Vancouver General Discussion Thread

[officedweller]

1996 - yeah, that's a "few" years back.
Time flies!

[SpongeG]

I heard one of the bakery workers died.

[Klazu]

Interesting tidbit about the massive Guildford flagpole. I have always wondered about its origins, but did not know it having been built for Expo 86. I wonder how expensive it is to keep replacing the flag every few years?

https://youtu.be/Lf40kA8r0wQ

[jollyburger]

Originally Posted by Klazu

Interesting tidbit about the massive Guildford flagpole. I have always wondered about its origins, but did not know it having been built for Expo 86. I wonder how expensive it is to keep replacing the flag every few years?

https://youtu.be/Lf40kA8r0wQ

The flag probably costs around $2-3K depending on the material?

‘You’ve made my year’: Giant Canadian flag flies again over Surrey auto dealership
Landmark pole sits on Guildford site now operated by Go North Surrey GM

TOM ZILLICHNov. 4, 2020 9:45 a.m.LOCAL NEWSNEWS


For the first time in close to a year, a giant Canadian flag is waving in the wind above a Surrey car dealership on 104th Avenue.

The red maple leaf was unfurled from the 86-metre pole late Monday afternoon (Nov. 2), prompting several locals to call Go North Surrey GM the following day to voice their pleasure.

“I’ve taken four phone calls today,” company vice-president Bob Hewitt told the Now-Leader on Tuesday. “One elderly lady who lives down the street called and she was almost in tears saying, ‘You’ve made my year.’ It’s like, wow. You don’t realize how much it means to everybody.”

Installed in 1987, the landmark flag pole sits on property where a Barnes Wheaton car dealership operated until the Oct. 1 transfer of ownership to Go North Surrey GM.

In recent months, repairs to the pole’s interior ladder and winch systems stalled attempts to fly the flag, until now, with all-new ropes, rigging and more.

• RELATED STORY: Surrey’s giant flag hasn’t flown in a year, but pole repairs are in ‘homestretch’ now.

Barnes Wheaton operators had wanted to have a flag flying in time for Canada Day, but the recent delays mean it’s now flying for Remembrance Day.

“We’d like to do something for it, but during this time we really can’t have a ceremony or anything like that,” Hewitt said.

The Go auto dealers have inherited the pricey upkeep of the pole and flag, which they plan to fly proudly, according to Hewitt.

“The previous ownership was good and got it all set up and fixed, dealing with that, but now with making sure the flag isn’t ripped and is in good condition, that’s on us,” Hewitt explained. “We have two backup flags right now, and every six months we’ll probably have to order another two. Our goal is to fly it 365 days a year. We’re excited to take on the ownership of the flag.”

The flagpole was brought to Surrey from the Expo 86 site in Vancouver, a year after the fair ended.

Sherrold Haddad, the auto dealer who brought the flagpole to his business in Guildford at a cost of close to $250,000, died last March at the age of 90. In 2012, Haddad sold the dealership to Barnes Wheaton.

The pole supports a Canadian flag that measures close to 50 by 80 feet.

The cost to maintain the flag and pole is not insignificant – close to $40,000 annually, according to recent estimates. Big windstorms are especially troublesome, and Hewitt said Go ownership is aware of the issues.


“Over the years it’s been brought down when it’s getting windy, or a windstorm is coming, but we’re just going to keep it up all the time, and if we have to burn through six flags a year, then so be it,” Hewitt said.

“The only issue we have is if there’s a big storm and it rips, apparently the phones ring off the hook here, with people upset that how dare we have a ripped flag. But if it happened six hours before that, the crew isn’t there yet, it’s coming. A bit of time is required, so people have to understand that. It’s not a normal flag pole where you grab a rope and down it goes.”

There's a Government of Canada wait list for a Parliament Flag and they say the wait list is 100 years.

https://www.tpsgc-pwgsc.gc.ca/citepa...quest-eng.html

[madog222]

Originally Posted by jollyburger

The flag probably costs around $2-3K depending on the material?

Try $10k

https://www.flagstoreusa.com/product...-max-usa-flag/

[jollyburger]

Originally Posted by madog222

Try $10k

https://www.flagstoreusa.com/product...-max-usa-flag/

They said they cost $6K Canadian. I assume it's made in China and the $10K are inflated because of the "Made in USA" label

https://www.cloverdalereporter.com/n...mestretch-now/

[Klazu]

What's with the super fast flashing lighting on BC Place tonight? Looks weird and almost glitchy from a distance. It must suck for neighbouring residents to have this massive light flash outside your window. Normally their themes are much more subtle.

[SpongeG]

It's not in very good shape right now. Also, the dealership is no longer called Flag, it's now Go Auto North Surrey.

I wonder if the proposed tower across the street will have the flag pole lose some of its prominence.

[officedweller]

Pics of the flagpole during Expo 86.

You can sort of see the alternate Beatty entrance to Stadium Station in the first shot.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/canadagood/3068558103


https://www.vancouverarchives.ca/201...o-86-holdings/


https://jcra.ncsu.edu/resources/phot...Vancouver+1986

[madog222]

^Contact EDM music festival, it's been going on for around 10 years now.

[officedweller]

I can't open that link.
The design looked like mirrored squared off "C"s for the Contact festival.
It looked a bit like a Greek key design as a result.

Originally Posted by madog222

^Contact EDM music festival, it's been going on for around 10 years now.

The best display from ages ago (maybe the first Contact festival) was when the BC Place Northern Lights display was formatted like a stereo equalizer and was timed with the music.

From 2013:
• Video Link

https://www.reddit.com/r/vancouver/c...cking_a_sound/

[Zepfancouver]

Metro Vancouver & the Fraser Valley - 1391 viewing, Did SSP go viral around midnight, was it higher earlier this evening?

.,

[Klazu]

Thsnks. Someone else noticed last night being different as well. The video on Reddit is not the best one to show it, though.

https://www.reddit.com/r/vancouver/c...place_tonight/

[SpongeG]

they have multiple stores in the suburbs that will remain open. But Portland must be doing worse than one hears? I haven't been down there in over a decade.

Walmart closing up shop in Portland due to 'rampant shoplifting'

Postmedia News
Published Mar 07, 2023

Walmart is leaving the Rose City.
The retail juggernaut was already down to just two stores in Portland, Ore., but now they will be closing, too, according to the New York Post.
The stores aren’t shutting on March 24 because of a lack of business, but rather because too many people are stealing from them, according to reports.

...

https://torontosun.com/news/world/wa...nt-shoplifting

[officedweller]

Apparently Walmart wasn't ever welcomed by the City of Portland, though,
similar to the City of Vancouver back when they tried to open a store on SE Marine Dr.

One article said the next closest store to one of the closing stores is only 3 km away.

[Changing City]

Originally Posted by officedweller

Apparently Walmart wasn't ever welcomed by the City of Portland, though,
similar to the City of Vancouver back when they tried to open a store on SE Marine Dr.

One article said the next closest store to one of the closing stores is only 3 km away.

Walmart hasn't said shoplifting is why they're closing the two stores, but the Governor of Texas has. They're closing stores in other states too, but the Portland closures attracted attention because they're the only stores in the city itself, rather than the suburban municipalities where they're still operating. Portland certainly has significant public order, homelessness and drug use issues at the moment.

[whatnext]

Originally Posted by Changing City

Walmart hasn't said shoplifting is why they're closing the two stores, but the Governor of Texas has. They're closing stores in other states too, but the Portland closures attracted attention because they're the only stores in the city itself, rather than the suburban municipalities where they're still operating. Portland certainly has significant public order, homelessness and drug use issues at the moment.

it makes you wonder how bad it is in Vancouver. Last time I was at the Bay there was literally a woman (I think) waddling away in a bulging trench coat which had to have a lot of merch underneath it. I've heard that thieves actually ran into Holt Renfrew and stole clothing right off the mannequins just inside.

[zahav]

The differences between American cities is crazy, the culture and mentality and values are so different from city to city, far more than in Canada. Having a large American city with no Wal Marts is wild, and I think partially speaks to the drastic difference between places like Portland and Wal Mart's home state of Arkansas, and so much of America really. Even though Wal Mart is less evil than it was years ago, it definitely has a past for bad labour practices, greed, low quality, low wages, etc. Compare what is happening somewhere like Tennessee right now with banning drag shows, trans issues, etc. And all the abortion bans. Then you have the urban decay in Seattle, Portland, San Fran, LA, but very liberal.

Canada doesn't have nearly the same extremes. Of course there's differences in size, urban design, and demographics between Canadian cities, but I don't think the general "culture" or way of being/thinking really changes from city to city. In terms of outlook on society, priorities, healthcare, social rights (LBGTQ, race, gender), most cities are pretty accepting I would say. Even how people paint Calgary as super conservative (and maybe it is by Canadian standards), they don't vary wildly from other cities in terms of opinion on migrants, women's rights, reproductive rights, racism, LBGT acceptance. Environment might be a bit of an exception but even then most people there just get defensive when it comes to the ROC bringing up oil sands and piollution because they feel like it's an attack. But a lot of people all over Alberta are very similar to national opinions on the matter, they just have a larger and more vocal proportion of pro-oil folks than somewhere like Vancouver Island lol...

But in America omg, it's so insane how opposite cities can be from each other in their outlook on things. Think it speaks to Canada doing something right in that there's more national consensus on important issues, and we're not nearly as divided as the US

[svlt]

Originally Posted by zahav

The differences between American cities is crazy, the culture and mentality and values are so different from city to city, far more than in Canada. Having a large American city with no Wal Marts is wild, and I think partially speaks to the drastic difference between places like Portland and Wal Mart's home state of Arkansas, and so much of America really. Even though Wal Mart is less evil than it was years ago, it definitely has a past for bad labour practices, greed, low quality, low wages, etc. Compare what is happening somewhere like Tennessee right now with banning drag shows, trans issues, etc. And all the abortion bans. Then you have the urban decay in Seattle, Portland, San Fran, LA, but very liberal.

Canada doesn't have nearly the same extremes. Of course there's differences in size, urban design, and demographics between Canadian cities, but I don't think the general "culture" or way of being/thinking really changes from city to city. In terms of outlook on society, priorities, healthcare, social rights (LBGTQ, race, gender), most cities are pretty accepting I would say. Even how people paint Calgary as super conservative (and maybe it is by Canadian standards), they don't vary wildly from other cities in terms of opinion on migrants, women's rights, reproductive rights, racism, LBGT acceptance. Environment might be a bit of an exception but even then most people there just get defensive when it comes to the ROC bringing up oil sands and piollution because they feel like it's an attack. But a lot of people all over Alberta are very similar to national opinions on the matter, they just have a larger and more vocal proportion of pro-oil folks than somewhere like Vancouver Island lol...

But in America omg, it's so insane how opposite cities can be from each other in their outlook on things. Think it speaks to Canada doing something right in that there's more national consensus on important issues, and we're not nearly as divided as the US

It's ironic given how many American based bloggers, youtubers and think tanks often talk about Canada as if it has no unity or reason for existence. Or point to Trudeau and his ideas of Canada being a "post national state" as evidence that this country is about to fall apart, but when I see the politics and division down south my eyebrows raise and furrow. Even some Republicans - who have far larger and more significant supporters and voters than the PPC fringe where they would best align with in Canada - have advocated for the country to be divided between red and blue states.

I think absent some crazy social political event happening here, if we keep trudging along the mild LPC/CPC swings Canada has a higher likelihood of keeping itself intact than the USA the direction they're heading towards.

[fredinno]

Originally Posted by svlt

It's ironic given how many American based bloggers, youtubers and think tanks often talk about Canada as if it has no unity or reason for existence. Or point to Trudeau and his ideas of Canada being a "post national state" as evidence that this country is about to fall apart, but when I see the politics and division down south my eyebrows raise and furrow. Even some Republicans - who have far larger and more significant supporters and voters than the PPC fringe where they would best align with in Canada - have advocated for the country to be divided between red and blue states.

I think absent some crazy social political event happening here, if we keep trudging along the mild LPC/CPC swings Canada has a higher likelihood of keeping itself intact than the USA the direction they're heading towards.

Geographically, Canada doesn't make sense as a nation, considering its population is distributed a thousand miles long and is divided by a ton of geographical barriers, as well as hosting the longest straight-line border in the world.

In any other era, Canada wouldn't exist.

Note that the USA being more 'divided' is a modern phenomenon, not a historical one. Lest we forget the 90s, and the endless attempts of Quebec to secede, which were based around different cultural identities.

Both times the US tried to split itself apart were over politics, rather than differing regional identities.