It’s that time of year again where Hannah and I decide to catch up on a little sleep rather than argue over the better choice of words to describe some random civic meeting. It’s certainly tempting to focus on the tragedies of this year, both in our own lives, and in the wider city sense. Yet 2020 has already been hard enough, and rather than stew in it, we’re going to look forward to better days.
The next couple weeks will provide some reprieve, as Hannah looks forward to finishing The Burning White, while I’ll be enjoying Dragon Quest XI. We’ll also use the time to catch up on a few articles we’ve meant to write from earlier this year, like our tour of the Ironworks industrial offices, and a pair of co-op buildings in the Fraser Lands. There’s a few Urban Design Panel reviews to cover too, though their official, but boring, minutes have already been published.
While our regular content should resume around January 6th, 2021, we’ll remain somewhat active on social media to make it a little easier to stay engaged with the events in our city, and region. That’s been difficult this year, as virtual open house events are far less interesting than their in-person equivalents. So, we’re looking forward to getting our poke in the arm, and once again suffering through a cup of boxed coffee as we marvel over a scale model.
As wonderful as those are, they can’t compare to the support you, our readers, have shown us these last few months. There’s no denying City Duo is a huge drain on our free time, and we’ve contemplated tossing in the towel a couple times, but your responses and encouragement have kept us going. We know eventually we’ll have to stop, but for now we plan to continue for at least another year.
After all, there’s some reasons to be excited about 2021, other than it’s not 2020. For instance, there should be a new release of a batch of Moderate Income Rental Home proposals, the Jericho Lands program continues to move forward, and so does the Broadway Plan. That list is similar to last year’s, but city council has acted by making the rezoning enquiry (pre-application) stage voluntary (pg 20), and the mayor even proposed a trial program to allow six-plexes on single-family zoned lots.
Ultimately, the majority kicked most major decisions like that one into the bloated, delayed Vancouver Plan consultation process. I can think of no better way to toast that policy, and this year’s final days, than with a quote from the Three Stooges. Namely, “If at first you don’t succeed, keep on sucking until you do succeed.” (audio) Certainly we hope that rings true for blog writers, and we look forward to helping every day in 2021 suck a little less.
We wish all of you, and your loved ones, the best for the holidays and in the new year. Stay healthy, and please wear a mask to help keep others well too.
– Darren and Hannah
For those who are able to, may we suggest lending a helping hand to one of these four organizations which are particularly close to our hearts.
BC Cancer Foundation
Heart & Stroke Foundation
The Last Post Fund
VETS Canada
City Duo 
Leave a Reply