Turning Vancouver into Hawaii

[Metro-One]

Well instead of just disagreeing with the palm trees why don't you give your own suggestion instead of just accepting the bland "been there done that 1000000 times before" current plan?

For all I know you could have a better idea that we have not thought of yet.

And yes, using the palms would bring more variety to our streets. Why does every street have to be the same. there is a reason why so many people love the English Bay area, because it does have a different feel than the rest of the city.

[nova9]

People are free to put whatever they want on these posts. I can disagree with something without having to give an alternative. It would be helpful if I did but I'm fine with whatever types of trees we have. sometimes, people can care less about what they have but know what they don't want (I don't know what to eat but I know I don't want to eat sushi today....for example)

But if I were to choose a tree, I'd like to see the whole street filled with more cherry blossoms. I know they only blossom for just for those 3 weeks in April/May/June depending on weather but it would be worth it. We have plenty of these already thorughout Vancouver so there isn't that VARIETY you so love BUT it would give that coziness to granville, bring a little bit of a neighbourhoody feel it the place.

[Metro-One]

I dig Cherry trees along Granville, unfortunately the city of Vancouver is trying to phase out cheery trees for more bland maples. Simply because cherry trees require more maintenance and have to be replaced every 30 years or so (even though I know many areas that have much older cherry trees).

[agrant]

I think palm trees would look absolutely ridiculous if they aren't situated by the sea IMO. You know, we're one step short of talking about shrubbery.

[trofirhen]

My suggestion for the palm trees along the Granville Mall, and perhaps one or two other spots downton - on Georgia, for example - had two purposes.

First, because I think palms in themselves are exotic and beautiful, even if we are limited to only one or two hardy species here.

Secondly, (at least for people driving into town from back East) they give a "surprising" effect. People just don't belive they grow here!! I didn't believeit myself, until a smart horticulturalist developed the local version of the Chinese palm - the species that is native to China, and can withstand short bursts of very cold winter weather, much like we get here most years.

But also, deciduous tress are bare, black skeletons from November to March, and add nothing to the ambience of the mall, except a feeling of winter grey gloom on a rainy day. In addition, even here in Paris, where palm trees will grow here and there along side streets and in private gardens and parks, the trees lining the great avenues and boulevards are all deciduous or small evregreen.

This is offset by the splendid architecture, and here lies an important point.

Vancouver, not having a great architectural history, would, in my opinion, benefit from a dash of exoticism. It's a very pleasant city, but tends to be rather monotone architecturally.

We grow palms down at English Bay, and increasingly throughout the city. So why not downtown too, starting with the "new" Granville Mall? And - very importantly - I wasn't thinking ONLY palm trees, but clusters of them, accented by Mediterranean cypress trees, which are long and ponted, and have an "exotic" Southern European look, as in Italy and the south of France.

Palm tress, if tended carefully, can grow to a reasonable height, even in Vancouver, and they NOT just shrubbery if they are landscaped and tended properly.
But, as one reader succinctly put it, Vancouverites just can't "think outside the box" and follow the tried and true dull conventional style.

Heck, why don't we throw in the towel and use Toronto and Winnipeg as role models??

The Mall could be modelled after Yonge and Dundas, and we could use the same trees that they use in Winnipeg.

[Metro-One]

They also grow pretty large, the ones along English Bay are a perfect example. The other good thing about them is they do not grow so large that they block out the signage along the street. Their smaller size IMO is a plus. For this does not give the store owners a crutch to lean on (big trees that hide their frontage) and gives the city more incentive to force businesses to spruce up the store fronts with better lights, signs and architecture.

[trofirhen]

Originally Posted by Metro-One

Well instead of just disagreeing with the palm trees why don't you give your own suggestion instead of just accepting the bland "been there done that 1000000 times before" current plan?

For all I know you could have a better idea that we have not thought of yet.

And yes, using the palms would bring more variety to our streets. Why does every street have to be the same. there is a reason why so many people love the English Bay area, because it does have a different feel than the rest of the city.

Thank you! Thank you!

[Canadian Mind]

I gotta say I'm fully behind Metro-One here. I'm a fan of variety, and palms in the right locations would be excellent. But in addition to exotics I would like to see more native-trees getting rep throughout the city streets, and not just in parks. Such as the giant Oak and Maple trees that are native to the west coast, and if possible a tonne of arbutus trees here, there, and everywhere. Such a beautiful and exotic looking tree thats native to the region (atleast where I came from on Vancouver Island).

[Stingray2004]

I've always been a fan of the palm tree as it adds ambience and a certain je ne se quois in our Mediterranean setting/climate. Heck, even in my hometown of Tsawwassen they have 56 palms along 56th St. (the main drag) and it looks great!



Source: Our BC

[Metro-One]

This is one of the aspects that Vancouver has to identify itself as unique in the Canadian setting, I really with Vancouver took more advantage of these opportunities. Could you imagine a tourist coming from YVR on the Canada line and exiting the City Center station to be greeted with palm trees! (and nice lighting displays, hehe)

they would instantly think, "This is Canada?" and would be given a great first impression that sets us apart from Montreal, Toronto or Calgary.

Humans are very visual creatures, and seeing visuals that are identified with warmth and sun will bring more of a warmth and sun feeling to the city, especially during the winter.

[nova9]

Originally Posted by Metro-One

I dig Cherry trees along Granville, unfortunately the city of Vancouver is trying to phase out cheery trees for more bland maples. Simply because cherry trees require more maintenance and have to be replaced every 30 years or so (even though I know many areas that have much older cherry trees).

why do they have to be replaced?

arbutus trees would be AWESOME!! i love the peeling bark, that's very tropical-esque.

[Metro-One]

Simply because of their shorter life span and because their roots can push up sidewalks, but then again, so do all these other trees they are using (I guess this would be another advantage for palm trees, no cracked sidewalks).

Arbutus are my favorite Canadian native tree, and they are classified as a Mediterranean climate species (hence why the south coast of BC, particularly Victoria and the Gulf Islands, is sometimes regarded as sub-Mediterranean instead of temperate rainforest, also because unlike a true rainforest we have a very noticeable dry season). The problem with Arbutus trees in a setting such as Granville street is that they do not grow straight up and tend to lean and branch out all over the place. This is actually what also makes them beautiful is their crazy shapes! (along with bark and leaves)

I would love to see more Arbutus trees used though in city parks, wide avenues (such as 1st Ave) and more open areas.

[Canadian Mind]

Arbutus trees can be trimmed, and if you are delicate enough the branches trimmed can be planted to produce more trees elsewhere. would make for a nice arching effect over Granville OR Robertson in 25 years. I could also see the trees for the length of Georgia Street

[Prometheus]

Palm trees along Granville Street would look totally absurd.

The palm tree is an ugly-looking tree, which looks all the more ridiculous, alien and incongruous set against the natural beauty and majesty of the northwest aesthetic.

[Overground]

Originally Posted by Spoolmak

How tall will those palm trees get?

The type you seen in Vancouver is the Trachycarpus and variants. The most common is the Windmill or Chusan(Trachycarpus fortunei) palm and grows up to an avg of 30-40ft.

Of the same family and now taking over in popularity is the very similar Kumaon palm(Trachycarpus takil). It's hardier than the fortunei and can get up to 50ft. Trachycarpus grow about a foot a year so that gives you an idea how long the ones along the beach at English Bay(fortunei) will take to get tall. In 30 years it's going to be quite common to see 30-50ft palms all over Vancouver and Victoria. Most are just a wee bit short right now.

Many of Van's takil palms one day could look like this one in Rome, though prob. a bit shorter -

http://snowpalm.dyndns.org/pictures/T_Tak-R1.jpg

[Metro-One]

Palm trees along Granville Street would look totally absurd.

The palm tree (especially the stubby, stunted-looking variety proposed for Vancouver) is an ugly-looking tree, which looks all the more ridiculous, alien and incongruous set against the natural beauty and majesty of the northwest aesthetic.

Have you ever walked around English Bay, those trees by no means are ugly, in fact most are over head height now, and one of them is about 20 feet tall or more. They do grow up and if trimmed properly look wonderful.

There are some in Victoria and elsewhere on Vancouver Island that are around 30 feet tall. The kits area also has some really nice ones. Even here in Maple Ridge there are some that are about 15 feet tall.

The Arbutus trees could be trimmed, but i only fear it would be a lot of work for the city, but if they could do it i would support that 100% as well.

[EastVanMark]

San Francisco has a whole stretch of the city with palm trees purchased from other regions and it looks amazing. Their climate is quite similar to ours so it could probably be just as nice up here. On far too many streets in downtown the type of trees used cover the already hidden signs of some businesses (thanks to stupid sign bylaws).

[Canadian Mind]

Originally Posted by Metro-One

Have you ever walked around English Bay, those trees by no means are ugly, in fact most are over head height now, and one of them is about 20 feet tall or more. They do grow up and if trimmed properly look wonderful.

There are some in Victoria and elsewhere on Vancouver Island that are around 30 feet tall. The kits area also has some really nice ones. Even here in Maple Ridge there are some that are about 15 feet tall.

The Arbutus trees could be trimmed, but i only fear it would be a lot of work for the city, but if they could do it i would support that 100% as well.

After enough trimming so that the tree canopy is 20-30 feet above the roadway, no mor shoudl be needed as the trees will only want to go up from there (assuming they are trimmed to form an arch over the road).

From there, only trimming that would have to be done would be to keep em away from buildings. Does Strata or city cover that?

[Prometheus]

Originally Posted by Metro-One

Have you ever walked around English Bay, those trees by no means are ugly, in fact most are over head height now, and one of them is about 20 feet tall or more. They do grow up and if trimmed properly look wonderful.

I believe they are ugly, and greater height will not change that. Indeed, the photo above of what we can expect our palm trees to look like in the future only confirms my belief. They are not just ugly but also appear glaringly out of place and gimmicky within the Canadian environment. Introducing palm trees into the northwest, Canadian ecosystem is as aesthetically absurd and comical as introducing baboons and iguanas.

[Prometheus]

Originally Posted by EastVanMark

San Francisco has a whole stretch of the city with palm trees purchased from other regions and it looks amazing. Their climate is quite similar to ours so it could probably be just as nice up here.

The natural environment of Vancouver, British Columbia is not similar to that of San Fransisco, California. Vancouver sits within a lush, northwest rainforest. San Fransisco, by contrast, is immediately surrounded by semi-arid, shrubby hills. Thus, the fact that you feel palm trees fit well in San Fransisco, California only supports my point of view.