Urban Tech Links: UTL

As the world becomes more digitized, various countries could take more of a rounding-up approach towards undocumented people & illegal residents and visitors. While wearable_technology could be useful to better identify and monitor the human herd, it could easily become like something out of a dystopian Sci-Fi story.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wearable_technology#Use_in_surveillance

A more interconnected world means that most people will be almost instantaneous trackable.

https://www.reuters.com/world/us/ice-may-deport-migrants-countries-other-than-their-own-with-just-six-hours-2025-07-13/

Wednesday, July 16, 2025

Sluggish Vancouver presales push marketers to rethink strategy

https://www.biv.com/news/real-estate/sluggish-vancouver-presales-push-marketers-to-rethink-strategy-10946316

CURV Tower is Facing Receivership In Vancouver

https://storeys.com/curv-vancouver-brivia-group-foreclosure/

Tuesday, July 15, 2025

The Housing Crisis Isn't Just A Housing Problem — It's An Economic Disaster

https://storeys.com/housing-crisis-economic-disaster/

The 60-storey CURV is planned for 1075 Nelson Street in Vancouver and was being developed by Montreal-based Brivia Group.

https://storeys.com/curv-vancouver-brivia-group-foreclosure/

Monday, July 14, 2025

Anarchy in Europe...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IPqSFuz9HSo

The objective of any thriving nation or region is to mostly attract upper and middle income people who can bring more wealth and skills into a country. Unlike Australia & Canada, the US had a tremendous amount of immigration in the 1800s & 1900s to really grow their country. Today, Texas has more people than Australia & California has more people than Canada.

Today, if there are too many refugees and migrants and not more of a much higher percentage of upper & middle income people, there will be a tremendous strain & overload on the system. An effective formula needs to be established for each nation or region to accommodate refugees and migrants, vs. those in a higher income bracket.

Multiculturalism should be a blend of one being able to celebrate their culture within the larger context of diversity.

The Calgary Stampede narrowly misses attendance record

https://globalnews.ca/news/11288191/2025-calgary-stampede-attendance/

https://calgaryherald.com/news/local-news/calgary-stampede-2025-close-breaking-attendance-record

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calgary_Stampede#Stampede_Park

https://discoverairdrie.com/articles/calgary-stampede-by-the-numbers-heres-how-the-2025-turnout-stacks-up-so-far

https://news.calgarystampede.com/releases/new-spaces-and-experiences-make-stampede-2024-a-record-setting-success

CS vs. TCS, it's the same place.

The situation at Kits Pool

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/vancouver-kits-pool-covid-concerns

As a backwards city so full of its own multigenerational B$, red-tape & so many hoops & hurdles, Vancouver continues to crawl along.

Construction starts on new Listel Hotel and rental housing tower on Robson Street

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/listel-hotel-vancouver-robson-street-redevelopment-construction

As a small-minded city, Vancouver just hasn't had the same interest or motivation to encourage or allow big & tall hotels to be built.

https://www.biv.com/news/real-estate/vancouver-needs-10k-more-hotel-rooms-says-report-10508458

Proper big cities that really want to capitalize on tourism will allow hotels with 1000, 2000 or even 4000 rooms.

https://vancouversun.com/news/vancouver-major-hotel-policy-overhaul-room-shortage

It's been very difficult for Vancouver to have a single tower hotel with at least 700 rooms.

https://retail-insider.com/retail-insider/2025/04/vancouver-needs-10000-new-hotel-rooms-by-2050-new-report-outlines-roadmap-for-growth-jobs-and-city-building/

https://vancouver.citynews.ca/2025/04/09/vancouver-needs-10000-more-hotel-rooms-by-2050-tourism-organization-says/

https://storeys.com/vancouver-hotel-development-policy-changes/

https://vancouver.ca/files/cov/council-approves-new-policy-address-vancouvers-hotel-room-shortage.pdf

https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=BC+hotel+shortage

https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=hotel+rooms

Vancouver could become a better cycling city, but the metropolitan region lacks a proper network of bus and bike bridges

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/vancouver-cycling-city

Removing traffic lanes from bridges doesn't improve things as much as constructing a series of bike, bus & HOV bridges would.

the land assemblers

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/vancouver-land-assembly-speculation-middlemen-developers

Skyline (Honolulu) Rapid Transit

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skyline_(Honolulu) Only 4 car trains? At least it's not a 2 - 2.5 car joke of a train that is the Canada embarrassment Line in backwards Vancouver.

Fortunately, it's a walkthrough train and with SDO, it could eventually become a 6 car train, if there is ever a need to increase capacity by 50%.

https://honolulutransit.org/about/route-map , https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Wq3THzQZr0

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skyline_(Honolulu)#Rolling_stock

https://www.honolulu.gov/dts/skyline/home/

Hawaii's $10BN Railway Nightmare Explained https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3xnrhm1KcB4

https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=Selective+Door+Operation

Saturday, July 12, 2025

Inside the $60 Billion Metro Transforming Sydney Forever

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pe3y7Rlhk9c

Vancouver's forgotten streetcars and interurban trams

https://www.vancouverisawesome.com/transportation-old/interurban-streetcar-hydrogen-rail-line-fraser-valley-bc-1942783

Fortunately, Toronto, NO, SF and Melbourne never got rid of all their streetcar and tram lines.

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/downtown-vancouver-false-creek-streetcar-route-map

While backwards Vancouver wanted to be among the first cities to get rid of them, Vancouver will likely be one of the last cities to bring them back.

https://viewpointvancouver.ca/2021/04/06/a-bump-in-the-road-kits-points-hidden-streetcar-line/

Atlanta, SD, LA, Edmonton, Calgary, Seattle & Portland brought back some of their trollies in the form of modern LRT or tram-trains.

https://montecristomagazine.com/community/vancouvers-forgotten-streetcars

The sad irony is that Vancouver, Burnaby & NW really could have benefitted from following the Toronto, SF and Melbourne examples.

https://www.vancouverisawesome.com/history/last-ride-oak-streetcar-vancouver-1937040

https://www.facebook.com/groups/128486813979056/posts/1968090176685368

https://maps.nicholsonroad.com/bcer/

https://humantransit.org/2010/02/vancouver-the-almost-perfect-grid.html

There used too be a streetcar route along Robson St., Denman St. & Davie St. A revived version of this could provide a nice downtown transit loop. However, that would go against the backwards mentality of Vancouver. Fortunately, the Vancouver mentality never made it to Atlanta & Dallas.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atlanta_Streetcar#Downtown_Loop_route_funded

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

Unfortunatly, Vancouver & BC are all about congestive planning.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/2026-fifa-world-cup-vancouver-1.7559067

With less than a year to go, its impossible to revive any streetcar lines, because that can take 5-10 years. There isn't even a network of regional bus bridges. Such inept transportation planning means that busses have to squeeze onto bridges that are mostly just 2 lanes each way.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/bc-rising-costs-fifa-2026-world-cup-1.7573669

Despite the first SkyTrain line opening in 1985, it took until 2025 to start having5 car trains. The 2nd & 3rd lines are still only running 2 car trains.

https://www.ctvnews.ca/vancouver/article/vancouver-short-on-hotel-rooms-silent-on-safety-costs-for-2026-world-cup/

Of course the city is decades behind in keeping up with having enough hotel rooms.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/vancouver-hotel-shortage-2026-world-cup-1.7117696

https://vancouverfwc26.ca

https://www.fifa.com/en/tournaments/mens/worldcup/canadamexicousa2026/articles/vancouver-host-seven-matches-canada-stadium-bc-place

https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=Trams-Trains+and+Streetcars

The best beaches in Vancouver, BC

https://www.lonelyplanet.com/articles/best-beaches-vancouver

Summer is so damn short in Vancouver. Only June, July & August are usually the hottest months, because by the 2nd week of September things start to cool down.

https://www.accuweather.com/en/ca/vancouver/v6c/june-weather/53286?year=2025 There were only 5 days in June that got above 25C.

https://vancouver.ca/parks-recreation-culture/kitsilano-beach.aspx

https://vancouver.ca/parks-recreation-culture/beaches.aspx

https://vancouver.ca/parks-recreation-culture/parks-gardens-and-beaches.aspx

https://www.accuweather.com/en/ca/vancouver/v6c/july-weather/53286 Wow, there might actually be one day in July that could reach or exceed 30C.

https://www.accuweather.com/en/ca/vancouver/v6c/august-weather/53286?year=2025 No 30C days in the August forecast.

https://www.accuweather.com/en/ca/vancouver/v6c/september-weather/53286?year=2025 No 25C days are in the September forecast. Then, for the 2nd half of the month it will be tough enough just to reach 20C.

https://www.accuweather.com/en/ca/vancouver/v6c/may-weather/53286?year=2025 Back in May, only one day got above 25C.

Hot weather kept bypassing Vancouver and went up to Alaska & Yukon.

https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=BC+beaches

Friday, July 11, 2025

The Kitsilano Pool

https://www.ctvnews.ca/vancouver/article/debate-rages-over-covid-19-era-reservation-system-at-kits-pool-in-vancouver/

A bigger and better pool should be open access just like the beach.

https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=+Kitsilano+Pool

How Bike Lanes have affected Vancouver's urban infrastructure

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LvkifuIjq9I The BSB was a 6 lane crossing that even had a provision for a lower deck intended for streetcars. Eventually, 2 lanes were removed & the lower deck was never completed. However, Vancouver was unable to prevent Seattle & Portland from reviving some of their streetcar routes.

The problem isn't bike lanes, it's the lack of interest to build a proper regional network of bus & bike bridges. Thus, if a proper bike bridge was built next to the Burrard+Street+Bridge, then 2 of its 6 lanes could have been for buses or at least HOV lanes. The lower deck could have still been for streetcars or tram-trains going between Vancouver & Richmond. The irony of backwards Vancouver is that it was one of the first cities to get rid of its streetcars & will likely be one of the last to bring them back.

The Fraser River Tunnel Project https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NWhHJWKa6CQ Unfortunatly, this will still be a chokepoint or congested crossing.

Of course the new Richmond-Delta+Tunnel wasn't designed to be part of a rail link between the airport and the ferry terminal. There should have been 2 HOV lanes, as well as 2 bus lanes, but that would be a big-city 10 lane crossing. Instead, just an 8 lane tunnel with no train component. Eventually, a train and HOV bridge or tunnel will have to be built next to it.

At least the first SkyTrain line can now have 5 car trains. However, the 2 car joke of a train still exists between Vancouver & Coquitlam, as well as between Vancouver & Richmond. The Montreal Metro can have 9 car trains and BART in SF can have 10 car trains. Such things are possible because they don't have a congestive BC panning mentality.

https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=Bike+Lanes

Vancouver pushes for social housing high-rises across the city

https://vancouversun.com/opinion/columnists/vancouver-pushes-social-housing-highrises-across-city

https://vancouversun.com/opinion/columnists/vancouvers-opulent-curv-tower-gets-away-with-switching-out-of-below-market-housing

The Kitsilano Pool Is Nearing Its End. What Comes Next?

https://thetyee.ca/News/2025/07/11/Kitsilano-Pool-Nearing-End

It should be covered & heated so that people can enjoy it throughout the year.

https://www.shapeyourcity.ca/kits-pool-replacement

https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=+Kitsilano+Pool

College Park Project To Be Finish 100 Years Later

https://storeys.com/gwlra-college-park-redevelopment/

The Rise and Fall of an Awkward Dining Trend

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mgejGeLwrj4

The Space_Needle became an instant Seattle landmark since the early 1960s. The same for the Calgary_Tower by the late 1960s.

https://www.spaceneedle.com , https://www.calgarytower.com

Both were possible, because Seattle & Calgary aren't under anything like Vancouver's imposed restrictions.

The H._R._MacMillan_Space_Centre opened in October 1968, some 4 months after the Calgary Tower & 6.5 years after the Space Needle. Of course Vancouver was behind, as usual. The first thing that you notice is that there is no tower. It's a classic stump of a building.

https://thecdm.ca/partners/industry/the-hr-macmillan-space-centre

https://www.spacecentre.ca/celebrating-55-years

https://www.reddit.com/r/vancouver/comments/qhnz76/tbt_vancouver_planetarium_1968

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/77/SpaceNeedleTopClose.jpg The Tower

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/98/Museum_of_Vancouver.jpg The Stump

The movie Final_Destination_Bloodlines provides a CGI depiction of what an actual tower, not a stump would look like. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Final_Destination_Bloodlines#Plot

While Final_Destination_Bloodlines was filmed in Vancouver, it was set in New York State.

Something peculiar happened in Seattle in 2025.

https://people.com/space-needle-crack-glass-floor-absolutely-safe-11770526

https://wrif.com/2025/07/08/crack-space-needle-glass-floor/

https://cryptogmail.com/is-the-space-needles-glass-floor-cracking-heres-the-real-story/

https://komonews.com/news/local/space-needle-assures-safety-amid-viral-video-of-glass-floor-crack-glass-rotating-floor-redesign-architects-washington-tourism-visit-iconic-landmark

Final Destination: Bloodlines Movie Clip https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0iQhOmebDqo

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

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

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

City of Vancouver to explore new density and uses to revive Railtown district

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/railtown-vancouver-revitalization-redevelopment-planning

Port of Vancouver advances $2.2 billion expansion

https://splash247.com/port-of-vancouver-advances-2-2bn-expansion/

Thursday, July 10, 2025

SkyTrain enters its Mark V era with 5 car trains

https://www.vancouverisawesome.com/local-news/skytrain-mark-v-first-new-train-service-translink-expo-line-july-2025-10927323

With such a high capital construction cost, its foolish and very short sighted that Vancouver & BC never allowed for enough clearance to eventually have 10 car trains.

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/mark-v-skytrain-train-enter-service-design-translink

At least the first 2 SkyTrain lines have stations that can accomodate a 5 car train. Unfortunatly, the joke that is the Canada embassament Line never allowed enough level clearance for 5 car trains, only a 2.5 car train. Combine short trains with mostly narrow bridges and no interest to build a series of bus-bridges and you have a fine example of congestive planning. Of course no one seems to know where the funds that should have gone towards big city infrastructure went.

Downtown Vancouver office space vacancy rate sees notable increase

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/metro-vancouver-downtown-office-market-q2-2025

Unlike Seattle and Calgary, Vancouver never permitted any 50 story office towers. Indeed, no office building in Vancouver is even allowed to have a 40th floor. However, BC still might eventually have a couple of office towers over 40 stories, just not in restrictive Vancouver.

The Milizie Bridge in Italy and the Windan Bridge in W, Australia and The Cushing Bridge in Calgary, Alberta

https://www.lombardiabeniculturali.it/fotografie/schede/IMM-5w050-0000107/

It used to be like a narrow 4 lane Vancouver bridge.

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdL1nsrfQlu2fehTGEprH7FGBsYGcr_TPyqucsA-EWRJdwwHCROFB-V_oTimMt3jA863q25r8g5pY83s0yOUppOM1EuVsBaGO4kc846blp-xCt8G3xQs7Srg2Ro9nPKPom-V5YOdCRm1bM/s1600/PontiMilizie-NotizAtmMarApr74-ridotto.jpg

https://milanoneisecoli.blogspot.com/2014/10/lo-scomparso-torrione-fascista-di.html

Eventually, the Ponte+Delle+Milizie was rebuilt to have 2 bus lanes as well as 4 general lanes.

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Ponte+Delle+Milizie

Something like the 6 lane Windan_Bridge and the double track Goongoongup_Bridge, just aren't allowed in Vancouver. The city should do something similar like the Cushing+Bridge+in+Calgary.

Unfortunatly, the backwards Vancouver approach is to take lanes away, while pretending to be building an efficient regional rapid bus network.

The Arthur+Laing+Bridge, Oak+Street+Bridge and Knight+Street+Bridge only have 2 lanes each way in the middle and there was no provision to have 2 bus lanes. Thus, unless a 2 lane bus-bridge is built next to each of them, the regional express bus network will remain a sad BC joke.

There should also be a 6 lane Boundary+Road+Bridge crossing Burrard_Inlet and another one crossing the Fraser_River.

Wednesday, July 9, 2025

New push to redevelop 11.5-acre City of Vancouver-owned site at Main Street-Science World SkyTrain station

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/vancouver-innovation-hub-false-creek-flats-feasibility-study

Redevelopment of McDonald's restaurant next to Main Street-Science World SkyTrain station approved by Vancouver City Council

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/mcdonalds-restaurant-redevelopment-approved-1527-main-street-vancouver

The short buildings should have been designed to eventually have a 20-30 story addition.

TransLink buys Fraser River waterfront property for Vancouver bus depot use

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/translink-vancouver-transit-centre-bus-depot-acquisition-expansion

Of course there still seems to be no plan to build a bus and bike bridge next to the Arthur+Laing+Bridge.

Unfortunatly, the embarrassment that is the Canada+Line wasn't designed to eventually have 10 car trains, not even 5. It's stations can only accommodate a ridiculous 2.5 car train, some day. Thus, any bridge to and near the airport should be augmented with a bus and bike bridge. Especially since the C Line isn't open 24 hours. Apparently, it's better to just cram everything into the ridiculously narrow 4 lane bridges.

Tuesday, July 8, 2025

Density plan for SkyTrain's Rupert and Renfrew stations approved by Vancouver City Council

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/rupert-and-renfrew-station-area-plan-vancouver-approved

Monday, July 7, 2025

Midweek showers sandwiched by sunny days in Metro Vancouver

https://www.vancouverisawesome.com/local-news/metro-vancouver-forecast-midweek-showers-sun-july-2025-10912705

Summer is only a 3 quick months in BC, so when crappy rainy fall like weather shows up, it shortens the number of summer days even more. At least half of the year is cold & damp in Vancouver. Yet once again, Vancouver is so far behind. There is the RESO or Underground_City in_Montreal and the Path_in Toronto. While Vancouver doesn't get as cold as Chicago during the winter, or as hot as Dallas and Houston during the summer, there still should have been a proper effort to have a key part of the downtown interconnected with tunnels. There is just something about Vancouver & BC that always opts to take a Half-A$$ED approach to things.

Sunday, July 6, 2025

SkyTrain's Rupert and Renfrew stations

https://vancouversun.com/news/local-news/vancouver-neighbourhood-next-broadway-plan-treatment

Most of BC is wilderness and there are only a handful of potential big urban areas in BC.

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/rupert-and-renfrew-station-area-plan-vancouver-final

The Greater Vancouver Region has been held back for several decades. Of course affordable housing should be part of the overall growth plan. All of BC still has less people than just the Greater Toronto Area & Canada has yet to have even just 1% of the world's population.

The 3 lane Lions+Gate+Bridge and the 2 car joke that is the Canada+Line are fine BC examples of the reluctance to build proper big city size infrastructure. There should have been at least 2 bus tunnels & 2 HOV tunnels near the LGB. If the C Line couldn't have 10 car trains, the stations should have at least been designed to accomodate 5 car trains, not an eventual 2.5 car joke of a train. There also should have been a train tunnel near the LGB by now, but that's what a proper big city would have done.

Friday, July 4, 2025

New Tall W Hotel And Tall JW Marriott In Calgary

https://storeys.com/truman-w-calgary-jw-marriott-hotels/

While its great for Calgary, Vancouver needs some tall hotels as well.

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

The Calgary Stampede (CS)

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

https://www.calgarystampede.com/stampede

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calgary_Stampede#Exhibition

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calgary_Stampede#Stampede_Park

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

Thursday, July 3, 2025

Vancouver City Council to consider new area plan for SkyTrain's Rupert and Renfrew stations

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/rupert-and-renfrew-station-area-plan-vancouver-final

Caps on salaries of Metro Vancouver politicians is ‘long overdue’ critics say

https://globalnews.ca/news/11272811/caps-salaries-metro-vancouver-politicians-long-overdue-critics

Why put more money towards transportation infrastructure when it can go to the politicians? Unfortunatly, the Greater Vancouver region is already so lacking in proper big city size infrastructure. Short, overloaded trains and most bridges are so narrow that its not proper to have an efficient rapid bus network.

Wednesday, July 2, 2025

Shangri-La Hotel in Vancouver is being Rebranded as Hyatt

https://storeys.com/shangri-la-vancouver-brookfield-westbank-peterson-hyatt

Still, the only 200 m building allowed in restrictive Vancouver. However, Vancouver can't stop Burnaby, Coquitlam and Surrey from growing taller.

Brookfield Buys Shangri-La Vancouver From Westbank and Peterson, Rebrands It As Hyatt

https://storeys.com/shangri-la-vancouver-brookfield-westbank-peterson-hyatt/

Tuesday, July 1, 2025

What Canada Day looked like in Vancouver over 100 years ago

https://www.vancouverisawesome.com/history/historic-photos-canada-day-looked-like-vancouver-bc-over-100-years-ago-5537944

By the 1920s, Montreal, Toronto, Melbourne, Sydney, SF & LA, all knew that they were going to be major cities. Unfortunatly in the 2020s, Vancouver is still stuck with a 3 lane Lion Bridge and a Canada embarrassment Line with only 50m stations. The Montreal Metro has 152.5m stations. Most real cities by now would have at least built a 4 lane bus & HOV tunnel & a commuter train tunnel near the LGB.

Despite being a cost cutting measure, the Canada embasement Line still should have had the provision to eventually have 10 car trains. Unfortunatly, the underbuilt line between Vancouver & Richmond wasn't even designed to have 5 car trains. Indeed, the joke that is the C Line has stations designed to only have 2.5 car trains, someday. The first 2 SkyTrain lines only have 80m stations, which can just barely accomodate a 5 car train.

Shangri-La to rebrand as Park Hyatt Vancouver Hotel after renovations

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/park-hyatt-vancouver-hotel-shangri-la-renovations

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/shangri-la-downtown-vancouver-hyatt

Monday, June 30, 2025

Chicago Metro to Deploy DAS Technology from Sensonic

https://www.railway.supply/en/chicago-metro-to-deploy-das-technology-from-sensonic/

Victoria’s Suburban Rail Cuts Commute Time Across Melbourne

https://www.railway.supply/en/victorias-suburban-rail-cuts-commute-time-across-melbourne/

Sunday, June 29, 2025

How Vancouver Has Become a Speculator’s Playground

https://cityhallwatch.wordpress.com/2025/06/29/entitled-to-flip-spacing-villagomez

Developers usually want to build big, but even small to medium size projects could be allowed to go through, provided that the developer has given more to the community.

https://www.shapeyourcity.ca/1780-e-broadway-rz

If the developer was allowed to go 20-30 stories taller, if they provided a decent amount of affordable rental units on the lower floors, that might satisfy some people.

https://www.shapeyourcity.ca/1780-e-broadway

However, there are alway the people that are simply against tall towers who will never be happy.

Sydney Unveils Landmark Metro Precinct in Parramatta

https://www.railway.supply/en/sydney-unveils-landmark-metro-precinct-in-parramatta/

Saturday, June 28, 2025

Where to celebrate Canada Day in the lower mainland with fireworks, because Vancouver’s Canada Day fireworks are scrapped for good

https://www.ctvnews.ca/vancouver/article/where-to-celebrate-canada-day-in-the-lower-mainland-with-or-without-fireworks/

https://vancouversbestplaces.com/events-calendar/canada-day-celebrations/canada-day-at-canada-place/

https://vancouversun.com/entertainment/canada-day-2025-events-metro-vancouver

https://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/article/heres-whats-open-and-closed-on-canada-day/

Vancouver’s Canada Day fireworks scrapped for good https://globalnews.ca/news/9721790/vancouver-fireworks-canada-day/

Vancouver has become a give up city.

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/canada-day-vancouver-fireworks-2024-cancelled

Fortunately, backwards Vancouver wasn't able to get all the other main cities in Canada to also give up on having their 7-1 fireworks.

Auckland’s City Rail Link Sets Sustainability Benchmark

https://www.railway.supply/en/aucklands-city-rail-link-sets-sustainability-benchmark/

https://www.cityraillink.co.nz/

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

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/City_Rail_Link#Capacity_forecast_forces_platform_enlargements

https://at.govt.nz/projects-initiatives/city-centre-projects-and-initiatives/city-rail-link

What the major cities will offer for Canada Day

https://toronto.citynews.ca/2025/06/26/canada-day-2025-toronto-ontario-celebrations-fireworks/

Imagine if some people from Vancouver tried to prevent all the major cities in Canada from having a fireworks show. Fortunately, backwards Vancouver doesn't have such influence.

https://beachmetro.com/2025/06/26/canada-day-2025-celebrations-in-east-toronto-to-include-fireworks-parade-and-picnics/

https://www.toronto.ca/explore-enjoy/festivals-events/canada-day/nighttime/

https://harbourfrontcentre.com/series/canada-day-celebration-2025/

It might seem like some kind of a brain_infection or mind virus wanted to shutdown the fun of a fireworks presentation across Canada.

Montreal https://www.thebeat925.ca/news/707968/here-s-what-to-know-about-the-canada-day-fireworks-in-the-old-port

https://www.ctvnews.ca/montreal/article/here-is-the-schedule-for-the-montreal-international-fireworks-competition/

Evening program on July 1, 2025: Simple Plan and fireworks https://montreal.ca/en/events/canada-day-pierrefonds-roxboro-30260

It might very well indeed seem like something from a bazaar Sci-Fi production.

https://discoverhalifaxns.com/events/canada-day-halifax-2025-guide/

https://downtownhalifax.ca/CanadaDay

Fortunately, the strange Vancouver mentality or inability to have a July 1st fireworks display is of no interest to the rest of Canada.

https://www.ctvnews.ca/winnipeg/article/what-to-do-on-canada-day-in-winnipeg-and-beyond/

https://accesswinnipeg.com/2025/06/list-of-2025-canada-day-celebrations-in-winnipeg/

https://canadadaysaskatoon.ca/

https://globalnews.ca/news/11246660/saskatoons-canada-day-fireworks-display-is-changing-locations-due-to-low-river-water-levels/

https://www.reginacanadaday.ca/?pgid=jx02htlz-7e64822e-5f4c-4a2e-a455-11cfc5a87180

https://edmontonjournal.com/news/local-news/canada-day-events-edmonton

https://www.todocanada.ca/where-to-find-2025-canada-day-fireworks-around-edmonton/

https://www.edmonton.ca/attractions_events/schedule_festivals_events/canada-day

https://www.calgary.ca/council/ward-2/articles/celebrate-canada-day--2025.html

https://calgary.citynews.ca/2025/06/27/calgary-canada-day-events-2025/

"There are no fireworks anymore as Vancouver’s annual July 1st pyrotechnic show has been permanently cancelled." https://vancouversbestplaces.com/events-calendar/canada-day-celebrations/canada-day-at-canada-place/

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/canada-day-fireworks-metro-vancouver-2025

https://604now.com/7-canada-day-events-fireworks-metro-vancouver-2025

https://www.victoria.ca/city-government/news/your-guide-celebrating-canada-day-victoria

Calls to cap salaries of Metro Vancouver board

Calls to cap the salaries of politicians service on Metro Vancouver's board are growing louder, with both municipal and provincial voices weighing in. https://www.ctvnews.ca/vancouver/video/2025/06/28/calls-to-cap-salaries-of-metro-vancouver-board/

The region is already so far behind with its transportation infrastructure. Its as if a large percentage of the money have been going towards some people & not towards bus-bridges & longer trains.

https://globalnews.ca/news/11263660/calls-cap-board-metro-vancouver-member-pay

Vancouver has become so backwards, inept, expensive and bloated, that it no longer is able to have a fireworks show on July 1st. Fortunately, Vancouver was unable to get all the other major cities in Canada to give up & cancel their fireworks shows.

Vancouver used to have a Canada Day fireworks display, but gave up. Vancouver used to have a sea festival, but it got watered down and washed away.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/sea-festival-files-for-bankruptcy-protection-1.545832

https://montecristomagazine.com/magazine/winter-2024/in-1980s-vancouver-locals-were-encouraged-to-host-visiting-sailors

While Vancouver's Sea Festival sank, Seattle's Seafair not only remained a float, but has grown stronger over the years. https://www.seafair.org , https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seafair#Events

Its as if Vancouver is trying to be one of the world's strangest, backwards and inept cities.

Friday, June 27, 2025

Vancouver woman mistakenly declared dead after filing late husband’s tax return

https://www.ctvnews.ca/vancouver/article/vancouver-woman-mistakenly-declared-dead-after-filing-late-husbands-tax-return/

Metro Vancouver cities to receive $145 million from TransLink for road, bike lane, and pathway upgrades

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/translink-2025-local-government-funding-programs-projects

Historic Vancouver church to become a cooling centre

https://www.biv.com/news/economy-law-politics/historic-vancouver-church-to-become-cooling-centre-amid-call-for-right-to-cool-10869786

https://www.biv.com/news/environment/in-vancouver-wildfire-smoke-and-heat-combine-to-significantly-increase-mortality-risk-finds-study-10852273

https://www.biv.com/news/economy-law-politics/canadians-facing-energy-poverty-need-42b-to-escape-says-report-8571346

Thursday, June 26, 2025

An airport+line should always be designed with future capacity in mind.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airport_rail_link#Connection_types

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airport_rail_link#High-speed_rail_and_inter-city_rail

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airport_rail_link#Regional_rail_and_commuter_rail

The Canada+Line is such a sad and pathetic joke. Nevermind planning for a 10 car train linking YVR with the Horseshoe+Bay+ferry+terminal and the Tsawwassen+ferry+terminal to YVR, BC opted for a half-assed little train. Apparently, its logical in backwards BC to not allow for future clearance to at least have a 5 car train connecting YVR with West Vancouver & Delta. It was difficult enough just to have a small 2 car train & eventually a 2.5 car train between Vancouver & Richmond.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SeaTac/Airport_station While Seattle can have a 2 car short train, the SeaTac_Airport_Station was designed to accommodate a proper big city long train.

Unlike in backwards BC, the Seattle_Central_Link Airport Station has 2 tracks. https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/26/SeaTac_light_rail_station_from_airport_parking_garage_%282010%29.jpg Most proper cities around the world plan & build big infrastructure or at least allow for future expansion clearence.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SeaTac/Airport_station#Station_layout

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RER_B#List_of_RER_B_stations

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

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jazz_(Italian_EMU)

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

https://www.bart.gov/stations/sfia https://www.bart.gov/guide/airport/sfo

https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=airport+line

Nearly 3,900 new homes in 19 towers approved by Vancouver City Council

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/vancouver-new-housing-tower-approvals-q2-2025

Brisbane invests in smart mobility ahead of 2032 Games

https://www.railway.supply/en/brisbane-invests-in-smart-mobility-ahead-of-2032-games

Just look at what you are able to do, simply because you aren't hinders by anything like the Vancouver Mind Virus.

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

High Density Plans for Vancouver

https://cityhallwatch.wordpress.com/2025/06/26/cartoon-ucs58-vancouver-plans-high-density-2-complete-community

Well, Vancouver still isn't allowing any residential tower to rival the tallest in Edmonton, Calgary & Seattle. BC is 75% mountainous yet, there are only a handful of potential major urban regions in this backwater wilderness of a province.

https://cityhallwatch.wordpress.com/2025/06/25/antisocial-housing-cc160-vancouvers-initiative-is-neither-social-nor-affordable-by-brian-palmquist/

Vancouver could get more benefits from developers if there was more incentive to build taller hotels and residential towers, as long as there was a good component of affordable housing.

SkyTrain's Commercial-Broadway Station escalators fully reopen after replacement work

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/skytrain-commercial-broadway-station-escalators-fully-reopen

This is going to be a major transit intersection, whenever the east-west line from Coquitlam to UBC is completed. Especially when the line from downtown Vancouver to Langley is completed. Unfortunatly, only the Expo_Line will have 5 car trains at some point in 2025.

The Millennium_Line will try to only run a 2 car joke of a train for as long as possible. At least there is a potential to eventually have 5 car trains.

Unfortunatly, the joke that is the Canada_Line was deliberately designed to have stations that can only accomodate 2 2.5 car train, not a 5 car train.

Considering that Greater Vancouver mostly has narrow roads & bridges, one would think that the trains would be the longest in Canada, not the shortest.

Metro Vancouver beaches with E.coli advisories

https://www.vancouverisawesome.com/local-news/interactive-map-vancouver-beaches-e-coli-advisories-2024-9130797

Despite Vancouver being cold, depressing & damp for half of the year, the urban beaches should be in better shape. Plus, there should be a lot more hotel rooms in the metropolitan region.

Fortunately, other urban beaches around the world realize that it hurts their tourism business if they have crappy beaches.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surfers_Paradise,_Queensland

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surfers_Paradise,_Queensland#Sport_and_recreation

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surfers_Paradise,_Queensland#Transport

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miami_Beach,_Florida

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunny_Isles_Beach,_Florida

https://www.miamiandbeaches.com/things-to-do/beaches

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waik%C4%ABk%C4%AB

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sheraton_Waikiki_Hotel This hotel isn't 64 stories, it only has 32, but it has over 1600 rooms. Vancouver has been very reluctant to have wide buildings like this.

Number of rooms	1636
Number of suites	131
Number of restaurants	2

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/53/Sheraton_Waikiki_from_Waikiki_Beach.jpg In Vancouver, its tough enough just to have a hotel with 700 rooms.

https://www.cntraveler.com/hotels/united-states/honolulu/hyatt-regency-waikiki-resort---spa Over 1200 rooms.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyatt_Regency_Seattle 1260 rooms.

It's been very difficult for Vancouver to think, plan & build on a big scale. Especially, with some of the most restrictive building limits around.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyatt_Regency_Vancouver 650 rooms. Despite not being close to a beach, there should have been a provision to have a 2nd tower next to the Hyatt_Regency_Vancouver. Or, enough space to double the width of the existing building. Or, add about 20 floors to the single hotel tower. If the Royal_Centre complex was always going to just consist of 2 towers, then the office tower & the hotel tower should have been designed to eventually add another 20 stories. Not a problem for Seattle or Calgary, because they are allowed to be proper big cities.

https://www.hyatt.com/hyatt-hotels/en-US/yvrph-hyatt-vancouver-downtown-alberni Only about a quarter of Vancouver's tallest building is a hotel.

Cleaner beaches and more support for tourism would be of great benefit to Vancouver & BC. Especially, for taller & wider hotels, but that's what a big city would do. Vancouver is still a small-minded city that occasionally likes to pretend that its grown up.

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

https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=hotel+rooms

Montréal–(P.E.) Trudeau International Airport and Mirabel International Airport

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montr%C3%A9al%E2%80%93Trudeau_International_Airport

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montr%C3%A9al%E2%80%93Trudeau_International_Airport#Public_transit

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montr%C3%A9al%E2%80%93Trudeau_International_Airport#Intercity_rail_connections

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/YUL%E2%80%93A%C3%A9roport-Montr%C3%A9al%E2%80%93Trudeau_station

Montreal-Mirabel_International_Airport For cargo and freight.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montr%C3%A9al%E2%80%93Mirabel_International_Airport#Cargo

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montr%C3%A9al%E2%80%93Mirabel_International_Airport#21st_century

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montr%C3%A9al%E2%80%93Mirabel_International_Airport#Demolition_of_terminal_building Its unfortunate that this building wasn't repurposed as a cargo and freight control centre.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montr%C3%A9al%E2%80%93Mirabel_International_Airport#Renewal_of_airport_activity

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montr%C3%A9al%E2%80%93Mirabel_International_Airport#Architecture_and_layout

Vancouver International Airport expects record passenger volumes this summer

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/vancouver-international-airport-yvr-passenger-volumes-summer-2025

https://www.biv.com/news/transportation/yvr-to-break-passenger-records-with-busiest-summer-ever-10868385

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_the_busiest_airports_in_Canada#Canada's_busiest_airports_by_passenger_traffic

After 2015, Vancouver was consistently handling more passenger air traffic than Montreal.

"Montreal is Canada’s second-biggest city. But last year, Vancouver Intl. handled 22.3 million passengers – seven million more than Montreal." https://www.internationalairportreview.com/article/33676/phil-fine-vancouver

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_the_busiest_airports_in_Canada#2023

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_the_busiest_airports_in_Canada#2022

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_the_busiest_airports_in_Canada#2021

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

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vancouver_International_Airport#Rapid_transit_(SkyTrain)

Eby says new Alberta-B.C. pipeline not about to happen

https://vancouver.citynews.ca/2025/06/26/bc-premier-says-no-project-here-alberta-pipeline/

BC is very reluctant to bend over to accommodate a big, new pipe from Alberta!

https://www.biv.com/news/commentary/rob-shaw-eby-contorts-his-pipeline-messaging-once-again-10854718

Alberta is used to big equipment and machinery.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/enbridge-says-it-would-pitch-new-alberta-b-c-pipeline-only-under-right-conditions-1.7570677

Alberta exists on a larger infrastructure scale than what is allowed in backwater BC.

https://www.bc-er.ca/what-we-regulate/oil-gas/pipelines/

Underground trains & stations in Edmonton, like in Seattle, are longer than what little backwards Vancouver planned for. The roads & bridges are wider in Calgary & Edmonton than what Vancouver allows. The buildings are allowed to be taller in Calgary, Edmonton & especially, Seattle.

Planning for the future of Kitsilano Pool

https://vancouver.ca/news-calendar/planning-for-the-future-of-kits-pool-june-2025.aspx

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/kits-pool-reopens-1.7567552

https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=+Kitsilano+Pool

Wednesday, June 25, 2025

Japan charts a course to double shipbuilding capacity by 2030

https://splash247.com/japan-charts-course-to-double-shipbuilding-capacity-by-2030

3 Vancouver Island beaches declared unfit for swimming

https://victoriabuzz.com/2025/06/3-vancouver-island-beaches-declared-unfit-for-swimming-this-month

This crappy situation has been going on for several years in BC. Why would backwards BC let some beaches go to shit?

https://www.vicnews.com/community/swimmers-limited-by-swath-of-greater-victoria-water-warnings-8090552

Hopefully, BC will never send a delegation to Australia, NZ, Hawaii, California, Texas & Florida to show them how its done. Fortunately, all those places understand how important it is for the tourism industry to not lower their standards.

Even the beach resorts in Mexico understand that it's not a good idea to let it go to shit. Perhaps there is just a growing give up mentality in backwater BC.

https://cityhallwatch.wordpress.com/2020/08/09/no-swimming-at-sunset-beach/

https://vancouversun.com/news/local-news/water-at-metro-beaches-unfit-for-swimming-for-50-days-last-year

https://www.ctvnews.ca/vancouver/article/swimming-advisories-issued-for-three-vancouver-beaches/

https://www.vancouverisawesome.com/courier-archive/news/west-end-beaches-unfit-for-swimming-2958828

https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=BC+beaches

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

The Calgary Stampede (TCS)

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

https://calgary.citynews.ca/2025/06/25/win-ride-all-day-passes-to-the-calgary-stampede/

https://dailyhive.com/calgary/early-liquor-service-calgary-stampede-2025

https://www.todocanada.ca/cne-calgary-stampede-ranked-best-10-fairs-in-north-america

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calgary_Stampede#Stampede_Park

TCS attracts more people than the PNE, but not quite as many people as the CNE

Tuesday, June 24, 2025

Understanding the elusiveness of smart cities

https://spacing.ca/toronto/2025/06/23/understanding-the-elusiveness-of-smart-cities/

While an AI run city might seem efficient on the surface, there could be a layer of totalitarianism just underneath.

https://www.highlandernews.org/92315/in-defense-alphaville-jean-luc-godards-computer-ruled-sci-fi-city/

Training people to bark, grunt or roll over in order to not exceed their weekly carbon credit allotment is excrement!

https://www.propellerbooks.com/posts/2014/6/4/government-is-a-computer-alphaville

An AI run technocratic city could easily turn the place into a prison.

https://brightlightsfilm.com/technocratic-totalitarianism-one-dimensional-thought-in-jean-luc-godards-alphaville/

https://arcfinity.tumblr.com/post/85900501084/weve-been-having-urban-nightmares

https://www.theguardian.com/cities/gallery/2014/jan/29/future-cities-in-film

15 minute SkyTrain service in Surrey this summer due to track replacement work

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/skytrain-expo-line-surrey-gateway-station-track-switch-disruptions-summer-2025

For a line that first opened in 1985, it took until 2025 to try to start running 5 car trains of the latest generation of rolling stock. Considering that Greater Vancouver has a narrower road network than Montreal, the SkyTrain stations should have been designed to accomodate 10 car trains.

While the Alstom_Mark_V vehicles look nice & modern, a 5 car train is a half-length reminder of how much nicer & better a 10 car train would look.

Just because the SkyTrain is considered to be a Light Rail Vehicle, there still should have been a provision to eventually have the stations to be as long as the longest ones on the Montreal Metro. The Montreal Metro has 500 foot or 152.5m long stations, which can accomodate a 9 car train. Unfortunatly, the first 2 SkyTrain lines only have 80m stations, which are just barely over half the length of the longest STM stations. https://www.stm.info/en/info/networks/metro

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Societe_de_transport_de_Montreal#Connections_to_other_transit_services

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

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MR-63#Design While a 3 car joke of a train was possible, a 6 & especially a 9 car train is able to efficiently move more people around.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MR-73

3 cars per trainset, operating as 6- or 9-car trains

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MR-73#Construction_and_entry_into_service

Apparently, in order to reduce construction costs, the first 2 SkyTrain lines have stations that are only 250 feet. Half the length of a 500 foot long Montreal train, but BC usually takes the half-assed option with its small-scale of infrastructure development.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SkyTrain_(Vancouver)#UTDC_ICTS_Mark_I_fleet "The maximum based on current station platform lengths is a six-car configuration, totalling 76.2 metres (250 ft)."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MPM-10 (9 articulated cars per train)

Train length	152.43 m (500 ft 1+1⁄8 in)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MPM-10#History Approximately, a 500 foot train divided by 9 cars = 55.55 feet, or just under 17m.

Despite the SkyTrain cars not running on rubber tires, each 55 ft. coach is very close in length to the 55.6 ft Montreal Metro coaches.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Innovia_Metro#Vehicle "The second generation Innovia ART 200 cars are 16.7 metres (54 ft 9

1⁄2 in) long each and come in articulated pairs."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SkyTrain_(Vancouver)_rolling_stock#Alstom_Mark_V

While the Mark 5 cars are about 55 feet, the C Line cars are almost 66 feet. Of course just like the first 2 lines, the C Line was also designed to not have 10 car stations, not even 5 car long stations. Since there was a real push to reduce construction costs, the stations only have a clearance to eventually accomodate a 2.5 car train.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SkyTrain_(Vancouver)_rolling_stock#Summary

Thus, as a a further step backwards, the 3rd line had to even be much shorter than the 152.5m Montreal Metro stations. Despite being another cost-cutting measure, the C Line could have & should have had all of its stations designed with future level clearance to eventually be at least 3 times longer than the absurd 50m.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SkyTrain_(Vancouver)_rolling_stock#Canada_Line_fleet

"The Hyundai Rotem cars are 3 metres (9 ft 101⁄8 in) in width and 20 metres (65 ft 73⁄8 in) in length..."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SkyTrain_(Vancouver)_rolling_stock#Hyundai_Rotem_EMU

While the multi-billion dollar line wasn't designed to have 10 or even 5 car trains, this 2.5 car joke of a train must be corrected.

https://www.railjournal.com/passenger/metros/hyundai-rotem-to-supply-new-vancouver-skytrain-cars

Selective_door_operation (SDO) can enable trains that are longer than the 50m C Line platforms. So instead of just two 20m cars or a 20+10+20m, three 20m cars could stop at the absurd 50m stations. While the design limitations make it almost impossible to extend the ridiculous 50m platforms, even a 5-10m extension can make a significant difference. A 3 car walkthrough train would only be 60m, but that would form the middle key section of a 5 car train with SDO. That could be done by having an extra 20m car at either end of a 60m train. In theory, the middle 3 coaches would have direct contact with the absurd 50m platforms. SDO can allow a 100m train to use a 50m station. People going past more than a few stations would be advised to move to the very end cars of a 5 car train. Then work their way to the middle 3 cars to access their desired station.

Just because the first phase of the C Line was designed to only have a 2.5 car train, the stations should have already been long enough to accomodate a 5 car train. Then, with significant future capacity in mind, there still could have been enough level clearance built to ultimately have 10 car trains.

SDO could also be used on the first 2 SkyTrain lines. Once 5 car trains become common, then planning for 7 car trains could be possible with SDO. While the C Line just doesn't have much level clearance to go beyond a 50m station, the first 2 SkyTrain lines could potentially have longer platforms to accomodate a 7 car train. Then with SDO, a 9 car train could be possible.

Of course the whole SkyTrain system should have been designed to have 8-10 car long stations, right from the start. Fortunately, anything like the backwards BC planning mentality never reached & prevented the Edmonton LRT from having longer strations. Especially, Toronto & Montreal & even Seattle, SF & LA.

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

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

Foreign student caps shake up B.C.’s student housing market

https://www.biv.com/news/real-estate/foreign-student-caps-shake-up-bcs-student-housing-market-10851983