


https://www.vancouverarchives.ca/2011/04/18/how-did-harland-bartholomews-ideas-shape-vancouver

https://archive.org/details/vancplanincgen00vanc The Bartholomew Plan published in 1928.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/vancouver-archives/albums/72157626484421302/ 

https://globalcivic.org/harland-bartholomew/

https://www.urbanstudio.sala.ubc.ca/2010/lectures/Sept21_presentations/2_TheBasics.pdf 

https://samsullivan.ca/taking-a-closer-look-at-the-legacy-of-harland-bartholomew-and-his-plan-for-vancouver-2 , https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YIuAk1TIKHo

https://archive.org/details/planforcityofvan00vanc 1930

Sunday, May 17, 2026

Stunning Drone Views of Seattle

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iy8_7osp3Lo

The Broadway Subway-Mount Pleasant to Broadway City Hall

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z64SisMwIuY 

Another illogical lane reduction project. Broadway was for the most part, always 6 lanes, 7, if you count the turning lane at major intersections. The train isn't a 24 hour service, so its important to always have 1 bus lane each way, especially if the train is shut down for an occasional emergency. Then there still should be 2 general lanes each way, because this isn't supposed to be a small town street or avenue. 

This, combined with so many 4 lane bridges, ensures that BC bottleneck-chokepoint planning remains firmly entrenched. 

A 5 car Vancouver train is expected to do the job of a 9 car Montreal Metro train. That's because a short Vancouver train can run a little more frequently than a 9 car Montreal Metro train, during even the most busy times of the day. Of course many proper cities have long big-city trains, because they aren't under anything like small thinking Vancouver, or a backwater BC mentality.

The standard short trains, narrow bridges & narrow streets and short buildings, are all part of holding the scale of Vancouver back. Apparently, if you can't build a wall around Vancouver, the next best thing is to continually plan and build symbolically for a provincial backwater of a city.

Granville Island

 https://www.reddit.com/r/vancouver/comments/1tf8ajt/granville_island/

Mississauga, Ontario

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=30914mndSjw 

One would expect that Vancouver imposed height limits to never have anything as tall as in Toronto. However, Vancouver wont permit 

https://skyscraperpage.com/diagrams/?cityID=306 m 


https://skyscraperpage.com/diagrams/?cityID=306&status=15 m

Melbourne is building the $36 billion Suburban Rail Loop

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l6N1fAH2bSc

Oakridge Park-Mall

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E6Kwx7SctJ4 

Somehow the people around Broadway Station weren't able to stop this. Well, the Oakridge Station area is becoming its own town centre in that part of provincial Vancouver. Yet, the Broadway & Commercial area is already a big transportation intersection.

Despite the C-Line still only running 2 car joke trains, there is a potential to have 3 car trains. That's still pretty sad when the 50 m stations should have been built to eventually accommodate 5-6 car trains. Unfortunately, the planners never seriously considered to have a future level station clearance of 100-120 m. In contrast, the Montreal Metro has 152.5 m stations and can accommodate 9 car trains. The Vancouver Mind Virus (VMV) has always prevented the city from thinking on a big scale.

the latest plans for the BT Tower

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BRRIYXLf1ig

5 dead, 10 injured after falls into Vancouver's Grandview Cut over the past decade

 https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/grandview-cut-falls-9.7202509  



https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=Grandview+Cut

Friday, May 15, 2026

Vancouver’s NEW Mark V SkyTrain

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qXNDGm8u364 

Many proper big cities have 10 car trains. Its taken slow Vancouver to start having 5 car trains.

Granville Bridge death was preventable, advocates say

 https://vancouver.citynews.ca/2026/05/14/granville-bridge-death-was-preventable-say-advocates/ 

While the Granville+Bridge needs to have a higher fence like the Burrard+Bridge, there is another remaining pending danger. 

https://vancouversun.com/news/iio-investigates-womans-death-after-9-hour-incident-on-granville-street-bridge 

There is no central safety barrier to prevent head-on collisions. Whether a person becomes disoriented, or actually wants to crash into traffic from the opposite direction, there is no traffic divider.

https://www.ctvnews.ca/vancouver/article/barrier-needed-on-vancouver-bridge-after-another-suicide-death-advocates-say/

The sidewalks could have been made a little wider in a way that there still could have been enough space for a traffic divider. 

https://www.reddit.com/r/vancouver/comments/1td85mt/iio_investigates_womans_death_after_ninehour/ 


https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=Granville+Bridge Was 8 lanes, now 6, but with 2 bike lanes and wider sidewalks.

https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=Burrard+Bridge Was 6 lanes, now 4, but with 2 bike lanes & already good sidewalks. 

Unfortunately, both bridges have no middle safety barrier to prevent head-on collisions, despite their recent modifications. 


The Pattullo+Bridge was too narrow to ever have a traffic divider. Fortunately, its 4 lane replacement does have a central divider. 

https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=Knight+Street+Bridge Only 4 lanes in the middle, but has a traffic safety barrier. The KSB really needs a bus and bike bridge next to it.

https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=Oak+Street+Bridge A traffic divider was eventually installed, but the narrow bridge was never designed to have 2 emergency lanes, or 2 wide shoulders. There especially was no consideration to have 2 bus lanes on the OSB. Since there is no 24 hour train service to the airport, there should be a parallel bus and bike bridge. 

https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=Arthur+Laing+Bridge While it does have a traffic divider, there are no wide emergency lanes or wide shoulders. There isn't even enough space for 2 bus lanes. Thus, a bus and bike bridge really should be built next to it.

Ottawa and Alberta agree on pipeline construction timeline

 https://globalnews.ca/news/11851090/mark-carney-danielle-smith-energy-deal/ 

https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/carney-smith-energy-announcement-mou-9.7200652 

https://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/article/ottawa-plans-to-greenlight-alberta-oil-pipeline-construction-by-fall-2027-no-private-proponent-yet/

Why Houston Makes No Sense

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0DdDoJgRGLY

Briiliant Lady cruise ship

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brilliant_Lady  Length 277 m (908 ft 10 in)

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/brilliant-lady-virgin-voyages-canada-place-cruise-ship-vancouver 

https://www.travelandtourworld.com/news/article/a-new-era-in-alaska-brilliant-lady-debuts-for-virgin-voyages-first-west-coast-season/ 

https://www.cntraveler.com/ships/virgin-voyages/brilliant-lady

https://www.travelandtourworld.com/news/article/tag/canada-place-terminal/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virgin_Voyages#Current_fleet 

https://www.reddit.com/r/VirginVoyages/comments/1rk8emf/brilliant_lady_cruise_a_complete_review/

Metrotown, Burnaby

 https://www.reddit.com/r/vancouver/comments/1tegbb6/clearest_full_rainbow_ive_ever_seen/ 

https://skyscraperpage.com/b114729/burnaby/grand-tower-at-sky-park 

https://skyscraperpage.com/diagrams/?cityID=31&status=15

Vancouver International Airport sees record-breaking passenger volumes in early 2026

 https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/vancouver-international-airport-yvr-q1-2026-passenger-volumes-statistics

Get ready for more traffic delays on Surrey's King George

The project is part of early works for the future BRT https://www.delta-optimist.com/local-news/get-ready-for-more-traffic-delays-on-surreys-king-george-12219129

North Shore CN Rail bridge

https://www.nsnews.com/local-news/agriculture-shippers-call-for-replacement-of-north-shore-cn-rail-bridge-12291086 This BC bottleneck-chokepoint mentality is ridiculous! 

Unfortunately, due to a lack of properly planning for future infrastructure needs, the Thornton_Tunnel and the Second_Narrows_Rail_Bridge weren't designed to be double tracked. 

The New_Westminster_Bridge is also another single track, bottleneck-chokepoint.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Westminster_Bridge#Proposed_changes

https://www.nsnews.com/economy-law-politics/vancouver-council-calls-for-reopening-of-container-truck-entrance-to-port-clark-drive-11231559 More trouble and in efficient B$.


https://www.reddit.com/r/vancouver/comments/1t9pgs8/lions_gate_bridge_at_night_oc The classic 3 lane BC bottleneck-chokepoint. No need for a bus and commuter train tunnel around there, because that's what a proper city would do. 

 https://www.reddit.com/r/vancouver/comments/1teae3s/another_beautiful_post  


The Race To Fix The World's Most Isolated Mega-Port https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=81CLKTJnw7I 

In Melbourne, its just a matter of finally getting around to getting a huge port upgrade accomplished.

Unfortunately, in Vancouver things are more difficult to do. Key freight rail bridges are still only single tracked.

Senior in critical condition after alleged vehicle ramming in Vancouver's West End

 https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/police-vehicle-ramming-crash-vancouver-west-end-9.7200915 

https://www.ctvnews.ca/vancouver/article/senior-critically-injured-officers-hospitalized-after-vehicle-ramming-incident-vancouver-police-say/ 

https://vancouversun.com/news/vancouver-west-end-vehicle-ramming-three-hospital 

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/vehicle-rampage-jeep-vancouver-park 

Residential streets are usually narrow and intended for slow moving traffic. This fool didn't seem to care.

Major streets and roads don't necessarily have a central traffic divider, along with some highways. However, any major highway should have a safety traffic divider. Ideally, any bridge with 2 way traffic should have a safety barrier.

Phoenix freeway overhaul: I-10, Loop 101 interchange upgrades

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qz21tbBZQL8

The AI boom sidelined sustainability and has caused data center safety concerns

 https://fortune.com/2026/05/14/anthropics-spacex-compute-deal-comes-as-ai-data-center-backlash-grows-fueled-by-both-real-grievances-and-conspiracy-theories/  

https://news.gallup.com/poll/709772/americans-oppose-data-centers-area.aspx 

The carbon and water footprints of data centers and what this could mean for artificial intelligence https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666389925002788 

https://opportunitygreen.org/data-centres/reports/data-centres-threaten-energy-systems-climate-goals

https://www.wri.org/insights/us-data-center-growth-impacts

https://www.lincolninst.edu/publications/land-lines-magazine/articles/land-water-impacts-data-centers/ 

https://ucalgary.ca/sustainability/mobilizing-alberta/climate-action-blogs/will-ai-data-centres-raise-water-and-power-use-alberta Since Canada is cold for half of the year, its amazing that there aren't more AI data centers. 

https://www.siemens.com/en-us/industries/data-centers/cooling-infrastructure-ai-optimization 

https://www.eli.org/vibrant-environment-blog/ais-cooling-problem-how-data-centers-are-transforming-water-use

Holdom Ave Overpass | Burnaby | BC

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TczWyH7JWLA

Concord | Metrotown in Burnaby

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VbFE98Esk9k 

Burnaby isn't under the strict restrictions of Vancouver, so its able to have taller buildings and even a freeway.

Vancouver 200 m

 https://www.reddit.com/r/vancouver/comments/1td2oe6/the_view_is_so_good/ 

Only 1 building within the small city limits of Vancouver has been permitted to reach 200 m , so far.

BC Ferries braces for busiest summer yet amid fleet strain and FIFA World Cup

 https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/bc-ferries-summer-2026-services-demand-fifa-world-cup

Surrey mayor pitches 200,000 sq. ft. convention centre for Cloverdale Fairgrounds

 https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/surrey-mayor-brenda-locke-cloverdale-fairgrounds-convention-centre-proposal

Thursday, May 14, 2026

Market interest to build 10,000-seat indoor arena in Surrey City Centre, says mayor

 https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/surrey-city-centre-arena-bid-process-update

Vancouver mayor submits motion to cut back on some climate bylaws for the sake of affordability

 https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/vancouver-mayor-city-climate-bylaws 

So, after all threes years, no money went towards a city and a regional bus bridge network. The existing bridges are too narrow to accommodate 2 express bus lanes, so there should have been parallel bus bridges built by now. 

The Canada Line wasn't designed to have at least 5 car trains, only a 2.5 car joke of a train, someday. Since 2009, only 2 car trains have been running, when there should have been 3. Despite the ridiculously short stations, there should have been modifications to have at least 3 full-size cars by now. Its as if not enough funds still haven't been put towards such a short train , since 2009.

Monday, May 11, 2026

Auckland’s Massive Future Transformation

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xJJmK6QfR-0

COQUITLAM, BC

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t7tbzlHKKm0 

Coquitlam can build taller than Vancouver, because its not under any Vancouver type restrictions.

Saturday, May 9, 2026

Sydney's SEVERED Skyline vs. the stumps of Vancouver

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SpEoJia-4ns  Fortunately, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth don't have similar restrictions as Sydney. However, NSW still has less imposed restrictions and impediments as backwater BC.

Backwards+Vancouver B$ logic should never make it to Sydney, or any other properly functioning city. Fortunately overall, NSW never was overtaken by anything like the BC Mind Virus (BCMV). Otherwise, Sydney would also have narrow bridges, short trains and mostly short buildings. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/25_Martin_Place Over 60 levels.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scotia_Tower Not even 40 levels.

Vancouver still won't allow any office tower to have 40 floors, let alone 50 or 60.

Pattullo and new stal̕É™w̓asÉ™m bridge flyover view

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K_4dYA9-hoE

Portion of Scott Road closed in North Delta following two-vehicle collision that sends motorcycle onto pole

 https://www.delta-optimist.com/local-news/portion-of-scott-road-closed-in-north-delta-following-two-vehicle-collision-that-sends-motorcycle-onto-pole-photos-12260865

Brentwood Town Centre station

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brentwood_Town_Centre_station

 https://www.google.com/maps/place/Brentwood+Town+Centre+Station/@49.2667114,-123.0053608,1361m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m15!1m8!3m7!1s0x548677a8219c8373:0xdd0a72738752b169!2sBurnaby,+BC!3b1!8m2!3d49.2488091!4d-122.9805104!16zL20vMDFkMjZ5!3m5!1s0x548677303c38b9a1:0xc483215d1513ddc2!8m2!3d49.2663877!4d-123.0016074!16zL20vMDdfejli!5m1!1e2?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI2MDUwNi4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D 



https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oakridge-41st_Avenue_station

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Oakridge-41st+Avenue/@49.2313721,-123.1222354,837m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m15!1m8!3m7!1s0x548673f143a94fb3:0xbb9196ea9b81f38b!2sVancouver,+BC!3b1!8m2!3d49.2827291!4d-123.1207375!16zL20vMDgwaDI!3m5!1s0x54867470d349b63b:0xabce161967e00006!8m2!3d49.2331553!4d-123.1166421!16zL20vMGN0d2do!5m1!1e2?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI2MDUwNi4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D

Cambie and Broadway–City Hall station

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Broadway-City_Hall_station

 https://www.google.com/maps/place/Broadway-City+Hall/@49.2633144,-123.1176458,850m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m15!1m8!3m7!1s0x548673f143a94fb3:0xbb9196ea9b81f38b!2sVancouver,+BC!3b1!8m2!3d49.2827291!4d-123.1207375!16zL20vMDgwaDI!3m5!1s0x548673dd78271e43:0xe3c5e9b2c05b7174!8m2!3d49.26283!4d-123.1145299!16zL20vMGN2N2R6!5m1!1e2?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI2MDUwNi4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Millennium_Line#Broadway_extension 



https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commercial-Broadway_station

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Commercial-Broadway/@49.2625285,-123.0712046,845m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m15!1m8!3m7!1s0x548673f143a94fb3:0xbb9196ea9b81f38b!2sVancouver,+BC!3b1!8m2!3d49.2827291!4d-123.1207375!16zL20vMDgwaDI!3m5!1s0x5486714929652bf1:0x1e360e906241981!8m2!3d49.262623!4d-123.0692365!16zL20vMDVyMGZ0!5m1!1e2?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI2MDUwNi4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Expo_Line_(SkyTrain)#History

Golf courses and LARGE AI data server facilities

 https://www.reddit.com/r/nanaimo/comments/1t6spq5/about_that/ 

While the BC part of Canada is notoriously heavy on various restrictions and especially reducing the scale of things, golf courses and AI server farms might be in a special category. As land in urban areas continue to rise, several urban golf courses could be repurposed for housing or parks. Thus, golf courses might be better suited to be farther away from urban areas.

An AI_data_center can be problematic if its too close to an urban area. However, if its even out in the wilderness, an AI_data_center can cause environmental damage and other problems. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AI_data_center#Environmental_footprint 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opposition_to_AI_data_centers 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AI_data_center#AI_data_centers_in_space

Metro Vancouver’s 4-minute meeting nets members more than $500

 https://globalnews.ca/news/11841417/metro-vancouver-three-minute-meeting-members-pay-500-dollars/

Apparently, its better to waste money on overpaid managers, rather than putting it towards bus and train bridges and improved highways overall. 


10 Lane Narrows Bridge in Perth Australia https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k6mVXcX-4h4 

District of North Van council sends proposed CapU student housing tower back to drawing board

 https://www.nsnews.com/local-news/district-of-north-van-council-sends-proposed-capu-student-housing-tower-back-to-drawing-board-12253669 

Of course, make the project smaller so that its less likely to meet current housing demands.

Surrey-Langley SkyTrain extension hits major project milestone

 https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/surrey-langley-skytrain-station-milestone

Does B.C. need an intercity transit network to fill the gap left by Greyhound?

 https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/bc-intercity-transit-network-greyhound 

https://transitalliancebc.ca/intercity-transit/ 

While an intercity bus network would be nice, intercity rail would even be better. Perhaps, someday.

Thursday, May 7, 2026

Vancouver is similar to cities like London and New York City but not in a good way

 https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/vancouver-housing-similar-major-cities

Celebrate the D Line extension at this block party in L.A.

 https://www.timeout.com/los-angeles/news/celebrate-the-d-train-extension-at-this-block-party-in-l-a-050726 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D_Line_(Los_Angeles_Metro)#Route_description  


https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=L.A.+Metro+D+Line

District of North Vancouver council lobbies to save Sea to Sky rail corridor

 https://www.nsnews.com/local-news/district-of-north-vancouver-council-lobbies-to-save-sea-to-sky-rail-corridor-12244864 

It should be automatically understood that any major BC rail corridor be improved to become double tracked for efficient freight and passenger movement. Then, whenever passenger demand increases, there should be a parallel double track passenger line for efficient intercity travel.

West Vancouver councillors comments

 https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/north-shore-politician-visitors-hordes 

A multicultural metropolitan region is supposed to be open to people of all colors and cultures.

https://www.nsnews.com/local-news/west-vancouver-councillor-faces-criticism-over-hordes-comments-12247401 

Perhaps there are some who would like to see all nonwhite visitors to WV be required to have an access permit.

https://www.northshoredailypost.com/cassidy-responds-resignation-petition-ambleside/ 

Of course that would be so absurd, because the days of WV being a Whiteman's paradise ended decades ago. The KEEP+THEM+OUT mentality and agenda has taken on various forms since the early days of BC.



https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=West+Vancouver+councillors+comments

https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=West+Vancouver

Tuesday, May 5, 2026

The 'unsellable' Olympic Village homes in London

How the cladding crisis and plummeting property values has left Londoners trapped in flats they raced to snap up after 2012 Games https://www.dailymail.com/news/article-15762111/Londoners-homes-Olympic-Village-2012-Games-struggling-sell.html

The urban trifecta of backwards Vancouver

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/trifecta 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trifecta#History 

Ideally, for some small thinking cities, the plan is to symbolically have mostly short buildings and short trains and mostly narrow bridges.

That seems to have been the goal of Vancouver over the past several decades. In contrast, Brisbane after its Expo 88, was able to really go into big city planning mode, because it doesn't have anything like the excessive Vancouver restrictions holding it back. 

The+Typical+Vancouver+Size+Stump+Building No office tower has been permitted to have a 40th floor. https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=The+Stumpy+Post+building+in+Vancouver Never-mind 40 or 50 stories, it wasn't even allowed to have 25 floors.

YVR-Canada+Line A 2 car joke of a train. 

Lions+Gate+Bridge A 3 lane joke of a bridge.  



https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=backwards+Vancouver

Sunday, May 3, 2026

The Cambie Bridge used to have 6 lanes when is opened in the 1980s.

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n2m4n1tUYVM This is heading northbound and shows the proper wide sidewalk that's on the east side of the bridge.

For some reason the sidewalk on the west side of the bridge was made too narrow. Had the sidewalk been as wide as the one on the east side of the bridge, the Vancouver planning department wouldn't have likely reduced a lane. Of course if the city would ever build a proper bike bridge beside the Cambie Bridge, then perhaps the 6th lane might be reactivated. 

A 6 lane Cambie bridge is better than a 5 lane version, or a former 6 lane Burrard Bridge reduced to 4. If both bridges had bike bridges next to them, then 2 lanes of each original 6 lane bridge could have been for busses. However, that goes against the congestive planning agenda that is backwards Vancouver. 

The late 1950s, 6 lane Iron Bridge should have had 2 wide emergency lanes and 2 wide shoulders. Then, the Iron Bridge could have been gradually modified to have 4 lanes each way, plus a bus lane each way. However, having a 10 lane bridge is what a big city would do. Unfortunately, Vancouver city planning has become so engrossed with perpetuating a small city agenda over the decades. 

When most of the regional bridges were built, there was no concept or interest in having them wide enough for bus lanes and wide emergency lanes and wide shoulders. Congestive transportation planning or stunted infrastructure, is one of the best ways in demonstrating a local reluctance to properly build big for the future. Who knows where all the money went over the decades, because it doesn't look like enough of it went towards building wider bridges and having longer trains and stations. 

What is Happening with Lansdowne Mall?

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H9_GQWyo8h0

Saturday, May 2, 2026

U.S. Bank Tower in L.A.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._Bank_Tower_(Los_Angeles)

 https://www.reddit.com/r/skyscrapers/comments/1t25cdo/us_bank_tower_la/

Expo 86 and Expo 88

 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Expo_86 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Expo_86#Fair 

Unlike highly restrictive Vancouver, Brisbane started to allow taller buildings, wider bridges and longer trains. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Expo_88 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Expo_88#The_Fair 

No office tower in Vancouver has been allowed to have a 40th floor. No Vancouver bridge is allowed to have 8 lanes. Only some of the newest Skytrains have 5 cars, but certainty not 8-10. That would go against the congestive transportation mentality of BC. 

The VMV and the BC Mind Virus are so firmly entrenched.

Friday, May 1, 2026

Will Honolulu Develop Like Tokyo?

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pxkjJ2TNkY4 

First, H County would have to allow Singapore size infrastructure. Then, HK size stuff, before even getting close to something like a little Tokyo. Right now, H isn't even allowed to have building as tall as what San Diego has. 

Link 2 Line Cabview POV Seattle to Redmond Eastbound

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JlJHHuLdOj0 

Unlike backwards Vancouver, Seattle, WA has longer underground stations, just like Edmonton has. Longer stations make it easier to have longer trains. 

The Narrows Bridge in Perth, WA, Australia https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k6mVXcX-4h4 It has 5 lanes each way and 2 commuter train tracks. The Homer_M._Hadley_Memorial_Bridge is part of an 8 lane I-5 crossing with 2 LRT tracks. The Samuel-De_Champlain_Bridge has 8 lanes, plus 2 REM commuter train tracks. These 3 fantastic bridges were all possible, because they aren't in heavily restrictive Vancouver. Plus, WA and Que. never wanted to adopt the BC-B$ approach to things.

Unfortunately, in backwards BC, the 1st two Skytrain lines only have 80m stations and the YVR-Canada Line has 50m joke stations. Some of the stations on the first 2 lines might have enough level clearance to only have an extra car at either end of a lengthened platform. 

However, the shortsighted Canada Line wasn't designed to eventually accommodate 5 car trains, just a 2.5 car joke of a train, someday. It was as if someone thought that there was no need to have enough level clearance so that the very short stations could be double or tripled in length eventually.

At least by 2025, the first SkyTrain line was running some 5 car trains. Unfortunately in 2026, the 2nd Line and the 3rd Line are still only running 2 car joke trains. Every Skytrain line should have had stations designed to eventually accommodate 8-10 cars trains, but that's what a proper big city would do. Backwards Vancouver wants to hold out for as long as possible, by symbolically building small.

ARO (building) in NYC

 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ARO_(building) 

"ARO is a 62-story, 700-foot-tall (210 m) glass tower with a steel lattice exterior." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ARO_(building)#Architecture 210 m vs 150 m


"Calgary House, (formerly known as TELUS Sky) is a 60-storey, 222.3 m (729 ft)" tower. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Telus_Sky  222 vs 150 m  


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quay_Quarter_Tower "The AMP Centre re-opened as Quay Quarter Tower in early 2022, and stands at a height of 216 metres (709 ft) with 54 floors." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quay_Quarter_Tower#AMP_Centre 216 m vs 150 m.


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vancouver_House Another Vancouver stump under 500' vs. 700' and 729'.

Height
Architectural150.3 m (493 ft)[1]
Technical details
MaterialConcrete
Floor count49
Floor area60,670 square metres (653,046 sq ft)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vancouver_House#Design Only 150 m. 

As usual, things must always be scaled back or watered down in small, rainy Vancouver.

656' = 200m

 https://maps.nicholsonroad.com/heights/ 

https://vancouver.ca/files/cov/calculating-building-height.pdf

The future of tall buildings in downtown Vancouver

https://vancouver.ca/news-calendar/help-shape-tall-buildings-may-2026.aspx

While there are some taller residential towers, no Vancouver office tower has ever been permitted to have a 40th floor.

 https://globalnews.ca/video/11827046/vancouver-tall-building-policy-review/ 

https://vancouversun.com/opinion/new-territory-vancouver-city-first-supertall-tower-could-be-first-more-to-come#:~:text=Sign%20In%20or%20Create%20an,Article%20content 

https://maps.nicholsonroad.com/heights/

Seattle to pay $9.25M after injured cyclist says faulty bike lane design led to crash

 https://www.king5.com/article/news/local/seattle-to-pay-after-injured-cyclist-says-faulty-bike-lane-design-led-to-crash/281-90408ca5-8be2-4e9e-b900-da28739f7812  

https://www.king5.com/article/news/local/seattle-cyclists-protest-dangerous-bike-lane-design-prompt-city-action/281-7b05b9b3-6426-44ee-8bca-f6e7dc764247

https://www.king5.com/article/news/community/transportation/elliott-bay-waterfront-trail-extension-opens/281-ebec638d-b505-46a1-85de-d214ec2afe82

https://www.seattlebikeblog.com/2015/07/28/king-5-seattle-should-follow-vancouvers-lead-on-downtown-bike-network/

Lifeguards will now be on duty at 9 Vancouver beaches this summer

 https://globalnews.ca/news/11826292/lifeguards-duty-9-vancouver-beaches-summer/ 

West Vancouver Councilors comments on Ambleside visitors spark backlash

 https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/west-vancouver-councillor-ambleside-beach 

Sometimes its as if there is a harking back to a British Colonial dream to have BC as a Whiteman's paradise. Fortunately, over the decades, nonwhite people have gradually been allowed to live in WV and even buy property. Unfortunately, the KEEP+THEM+OUT mentality occasionally resurfaces.

Any dynamic city or cosmopolitan metropolis will have people from all over the world. However, for those who remember a time when WV was predominantly White, it can be upsetting for some to see a bunch of multicultural visitors to WV. That's odd, because the days of WV being some type of a Whiteman's playground are suppose to be long gone.

Curiously, there is still no highway tunnel to West Vancouver from Downtown Vancouver. No train from downtown to the Horseshoe Bay ferry terminal, either. If a wall can't be built around WV, perhaps the next best thing was to symbolically not build proper big city infrastructure between downtown and WV. 

Mercer_Island,_Washington is a well to do enclave like WV. Yet, MI has a good highway and train link to Seattle.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercer_Island,_Washington#Transportation 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aubrey_Davis_Park  



https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=West+Vancouver+councillors+comments

A Journey through 40 years of Canada Place and its construction

 https://www.vancouverisawesome.com/history/canada-place-construction-vancouver-may-2026-12225541