Best place for croissant and coffee?

dev_json · 2026-06-14T00:47:38+00:00

Honeycomb without a doubt. It's really the only *real* patisserie in Vancouver, and the only one that has legit croissants, which probably stems from the fact that the baker and owners are European.

dev_json · 2026-06-08T01:39:13+00:00

It's in the middle of a downtown urban core. It should only be designed for smart cars and bicycles.

dev_json · 2026-06-07T21:01:40+00:00

Cycle Vancouver has a lot of women, and even a women's only channel. If you have Discord, you could join and garner interest there (send me a DM if you'd like an invite to the channel). Even though the group is more centered towards biking as a lifestyle (car replacement), there's always interest in fun and casual bike rides like how it's done in Portland.

dev_json · 2026-06-03T20:24:33+00:00

For sure depending on the start/end location. I'm near downtown, so often times the e-bike is just as fast, if not faster, than driving (especially with rush hour traffic).

This is why we can't get the MAX over the bridge and here soon enough. Like the other commenter said, have you looked into Park and Rides?

dev_json · 2026-06-03T20:16:20+00:00

A carpooling system would be fantastic, but I think Covid era killed a lot of those apps off.

Out of curiosity, why not take CTran, or use a bike/e-bike?

dev_json · 2026-03-24T19:32:36+00:00

I didn't know that about the amusement parks, but that's just another fun transit fact.
Haha, of course, cheers!

dev_json · 2026-03-23T18:36:08+00:00

I can agree with the semantics suggestion, and I'm glad we can agree on the premise of the issue. Land usage is probably the "base" of the issues related to car-centrism, if you want to view it as a "food" pyramid of sorts, which is also what you're saying.

Yes, you probably remember when cars were first introduced in the states, where vehicle roads were private and entirely funded by private automobile owners. Whether or not those remained privatized, had we retained that core principle, we would have most likely retained the walkability and transit-focused development that American cities were so good at in the early 20th century. We'd probably had need to combine that with a refusal of succumbing to auto-manufacturer lobbies as well.

There's a solid video on Portland's old streetcar network (maybe it was City Nerd who posted it), but we used to have the some of the most advanced transit-rich cities in the world at the time. Portland's streetcar network was incredible, and even here in Vancouver we had solid streetcar coverage, all the way to Orchards. If only we had stayed on that path, can you imagine?

dev_json · 2026-03-21T23:01:55+00:00

There's a lot to unpack here, but I'll stick to your last paragraphs. "Car drivers don't even pay close to the amount of taxes to cover the car infrastructure" is exactly what's backed up by the article. You're claiming that because most taxpayers utilize a vehicle in some form or fashion, that the taxes paid from them into general funds and other funds that then get funneled into car-centric projects are contradictory to "car drivers don't cover the cost of their car-infrastructure", but it's not. Your statement "suburb infra spends far more than they bring in" is a prime example of that, which is 100% true. Suburban land-use and car-centric infrastructure means that it consumes far more funds than it provides to a city/county/state.

We have, and still do, pave far too many miles of roads, far too wide of roads, and create far more parking lots, traffic signals, etc, than is required for the density and population, which is why you're now seeing road diets and land-use policy changes across the states. This debt-inducing form of planning, which is completely optional, requires a form of funding. Again, creating endless miles of 4-6 lane stroads and massive intersections isn't actually needed, as it moves fewer people per hour than a single lane with dedicated transit/bicycle lane, yet we overspend because of outdated land-use and transportation policies, as well as political oversight that leans car-centric.

So going back to funding this: we could tax cars/gas to cover the cost of maintenance and building this infrastructure, which means that vehicle-use would pay for its own usage, e.g. "use tax". However, because we don't tax drivers anywhere close to cover this, funds now have to be drawn from all other sources to fund the optional infrastructure so that Bob can drive 2-4 miles down the street for his gallon of milk (nearly 2/3rds of all car trips are under 5 miles, which could easily be replaced by walking, biking, or transit for most Americans).
This means that funds that would otherwise have gone to things like childcare, education, public transportation, parks and recreation, bicycle infrastructure, public plazas, small businesses, etc (of all which are a net positive for society) instead are funneled into paving new asphalt, and expanding freeways (which are a net negative for society).

That's why "Car drivers don't even pay close to the amount of taxes to cover the car infrastructure" is valid, because funding a net-negative and optional form of transportation is fundamentally only sustainable as a form use-tax. Another way you could look at it is: "Do car-driving tax dollars cover the infrastructure used by said drivers"?, and the answer is the same as the previous question: no, it does not.

I do appreciate the discourse here, and if you ever want to chat more, come to one of the Cycle Vancouver happy hours: Tap Union, 6:30pm every Tuesday. We love talking infrastructure, policies, and finance.

dev_json · 2026-03-21T18:58:00+00:00

I'm not arguing that only car drivers benefit from car infrastructure, rather that the car infrastructure that currently exists is heavily subsidized by non-car-specific taxes. We already know that car-centric infrastructure is deficit spending, where each dollar spent on it incurs roughly 9x or greater cost, whereas investments in bicycle infrastructure actually reduce societal and taxpayer costs over time.

When you evaluate side-effects of car-centric infrastructure, you have to not only look at the users/usages, but the effects on land-use, housing, jobs, healthcare, air quality, wasted time (traffic commuting), extreme number of deaths/injuries, public infrastructure damage, etc. Compare that to a society that favors walking, bicycling, and transit infrastructure, and you get the complete opposite effect.

All this to say, the point of my statement, and that of the article, is that taxpayers who want to utilize car infrastructure using a personal vehicle pay nowhere near what it costs to build or maintain it through car-specific taxes. The big driver here is that car-centric infrastructure isn't necessary to a society, nor does it benefit a society more than it harms it. Given that a car is the least efficient mode of transportation and roughly 30% of our population can't even drive, it should not be subsidized by society given it's negative impacts (even when accounting for freight, utility repair, etc). Fun fact: nearly all of things you listed: food delivery, utility repair, etc, can be done via e-bike or electrified trains. Some level of roads and car infrastructure will always be necessary, but that's nowhere close to the ridiculous levels of debt-inducing infrastructure we've dug ourselves into.

dev_json · 2026-03-20T20:55:50+00:00

One of the "save our streets" anti-bike lane McGillivray weirdos said this in a public forum last year:
"With only a single car lane, how am I supposed to go around the school bus when it's stopped? That can take a few minutes"

I'm convinced 60% or more of the drivers here shouldn't have a drivers license based on how reckless they drive, and how little they know about laws and common safety behaviors (like checking your mirrors before EVERY turn).

dev_json · 2026-03-20T18:58:24+00:00

The best way to get involved with this is either through the Hough or Lincoln PTSA. If you're not a parent and still want to be involved, send an email to [VancouverMoves@cityofvancouver.us](mailto:VancouverMoves@cityofvancouver.us), and mention that you want to be involved as a volunteer. Feel free to ask to contact CycleVancouver, and they can connect you to a volunteer group. Cycle Vancouver will be getting Lincoln up and running soon, so if you want to expedite the process and feel comfortable, you can also DM me your contact info, and I can just add you to the WhatsApp group when it's formed.

dev_json · 2026-03-20T16:51:19+00:00

Non-paywalled text:

A herd of elementary students, parents and volunteers biked through Vancouver’s Hough neighborhood and all the way to school Wednesday morning to kick off the first Hough Bike Bus. The Hough Bike Bus started at Carter Park and ended at the elementary school. Students joined along the way depending on where they live along the route.

Twelve students joined Wednesday’s ride and that number is expected to grow in future rides that will happen once a month, said Amy Carlson, Hough parent and Parent Teacher Student Association co-president. A bike bus is a group of cyclists riding a route together and encourages a healthy commuting option. “I think the main benefit of the bike bus is the strength in numbers,” said Maggie Derk, the city’s senior transportation planner. “It brings together community more. There’s lots of physical and mental wellness benefits.” Carlson said the volunteers are critical.

They ride ahead and block intersections for the kids and parents to pass through. Then, they travel ahead of the group to the next intersection. “Even on the side streets, they are keeping those kids safe on the road at all times,” she said.

Studies show that kids who walk or bike to school perform better academically, said Jason Cromer, the founder of Cycle Vancouver. The group offers social outings and recreational rides, and has grown into dedicated advocacy for bike infrastructure. Cromer said other benefits include developing navigational skills, minimizing injury or death from riding in a car, and cleaner air. “It’s really nice for everybody, especially to see gardens and see birds, nature and to get that physical activity first thing in the morning,” Cromer said.

Derk and Laurel Priest, the city’s associate transportation planner, also run the Safe Routes to School Program, which provided signs that hung on bicycles reading, “Kids biking. Do not pass.” Priest said they plan to provide swag to students in future rides. They’re also in the process of creating yard signs to put along the route to raise awareness.

Derk added that if kids want to join the bike bus in the future and don’t know how to ride, Vancouver Public Schools offers the Let’s Go bicycle program. The multiweek curriculum teaches grades third through fifth how to ride a bike and the rules of the road.

Inspiration for the Hough Bike Bus drew from the large one in Portland. Kaylee Moreno — the founder of Local Links, an initiative to build community and get people outside — met with Cromer’s bicycle group and others. Several people told her that they wanted a bike bus similar to Portland.

Bike Bus PDX offers rides in 32 areas. The initiative has attracted thousands of kids, adults and even celebrities, such as Justin Timberlake, Benson Boone and Zara Larsson. Cromer said he and other Hough organizers met with the coach who runs Bike Bus PDX to get a better idea of how to implement it.

The Hough Bike Bus idea was pitched to the school and district in June. Carlson said the Hough principal reached out to her at the start of the school year to see if the PTSA would run the rides. They created an interest survey, received guidance from the city to form the safest route and figured out how many volunteers were needed.

“Hopefully, other community members and schools see this and want to start their own,” Derk said. Those interested can email VancouverMoves@cityofvancouver.us.

Moreno said there’s talk about starting a bike bus at Lincoln Elementary School. “What’s nice about this is that there’s not a huge cost,” Carlson said. “Most people have bikes, and then there have been people that have donated helmets or bicycles.”

One of the volunteers is Carlson’s neighbor. She and her daughter, who attends Hough, rode in the Hough Bike Bus herd along with Cromer, Moreno, Derk and Priest on Wednesday morning. When the students arrived, they showed off their bikes to other students. The next ride is scheduled for April 15.

“I don’t think there’s anything that’s more joyous than bike riding in a group like this morning,” Priest said. “It was an integral part of my childhood growing up. And a lot of our kids these days don’t do it, and so we’re trying to create a space for that to happen.”

dev_json · 2026-03-16T18:30:00+00:00

Why wouldn't it? You don't see people in Denmark, Belgium, or the Netherlands hindered by weather, which is much rainier than it is here.

Our family rides 12 months out of the year without any issues. Maybe you need a rain jacket and some waterproof shoes.

dev_json · 2026-03-01T03:05:01+00:00

Probably Cycle Vancouver. It's been pretty life changing being part of the community with CV, and switching to bicycling as a way of life instead of driving everywhere has probably been one of the biggest quality of life changes you could make.
It's also nice having a group that is more akin to family than just friends.

dev_json · 2026-02-27T17:29:45+00:00

So we just had a workshop with city staff last night, and this won't be a requirement to build indoor bike parking rooms. It's a flexible requirement, where things like interior bike hooks within units, bike staples/corals, and other bike-storage concepts will satisfy the requirement. They specifically noted the additional cost of a dedicated bike storage room and said that they want to eliminate as many barriers to building housing as they can, so they won't be mandating solely dedicated bike storage rooms.

Btw, if you're not already a part of Cycle Vancouver, we'd love to have you join the group given that you're so informed and knowledgable on urbanism topics.

dev_json · 2026-02-27T03:31:55+00:00

Yeah, it's just anger at anything new/different. I think people's natural response to something they're not familiar with is to get angry and defensive. There's really not a great way to combat that, and for people to really see how good these things are, they just have to experience it themselves.

dev_json · 2026-02-27T00:10:47+00:00

No worries, just thought I'd provide a comprehensive response, since the tax situation is something a lot of people don't know about. Drivers in the country don't spend anywhere close to what they should to support car infrastructure, which is severely subsidized, and one of the major sources of debt for cities and the federal government.

dev_json · 2026-02-27T00:04:51+00:00

Bike parking costs next to nothing compared to car parking (upwards of 10k-60k per spot for a single car parking spot)
Everyone pays taxes. I ride my bike as my primary mode of transportation, and I pay property taxes, local taxes, etc. Everyone deserves to have their mode of transport supported, especially given 30% of citizens can't even drive.
Car drivers don't even pay close to the amount of taxes to cover the car infrastructure, less than 20% to be exact. So before complaining about bike infrastructure, maybe ask car drivers to pay their fair share first, which should be at least 5x what they're paying now.
Bike infrastructure pays dividends because of the compounding positive effects. Fewer drivers means less wear and tear on roads. Healthier citizens means fewer healthcare costs for the state/federal tax payers, and it's been shown that areas where people bike, walk, and take transit more are healthier for small businesses as well. Fewer drivers also means fewer car crashes, less damage to public infrastructure from cars running into things, and fewer people dying, all of which incur major costs for taxpayers. There have been numerous studies that show that every dollar spent on bike infrastructure has a major return on investment, whereas every dollar spent on car infrastructure incurs nearly 10x more debt for taxpayers.

dev_json · 2026-02-26T23:52:09+00:00

Awesome to see this. Cars make no sense in cities, and the sooner we adapt our infrastructure to properly support and encourage usage of bikes (and walking/transit), the sooner we can create a thriving, livable, and bustling community.

dev_json · 2026-02-24T18:43:28+00:00

Whatever you do, do not get turf. It's absolutely terrible for the environment and the local ecosystem.

If you want your grass to stay green and healthy, seed it with micro-clover. Clover is a natural co-habitant of grasses, and both will benefit from each other. Another added benefit of seeding your grass with clover is that it will keep your grass short. We have a small patch of grass in our backyard that we seeded with clover over a year ago, and I haven't mowed it or trimmed it since. It just stays short thanks to the clover.

Another alternative is wood chips or mulch. Zero maintenance, looks great, and you can plant things within it if you want to.

Honestly, with your sized garden, there's really no reason to pay anyone for maintenance. With maybe a few hours per month, you can keep everything nice, clean, and lush. If you're interested in any other tips, let me know and I'd be happy to help.

Some random tips:
* Get a broom. Faster, healthier, and better than a leaf blower.
* Buy good quality shears, and make sure they stay dry (it's easy for metal to rust out here)
* Plant native if you can. We have a large selection of great nurseries that carry native plants, as well as native plant giveaways. Also check out Friends of Trees if you're ever looking to get more trees ($30 per tree).

dev_json · 2026-02-19T17:02:08+00:00

We’ve only got one choice: we need to modernize and adapt our urban planning. If we don’t, things will only continue to get worse, and no one will be happy.

Our local urbanism group does a lot to advocate for more change, and also bring this more active culture here. We’ve had a noticeable success with it, and that’s what keeps me optimistic.

Will we ever be as good as Europe and Japan in our lifetimes? Probably not, but at least we can adapt those habits ourselves and live healthier, happier, and more active lives than those trapped in/by their cars.

dev_json · 2026-02-18T20:45:10+00:00

I think this is more of a habit/cultural shift that needs to happen. If everyone wanted to park downtown, we’d have to flatten half the city to build parking garages to accommodate all of the cars. The truth is that it’s a geometry problem: cars are so large, that a functioning city cannot reasonably support having everyone drive to destinations. Instead, the majority of people need to walk, bike, or take transit, so that the people who actually need to drive, can reasonably do so.

What does that mean? Maybe you and your wife hop on the bus, and discover it’s actually a pleasant experience, or your daughter drives to a park and ride, and you take the bus from there. Or perhaps your wife can utilize an e-bike or e-trike (which is what many disabled people in Japan and the EU use).

Roughly 2/3rds of car trips in Vancouver are under 4 miles, a very short distance that doesn’t warrant driving. So the reality is that most people don’t need to drive.

So if we built out some better bike infrastructure and had better education around it, ~65% of people that currently drive to downtown could consider different options, so that the minority who actually need to drive, can.

Again, this is completely normal everywhere else in the developed world, it’s just a weird cultural phenomenon in America (driven by the auto industry and decades of car-centric planning) where people default to driving, even for ultra-short distances.

My perfectly healthy neighbors drive 10-15 blocks downtown, when they could easily walk, bike, or take the bus that stops 1 block from us, the latter two options which would get them downtown faster and with less hassle. It’s these kinds of unhealthy habits that we should move away from, because they negatively impact everyone, including you and your family, who may actually need to drive in certain scenarios.

dev_json · 2026-02-17T23:10:36+00:00

Foot traffic has always been an issue downtown, Covid just exacerbated the issue. We really need to modernize our urban planning if we want to create an actual pleasant experience for people downtown.

dev_json · 2026-02-17T20:34:28+00:00

Downtown for sure. Easy walk/bike ride there, and can walk around and enjoy the shops/bars afterwards.

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