THE TALK OF THE TOWN

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What Do We Have For You This Month?

Welcome to “The Talk of The Town” for December, 2022. Scroll through the following features to find (and click on images to enlarge):

Our Lead Story

Wait for it … It’ll be here any minute … unless the next one is full. (Milan Streit Photo)

THE #6 DAVIE IS THE SLOWEST
BUS IN TOWN

by Nathan Davidowicz
TransLink provides information on the average speed of various bus routes and Buses No.5 and 6 together are listed as the slowest line in Metro Vancouver, at an average speed of 9.6 kilometers per hour (kph) from early morning to late night.

It is slower during the busy hours from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. by at least 2 kph i.e. 7.6 kph.

However, if you take the main segment of route #6 between Davie and Mainland (Yaletown-Roundhouse Station ) to Davie and Denman ( English Bay ) you get a much slower speed.

For this 2 km segment the average bus speed is between 5 to 6 kph and it takes 20 to 24 minutes.

On many trips the bus drivers get no layover-rest time as they are behind on this badly designed schedule by five to ten minutes. This is a safety issue for the drivers. The bus company only gives the drivers 15 minutes or less to travel this badly congested 16 blocks / 2 km distance.

The average walking speed is 5 to 6 km per hour so the 2 km segment will take 20 to 24 minutes.

Staff at TransLink (CMBC) and the City of Vancouver are refusing to follow other cities that improved the slow speed of their downtown buses.

West End/Downtown riders are frustrated at the bad and slow bus service. Since 2020 service has been cut back on many downtown bus routes like Nos 2, 3, 5, 6, 8, 10, 14, 16, 19, 20, 22 23, and R5, and everyday there are many trip cancellations and "ghost" buses .

We need improvements now, not by 2030/40 or 2050. Transit riders deserve better.

Track bus route speeds here

Nathan Davidowicz is a longtime Vancouver transit advocate. To receive his “Alternate Buzzer” email him at who wants to receive the Weekly Alternative Buzzer can email me at nathandavidowicz2@gmail.com. Stay current on local transit issues by visiting the “We Ride Public Transit” Facebook page here.

West End News & Notes

THE WECC FITNESS CENTRE REOPENS

Closed for repairs and upgrades seemingly forever, the West End Community Centre’s Fitness Centre has finally reopened.

Spruced up and ready for action. visit the reopened west end community centre fitness centre.

Located on the second floor of the Centre (870 Denman), the fitness area underwent a complete renovation, with updates to the infrastructure and layout of the fitness rooms, squash court, change rooms and steam room. A digitally designed mural piece from Susan Point’s public art collection, “People Amongst the People,” captures the essence of the West End community.

Brand new equipment and machines occupy the three open concept areas; a cardio studio, free and heavy weight area and a circuit gym. The flooring throughout the facility has been redone with new tiles/slip-free laminate, and sanitation stations and health and safety equipment have been placed in each room ensuring clean, hygienic equipment is always readily available.

The Fitness Centre now includes the Cybex Prestige Total Access, featuring a stationary seat that swivels out of place for wheelchair accessibility, enabling everyone to participate in the likes of lateral pulldowns, seated rowing and chest presses. An elevated mat table has been added for stretching and a Sci-Fit Step One machine is available for those looking to do a session on a seated elliptical, upright bike, recumbent bike or treadmill.

Whether you are looking for a dry place to run during wet season in Vancouver, working towards achieving your New Year, New You goals, or just looking to get a quick sweat on while the kids have a lesson at the ice rink or in the community centre, the West End Fitness Centre has it all.

Passes to the fitness centre can be purchased on a drop-in basis, but for people wanting to use the gym regularly, a Flexipass is recommended. Through to December 8 you can take advantage of the Fit for Life promotion, which offers a $50 discount on adult, youth, senior, or child 12-month Park Board Flexipasses.

The WECC Fitness Centre is open Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

For information on the West End Fitness Centre, rates and hours of operation visit the website here.

Rededicating the Second Beach memorial to Aaron Webster, from left: Opie Oh, Kevin Dale McKeown, Tim Chisholm and Kim Hoath. (Photo by Jayce)

IN MEMORY OF AARON WEBSTER

Twenty-one years ago on November 17 Vancouver’s gay community was stunned by the gay-bashing murder of Aaron Webster in Stanley Park. He was swarmed by a group of young men and beaten to death with baseball bats. He was found not long afterward and died in the arms of his friend Tim Chisholm.

An awareness and fundraising campaign led by friends such as Tim and Kim Hoath and supported by the West End community resulted in a memorial bench and plaque being placed at the intersection of Rowling Trail and Bridle Path, near Second Beach and close to where Aaron died.

Last year was the tenth anniversary of the placement of the bench and the Park Board advised Tim that the bench was up for renewal and that this would cost $7,000. Unless the money was forthcoming the bench would be removed.

The community rallied to the cause, with the support of many West Enders, community Facebook pages, and MLA Spencer Chandra Herbert and more than $12,000 was raised to replace the bench, clean up the plaque, and repair the shelter over the bench. The balance of the funds will be held in trust against the cost of the next update, ten years from now.

On November 13 of this year a few of Aaron’s friends met at the bench to rededicate it to his memory, and to the hope for a future without violent homophobia.

You’ll find the Wikipedia entry telling Aaron’s story here.

Word On The Street

HELKA ON ROBSON

A new brunch spot is about to (or may now has) open its doors at 1102 Davie, most recently home of a small cafe with the cheeky name “Mary’s on Davie” (cheeky ‘cause the real Mary’s on Davie is just up the streeet), previously La Baguette et Compagnie, and prior to that a Moroccan and then a Mexican restaurant.

Let’s welcome the owners and staff of Helka Cafe to the neighborhood and wish them the best as we look forward to the their brunch menu and express-based beverages.

Follow them at www.instagram.com/helkacafe

SSONG’S HOTDOG COMING SOON

There will soon be a new corn-dog outlet in town and the Korean-based international chain Ssong’s Hotdog opens a new location at 795 Jervis.

They are taking on the former location of Koyuki Sapporo Ramen.

Ssong’s currently has locations in the U.S., Japan, China, and Vietnam. We have not confirmed, but it appears from their website that this may be their first Canadian venture.

Ssong’s, named for a Ms. Ssong who “took the ordinary hotdogs and corndogs to the next new level” has outlets in the U.S., Japan, China, and Vietnam.

West End Moments

West End Street Names

King George III

WEST GEORGIA

One of many locations in the Pacific Northwest named for England’s George III (who, you will recall, was mad). Surveyor L.A. Hamilton named this street after the Strait of Georgia.

That body of water was named by George Vancouver to honor the king who had put up the funds to send him and his crew to have a look at the B.C. coastline and check it out for empire expansion opportunities.

After fetching up on shore near present-day Everett, Washington, the captain proclaimed the waters to be the Gulf of Georgia and the surrounding lands to be New Georgia — which fortunately didn’t stick. One has to wonder if George Vancouver wasn’t also thinking of his own place in history in proclaiming so much Georgian place-naming.

The West End - Coal Harbour In The News

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Thank you!
Kevin Dale McKeown
Editor & Publisher
editor@thewestendjournal.ca