https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/101_California_Street
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/101_California_Street#1993_shooting
July 1
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/101_California_Street_shooting
Monday, July 28, 2025
101 California Street 1993 shooting in SF
Saturday, July 26, 2025
New pedestrian and cycling upgrade to Granville Bridge opens to public
Once again Vancouver gets its wrong, at least the Burrard Bridge is a better example, despite the loss of 2 lanes..
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/granville-connector-bridge-walking-cycling-pathways-open-complete
For a bridge that was 8 lanes wide with 2 narrow sidewalks, there should have been a bike lane & a wide sidewalk on both sides. The decision was to have 2 bike lanes on the west side of the bridge with a wider, uneven sidewalk & a slightly wider sidewalk on the east side of the bridge.
Metro Vancouver Regional District delays review of North Shore wastewater treatment plant project until legal battle resolved
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/north-shore-wastewater-treatment-plant-project-review-delayed
So much money has been wasted that could have otherwise have gone towards a train & bus bridge or a tunnel across the inlet.
The+Ironworkers-Bridge will still have to be upgraded or rebuilt and it should be on the scale of the New Samuel-De_Champlain_Bridge. The New_Champlain_Bridge_in Montreal has 4 lanes each way, plus 2 train tracks. More things are possible in Montreal and Quebec, simply because they don't have anything like Vancouver's restrictions & the backwards BC B$ mentality to thwart them.
https://www.samueldechamplainbridge.ca/traffic-and-detours/
https://www.samueldechamplainbridge.ca/pedestrians-and-cyclists/
https://www.arup.com/projects/samuel-de-champlain-bridge-corridor/
Friday, July 25, 2025
Who controls the 3 lane Lions Gate Bridge?
The LGB has to be the worst or at least one of the worst traffic bottlenecks & chokepoints on the planet. Over the course of the past several decades, there should have been a bus and HOV tunnel and then a train tunnel close to the alignment of the LGB.
Seven lanes of Georgia+Street funneled into a 3 lane LGB is nuts! The LGB is already a nice bike bridge, with sidewalks, but it should also be a bus bridge. That would be possible if a proper big city tunnel was built. An eight-lane-tunnel would really help the LGB.
Of course in both cases, the Lion Bridge was never expanded, twinned or duplicated & the M Tunnel (H-99) wasn't replace with a 10 lane bridge. Unfortunatly, no serious consideration for rail rapid transit was considered for both crossings. It was as if the regional & BC governments just didn't think it was that important to have a train from the Horseshoe+Bay+ferry+terminal and the Park+Royal+Shopping+Centre to Vancouver-International-Airport. Just like not having a train from the Tsawwassen+ferry+terminal and Tsawwassen+Mills to the airport.
Despite Richmond,_British_Columbia having YVR, its as if no one really considered that Richmond should be a major intermodal transportation hub. Proper Transportation Planning has always been lacking in backwards BC.
https://www.theprogress.com/news/province-receives-business-case-for-new-massey-crossing-1911335
https://www.highway99tunnel.ca While an 8 lane tunnel is a good start as the first phase, eventually there will have to be a train, bus & bike bridge (or tunnel) next to it.
https://www.highway99tunnel.ca/project-overview-frt Then the H-99 tunnel could be 3 lanes each way with the 4th as a HOV lane. A new parallel bridge (or tunnel) could then have 2 rapid bus lanes, as well as 2 wide sidewalks & 2 wide bike-lanes. Extra width could allow for eventually 2 tracks, 2 HOV lanes, in addition to the 2 bus lanes. That would enable the H-99 tunnel to ultimately have 4 general lanes each way in a later phase. Of course it would have been better to do things correct right from the start, but that goes against the backwards BC mentality.
Its so sad that there was never a proper big city vision to have an airport+train connect to both ferry terminals.
Granville Bridge's new wide, safe pathways for walking and cycling now open
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/granville-connector-bridge-walking-cycling-pathways-open-complete
Its OK, but it could have been better.
Had there been a nice bike & foot bridge built next to it, the Granville Bridge could have had 3 general lanes each way & the 4th as a bus lane. Just like the Burrard Bridge should have had a bike & foot bridge next to it. Then, the BB could have had 2 bus lanes as well as 4 general lanes. Taking lanes away is absurd for a city that already has such a narrow road system. Yet, a proper regional bus & bike bridge system wasn't implemented.
It seems that the public wasn't properly informed decades ago that Greater Vancouver wasn't going to have a 24hr train system. All the more important for the GV Region to have a network of bus & bike bridges. Several the regional bridges are so narrow that there isn't enough room to accommodate 2 bus lanes & 2 HOV lanes.
Australia's housing crisis
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australia
https://www.fresheconomicthinking.com/p/australias-housing-crisis-was-just
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cq5wlevy647o
https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/people/population/population-clock-pyramid Still under 28 million in mid 2025.
https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/australias-welfare/housing-affordability
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-07-01/home-values-hit-record-highs-june-property-prices/105477426
https://population.gov.au/population-topics/topic-population
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australia#Cities
Canada's rising home prices and rents
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/canada-immigration-home-price-rent-increase-impact
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_and_dependencies_by_area#Countries_and_dependencies_by_area Despite Canada being the 2nd largest country in overal area, it has less than 1% of the world's population.
https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=1710000901 Still less than 42 million in mid 2025.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canada#Demographics
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quebec_City-Windsor_Corridor
Four lanes or 6? MLA comments reignite Pattullo Bridge debate
Two bike lanes & 2 sidewalks are great, but the government really tipped their hand with this. Despite the SkyTrain not running 24hrs, the new bridge won't open with any bus lanes & no HOV lanes. Despite Greater Vancouver being a port region, there won't be any dedicated truck lanes & worst of all, no emergency or breakdown lanes.
Since there was such a push to only have 2 lanes each way, the new bridge still should have opened with 2 wide emergency lanes & 2 wide breakdown lanes. Thats 6 lanes already in place, with a provision to eventually add 2 more. However, that would go against the congestive planning agenda that is Greater Vancouver & backwards BC.
It's one thing to say or pretend to support bus & HOV lanes, but opening this new bridge without such additional lanes all fits in with the congestive planning agenda. Just like a 5 car SkyTrain squeezed into an 80 m station, is a far cry from a 9 car Montreal Metro train with 152.5 m stations. Thinking, planning & building big in BC goes against the congestive planning agenda.
Symbolism is very important in backwards BC. Thus, half-size infrastructure is one of the best ways to demonstrate an ongoing reluctance to accommodate growth & efficiency. There have been several decades, even generations where funding has only created half-size & HALF-A$$ED infrastructure. So the big question is, where did so much of the money go, when BC still needs proper size infrastructure?
This multigenerational backwards BC mind Virus is horrible!
https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=Pattullo+Bridge 4 narrow lanes & only 1 sidewalk.
https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=Pattullo+Bridge+replacement 4 wide lanes with a central divider, pulse 2 sidewalks & 2 bike lanes.
Thursday, July 24, 2025
Traffic is so bad that the North Shore is contemplating its transportation future, again
https://globalnews.ca/news/11302770/north-shore-traffic-museum/
A bus and train tunnel should have been constructed almost directly under the Lions+Gate+Bridge several decades ago, at the very least.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/north-vancouver-lane-change-1.7336664
https://viewpointvancouver.ca/2016/08/30/north-shore-congestion-another-view
Wednesday, July 23, 2025
Vancouver mayor wants to unlock ‘exceptional’ industrial areas for housing
https://vancouver.citynews.ca/2025/07/23/vancouver-mayor-industrial-lands-housing
"As of last July, Vancouver’s population was 756,008, after adding 23,790 people in 2023-24." https://vancouversun.com/news/population-booms-langford-surrey-metro-vancouver 2025
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/metro-vancouver-population-three-million-1.7449282
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/metro-vancouver-population-growth-three-million
https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=1710000901
Not so accurate.
https://worldpopulationreview.com/canadian-cities/vancouver Aproimatley 688,000 in 2025.
https://worldpopulationreview.com/us-cities/massachusetts/boston 639,000
https://worldpopulationreview.com/us-cities/california/san-francisco 767,968
Tuesday, July 22, 2025
City of Burnaby switches to height-based building policies, abandoning density limits
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/burnaby-height-based-development-framework
Fortunately, Vancouver can't stunt and stump Burnaby anymore than it could with Parramatta, NSW. Vancouver is trying its darndest to prevent any buildings from rising above 200 m. Unlike Vancouver, Burnaby doesn't try to look for any excuse to hold its city back.
https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=building+shadowing+policies
Kits Pool ruling leaves people frustrated
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/kits-pool-decision-vancouver
More overlapping rules, more permits required and more regulations to maintain and enforce the B$ bureaucracy of backwards Vancouver. Officially, Vancouver isn't supposed to be a NO FUN CITY. However, various people through the years like to perpetuate the NO FUN mentality.
The City of Lougheed and The Amazing Brentwood vs. Parramatta Square
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_City_of_Lougheed
https://thecityoflougheed.com/rental/city-vision
https://www.urbanyvr.com/city-of-lougheed-burnaby/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Amazing_Brentwood
https://www.urbanyvr.com/the-amazing-brentwood-photo-tour/
https://www.skyscrapercenter.com/building/6-8-parramatta-square/31473
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parramatta
| Height | |
|---|---|
| Roof | 225.45 m (740 ft)[1] |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 57 |
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/6_%26_8_Parramatta_Square
https://www.skyscrapercenter.com/complex/2699
https://www.skyscrapercenter.com/city/parramatta
The City of Lougheed and The Amazing Brentwood have no office towers over 55 stories. A 50 story office tower in BC still remains as Science Fiction concept. Indeed, Vancouver still won't permit any office tower to even have a 40th floor.
Monday, July 21, 2025
Trams and Streetcars
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HhQxNHrD6fA
https://www.railforthevalley.com/latest-news/zweisystem/tram-streetcar-lrt-why-the-confusion
Call it a lack of vision or a lack of proper urban transportation planning. There were just too many key people who never wanted Vancouver to be on a similar scale as Melbourne, Toronto and SF.
https://kumtuks.ca/streetcars-and-metro-vancouver
https://spacing.ca/vancouver/2013/06/18/vancouver-transit-the-era-of-street-cars1
https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=Trams-Trains+and+Streetcars
Saturday, July 19, 2025
No-swimming advisories for 9 Metro Vancouver beaches likely to last all weekend
https://globalnews.ca/news/11294472/vancouver-e-coli-beaches/
https://vancouver.ca/parks-recreation-culture/kitsilano-beach.aspx
So far there hasn't been any momentum to rename Kits Beach into $HIT$ Beach.
https://www.ctvnews.ca/vancouver/video/2025/07/19/e-coli-halts-swimming-at-metro-vancouver-beaches/
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/e-coli-vancouver-beaches-july-18-1.7589185
Fortunately, Australia, Hawaii, California & Florida realize that crappy beaches are bad for residents & tourism.
https://www.vch.ca/en/service/public-beach-water-quality#overview
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kitsilano_Beach
https://www.destinationvancouver.com/inspirations/beaches
It's so much easier for several other cities to do things better than backwards Vancouver.
https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=Metro+Vancouver+beaches
Friday, July 18, 2025
The Waterfront SkyTrain Station stench
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/waterfront-station-vancouver-stench-smells
This, along with the E.coli beaches could be a part of a crappy Vancouver marketing opportunity.
https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=Metro+Vancouver+beaches
Several Metro Vancouver beaches closed to swimming due to E. coli
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/metro-vancouver-beaches-e-coli-1.7588222
https://www.vch.ca/en/service/public-beach-water-quality
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunset_Beach_(Vancouver)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Beach_(Vancouver)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Third_Beach
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kitsilano_Beach
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jericho_Beach
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanish_Banks
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English_Bay,_Vancouver
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wreck_Beach , https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wreck_Beach#Swimming_and_ocean_water_quality
Its imarapartive that an urban beach be reasonably clean, especially the water.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alki_Point,_Seattle , https://visitseattle.org/neighborhoods/west-seattle
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bondi_Beach
https://thecapetownblog.com/best-beaches , https://www.go2africa.com/african-travel-blog/cape-towns-best-beaches
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coney_Island , https://www.nycgovparks.org/facilities/beaches/3
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copacabana,_Rio_de_Janeiro
https://www.lonelyplanet.com/articles/best-beaches-in-france , https://www.cntraveler.com/galleries/2016-07-27/the-best-beaches-in-france
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_Mile,_Durban
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miami_Beach,_Florida , https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Beach_(Miami_Beach) , https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunny_Isles_Beach,_Florida
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santa_Monica_State_Beach , https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santa_Monica,_California#Climate
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surfers_Paradise,_Queensland
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Broadbeach,_Queensland
Waikīkī beach https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waik%C4%ABk%C4%AB ,
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waik%C4%ABk%C4%AB#Water_quality ,
https://www.cnn.com/2015/08/25/us/hawaii-waikiki-beach-closed-sewage/index.html
https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=Metro+Vancouver+beaches
Thursday, July 17, 2025
Ice given access to Medicaid data in move critics call a privacy betrayal
Officials let Ice access health data to locate migrants, alarming experts who warn of civil rights and health risks https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jul/17/ice-access-medicaid-data-personal-information
No-swimming advisories at several Metro Vancouver beaches due to E. coli (WTH?)
https://www.cbc.ca/player/play/video/9.6835823
https://globalnews.ca/news/11293631/metro-vancouver-beaches-closed-ecoli/
https://www.ctvnews.ca/vancouver/article/no-swimming-at-5-metro-vancouver-beaches-due-to-e-coli/
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/vancouver-beaches-ecoli-advisories-july-2025
https://www.vch.ca/en/service/public-beach-water-quality
There really should be a concerted effort to clean this situation up. This isn't good for the residents or for the tourists.
https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=Metro+Vancouver+beaches
ICE Is Moving Immigrants Arrested On The US Mainland To Honolulu
https://www.civilbeat.org/2025/07/ice-moving-immigrants-arrested-mainland-to-honolulu/
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.
Wednesday, July 16, 2025
Tuesday, July 15, 2025
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
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://storeys.com/vancouver-hotel-development-policy-changes/
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.
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
Vancouver's forgotten streetcars and interurban trams
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 Stubborn+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.
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://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.
Friday, July 11, 2025
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.
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
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
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/
Final Destination: Bloodlines Movie Clip https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0iQhOmebDqo
https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=Seattle
Thursday, July 10, 2025
SkyTrain enters its Mark V era with 5 car trains
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://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
Redevelopment of McDonald's restaurant next to Main Street-Science World SkyTrain station approved by Vancouver City Council
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
Monday, July 7, 2025
Midweek showers sandwiched by sunny days in Metro Vancouver
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.
Thursday, July 3, 2025
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.
Tuesday, July 1, 2025
What Canada Day looked like in Vancouver over 100 years ago
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.
Monday, June 30, 2025
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.
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://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://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.
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://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.
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
Thursday, June 26, 2025
World Cup windfall fades into fantasy as costs keep climbing
B.C. taxpayers are pouring millions into seven FIFA World Cup matches while tourism payoff remains wishful thinking https://www.biv.com/news/commentary/kirk-lapointe-world-cup-windfall-fades-into-fantasy-as-costs-keep-climbing-10870049
Airport rail links
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airport_rail_link
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
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
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.
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.
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