It’s hard to spend more than a day in Vancouver without noticing the eyesore that is the empty lot at Davie and Howe. It’s even become a bit of a landmark, with its artificial Christmas tree branches strung through the chainlink fence to hide the giant muddy pit within from the eyes of passing pedestrians and drivers.

But what’s the story, really? Isn’t the property worth millions? Could it be the disputed estate of a deceased property mogul? A crime scene? A sinkhole, like in Garden State?

Nothing quite so exciting, but still interesting.

The lot had been the site of a Texaco gas station which was torn down in 1989. Environmental guidelines severely limit the types of establishment that may be built over a previous gas station site for up to a decade or so, so Imperial Oil retained ownership of a pay parking site over the land, but that as well was ripped up in 1996 and the land was allowed to air out for decontamination.

Finally this June, after nearly twenty years of inactivity, the lot has some promise for a new life. Anthem was granted a zoning approval by the City of Vancouver this year to start a new condo project on the property, called Alto, so it may not be long before the Davie St Pit is nothing more than a legend.

Soon it will be the Canadians, not the Americans, tossing out the other country’s change. “Damn worthless american nickels — I *hate* when I get these things.”

But other than that, and the pride and bragging rights of phrases like “The Almighty Dollar” now having a truly ambiguous reference, what does it mean to every day Vancouverites?

A disclaimer that calling myself any kind of financial analyst would be a stretch at best, there are still the less esoteric effects:

* It’s actually been in the works for quite some time because of the climbing Canadian dollar, but many book publishers have finally caved and marked down the Canadian prices on books and magazines. I saw this firsthand last night at Chapters, where many book jacket prices were covered with a new price sticker with a greatly reduced cost. They’re not quite trusting enough to print one-for-one list prices, but a 10% higher Canadian price is still far better than the 60% higher price that some books listed — they hadn’t been fair for a long time.

* According to the CBC [cbc], significant numbers of Canadians are heading south of the border to pay cheaper US sticker prices for luxury cars and other expensive goods. So even if the iPhone does go on sale here, it may still be a better idea to buy one in Bellingham anyway.

* And not to be forgotten, the CAD-donation-based “Mr. Eh” item in the satirical web-based role-playing game Kingdom of Loathing [kol] may now give equivalent stat gains as the USD-donation-based “Mr. Accessory”. So now Canadian players can flaunt their Canadianity without sacrificing their stats. Sometimes it’s these little things that make life worth living.

But regarding whether it works . . . well . . . it works great as long as the Impark employee who happens across your car actually checks the records for the right parking lot [impark].

Sunday, a pleasant late lunch at Hon’s on Keefer Street was slightly soured by the discovery of a parking ticket on the car windshield.

The ticket claimed that I had failed to display a valid receipt for a parking facility about 2 blocks away on Gore Street. Of course I didn’t display a receipt for the Gore Street facility — I wasn’t parked there.

I have no idea how many cars the enforcer ticketed before he realized the device was set to the wrong lot number, but given the slow adoption of the program, I wouldn’t be surprised if it never seemed odd that the handful of pay-by-phoners all seemed to be illegally parked.

Impark was gracious about cancelling the ticket when we called them and explained the problem, but they couldn’t refund the time and trouble the mistake caused us.

Is it enough of a problem not to use Verrus pay by phone? I don’t think so. Out of 70 or so uses, this is the first problem I’ve had, which loses out to the huge convenience of being able to renew my parking remotely, but I do wonder how often this kind of thing happens.

Who has handled over 8 tonnes of computer equipment since June of 2007? Not the kid down the street selling PS3’s on eBay, if that’s what you were thinking.

It’s the Free Geek Vancouver Technology Centre [link], whose coordinator, David Repa, contacted me after my post last week about the new BC electronics recycling program. Herbert had already written a little about his conversation with David Repa at the Massive conference earlier this year [mbv], but, when David offered to show me “a much closer to home recycling option,” I thought the program sounded interesting enough to get the full tour.

First of all, “recycling option” doesn’t even scratch the surface of what Free Geek Vancouver is about. Sure that’s where it starts: the 2nd Avenue facility (between Main and Quebec) accepts unwanted computer hardware, working or not, every week on Tuesdays through Saturdays.

But that’s only the beginning. . . .

From the loading dock, volunteers examine the equipment received. Each computer passes across several different triage stations: inventorying the completeness of the computer (Does it contain a motherboard? RAM? Hard drive?), then a second level to determine the specifications of the components (What kind? How big? How fast?), and then a series of tests to see which pieces are still functional.

From there, a number of different things happen depending on the results of the triage.

Non-functioning equipment, for example, goes into an area for recycling. Free Geek Vancouver has an arrangement with a private electronics recycling firm in Surrey, carefully selected after 6 months of scrutiny for their environmental record and their recycling approach. “Some electronics recycling programs,” David explained, “use the plastics as fuel for smelting the metal components. But using plastic as fuel also requires coal, and when you do a BTU analysis of the amount of energy the plastic is contributing, you often find it’s not actually helping at all. So it’s usually better to break down the plastic and recycle it into other plastic products rather than burning it.” Other materials, like the lead in CRT monitors, has to be either reused or safely stored, hence the $10 charge for accepting computer monitors. All other equipment is accepted free of charge, no matter the condition.

Functional equipment is divided according to the components’ reusability. For hard drives, for example, the drives smaller than 5GB are typically destroyed and recycled, with larger drives being securely erased using DBAN, and shelved for reuse. (However, even some limited quantities of the older components are kept around for sale to hobbyists or rental to film studios as year-appropriate props). All the best components are then rebuilt by another team of volunteers into fully functional Ubuntu Linux machines [ubuntu].

“Then what happens to those?” I ask. And this is where Free Geek Vancouver really shines.

“Some are used for our community computer lab, but most go to the adoption program,” David responds.

The Free Geek facility boasts a lab of about eight LTSP workstations [ltsp], where community members are welcome to use the machines during the day, and where volunteers teach computer skills to others who come in. The cornerstone event is “Windowless Wednesday”, where a crack team of Linux guru volunteers offer free classes on installing, configuring, and using Ubuntu Linux. “It’s great. We even have people who haul their whole machine to our facility from home, plug it into an empty corner somewhere, and get help from each other on what hasn’t been working,” says David.

And how do they keep all these volunteers coming back week after week? That’s where the adoption program comes in. Free Geek offers one of the adoption computers to any volunteer who has given 24 hours of time to the program. No questions asked. Other computers go to various non-profit organizations and other groups who make special arrangements with Free Geek, with equipment prices or donations negotiated individually with each group, and often installed and configured onsite by Free Geek volunteers.

“So, Free Geek is partially about recycling, part electronics reuse, part computer classes and clinics, part community outreach. . . . What *is* this place?” I ask. “Which function is the main one? What do you call yourselves?”

“All of them, in combination,” David answers. “We choose to describe it as ‘Building community through technology.’”

And from there, looking around the room, it suddenly makes sense to me. A man nearby is testing and rebuilding PCs with his son. Others are huddling around a group of monitors being tested. And in the time I was there I’ve been told stories of grandparents learning their way around a computer with their grandchildren, of a wealthy suburbanite learning about Linux from a homeless volunteer, of people who have never had a computer before thrilled at the idea of actually getting their first real email address. All working together and learning from each other.

Information about Free Geek Vancouver:
www.freegeekvancouver.org
117 E. 2nd Avenue (between Quebec and Main)
604-879-4335

Hours are Tuesday – Saturday 11am – 6pm, except for Thursdays, when they close at 3:30pm.
Volunteer opportunities are always available.

Today marks the beginning of the new BC-wide electronics recycling program, according to the CBC [cbc].

The good side of this is you’re no longer faced with the anguish of choosing between letting your dead $50 DVD player rot away in the closet, or secretly tossing it into a dumpster at night and praying it’s not one of those devices with a secret little container of Cesium-137 which is going to surface in the drinking water and render the entire population sterile in 50 years.

Electronics waste has been an increasing percentage of landfill bulk, both as a result of its physical characteristics:
- doesn’t compress well
- usually made of metal and other heavy materials
- doesn’t biodegrade
. . . and its economic ones:
- increasing popularity of electronic devices in the home
- quick rate of turnover (how often do you replace your cell phone compared to, say, your coffee table?)
- decreasing purchase costs, which make the cost of repairing broken items not feasible (and sometimes not even possible)

However, most regional and municipal governments, while touting the importance of recycling electronic devices, seldom actually provide facilities or easy processes for doing so.

Well, now the Province of BC has followed through.

. . .

Starting today, they’re offering to let you drop off your used, broken, or otherwise unwanted electronics at any of 17 local recycling depots, which the province will cart off to a disposal facility in Trail, BC. At a price.

Also starting today, every new electronic item bought in BC will carry a $10 – $45 environmental surcharge (somewhat akin to the $0.05 environmental fee the grocery store charges you for items in plastic bottles).

It’s not clear whether the fee schedule is based on price, weight, volume, or chemical content, but for less expensive electronic devices, the difference will be significant.

I was brought up to believe there’s no such thing as a free lunch, and that if consumers weren’t charged directly for this service, they’d still be paying just as much for it indirectly (a hidden fee in the item cost, or higher BC taxes, or that kind of thing).

And I can’t think of a better way. Charge people on disposal rather than purchase? That would just mean all that waste would be even more likely to wind up in the standard landfills, rather than less likely.

It’s still discouraging, however, that the cost of disposal per item is so high, and must primarily be a result of the average freight costs from anywhere in the province to Trail BC.

Perhaps I could simply Purolator my DVD player there instead, and give them an extra $5 for dispoal costs.

I have to admit, the first time I only did it because I was curious. (How many confessionals start this way?) The next several times were because I found out a clerical error had resulted in a rate mismatch so it was cheaper than the real thing. And easier. And far quicker. And then I was hooked.

No, not a plug for the Cobalt Motor Inn, though it easily could be. I’m talking about Verrus [link], the pay-by-phone parking system rolled out throughout the Vancouver area the last couple of years.

“Sure, I’ve seen that on the meters, but never tried it,” friends often concede. “Does it actually work?”

…

I think it’s truly a case of inadequate marketing content. The little ad copy I’ve seen sells it as a way not to have to have a pocketful of change on you all the time. But that’s just the tip of the iceberg.

The first time you use it (unless you previously setup an account through their website) it’s admittedly a bit of a pain — typing lengthy credit card and license plate information through a phone touchpad is nobody’s idea of fun. But what most people don’t realize is that (again like the Cobalt, I assume) it only hurts the first time, and you only have to go through that once.

After that, Verrus recognizes your account via Caller ID, and you’re just a few quick button pushes away from freedom (to tell them which lot/meter number, and how many hours). What’s this mean?

1. No more long walk to the payment machine (which is invariably in the farthest corner away from the only empty parking spot in the whole Impark lot), and, even better, no more second trip back to your car with the little receipt. (And you’re saving a tree, too, if you look at it that way).

2. As mentioned before, no need for a Scrooge McDuck pile of change if you’re parking for more than 15 minutes downtown, but even better,

3. No guessing how many minutes worth of parking to buy (usually erring on the side of paying them way too much), and then spending your entire visit wondering, “Is the meter about to run out? What time is it?” Why? Because…

4. Verrus sends a handy little text message to your phone when your parking is about to run out, and if you want to extend your parking, you can do it right there from your phone. Nothing spoils the mood of a romantic dinner like an unsightly grooming problem, or constant trips back to the parking meter. No more. “Who was that message from?” “My parking assistant,” you can answer, smugly. “I instructed him to extend our stay. If you have no objections, of course.” Which also implies…

5. No more panic at 9:30am at work when you realized you forgot to pay for your parking. Stuck in a meeting which would be slightly disrupted by you suddenly jumping up, screaming, and running out to the parking lot to stop the tow truck just in time? No worries. Simply dial up the Verrus number, enter the four digit code for the lot (which hopefully you’ve memorized if it’s really your workplace), punch the number of hours on the keypad, and then watch out the office window at the tow truck driver’s mystified face as he enters your license into his computer and finds that, no, your car has Special Authorization to be there. Curses, foiled again.

Not to mention, the system seems now to be live on most Vancouver area parking metres, and just about every Impark lot in the GVRD. Some other vendors are supported as well. And if you’re into that sort of thing (statistics junkies unite) you can log into their website and see your complete parking history.

Sure, there’s a downside: There seems to be a convenience fee for some lots ($0.35 for the one near my work), and they keep your credit card number on file, if you’re paranoid about that kind of thing (and yes, a credit card is required – jamming quarters into that crack in your phone handset doesn’t seem to work). I’m also not sure about the minimum — if you’re parking less than an hour I think it makes you select an hour or more, but for those quickies there’s still the pocket change option.

At any rate, anything to do with fines or fees is normally a little frightening, or annoying at best, but the Verrus system seems to be one of those few municipal government partnerships which was truly A Good Idea.

Today I found myself once more standing on the street corner of Beresford and Wilson, in Burnaby, staring up at a building I’ve seen probably hundreds of times now from the Skytrain (between the Patterson and Metrotown stops), and which I never got around to researching.

I’ve had plenty of theories of course, and I’m sure you have as well.

Closed skating rink?
Old grocery store?
Industrial building of some sort?
Gymnasium?
Single screen theatre?
Oddly placed aircraft hangar?

So today, having the advantage of being on the ground and being able to make note of the building’s exact address, I thought I’d finally tackle this one, once and for all. It also occurred to me that I’m probably not the only one that wanted to know, and this could be the beginning of a whole series I think (let us know in the comments if you have any good ones of your own).

So what’s the answer?

A film studio! [link] At least most recently, anyway (it still could have been a skating rink once in its past — I haven’t ruled that out).

Google indicates that a number of studios and film-related businesses have called the building home in recent years, including:

Lens Flair Studios,
MC Studios,
GG Studios,
. . . and the creatively named 6130 Studios.

Not sure what any of these studios produced or contributed to, but I’m sure a little more research could dig something up.

As far as I can tell, the building is currently vacant, and has been for several years, but has a For Sale sign for any budding film industry entrepreneurs (or even anyone who needed a spare location to keep your 500 gallon marine reef tank, for that matter).

Despite the hit or miss weather lately, there have still been than a handful of pleasant days, and what better way to spend a lazy weekend afternoon than by getting in touch with nature?

One of the Vancouver area’s great spots for getting away from it all is the Reifel Bird Sanctuary on Westham Island [link].

Previously known primarily by bird watchers and other bird enthusiasts, each year loads of others are finding what it has to offer: a beautiful tranquil walk through the coastal wetlands, more waterfowl and other birds than you can shake a camera at, and occasionally the chance to spot some other interesting critters as well.

I’m no bird expert, but on my last visit, I spotted loads of geese and ducks (including a lot of baby ones), a huge sandhill crane, a nest of baby barn swallows, some bald eagles circling far overhead, and even a furry little marten scampering down the trail. If you’re into the more serious birdwatching, the front office keeps a list of bird species recently spotted onsite so you can round out your collection of photos, or challenge a group of friends to an afternoon game of birdwatching bingo.

The trails are kid-friendly, and you can even by duck food onsite to let your little ones (or your own inner child) find out what it’s like to be surrounded by a quacking mob of hungry feathery friends.

The park is open during the day from 9am – 4pm daily, and admission is only $4 for adults and $2 for children.

You might want to check out the Spirit of Edmonds Car Show and Street Festival! [link].

Highlights include:

Most events are in or near the Eastburn Community Centre and along Edmonds Street, and last from 8:30am to 4pm on Sunday, July 29th.

Should be a great time!

As a way to distract us from the oppressive heat, the Metbloggers figured nothing beats a little local pride and suburbling rivalry. So here we go on a series on the packed-with-personality and under-appreciated suburbs of Vancouver.

Except . . . well . . . how about we start with the city that Vancouver is a suburb of? (And I don’t mean Seattle, if there are any snarky southerners piping up about now).

. . .

I’m talking about New Westminster. The Royal City. Named because it was selected by Queen Victoria to be the first capital of the colony of British Columbia.

Why’d they change it to Victoria? I can’t say. People just liked it better that . . . ahem. Sorry.

So yeah, even though New West handed its capital status to the island, there are still a lot of reasons why it’s one of the coolest places in the GVRD, but don’t misquote me on that if you wind up there this week and it’s still 35 degrees.

I’ll tell you what I mean:

* Sea lions! Granted, I seem to have a knack of spotting them paddling around the Fraser every time I spend a lazy Saturday morning at the New Westminster Public Market, and no one else does, but even if it’s not every time, sea lions! The canines of the sea! With barking and flippery bits! Who can say no?

* Lots of cool shops. I never thought I was much of an antique fan, but New West proves it’s about more than just porcelain and footstools. You can find rare cameras, old ship parts, telescopes, and plenty of other stuff to convince your friends that you were the heir to a giant estate.

* A casino! Lose your rent money in style on the Royal Star Riverboat Casino. Way cooler than watching washed-up 80s celebrities at the River Rock, if you ask me. And they won’t even laugh at you if you’re a gambling wimp and only bet a dollar.

* Lots of SkyTrain stops. Hey, if you nap through that Burnaby bit in the middle (not knocking Burnaby — it’s my home, but not much for SkyTrain scenery), it’s practically downtown! (And if you’re coming by car, the parking is way cheaper than downtown Vancouver. I’m just sayin.)

* Haunted coffee at the BC Pen. Now mostly converted into condominiums, you can still stop by the coffee shop in the main building, wander around the grounds, and visit one of the creepiest cemeteries in BC (or pretend to visit, since it would be, like, trespassing to jump the fence to get in there . . . of course).

What else? Queens Park, some great places to eat, live music, a large number of some of the best-preserved heritage homes in the Lower Mainland, the chance to pretend you’re in San Francisco while driving up and down the steep hills — what else can you ask for?

The North Shore may be hipper (or at least Douglas Coupland says so), Richmond may be shinier, Port Moody may be more quaint, Coquitlam may be more . . . uh . . . hm, but no matter what you say, New West was here first, and still gives Vancouver a run for its money on cool stuff to see and do.