For a bus that will come in 56 minutes since its a Sunday and I've just missed the suburban commuter special that will take me into Vancouver. To add to the insult of waiting 56 minutes in the rain the bus will be full because the Park and Ride is the last stop before the highway and I'll have to stand the 45 minute trip with my awkward combination of baggage.
That's not so bad but when an hour passes and I find that the next bus has been cancelled or 'rerouted' according to Translink I am pretty frustrated, possibly to a point where I will not choose transit the next time I go into Vancouver. To think that this regularly happens on weekdays to commuters trying to get to work on time and not just to people heading into town on the weekend is ridiculous. To do this to people who have made a concious choice to forgo the status quo and take transit rather than joining the 1000's of SOV's which make their way into the city each morning seems backwards.
Once the Canada (RAV?) Line is completed all the suburban busses will likely be funnelled into Richmond to take the train into Vancouver. That's fine if you're headed downtown but for those headed to UBC its another transfer and a cross-town bus from Cambie instead of Granville adds atleast 10 minutes to travel time if you consider the 99 B-Line as an example. This means that students who don't have an affordable alternative mode of transport will suffer simply because theyhave no other choice while those who can't handle their altered commute will be forced back into their cars.
Congestion is a huge problem outof White Rock/South Surrey. With no rapid transit in sight and increasing populations both in the city centre and developments on the outskirts this problem can only get worse.
Monday, May 28, 2007
OCP Round II
The citizens have been appalled and then some.
They've voiced their opposition to change in their sea-side town time and time again to no avail. Now its time to review the OCP, a document which council has demonstrated it can alter at will. How does one maintain faith in a democratic process and participatory democracy when the actions of citizens do nothing to influence the actions of council. How long can they fall back on a "silent majority" for support while a vocal minority feel ignored and are rapidly becoming disenchanted with the process?
Random telephone survey says 52% of residents surveyed feel there are already too many high-rises in WR, interesting since the Bosa towers have yet to be built. This next version of the OCP will surely include some amendments which will support the controversial moves of the council in the last few years. Is this what the residents of this city want? If they don't- its time to get involved while they still have a forum and a cause however non-binding the final result is.
They've voiced their opposition to change in their sea-side town time and time again to no avail. Now its time to review the OCP, a document which council has demonstrated it can alter at will. How does one maintain faith in a democratic process and participatory democracy when the actions of citizens do nothing to influence the actions of council. How long can they fall back on a "silent majority" for support while a vocal minority feel ignored and are rapidly becoming disenchanted with the process?
Random telephone survey says 52% of residents surveyed feel there are already too many high-rises in WR, interesting since the Bosa towers have yet to be built. This next version of the OCP will surely include some amendments which will support the controversial moves of the council in the last few years. Is this what the residents of this city want? If they don't- its time to get involved while they still have a forum and a cause however non-binding the final result is.
Resident Army
Resistance to development whether its good bad or ugly is an integral part of the process. Resistance results in interaction, discussion and discourse. When we come together to support a cause we find strength in our community and our relationships. When we can acknowledge the arguments of others and concede their points and their truths we learn and grow from the experience.
Anyone you talk to these days will comment on all the building thats going on, you can't miss the signs with ridiculous names dreamed up by some marketing student selling the life in sunny little White Rock.
Ocean Park Lane, Miramar Village ("some live for vacations, others live them everyday"), the Belaire, Rosemary Walk. It's no wonder that those who live here already want to protect what others find so desirable.
Sometimes those residents go a little too far in their crusade for the status quo. Instead of being "informed and enlightened" they are of the radical anti-development, self-taught environmentalist and directly, adversely affected camp. In White Rock we've seen the initially hostile WRRA (website link on the side) gradually tone down their approach while the optimistic lawsuit of the Friends of White Rock Society seems to have lost momentum even before it got going. Are we just resigned to our fate- or are we gradually seeing that the "political will is there to occasionally challenge the status quo" and end our marriage to the "utilitarian model of urban development." (Geo. 350 online readings Module 6). Just because its all we know doesn't mean its right.
Anyone you talk to these days will comment on all the building thats going on, you can't miss the signs with ridiculous names dreamed up by some marketing student selling the life in sunny little White Rock.
Ocean Park Lane, Miramar Village ("some live for vacations, others live them everyday"), the Belaire, Rosemary Walk. It's no wonder that those who live here already want to protect what others find so desirable.
Sometimes those residents go a little too far in their crusade for the status quo. Instead of being "informed and enlightened" they are of the radical anti-development, self-taught environmentalist and directly, adversely affected camp. In White Rock we've seen the initially hostile WRRA (website link on the side) gradually tone down their approach while the optimistic lawsuit of the Friends of White Rock Society seems to have lost momentum even before it got going. Are we just resigned to our fate- or are we gradually seeing that the "political will is there to occasionally challenge the status quo" and end our marriage to the "utilitarian model of urban development." (Geo. 350 online readings Module 6). Just because its all we know doesn't mean its right.
Sunday, May 27, 2007
North/South
At Central City today, defined by the GVRD's LRSP to be a Town Center and an area of desired high population density. It's served by skytrain and has a university campus in the only tower to be erected so far yet its still not taking off like the South end is. Blame it on location or reputation but Whalley is a pretty tough sell even though its looking prettier these days.
What struck me most was not the changes since I've last been up that way but the amount of vacant land that still exists. Yes, there are development signs and ads for condos on nearly every block but then there are empty fields and run-down residences on half acres right next door.
Surrey's trying, the rec centre got a facelift recently and there's a new park and plaza going in on King George but its going to take awhile to catch on. Compare this to South Surrey/White Rock where in the last two years every single piece of un/underdeveloped land has been snatched up and transformed into single family dwellings with a couple of apartment blocks and huge commercial centres thrown in for good measure.
What struck me most was not the changes since I've last been up that way but the amount of vacant land that still exists. Yes, there are development signs and ads for condos on nearly every block but then there are empty fields and run-down residences on half acres right next door.
Surrey's trying, the rec centre got a facelift recently and there's a new park and plaza going in on King George but its going to take awhile to catch on. Compare this to South Surrey/White Rock where in the last two years every single piece of un/underdeveloped land has been snatched up and transformed into single family dwellings with a couple of apartment blocks and huge commercial centres thrown in for good measure.
Further Afield
Riding my bike just 10km in a roundabout way from my house took me through the agricultural lands which surround South Surrey and White Rock. There is a notable contrast where the last line of housing developments gives way to fields, barns and the ever friendly alpacas.
It really reminded me why population concentration is so important. We need to control sprawl so we can continue to grow food locally. By limiting the amount of food we must truck from far off places we increase the self-sufficiency of our communities and the impact our food choices have on the environment. If the periphery becomes urban itself then the city has nowhere from which to draw resources and must export its consumption requirements and their associated impacts to other areas which can absorb them.
Continuing further I happened upon an industrial park pretty much in the middle of nowhere. Just a 10min drive from uptown this will eventually be a source of real jobs in South Surrey, not just retail and tourism but jobs that lead to careers which are fair scarce currently. Hopefully this will allow some people to reduce their commute instead of drawing more reverse commuters out of the city as businesses move to where the land is cheap, plentiful and supports offices and warehousing at the same location.
It really reminded me why population concentration is so important. We need to control sprawl so we can continue to grow food locally. By limiting the amount of food we must truck from far off places we increase the self-sufficiency of our communities and the impact our food choices have on the environment. If the periphery becomes urban itself then the city has nowhere from which to draw resources and must export its consumption requirements and their associated impacts to other areas which can absorb them.
Continuing further I happened upon an industrial park pretty much in the middle of nowhere. Just a 10min drive from uptown this will eventually be a source of real jobs in South Surrey, not just retail and tourism but jobs that lead to careers which are fair scarce currently. Hopefully this will allow some people to reduce their commute instead of drawing more reverse commuters out of the city as businesses move to where the land is cheap, plentiful and supports offices and warehousing at the same location.
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