My 2025 in Review

My life is good.

I'm privileged beyond most people I know (and don't) and am positioned to tweak my life direction when I think that is needed so in some ways I'm a bit immune to the challenges other people face when it comes to living where I do. For example, many Vancouverites seem to have a hate-on for the city we live in. I have complaints, but mostly continue to think it is extremely liveable and even wrote about what I think went right in Vancouver 2025 despite known political hurdles.

This 2025 Review post is as much (if not more) for me to read in later years as is it is to share with people in my community. I just want to remember what I got up to as I plan out my future.

My adventures with Laura continue and we got up to quite a bit this year! Here is a set of cell phone pics that we used to reconstruct all we did! (not pro shots, just records)

Highlights

Travel: We recently realized that we tend to mark a given year by where we travelled. We've determined it must be our favourite hobby and annual highlight if we do that so here goes!:

• Vietnam (photos) - For sure the marquis 2025 trip. 2 weeks, all delicious and fun. This trip only made us want to travel more and longer.
  
• 
  Comox - I biked up island on a 2 day adventure to meet Laura and my sister Wendie to house-sit for a week and it was awesome. Sub-highlight was the bike route our friend Brenda took me on to Cumberland.
• Saltspring - We rented a friend's cabin for 4 days and soaked in island life w. Wendie and Pete. We also did a bike trip Galiano.
• Yellowpoint Lodge - I went here twice but only once with Laura. This seems to be coming an annual short stop and I'm not complaining.
  
• Windsor - The family felt it was time to celebrate the life of Laura's father who was an early COVID victim (so funerals were
  impacted). It could not have gone of better and we were glad to have done it.
  

It was a bit light for me on travel but there were reasons for that. We're starting off 2026 strong with a chilly trip to Whitehorse in response!

Being a tour guide and volunteer: I'm now in year 2 of being a part-time guide at Cycle City. It is a job that keeps on giving. I feel it gives me some spending money, keeps me active, and adds to my list of mini-communities. I also find it a real joy to see Vancouver (and Canada) through the eyes of tourists. To boot, I get a special industry pass that others might balk at but it gives me access to a ton of things in the lower mainland I can take my friends and family to. Priceless! (for me). I'm hoping to at least do another year there.

This year I also volunteered at the Vancouver Fringefest and joined a sub-committee for bike security at HUB Cycling. These were new to me and reminded me every year needs something fresh like that.

We also bought a new car!: 23 years in the ol' reliable Matrix but we wanted something for the next 1/3 of our lives and our requirements list was big! We landed on the Corolla Cross Hybrid. A big deal for us this year, may it serve us as well as the last one.

Mini-highlights:

Our community garden(s) continued to give us joy and some healthy food. Like a pet, they force you to break routine and submit to their routine and I need that sometimes.

For some reason this year, we stumbled into going to multiple filmfests in the fall. VIFF, VIMFF, the Bike Filmfest (HUB), and the new to us: Architectural Design & Film Festival. More of this in 2026 I'm thinking.

Reunion! Yup, just a single night but a rite of passage in my mind. As usual, a great event and reminder of just one great community that I grew up in.

My bikes: As always and endless source of joy and adventure. I started doing slightly longer regular rides (30km+) to explore further and help tinker with the idea of a real multi-day tour in the not so distant future.

When reducing working I had made a personal goal to see my immediate family more regularly, which I think I did. Some extended family we saw more of but others, we need to work on (like my aunt- our schedules just didn't work!).

In addition to seeing my dad more for bike rides and brunches, my sister Wendie retired from teaching! Bonus as she is in the same neighbourhood but she quickly filled her schedule like a pro and made me feel the need to up my game! (How she put up with those little shits and their parents still eludes me!).

Room to improve

Despite being spared too many family losses in 2025, we started the year reeling from a frightening accident in Windsor. Things are ok now thankfully but it was enough to rattle everyone into action for improved years to come.

I hate complaining about my ailments always but I started the year thinking I had 3 health issues to juggle but now, feel it is more like 1,..  but it is a biggie to me - some nerve issue in my right foot. As a self-proclaimed addicted hiker,.. this was a very, very challenging thing for me. I barely hiked and my massive bucketlist collected cobwebs,.. exception: our sectional peak bagging of every trail in Pacific Spirit Park. Foot health is a core focus of mine for the next year (again),.. as not hiking or walking like I used to just is not good for other health concerns due to inactivity, let alone my mental state. Thank goodness for bikes.

We are also starting to see the byproduct of our age. Multiple friends are facing monumental health and mobility challenges (as are some family members). This just strengthens our resolve to spend more time with people we care about and to press harder on our own life objectives.

Remembering those that have passed

2025 sadly marks the passing of several great souls. 
Our former neighbour Shannon Tipple was a powerhouse in our special Equity Co-op and life in general. My find Craig's father Dave Wong was a community builder and even my cub leader at one point. His death was a sudden shock but his funeral showed how much of an impact he made in the outdoor community and more.

Our family's favourite topic of conversation Spekky the cat, also passed. He lived with my sister and her husband Pete. Everyone thinks their pet was special or unique,.. but ours really was.

Lastly, even though it was 5 years ago, Laura's father Dick passed away without a proper celebration so we converged on Windsor to do so. It was a great event held in a place he loved, the Capitol Theatre where he was an active and beloved volunteer for years.

2026 and Beyond

To those we didn't see enough in 2025,.. let's fix that. I hope to spend quality time with more people, more often this year. 

We've set the stage for a few early trips and I hope to plan my longest cycle tour yet. Our marquis trip remains to be planned, but we are working on it!
Laura seeks to survive a challenging work environment for at least a few more years but to squeeze as much into the gaps as she can. I'm looking for a 2nd small "side-hustle".

All the best to you and yours, let me know what you've got planned!

2025 Vancouver Wins!

In 2026 I choose to focus on the good going on, or coming in my city. In fact, I aim to get involved more heavily to steer it back to a direction I can live with. As a city tour guide I often get a sense for how outsiders from all corners of the globe view our city and I like those fresh takes.

Unfortunately, for much of 2025 the City of Vancouver has witnessed a Trump-like council blatantly ignore the interest of the average citizens and marginalized people of Vancouver. The ABC empire has dismantled key institutions and misappropriated funding away from needed projects. In at least one case I'm aware of, were bribed with no consequences. The most recent by-election has shown Vancouverites are fed up and planning to run ABC out,.. let's hope that happens. 

2025 was not without wins though for Vancouver (and the extended region), it is just that the positives were subtle. These were mostly things already in motion that city staffers brought to completion by the skin of their teeth. Here is a short list of the good (and a tiny bit bad) for us this last year that made Vancouver all the more livable: 

Sustainable Transportation and Traffic Wins

I tend to favour the long term, data-driven planning efforts of a city and detest pandering to those that don't educate themselves as to how traffic or city growth works best. Some massive safety infra went in this year, mostly in the form of separated bike and walking paths. Top positives this year:

Granville Bridge Updates - I've posted about this major walking/biking win here. It will take 2-3 years typically to reap the benefits from it and it is a slower uptake than Burrard, due to, in my opinion, the steeper deck one way for weaker non-e-bikers. Huge though. And now that it is in,.. at no real consequence for car capacity, a minimal maintenance effort/cost compared to car roads. All connectors to the Arbutus Greenway are in so protection for commuters from the Fraser River to downtown Vancouver!

Pacific St. bike lane near Granville - Related to above, more gaps in the map have been addressed under and around the bridge. From Richards St. to Burrard is now designated and semi-protected and connected well to the rest of the web. This was super dangerous and frustrating for drivers when the lack of infrastructure kicked cyclists out into a highway style artery.

Pacific St. bike lane near Burrard - Eastward Bute to Burrard was needed to connect one of the worst gaps in Vancouver. Without it, access to what was the only water crossing within 3km, was just not a safe option for all but the most athletic of riders that were forced to climb a nearly non-allowable 10%+ gradient for a block.  As a guide I watched a huge cross section of society try this and mostly fail. 2 blocks of a narrow single path for bikes, and a few improved bus stops - I'll take it!

My wishlist for bike lane gaps is really shrinking.. (don't tell anyone!) but we are no Montreal. For semi-competent riders (which should not really be the test I suppose), it is getting pretty decent and to the point where more than 1 option to get somewhere by bike, or a quieter walking street, can usually present itself in most directions in the core.

Smaller local wins were everywhere but the one that sticks out was the uncovering (daylighting) of the stream on Fraser street and 6th area. They rebuilt w. smart-tech gardens to address flooding, while adding a short bike-lane spur in the process. This kind of thing has major long term savings for a city infrastructure so I'm pleased they chose to seize the opportunity in this case.

Outside of Vancouver proper the big news would be the imminent completion of the stal̕əw̓asəm bridge near Surrey. Ignorant trolls will whine at every turn about this project but it replaces the most dangerous bridge in BC's history! I know a person that came to Canada to do an assessment on the old Pattullo and whether you were a driver, pedestrian, or cyclist,.. it was the worst. The new bridge does not, and should not, be wider given the roads on either end but it is much better connected and actually also protects everyone using it! And no,.. your inability to accept an indigenous name does not matter to me... I never knew how the Pattullo was spelled or pronounced. Also no,.. they can't us the old bridge too,.. it is old and would still need to be maintained/upgraded - they do study this shit!

Political Wins

Vancouver's by-election to replace 2 leaving members did not change the balance of left and right leaning council members. The voting results however, indicate that the city is not supportive of ABC and we replaced 2 community driven councillors with 2 similar, but fresh, left-wing fighters.

When our mayor completely undercut his own Parks Board members he made enemies, and people left his party. That too is a sign maybe we can turn this ship around.

Sadly, our province cut a ton of funding for sustainable transportation this year, much of which was showing results (at least in my region). Advocates have their work cut out for them and that is why I signed up as a volunteer again with local transportation advocacy.

Businesses/Culture/Amenity Wins

Fresh St. Market / Be Fresh Market Kitsilano - One way to reduce traffic is to match population growth with walkable amenities. Despite all of the hatred of towers and greedy developers (mine included), I can't complain as much when a new neighbourhood destroying building provides more than a dentist office or (insert obvious money laundering business here). In Kits we are getting 2 new grocery stores in areas that need specifically need them.. hopefully people will stop driving 6 blocks to get milk.

Granville Island - I work at Granville Island periodically, and this year I volunteered for the Fringefest there and spent even more time on premises.
Granville island, despite its success with tourism, languishes on so many levels but I have yet to have a foreign tour guest not comment on the unneeded and uncomfortable car traffic. With no sidewalks, pedestrians and cars are in conflict constantly. This year, they seem to have committed to removing 83m of Anderson St. from car traffic - it was great, and opened some plaza space and access to a new business space (rare! GI never changes!). It is less than the half measure I'd hope for but I love it and so do the tourists, perhaps this is the start of needed change.

Batch - This business concept has been around but at Kits Beach they winterized with tents making it a year-round and very popular destination. They also temporarily had a spot in West Van and they, once again, captured something that was missing and maintained a nice aesthetic adding to wherever they pop-up. We think of it as a meeting spot, living room, and lunch furniture location - an all around Vancouver positive addition for everyone.

Havn Sauna - Not here yet, and probably something I'll ever go to once,.. but a successful Victoria concept is coming here. Better yet, it is partnering with the Maritime museum so maybe the new can help save the old as they have been struggling financially. I love how this one rubs the NIMBYs (and it is in MY backyard btw).

Park Theatre - At the 11th hour another institution was saved: Cambie's Park Theatre. We went to what we thought was the last show before they did what they did to the Ridge Theatre. There, developers rub the old sign in the face of Vancouverites to remind them that a cluster of important community amenities were wiped from the map. They saw it as lifestyle marketing,.. I see it as a tombstone every time I look at it. 
The Park, however, was an underused Cineplex theatre but now will be managed by the folks from the Rio who provide way, way more dynamic programming. Instead of on new movie every few months,.. people will have way more reasons to come and go to the area (which has lost core institutions and restaurants in spades over the last 5-10). This is a huge win.

2025 Losses

Ok, I can't resist... we lost a ton of eating institutes were lost (new and old), but a few near misses went the right way including the Naam and the Tomahawk which at least for now have avoided redevelopment and or other financial pressures to close.

It sounds like swimmers will be hurting for a while as the main Vancouver pool is under the microscope AND Kits Pool has aged out. North Van is building an interesting project for swimming in the ocean - very cool! I feel North Van has had a few good moves on the livability side recently along with their bad calls,.. businesses certainly seem to favour them so maybe CoV will take note.

Gastown reverted to more car-centric model and failed in an attempt to bike-wash the main street. It remains dangerous and confusing but that battle has more rounds if I have anything to say about it.

While we lament those losses (there were more),.. let's not forget the wins (there were more). Onwards and upward in 2026.

My running list of gains and losses and people remind me, or they come to my mind:

Gains:

• The Poco Climb (hiking trail) 
• The Great Blue Heron Way (Tsawwassen hike/bike trail)

Losses:

• Lime being misunderstood as a replacement for Mobi bikeshare