by Sean Orr | Coleman Country: BC Gov’t Poised to Move Against Portland Hotel Society. Behold the old standby of divide and conquer, and it’s really quite genius: federal and provincial government neglect creates a vacuum; organization steps in to do the work of government; organization is flawed (duh) but entrenched and stands in the way of government’s plans; government rides back in on high horse and “exposes” organization for profiting off poverty. The irony? If it was run like a bloated government bureaucracy it would get nothing done and have to pay three times as much to their employees.
And speaking of divide and conquer, Irwin Oostindle blames PHS for failure of W2 space: “If PHS had left even 1% on the table that could have seen the community amenity succeed, instead they strong-armed the process for their own benefit.”
Related: Downtown Eastside: ‘It’s just the Ovaltine’.
I’m developing an appetite. Lunch, anyone? Vancouver condo king invites $25,000-per-person donations to Vision Vancouver. Not sure how The Province can feign outrage when this is pretty par for the course.
Cone but not forgotten: City of Vancouver taken to court over view corridors. Best comment: “Sure housing prices are out of control because demand vastly exceeds supply, but MY views!!! MY VIEWS!!”
Illuminating: Stunning Rodney Graham chandelier to be installed under the Granville Bridge. I’m not sure if Graham is using the chandelier as a symbol of the aristocratization of housing in Vancouver, but if he is maybe Westbank [the property development company] could also dress the homeless people who sleep under the bridge in tuxedos. After all, they believe “the entire environment should be designed in the public interest.”
Or maybe they could just dangle this free rancher from the bridge instead to keep costs down (because tuxedos are expensive)…
Related: Infographic: Vancouver’s soaring home prices, 1977 to the present.
Schadenfreude of the day: Last call: Shark Club closing its iconic downtown Vancouver location on April 30. Iconic? No. Alas, it’s not a permanent closure either. It’s just a transition to new owners. Sorry.
Rat poison left in East Vancouver dog park, neighbourhood warned. Name change to Dog Illing Park?
Dave Grohl shocks local drummer, reveals he’s a big fan. Congrats on all the exposure, guys! This one’s for you: We Hate It When Our Friends Become Successful.
Game of Homes: If B.C. Were Westeros From ‘Game Of Thrones’ It Would Look Like This. Winter complaints are coming.
Ladies and gentleman, this is your new Canucks goalie.
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Strathcona
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I’m surprised you didn’t make a comment on this little gem:
“I would not trade bike lanes for Syria’s problems,” Rennie said.
Because, as we all know, without bike lanes there is civil war.
Yeah I was almost outraged by that, but I know what he means.
Morrissey! Finally!
http://31.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lhelf7vvqV1qdf16no1_500.png
Yes!
So, 25,000 dollar lunches to have access to the mayor is par for the course? Do you mind providing examples of where this is normal, non-concerning behaviour? You may be cool with it, but I’m not.
Secondly… Do you honestly think we have a shortage of condos here? Are you having trouble finding one to buy? Are they just jam packed with people who live and work here?
Lastly, they aren’t”my” views, view cones were intended to preserve beauty for EVERYONE… not just those in the highest towers, or a lone private citizen. I know it’s not an elitist concept but perhaps you could try to understand that those of us who grew up here are a little confused and angry when the things we love about our hometown are being turned into user pay commodities that many of us can’t afford. The smarmy answer to that is that we should live elsewhere, followed by an implication that this city is too desirable to be housing the likes of us. But then again, we can’t all be bankrolled by a political machine now can we? And I’ll stay to be a thorn in the side of anyone trying to convince me I don’t belong in the place where all my family and most of my friends are, and I hope to god I’ll see something other than ugly cement and glass, cheap looking and cheaply built empty shoeboxes