Review of Vancouver after 18 months
#16
Re: Review of Vancouver after 18 months
I haven't done the North Van Christmas one yet but they always put on a good set of night markets in the summer (again free entry, lots of food trucks, beer garden, local artisans, bands). Much better than the Richmond S***e market.
#17
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Feb 2014
Location: Done with condescending old hags
Posts: 1,194
Re: Review of Vancouver after 18 months
They forgot to mention however that they are set up in a public space. In most countries I have ever lived they pass the cost of hosting onto the vendors who pay either a flat fee or a % of takings. Only in Vancouver do they have the balls to ask the consumer pay for privilege of spending their own money.
#19
Forum Regular
Thread Starter
Joined: Jan 2015
Location: Los Angeles
Posts: 95
Re: Review of Vancouver after 18 months
I also personally agree that Vancouver is by in large a soulless city.
Of all the city's I have lived in, I find Vancouver the most boring with little to do.
Some can say it's my fault
Some can say it's my fault
Having been to the Philippines and Hong Kong, I am grateful for rules in public & privately owned spaces in large Canadian cities.
Last edited by Enigma368; Dec 12th 2017 at 6:12 pm.
#20
Re: Review of Vancouver after 18 months
Looks like we missed the boat this year for the North Shore event - it was on Dec 2nd - it was Dec 14th last year
http://vancouversnorthshore.com/events/north-vancouver-christmas-festival/
The North Shore night market looks good though so next year I will try and make an effort to check this out.
Anybody recommend VanDusen Festival of lights or is this also a waste of time?
Is there nothing in NB like this then?
#21
Forum Regular
Joined: Jun 2017
Posts: 232
Re: Review of Vancouver after 18 months
One thing that drives me nuts is that when a celebrity or someone else criticises Vancouver for being soulless or boring, Vancouverites instead of acknowledging the problem will blame the person with responses like "maybe you have no soul", or "only boring people get bored". It is a childish and unhelpful response. While I think it can be rude to go around criticising someone elses city, that kind of response really just sums up Vancouver. It would be better to acknowledge the problems and work on trying to improve the city.
But that superficiality seeps into most things here - governments pay lip service and don't get things done, governments and municipalities from Burnaby to Vancouver to Port Moody are all in bed with developers and accept "donations" for their efforts yet no-one really seems to care, the news here is mostly covering sob stories ("CRY CRY The supermarket charged me $5 more") to bears and cats - no global emphasis or deep examination of political/economic/social matters, young people here who have never travelled outside Canada think that they are "it", the dating scene sucks because people are so closed off and suspicious, and the mile marker seems to be "I did the Grouse Grind today - I'm so cool"
Give me a break
I'm honestly starting to think (although I didn't appreciate before) that Europe is actually much more enlightened than the Americas.
#22
Forum Regular
Joined: Jun 2017
Posts: 232
Re: Review of Vancouver after 18 months
one of the best quotes I ever saw came from this board and said something along the lines of Vancouver is a very average city in a wonderful setting. If you picked the city up and moved it to the middle of the Prairies it would be utterly forgettable.
I still live here and have done for nearly 2 years. I still find it enjoyable but as the OP said the level of bureaucracy and wanting to control Every aspect of someone's life is astonishing. We will be moving to the North Shore in January (from Yaletown) as we prefer the less corporate, community feel up there.
For me add to the cons:
very poor driving standards;
government controlled corporations (BC Hydro, ICBC);
cannabis (I don't care what you do in your own home but I have the same right not to have to inhale someone's second hand smoke as they do to smoke it);
a city that is so in bed with developers and foreign interests it should be subject to an independent federal corruption audit.
Add to pros:
good cycling infrastructure;
easy access to the ocean;
cities programs for earthquake preparedness;
craft beer scene
I still live here and have done for nearly 2 years. I still find it enjoyable but as the OP said the level of bureaucracy and wanting to control Every aspect of someone's life is astonishing. We will be moving to the North Shore in January (from Yaletown) as we prefer the less corporate, community feel up there.
For me add to the cons:
very poor driving standards;
government controlled corporations (BC Hydro, ICBC);
cannabis (I don't care what you do in your own home but I have the same right not to have to inhale someone's second hand smoke as they do to smoke it);
a city that is so in bed with developers and foreign interests it should be subject to an independent federal corruption audit.
Add to pros:
good cycling infrastructure;
easy access to the ocean;
cities programs for earthquake preparedness;
craft beer scene
When you say "cities programs for earthquake preparedness" - may I ask what you are referring to? I started a thread a while ago about earthquakes, apparently most people are not insured and which houses have earthquake enforcements? I recently googled around to see if there were any companies which did this and they are all on Vancouver Island - I presume there is no demand here!? Any thoughts on this topic?
#23
Re: Review of Vancouver after 18 months
Whereabouts North, Engineer, and are you renting? The house prices there are shocking. Traffic is also atrocious. It's a really nice community though, I agree.
When you say "cities programs for earthquake preparedness" - may I ask what you are referring to? I started a thread a while ago about earthquakes, apparently most people are not insured and which houses have earthquake enforcements? I recently googled around to see if there were any companies which did this and they are all on Vancouver Island - I presume there is no demand here!? Any thoughts on this topic?
When you say "cities programs for earthquake preparedness" - may I ask what you are referring to? I started a thread a while ago about earthquakes, apparently most people are not insured and which houses have earthquake enforcements? I recently googled around to see if there were any companies which did this and they are all on Vancouver Island - I presume there is no demand here!? Any thoughts on this topic?
The city of Vancouver has an emergency preparedness program which is run by VFRS and CoV through the Office of Emergency Management. The do informative sessions through Neighborhood Emergency Preparedness Program (NEPP) as well as training volunteers to help their communities in both assisting first responders (neighborhood Emergency Assistance Team (NEAT)) and in Emergency Social Services (ESS)).
Volunteer to help in an emergency | City of Vancouver
If you want to know more please let me know, I currently sit in the Advisory board for the NEAT program and we are always looking for volunteers.
The main issue is that a lot of people don't want to think about the danger so they ignore it despite a lot of work to try and inform.
#24
Forum Regular
Joined: Jun 2017
Posts: 232
Re: Review of Vancouver after 18 months
Thanks Engineer! Yes I remember there are a lot of buildings going up in LoLo - nice area
Re: earthquake, I think that is so great that you sit on the NEAT program. I'm not in the city itself so probably not feasible - do you by any chance know where I can find resources/info on how to prepare, and do you know anyone/company that helps with structural reinforcements? Do you believe these are necessary for example? (Cool! A real expert - I have been wanting to talk to one for a while )
Thanks
J
Re: earthquake, I think that is so great that you sit on the NEAT program. I'm not in the city itself so probably not feasible - do you by any chance know where I can find resources/info on how to prepare, and do you know anyone/company that helps with structural reinforcements? Do you believe these are necessary for example? (Cool! A real expert - I have been wanting to talk to one for a while )
Thanks
J
#25
Forum Regular
Joined: Jun 2017
Posts: 232
Re: Review of Vancouver after 18 months
PS I'm such a dotard - I see the CoV website does have info.
That means the only question I do have (if you do know :P) is about structural enhancements for houses. We pay over $2K for insurance that covers earthquakes but I'm not sure it's worth it
That means the only question I do have (if you do know :P) is about structural enhancements for houses. We pay over $2K for insurance that covers earthquakes but I'm not sure it's worth it
#27
Re: Review of Vancouver after 18 months
Justice Institute of BC also has some good info as does the CERT program in the US.
#28
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Aug 2013
Location: Maple Ridge, Super Natural British Columbia
Posts: 2,071
Re: Review of Vancouver after 18 months
I can't understand why ANY market thinks that an entry charge is acceptable!
#30
Re: Review of Vancouver after 18 months
Pros:
World class fishing
Great sailing (easy access to marinas)
People are hilarious (not intentionally of course/riotously easy to wind up)
Great weather in July and August
Happy hour
Close airport
People are so badly dressed you save packet on clothes
Cons:
Price of stuff
Many people stink (might be the combination of damp weather and pot)
The poor and insular state of academia (admittedly a niche concern)
HID’s family
World class fishing
Great sailing (easy access to marinas)
People are hilarious (not intentionally of course/riotously easy to wind up)
Great weather in July and August
Happy hour
Close airport
People are so badly dressed you save packet on clothes
Cons:
Price of stuff
Many people stink (might be the combination of damp weather and pot)
The poor and insular state of academia (admittedly a niche concern)
HID’s family
Last edited by Oink; Dec 12th 2017 at 10:07 pm.