Vancouver becoming the no-fun city again???

[zivan56]

The possibility of increasing DUI rates is a pretty lame excuse against longer hours. I would say they would stay the same regardless of when the place closes. In fact, people would just buy liquor and drink it in a park or somewhere with friends rather than a licensed establishment.

[cornholio]

If you want to decrease DUI rates then you would want to allow more pubs/bars/clubs to open and to allow these places to stay open longer. There is nothing worse then having these places located far away from most people and then having them close early making it more difficult for people to arrange another way to get home. Someone might be able to get a ride at 1am but if the pub closes at midnight then there is less incentive to wait for a hour to catch that ride.

[crazyjoeda]

In many cities around the world clubs and bars do not even get busy until 10-11pm. So the morons at Vancouver's city hall expect people to go out early and be home before the lock down?? It should be legal to drink on the streets in Vancouver. Why can't I watch the fireworks in the park with a beer? Instead the city forces people to mix drinks in unmarked plastic bottles. What is the point of that?

Anyways what a lame bylaw, I hope the city comes to their senses soon. Vancouver has a lot going for it, so I have to wonder why the city puts up road blocks to becoming an even better place to live.

[zivan56]

An interesting poll (from a while back)
http://www.boardoftrade.com/sov_page.asp?pageid=196

About the poll
It was a telephone survey of 500 people from Hope to Horseshoe Bay done by McIntyre & Mustel and commissioned by The Province and BCTV.

IS VANCOUVER BORING?
Poll found most people are very satisfied living in Vancouver.
468 satisfied
30 not satisfied
But 51% said Vancouver is becoming a "No Fun Zone."

A sampling of the questions:
Some people think the Lower Mainland is becoming a "No Fun Zone," due to the apparent loss of such cultural events as the Symphony of Fire and the Molson Indy and restrictions like those at area beaches.

Do you agree or disagree that the region is becoming a "No Fun Zone"?
51% agree (253 people)
45% disagree (225)

Do you think Vancouver is more boring or less boring than it used to be?
45% said more boring (225 people)
25% said less boring (126 people)
21% said no different (103 people)
9% said don't know (46 people)

In what ways is Vancouver more boring? What are some examples? (225 people polled)
67% said lack of events, events getting cancelled
38% said loss of the Symphony of Fire
27% said loss of the Molson Indy
13% said too many restrictions, rules and regulations, police overly militaristic

How satisfied are you with the following aspect of life in the Lower Mainland? Cultural events such as the Children's Festival, Abbotsford Air Show and PNE.
82% satisfied
11% not satisfied

How satisfied are you with the following aspect of life in the Lower Mainland? Activities for visitors and tourists.
88% satisfied
5% not satisfied

How satisfied are you with the value for money of professional sports events?
36% satisfied
46% not satisfied

How satisfied are you with the value for money at the movies?
47% satisfied
39% not satisfied

How satisfied are you with the value for money of entertainment in the region?
76% satisfied
16% not satisfied

The government should financially assist cultural events. Do you agree or disagree?
70% agree
27% disagree

The government should financially assist professional sports teams.
25% agree
72% disagree

The government should financially assist the Vancouver Grizzlies.
22% agree
74% disagree

Who should initiate changes in quality of life?
60% provincial government
48% municipal governments
43% regional governments
40% residents themselves
31% business community
27% parks boards
25% federal government

How satisfied are you with the friendliness of your neighbourhood?
86% satisfied
12% not satisfied

Courtesy of McIntyre & Mustel,
The Province and BCTV

A google search of "vancouver boring" will come up with a bunch of forum discussion and whatnot as well.

[Nutterbug]

Originally Posted by crazyjoeda

In many cities around the world clubs and bars do not even get busy until 10-11pm. So the morons at Vancouver's city hall expect people to go out early and be home before the lock down?? It should be legal to drink on the streets in Vancouver. Why can't I watch the fireworks in the park with a beer?

Have you seen some of the jackasses that show up to the fireworks drunk? Have you wondered why fights and rumbles break out after it?

Unfortunate, but unless laws are changed to allow preemptive extermination of rowdy drunken idiots, you're going to have to live with the collective punishment for the masses on the account of the irresponsible few.

[worldwide]

vancouver may have a lame club scene, but clubbing sucks. dont get me wrong i like drinking and partying as much as the next guy i just hate the bar scene.

luckily vancouver makes up for this by having some of the most plentiful and best skateparks in north america, great skiing, snowboarding, mountain biking, hiking, kyaking... you name it the list goes on... the city is what you make it.

[mr.x]

Originally Posted by worldwide

luckily vancouver makes up for this by having some of the most plentiful and best skateparks in north america, great skiing, snowboarding, mountain biking, hiking, kyaking... you name it the list goes on... the city is what you make it.

Those are more like gifts from nature, we hardly earned it.

[zivan56]

Originally Posted by worldwide

vancouver may have a lame club scene, but clubbing sucks. dont get me wrong i like drinking and partying as much as the next guy i just hate the bar scene.

For me, it's more like I hate going to clubs in Vancouver. I've had great times in Europe, while here I drink to forget the time and money wasted that night. IMO the clubs here are too uptight and have a really weird atmosphere to them. Hardly enjoyable to say the least compared to others around the world.

[Inland Driver]

Not being from Van, I had the opportunity to have a few (understatement) drinks at a place I believe was called the Lamplighter? In Gas Town. I had a great time though the drinks were a bit more expensive than I'm used to but not outrageous.

Shutting down places at 12 is garbage. If there is some kind of noise issue involving residential, then re-zone one or the other. Like someone else mentioned earlier, generally speaking, folks dont go out to the clubs early. If they did , do you think almost ALL the places out there would have "high ball specials between 7 and 9"???LOL

[jlousa]

I think some people might have the wrong impression on what goes on in other places though. Being in western europe countless times usally for months at a time, I can assure you that people do not drink in public. Sure you can walk into almost any store and buy liquor, you just do not see anyone enjoying it on the streets.
Also most restaurants close even earlier then they do here, they do not even open for dinner until after 6pm but come 10pm most of them are closed, even on the weekends.
The club scene is very different in that most don't even open till after 10pm and they don't get busy until 1ish. They are all in an entertainment district not unlike ours, some are even located on the outskirts of towns.
In between the restaurants closing and people going to the clubs they usally hang out at coffee shops where liquor is also served, most people don't drink there though they just have some coffees while they wait for the clubs to get busy. These coffee shops also close at about 1am.
Things really aren't that different, with the exemption of the clubs staying open till around 4am on the weekends, in the summer some stay open until 6am.

[worldwide]

Originally Posted by mr.x2

Those are more like gifts from nature, we hardly earned it.

you missed the point... if you want to go out to a ridiculous party ever night then maybe Vancouver isnt your scene, but if you want to rip it up on some gnarly terrain then what better place to do it. adrenaline is better than any drug (alcohol included) its not all about the party. fun is a subjective term

[Nutterbug]

Originally Posted by crazyjoeda

It should be legal to drink on the streets in Vancouver.

What's more, if this were to be the case, the responsibility should be 100% on the drunken pedestrian if he/she were to have a bad encounter with an automobile.

[cornholio]

Originally Posted by Nutterbug

What's more, if this were to be the case, the responsibility should be 100% on the drunken pedestrian if he/she were to have a bad encounter with an automobile.

Um what do you think happens when a person leaves a bar, a club or house party after drinking. We already have a law against drunk and belligerent behavior in the public, why the hell we need one to prevent people from having a beer in a park or walking down the street to a party or a friends house or whatever. On top of that why the hell is it illegal to have open liquor in a car, if im a passenger and want to have a beer then i should be able to have a beer. Thats what we have breathalyser tests for drivers. These are just idiotic and pointless laws which serve only one purpose, to make daily life a bigger hassle then it should and to take away basic freedoms. I mean why, i just dont get it, are we that stupid that we cant get over a few bible thumping, bra wearing nothing better to do house wives that pushed through idiotic laws ages ago.

[Nutterbug]

Originally Posted by cornholio

Um what do you think happens when a person leaves a bar, a club or house party after drinking.

May the responsibility to not get hit by a car rest on them too, and not the driver.

Originally Posted by cornholio

On top of that why the hell is it illegal to have open liquor in a car, if im a passenger and want to have a beer then i should be able to have a beer. Thats what we have breathalyser tests for drivers.

Because breathalyser tests can't be everywhere all the time.

[cornholio]

Originally Posted by worldwide

you missed the point... if you want to go out to a ridiculous party ever night then maybe Vancouver isnt your scene, but if you want to rip it up on some gnarly terrain then what better place to do it. adrenaline is better than any drug (alcohol included) its not all about the party. fun is a subjective term

Why not have both, who are you to say how other people should live their lives. And by the way I probably enjoy more of our natural wonders then most if not all the other people on here. Everything from back country skiing, hunting, camping, rock climbing, base jumping...suba diving and surfing once every couple year...mountain biking in the summer, fishing at least once a week for at least half the year...kayaking a couple times. If it involves outdoors then I do it or have done in. But guess what I also want to have a beer legally when I go fishing, or to a park, I want to be able to go with friends to a pub and not have to constantly pay attention to my watch, I want to have a neighborhood pub where I can go relax after work especially when I work evenings like I have for the past few years. I have lived outside of Vancouver for a good chunk of my life and I have seen how much better this place can be and it frustrates me when its such simple little things that need to be done BUT they not only dont get done but the city and province tries to push through even more idiotic laws and bi-laws.

[cornholio]

Originally Posted by Nutterbug

May the responsibility to not get hit by a car rest on them too, and not the driver.

Yes so why should that be a reason to ban drinking outside? And that is the case anyways.

Originally Posted by Nutterbug

Because breathalyser tests can't be everywhere all the time.

And again why should that be a reason to ban open liquor in a car when the driver is not drinking and hasnt drank. Its stupid and illogical, the only thing that it accomplishes is that it makes more rules and laws that need to be followed which just make living a normal, satisfied law abiding life that much more difficult.

[Nutterbug]

Originally Posted by cornholio

Yes so why should that be a reason to ban drinking outside? And that is the case anyways.

Because it's bound to increase the incidences of it?

Originally Posted by cornholio

And again why should that be a reason to ban open liquor in a car when the driver is not drinking and hasnt drank. Its stupid and illogical, the only thing that it accomplishes is that it makes more rules and laws that need to be followed which just make living a normal, satisfied law abiding life that much more difficult.

Because there's a danger that having open liquor in the cabin of a car may get passed around to the driver?

I get what you're saying about personal freedoms and all, but if restraining yourself from drinking to comply with these rules makes life so "difficult" to you, I think there's a good chance you've got yourself a drinking problem there.

Hopefully, these rules are in place not to protect anyone from themselves, but to protect everybody else from them.

[Holden West]

I just can't believe the stupidity of this. The No-Fun crowd is working hard to ensure we have no interesting art to look at.

Most Coal Harbour residents never took to
sculpture of an upside-down church in Harbour Green Park.
Photograph by : Les Bazso, The Province

Stanley Park's Hollow Tree is now history

Board also votes to remove controversial upside-down sculpture


Christina Montgomery, The Province

Published: Tuesday, April 01, 2008

The board also voted to remove a seven-storey sculpture that was placed in Harbour Green Park in 2005.
Device to Root out Evil, a sculpture of an aluminum church driven into the ground by its steeple, drew mostly negative comment last year when the board contemplated making permanent what was originally an 18-month installation. [I say we heard from the NIMBYs and that the people that don't have a problem with it never spoke up. That's how it usually works]

Many people argued that it blocked sight lines down Bute Street of the water and mountains; others were offended by what they called its anti-religious nature. ["Blocked sightlines"? Get serious. That empty space needs something there to engage it. "Anti-religious"? Ha! You could make the argument that it's actually pro-religious.]

Both votes took place before a capacity crowd that jeered both decisions.
Michella Frosch, chairwoman of the group that brought the Device to Vancouver in 2005 as part of the Biennale outdoor sculpture festival, warned the board that the "important" and "significant" work might be lost to another city if it was voted out of Coal Harbour. [I think this is true. You'll scare off the top artists and end up with more pablum].

Eleanor Hadley, a West End resident and regular critic of board policy, branded the work "obscene" and "a mockery of our religion and faith."
The board voted to have the sculpture removed within 60 days but asked staff to try to find another site in the city to house it.

Holden West photo

I'm sure they would love this challenging and stunning work of art to be replaced by some friggin' whales.

[cornholio]

Originally Posted by Nutterbug

Because it's bound to increase the incidences of it?

Do you really think that? I mean seriously if anything then it would reduce those incidents by allowing people to drink in a more reasonable time frame.

Originally Posted by Nutterbug

Because there's a danger that having open liquor in the cabin of a car may get passed around to the driver?

Oh man , come on listen to what you just said, it makes no sense what so ever. If a driver wants to drink and drive then they will do so, if their caught then they face the consequences. It doesnt matter if they decided to drink in a car, in a pub beforehand, on the street, do you really consider people for idiots who need babysitting?

Originally Posted by Nutterbug

I get what you're saying about personal freedoms and all, but if restraining yourself from drinking to comply with these rules makes life so "difficult" to you, I think there's a good chance you've got yourself a drinking problem there.

Hopefully, these rules are in place not to protect anyone from themselves, but to protect everybody else from them.

This is what scares me, especially if there is alot of people who think like you do. First of all little inconveniences add up to big inconveniences. Second of all once you get in to the paranoid mind frame of wanting to protect everyone from everyone then you set your self up for disaster.

Anyways the reason I probably have a problem with all this is because I have lived elsewhere, if I havent I probably wouldn't of cared about any of this because I wouldn't know any better...especially given the fact that we are told we live in the best place on earth I wouldn't even question these stupid laws. But thats just not the case.

[Nutterbug]

Originally Posted by cornholio

Do you really think that? I mean seriously if anything then it would reduce those incidents by allowing people to drink in a more reasonable time frame.

Here, I thought we were talking about being able to drink anywhere outside. Let anybody drink anywhere on the sidewalk and out in public, and I imagine you'll get more drunks spilling over onto the street or causing trouble for other people.

Originally Posted by cornholio

Oh man , come on listen to what you just said, it makes no sense what so ever. If a driver wants to drink and drive then they will do so, if their caught then they face the consequences. It doesnt matter if they decided to drink in a car, in a pub beforehand, on the street, do you really consider people for idiots who need babysitting?

Again, the police can't be everywhere all the time.

If you drink in a pub, at least you'll stop when you leave its premises. If you can drive inside a car while driving, you may just be tempted to keep drinking...and drinking...

Lobby for unlimited bar hours all you want, but I do feel alcohol has absolutely no place anywhere behind the wheel. Err on the side of caution.