A Year Of Mystery Beckons As A Silent 2023 Comes To An End

Normally Darren and I indicate the start of our winter pause with an end of year recap set just before Christmas, but we are a little late. That has really been the story for us this year, as we struggle to adjust to a world where in-person events are far less frequent. From our understanding,...

A Growing Moderate Income Rental Housing Revolution Returns To West Point Grey

4545 West 10th Avenue - Second Enquiry (Archived Link)One does not have to be an expert at ranking well… pretty much everything, to know that out of all our city’s retail nodes, the West Point Grey Village is suffering the worst. As a UBC alumni myself, I watched that decline everyday for years as store...

Worthless Seniors Enhance Screams To Remedy A Flawed Community Vision

5505-5585 Oak Street (Shawn Oaks) - (Archived Link)((Updated July 6th, 2023 - Corrected the post to note that it was city staff, and another separate applicant team who wanted this enquiry to be combined with their own.))On the night of this meeting, passionate people filled the Jewish Community Centre, gesturing at pictures, and discussing the...

A Quiet Ending For 2022’s Ramblings Obscures City Duo’s Future Expansion Plans

As 2022 comes to a close, I have become more reflective on City Duo's future. It has been almost five years since Darren and I started sharing our experiences at various public consultation meetings, and it is hard to see how much longer we can continue this passion project. The switch to primarily online events,...

Behind The Scenes Cutbacks Unlikely To Bring Relief To Fraserhood’s Middle Class Renters

3233-3245 Fraser Street - (Archived Link)Would you be angry with your partner to learn the real reason you were driving down Fraser Street was not to have dinner at a Michelin-starred restaurant, but rather to drop by the Polish Community Centre? I suppose your answer might depend on how much you like boxed coffee, or...

Moderate Income Rental Homes Prove To Be A Bargain West Point Grey Cannot Resist

4545 West 10th AvenueTo say I was excited when I saw renowned journalist Frances Bula tweet out a notice about an in-person pre-application meeting in West Point Grey would be an understatement. I was worried this event could be a heated affair in light of the backlash to the Jericho Lands, which includes a GoFundMe...

July 13th, 2021 Public Hearing – Vancouver Teachers Face One Bad Apple, While Fairview Waves Too Close To Perfection

Public Hearing – July 13th, 2021 I still remember how excited I was when summer break rolled around, and this public hearing has the same vibe as it will be the last one until late September. Those experiences as a young woman are also why I am writing our usual primer instead of Darren, as...

A Plaza Fit For A King – Vancouver’s Boomerang Returns With More Homes, And Recommendations

602-644 Kingsway (formerly 610-644 Kingsway)To say this simple six floor rental building has undergone a long journey would be an understatement, as its first Urban Design Panel review was in April of 2018. Considering it met a warm reception from both those volunteers, and an apparently disinterested community, I was surprised when it languished for...

Moderate Income Rental Homes Bloom From The Ruins Of Vancouver’s Laneway Disaster

3615 - 3645 Fraser StreetWith city council’s decision not to renew or replace the Affordable Housing Choices Interim Rezoning Policy, Darren and I have watched the activity in our guide to that program wither away. A few active rezoning proposals linger, awaiting the judgment of our elected officials, but one has remained jarringly stuck at...

Vancouver’s White Whale Urged To Lighten Up In Quest To Provide Livable Rental Homes

325-341 W 42nd AveWith the lack of in-person open house events, I have not been able to post as much as, unlike Darren, my schedule prevents me from attending these Urban Design Panel meetings. Which is a shame as, like this review, they are usually educational and entertaining. While I was intrigued to learn the...