Urban Tech Links: UTL

Tuesday, April 8, 2025

Sunday, April 6, 2025

Things before and after Vancouver's Incorporation in 1886

The Edge of the World: BC's Early Years | Knowledge Network https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_mco6Z-6xCk

Not from a First Nations perspective, but from the European expansion perspective, BC has been a provincial backwater for a very long time. Unfortunatly, this BC backwater mentality has partially remained through the past several generations.

History of Vancouver, BC https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QqNMp3GHKyw

Despite Vancouver being the main economic city of BC, several things are kept half-size, especially the infrastructure.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vancouver#Incorporation

Just getting plumbing & then eventually electricity, was challenging enough before 1900. Then from 1950 to 2000 was a series of overlapping restrictions. Almost everything had to be watered down or scaled back, compared to what most cities around the world allow.

Vancouver, Canada in 1907 (New Version) in Color with simulated sounds added https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YTE0OTVOnZU

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Columbia_Electric_Railway#Interurban_rail_lines Fortunatly, Melbourne, SF, Toronto, Boston, Philadelphia & New Orleans never got rid of all of their tram-trains or streetcars, but backwards Vancouver sure did. Despite what is supposed to be a major port city & region, Vancouver opted to have mostly narrow bridges and very short trains. As of 2025, a 2 car joke of a train is still apparently adequate for growing Coquitlam. The Expo_Line just started testing for 5 car trains. Unfortunatly, the Canada_Line to Richmond wasn't designed to accomodate 5 car trains. Only a 2.5 car joke of a Half-A$$ED train is what the short stations can handle. As of 2025, the Canada_Line is still only running 2 car trains.

From 2000 to 2025, several Vancouver & BC restrictions remain in place. Even the NO FUN VANCOUVER mentality hasn't been dissolved enough.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vancouver#Demographics In 2025 Vancouver might have approximately 725,000 people.

The Greater_Vancouver Region and the BC Lower_Mainland might have approximately 3,300,000 people.

Saturday, April 5, 2025

I 90: Boston to Seattle

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7QeQoDw1dn8

Friday, April 4, 2025

Vancouver Whitecaps in talks on building a new PNE stadium

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/vancouver-whitecaps-stadium-pne-hastings-park

https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=Hastings+Park

Thursday, April 3, 2025

Fewer local residents visiting downtown Vancouver

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/downtown-vancouver-visitation-real-estate-market-statistics

https://vancouversun.com/business/fewer-shoppers-more-vacancies-whats-behind-downtown-vancouver-slump

Bridges over the Bow River in Calgary

https://everydaytourist.ca/calgary-visitor-information/2015/3/2/bridges-over-the-bow

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_bridges_in_Calgary#Crossings

The 4 lane Louise_Bridge has a 2 track counterpart.

https://calgary.skyrisecities.com/news/2017/04/two-louise-bridges.26322

The Louise+Bridge & its LRT bridge is a good example of how a road & passenger rail corridor can work well.

The 4 lane Cushing+Bridge wasn't widened for buses, so the next best thing was done. A 2 lane bus bridge was built next to the Cushing+Bridge. What is easy & straightforward for Calgary to do seems to be very difficult for Vancouver & BC to achieve. Several bridges in Greater Vancouver should have bus & bike bridges built next to them.

https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=Cushing+Bridge

https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=BRT

The 5 or 6 lane Cambie Bridge

Unfortunatly, backwards Vancouver planning didn't allow for 2 very wide sidewalks on the Cambie_Bridge.

https://vancouver.ca/streets-transportation/cambie-street-bridge-upgrades.aspx

While the current bridge is a great improvement from the previous Cambie_Bridge, there still wasn't enough interest or motivation to really have an adequate bridge. A 5 lane bridge with only 1 wide sidewalk is too half-assed. Due to Vancouver's inability to properly plan & build for the future, the once 6 lane Cambie_Bridge only has 5 lanes & still has a narrow sidewalk on its west side.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fd/Cambie_Br_in_1986%2C_street-level_view.jpg

If this western sidewalk can ever be built out to be much wider, then the bridge could have 2 proper bike lanes, as well as 2 sidewalks. Then the bridge might have all 6 lanes again. A 6 lane bridge would make it easier to accomodate 2 bus lanes.

https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=Cambie+Street+Bridge

The inadequate Arthur Laing Bridge

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthur_Laing_Bridge Another fine example of how Vancouver doesn't allow for proper big city infrastructure planning. The ALB has no sidewalks, no proper bike lanes, & especially, no bus lanes.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthur_Laing_Bridge#Since_opening

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/61/Arther_Lang_Bridge_and_Fraser_River%2C_Vancouver_%28504734%29_%2823678427633%29.jpg The 4 lane BC bottlenek mentality is so firmy entreched. There just wasn't any proper concept to have 2 bus lanes, in addition to 4 general lanes. There is no good reason as to why the Arthur+Laing+Bridge wasn't designed to have 2 sidewalks & 2 bike lanes.

Unless the bridge can slightly be widened on each side, safe & properly separated bike lanes will be unlikely.

https://bikehub.ca/about-us/news/arthur-laing-bridge-bike-lane-widening

Arthur Laing Bridge (Richmond-Vancouver): As there are no sidewalks on the bridge, cyclists ride on the shoulders of the roadway. Northbound cyclists can get to the bridge via Russ Baker Way or an off-street pathway that can be accessed from the Airport Station bus loop or from the Airport Connector bridge.

https://www.richmond.ca/parks-recreation/parks-trails-cycling/cycling/cycling_maps.htm

https://www.yvr.ca/en/passengers/transportation/bicycles-and-cycling

https://evelazarus.com/?s=the+Arthur+Laing+Bridge

This bridge & the Knight+Street+Bridge & the Queensborough_Bridge are so narrow, that there should be bus & bike bridges built next to each of them.

https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=Arthur+Laing+Bridge

The BC Coquihalla Highway

https://www.ctvnews.ca/vancouver/article/pedestrian-killed-in-crash-that-closed-coquihalla-highway-near-merritt-bc/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Columbia_Highway_5#Accidents_and_weather

https://www.dangerousroads.org/north-america/canada/4008-coquihalla-highway.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Columbia_Highway_5

https://images.drivebc.ca/bchighwaycam/pub/html/www/380.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Columbia_Highway_5#Coquihalla_Highway

https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/coquihalla-highway

https://transcanadahighway.com/british-columbia/bc-tch-history/highway-history-coquihalla-highway-5

https://www.wilsonvilletoyota.com/blog/uncategorized/10-most-treacherous-roads-in-north-america/

Downtown Vancouver sees drop in visitors and an increase in storefront vacancies

https://www.ctvnews.ca/vancouver/article/downtown-vancouver-sees-drop-in-visitors-increase-in-storefront-vacancies/

From the old and inadequate Fraser Street Bridge to the inadequate KSB

Somewhere in between 1950 & 1960, the old Fraser_Street_Bridge (FSB) should have been replaced with a new 4 lane bridge, with 2 very wide sidewalks for bikes & a future provision for 2 bus lanes. Vancouver needs a street and transit connection with No. 5 Rd. in Richmond. Unfortunatly, backwards Vancouver has always been a city without a proper big city transportation vision.

https://evelazarus.com/the-fraser-street-swing-span-bridge

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fraser_Street_Bridge_(1894)#Provincial_government_headache

https://www.richmond-news.com/local-news/photos-and-video-was-this-the-unluckiest-bridge-between-richmond-and-vancouver-4475444

https://search.nbca.unbc.ca/index.php/fraser-st-road-bridge-in-vancouver-bc-1 In the late 1800s, just being able to have a bridge roadway width of 2 wagon-roads in backwater BC was amazing. Then, decades & even several generations later, any BC bridge that could provide 2 wagon-roads each way was even more amazing.

https://structurae.net/en/structures/fraser-avenue-street-bridge

As usual, Vancouver & BC lost & messed up an opportunity to have 2 great new bridges.

https://structurae.net/en/structures/knight-street-bridge (KSB)

https://evelazarus.com/the-knight-street-bridge-part-2

Once again, the lack of a proper big city vision resulted in the inadequate design for the 4 lane Knight+Street+Bridge (KSB). However, it makes sense from a bottleneck congestive planing mentality. Despite Vancouver being part of what is suppose to be a major port region and in need of proper transportation corridors, the Knight_Street_Bridge is a classic chokepoint.

https://www.richmond-news.com/local-news/work-on-knight-street-bridge-in-richmond-below-deck-as-well-7319230

Just because the Knight_Street_Bridge started out as a 4 lane joke, there immediately should have been 2 wide shoulders, which could have eventually become 2 extra bus lanes. Plus, there should have been a future provision to add 2 HOV lanes. Two wide sidewalks & 2 wide bike lanes. However, that would go against the congestive planning mentality of Vancouver & BC.

Indeed, by deliberately planning the KSB to be a 4 lane chokepoint and not building a new Fraser+Street+Bridge, there clearly was no interest to have proper dedicated bus lanes in that part of the Greater Vancouver Region. With so many inadequate, narrow bridges, there should be bus & HOV lane bridges to help improve regional transportation.

A regional express bus system or a rapid bus network requires dedicated lanes. The LGB should have 2 bus lanes & 2 HOV lanes in a tunnel near it. The Iron Bridge, OSB & KSB, all should have a 4 lane bus & HOV bridge next to them. That would allow for a rapid bus lane each way & a HOV lane each way.

https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=old+and+new+narrow+bridges

No office tower in Vancouver or BC in general, is as tall as the Roche_Tower, at 178 metres (584 ft). No building in strict Vancouver, whatsoever, is permitted to be as tall as Roche_Tower_2. However, some buildings outside of small Vancouver are being allowed to be taller than the tallest building in Basel.

Wednesday, April 2, 2025

Metro Vancouver's population climbs to over three million residents

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/metro-vancouver-population-growth-three-million

view of pattullo-bridge-replacement

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/pattullo-bridge-replacement-footage

Tuesday, April 1, 2025

Power outages persist in hard-hit areas after Ontario ice storm

https://www.cp24.com/news/2025/04/01/power-outages-persist-in-hard-hit-areas-after-ontario-ice-storm/

Its suppose to be spring.

https://www.ctvnews.ca/barrie/article/central-ontario-power-restoration-timelines/

Unfortunatly, not everyone has a home power generator.

https://www.thestar.com/news/ontario/freezing-rain-downed-trees-leave-more-than-400-000-without-power-across-ontario-following-ice/article_7675b34c-ff59-4eb4-a2d5-5200ecdac014.html

https://poweroutage.com/ca/province/ontario

https://weather.gc.ca/data/wxoimages/wocanmap0_e.jpg There is nothing like being stuck in a freezing part of Canada without any electric power.

https://weather.gc.ca/canada_e.html

30-storey rental housing tower proposed for Cambie Street Bridges' south end

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/2219-2285-cambie-street-vancouver-rental-housing-tower-nicola

Long Trains and Stations 150m +

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/7_(New_York_City_Subway_service)#Rolling_stock , https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City_Subway_rolling_stock

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montreal_Metro#Rolling_stock

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicago_%22L%22#Rolling_stock

Medium Length Trains and Stations 100m +

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rome_Metro#Rolling_stock

metro and subway

Short Trains and Stations 40-100m

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hitachi_Rail_Italy_Driverless_Metro#Rolling_stock

The line uses 256 ft (78 m) four-car train sets, each with the capacity to carry nearly 800 passengers,^[213] similar in weight to heavy rail systems elsewhere in the United States (such as the Chicago 'L' in Chicago, Illinois). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skyline_(Honolulu)#Rolling_stock

The articulated, four-car trains are 50 metres (160 ft) long. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thessaloniki_Metro#Stations,_depot_and_rolling_stock

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pittsburgh_Light_Rail#Current_fleet LRT

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MetroLink_(St._Louis)#Rolling_stock

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Diego_Trolley#Fleet

Tallest buildings in Chicago

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

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_tallest_buildings_in_Chicago#Tallest_buildings

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_tallest_buildings_in_Chicago#Under_construction

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_tallest_buildings_in_Chicago#Approved_and_proposed

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_tallest_buildings_in_Chicago#Timeline_of_tallest_buildings

Tallest buildings in NYC

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

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_tallest_buildings_in_New_York_City#Tallest_buildings

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_tallest_buildings_in_New_York_City#Tallest_under_construction_or_proposed

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_tallest_buildings_in_New_York_City#Approved

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_tallest_buildings_in_New_York_City#Proposed

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_tallest_buildings_in_New_York_City#Timeline_of_tallest_buildings

Monday, March 31, 2025

At 60, Keanu Reeves FINALLY Reveals the Truth About "The Matrix"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wJbjkw-jwgA

https://moviesandscience.com/blog/movies/the-matrix/explained

https://www.alphavillejournal.com/Issue%202/HTML/ArticleLaist.html

THE MATRIX Trilogy Recap https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-D5p9BmDKkU

The Complete Matrix Timeline https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l0N7juslqcc

Was The Matrix a Documentary? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y04ErVTSRNI

Architecture in Movies – The Matrix Trilogy

https://thearchiblog.wordpress.com/2015/05/19/architecture-in-movies-the-matrix-trilogy/

https://matrix.fandom.com/wiki/Mega_City

https://www.wired.com/story/future-of-reality-cybercities/

New Westminster City Council balks at high-rise density plan

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/lower-twelfth-street-area-study-update-new-westminster-rejection

Given the limited industrial areas within the Greater Vancouver Region, there should be a balance between residential & industrial.

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/columbia-square-new-westminster-edgar-development-plan-approved

However, some parts of NW need more taller towers in order to have much grater urban density.

https://www.newwestcity.ca/transportation/transportation-planning

https://www.newwestcity.ca/planning-building-and-development/roadworks

https://www.newwestcity.ca/transportation/trucks

https://www.newwestcity.ca/railways

https://www.newwestcity.ca/qtoqferry

Saturday, March 29, 2025

TransLink's fare enforcement blitz in B.C.

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/translink-fare-checks-inspections-statistics-evasion

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/translink-fare-increase-2025-rates-approved

B.C. drivers sound off about EVs in HOV lanes

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/bc-drivers-sound-off-about-evs-hov-lanes

Friday, March 28, 2025

New Zealand

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

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monarchy_of_New_Zealand#Debate

Head of State and Governor-General for Australia

https://www.dfat.gov.au/about-us/publications/corporate/protocol-guidelines/1-introduction-to-australia-and-its-system-of-government#:~:text=Australia's%20Head%20of%20State%20is,the%20Prime%20Minister%20of%20Australia.

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

https://www.pmc.gov.au/government/head-of-state

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monarchy_of_Australia#Public_polling

PM Carney pushes nation building plan after 'positive' call with Trump

https://www.tricitynews.com/the-mix/carney-pushes-nation-building-plan-after-positive-call-with-trump-10441207

https://www.canada.ca/en/canadian-heritage/services/crown-canada/about.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Governor_General_of_Canada#Role

https://sencanada.ca/en/sencaplus/how-why/what-is-dissolution-of-parliament/

https://www.britannica.com/event/Canada-Act

At some point the training wheels should be removed so that Canada can become fully independent of the UK, as well as never being absorbed by the US.

The new Oakridge Park mall

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/oakridge-park-mall-vancouver-new-retailers-sporting-life

https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=Oakridge

Maple Ridge planning transit-oriented development around future Bus Rapid Transit line

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/lougheed-transit-corridor-area-plan-maple-ridge-translink-brt

The Golden_Ears_Bridge should have been built with 2 wide shoulders, which could have eventually become 2 bus lanes. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_Ears_Bridge

The Pitt_River_Bridge also should have had 2 wide shoulders, so that they easily could have become bus lanes.

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

Most of the existing bridges are too narrow, so there needs to be a regional framework of bus-bridges.

Vancouver, WA could become the second-largest city after Seattle through annexation

https://www.king5.com/article/entertainment/television/programs/vancouver-annexation-plans-federal-impacts-uncertainty-interstate-bridge/283-1d4427ff-92c7-4428-8217-7b46c0d805ab

https://www.kiro7.com/news/local/move-over-spokane-tacoma-vancouver-could-become-second-largest-city-wa/A2VOTPIBGVCO7FISIIQRP6OWVA/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clark_County,_Washington

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

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multnomah_County,_Oregon

Western Canada's future tallest tower in Metro Vancouver

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/pinnacle-lougheed-burnaby-office-condo-use-revisions-tower

Living in BC & especially in Vancouver, you are conditioned to expect almost everything to be watered-down or half-assed. So, for Greater Vancouver to potentially have the tallest building in Western Canada, will be quite an achievement. Since a wall couldn't be built around BC, especially the Lower_Mainland to keep people out, the next best thing was to symbolically build half-size or half-assed infrastructure. In contrast, by building proper big city infrastructure, that's indicative of wanting to accommodate growth.

Decades ago, there should have already been a bus & HOV tunnel built near the Lions+Gate+Bridge. Then followed up with a truck & passenger train tunnel. Unfortunatly, the Canada+Line doesn't seem to be planned to ever reach W. Vancouver & especially, Horseshoe+Bay. That might actually help to improve regional transportation, which is quite lacking in backwater BC.

Thursday, March 27, 2025

Toronto councillors give themselves gigantic raises of 24%

"On Thursday evening, Shelley Carroll urged her colleagues to “be brave” and vote “to go right on chronically underpaying yourselves” — only now, they’ll be underpaid at just $170,588.60 a year.

“These are hard times, these are desperately hard times, and we need the best in the city to want to join us in this chamber,” an emotional Carroll said before councillors voted 15-8 to lift their salaries from $137,537." https://torontosun.com/news/local-news/be-brave-toronto-councillors-give-themselves-gigantic-raises

A lot of people would be happy if they got a 5% pay increase, a 10% increase above the past year would be amazing. However, the hard done by city councilors might be able to scrape by with a 24% increase. A pretax monthly income of $14,215 is pretty good pay, if you can get that, but many people don't.

vancouver-art-gallery-proposal-rfp-submissions-design

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/vancouver-art-gallery-proposal-rfp-submissions-design

A promise for new 50-metre pool in South Vancouver?

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/abc-new-50-metre-pool-aquatic-centre-south-vancouver

It's strange that several decades ago, extra space wasn't set aside for more pools as well as expansion of existing facilities. Unfortunatly, Vancouver & BC in general, has such difficulty in properly planning infrastructure for more future capacity.

https://vancouver.ca/parks-recreation-culture/swimming-pools.aspx

https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=swimming+pools

Wednesday, March 26, 2025

Boutique hotel conversion for office tower near Vancouver Convention Centre Centre

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/le-germain-hotel-vancouver-1111-west-hastings-street

New limited fourth BC Ferries route to run from Metro Vancouver to Vancouver Island this summer

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/bc-ferries-tsawwassen-departure-bay-route-summer-2025

How Expo 88 changed Brisbane forever and for the better

https://www.bie-paris.org/site/en/latest/infocus/entry/the-making-of-a-city-how-expo-88-changed-brisbane-forever

World_Expo_88 didn't just help to put Brisbane on the map, it was quite a catalyst for Brisbane.

https://bie-paris.org/site/en/latest/blog/entry/5-things-you-might-not-know-about-expo-1988-brisbane

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

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

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Railways_in_South_East_Queensland#Future

"six-car passenger trains" https://www.tmr.qld.gov.au/projects/programs/queensland-train-manufacturing-program Fortunatly, the backwards BC mentality or BCMV, wasn't able to reach & influence Queensland. A 6 car urban train is what Vancouver should have had decades ago. The Montreal Metro was designed to have 9 car trains, ever since the 1960s. Vancouver really needs 10 car trains, but its tough enough just to eventually run 5 car trains.

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

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kangaroo_Point_Green_Bridge For some strange reason, Vancouver and the metropolitan region, never got around to building a series of similar bridges. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goodwill_Bridge

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eleanor_Schonell_Bridge A nice bus-bridge for Brisbane, Calgary has its version, but of course Vancouver is very slow to building any bus-bridges. Apparently, its better to just funnel everything onto a narrow bridge that's already overloaded with general traffic flow.

https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=Brisbane+Airport+Railway+Line

History of Expo 86 in Vancouver

http://bobbea.com/expo-86/history.html

Seattle, Montreal and Brisbane, all seemed to make a giant urban leap after their turn of hosting a world's fair. Yet, somehow after Expo-86, Vancouver was still so hemmed in as to what it could do after hosting a World Expo. Short trains, mostly narrow bridges for general traffic, no bus-bridges and a stumpy building height limit, all fit into the slow-growth agenda. Of course several decades later, it was realized that neither Greater Vancouver or BC in general, could build a wall or generate a force-field to keep people out. However, by continually building half-size infrastructure, that at least symbolically shows how urban planners can ignore the demands of properly building for future growth. The big question is, where has the money for proper size urban infrastructure gone over the decades?

https://bcanuntoldhistory.knowledge.ca/1980/expo-86 The unofficial inside joke for Expo 86, was to not provide proper long-range transportation planning & development of infrastructure. Today, Vancouver is one of the best examples of what not to do if you want to have an efficient, high capacity transportation system.

https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/expo-86

https://placesthatmatter.ca/location/expo-legacy-science-world

The scale of Seattle, Montreal and Brisbane in the 2020s is so far beyond Vancouver & its restrictive agenda, of red tape & Gordian-knots.

Olympic Winter Institute of Australia

Interesting that the Olympic_Winter_Institute_of_Australia wasn't located in Hobart, rather than in Melbourne. Of course Melbourne is so much larger.

https://www.owia.org/ https://www.olympics.com.au/the-aoc/olympic-winter-institute-of-australia/

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Olympic+Winter+Institute+of+Australia/@-37.8116239,144.9361864,790m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m6!3m5!1s0x6ad668027d9a3769:0xcc5b3f9ab89ce56b!8m2!3d-37.8117768!4d144.935927!16s%2Fg%2F1ptxk3hrx!5m1!1e2?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI1MDMyMy4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Hobart+TAS+7000,+Australia/@-42.8802038,147.3093105,5036m/data=!3m2!1e3!5s0x6ad65d689ad6e16f:0xd1896815e5e757f8!4m14!1m7!3m6!1s0x6ad668027d9a3769:0xcc5b3f9ab89ce56b!2sOlympic+Winter+Institute+of+Australia!8m2!3d-37.8117768!4d144.935927!16s%2Fg%2F1ptxk3hrx!3m5!1s0xaa6e7584e52ccfed:0x503c94dd0de1530!8m2!3d-42.8826055!4d147.3257197!16zL20vMDNramg!5m1!1e2?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI1MDMyMy4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D

Tuesday, March 25, 2025

The Queensland Government announced that the nation of Australia will see a new National Aquatic Centre (NAC)

https://swimswam.com/new-national-aquatic-centre-nac-will-host-swimming-more-for-2032-olympic-games

https://www.swimmingworldmagazine.com/news/australias-peak-aquatic-sports-deliver-push-for-world-leading-national-aquatics-centre-in-brisbane/

https://minister.infrastructure.gov.au/mcallister/media-release/new-beenleigh-aquatic-centre-makes-splash

The+Brisbane+Aquatic+Centre is already so far beyond the old & the new watered down Vancouver+Aquatic+Centre.

Bigger and better, just like having a longer train to the Brisbane Airport. Vancouver is stuck with a 2 car train of a joke. It's all part of the symbolism to refuse to build proper big city size infrastructure. AKA, the BCMV.

https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=Brisbane+Airport+Railway+Line

The Brisbane Aquatic Centre

https://sleemansports.com.au/facilities/brisbane-aquatic-centre

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sleeman_Sports_Complex#Aquatic_Centre

https://sleemansports.com.au/facilities/brisbane-aquatic-centre/50m-olympic-pool

https://sleemansports.com.au/facilities/brisbane-aquatic-centre/outdoor-pool Its also 50m swimming+pool.

Better make sure that no one from Vancouver, BC sees what Brisbane was already able to accomplish.

https://www.swimming.org.au/articles/brisbane-set-to-become-global-water-sports-powerhouse

Fortunately, the watering down mentality of Vancouver is unlikely to ever reach Brisbane.

"three new pools, including two large indoor pools (50m and 65m) that would act as a national base to support multiple aquatic sports" https://swimswam.com/new-national-aquatic-centre-nac-will-host-swimming-more-for-2032-olympic-games
https://www.swimming.org.au/articles/renewed-call-for-nac-only-a-national-aquatics-centre-will-guarantee-2032-legacy
https://giica.au/about/venues-and-villages/brisbane-aquatic-centre

The Brisbane+Airport+Railway+Line is another fine example of allowing proper big city size infrastructure, something that backwards Vancouver & BC cant seem to match. It would be disastrous if something like a Vancouver Mind Virus was ever adopted in Brisbane. A 2 car joke-train to the Brisbane Airport would be so inadequate and absurd. However, a YVR Line connecting to Vancouver & Richmond with only 2 car trains, is acceptable by backwater BC standards.

Vancouver Aquatic Centre rebuild will not have a 50 metre lap pool, after all

https://vancouversun.com/news/local-news/vancouver-aquatic-centre-rebuild-will-not-have-a-50-metre-lap-pool

Why build things to an impressive international scale like Brisbane is doing?

https://www.cbc.ca/player/play/video/9.669870 Small-scale Vancouver just has to build things that are only impressive to backwater BC.

Fortunately, The+Brisbane+Aquatic+Centre didn't have the same Vancouver B$ to contend with.

If you are from Brisbane & plan to visit Vancouver, you might at first expect to see a real city on the scale of Sydney or SF, or at least Seattle and Perth. Instead, you will see a provincial backwater of a city. The result of imposed overlapping hiderences.

Somehow, the Vancouver Mind Virus keeps creeping up through the decades. Have a smaller, Half-A$$ED pool than Brisbane, just like having a short joke of a train to the airport. That's the backwards Vancouver way.

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

https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=Brisbane+Airport+Railway+Line

City of Vancouver proposes huge residential project near Science World

https://www.vancouverisawesome.com/local-news/images-city-of-vancouver-proposes-huge-residential-project-near-science-world-10428874

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/1405-main-street-1510-quebec-street-vancouver-rental-housing-towers

Despite being right next to a train station, these buildings will be 30-40 floors shorter than what they should be. Real dynamic cities such as, Brisbane-Sydney-Melbourne-SF-Boston-and-Toronto can build on a grand scale, because they aren't thwarted by anything like the overlapping restrictions that backwards Vancouver has imposed for generations.

An Edwardian-era building was one of Edmonton's first skyscrapers

https://dailyhive.com/edmonton/mcleod-building-edmonton

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McLeod_Building 1915

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/August_Paulsen#August_Paulsen_Building

Not 50m, just 25-metres for new Vancouver Aquatic Centre pool

A report to the Vancouver Park Board is splashing cold water on a community campaign to ensure a 50-metre pool is included in a rebuild of the Vancouver Aquatic Centre.

The report, headed to the board next Monday, says the city should proceed as planned with a smaller 25-metre pool. https://globalnews.ca/news/11095576/vancouver-aquatic-centre-50-metre

This is backwards Vancouver thinking & planning at its best.

https://globalnews.ca/news/11027649/sports-groups-slam-pool-design-new-vancouver-aquatic-centre/

Monday, March 24, 2025

First residents could move into Senakw's first rental housing tower by the end of 2025

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/senakw-vancouver-squamish-nation-construction-march-2025

This area should have had the tallest buildings in Vancouver. However, litle Vancouver isn't allowed to have buildings as tall as some in Brisbane-Sydney-Melbourne-SF-Boston-and-Toronto. While Vancouver remains so strict and restrictive, some the areas outside of, and around Vancouver, are allowing taller buildings. Thus, not only Burnaby, but eventually Surrey will have taller buildings than what Vancouver permits.

Vancouver and Seattle differences, again

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/vancouver-seattle-differences

Seattle is allowed to have longer trains than Vancouver, but the Link_Light_Rail isn't completely separated from the surface streets like SkyTrain is. Thus SkyTrain always has the potential to run more frequently. There is a lot of potential to eventually run a Link_light_rail train every few minutes during the busy times. Its just a matter of having enough extra trains. SkyTrain needs to be longer & even more frequent when necessary.

New-report-revealing-SF Bay-Area-bridges-are at risk

https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/what-know-report-revealing-bay-area-bridges-risk-20234831.php

Functionality Mistakes Throughout History That Were Way Too Expensive to Fix

https://dailytalkshub.com/functionality-mistakes-throughout-history-that-were-way-too-expensive-to-fix-is/21/

Sunday, March 23, 2025

Public transit advocates to rally Sunday to save BC Lower Mainland bus routes

https://vancouver.citynews.ca/2025/03/22/lower-mainland-public-transit-rally-burnaby-metrotown/

The region is already thwarted with short trains & a lack of bus-bridges. Of course the next best thing to increase urban congestion & degrade public transit, is to cut some bus routes.

The Guess Who - Bus Rider https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QcWQ0utym4I

Friday, March 21, 2025

The Hudson Bay Railway and Port of Churchill, Manitoba, Canada

https://www.canada.ca/en/transport-canada/news/2025/03/support-for-the-hudson-bay-railway-and-port-of-churchill-canada.html

https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=Churchill-Manitoba

Anchorage, Alaska

Despite being in a cold climate zone & with less than half a million people, Anchorage,_Alaska has the infrastructure to continue as the economic engine for the whole state.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anchorage,_Alaska#Economy

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

7R/25L	12,400'	3,780m	Asphalt/concrete
15/33	10,865'	3,312m	Asphalt
7L/25R	10,600'	3,231m	Asphalt

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ted_Stevens_Anchorage_International_Airport#International_cargo_hub

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

https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=Anchorage-Alaska

Why Interstate 95 is the BUSIEST Highway in America

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Emx6qFErnUU

Bold annexation plans could push Vancouver, WA city’s population beyond Spokane and Tacoma

https://mynorthwest.com/local/vancouver-second-largest-city-wa/4065389

Tacoma is part of the Greater Seattle Area. Spokane is far enough east that it already is the biggest city & commercial center for Eastern Washington. So some day there should be over a million people over there.

Vancouver, WA is part of the Greater Portland Area, and has lots of potential for growth. Perhaps someday Vancouver might have buildings as tall as those in Portland. Ultimately, V,WA should have buildings as tall as the tallest in Bellevue,_Washington.

Thursday, March 20, 2025

Riverside Centre, Brisbane and QV1, Perth

https://skyscraperpage.com/cities/?buildingID=1097 40floors, 466ft

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Riverside_Centre,_Brisbane "Completed in 1986, it contains 40 storeys and rises 146 metres (479 ft) above ground." https://skyscraperpage.com/diagrams/?cityID=170&searchname=timeline , https://skyscraperpage.com/diagrams/?cityID=170&status=15

Brisbane and Perth have a similar looking office tower.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/QV1 "QV1 is a 40-storey modernist skyscraper in Perth, Western Australia. Completed in 1991, the 163-metre (535 ft)..."

https://skyscraperpage.com/cities/?buildingID=1263 40 floors, 533ft https://skyscraperpage.com/diagrams/?cityID=168&searchname=timeline

The big question is, will WA ever permit some Gold Coast size resedential towers? https://skyscraperpage.com/diagrams/?cityID=712&status=15

https://skyscraperpage.com/diagrams/?stateID=51&status=15

https://www.quora.com/Why-doesn-t-Australia-build-up-the-west-coast-north-of-Perth-with-resorts-as-in-Queensland-It-could-bring-in-people-from-the-UK-to-help-develop-it-then-settle-there-afterwards

While cold Canada has a lot more towns that could gradually be expanded into proper cities, the warm coast of WA has tremendous potential for urban growth. Yet, most of the state can or will likely remain undeveloped.

https://www.reddit.com/r/WesternAustralia/comments/19azez6/is_there_a_reason_why_there_are_so_few_cities_on/

The Typical Vancouver Size Stump Building

Given that most proper big cities around the world are permitted to build much taller & wider buildings than what is allowed in strict & stubborn Vancouver, BC, a curious thing has happened over the decades. When a tall tower is built in another city, next to it will be a Vancouver size stump of a building. However, the Vancouver stump isn't always part of the complex, The Vancouver Size Stump might be across the street or a block or so away. Yet, such a stumpy building can provide an excellent example of the larger scale that most big cities are allowed to exist upon.

The Royal_Banck_Centre_in_Vancouver, B.C. The windows only go up to the 36th floor, but there are 3 more levels above that. It's only 475 feet in height.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Centre_(Vancouver) "The skyscraper stands at just under 145m tall and 37 storeys. Royal Centre was the tallest building in Vancouver upon completion in 1973..."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Canadian_Place The windows go up to 72 stories, plus a few levels above that. The BMO tower in Toronto is about twice the height of the RBC in Vancouver. The 32 story BMO tower in Vancouver is a stump when compared to the 72 story BMO tower in TO.

The Scotia_Tower in Vancouver, stands at 138 m or 35 storeys tall and completed in 1977.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/53/Scotia_Tower_Vancouver The windows only go up to 34, but there are a few levels above that. The Toronto version has its windows go right to the 68th floor. Its twice the height & twice the width as the stump in backwater Vancouver.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scotia_Plaza 275 m (902 ft) with 68 floors.

A Vancouver Size stump in tall Toronto.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exchange_Tower It's a 36 storey 146 m (479 ft) tower in the First Canadian Place complex of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Due to the strict zoning restrictions in Vancouver, its difficult to even have an office building with 36 floors.

A Vancouver Size Stump in Perth, WA.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exchange_Tower,_Perth It's a 40-storey skyscraper in Perth, Western Australia. Completed in 1992, the 146-metre (479 ft). Stubborn Vancouver just won't permit any office building to have a 40th floor.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7d/Perth_skyline_from_KS1%2C_November_2017.jpg The former AMP has become a stump in Perth, yet in Vancouver, it would still be a predominant tower.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/140_St_Georges_Terrace "140 St Georges Terrace is a 30-storey skyscraper in Perth, Western Australia. Opened in 1975, the 131-metre (430 ft) tower was known as the AMP Building..."

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d9/Elizabeth_Quay_February_2016_%28cropped%29.jpg/640px-Elizabeth_Quay_February_2016_%28cropped%29.jpg The former AMP is a good example the stump size building that stubborn Vancouver wants to hold onto.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b3/AMP_Bankwest_gnangarra.jpg

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

https://www.watoday.com.au/national/western-australia/perths-mining-boom-to-blame-for-lack-of-heritage-20130315-2g4xl.html

Vancouver is a very tiny part of the BC land area. Even in the Greater Vancouver Region, Vancouver is a small component. Thus, while stubborn Vancouver wants to keep its stumpy agenda, other BC cities are more accepting of allowing significantly taller structures. https://skyscraperpage.com/diagrams/?stateID=1&status=15

https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=stump

BMO Tower in Chicago and Toronto...

A Toronto bank tower exists in Chicago.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMO_Tower_(Chicago) 51-story, 727 feet (222 m)

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

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Chicago+Union+Station/@41.877568,-87.6397406,525m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m15!1m8!3m7!1s0x880e2c3cd0f4cbed:0xafe0a6ad09c0c000!2sChicago,+IL,+USA!3b1!8m2!3d41.8781136!4d-87.6297982!16zL20vMDFfZDQ!3m5!1s0x880e2c8dbbb32f5d:0x5f985dc0044b1109!8m2!3d41.8786897!4d-87.640311!16s%2Fg%2F1tj7wzcm!5m1!1e2?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI1MDMxNy4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Canadian_Place (BMO Tower Toronto) 298 m (978 ft) 72 stories

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5a/First_Canadian_Place_August_2017_01.jpg/320px-First_Canadian_Place_August_2017_01.jpg 72 stories in Toronto, while its Vancouver counterpart, or stump is only 32 floors.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Canadian_Place#History_and_architecture

"Exchange_Tower is a 36 storey 146 m (479 ft) tower in the First Canadian Place complex."

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c0/130_King_Street_West_2022.jpeg Whether its in Toronto, Chicago or Calgary, there is usually a Vancouver size stump that's part of the official complex, or close by.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bentall_Centre_(Vancouver)#Three_Bentall_Centre "Completed in 1974, it stands at 122 m or 32 storeys tall. Bank of Montreal is the main tenant of this building."