As we all know, Surrey Mayor Dianne Watts announced Saturday, while she was opening the new city hall, that she won’t be running again in November. Not a huge surprise, as there had been rumours for weeks and lots of hints about the event Saturday.
But now it brings out into the open the jostling, as the inevitable hole appears in the space-time continuum.
4 responses so far ↓
1 Bill Lee // Apr 29, 2014 at 3:48 pm
A recent name recognition poll including Barinder Rasode, Tom Gill, Linda Hepner and Bruce Hayne are widely believed to be interested in the position as mayor showed Rasode not as high as others with young voters.
Who would make the best mayor of Surrey?
Linda Hepner (Surrey First)
Bruce Hayne (Surrey First)
Tom Gill (Surrey First)
Barinder Rasode (Independent)
Doug McCallum (Independent)
Interesting.
Kevin Diakiw’s http://www.postdeadline.com/?p=42
2 Tiktaalik // Apr 29, 2014 at 4:32 pm
Does anyone else think Dianne Watts recieves a bit too much acclaim relative to her real, lasting accomplishments?
She has certainly improved Whalley and pushed it in the right direction, and I strongly agree with her attitude that Surrey needs to become a real city and not just a sleepy suburb, but on the other hand, I haven’t witnessed much positive positive change outside of Surrey’s downtown core, and in Surrey, that’s a big area.
The notion that suburbs need to become denser, real cities is hardly even that novel, as we’re seeing suburbs across Metro Vancouver, even as small as White Rock and Fort Langley densifying as well. Recently I’ve been more impressed with the New Westminster council and their passionate position, which Watts opposes, that New West doesn’t need a bigger Pattullo replacement.
I think it’s fantastic that a Mayor of Surrey was a strong proponent of a light rail network but at the end of the day, Mayor Watts was unable to deliver it. As a transit referendum approaches she’s now stepping away from municipal politics, and the pro-referendum side is likely going to lose one of their strongest advocates.
3 Lewis N. Villegas // Apr 30, 2014 at 1:48 pm
What is the more perplexing challenge—finding the ‘next’ Mayor Watts or choosing the right path for development in the City of Surrey? If that is the quandary here, then I see it as a no-brainer.
The municipality 30 km south-east of Vancouver wins hands down. It will take a Mayor of unimaginable talents to bring all of the differing forces in place about 3x as large as Vancouver into harmony on a challenging site south of the Fraser River.
Looking at the flip side, in the brief and limited contact I had with then-Councillor Watts in Cloverdale, and the subsequent time I had living next door in White Rock, the Watts tenure was good for her city.
Considering two paralleling tracks—who will be the best next Mayor for Surrey, and what will be the best urban development policy for Surrey to follow—readers here will recognize my interests lie along the latter.
However, cities are led from the Mayor’s Chair, and Surrey will be hard pressed to find more leaders with Dianne Watts demonstrated capacity.
4 Bill Lee // May 1, 2014 at 1:05 pm
A note on the Georgia Straight page straight.com/news/636586/light-rail-and-b-line-combo-better-broadway-skytrain lead to
http://www.janeswalk.org/canada/vancouver/walks
Which is this weekend, in memory of the birthday of urbanist Jane Jacobs( May 4, 1916 – April 25, 2006) (quoting Wikipedia) “was an American-Canadian journalist, author, and activist best known for her influence on urban studies. Her influential book The Death and Life of Great American Cities (1961) argued that urban renewal did not respect the needs of most city-dwellers. The book also introduced sociology concepts such as “eyes on the street” and “social capital”.”
Walks all over the world, if you see the map at janeswalk.org/, including Burnaby, New Westminster, Surrey, Langley, Abbotsford, Chilliwack which are posted, but “blank” at this time. Surrey is “Surrey City Centre: Behind The Scenes from Holland Park to Surrey City Hall” May 3, 2014 | 10:00 AM Meeting Place: Holland Park, South West corner of King George Boulevard and 100 Avenue. More at janeswalk.org/canada/surrey/
The list of 19 walks in Vancouver this year, lead by enthusiasts ( enthusiasts-with-agendas, promoters, nutters) volunteers.
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Vancouver Jane’s walk
Please join us the first weekend of May as we spread Jane’s Jacob’s spirit of community? Lead a walk, participate in a walk, support a walk. Shine or rain.
We hope everyone comes out.
Elizabeth Mackenzie, City Organizer
All Walks by List and by Map
The lesser-known UBC
12:00 PM, May 2, 2014
Meet at: [ unknown ] Meet Friday, May 2 at 12 pm on the UBC Campus, corner of University Boulevard and Main Mall (at the top of the new fountain).
Walk led by Alice Cassidy
Join me for this tour of “hidden gems” on the Point Grey campus of the University of British Columbia.
Seeding Change
01:00 PM, May 3, 2014
Meet at: Hastings Urban Farm; Meet us at the SE corner of Main and Terminal next to the Sole Food Urban orchard at 1pm.
Walk led by Jessica Hum
From farm to fork, growing awareness of local food in Vancouver’s Strathcona and Downtown Eastside.
Hastings-Sunrise Retail and Brewery Tour
10:30 AM, May 4, 2014
Meet at: Laughing Bean Coffee
Walk led by George Wall
Stroll down East Hastings street to enjoy fabulous local retail and history of the neighbourhood; concluding at a l…
The lawn alternative
10:00 AM, May 3, 2014
Meet at: The walk begins on the north lawn of Vancouver City Hall where some of the grass was replaced five years ago by a thriving community garden. From here we amble up Yukon, cross to Manitoba and Columbia pausing at homes where …
Walk led by John Shinnick, Judy Shinnick
A Master Gardener and an experienced Vandusen Garden guide will visit various gardens around City Hall, incl discus…
Take a Walk on the Wild Side – Wreck Beach
11:00 AM, May 2, 2014
10:00 AM, May 3, 2014
Meet at: Meeting place: Acadia Beach unpaved parking lot
Walk led by Judy Williams
The walk takes participants on an ethnobotanical, historical, geological, and political tour of the beach and fores…
Amazing, Brave and Extraordinary Women: Wouldn’t it be nice to…
02:00 PM, May 3, 2014
Meet at: Meet here: Thornton Park
Walk led by Jo Fox, Ellen Woodsworth
See what ingenious and powerful things women are accomplishing in the Downtown Eastside – from art to businesses to…
Walking The Drive
10:30 AM, May 3, 2014
Meet at: Start Meet at the top of Clark Park, north of the tennis court, by the playground.
Walk led by Jason Skladan
Dynamic and Delicious – Totally Drive Certified
False Creek. True Story.
02:30 PM, May 4, 2014
Meet at: Laurel and West 7th Ave
Walk led by Richard Vallee Vallee
A short walk around a great neighbourhood. What’s so great about it? Do people live aboard those boats? Can we l…
Transportation Visions & Mishaps for North Vancouver
01:00 PM, May 4, 2014
Meet at: (Start) Baseball Diamond Loutet Park, corner of East 17th Street & Rufus Avenue.
Walk led by Dave Perfitt
Lynn Valley and Lonsdale Town Centres are densifying quickly. These former street car villages, are now separated b…
A Walk back to 1900s Burnaby Heights
10:30 AM, May 3, 2014
Meet at: May 3 at 10:30 AM: starts at the North East corner of N Boundary and Trinity and ends with light refreshments close by at Burnaby Heights Park.
Walk led by Debbie Reid
A Burnaby Heights walk back to the early 1900s including heritage photos and discussion
An alternative to the Broadway Subway
10:00 AM, May 3, 2014
10:00 AM, May 4, 2014
Meet at: VCC station. 7 km bike tour.
Walk led by Adam Fitch
Ride the route that could take you to UBC faster, cheaper, sooner and more comfortably!
The Active Fiction Walk
11:00 AM, May 3, 2014; 12:00 PM, May 3, 2014
01:00 PM, May 3, 2014; 02:00 PM, May 3, 2014
11:00 AM, May 4, 2014; 12:00 PM, May 4, 2014
01:00 PM, May 4, 2014; 02:00 PM, May 4, 2014
Meet at: Main & east 20th Meeting point: Main & east 20th outside of Bean Around the World cafe on both Saturday May 3 and Sunday May 4. We’ll remain at this meeting point from 11am – 2pm to provide a gathering spot so walkers can meet & chat about your experience after the walk.
Walk led by Jaspal Marwah
The Vancouver Public Space Network invites you to a one of a kind Jane’s Walk in the Riley Park neighbourhood.
Cedar Cottage Chicken Coop Tour
10:30 AM, May 3, 2014
Meet at: Coop 1. 794 E.21 Ave
Walk led by Keltie Craig, Corinne Smit
Curious about backyard chickens? Come visit a few neighbourhood coops, ask questions, meet the birds and enjoy the …
New Park, Farmland, Wild Salmon, and Greencha…
11:00 AM, May 4, 2014
Meet at: Marine Drive Skytrain Station
Walk led by Terry Slack
An exploration of the transition of historic farmland north of the Fraser River.
The “West” West End
10:00 AM, May 3, 2014
Meet at: Start Alberni and Chilco (A block south of Georgia St and two blocks west of Demman.)
Walk led by Gordon Price
The walk will explore the urban fabric of this vibrant community from Coal Harbour to English Bay.
Hinge Park and Habitat Island at Vancouver’s …
10:00 AM, May 4, 2014
Meet at: Meeting place: Olympic Village Square
Walk led by Margot Long
Join us for the walk to learn about why Habitat Island and Hinge Park exist, and how they are increasing the health…
Engaging local and city-wide issues: mixed mo…
12:30 PM, May 3, 2014
Meet at: LongHouse Church Franklin and Pentiction,north of Hastings.
Walk led by Barry Morris
The walk will encourage lots of amble strolling, speaking, and mini-parables of signs of life still stirring in Van…
On the Path to a Connected, Healthy and Happy…
10:00 AM, May 3, 2014
Meet at: The starting point is at Queen Mary School (230 Keith Road West) in North Vancouver.
Walk led by Linda Buchanan
How we design and plan neighbourhoods is (fun)damental to our health and happiness. What are the key components th…
Architectural Heritage and Human Scale Urbani…
01:00 PM, May 4, 2014
Meet at: Quebec Manor, Quebec Street and 7th Avenue
Walk led by Lewis Villegas
Join us for a trip down memory lane & learn about the urban design principles that shaped Mount Pleasant, Vancouver…