December 29, 2009 - 11:36 am |
Posted by Jonathan Ross
CivicScene is back in the saddle with a holiday diet and a blogging schedule that once again need a steady regimen.
I have returned to the blogging horse, a little more weighty from no less than three holiday dinners within four days – a condition, I might add, that I fully intend to begin working off sometime today.
Today I am struck by two columns by two of Vancouver’s most respected scribes – Rod Mickleburgh of the Globe and Mail and Allen Garr of the Vancouver Courier – that offer assessments on two of Mayor Gregor Robertson’s most prominent and contentious policy directions over the past year.
There can be little argument with the fact that Vision Vancouver’s victory in last year’s civic election was predicated on a strong commitment to tackle homelessness in addition to a stated intention to create dedicated bike lanes on the Burrard Bridge (the former obviously having a far greater impact than the latter).
So if both of these policies were clearly articulated within the context of an election campaign that returned a decisive victory for the party proposing them, then it is safe to say that a majority of Vancouver’s electorate embraced them as something they were willing to see implemented.
This of course didn’t stop certain members of the outgoing regime from doing their damnedest to work up fervour to the contrary.
Read the rest of this entry »
December 28, 2009 - 11:34 am |
Posted by Jonathan Ross
CivicScene remains on hiatus for one more day as we have a third turkey dinner with guests that have just arrived in Vancouver from Calgary and Azerbaijan.
Back tomorrow with some new posts.
December 24, 2009 - 11:17 am |
Posted by Jonathan Ross
December 23, 2009 - 3:58 pm |
Posted by Jonathan Ross
Could this be the view for Olympic visitors as they cross the usually panoramic Granville Stret Bridge?
“It could be a shocker if you’re not from around here.“
That statement from Paul Welsh, general manager of Edelman Vancouver which is a communications firm handling marketing for several Olympic-related events and sponsors, sums up the anxiety people have regarding Vancouver’s weather during the Games.
Truth be told, it has always been one of my top apprehensions about hosting the games, largely because of the fact that not only is Vancouver not a winter city, but also by the impact that the rain has on snow-related sporting competitions.
Speaking as a newly married young Vancouverite looking at purchasing a home, but nowhere close to being in the price range of living in Vancouver proper, however, I can only say “Let it rain” when it comes to attracting greater interest in Vancouver’s real estate market.
“It could also put a damper on the vision of Vancouver that officials need to help lure tourists back after the Games.”
Tourists? Cool. A flood of new residents? I’ll take a pass.
