I know a lot of people are already in the dumps, with the party gone and nothing but litter, fencing, and the return of bad weather around. Hate to add to it, but here’s my story on how it’s going to be a long haul to ensure that all those things we loved about the […]

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If anything proves that reality is subjective, this pair of articles from American reporters and their observations about the experience of the Olympics in Vancouver ought to do it. Here’s one and here’s the other.

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Politicians in B.C. are reeling from the enormous success of the Games in Vancouver and the smart ones are scrambling already to try to cash in on the aura, in terms of getting things they want. Gregor is off to Ottawa to do same. At least he doesn’t have a horrible budget to try to […]

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Somehow I don’t think this piece of news, sent out over the news-release wires this morning, is going to make most people feel that great about the Games. Their worst nightmare, actually. Vancouver real estate developer strikes gold $46.76 million sold during Olympics: $31.8 million to Olympic visitors With the 2010 Winter Olympic Games now […]

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I missed the game (too much tension), following its progress by the screaming around me.I felt like I had to get out afterwards, because it was all just too much like an unreal Disney movie to me. Really, could old Walt himself have dreamed up anything better? Sports mega-event comes to (in global terms) relatively […]

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There’s a lot of post-op Olympics delirium floating in the air these days, with everyone drunk on the successes and the street parties and the sight of people choosing to come downtown every day dressed in Canadian flag capes. And now, like summer-camp attendees who’ve had a really great week, we’re promising all kinds of […]

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Okay, some international media coverage appears that reflects a little more some of the real preoccupations of a significant number of people here. But I don’t get why even the NY Times can’t get some basic things right. The taxpayers are not carrying $1 billion in debt for the village, at least not the way […]

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I think I speak for all of us when I say: It’s been a blast, but we need some sleep plus a couple of days where the most exciting thing that happens is getting a free shampoo sample in with the mail. Although I know some of my harsher critics (as opposed to my quiet […]

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I had such great response to my previous post (thanks all urban planners out there, Lance, Michael and others) on the success of the Granville Mall during the Olympics that I wrote a story for the Globe too on it, which you can read here. As you’ll see in the story, downtown businesses, the mayor […]

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Oh, surely with all these wonderful pictures of Vancouver being beamed around the world 24/7, we can rest assured that those Olympic village condos will sell for top prices and ensure that the Malek brothers/Millennium Developments will pay back all the money the city loaned them. Don’t be celebrating too quickly. Even the city’s chief […]

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