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