Archive for Vancouver
Fares up.
Bus fares are going up $0.25 if you’re paying cash. At first I balk at this, but as Stephen points out it’s not entirely unjustified. Clearly the Canada Line and other expansions aren’t free and add value to the price of a ticket, but I wonder how much energy costs play into this decision? What has the price of gas done to the costs of operation? Ferry prices are up because of it…why not transit?
I support the idea of taxing single occupancy vehicles and subsidising public transit for the good of the environment, congestion and equal opportunity. So initially a fare hike spooks me. Paying $2.50 to get accross town seems a little steep…I’d love to see a breakdown on average cost/rider of a bus at capacity.
Don’t do it.
Addressed to:
MLA: Jenny Wai Ching Kwan
Vancouver-Mount Pleasant
via: jenny.kwan.mla@leg.bc.ca
Mrs. Kwan,
As a resident and business owner within your constituency, I am writing to inform you of my position regarding the Gateway Project. Previous highway expansions in other cities have provided temporary relief to congestion, but have had a neutral or negative effect on commute times in the long run. Furthermore, they promote the use of single passenger vehicles and thus move against our stated goals of reducing our environmental impact.
I trust that as my representative, you will take my position into consideration. I request that you promote a light rail alternative to the twinning of the Port Mann bridge as it will lessen our impact on the environment and continue to promote density and sustainability within the Lower Mainland.
Sincerely,
Bill MacEwen
WorkSpace | 21 Water St.
http://abetterplacetowork.com
778.891.2455
Ottawa Architecture.
Ottawa Architecture., originally uploaded by MacEwen.
I’m not going to lie…I had a hate on for this city for a long time. Maybe it was a high-school grudge more than anything. This past weekend I paid a visit to the crapital and I gotta tell ya I’ve developed an appreciation and even some respect for the city.
I wave the Vancouver flag wherever I go. “Yeah, you’re city is okay…but in Vancouver we’ve got mountains, so there!” There is something though that Ottawa’s got that we don’t. Obviously the War Museum, the National Art Gallery, Museum of Civilization come to mind.
The Market adds some cohesion to the rest of the city. It’s not a focal point, it’s the focal point. Vancouver has it’s neighborhoods spread out in all their glory…main, the drive, kits etc. But we lack that one area where one can go to just purely chill. To be a true “Flaneur.”
In Ottawa you can go downtown without any specific direction or purpose. The carts with trinkets everywhere, the buskers, the bars and restaurants, it all takes place in an area rather than in one row down the length of a street.
The Cultural centers are all within walking distance from the core. You can get to Parliament, and all the museums on foot. Lends itself well for cruising around smoking cigarettes wearing a striped shirt and a chapeaux.
For all the great things we do in urban planning, maybe this is something to look at. Looking beyond the strip…
Getting Help.
Last week I was wondering what we could do to help the situation in the DTES. BR just posted a list of locations where people at risk of going for a tumble get can help.
“The first thing EVERYONE in Vancouver should know is that there’s a four (4) legal-sized page list of outreach programs in the DTES, and it can be found at the Carnegie Centre (401 Main St., 604.665.2220).” – BR