I would truly love to know what you found so offensive about this post. Was it the part about coffee shops, homeless people that you found so offensive, or was it the part about noticing a large number of gay couples? The poster didn't say s/he was offended by them, purely that s/he noticed a large number of them. What is offensive about that?

Would it have been equally offensive it the comment was that there was a large number of bikers, skateboarders, runners?

I appreciate that, sometimes, you come across as an overly sensitive soul, but if there were a large number of gay couples, what is wrong with pointing that out in a non judgemental way?

It truly has. If people think its bad now, they should have seen it when i got here in 1993! I say give the place another 5 - 10 years till it finally grows up. Sure is neat to watch the little fella shoot up though!

How do you find the state of teh buildings/hoods here when comapred to OZ and New Zealand?

I think if you put the comment in context, it does come across as a slight. The poster was talking about negative views of the place and mentioned the number of gay couples as a lasting impression of the city (which I really dont get at all). Besides skaters and runners don't have any baggage assocaited to their labeling as such, in the way persons of gay persuasion do.

Jonboye did aknowledge that it probably wasn't meant that way but it did come across as such. I too raised an eyebrow when I read it.

Here some before and after shots of the changing face of Hastings. This is the infamous 100 west hastings where most of these buildings have sat baorded up for a quarter centry. Zoning density transfers and heritage incentives are saving such buildings

[ATTACH]96225

[ATTACH]96226

density transfers - they had to explain that slowly to me!

I'm here in Van a month and a day, and while I reckon it's the kind of place that could grow on you, I'm with that guy Rog - I'm pretty much underwhelmed and bemused at all the reports/comments that I read and heard about how amazing and beautiful Vancouver is.

It's the most laid back place I've ever been to (which is sweet, in a way), but it's more like a big sleepy town than a city! There is no real buzz or feeling of life walking round town. Beautiful - how??! It's def the most bland city I've ever been to and ugly in parts - the stone tower blocks in the West End and overlooking English Bay are a case in point - they are reminiscent of the Ballymun of old in Dublin! Now I haven't been outside the city and definitely they are nice parts - Kitsilano is pretty beautiful and has a really nice, great vibe. Lovely looking beach houses and avenues and very chilled. But to me saying Vancouver is beautiful because of the mountains and surrounding areas is like saying Dublin is beautiful because of the Dublin mountains!! I don't get it.

Don't want to come across as harsh and I realise I'm only here a wee while, but there is no wow factor here and I'm a bit bemused by it all

Wat til the first snow fall on the mountains in the next few weeks - you will get up in the morning and look at them and say - wow! or maybe awesome :0)

Maybe so I came between the hot summer and the snow, so maybe it's just all about the timing

Yep - that's exactly the way I feel about my time in Vancouver and that was a few years back. I did like the way that cars stopped to allow pedestrians (jaywalkers!) to cross the street even when there wasn't an official pedestrian crossing area.

It would appear that you and JonboyE have spent too much time in Canada. Even if the poster mentioned the numbers in a negative way (and it was specifically mentioned that that was not the intention) it is not unlawful for people dislike gays, blacks, single mothers or people with red hair, etc. Thankfully, there is no thought police at the current time, although I can foresee a time when it will be deemed "offensive" to believe something that another does not and to have the temerity to state such a belief in public.

If one is an employer, one is not permitted to discriminate on such a basis but that does not give any poster any authority to attempt to slight the poster the way that JonboyE did.

As I have repeatedly stated, it would appear that some posters are prepared to accept free speech provided that what is being said accords with their own views, if not, one must be a bigot or "unsophisticated". There have been comments on this board about how all soldiers are animals/scum, how all rednecks are not worthy of life, comments that the likes of JonboyE, evidently, don`t find "offensive". Where the hell is the consistency?

Can you point to one of these? Not that I see a problem with people disliking homosexual throngs.

Oh come on, I am confident that even you could find numerous threads slating the work soldiers do and rednecks in general

Oh the general sentiments, yes of course, but "scum" didn't ring a bell.

My god, you are a troll.

I wasn't particulary offended by the comment as he/she qualifed their statement, but it was a bit odd I thought and not entirely appropriate. It certainly came across as negatively framed, rather than just an idle observation. Odd that a lasting impression of Vancouver would be couples holding hands.

Who said it was unlawful, but it was not a private thought, it was posted on a public forum? But commenting on a forum about such things will provoke a comment from certain people who would find such things offensive. I can imagine how a gay person would have read the comment.

And your parallels about one's view of skaters, runners, and people with red hair are rather absurd. As i noted, they don't have the baggage associated with them, perhaps they as individuals they would be offended, but society would not be.

Your comments have you comming across as being rather bigoted, framed as though you are somehow being cute in challenging long held notions of what is harmful to society.

People don't find the troll anymore. I won't be

I agree with much of what you say. Vancouver is a sleepy big town, rather than a large, urban metropolis. And yes parts are plain ugly, such as the tower blocks of the west end. Other areas of downtown have a built last week feel (acutely most were built in the last 10 years or so).

But i can't imagine who would not be gobsmaked at the views of the ocean, mountains etc, be it a stroll along falsecreek, coal harbour or ambleside. Many equate natural settings with the beauty and livability of a place, be it a move to the country, the edge of a lake, a beach community or a peninsula nestled between oceans, mountains and beaches.

For me, Vancouver's connection to the outdoors it what makes it livable. i've lived in much more relevant cities when it comes to built form, Edinburgh comes to mind, but the access to what Vancouver has to offer has given me more pleasure, and given the prices in real estate, it would seem many agree. I think the natural setting has made Vancouver lazy.

if you want hip and trendy, better head to TO or back across the pond to London.