Fascinating article and one that echoes what I heard more than a decade ago from a woman who conducted public consultations about the dangers of large, public meetings: the strongly opinionated will take over, the moderates will get discouraged and go home, any hope of reasonable discussion will end. Perhaps we can conduct a live […]

[Read more →]

No one seems to want to talk about this deal much yet, since the city, developer and church are working out what is going to replace the shelter. But here’s what we know for now.

[Read more →]

You decide what’s going on here. http://www.thenownewspaper.com/news/Council+still+tight+despite+casino+divide+Watts+Rasode/7884685/story.html  

[Read more →]

Vancouver’s community centre associations are the closest thing to participatory democracy the city has. We don’t have the kind of neighbourhood independence that exists in Portland, which gives out grants to neighbourhoods to spend as they choose. But, failing that, the centre associations have operated as the neighbourhood councils. Now the park board is acting […]

[Read more →]

And …. more fallout. As some councillors noted, casino decisions really strain a marriage. Here’s what they had to say. Story also attached below

[Read more →]

The Surrey casino: a story that just keeps on giving. Just to try to keep on top of the developments, here’s the chronology. After two long nights of public hearings, Surrey council votes at 2 a.m. Saturday on whether to approve a casino licence. Tweeting reporters send out news of the votes one by one. […]

[Read more →]

I can’t recall when I’ve heard a high-level bureaucrat sound so upset. At first, when I heard about Energy Minister Rich Coleman’s comments about the Surrey decision, I thought it was the usual strong words from our very expressive MLA from Langley. But a lengthy interview with BCLC CEO Michael Graydon made it clear there’s […]

[Read more →]

To some, Vancouver many historic schools are among the few remaining artifacts of the early city, visible and valuable mementoes that should be saved. To others, they are death-traps, likely to crumble instantly on top of the heads of students the next time there is even a mild earthquake here. The Vancouver school board has […]

[Read more →]

Sorry, I know some of you are sick of this, but I’m fascinated by this train wreck. Here’s the latest.    

[Read more →]

Hard to keep up with this story, I know, what with new revelations every day that the Waldorf Productions partners weren’t the flushest, or perhaps savviest, of business people (as per Charlie Smith’s story that I tweeted yesterday). Then there’s the whole “Hastings is being turned over to condo developers” meme to contend with. Helping […]

[Read more →]