Vancouver is no fun city

We are lucky and blessed to live in beautiful and peaceful Vancouver. Our multicultural city is a place of visions and cycles, moment and clarity, where life moves in harmony with a higher level of consciousness. We have solid infrastructure, health system and perceived safety. We can ski, bike and golf in a single day.

The world has many positive impressions of Vancouver, beginning with the most livable city, with a high quality of life, best city to do business and aspiring to be the world’s greenest city.

Greenpeace was born in Vancouver and we have the best Chinese food in Canada.

Vancouver’s stunning skyline (not intimidating like New York) is a reflection of the aspirations of the residents. The city is a subdued metropolis, blessed with a growing energy of vitality, trade and artistry. It has created a relaxed urban lifestyle. Recently, the city was named in two industry rankings as one of the top North American destinations for international meetings and conferences. It is so easy to fall in love with Vancouver but here’s the downside.

For a start, the skyrocketing housing costs and inadequate transportation systems are eroding its ability to attract young talent and business investment. Housing affordability has become a center of debate in the province. There is a need to focus on extreme foreign ownership of real estate. The government must make sure that Vancouver’s housing supply is for people who live and contribute to the local economy. It is not a place for investors to park their wealth but a place to live.

Some critics said that many are deceived by the postcard-view of Vancouver that is wrapped by snow covered mountains, trees and water and in reality is “no-fun-city.” Others call the city “No Funcouver.”

Many locals know this and The Real Estate Development recently recruited John Bela, a San Francisco space designer who specializes in bringing public spaces to life. The problem is how to bring urban fun in Vancouver and how Vancouver can adapt to changing needs and lifestyles of the residents, also how to make better use of public spaces such as alleys and empty lots.

Bela said the concentration of large condo towers does not allow residents to meet their neighbors. There is no social interaction and that livability and street activation could be better stimulated by mid-rise development and social spaces.

He said that developers need to think more about the street’s eco-space commerce beyond the typical coffee shop, drug store, banks and fast food ships. We have to wait and see how community leaders can bring more fun to our lovely city.

Canadians respond to disaster with a big heart

The wildfires of Fort McMurray destroyed substantial swaths of the city and forced nearly 90,000 from their homes. It is devastating to Canada and the province of Alberta. The fire could lower Canada’s GDP growth to zero this quarter. The disruption in production at the oil sands, estimated around one million barrels a day or 40 percent of the usual output is expected.

The disaster immediately mobilized and activated Canadians to help. The cumulative result is an outpouring of financial help from people across the country. Canadian Red Cross received $60 million in donations for Fort McMurray in a short period of time and the federal government’s pledge to match all individual donations. Stories of young children pitching in to raise funds and Syrian refugees helping  the homeless and hard-hit evacuees are heart-warming.

Labatt Beer in London, Ontario stopped canning beer to can water on aluminum cans. The cans are lighter, less prone to breaking compared to plastic bottles. Many companies responded fast to help out in the crisis.

Canada is a huge country but is united tightly together in giving help to those in need.

Tone deaf amateur can learn how to sing

We know that there’s a lot of people who can’t sing and yet persist in singing. An interesting book by a Canadian journalist delves into the science behind how we hear music. The book is “Bad Singer: The Surprising Science of Tone Deafness and How We Hear Music.”

Apparently there’s much more to how the brain process music than simply registering the pitch. A number of other factors, including rhythm, volume, lyrics and timbre all play a significant role in how we experience and enjoy music.

Supposedly, there is an estimated 2.5 to 4% of the population who has congenital amusia, or tone deafness, a neurological impairment that affects one’s ability to perceive small differences in pitches. There’s a lot of research and scientific development that’s going on to help bad singers become good singers through training.