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Vancouver is Vancouver. No other Canadian city compares to it, nor should they try.
I was seconded to my company's Vancouver office one summer. Yes, I was living out of a hotel room, but I ended up spending many Saturday mornings on Robson Street, with coffee and the Globe and Mail. Half my attention was on the paper; the other half was watching people passing by. Sometimes, on weekends, I'd head for Whistler in my rental car; other times, I'd head for Hastings Park for horse racing. I explored the Seawall, and walked Stanley Park, and watched the suicidal kids throw themselves off the cliffs at Lynn Canyon.
I've lived in Toronto, Edmonton, and Calgary; and while I agree that Vancouver is a Canadian city, I will state that it is unlike any other Canadian city. Vancouver is a gem in its own way, and I look forward to when I can return.
Vancouver is Vancouver. No other Canadian city compares to it, nor should they try.
I was seconded to my company's Vancouver office one summer. Yes, I was living out of a hotel room, but I ended up spending many Saturday mornings on Robson Street, with coffee and the Globe and Mail. Half my attention was on the paper; the other half was watching people passing by. Sometimes, on weekends, I'd head for Whistler in my rental car; other times, I'd head for Hastings Park for horse racing. I explored the Seawall, and walked Stanley Park, and watched the suicidal kids throw themselves off the cliffs at Lynn Canyon.
I've lived in Toronto, Edmonton, and Calgary; and while I agree that Vancouver is a Canadian city, I will state that it is unlike any other Canadian city. Vancouver is a gem in its own way, and I look forward to when I can return.
While stationed in Esquimalt when still RCN, I enjoyed everything about the left coast. Job and continued educational opportunities were not that great compared to Ontario back in the 60's so here I am retired in the heart of southwestern Ontario beetching at Wynne and our Hydro fiasco.
Vancouver with it's access to wonderful inner city charms like the VanDusen botanical garden is a place I could easily transition to if relatives and friends weren't now of primary import. I'm of two minds however as to whether an easier access to the Island would be something good or bad on changing the dynamic between the two cities of Victoria & Vancouver because it seemed whatever either city didn't present you by way of amenities, the other did.
Victoria's old world charm, cobbled streets and hanging flower pots all over the city, Butchart gardens and the wonderful harbour in front of the Empress is a memory moment I have frequently. Scuba diving from the shores of Beacon Hill, Holland point and Clover point parks to make a few bucks on pawning retrieved boaters lost articles. Attending impromptu "smokers" (booze bashes) on the beaches off the East Sooke Rd. area to wake up hung-over amongst snoring sea lions that had come ashore for the night, are other memories.
Like Chevy, I had the requirement to be quartered in the Wedgewood Hotel on Hornby St. for a two week stint of business mixed with other convention duties in the mid 90's. The goings-on with everything from a movie being filmed in the street below our room to sitting at one of the sidewalk cafes downtown and people watching over coffee and Danish are the stuff of wonderful memories.
A wonderful part of the planet every Canadian should occasion a visit to.
In order to easily hike to the mountains from the North Shore you have to literally live way up there...sure I can hike from Seattle downtown to Issaquah or, even closer, to Newcastle....how many do that?? You are making a huge stretch....
Even from my friend home in upper Lonsdale is quite the walk before you get into an actual mountain...
Are you kidding me?? You can be in the wilderness one hour of train ride from New York Penn Station (consider how big New York is), same from Milan up in the Alps.
Early morning in the mountains at Campo Dei Fiori....50 mins from Milan downtown
No is not....you can easily get into the wilderness from many many cities around the world, one of them just 200 km south....very nice yes, exceptional no, get out of your head that you live in an unique city, wake up.
From 99 put a straightforward lateral freeway link to Hw1 and widen Hwy 1...easy...you do not hit any highly pristine areas that way at all. A tunnel from downtown to Hwy 1 across the Burrard Inlet would help too.
You are now taking train trips 200 k's to counter my point about walking to wilderness
Highway 1 was widened a few years ago. For a year commuter cut off 15 minutes in from Surrey. Today, back to square one, it's full at rush hours.
A tunnel would be great...except...tunnel entrance would go where downtown? It would then have to go up the foothills to join the Upper Levels. The costs would be staggering. I suppose a 200 dollar toll might pay it off in 80 years.
You are now taking train trips 200 k's to counter my point about walking to wilderness
These are not 200 Km train trips.......50 mins to 1 hour trip is just about 4 times the amount of time necessary by public transportation (~15 min. being optimistic) to get into the wilderness from downtown Vancouver, which, let's keep in mind remembering, is a fraction in size compared to these megacities....
Sure if I live up there in the foothills of West Vancouver or North Vancouver I can walk into a mountain, so I can do the same if I live in one of the north satellite towns part of Metro Milan...and let me tell you that is much more affordable to live there than living up in the foothills of North Van or West Van.
The only realistic, practical "walk into the wilderness" from downtown is Stanley Park and many many cities have huge urban parks....
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Highway 1 was widened a few years ago. For a year commuter cut off 15 minutes in from Surrey. Today, back to square one, it's full at rush hours.
Widened but left with many choke points which did not solve anything.....
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A tunnel would be great...except...tunnel entrance would go where downtown? It would then have to go up the foothills to join the Upper Levels. The costs would be staggering. I suppose a 200 dollar toll might pay it off in 80 years.
The tunnel could start from Burrard or one of its parallel streets. Sydney manages to charge between $4 and $2.50 (depending on time of crossing) for both tunnel and bridge (3 km in length) crossing in Sydney.
Not re-making the Lion's Gate Bridge as a double decker when it was upgraded was a big mistake also.
Last edited by saturno_v; 07-21-2017 at 03:32 PM..
Vancouver is Vancouver. No other Canadian city compares to it, nor should they try.
I was seconded to my company's Vancouver office one summer. Yes, I was living out of a hotel room, but I ended up spending many Saturday mornings on Robson Street, with coffee and the Globe and Mail. Half my attention was on the paper; the other half was watching people passing by. Sometimes, on weekends, I'd head for Whistler in my rental car; other times, I'd head for Hastings Park for horse racing. I explored the Seawall, and walked Stanley Park, and watched the suicidal kids throw themselves off the cliffs at Lynn Canyon.
I've lived in Toronto, Edmonton, and Calgary; and while I agree that Vancouver is a Canadian city, I will state that it is unlike any other Canadian city. Vancouver is a gem in its own way, and I look forward to when I can return.
Yes, a gem.
Stanley Park is awesome. So close to downtown, so huge.
Really...Discovery Park, Seward Park, the Arboretum...I suggest you to actually visit Seattle sometimes....
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