January 31, 2009 Headlines
January 31, 2009
LOCAL
Sullivan: Olympic Village Doomsayers Are Wrong [The Tyee]
2010 Olympic budget gets needed tune-up [CBC]
B.C. acquires 15 new properties to house homeless [CBC]
Province buys housing units for the homeless all over B.C. [State of Vancouver]
Social housing piggy bank is still empty [The Vancouver Sun]
Jordan Bateman in Vancouver [Price Tags]
Court orders Falun Gong to remove protest hut from Chinese consulate [Chinese in Vancouver]
Metro Vancouver Sustainability Report [Stephen Rees]
“No Gateway Bailout” says Wilderness Committee on Budget Vote [Stephen Rees]
Ron Parks finds P3 projects have higher costs, bias and secrecy [Stephen Rees]
CANADA
A mighty controversy: Are windfarm opponents getting their facts straight? [Rabble]
INTERNATIONAL
The toll may tip the debate on the size of a new Interstate 5 bridge [The Oregonian]
Beaverton to Wilsonville, via Chi-town [The Oregonian]
Environmental Issues Slide in Poll of Public’s Concerns [New York Times]
Sea Dust, pt 1 [Infranet Lab]
From pollution fight, seeds of change sprout [Chicago Tribune]
Paved Paradise: Cemeteries in Parking Lots [Roadside Resort]
Where’s the Square? Visionaries wanted
January 30, 2009
By the Vancouver Public Space Network
The Vancouver Public Space Network is currently running a Design Ideas Competition. The “Where’s the Square?” contest is open to anyone who feels like they have a plan for a grand gathering place inside the city boundaries.
We’re looking for ideas from city-lovers, planners, artists, philosophers, architects, urbanists, students of any discipline and visionaries from all walks of life. The competition has some fairly straightforward parameters covering the size, accessibility, programming and utility of the square… but after that, it’s all up to you. Most importantly, we don’t have a set location in mind. Instead, we’re looking for entrants to come up with a plan for where the square could be situated.
The “Where’s the Square?” Competition runs until March 20, 2009 and is open to individuals or teams. There will be two prizes, based on a juried review of the entries as well as a “people’s choice award.” A variety of other supporting events will also be taking place throughout February, March and April.
Interested in participating? The Competition Brief and other related materials can be accessed at the VPSN’s “Where’s The Square?” webpages.
One more thing: we’re asking participants to send us an Entrant Form to let us know that they want to submit a plan. We’re looking to get these by the end of the month. According to one of our participants, the record for completing and submitting an Entrant Form is under 60 seconds. If you feel so inspired (and we hope you do!), you can try and beat this time by following the link below.
***
“Where’s the Square?” Competition Brief:
http://vancouverpublicspace.ca/uploads/WTS-competitionbrief.pdf
“Where’s the Square” Competition Entrant Form:
http://vancouverpublicspace.ca/uploads/WTSEntrantForm.doc
**
For more information: info@vancouverpublicspace.ca
Montréal: The Quest for a Metropolis
January 30, 2009
Authors: Annick Germain and Damaris Rose (John Wiley & Sons, 2000)
In the livability Olympics for world cities, the Canadian gold and silver medals usually go to Vancouver and Montréal. Vancouver has benefited greatly from its geography, a world-class transit system during its initial growth, the absence of an urban freeway system, and some smart planning decisions made in the 1970s. But how has Montréal developed into such a great place to live? This is the question that writers Annick Germain and Damaris Rose address in Montréal: The Quest for a Metropolis. Read more
January 29, 2009 Headlines
January 29, 2009
LOCAL
B.C. government ponies up third of funds for Port Mann project [Vancouver Sun]
Sewage-laced effluent spewing into Metro Vancouver environs [Vancouver Sun]
Give My Regards … [Price Tags]
Burrard Bridge Open House [Stephen Rees Blog]
Poll: Canadians want budget pass; no appetite to coalition [Chinese in Vancouver]
From the opening of the Pattullo Bridge, 1937
CANADA
Judge throws out Victoria city rules for campers on public property [Vancouver Sun]
Ignatieff to call for changes to budget [Globe and Mail]
Manitobans the worst recyclers in the country, figures show [Globe and Mail]
INTERNATIONAL
Tolls and other traffic management ideas are coming back [Crosscut]
A mass transit dilemma: Ridership up, funds down [LA Times]
How we get to work - transit, biking and walking in Metro Vancouver
January 28, 2009
By Erick Villagomez, re:place magazine
Map courtesy of Erick Villagomez © 2009
What better way to start off 2009 than with another map. Given how the unexpected snowy weather seemed to paralyze this fine city of ours over the holidays, I thought is would be more than fitting to see how we all get to work. Read more
January 28, 2009 Headlines
January 28, 2009
LOCAL
Budget: More new bathrooms than new social housing [The Hook]
Campbell to Harper: Show Me the Money [The Tyee]
Robertson has mixed feelings about federal budget [The Hook]
Stevenson on tap [The Vancouver Courier]
Vision Vancouver eyes Project Civil city cash [The Vancouver Courier]
Project Civil City at death’s door [The Vancouver Courier]
Open houses for Canada Line bus changes - Jan. 31 & Feb. 1 in Richmond [Buzzer Blog]
More Olympic Village [The Vancouver Courier]
2010 costs missing from federal budget [CTV]
Another agency puts Vancouver on credit watch [The Globe and Mail]
First deficit budget in 12 years - highlights [Chinese in Vancouver]
CANADA
Tories to pump $7-billion into public works [The Globe and Mail]
INTERNATIONAL
Europe’s Grass-Lined Green Railways = Good Urban Design [Inhabitat]
Obama puts spotlight on nation’s infrastructure [Chicago Tribune]
Conclusion - Downtown Historic Railway kickstarts the Vancouver rail renaissance
January 27, 2009
As an epilogue to the Downtown Historic Railway story, TransitFan asked Dale Laird, Vice-President of the Transit Museum Society (TRAMS), about potential extensions to the heritage streetcar system. Read more
January 27, 2009 Headlines
January 27, 2009
LOCAL
Shopping List [Price Tags]
Former councillor Jim Green hired to help on Olympic village [State of Vancouver]
In shaky times, a B.C. city centres itself [Globe and Mail]
CANADA
Architecture as argument for creating better world [The Toronto Star]
It’s time for a green New Deal [Rabble]
INTERNATIONAL
15 Creative, Innovative & Hilarious Parking Solutions [WebUrbanist]
China’s Route Forward [NY Times]
A Year in Five Minutes: Vancouver 1905
January 26, 2009
A BC Electric Company interurban tram, circa 1906. Item # Out P685.
By Chuck Davis, The History of Vancouver
Photos courtesy of Vancouver Archives
The Main Event: The Interurban began between Vancouver and Steveston
In 1905 the CPR leased the Vancouver and Lulu Island Railway (incorporated in 1891, but not owned by the CPR until 1902) to the BC Electric Railway, which was running the city’s streetcars. The BCER put up trolley wire, built a new station at the north end of the Granville Street bridge, and on July 4 began an interurban service between this station and Steveston. Read more
January 26, 2009 Headlines
January 26, 2009
LOCAL
A new level of care provides B.C.’s most troubled citizens with refuge [Globe and Mail]
Irish and Orange [Vancouver Courier]
Tenants cry for help [Vancouver Courier]
Olympic critic says Vancouver Charter changes threaten civil liberties [Georgia Straight]
Olympics Spending a Shot in the Arm for British Columbia [The Tyee]
Campbell’s Global Warming Game [The Tyee]
CANADA
Budget targets $7B for infrastructure [Vancouver Sun]
INTERNATIONAL
Minibus buzzes around `city’ [The Miami Herald]
Task force says Oregon land-use system needs tweaking [The Oregonian]
We have a Viaduct plan, not an overall transportation plan [Crosscut]
