Vancouver becoming the no-fun city again???

[delboy]

Originally Posted by trofirhen

Travelling is part of education, although it is expensive for most people. Nevertheless, if you can go and spend time in Montreal, Copenhagen, and Amsterdam (for starters, anyway) it is possible to observe how people living in cities have loads of fun in an urban context.

I have traveled, lived all over the world. Part of the problem here is that the restrictive laws have pushed people into tight clickey groups who drink at each other's houses and don't expand their social circles. I see this as being due to few options. The burbs are even worse - they are culturally void and soulless places.

As the article rightly notes, you have to have massive financial start up costs to do anything here. What has happened here is a monopoly on bars - look at Donnolley group for instance. We need more independent, down to earth, owner operated places.

I am optimistic that it can change, i just don't get why it has taken so long. Of all the cities in the world i've lived and spent time, Vancouver is the most livable in many ways, but sadly i give it a F in an engaging social scene.

[trofirhen]

Originally Posted by delboy

I have traveled, lived all over the world. Part of the problem here is that the restrictive laws have pushed people into tight clickey groups who drink at each other's houses and don't expand their social circles. I see this as being due to few options. The burbs are even worse - they are culturally void and soulless places.

As the article rightly notes, you have to have massive financial start up costs to do anything here. What has happened here is a monopoly on bars - look at Donnolley group for instance. We need more independent, down to earth, owner operated places.

I am optimistic that it can change, i just don't get why it has taken so long. Of all the cities in the world i've lived and spent time, Vancouver is the most livable in many ways, but sadly i give it a F in an engaging social scene.

Absolutely true.

[SpongeG]

yes

i heard the hells angels have a lot of involvment too - i don't know how true that is but they also own a lot of the hot dog stands?

[Yume-sama]

That's why I only support JapaDog.

[delboy]

Originally Posted by SpongeG

yes

i heard the hells angels have a lot of involvment too - i don't know how true that is but they also own a lot of the hot dog stands?

Not sure about that. I certainly have a number of business interests, but they are careful to seperate individual business interests from those of the club.

[SpongeG]

no they own the hot dog stands outside night clubs or something like that

[Yume-sama]

Oh goodness, don't tell me they own the "Dogfather" stands?!

[SpongeG]

people I used to work with used to talk about it

I don't know thats just one of those things you hear floating around

i think maybe they don't own them but you have to pay them "protection" money to them to stay open...

[vancityrox]

There is a new documentary on Vancouver names "No Fun City".

Here is a the trailer:

http://vimeo.com/3967326

It looks good.
Hopefully it can lift up some awareness to the big guys.

[twoNeurons]

Did we ever stop becoming the no-fun city?

[Yume-sama]

For 2 weeks! It'll be like that Spring Break your parents still talk about from 40 years ago...

[trofirhen]

Having the classy, sophisticated nightlife of Montreal, or the snazzy, swinging nightlife of Toronto is something that Vancouverites just are not educated to. Maybe they'll "get it" if they travel more, but even then, it's going to be a long time. This is a metroplolis-in-the-woods, a city emerging from a long chrysalis a a lumber town and little more. By the time Metro Vancouver reaches 3.5 million or so, things will be a whole lot different. Anyway, I'll be dead by then.

[s211]

Originally Posted by trofirhen

Having the classy, sophisticated nightlife of Montreal, or the snazzy, swinging nightlife of Toronto is something that Vancouverites just are not educated to. Maybe they'll "get it" if they travel more, but even then, it's going to be a long time. This is a metroplolis-in-the-woods, a city emerging from a long chrysalis a a lumber town and little more. By the time Metro Vancouver reaches 3.5 million or so, things will be a whole lot different. Anyway, I'll be dead by then.

Exactly. In general, Vancouverites don't know how to have fun without it degenerating into a drunken brawl.

[delboy]

this thread has been 'sleeping for a bit'. Thought it might be worth posting this:

http://www.westender.com/articles/en...right-to-party

The backlash from the film No Fun City and pressure from Vancouver staples, such as David Dupprey, as lead to the city being quite candid about the state of its bylaws surrounding live music venues that have suppressed those who want to foster different live music venues.

Will no fun Vancouver eventually be a moniker of the past? Has the tide finally turned?

[trofirhen]

Originally Posted by delboy

this thread has been 'sleeping for a bit'. Thought it might be worth posting this:

http://www.westender.com/articles/en...right-to-party

The backlash from the film No Fun City and pressure from Vancouver staples, such as David Dupprey, as lead to the city being quite candid about the state of its bylaws surrounding live music venues that have suppressed those who want to foster different live music venues.

Will no fun Vancouver eventually be a moniker of the past? Has the tide finally turned?

Good idea to re-open this thread, Delboy. Good timing, as everyone is understandably preoccupied with View Cones, City Hall Morons, and so forth. You made a good choice. It's refreshing.

Vancouver may be on a turning tide, but it's still (seemingly) rather peripheral, and not "mainstream," (which is what I'd like to see. People I know from Montreal - and Toronto, too -- say the nightlife scene here is folksy and blaaaah, still.)

I don't know if Vancouverites will ever "get it." This requires travel, which is $$$$. However, travel is a vital form of education, and without comparisons, experienced by a large part of the population, the Vancouver nightlife scene will remain - alas - "party till you puke," which is a really dirty shame. One can only hope for the best, and keep on sluggin'. Again, thanks for rescucitating this thread.

[delboy]

Originally Posted by trofirhen

Good idea to re-open this thread, Delboy. Good timing, as everyone is understandably preoccupied with View Cones, City Hall Morons, and so forth. You made a good choice. It's refreshing.

Vancouver may be on a turning tide, but it's still (seemingly) rather peripheral, and not "mainstream," (which is what I'd like to see. People I know from Montreal - and Toronto, too -- say the nightlife scene here is folksy and blaaaah, still.)

I don't know if Vancouverites will ever "get it." This requires travel, which is $$$$. However, travel is a vital form of education, and without comparisons, experienced by a large part of the population, the Vancouver nightlife scene will remain - alas - "party till you puke," which is a really dirty shame. One can only hope for the best, and keep on sluggin'. Again, thanks for rescucitating this thread.

Yes were are most certainly at a start not an end point. I don't buy that it's because we haven't travelled. Half the folks you meet here are from eslewhere. It's more of a case of zoning and bylaws mired in red tape that have become unworkable for those who are trying to do something different.

Change can happen relatively quickly, look at gastown over the past 3 years. There have been an impressive number of resto-lounges and gasto pubs open of late, but there is something missing here, perhaps an easy, casual venue where one does not have to sit on oddly shaped couches drinking 15 dollar martinis. If the city truly relaxes the bylaws and paves the way for simple, licenced live music venues, i'm optomistic that there is an appetite for them.

Not that I care that much about nightlife anymore and am typically in bed well before midnight for fear one might turn into a large pumpkin, but on the odd time I do venture out, it would be nice to have better choices.