A new sign of the times at Vancouver City Hall, where someone is finally taking some responsibility over spending

In consideration of the fact that the Whistler Athletes’ Village will be handed over to 2010 Games organizers with a $1-2 million surplus in the bank, it is amazing how Vancouver’s was originally conceived and managed during the heart of construction by the previous civic administration.

First to clarify, current Vancouver City Manager Penny Ballem has introduced some major changes with the way in which capital projects are funded – namely that they are going to have to face  “more oversight, due diligence, [and] rigour in terms of our original estimates.”

This is in stark contrast to the days of Sam Sullivan and Peter Ladner, who both offered lackadaisical attitudes towards a project that was to cost hundreds of millions and advertised as a jewel in the massive global profile that Vancouver was to experience both during and after the Olympics. Read the rest of this entry »