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Restaurant listings For May 18, 2006

Thursday, May 18th, 2006

Restaurant Listings

Sun

WEST COAST

Aurora Bistro The first fine dining room on Main St. Inventive food, hip spot. 2420 Main St., 604-873-9944. $$

Bishop’s Consistently one of the city’s best. Almost 100 per cent organic foods. 2183 West Fourth Ave., 604-738-2025. $$$

Bin 942 Creative, delectable tapas dishes. 1521 West Broadway, 604-734-9421. $$/$$$

Lumiere Tasting Bar The casual sidekick to famous sibling, Lumiere, next door. 2551 West Broadway, 604-739-8185. $$/$$$

Nu A sophisticated version of casual dining. Beautiful flavours, great atmosphere. 1661 Granville St., 604-646-4668. $$

Parkside Handsome room in residential West End, richly flavoured food. Great spot. 1906 Haro, 604-683-6912. $$/$$$

Raincity Grill A Vancouver moment by English Bay. Regional food. 1193 Denman St., 604-685-7337. $$$

Rare An impressive, unique menu. There’s passion here. 1355 Hornby St., 604-669-1256. $$$

West Vies for best restaurant in the city. 2881 Granville St., 604-738-8938. $$$

ITALIAN

Cin Cin Restaurant and Bar A well-coiffed crowd. Entrees, pasta and pizzas. Nice summer patio. 1154 Robson St., 604-688-7338. $$/$$$

Cioppino’s Mediterranean Grill Fine Italian cuisine with a light touch. 1133 Hamilton St., 604-688-7466. $$$

Quattro on Fourth An Italian restaurant with flair. 2611 West Fourth Ave., 604-734-4444. $$/$$$

CHINESE

Hon’s Wun-Tun House Slurp noodles and chomp on delicious potstickers. Huge menu. 1339 Robson St., 604-685-0871. $

Sun Sui Wah Cantonese cuisine with light, finely tuned flavours. 3888 Main St., 604-872-8822. $$

Szechuan Chongqing An institution for those who love the incendiary fare. 2808 Commercial Dr., 604-254-7434. $$

Wild Rice Modern Chinese food in a sophisticated, hip setting. 117 West Pender St., 604-642-2882. $$

JAPANESE

Chopstick Cafe/Shiru-Bay Great atmosphere, intriguing izakaya food, budget prices. 1193 Hamilton St., 604-408-9315. $$

Hapa Izakaya Young and stylish; great izakaya-style Japanese food. 1479 Robson St., 604-689-4272. $/$$

Tojo’s Restaurant The topper in this category. Japanese food at its best. 202 — 777 West Broadway, 604-872-8050. $$$

Zest Japanese Cuisine Grazing style modern Japanese menu in cool modern room. 2775 West 16th Ave., 604-731-9378. $$

FRENCH/BELGIAN

Bacchus Restaurant Some classics, some nouveau. Expect the best. Wedgewood Hotel, 845 Hornby St., 604-689-7777. $$$

Chambar Modern Belgian food. Hot hipster scene. Chef has cooked in a three-star Michelin restaurant. 562 Beatty St., 604-879-7119. $$

Lumiere Chef Rob Feenie redefines restaurants in Vancouver. Tasting menus. 2551 West Broadway, 604-739-8185. $$$

Mistral Authentic Provencal food cooked by former Michelin chef. 2585 West Broadway, 604-733-0046. $$

Pastis French bistro with a lightness of being. 2153 West Fourth Ave., 604-731-5020. $$/$$$

Salade de Fruits Very good value French country bistro. 1551 West Seventh, 604-714-5987. $$

GREEK

Apollonia Well-prepared Greek food and very good pizzas. 1830 Fir St., 604-736-9559. $/$$

The Main Friendly, funky spot. Wonderful roast lamb. 4210 Main St., 604-709-8555. $$

INDIAN

Chutney Villa South Indian cuisine, with dosas, idli and vadas. 147 East Broadway, 604-872-2228. $/$$

Rangoli Vij’s casual and take-out next-door sidekick. Impressive. 1488 West 11th Ave., 604-736-5711. $

Vij’s Dishes are a symphony of wondrous flavours. 1480 West 11th Ave., 604-736-6664. $$

SOUTHEAST ASIAN

Banana Leaf Homestyle Malaysian food. 820 West Broadway, 604-731-6333 and 1096 Denman St., 604-683-3333. $$

Chi Modern take on Malaysian and Thai cuisines. 1796 Nanaimo St., 604-215-0078. $$

Monsoon An “East-West” brasserie with tropical Asian dishes, loads of atmosphere. 2526 Main St., 604-879-4001. $$

Montri Thai Restaurant Some of the best Thai food in the city. 3629 West Broadway, 604-738-9888. $$

SEAFOOD

Bluewater Cafe and Raw Bar Handsome spot. Impressive seafood, impressive wine list. 1095 Hamilton St., 604-688-8078. $$$

C Chef Robert Clark takes seafood to a new level. 1600 Howe St., 604-681-1164. $$$

Go Fish Fab fish and chips and much more, dished out of a catering truck, made with fish from the adjacent Fisherman’s Wharf. 1505 West First Ave., 604-730-5040. $

Rodney’s Oyster House Specializes in very fresh shellfish and oysters. 1228 Hamilton St., 604-609-0080. $$

VEGETARIAN

The Naam Wide variety of vegetarian fare. Quiet patio in summer. 2724 West Fourth Ave., 604-738-7151. $

Om Vegetarian Flavourful, fresh Buddhist-based vegetarian food. 3466 Cambie St., 604-873-6878. $

LATIN AMERICA

Century Restaurant and Bar Modern Latin food, the best in town. Great space. 432 Richards St., 604-687-1280. $$/$$$

Lolita’s South of the Border Cantina Casual Mexican food with sparkle. Lots of buzz in the room. 1326 Davie St., 604-696-9996. $$

Mouse and Bean Fresh, homey Mexican food, in a funky space. 207 West Hastings, 604-633-1781. $

MEDITERRANEAN

Circolo Italian, French, and a little bit of New York. Awesome wine list. 1116 Mainland, 604-687-1116. $$$

Provence Mediterranean Grill The menu is a marriage of French and Italian. Lovely flavours. 4473 West 10th Ave., 604-222-1980 and 1177 Marinaside Cres., 604-681-4144. $$

NORTH SHORE

Beach House at Dundarave Pier Spectacular setting for brunch by Dundarave Beach. West Coast cuisine. 150 25th St., West Van, 604-922-1414. $$$

Brown’s Restaurant and Bar Casually chic and bustling bistro with burgers, rice bowls, entrees. 1764 Lonsdale Ave., North Van, 604-929-5401. $/$$

Dundarave Fish Market Charming spot; fabulous seafood from the adjoining fish market. 2419 Marine Dr., West Van, 604-922-1155. $

Gusto Di Quattro Cosy, warm. Italian food. 1 Lonsdale Ave., North Van, 604-924-4444 . $$/$$$

La Regalade A truly, deeply French bistro. Wonderful atmosphere. 2232 Marine Dr., West Van, 604-921-2228. $$/$$$

Ocean Club Chic Yaletown-style lounge and restaurant. Food is imaginative and yummy. 100 Park Royal South, West Van, 604-926-2326. $$

Saltaire Gorgeous roof patio. Good value West Coast food. 2nd floor – 235 15th St., West Van, 604-913-8439. $$

BURNABY/NEW WEST

The Hart House In Tudor mansion. Exacting West Coast fare. 6664 Deer Lake Ave., Burnaby, 604-298-4278. $$$

Orange Room Casual tapas. International flavours. 620 Sixth Ave., New Westminster, 604-520-6464. $$

Pear Tree Small menu, sublime continental food. 4120 Hastings St., Burnaby, 604-299-2772. $$$

COQUITLAM, POCO, PORT MOODY

Joey Tomato’s Mediterranean Grill Casual family retaurant. 550 Lougheed Hwy., Coquitlam, 604-939-3077

Kirin Seafood Restaurant Chinese food for the discriminating palate. 2nd floor, Henderson Place, 1163 Pinetree Way, Coquitlam, 604-944-8833. $$/$$$

Pasta Polo Organic wheat pastas, pizzas. Family restaurant. 2754 Barnet Highway, Coquitlam, 604-464-7656. $/$$

RICHMOND

The Flying Beaver Bar Funky bar overlooking the Fraser River. 4760 Inglis Dr., Richmond, 604-273-0278. $/$$

Hon’s Wun-Tun House Noodles and delicious pot stickers, panfried or steamed. 4600 No. 3 Road, Richmond, 604-273-0871. $

Shanghai River Shanghai style cuisine. Dumplings and noodles made in open kitchen. 7831 Westminster Highway, 604-233-8885. $$

Sun Sui Wah Impressive way with seafood. 4940 No. 3 Rd., Richmond, 604-273-8208. $$

SURREY, WHITE ROCK, DELTA, TSAWWASSEN

Crescent Beach Bistro Rustic country spot. Straight ahead food. 12251 Beecher St., 604-531-1882. $$

Giraffe Charming place, eclectic West Coast menu. 15053 Marine Dr., White Rock, 604-538-6878. $$/$$$

La Belle Auberge In a heritage house in Ladner. Sublime French food. 4856 48th Ave., Ladner, 604-946-7717. $$$

Pearl on the Rock Modern Pacific Northwest cuisine with emphasis on seafood. Delicious fare. 14955 Marine Dr., White rock. 604-542-1064. $$$

FRASER VALLEY

Bacchus Bistro At Domain de Chaberton Estate Winery. Limited hours. Mediterranean food. 1064 — 216th St., Langley. 604-530-9694. $$

Bravo Bistro Swish little bistro, run by former Delilah’s restaurant veterans. 46224 Yale Rd., Chilliwack. 1-604-792-7721. $$

ITALIAN

Cin Cin Restaurant and Bar A well-coiffed crowd. Entrees, pasta and pizzas. Nice summer patio. 1154 Robson St., 604-688-7338. $$/$$$

Cioppino’s Mediterranean Grill Fine Italian cuisine with a light touch. 1133 Hamilton St., 604-688-7466. $$$

Quattro on Fourth An Italian restaurant with flair. 2611 West Fourth Ave., 604-734-4444. $$/$$$

CHINESE

Hon’s Wun-Tun House Slurp noodles and chomp on delicious potstickers. Huge menu. 1339 Robson St., 604-685-0871. $

Sun Sui Wah Cantonese cuisine with light, finely tuned flavours. 3888 Main St., 604-872-8822. $$

Szechuan Chongqing An institution for those who love the incendiary fare. 2808 Commercial Dr., 604-254-7434. $$

Wild Rice Modern Chinese food in a sophisticated, hip setting. 117 West Pender St., 604-642-2882. $$

JAPANESE

Chopstick Cafe/Shiru-Bay Great atmosphere, intriguing izakaya food, budget prices. 1193 Hamilton St., 604-408-9315. $$

Hapa Izakaya Young and stylish; great izakaya-style Japanese food. 1479 Robson St., 604-689-4272. $/$$

Tojo’s Restaurant The topper in this category. Japanese food at its best. 202 — 777 West Broadway, 604-872-8050. $$$

Zest Japanese Cuisine Grazing style modern Japanese menu in cool modern room. 2775 West 16th Ave., 604-731-9378. $$

FRENCH/BELGIAN

Bacchus Restaurant Some classics, some nouveau. Expect the best. Wedgewood Hotel, 845 Hornby St., 604-689-7777. $$$

Chambar Modern Belgian food. Hot hipster scene. Chef has cooked in a three-star Michelin restaurant. 562 Beatty St., 604-879-7119. $$

Lumiere Chef Rob Feenie redefines restaurants in Vancouver. Tasting menus. 2551 West Broadway, 604-739-8185. $$$

Mistral Authentic Provencal food cooked by former Michelin chef. 2585 West Broadway, 604-733-0046. $$

Pastis French bistro with a lightness of being. 2153 West Fourth Ave., 604-731-5020. $$/$$$

Salade de Fruits Very good value French country bistro. 1551 West Seventh, 604-714-5987. $$

GREEK

Apollonia Well-prepared Greek food and very good pizzas. 1830 Fir St., 604-736-9559. $/$$

The Main Friendly, funky spot. Wonderful roast lamb. 4210 Main St., 604-709-8555. $$

INDIAN

Chutney Villa South Indian cuisine, with dosas, idli and vadas. 147 East Broadway, 604-872-2228. $/$$

Rangoli Vij’s casual and take-out next-door sidekick. Impressive. 1488 West 11th Ave., 604-736-5711. $

Vij’s Dishes are a symphony of wondrous flavours. 1480 West 11th Ave., 604-736-6664. $$

SOUTHEAST ASIAN

Banana Leaf Homestyle Malaysian food. 820 West Broadway, 604-731-6333 and 1096 Denman St., 604-683-3333. $$

Chi Modern take on Malaysian and Thai cuisines. 1796 Nanaimo St., 604-215-0078. $$

Monsoon An “East-West” brasserie with tropical Asian dishes, loads of atmosphere. 2526 Main St., 604-879-4001. $$

Montri Thai Restaurant Some of the best Thai food in the city. 3629 West Broadway, 604-738-9888. $$

SEAFOOD

Bluewater Cafe and Raw Bar Handsome spot. Impressive seafood, impressive wine list. 1095 Hamilton St., 604-688-8078. $$$

C Chef Robert Clark takes seafood to a new level. 1600 Howe St., 604-681-1164. $$$

Go Fish Fab fish and chips and much more, dished out of a catering truck, made with fish from the adjacent Fisherman’s Wharf. 1505 West First Ave., 604-730-5040. $

Rodney’s Oyster House Specializes in very fresh shellfish and oysters. 1228 Hamilton St., 604-609-0080. $$

VEGETARIAN

The Naam Wide variety of vegetarian fare. Quiet patio in summer. 2724 West Fourth Ave., 604-738-7151. $

Om Vegetarian Flavourful, fresh Buddhist-based vegetarian food. 3466 Cambie St., 604-873-6878. $

LATIN AMERICA

Century Restaurant and Bar Modern Latin food, the best in town. Great space. 432 Richards St., 604-687-1280. $$/$$$

Lolita’s South of the Border Cantina Casual Mexican food with sparkle. Lots of buzz in the room. 1326 Davie St., 604-696-9996. $$

Mouse and Bean Fresh, homey Mexican food, in a funky space. 207 West Hastings, 604-633-1781. $

MEDITERRANEAN

Circolo Italian, French, and a little bit of New York. Awesome wine list. 1116 Mainland, 604-687-1116. $$$

Provence Mediterranean Grill The menu is a marriage of French and Italian. Lovely flavours. 4473 West 10th Ave., 604-222-1980 and 1177 Marinaside Cres., 604-681-4144. $$

NORTH SHORE

Beach House at Dundarave Pier Spectacular setting for brunch by Dundarave Beach. West Coast cuisine. 150 25th St., West Van, 604-922-1414. $$$

Brown’s Restaurant and Bar Casually chic and bustling bistro with burgers, rice bowls, entrees. 1764 Lonsdale Ave., North Van, 604-929-5401. $/$$

Dundarave Fish Market Charming spot; fabulous seafood from the adjoining fish market. 2419 Marine Dr., West Van, 604-922-1155. $

Gusto Di Quattro Cosy, warm. Italian food. 1 Lonsdale Ave., North Van, 604-924-4444 . $$/$$$

La Regalade A truly, deeply French bistro. Wonderful atmosphere. 2232 Marine Dr., West Van, 604-921-2228. $$/$$$

Ocean Club Chic Yaletown-style lounge and restaurant. Food is imaginative and yummy. 100 Park Royal South, West Van, 604-926-2326. $$

Saltaire Gorgeous roof patio. Good value West Coast food. 2nd floor – 235 15th St., West Van, 604-913-8439. $$

BURNABY/NEW WEST

The Hart House In Tudor mansion. Exacting West Coast fare. 6664 Deer Lake Ave., Burnaby, 604-298-4278. $$$

Orange Room Casual tapas. International flavours. 620 Sixth Ave., New Westminster, 604-520-6464. $$

Pear Tree Small menu, sublime continental food. 4120 Hastings St., Burnaby, 604-299-2772. $$$

COQUITLAM, POCO, PORT MOODY

Joey Tomato’s Mediterranean Grill Casual family retaurant. 550 Lougheed Hwy., Coquitlam, 604-939-3077

Kirin Seafood Restaurant Chinese food for the discriminating palate. 2nd floor, Henderson Place, 1163 Pinetree Way, Coquitlam, 604-944-8833. $$/$$$

Pasta Polo Organic wheat pastas, pizzas. Family restaurant. 2754 Barnet Highway, Coquitlam, 604-464-7656. $/$$

RICHMOND

The Flying Beaver Bar Funky bar overlooking the Fraser River. 4760 Inglis Dr., Richmond, 604-273-0278. $/$$

Hon’s Wun-Tun House Noodles and delicious pot stickers, panfried or steamed. 4600 No. 3 Road, Richmond, 604-273-0871. $

Shanghai River Shanghai style cuisine. Dumplings and noodles made in open kitchen. 7831 Westminster Highway, 604-233-8885. $$

Sun Sui Wah Impressive way with seafood. 4940 No. 3 Rd., Richmond, 604-273-8208. $$

SURREY, WHITE ROCK, DELTA, TSAWWASSEN

Crescent Beach Bistro Rustic country spot. Straight ahead food. 12251 Beecher St., 604-531-1882. $$

Giraffe Charming place, eclectic West Coast menu. 15053 Marine Dr., White Rock, 604-538-6878. $$/$$$

La Belle Auberge In a heritage house in Ladner. Sublime French food. 4856 48th Ave., Ladner, 604-946-7717. $$$

Pearl on the Rock Modern Pacific Northwest cuisine with emphasis on seafood. Delicious fare. 14955 Marine Dr., White rock. 604-542-1064. $$$

FRASER VALLEY

Bacchus Bistro At Domain de Chaberton Estate Winery. Limited hours. Mediterranean food. 1064 — 216th St., Langley. 604-530-9694. $$

Bravo Bistro Swish little bistro, run by former Delilah’s restaurant veterans. 46224 Yale Rd., Chilliwack. 1-604-792-7721. $$

Posted in Restaurants | Comments Off on Restaurant listings For May 18, 2006

Home is where true value lies

Thursday, May 18th, 2006

Only university tuitions are increasing at comparable rates

Ashley Ford
Province

A development in Vernon, the B.C. community leading the provincial real-estate pack.

Yeah, yeah, we all know that B.C. housing prices are ripping out of sight and sanity.

But pause a moment and reflect that everything else in life has gone up over the past half-decade as well, says Century 21 in its latest National House Price Survey.

Trying to put some relevance on skyrocketing housing prices, the survey compares a basket of items, ranging from hockey tickets to education to the Canadian dollar, which has jumped 41 per cent from five years ago.

The survey, however, shows that real estate has been the stellar performer, with Vernon leading the pack of 38 Canadian communities in the report.

House prices in the Okanagan city rose 129 per cent over the past five years — well above the national average of 53 per cent.

Overall, Canadian prices rose nearly five times faster than the 11-per-cent overall increase in consumer prices.

Other booming housing markets included Calgary northeast, which increased 121 per cent, Fort McMurray, Alta., (105 per cent), Kelowna (89 per cent) and North Vancouver (87 per cent).

“Increases in Canadian house prices over the past five years — dramatic in Alberta and British Columbia and strong in the rest of the country — are the result of a robust economy that has also seen a dramatic rise in key Canadian economic indicators and popular lifestyle and consumer items,” said the report.

Current roaring stock markets notwithstanding, the Toronto Stock Exchange over the same period only increased by 45 per cent.

Gasoline increased 63 per cent in Vancouver, milk rose 20 per cent and the most-affordable Canucks ticket only rose a paltry 13 per cent.

A 12-pack of beer rose 15 per cent, while the best-selling car in Canada, the Honda Civic, increased by only 10 per cent to $19,405 from $17,650.

A university education in B.C., however, has savaged the pockets of students. Average undergraduate tuition increased to $4,874 from $2,592, an 88-per-cent increase, the largest jump in fees in Canada.

Century 21 president Don Lawby said housing prices reflect a significant increase in jobs and wages and continuing moderate interest rates.

The bubbling economy and shortage of skilled workers will continue to draw people to B.C., he said.

“The energy industry and the new contribution infrastructure have been the main drivers of growth and now the new softwood-lumber agreement will inject vigour into the forest sector,” he added.

Further, the surge in house prices, especially in some parts of the country, isn’t over, according to Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp.

The federal housing agency is forecasting a 11.2-per-cent jump in house prices nationwide this year with more than a 20-per-cent increase in Alberta and B.C., said CMHC chief economist Bob Dugan.

Posted in Real Estate Related | Comments Off on Home is where true value lies

Is Whitecaps’ stadium opportunity or eyesore?

Thursday, May 18th, 2006

Posted in Other News Articles | Comments Off on Is Whitecaps’ stadium opportunity or eyesore?

Majority support Whitecaps

Wednesday, May 17th, 2006

But 55% of area residents oppose new soccer stadium

John Bermingham
Province

A consultants’ report shows strong support for the

proposed 15,000-seat Whitecaps soccer stadium among Lower Mainland and Vancouver residents.

But people who live in the immediate vicinity — Gastown and the Downtown Eastside — are narrowly opposed.

The consultants found that, overall, 67 per cent of people responding to questionnaires support the stadium and 27 per cent are opposed.

While 82 per cent of Lower Mainland residents and 75 per cent of Vancouverites give it the thumbs-up, 55 per cent of nearby residents give it the thumbs-down.

Whitecaps president John Rocha said it confirms the strong support he found in previous polling.

“It continues to be very supportive,” said Rocha. “Obviously, in the specific Gastown/Downtown Eastside area, it’s more split.”

Jon Stovell, spokesman for the Gastown Neighbourhood Coalition, said stadium supporters don’t realize the negative impacts on the neighbourhood.

“They’re really just signing on for a motherhood thing about a downtown stadium,” he said.

In a separate technical review of the stadium proposal, consultants had concerns about the location over CP Rail tracks, and the negative impact on surrounding areas. They also had design and heritage concerns, but concluded the project could work with major changes.

“Every project has issues,” said Rocha. “We feel that those issues can be addressed. The project can work.”

Stovell said the review shows the waterfront stadium just doesn’t work on the current site.

“All the people clustered around it are seeing major issues with the urban design,” he said.

“As long as the stadium is built on decking over the tracks, it’s got fundamental flaws.”

The coalition is to present an alternative plan for the area to city planners on Friday, suggesting a mixed-use condo development.

City of Vancouver planner Kevin McNaney said about 1,500 people have given their views on the stadium.

“The response rate was extremely good, especially given this was a pre-application process,” said McNaney.

“I think there’s a lot of interest.”

City staff are working on the final report, which will be released this month.

McNaney said the two technical reports only provide technical background.

“They do help to inform where staff are going with things,” he said.

The $100,000 cost for the consultants was fronted by the Whitecaps.

The initial review goes before council in mid-June.

Posted in Other News Articles | Comments Off on Majority support Whitecaps

Albertans drive up B.C. real estate prices

Wednesday, May 17th, 2006

Data shows they’re buying at twice the rate of other non-B.C. buyers

Derrick Penner
Sun

Beautiful B.C. lakefronts invite Alberta buyers Photograph by : Vancouver Sun Illustration

Beautiful B.C. lakefronts invite Alberta buyers SOURCE: LANDCOR VANCOUVER SUN

Albertans love British Columbia’s waterfront cabins, ski chalets and resort condominiums.

And with oil wealth filling their coffers, our neighbours went on a real estate shopping spree in 2005, snapping up 4,320 B.C. properties worth almost $1.2 billion, making them the biggest out-of-province influence on many markets.

The real estate research firm Landcor compiled the data on who is buying in B.C., and company president Rudy Nielsen found that Albertans purchased more than twice the amount of B.C. real estate than the next three out-of-province groups combined.

And Nielsen added that these aren’t people relocating to B.C., they’re buyers who remain residents of Alberta.

“They’ve got tonnes of cash, and B.C. is getting to be their playground,” Nielsen said. “Albertans are driving up prices everywhere.”

B.C. towns within what Nielsen refers to as the “golden circles” — destinations that are a four-, six- or eight-hour drive from Calgary — have always been popular.

The economic and demographic forecaster Urban Futures Institute compiled data showing that, by property value, Albertans owned some 46 per cent of all real estate in the Radium and Fairmont hotsprings region near Invermere in the Rockies.

And realtor Bob Cliffe, with Re/Max Shuswap Realty, said the area round Shuswap Lake has been an Alberta market since he got into the business in 1988, with Albertans accounting for some 60 per cent of the activity.

However, Nielsen said that with increasing numbers of direct flights between Alberta locations and B.C. destinations, such as the Comox Valley on Vancouver Island and Kamloops in the Interior, Albertans have come to view the entire province as their recreational backyard.

The real estate firm NIHO Land and Cattle Co. is another one of Nielsen’s businesses, and he said Albertans make up about 30 per cent of his clients.

Recreational properties “usually touching water — fresh water or oceanfront,” are what his clients are looking for. “And they’ve got cash.”

Sharleen Whiteside just launched an advertising website for waterfront property and found a similar response. Close to a third of the 801 unique visitors that visited the site, Waterfront West Real Estate, came from Alberta.

Claudia Lajeunesse, a realtor with Royal LePage Desert Oasis Realty in Osoyoos said the Alberta segment of their south Okanagan market has exploded in the last five years to now account for 60 per cent of all activity.

“It’s driving [prices] up, definitely,” Lajeunesse said.

Lajeunesse added that the Alberta buyers are not just wealthy professionals. Working-class buyers, people who have done well working in skilled trades, are also among her clients.

However, prices are on the upswing with even a dated home on coveted waterfront lot fetching $998,000 in one recent sale.

Property values around the Okanagan and Kootenays have also risen dramatically.

Paul Fabri, a Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. analyst for the southern Interior, said the median price for a detached home in Kelowna has spiked 22 per cent to $354,450 in the last year. In Vernon the median price is up 26 per cent too $277,000.

Kamloops is still cheaper, but Fabri said its median house price is up by an even steeper 37-per-cent increase to $257,000. However, he added that it is difficult to attribute the price spikes to any one segment of buyers because demand in the overall market is so strong with builders having a difficult time keeping up with adding new supplies of housing.

Ian Mason, executive officer of the Kootenay Real Estate Board said average prices inside the village of Invermere spiked 26 per cent to $339,000 in the past year. Rural Invermere, however, shot up 48 per cent to $482,000.

“Certainly [Alberta buyers] are a piece [of the market],” Mason said. “[But] I wouldn’t want to cast the blame on any one buyer group for current market conditions.”

Mason added that the region in general are seeing large numbers of baby boomers cashing in their real estate gains in many other places to make a lifestyle jump to the Kootenays. Nelson saw its average prices rise 39 per cent to $316,000 within the last 12 months.

“We’re subject to the global economic trends,” Mason said. “British Columbia is healthy as well.”

David Baxter, a forecaster for the Urban Futures Institute said the arrival of a big group of outside buyers in a market can breed resentment among locals who feel like they are being priced out of it.

It is also harder to build a strong sense of community in a place with large numbers of part time residents.

However, Baxter said there is also an upside. More well-heeled Alberta buyers inject a lot of new money into the economy, usually in higher-end luxury pursuits that help provide jobs. They also pay property taxes without demanding as many municipal services as permanent residents.

“There’s no question [Alberta] is a significant market [for B.C. real estate] and it’s going to continue to be a significant market.”

Posted in Real Estate Related | Comments Off on Albertans drive up B.C. real estate prices

Whitecaps told to redraft stadium plan

Wednesday, May 17th, 2006

Idea is exciting but proposal’s scale is inappropriate for Gastown, consultants hired by the city say in report

Frances Bula
Sun

VANCOUVER – Go back to the drawing board because there are serious problems with your stadium plans, Whitecaps.

That’s the conclusion of an independent consultant team hired by Vancouver to do a preliminary technical assessment of the Whitecaps unusual proposal to build a soccer stadium over the rail yards that run between Gastown and the waterfront.

The report, which forms part of the material city staff will use to decide on what to recommend about the stadium in June, says the idea of a downtown stadium on the waterfront and close to transit is exciting.

But it goes on to say that the preliminary plans for the stadium are “inappropriate and unworkable.”

The scale of the building is out of keeping with the heritage of Gastown, there aren’t enough exits, it doesn’t help create a link between Gastown and the waterfront, and it doesn’t take into account the residential development that may be coming to the port area, says the report, which was done by a team led by the architecture firm of Hotson Bakker.

It suggests that the Whitecaps won’t be able to resolve any of those problems if it doesn’t change the proposed location, which is now on a tight six-acre parcel that lies between Seymour and Cambie.

The report also says the economic benefit is likely not as great as the Whitecaps have suggested, since any spending done by soccer fans will mostly be taken out of other downtown activities.

A second consultants’ report, on community reaction, concludes that about two-thirds of people in the region support the idea of the stadium downtown, but that both business owners and residents in the immediate vicinity have considerable doubts.

Both reports emphasize that people want to see a plan developed for the whole area, rather than just trying to decide on the stadium by itself, especially since Whitecaps owner Greg Kerfoot has bought all of the rail yard land from Canada Place to Main Street.

That has led to marked concern about what Kerfoot’s plans are for the rest of the property.

Whitecaps president John Rocha said the organization is pleased about the level of public support and he isn’t surprised to hear there are technical problems.

“We knew there were those issues right from the beginning. Any of the feedback is great because we haven’t done a design yet.

“Now we will look forward to developing a design that’s a landmark for Vancouver and integrates with Gastown.”

But opponents, which include groups that have not traditionally been allies, such as Gastown businesses and Downtown Eastside community groups, aren’t sure that a better design is going to solve the serious problems they believe are there and that the report appears to have confirmed.

If the Whitecaps’ proposal is meshed with a much larger city planning process for the whole waterfront, as the Hotson report suggests it should be, that could delay construction beyond the 2009 date the Whitecaps had been aiming for.

Councillors from all parties say they like the idea of a soccer stadium in Vancouver, but they all acknowledge there are significant problems that have to be resolved with the Whitecaps’ proposal.

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Woodward’s W Sign will be brought down for a check up

Saturday, May 13th, 2006

Pete McMartin
Sun

The “W” stands for “wreck.”

Generations of pigeons and seagulls have plastered it with guano.

Rain and salt air have corroded it.

Its mechanics are suspect, its lights extinguished.

There is asbestos in the roof on which it stands and its supporting tower is coated with lead paint.

It needs seismic upgrading.

The Woodward’s sign — the city’s most revered icon, and the centrepiece of the recent advertising campaign to sell condos in the new complex to be built — is in such bad shape it may have to be scrapped.

A replica may have to be built in its place.

“It’s a mess,” said David Leung, the project manager for Westbank Projects, the company that owns the property and will be building the new Woodward’s complex.

“And I don’t think anyone realized the extent of the work it’s going to need … and whether even if we can do it. It’s part of the heritage proposal [for the refurbishing of the existing Woodward’s structure], but I don’t think anyone considered the amount of deterioration over the years. But it’s coming to the point where we may not be able to restore it fully to the extent we originally considered. And even if we do, it wouldn’t be restored to its original quality.

“So the question is, why not fabricate a replica?”

That is a question that Westbank, heritage experts, and engineers hope to answer in the next few weeks.

Since Woodward’s closed in 1993, the big, red “W” and the 24-metre tower it sits on has been left to the elements. The sign that has symbolized what Vancouver used to be, and now symbolizes what it hopes to become, has been neglected for so long that it may be beyond restoring.

On Monday, the sign will be inspected for the first time in a decade. A group from the Pattison Sign Co. — which originally built the “W” back in 1950s — will go over it to try and update its condition. Bill Grimshaw, a sales representative with Pattison Sign, said the inspection team will wear haz-mat suits for the inspection because of the guano, which is said to be so thick it gives off potentially dangerous ammonia vapours.

“We were up there about 10 years ago,” Grimshaw said, “when a previous person was looking at redevelopment.”

It was in bad shape then, Grimshaw said.

The team in 1997 found significant damage and corrosion to bolts, lighting, wiring, the sign’s sheet metal cladding and the motor that powers its turning mechanism. Photos of that inspection, which Grimshaw sent to The Vancouver Sun, show the tower’s support beams spotted with rust.

“If it’s in worse condition now than it was 10 years,” he said, “we don’t feel it’s worth restoring.”

He said that after the 1997 inspection, Pattison Sign estimated a new “W” could be built for $50,000.

“Just to build it, not to install it,” Grimshaw said. “But that was before the astronomical rise in construction costs and the cost of sheet metal. Now — and it’s just a guess — I think it would be in the range of $100,000. And to install it, I’d estimate about $20,000.”

Making a replica, Grimshaw said, would be no problem. The company still has the original design drawings, he said, complete with the number and type of lights originally used to illuminate it. (The outside edges of the “W” were lit with 140 metres of red neon tubing while its body was lit with 572 50-watt bulbs that twinkled. The sign, which is 7.9 metres across and five metres high, weighs 2.7 tonnes.)

“And we also actually have a guy,” Grimshaw said, “who’s semi-retired now, who knows the revolutions per minute the sign is supposed to make.”

Grimshaw said if the decision is made to build a replica, the company would recommend that it be built out of aluminum to make it lighter and less susceptible to corrosion. The lighter weight would also be easier to mount on the supporting tower.

The tower, too, presents problems for restorers. Erected in the 1920s, the Eiffel Tower-like scaffolding was originally topped off with a single, large beacon that shone straight up into the sky. The “W” was added in 1958. Besides the corrosion it has suffered, the tower also needs reinforcing to bring it up to modern seismic codes.

Any question of restoration versus replacement, however, will be put off until a closer inspection. The preference, said Howard Kalman, the heritage consultant for the Woodward’s project, is that the sign, or as much of the sign as possible, be saved.

“Our position is, we don’t know. Our approach is, if it’s at all conceivable to conserve it, we’re going to conserve it.

“Our intention is in the next two months to remove the sign and tower and bring them both down to street level, clean them of the guano and corrosion, then we’ll take a very careful look at the tower and sign and make a decision then to repair them or replace them.

“If we can’t meet the criteria [for restoration], we will reluctantly replace them. The final decision will be with Westbank, they’re the owners, but there will be a discussion between the interested parties.”

If it is any testimony to the hold the sign has on the city’s psyche, none of those parties could conceive of a W-less skyline. Kalman said it was too important a city landmark not to be there. Grimshaw had a more personal attachment: An East Ender, he used to work at Woodward’s stocking shelves. The job helped pay his way through BCIT.

The “W” — as it does for so many Vancouverites — held a part of his past.

“I like the idea of the fact,” he said, “that they’re trying to retain it.”

Posted in Real Estate Related | Comments Off on Woodward’s W Sign will be brought down for a check up

Archive for May, 2006

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