I’ll be heading back to GM Place to meetup with other Canucks Fan Zone bloggers, podcasters and content creators for the Canucks’ official live blog. We’ll be sitting at our kiosk near section 111 so feel free to stop by and say hi. We record live video and audio hits, blog, post photos on the fly, do live polls, and give opinions on the game. Continue reading this post ⟩⟩
I’ve written enough about the Pattullo Bridge over the years that this aging decrepit structure has warranted its own tag; from asbestos in the deck, possible tolls, to lanes that are dangerously slim. Early this morning a fire broke out under its deck, forcing those who depend on it as a Fraser River crossing to take detours.
The Pattullo Bridge is closed after a fire affecting its supports on the Surrey side, raising fears it could be shut for months. Bridge engineers are now inspecting the damage. TransLink spokesman Ken Hardie said nobody should plan to use the bridge tomorrow. He said the worst case scenario is the bridge could be closed for months if major structural repairs are required. [Surrey Leader]
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A wooden section near the south end of the bridge caught fire. According to TransLink, an arsonist may have been responsible. TransLink engineers examined the damaged trestle to determine if it must be replaced, and Hardie is now saying it “looks like an extended closure.” TransLink is meeting this afternoon with RCMP and transport ministry officials to develop a plan for the area. That will be followed by an announcement from TransLink CEO Tom Prendergast and Transportation Minister Kevin Falcon at 4:30 p.m. [The Province]
To say that this will disrupt the commuting situation is an understatement. 80,000 commuters will be diverted to the Port Mann and Alex Fraser, while hopefully there are some extra SkyTrains running to help get tens of thousands of people to work and back. The Pattullo is an enormous part of our region’s transportation infrastructure and it’s pretty terrible that even after over a dozens deaths due to its narrow lanes and crumbling structure there are still no signs of its replacement on the horizon.
Update: Experts are projecting that the closure will last “from 4 to 6 weeks”. No bikes will be allowed on SkyTrain to accommodate the extra passengers and trains will run earlier, from 4:30am.
Update: Commuters should look at transit as an option. This morning I heard that SkyTrains were no more full than usual however it took about 1.5 hours to go only a few blocks in heavy traffic for the other bridges and routes.
Think you’re fierce enough for the reality TV spotlight on top of runway fame? Canada’s Next Top Model will be stopping by Brentwood Town Centre today looking for local girls to be contestants on its third season.
Rules for trying out:
When: Today, Friday January 16, 4:00pm until 9:00pm
Where: Brentwood Town Centre (4567 Lougheed Hwy, Burnaby, BC) – (Centre Court, Lower Level)
When I was in Iowa my sister-in-law told me about a BC woman who is currently on The Bachelor, and we also have local fashion designer Kim Cathers who is currently on Project Runway Canada. Best of luck to those who try out, and make sure you book some time for a Miss604.com interview before you’re shipped off to the show if you make the cut.
The other day my good friend Keira wrote a post called, This is What’s Awesome. At a time when holidays are far off in the distance and the city is covered with a dull layer of fog, it’s sometimes nice to just have a little fun (if even by way of a blog post) and remember some things that make you smile. Continue reading this post ⟩⟩
The other day Deb Pickman sent me a message on Twitter to inform me of Twestival, a one-day event taking place in cities across the globe, connecting people through Twitter and supporting a great cause. I instantly signed up as the organizer of Vancouver’s contribution and yesterday Vancouver’s dedicated Twestival site went live.
Now it’s time for the folks of Vancouver to come together, thanks to Twitter once again, for a global cause – joining dozens of cities around the world for a single day of festivities, fundraising, and good times.
“Twestival was born out of the idea that if cities were able to collaborate on an international scale, but working from a local level, it could have a spectacular impact.
By rallying together globally, under short timescales, for a single aim on the same day, the Twestival hopes to bring awareness to this global crisis.
charity: water is a non profit organization bringing clean, safe drinking water to people in developing nations by funding sustainable clean water solutions in areas of greatest need.” [Twestival]
Vancouver’s Twestival will take place February 12, 2009 and I’ll be seeking out a small volunteer committee to help me with some planning, from sponsorships to fundraising with a raffle and silent auction. Contact @Miss604 or @YVRTwestival if you’d like to help out.
Let’s make our city’s contribution to this exciting world-wide event a good one!
Follow @Twestival for global updates and @YVRTwestival for Vancouver updates.
We’ll be booking a venue, looking for a few key sponsors, silent auction items, raffle prizes, and registration will begin next week (sponsorship packages will be available in two tiers). The Twestival team is working hard to get all cities around the world signed up, hooked up with a site, and setup with their registration system so I’ll be able to share more info in a week or so.
