44 responses so far ↓

• 1 Tiktaalik // Sep 8, 2011 at 11:50 am

  It’s clear that the entrepreneurship gap between Portland and Vancouver is due to the staggering amount of restrictions and red tape at both the municipal and provincial level. It’s so odd, as making it easier to start and run a business is clearly the way to increase the employment rate and make our communities healthier, but unfortunately it seems that all levels of government, and seemingly every party, instead favours policies that support entrenched businesses with plenty of cash.

  I think people were quite hopeful that Vision would improve things in this area, but so far it has been mixed. The street food initiative is great, though it should be dramatically expanded in scope. Sorting out Vancouvers’ bar/liquor/live music venue issues has been very slow going, as Vision has put it through a lengthy planning and consultation process. Meanwhile venues continue to close down. For example the Red Gate, home to the New Pornographers’ recording studio shut down just recently. http://vancouver.openfile.ca/vancouver/file/2011/09/new-pornographers-pack-red-gate-studio

  The province is probably the one that could have the greatest impact in encouraging entrepreneurship involving liquor. This great blog post details how extremely difficult it is to open up a small neighbourhood store that would also sell wine. Currently one needs a fortune. http://www.cherriesandclay.com/2011/07/24/planning-the-implausible/

• 2 spartikus // Sep 8, 2011 at 12:16 pm

  I have long lamented the lack of the UK/Aussie corner pub in this City – the place that isn’t a bar or restaurant, that you could walk a block or two from your front door to have a pint with your friends. (While the beer would give you a headache for days and food was terrible, the Jolly Alderman is much missed for precisely this reason). There are a few, here and there, yes.

  However I seem to recall that over the years whenever a “pub” was proposed there would be a huge neighbourhood outcry. Perhaps attitudes have changed.

  From the Globe article: Food carts have to meet basic health requirements, but nothing else – no judging panels, no numbers restrictions.

  Subscribe. But another recollection I have is of a representative of the business community objecting to food carts here on the ground they would provide “unfair competition” to existing restaurants. (Which just goes to show that the primary purpose of business associations is to advocate and protect their members rather than advocate for the most choice and value for consumers).

• 3 Bill Lee // Sep 8, 2011 at 12:32 pm

  Well 16th Avenue was the old southern boundary of Vancouver City with Municipality of Point Grey and development of commercial was somewhat supressed in that primarily upper residential district.

  Looking at the dots, I see most are in the hotels–the old Elected-Dry-Socreds in-a-Wet-Province rules that pubs could not be stand alone.

  I see one of the pubs set up under Rafe Mair’s reform rules, the idea that you could walk (ha! Walk!! Like animals!?) to the neighbourhood pub, on Wilson Road, (now 41st Avenue) but that has gone downhill.

  The southern coast for pubs coincides with hotel pubs again.

  And the few brew pubs are now in the suburbs, whereas Portland gained many from neighbouring Washington State in the great consolidation some time ago.

  We never had the idea of a neighbourhood bar (hard liquor) as the U.S. had.

  See the “Shots of Portland” book and accompanying website of saloon/bar histories at : http://www.distilledpublishing.blogspot.com/2007/06/hubers-history-behind-bar.html and home page

  New driving rules of DUI/DWI limit current consumption along with aging tastes.
  Pulque anyone? At the new mexicofest.ca?

• 4 Bill // Sep 8, 2011 at 1:11 pm

  “Which just goes to show that the primary purpose of business associations is to advocate and protect their members”

  Unlike unions who are there to advocate for the greater good of society. Remember, teachers are only thinking of the children in taking job action.

• 5 Dan Cooper // Sep 8, 2011 at 1:39 pm

  Some interesting thoughts come up for me from this, having lived in the not-too-far-past in Portland and now for several years in Vancouver. It’s true that most places I lived in Portland, there was at least one old neighbourhood tavern within a block or two – the ‘Vern when I lived off Belmont, the Lutz when I lived off Woodstock…. Heck, there was even a methadone clinic on the same block as the ‘Vern. The old methadone guys were some of my favourite people, and the bars never seemed a great problem. But don’t despair, Vancouver! In my observation, we do have far more liquor stores than Portland. There are about fifty of them* (*slight exaggeration) on Cambie alone, each with its bevy of pan-handlers. In all seriousness, I wouldn’t run down our neighbourhood business strips here. Personally, I have a lot more use for bread and butter shops and restaurants near my apartment than yet more of the hipster-dippy-artsy-yuppy stuff that ate first NW 23rd, then NW 21st, Hawthorne, Belmont, Alberta and on and on in the rolling gentrification of Portland (often wiping out actual artists along with the other other-than-wealthy folks on its way). If I want hipster-dippy-artsy-yuppy, or to pay $35 for a tiny portion of something served on a huge plate, I can always walk or bike over to Kits! Yet somehow I rarely do. Ah, I’m suddenly taken back to the days when you could get a ten buck (with tip) haircut a block from Hawthorne and 39th, then drop your boots off for resoling next door. Good luck getting the same today! you’d probably have to head out to the 82nd Ave. where – as noted – all the non-White people live.

  p.s. All of Portland has about 3 community centres. In Vancouver I can get to four with a 15 minutes walk. Oh, and our politics, strange as they are, are far less crazy than Oregon’s. Come to think of it, that’s largely why I’m here not there!

• 6 ThinkOutsideABox // Sep 8, 2011 at 2:06 pm

  “Which just goes to show that the primary purpose of business associations is to advocate and protect their members rather than advocate for the most choice and value for consumers.”

  Was there an expectation otherwise? The Recording Industry Association of America for example, advocates and protects the interest of the labels instead of music consumers (who the RIAA will target in a lawsuit in case of illegal distribution of music files).

• 7 IanS // Sep 8, 2011 at 2:28 pm

  “(Which just goes to show that the primary purpose of business associations is to advocate and protect their members rather than advocate for the most choice and value for consumers).”

  I’ll echo those who express surprise that this was ever an issue. Of course they advocate for their members. Just as unions advocate for their members or (by way of example) the VACC advocates on behalf of cyclists.

• 8 boohoo // Sep 8, 2011 at 2:35 pm

  I also think the lack of alternatives to downtown is a big problem here. Everything is downtown, or on corridors. Nothing in between. No local cornerstores, bars, restaurants, coffee shops, nothing. If you live near Kensington Park like I do, the only option for a beer (now that Penny Lane is gone) is the tacky Elephant Walk or hike over to Main St.

  The Cambie Corridor Plan (spelled out right in the title) just reinforces this notion of planning for everything on the main drag and nothing in between. Why is that?

• 9 Bill Lee // Sep 8, 2011 at 2:38 pm

  @Dan Cooper “Ah, I’m suddenly taken back to the days when you could get a ten buck (with tip) haircut a block from Hawthorne and 39th, then drop your boots off for resoling next door. Good luck getting the same today!”

  George’s Shoe Repair at 4534 SE Hawthorne Blvd?
  Rockwood Shoe Repair, Hollywood Shoe Repair?

  Bishops Barbers on Hawthorne offers $12 cuts, with a small beer and chatter.

  “50 Liquor outlets on Cambie”? I know of 3 and one is an ex-liquor store now private limited stock to get the yuppies loaded with cheap alcohol.

  Yes, we need more places to drink around Vancouver. And at local prices and fixed small measure we will.
  I enjoy my malnutrition and oncoming Wernicke’s in a windowless dark tav.

• 10 Max // Sep 8, 2011 at 3:26 pm

  @spartikus #1

  Darby’s Pub at 4th and MacDonald is one of the few stand alone pubs, I can think of in my area – that is a pub.

  It embarked on renovating the interior to accomodate a larger beer store as well as increase the patio size.

  I kow they received push back – as I was approached by a strata member from my building to sign a petition. They were a bit taken aback when I said no – I had zero probelms with the changes.

  For me, the Naam is the bigger sorce of trouble – they are open 24 hours and you get the after bar crowd showing up at all hours, music blaring from car stereos, people yelling, the odd fights and then of course, the Naam staff leaves the entrance door open and blasts the music – which you can hear for blocks.

  You can call them and complain , which works for that night, but the next night it is back to same old, same old. And yes, city by-laws have been contacted and again, works for a short period of time and then…the pattern starts all over.

  They are far from a good ‘neighbour’.

  Otherwise, I enjoy a pint at the local legion – The Billy Bishop.

  And if you go on Friday nights – they typically have a roast beef dinner for $12.95.

  http://www.billybishoplegion.org/

• 11 The Fourth Horseman // Sep 8, 2011 at 4:25 pm

  A couple of Cheshire Cheese pubs on the Westside, West Blvd @ 41st and Dunbar.

  Frog and Firkin (think its been renamed?), Academic, the lovely Wolf and Hound and probably 6 or 7 more on West Broadway. Kingshead on Yew in Kits. Another Irish Pub on West 10th. Brown’s more of a restaurant.

  Think we’re missing more of the little bistro scene. Spent many a happy night in Toronto in one neighbourhood or other , walking around a corner to be pleasantly surprised to find a lovely little place off “the main drag”.

• 12 Oakridge // Sep 8, 2011 at 5:09 pm

  Caucasianness = more pubs. Caucasians like pubs. End of story.

• 13 Max // Sep 8, 2011 at 8:41 pm

  @ The Fourth Horseman:

  Brown’s is one of the most disappointing bar restaurants, I have even attended next to most of the Donnelly properties which are cookie cutter.

  They are like Gap, one product, different colors, hope you buy it.

  Frog and Firkin is now a Donnelly property as is the Academic. They all look the same, all serve the same mediocre food. As far as ‘true’ English/Irish pubs, they aren’t even close. perhaps aside from ‘meh’ food, the numerous big screen TVs and the blaring music is a dead give away.

  Kings Head has always been ‘unique ‘ and cheap, but a friend who delivers beer there told me you never want to eat there – the kitchen is disgusting.

  Funny, upon reading the reports of the Naam, my kitchen is cleaner and I have better food handling (refrigeration issues) than their kitchen staff – and no rats or mice. Not saying much for a ‘veg’ restaurant’.

  One thing I noticed during brief stays in Tacoma and Seattle – the old neighborhood houses that had been converted into diners, or small pub/bars.

  It won’t happen here – archaic liquor laws .

• 14 Shane // Sep 8, 2011 at 10:02 pm

  I love Portland, but I don’t buy into this concept so much.

  Commercial Drive has all sorts of liquor establishments – all concentrated in one area, and all with diverse live music from local artists.

  I have never seen anything like that in Portland.

  But – I sure wish we had a building and venue like Doug Fir in Vancouver!

  I have NEVER

• 15 Maude // Sep 8, 2011 at 10:08 pm

  “It won’t happen here – archaic liquor laws .”

  To suggest that Seattle (and many US cities) have less archaic liquor laws is quite wrong. Have you ever wandered around Seattle at night? It was quite dark and unwelcoming in my experience. There seemed to be a dearth of places to go downtown and in nearby neighbourhoods – and the places did not seem conducive of enjoying a beverage safely after 11 pm.

  I was also on a stag recently and attended a ‘strip club’ in Seattle (…when in Rome…); they did not serve booze…only juice, pop and milk.

  Indeed there are some problems with the liquor laws (and liquor board monopoly) here…but I am hopeful change is one the way.

  Aside: apparently organizers of the Whistler Jazz fest and Whistler City council are pressing the B.C. liquor monopolists after denying a perfectly reasonable request for a liquor license typical of jazz fests across Canada. Does anyone have any information on this?

• 16 Roger Kemble // Sep 9, 2011 at 8:37 am

  “Portland is not the nirvana that urban planners and Portlandia fans would have you believe.

  Well, thanqu Frances for busting that one.

  The myth, by thu beaufitul people * and the original beautiful couple **: views, world class, paradise: yunno, Vancouver is better than . . . et. al.

  Portland, like all American cities is a user, on Mic . . . http://www.militaryindustrialcomplex.com/contract_detail.asp?contract_id=3399 . . .

  They are a minor part of a declining, warmongering, bankrupt, rust-belt empire (don’t hold your breath: Rome took four hundred years).

  Vancouver isn’t there YET!

  * Gregor Robertson, Peter and Cornelia Oberlander, George Puil, Arthur Erickson, Larry Beasley, Michael Geller, Michael Sielig, Gordon Price, Jim Green, Libby Davis, Bob Rennie (everything will be all right {for him}), Ken Lum (Jesuz saves those with clout): easily recognizable, they have perpetual smiles duct taped to their chops.

  ** Arthur Phillips, Carol Taylor (FIRE, banksters both!).

  PS. To those volunteer-istas at just about every charity, shelter, soup kitchen . . . flop house . . . chop house and sink hole: you’re taking a job from a gal who need it!

  That’s not good: that’s predatory!

• 17 Sharon // Sep 9, 2011 at 10:51 am

  Below is a sample of a Business Improvement Association constitution.

  a) to develop, encourage and promote business in the XXX Business
  Improvement Area;
  b) To champion for a vibrant, healthy and diverse community.
  c) to make studies of, and advance any project, plan, program, service, initiative or
  improvement designed to benefit the XXX Business Improvement Area;
  d) to cooperate with and aid any person, body, group, or association in projects, programs,
  services or initiatives designed to benefit the XXX Business Improvement
  Area;
  e) to liaise with other interest groups to work together on projects and promotion to
  accomplish the purposes of the Society;
  f) to encourage, support and facilitate entertainment, sports and cultural activities within the
  XXX Business Improvement Area for the purposes of furthering the economic,
  commercial and social welfare of the area;
  g) in affiliation with other business improvement area associations, to promote and carry out
  the purposes of the Society in matters of common concern and interest;
  h) to promote and advocate for matters of common concern and interest to businesses and
  property owners in the XXX Business Improvement Area and to bring together
  businesses and property owners in the improvement area for fulfilling the purposes of the
  Society;

  There are 22 BIAs in the city of Vancouver – Portland has 34.

• 18 paul // Sep 9, 2011 at 11:55 am

  @boohoo

  “If you live near Kensington Park like I do, the only option for a beer (now that Penny Lane is gone) is the tacky Elephant Walk or hike over to Main St. ”

  cedar cottage pub on kingsway is good – and not too far…

• 19 Jean // Sep 9, 2011 at 12:03 pm

  “It’s stunning in its Caucasianness. All of its immigrants are living out on the edges of the city, while young, white hipsters and middle-class professionals rule among the never-ending neighbourhoods of historic houses.”

  I guess one should go digging around for the U.S. Census figures on this one for scientific accuracy.

  However, as Canadian of Asian descent who has travelled and cycled around Portland for several days each time within the last 3 years, the non-white diversity in Portland, is a drop in the bucket, visually compared to Metro Vancouver and Toronto where I have lived in each city over 10 years. Just the number of restaurants serving non-European cuisine and diverse quality, knocks out Portland on its face.

  Is my opinion biased?….absolutely. Perhaps the diversity is more non-English language diversity instead of colour/race based.

  Maybe it’s not fair to include Metro Vancouver vs. City of Vancouver. But alot of visitors can’t easily notice the difference/boundaries when they travel on the edges of City of Vancouver or just across Metro Vancouver. I doubt alot of locals on a daily basis even care unless it’s about local taxes, municipal services and political matters.

• 20 spartikus // Sep 9, 2011 at 12:34 pm

  I regret my off-topic comment on business associations is threatening to derail the off-topic discussion of pubs in Vancouver.

• 21 Bill Lee // Sep 9, 2011 at 12:50 pm

  Obviously no one is going to Portland Near North East (along Lombard Street). Turn left going east across the Burnside Bridge.
  I discovered it while reading the Oregonian’s “police blotter” page some decades ago.

  “Piss-poor U”, the big Portland State University college of the dozen tiny ones in Portland, has urban studies as a section and leads blinkered idealists on urban tours (see Portland First Stop at http://www.pdx.edu/fsp/ ). [ PSU uses the ICAO airport designation PDX to avoid the obvious puns. ]

  But they do have census tract maps by the categories that they use down there. Uses the horrible Flash for presentation of the maps, charts etc.

  From http://www.portlandpulse.org/topics/housing-and-communities
  Racial/Ethnic Segregation
  http://www.portlandpulse.org/node/55
  “Mapping the distribution of race and ethnicity demonstrates that African-American communities are concentrated in northeast and outer east Portland, that Asian communities are concentrated in areas of Washington County and, to a smaller extent, outer southeast Portland, and that Hispanic communities are concentrated in areas of Washington County, near Gresham, and in some less urbanized areas of Clackamas County.”

  Clark county is the other Vancouver (Wash.) Washington county is up on the hill (Beaverton etc.) of the escarpment and west. Clackamas county is south of Multnomah county the latter enclosing most of Portland City.

  Have a browse and go to the Portland Pulse home page for other Portland topics.

• 22 Tessa // Sep 9, 2011 at 2:57 pm

  Spartikus, discussion of pubs is never off-topic. Please, if anyone has any other suggestions for an out-of-the-way pint, post them here.

• 23 Roger Kemble // Sep 9, 2011 at 5:55 pm

  @ Tessa #22 et. al.

  If you want an English pub (public house run by a licensed publican) go to England: try the Kemble’s Head in Covent Garden!.

  Otherwise do some hard work and start crafting a unique image relevant to here and now . . .

• 24 Jean // Sep 9, 2011 at 6:14 pm

  The most obvious “secret” from within the Chinese communities across North America…is that those who are raised on Chinese cuisine, have discerning palates in this area and cook often in this cuisine type, this same fan/foodie goes to ….Richmond, BC for greatest range and choice of different regional Chinese cuisine/cooking or certain parts of Burnaby, maybe parts of Marpole. (Too bad Richmond Chinatown is so car-centric and crowded at times..but at least now accessible by Canada Line or at least some parts.) Old historic Chinatown struggles mightily in this area, though a few gems here and there.

  People go to Metro Vancouver at least for Chinese cuisine choices, not to Portland nor Seattle. Or they go south to California where it’s something more like Metro Vancouver (but more blacks).

  A blog well-loved by fans of Asian restaurant cuisine in Metro Vancouver from international readers. http://chowtimes.com/ As you can see, the loyal readership includes those raised on the cuisine and who are food bloggers themselves that follow this super food blogging couple based in Richmond.

  Sorry to derail from a more rational discussion thread. But if one is immersed in living with more non-Eurocentric reference points in Metro Vancouver, then life looks abit different and well, more homogenized / Caucasian in Portland, in general.

  And Asians I would include South Asians which Surrey seems to have a vibrant cross-section, but I can’t see the municipal boundaries at times when I’m cycling around.

  Another big test of Asian language /immigrant porportions, is the presence of Chinese language media….and Fairchild has a strong foothold in Vancouver and Toronto. Does Portland area even compare?? That is another signal –a private media, non-English language empire cannot establish a long-standing branch city/regional foothold, with wide readership across wide age groups, if there isn’t adequate population at all.

  We can talk statistics..but let’s also include a huge group of international students in private language schools in Metro Vancouver. They also form a presence, a market, plant possible seeds for the future if they stay longer, etc. They patronize these same restaurants, use our parks facilities, transportation, etc.

  I’m not going Asian grocery shopping in Seattle nor Portland. Would be less choice. Get real.

• 25 Chris // Sep 9, 2011 at 7:40 pm

  We were just in Portland last weekend and discovered a wicked bar called Apex – http://apexbar.com/.
  They had 50 beers on tap, most under $5.
  They didn’t have a kitchen, so they allowed you to order food from the neighbouring restaurants and eat it on their patio (we heard from some locals that a few pubs do this to get around local liquor laws that require you to serve food).
  And, to top it off, the parking lot in front was converted into a huge patio with picnic tables and bike racks.

  Now why doesn’t Vancouver have something like this? The strip mall at Main and 18th would look really good with patio seating.

• 26 Paul T. // Sep 10, 2011 at 12:55 am

  Oh my word, tons of bike parking. Drink, Don’t Drive. Wow!

  The cycling nuts never cease to amaze me. I can’t believe they are pulling the mayor’s strings in this city.

  I love cycling just like anyone else, but I would never dream of drinking and riding.

• 27 Jean // Sep 10, 2011 at 6:34 am

  Paul, let’s not lose sight that there are cycling tours of wineries.

• 28 Chris // Sep 10, 2011 at 8:44 am

  @Paul T.
  You’re right, it does seem weird to have bike parking at a bar, and yet bars in Vancouver have minimum parking requirements (1 for every 100 sq ft).
  http://daily.sightline.org/2011/07/19/law-and-order-and-parking-lots/
  As far as I can know, intoxicated cyclists have only killed themselves in Vancouver. Sadly, the same can’t be said for intoxicated drivers.

• 29 Chris Keam // Sep 10, 2011 at 8:45 am

  “I love cycling just like anyone else, but I would never dream of drinking and riding.”

  You can walk your bike home.

  You can put in on a bus rack.

  You can put it in a taxi trunk.

  You can leave it locked at your original destination.

• 30 Everyman // Sep 10, 2011 at 10:55 am

  @ Chris Keam 29
  Yes you can. But that certainly doesn’t mean you will.

  Whenever the old “cars/bikes/pedestrians suck ” threads surface its seems to be ignored that the element common to all is the human. Humans do stupid things. Hard to legislate that out of existence.

  I must admit to being taken aback by the immediate leap from fun to alcohol. Not a healthy thing in my book. How does Vancouver’s theatre scene compare to Portland’s? I know their film festival draws only about 1/5 of Vancouver’s. I have to confess I’ve always found Portland a bit overhyped.

• 31 Joe Just Joe // Sep 10, 2011 at 11:56 am

  The parking requirement for bars certainly is something that needs to be changed. At least with the car parking though you can claim it’s for Designated drivers, it’s a little tougher to claim that for bike racks. 🙂
  Love both cities and we can both learn from each other.

• 32 Tiktaalik // Sep 10, 2011 at 1:36 pm

  The parking requirement is the perfect example of a useless rule that could be scrapped. As I mentioned in my first post, these rules are a useless barrier to entry.

  By bike is a popular way to get to the bar in Vancouver, especially for bars outside of the Granville Entertainment District, which are more frequented by people who use their bike as their main form of transportation. A lot of bars have little or no bike parking and on a popular night when some band is drawing a lot of people its not uncommon to see a huge mass of bikes chained to whatever possible. At the Astoria for example it used to be that people would prop their bikes up along the entire length of the chain link fence along the adjoining lot, but the fence has recently been raised. The Biltmore has I think 3 or 4 bike racks outside.

  Certainly no one should be getting completely hammered and then biking home, but if one is invited out for after work drinks and drinks in moderation it’s quite sensible to go by bike.

• 33 The Fourth Horseman // Sep 10, 2011 at 3:12 pm

  Those Portlandiers…such haters!

  (but would have been even funnier with Celine or Bryan Adama. Or Nickelback *Smug Vancouverite*).

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JIQcPUh6te0

• 34 David // Sep 10, 2011 at 10:49 pm

  In years to come, the 2008-2011 (or beyond) council should be remembered and commended for expanding Vancouver’s street food beyond Hot Dogs, Popcorn, and Chestnuts. Back yard chickens, front yard wheat, and even expanded Bike lanes have little impact on residents, commuters, and visitors to our city, but the huge expansion in street food choices is a change in Vancouver’s culture that will be felt for years, decades in the future.

• 35 Richard // Sep 11, 2011 at 12:12 pm

  @David

  On peak days, there are over 10,000 trips on just the new separated bike lanes. I’d be surprised if that many meals are served by the street food vendors. Cycling around Seawall is one of the must dos for people visiting Vancouver and I see many tourists using the separated bike lanes as they do connect well with the Seawall.

  For me, I prefer to eat at sit down places that have reusable plates and cutlery instead of all the disposable stuff that just ends up in the garbage from the street food stands.

• 36 Everyman // Sep 11, 2011 at 1:46 pm

  That’s an interesting point Richard. I hadn’t thought of the food carts as being less environmentally friendly than a bricks and mortar establishment. I suppose there’s also the issue of driving the carts to and fro.

  Like you, I prefer a an actual building, though more for comfort.

• 37 Richard // Sep 11, 2011 at 5:48 pm

  It would be great to see alleys around the city cleaned up and lined with small permanent food stalls with affordable rents that would have the capacity to wash dishes. I think that is a better idea than the food carts but I guess the carts are a start. Also, some of the carts operators might open up locations in buildings once they prove successful. Japadog, for example, has the bricks and mortar location on Robson.

• 38 Sharon // Sep 12, 2011 at 2:28 am

  Richard, why should the rents in the alley be any different for the permanent stalls than for the bricks and mortar establishments that are 30 feet away? Are you going to collect property taxes from those locations? Why not… they use the roads, the use policing services, they create litter. And were exactly would you put these carts on a 30 foot strip of space when so many of our viable locations have a hard line interface with residential.

• 39 Joe Just Joe // Sep 12, 2011 at 3:32 pm

  Just finished reading that it looks like both Seattle and Portland are ending their free transit areas downtown. Seems like everyones Transit authorities are short on cash these days.

• 40 Dan Cooper // Sep 12, 2011 at 4:59 pm

  @Bill Lee. Hmm and sigh: my previous response to your points never showed up. So, I’ll try again.

  a) I was admittedly exaggerating about the 50, yes, but my view is skewed because one is right by my son’s bus stop. (I do think there are more than just 2 or 3, if you include for example the one in the mall at Cambie and 12th…)

  b) I went to that Bishop’s on Hawthorne once, and found that it wasn’t for me; seems I don’t like being sneered at and patronized for not being nearly cool enough to breathe their air. (I actually walked out immediately after the desk-clerk’s sneering response to my initial inquiry.) Anyway, I don’t go to a barbershop to drink beer, for its self-described “edgy” style(*), to be only among people of my own generation or younger, or to see a “stylist” rather than a barber…I go there to get a decent haircut at a reasonable price. So, although Bishop’s may, theoretically, have a 12 buck haircut, it does not nearly replace my old, one-guy-two-chairs shop. Still, I must admit that after some googling it seems you are right anyway, as I found reviews for another shop several blocks further out that is described as not having changed in 40 years and in fact – in more or less so many words – as the place to go if you don’t want to deal with the egotistical posers at Bishop’s. Sadly, the barber there is apparently nearing retirement.

  c) Looks like I was wrong about the shoe repair. Yay!

  (*) The truly edgiest barbershop I ever went to was later when I lived near 52nd and Woodstock. The little old guy had the whole place decorated for Christmas year round, televangelist videos playing continually…and himself kept up a constant monologue about God and heaven. All I had to do was to say, “that so?” or “hmm!” every so often, and he was perfectly happy. He gave a great haircut, too. I’ll take an interesting place like that over some oh so self-consciously hip/in-your-face setup any day.

• 41 David // Sep 12, 2011 at 7:51 pm

  @Racc, I was thinking more of the people who claimed to be negatively affected by the Hornby and Dunsmuir lanes…. I understand your point, and personally have probably eaten at food carts less than 10 times this summer, but it’s nice to have choice other than variations on the Hot Dog… and my cart of choice serves their food in a serviette, so not much garbage there.. and no treated water and electricity and surfactants requiring sewage treatment consumed washing the plates and cutlery….

• 42 Bill McCreery // Sep 16, 2011 at 12:00 am

  Just finding time tonight to comment on this fascinating city. We were just there in August. Parked our car for 3 days at our hotel across the Willamette from downtown and walked and took the free tram everywhere. Had a super time and loved what we saw and did. We can’t wait to go back.

  Portland is not Vancouver and vice versa, but they do have similarities. However, the combination of similarities and differences are part of why we enjoyed our time there. The really thoughtfully animated, usefull, multi-age group small parks, the not iron gated inner block walkways, the medium height (please read 6 to 9 storeys Mr. Toderian), the comfortable sidewalk and cafes with outdoor seating not penned in, the banks of diverse food carts, the jump, on jump off free tram system, and the scale, texture, combinations of materials of the newer buildings as well as the large number of premodern era buildings make for a rich urban pallet. They even have a few bike lanes, but I didn’t see any separated ones…

  There is a lot Vancouver can learn from Portland about how they go about achieving what they have achieved, and I gather we may be able to understand how they do it without pages and pages of bureaucracy. Similarly, there are also lessons to be had in other places close by like Calgary and Seattle.

• 43 Jean // Sep 23, 2011 at 11:48 am

  “Similarly, there are also lessons to be had in other places close by like Calgary and Seattle.”

  I am not clear what Vancouver could learn from Calgary. 4-lane wide, one-way streets running through the downtown area and traffic signal waits at least 2 minutes long? Give me a break.

  Bike lanes have only appeared sparsely and have to be repainted..often becauseof the hard winters we have. Traffic circles are a new concept in Calgary. Drivers are still LEARNING how to navigate them whereas Vancouver, it’s part of residential street design that doesn’t cause huge public outcry. In Calgary: it does. People hate traffic calming circles because they can’t drive faster.

  This is cowboy country with the car.

• 44 Bill McCreery // Sep 25, 2011 at 12:34 am

  @Jean 43.

  I apologize for not being clearer. What can be learned from Calgary actually extends beyond bike lanes. I had an architectural practice in Calgary for 8 years in the 80s. I learned to appreciate the differences, some good, some not so, between Vancouver and Calgary with respect to city building, planning, urban design and the approval process. It is always possible to learn from others, whether from what they do right or what they don’t do so well.

  In addition, Calgary has a new mayor with some very ambitious objectives to make Calgary a more livable and sustainable place. Having some familiarity with the city, a rather dispersed agglomeration of late 20th Century subdivision planning, I wish him well. However, when presented with significant challenges talented people, several of whom I’ve worked with in Calgary, will rise to the occasion and do innovative things. If they don’t, we learn from that also.