This week it was announced that in the spring of 2010 they will begin the construction of fare gates at all SkyTrain stations.
Premier Gordon Campbell says these devices will help create a safer environment for users, and he admits this should have been done decades ago. TransLink adds this will be an advantage to transit officers who won’t have to spend their time dealing with fare evaders and instead can concentrate on safety.
TransLink also says smartcards will generate ridership information that will help future service planning, plus the ability to structure fares to match the service being provided. TransLink CEO Tom Prendergast says the timing of fare gates and smart cards with major Expo Line station renovations is more financially efficient as well. [News1130]
I wrote about possible turnstiles in SkyTrain stations back in November of 2007 and also linked back to where I mentioned that a smartcard system would be ideal (the comments on both posts are great). These are not new ideas by any means as the people of greater Vancouver have definitely had their sights on a system like this for decades.
I’m curious to see what the fare gates will look like and how they’ll fit into the current stations. I don’t think I have a personal issue with this hands-off fare enforcement — it’s better to have a turnstile or gate tell you that you can’t ride the train than a duo of tazer-toting SkyTrain police.
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Update July 2011: Translink has started fare gate construction.
I’ve been able to experience the humour of Patrick Maliha and Art Factora weekly during my appearances on Talk14010am’s Afternoon Buzz so I’m happy to promote a show in which they are both performing tonight… for the sake of the kids!
What: Flip N Comedy Show Against Gang Violence
Where: Lafflines Comedy Club (26-4th Street, New Westminster, BC)
Photo credit:
jmv on Flickr
When: Tonight – April 9, 2009 @ 8:15pm
Tickets: $10 (advance), $12 (door), reservations (604) 525-2262, or email flipncomedy[at]gmail[dot]com
More Info: Check out the Facebook event
Performers: Patrick Maliha, Gabriel Rutledge, Toby Hargraves, Sunee Dhaliwal, Reza Peyk, Nisha Khare, and Art Factora
Proceeds will benefit The Boys & Girls Club of Vancouver and they’ll be giving away some fun prizes like tickets to the Jay Mohr show at the River Rock.
The other day we were taking our recyclables down to the bins and noticed the garbage dumpster was overflowing (at least 3 feet above the rim). When we got closer I noticed that one of the top layers of waste was milk and orange juice cartons – about a dozen of them. With six recycle bins within meters of this dumpster I found this waste unnecessary, which is why I’m happy to promote some of Metro Vancouver‘s latest initiatives that will hopefully inform and educate.
“Metro Vancouver Recycles is a directory of over 1,300 locations in Metro Vancouver to donate, recycle or appropriately dispose of unwanted items such as computers, clothing, toys, building materials, furniture and much more. It also lists places to find used items,” said Greg Valou of Metro Vancouver in an email. You can check out the directory listing, plus interactive Google Map, on the Metro Vancouver website where it aims to answer the question, “where can I take this?”
Another initiative is the Zero Waste Challenge and you can find information online about reducing, reusing, and recycling at home or at the office. They even have scheduled meetings and public consultations that will help keep your group of family informed, while providing you with all of the information you need to make eco-conscious decisions in your daily life. You can learn about banned & restricted materials, SmartSteps, BuildSmart, take-back programs, RCBC (604-RECYCLE), composting food waste, blue box recycling in your area, paper recycling, used oil recycling (just to name a few ways you can play your part).
The Draft Zero Waste Challenge Plan for discussion [PDF]
Public Consultations – Spring Series Calendar [PDF]
Metro Vancouver Waste System
Currently, residents of Metro Vancouver only recycle half of their garbage and solid waste each year. “As you may know, our region faces the question of how to effectively manage the waste produced by our ever-growing population,” noted Valou. “We can all play our part in the Zero Waste Challenge by consciously reducing the amount of waste we each produce.”
Getting to “Zero Waste” actually does seem like quite the challenge, but the region is up for it. They’ve even expanded the “3Rs” to the “5Rs” – Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Recover, Residuals.
Metro Vancouver is comprised of the following: Belcarra, Bowen Island, Burnaby, Coquitlam, Delta, Langley Township, Langley City, Lions Bay, Maple Ridge, New Westminster, North Vancouver City, North Vancouver District, Pitt Meadows, Port Coquitlam, Port Moody, Richmond, Surrey, Vancouver, West Vancouver, White Rock.
During my adventure in Richmond yesterday I noticed the name “Brighouse” a few times in public places and thought I would uncover a bit more about this familiar name.
Samuel Brighouse was one of the earliest European settlers on Burrard Inlet (he was one of the Three Greenhorns) and in later years also had a farm on Lulu Island in Richmond.
Samuel Brighouse
After the West End/”Greenhorn” deal, pioneer Samuel Brighouse bought up 697 acres of Richmond land in 1864 and raised horses and cattle. In 1883 he petitioned for the incorporation of Richmond as a municipality and in 1887 he ran in Vancouver’s civic election and helped obtain the City’s charter. He returned to England in 1911 and passed away two years later, though his legacy lived on.
During the first World War the Minoru Park Racetrack was closed but re-opened as Brighouse Park in 1920. In 1941, with another war and the opening of Hastings Park, Brighouse Park closed. Side note: “Minoru” was the name of a race horse.
Most municipal and well-known structures in Richmond were built on Brighouse land, from City Hall, to Minoru Park, and Richmond Centre.
The area is full of history, including being the site of Canada’s first-ever parachute jump in 1912 [VancouverHistory], the first cross-Canada flight touched down in Minoru Park in 1920, and even the lacrosse box in Brighouse Park has stood there for nearly 100 years.
To this day, the “downtown” area of Richmond is referred to as Brighouse and the new Canada Line station that was to be “Richmond City Centre” will now be called “Richmond-Brighouse”.
A while back I was contacted by Victor Tang, the Communications & Marketing Manager at the Developmental Disabilities Association about some of their initiatives and services. In his email he asked if he would be able to send me some information however, having recently returned from our Iowa trip at the time (and our visit to Camp Courageous) I thought a personal visit to the DDA to learn more would be ideal — and the least I could do.
History
“In 1952, twelve parents of children with developmental disabilities came together to work towards integrating their children into public schools. By the 1990’s, that parent group, called the Vancouver-Richmond Association for Mentally Handicapped People, had become Canada’s largest charitable society of its kind west of Toronto. In 1998, recognizing changes in society, the wishes of its members, and its expanded role in the community, the Association changed its name; it is now the Developmental Disabilities Association…” [more history…]
Background & Services
The three most common examples of developmental disabilities are: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD), Cerebral Palsy and Down’s Syndrome. “Developmental disabilities are generally used to describe life-long impairments that are attributable to mental and/or physical disabilities.” The DDA provides programs and facilities for infants, children, adults, seniors as well as family support.
I was given a tour of an adult residential facility in Richmond today where I learned about group home living, care, and activities. We also stopped by the Riverside Child Development Centre where the out-of-school kids were learning about gardening and planting some peas. I, of course, had to pause and play with the waffle blocks for a while as they were just too fun to resist. I also came to the realization that I need a “nap room” in my house, but I digress.
“Your perception is our biggest disability,” noted Danielle White, a Director at the DDA. This quote was the main theme in a run of public service announcements last year and is an ongoing theme. Clients of the DDA lead full lives, some have jobs through the Starworks or Jobs West programs, and many are active in other non-profit activities (such as volunteering at the Food Bank or SPCA) in Richmond and Vancouver. They’re not only provided with services from the DDA but clients in turn have a chance to give back to their communities.
Sustainability
Recycle your goods through the DDA…
Bins: Drop cloth/clothing items in the DDA bins you see around town.
Pick-up: Have household items picked up (toys, games, dishes, records, stationary etc.)
Drop-off: Donate anything from couches to tools at the Donation Station at 2643 No. 5 Road in Richmond.
The DDA is partly supported by the BC government and the rest comes from fundraising and donations. They have bottle donation bins around Richmond and Vancouver where you can drop off your recyclables, as well as clothing donation bins (check out the interactive map to find the one closest to you). Also if you’d like to do a fundraiser for your own group, club, or sports team the DDA will partner with you for their “Cash for Clothes” program — collect 150 bags of clothing, bedding, towels, and other linens and they’ll buy it off you for $2/bag, win/win.
There are so many worthy causes in our region and it’s unfortunate that the services provided by the DDA for all ages sometimes go unnoticed. I’m hoping that this can bring a bit of awareness for this local organization that gives so much back to its community and helps others live exemplary lives of their own. You can learn more by checking out their website or feel free to follow their updates on Twitter as well.
