Friday Feature - Brian

Who are you and what do you do?
My name is Brian O’Reilly, and I’ve just officially joined the Via team. Since beginning as a contract employee in April of this year, I’ve primarily provided architectural design support for the SR99 Vent Buildings.

What made you decide to go into your field?
In retrospect, I am surprised it took as long as it did for me to settle on architecture – it seems so obvious now. It fulfills my need for both an artistic and arithmetical outlet – a balance of qualitative and quantitative. My sketchbook page should be filled with both formal explorations, as well as a few rough proportioning calculations, hopefully the buildings I have a hand in will reflect that.

Or, this could all simply be a means of carrying on my childhood obsession with fort-building.

What did your family think of your chosen field?
I happen to be on a long drive from Vermont to New Jersey with my entire family, so here are a few quotes:

“Damn proud”
“Right up your alley”
“All those Lego kits paid off”
“A little surprised you didn’t go into landscape architecture”

Who is the teacher who had the most influence on you and why?
Professor Don Corner at the University of Oregon taught me the importance of intent. Such a simple way of evaluating the success of a design, but often overlooked – What is your intent? What is in support of this intention, and what detracts? Easy.

Also, quick shouts out to Tim Simpson for chemistry, John Padden for jazz, and Carl Straub for poetry.

What was the biggest hurdle you faced along your educational path? (academic, financial, motivational, family or peer pressure, outside distraction, etc.)
Doubtless, it was my lack of direction during my undergraduate. I certainly value the liberal arts education I received; all the same, I suffered a bit of anxiety when, with contemplating my future, I drew a blank. Once the possibility of a career in architecture dawned on me, I was finally able to focus my efforts and feel confident in the direction my life was taking.

What inspires you?
Complex puzzles with simple, elegant solutions. Mid-century Danish furniture. New England barns. Non-repeating number patterns. Scarpa details. Moment diagrams.

What schooling is required for success in your career?
There are several areas of knowledge I consider essential to success in architecture – how you go about getting the knowledge is of less importance (NCARB does not share this opinion).

1. How to design. Really, this is a way of thinking. It’s the means by which you generate an idea, and proceed with this idea to a final design. The most popular choice for getting this knowledge is going to school – that’s what I did, but I’m sure it’s not the only path.
2. How to build. Knowing how a building is actually put together is invaluable. Being able to zoom in and carry your concept through construction makes the difference between a nice sketch and an exceptional building. Putting in at least a year or two pounding nails and actually building things is the best way to develop this understanding.
3. How to communicate. No matter how brilliant a design or elegant the detailing, it will never be built unless you are able to effectively demonstrate to a client that the design is aligned to their needs. The ability to relate to others, and successfully communicate with them is crucial to realizing a project.

What kind of people are the most successful in your field? Are there any specific attributes?
Those with a left/right brain balance – a healthy mixture of artistic creativity and arithmetical ability. A knack for three-dimensional thinking. Persistent enthusiasm for exploring new ideas. Obsessive attention to detail. Clarity of vision. And, supreme confidence.

What is the best advice you were ever given?
Professor Don Corner, University of Oregon, relating a story from his stint in architecture school:

Student (defending his project): Well, I wanted my building to be different.
Professor: Why not make a good building? That would be different.

Is your field growing? (ie. is there room for new entries and is there career growth?)
As became all too clear in recent months, our profession is subject to fluctuation. When I completed my graduate degree in the summer of 2008, I would have been hard put to speak with optimism in regard to job prospects. However, two years later, things are slowly improving, and I’m confident they will continue to do so. For now. The market will, some day, go down again. The question then becomes, how do we position ourselves to weather times of economic bust, while also reaping the benefits of the boom?

What advice would you give someone considering a career like yours?
Surround yourself with people who share your passion and enthusiasm for the field. You will propel each other to a develop innovations, a greater breadth of knowledge, and a deeper understanding of the subtleties of architecture and design.

Oh, and avoid all-nighters – outside of providing you some mild bragging rights, they generally make you over-tired and stupid.

New Separated Bike Lane for Downtown Vancouver

by Stephanie Doerksen, VIA Architecture

On June 15th, the City of Vancouver officially opened a new separated bike lane on Dunsmuir street, continuing the lane recently opened on the Dunsmuir viaduct, and connecting the popular Frances/Adanac bike route with the downtown core. Cyclists from all over greater Vancouver are calling this a huge success in terms of cycling infrastructure.

Without a doubt this separated lane will provide a much safer route into downtown and go a long way towards encouraging potential cyclists who are uncomfortable biking in city traffic. So far the lane runs to Hornby street and the City has plans to connect it to a future north – south lane, also separated from traffic, which would provide a connection with the Burrard street bridge. Currently, there are several options on the table for the location of the north-south lane, including Burrard, Hornby and Thurlow streets. The city plans to hold a round of public consultation on potential routes beginning this summer.

Although the majority of press surrounding the opening of the new bike lane had been positive, there has also been a certain amount of controversy. Most notably, the Downtown Vancouver Business Improvement Association has made some negative comments surrounding the lack of consultation prior to the installation of new bike-related traffic signaling and the implementation of the bike lane itself.

Similarly, some drivers are angry about several new right turn restrictions off of Dunsmuir, as well as the usual complaints that reducing the area of road surface given over to cars will cause irreparable traffic snarls and general mayhem. Although there may be validity to the DVBIA’s claims of inadequate community consultation, it is too early to tell what the effects of the new bike lane will be on traffic patterns.

However, plenty of far more significant examples have recently proven that motorists have a lot less to worry about than they often claim when it comes to traffic problems. The pre-emptive panic over the Burrard st Bridge lane closure, which came to nothing, is one of the more high profile examples. Similarly, it’s tough to claim that closing a single west-bound lane over the Dunsmuir viaduct will lead to traffic nightmares when the entire viaduct, both east and westbound, was closed for the duration of the Olympics with no visible effect on traffic entering the downtown.

The City did meet with both the Downtown Vancouver Business Improvement Association and the Downtown Vancouver Association prior to the construction of the separated bike lane on Dunsmuir and I’m happy to report that, based on my own observations (and I use the new lane regularly), all the concerns raised at these meetings were more than adequately addressed in the construction of the lane. In general, these concerns were:

• That the bike lane and its physical separators be aesthetically pleasing. (As in, no the concrete jersey barriers like the ones used on the Burrard street bridge. Along Dunsmuir medians, bollards, and planters have been used to separate the lane and they appear well thought out and attractive.
• That bike parking be provided for cyclists. It seems that more and more businesses are acknowledging that many of their patrons are cyclists and that you can fit a lot more bikes into the space that one car parking stall takes up. This is great news for cyclists as the lack of suitable bike parking has been a major issue in this city for years. There is bike parking provided along the new lane, and it has been well-thought out and placed so as to prevent conflicts between cyclists and pedestrians.
• That potential conflict points between cyclists and pedestrians (ie. bus stops and cross-walks) be properly designed for and signed. 

 This last point has been achieved as well as can be expected, although it’s still quite common to see pedestrians wander into the bike lane without looking around. Hopefully, this is the type of thing that time and increased awareness will help to resolve.

Similarly, most of the complaints of drivers stem from a change to their habits and sooner or later these changes will, themselves, become habit. The bottom line is that the more cyclists there are on the roads, the more drivers and pedestrians will be aware of them and the more all modes of transportation will learn to co-exist. The Dunsmuir separated bike lane is definitely a big step towards creating a more cycling-friendly city and a more pleasant urban environment.

Friday Feature: JP

Who are you and what do you do?
My primary role is as the Director of Practice for the Vancouver office which involves much of the day to day running of VIA as a business in terms of tackling issues related to projects, budgets, legal and staffing as well as the computer systems and most general operational issues. I also head up (with Matt in Seattle) the mixed use and major projects sector. So I’m quite busy.

What made you decide to go into your field?
After a failed attempt to join the Royal Navy (not quite British enough apparently) and the Canadian Navy (“sorry we are full”)I thought what would be better than spending all day drawing (we were still on drawing boards then). Also I felt that I needed an occupation where at the end of the day I could stand back and see something tangible as the outcome of my work.

What did your family think of your chosen field?
They were all for it providing that I stuck at it. I had a habit of getting bored quickly. I also think that they were just pleased that I was going to college.

Who is the teacher who had the most influence on you and why?
There are two actually:

Tim Baker was both my Engineering tutor and my Professional Management tutor. He was great in turning what could have been dull subjects into ones that I found the most exciting. We always knew when Tim was going to talk about concrete as he would appear pipe in mouth, hands rubbing together. He taught me the importance of not just learning how to detail but to physically build stuff to understand the implications of my designs. I went on courses to learn how to build with brick, concrete and timber as well as roof building. I’ll never forget learning the “slump test” nor building my first brick arch with no mortar, taking away the formwork and seeing it remain standing even when I stood on it. I actually wrote to him after graduation thanking him.

David Green, one of the founding members of Archigram was my first post grad tutor. He taught me that if I believed in my ideas to stand up strongly and to not back down. Ironically and by mutual agreement I left that particular college shortly after mastering this.

What was the biggest hurdle you have faced or are facing along your educational path? (academic, financial, motivational, family or peer pressure, outside distraction, etc.)
Actually sticking at it. It’s a long and expensive process. I left a couple of times to work in related fields. I’ve done everything from exhibition and theme park design to detailing fire protection systems for Historic Royal Palaces in the UK all of which have been great experience.

What inspires you?
People that make a difference

What schooling is required for success in your career?
I went to college in the UK which involves a 3 year undergraduate degree in Architecture followed by a year working and then a further 2 years of postgraduate Architectural studies, a further year working then professional exams. Generally however it takes a bit longer. It’s a different process in North America and a MA in Architecture would be a good starting point.

What kind of people are the most successful in your field? Are there any specific attributes?
I rarely generalize about success as I think that it is entirely personal how you judge your own. Specific attributes however that can be advantageous are an ability to problem solve, be a great team player and communicator, recognize and embrace change and above all to do what you say that you will do when you say that you will do it.

What is the best advice you were ever given?
To listen more than I say and to facilitate rather than dictate solutions. Most often if a task that you set is not completed correctly (or how you had expected it)it’s because you have not communicated clearly enough. This was a real eye opener for me and I’m still working on it.

Is your field growing? (ie. is there room for new entries and is there career growth?)
I wouldn’t necessarily say that it is currently growing, like many fields architecture reflects the economy. As always however it is changing. The projects are generally getting larger due to economies of scale and more complex due to technological advances and financing constraints. Sustainability is only going to become more important but on a larger picture. Strategies around cars and parking will be key. Roles are changing to match and a new breed of Architect is emerging. The list of specialist consultants is increasing The “starchitect” is hopefully on his way out. Building Information Modeling (BIM) is leading the way for a more integrated design process. This collaborative approach needs to be embraced by anyone thinking of a career in Architecture.

What advice would you give someone considering a career like yours?
First drop the ego, there really is no place for it any more. I have seen too many professional relationships come to ruins due to over inflated egos, second is to get some experience before college if you can. I did and it was worth its weight in gold. Also get lots of different experiences early on in your career when you can. This will help you find your place. Architecture is a huge discipline with lots of different options, you need to find your own place not one that is selected for you.

Great Upcoming Event

A Field Guide to Transit Quarrels
Where: GGLO Space at the Steps, 1301 First Ave., Level A (Enter through door located about 1/4 of the way down the Harbor Steps (click for map))
Date: Thursday, July 29, 2010
Time: 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm

Great City and Streets for All Seattle are co-hosting Jarrett Walker, who will explore the intense and often bitter quarrels that crop up when cities try to decide what kind of transit to build or operate. Working from his 20 years of experience as a transit planning consultant, Jarrett will discuss some of the most common confusions that emerge in debates about transit, and offer suggestions for how to increase clarity in these conversations by recognizing the difficult choices that arise from transit’s intrinsic geometry and costs.

Jarrett currently posts his thoughts on public transit planning and policy on his blog Human Transit.

Monday News Roundup

Streets ahead: A revolution in urban planning (The Independent)
Cities of the future won’t be filled with androids but with ‘silver citizens’. And that means a revolution in urban planning

Coal Protest: Moms Begin Ascent of Mt. Rainier! (Earth Justice)
Four Washington moms have begun their attempt to summit Mount Rainier this weekend to deliver a strong message to their governor about coal.

Bouncing Back from the Disaster in the Gulf  (Huffington Post)
The Gulf oil spill is yet another grim reminder that our society's reliance on highly complex and centralized energy systems renders us highly vulnerable. In fact, there seems to be a correlation: the more complex and centralized a system, the more vulnerable it becomes.

Los Angeles Dreams of a New Downtown River Park (Inhabitat)
A 100 year-old rail depot resides next to downtown Los Angeles, and next to the rail yard is the famous LA viaduct, a ribbon of concrete and steel cutting thought the heart of the city. The city recently funded a study to re-envision this 20th century monolithic development as a 21st century park complete with a green belt, a transportation corridor, and a recreation area lined with mixed-use developments.

Sound Walls Made From Grass (Planetizen)
The Ohio Department of Transportation is experimenting with "green noise walls" instead of the standard eyesore, using bags of soil sprouting greenery as an alternative to concrete.

Ridership down in America? look deeper (Human Transit)
London’s Bicycle Superhighway Opens Today! (Inhabitat)
As a way to encourage bike commuting and improve safety for bicyclists on the road, London is opening a series of bike superhighways along important commuter routes.

Rescued From Blight, Falling Back Into Decay (NYTimes)
At 1694 Davidson Avenue, a building in the Morris Heights section of the Bronx that the city once owned, tenants say conditions have deteriorated.

Restoring New York Streets to Their Bumpier Pasts (NYTimes)
Masons installing cobblestones along Laight Street in the TriBeCa area of Manhattan, where many restorations are under way.

8-Bit Capitol Hill (Capitol Hill Seattle)
Here's a map of the Hill -- and all of Seattle -- rendered in old school, 8-bit computer graphic style.

The top 10 reasons building a smaller house is better (Washington Post)

Walking — Not Just for Cities Anymore (Brookings)
I see compelling evidence that the collapse of fringe drivable suburban markets was the catalyst for the Great Recession, and the lack of walkable urban development due to inadequate infrastructure and zoning is a major reason for the recovery’s sluggishness. Joel feels the demand for walkable urban development is a fraction of the future growth in households.

Slow City (BLDGBLOG)
There's an interesting article in the New York Times today about the design and implementation of "aging-improvement districts"—that is, "parts of the city that will become safer and more accessible for older residents."

A Fast-Paced City Tries to Be a Gentler Place to Grow Old (NYTimes)
To make it safer for older people, the city added four seconds to the time pedestrians are given to cross intersections like Broadway and 72nd Street.

VIA Architecture's Conversion to Vision

by Mel Ifada, VIA Architecture

VIA Architecture converted to Vision in February 2009. Vision is a Professional Services Management program for Project-related businesses. At that time, there was a relatively small group of companies in Vancouver, BC who used the program. However, the users were keen to collaborate and a ‘Vancouver Vision User Group’ was initiated.

There is a rather large network of User Groups in the States and now a growing number of them in Canada. The purpose of the User Groups is to provide a platform for all types of users (Accountants / IT / Human Resources / Project Managers, etc) to discuss + brainstorm problems and solutions. There is no sales pitch - just users talking to users, helping users, networking, sharing experiences, adding value to each other.

Earlier this year, the Vancouver Vision User Group leader changed careers from being an ‘IT Guru user’ to pursue an opportunity on the sales + support side of the business. This is a great indication of the outgoing leaders’ belief in the product and its potential for growth within British Columbia. However, it also meant that the User Group was in need of a new leader.

As I have personally benefited greatly from attending user group meetings and various other Vision meetings, I volunteered to take on this role. My expectation was that the meetings would continue to be a maximum of a dozen or so participants at any one time which is a manageable sized group to host at VIA Architecture’s Vancouver office. The User Group hadn’t had a meeting for about 8 or 9 months so I set a pre-summer meeting for June 8th.

The response was overwhelming (in a wonderful way). We had 24 physical attendees and another 3 companies represented by teleconference! This is the largest meeting of Vision users in Vancouver that I’m aware of to date. It was fantastic! Some people had travelled for well over an hour each way to attend – others had flown over from Vancouver Island just for this meeting!

Many issues were discussed, solutions shared, grievances aired, and the next meeting date set for September 2010. The group is strong and keen!

Thank you to VIA Architecture for being an active participant in the Vision community and to Marlene, VIA's Director of Finance, for supporting me in taking on this role.

Monday News Roundup

Public Art meets Public Transportation (GOOD)
Public art and public transportation combined? What more could you ask for?

Portland Does it Again (PriceTags)
PDX comes up with another great idea to celebrate its public spaces – this time its bridges.

Germany Targets 100 percent Renewable Electricity by 2050 (Treehugger)
Germany is already a global leader in solar power, but that's just a start as far as Germans are concerned.

Evergreen Line a Go (Beyond Robson)
Despite uncertainty over the project's funding, Metro Vancouver's Evergreen transit line - a new rapid transit line that will connect Coquitlam to Vancouver via Port Moody and Burnaby - will proceed as scheduled, according executive director Dave Duncan.

Pavilion made from recycled Speedos (Treehugger)
This amazing pavilion designed by students at Chelsea College of Art & Design has been on show during the London Festival of Architecture for the last couple of weeks. It is made from the unlikeliest of materials, Speedo swimsuits, and we think it's a fantastic example of the design possibilities that can be found in the upcycling process.

Community garden accessible to all (Straight)
Jill Weiss has designed the city's first community garden accessible to people with disabilities.

Street density by transportation mode (The Transit Pass)

The Vancouver model comes to China (Crosscut)
Expos are about the world, but also remaking cities. Shanghai's fair showcases urbanism, which includes a Northwest pavilion that promotes density but will sell sprawl too, if that's what China wants.

Commuter Pain Index (Wired)
Quit whining about your commute. It isn’t that bad, even for you Angelinos and New Yorkers. Your daily slog through traffic is nothing compared to Moscow, where people might spend more than three hours sucking exhaust fumes while going nowhere fast.

Artist turns Paris into a playground (GOOD)
The French artist Jerome G. Demuth (who also goes by the moniker "G"), recently installed swings around Paris for the public to use.

Belltown – is this as good as it gets? (Crosscut)
Belltown's history over the past 25 years suggested vitality, density, and the kind of success needed for the state's growth management plans to succeed. Now, it may be at a tipping point, in the wrong direction.

This week's sign of the apocalypse (Kaid at NRDC) 

paris: world's best transit logo? (Human Transit)
I've seen a lot of transit logos all over the world, and this is my personal favorite. Perhaps I love Paris too much to be fair.  Perhaps one has to know Paris to appreciate it.  But that's fine; it's a logo for Parisians.

Friday Feature: Diana

Who are you and what do you do?
Diana Wellenbrink – architect. Back in my home country I was arch.Diana Popova -- when you're an architect in Bulgaria, you put your title in front of your name just like doctors do.

What made you decide to go into your field?
When I was twelve, I visited the home- museum of Victor Vazarely in Pecs, Hungary. I was so impressed by the two-dimensional transformation, textural effects, the play of perspective, and light that upon returning back home I started painting (of course trying to imitate the scene). Sometimes I wish to be as excited about other things now as I was then. The built up knowledge end experience seems to steel that “virgin” appreciation and joy of discovery. Though I still could wow loudly -- a couple of years ago I visited Louis Khan’s Salk Institute Campus and no matter that I’ve studied about it before, I've read that the physical experience cannot be compared to anything.

What did your family think of your chosen field?
My mother, a teacher in Chemistry and a widow raising two children, asked shortly “How much do you need?”; I told her and that was the end of the conversation. She gave me the money I needed to study drawing for 3 years and mathematics for 2 years in order to be accepted in the University. Mother, thank you! I hope one day I would be able to support my son in pursuing his dream.

Who is the teacher who had the most influence on you and why?
My teacher in drawing, who was an architect that I kept in contact with until I left for America. He was literally beating us for “basic stupidity” but at the same time he was sitting and holding our hands to teach us how to “loosen”, “how the object should start to appear", and "never forget the big, focusing on the small”. Unfortunately his professional life proved that talent without a business approach won’t make an architectural career.

What was the biggest hurdle you faced along your educational path? (academic, financial, motivational, family or peer pressure, outside distraction, etc.)
That in architecture, you should have a strong personality, but that at the same time, you need to learn to give up – how much, when, where. One of my professors at school marking my work said: “I wish to put a ”D-“on your work, because I don’t think a client would like it, it is so 'dark', but it shows who you are and what your mood is, so “A-”.

So you to find who you are once and second how to “twist” that with a certain project, or geographic circumstance, or budget issues, or client’s personality, or team preferences is not easy I think it is never ending process.

What inspires you?
Works of art and architecture. I wish to say nature, but I am an urban type of person and I like to see the “marks of civilization”. If I am in the mountains and I see a shelter, I feel relaxed. That is why, I guess, I am an architect – to build shelters.

What schooling is required for success in your career?
Work is the best schooling. I didn’t believe it when one of my teachers asked us to redraw a project that had been designed by a well established architect. Now I know he was right.

What kind of people are the most successful in your field? Are there any specific attributes?
I’ve already mentioned that unfortunately only talent in the field of architecture is not enough. You need to have a special approach that is a talent of its own. At certain moments, you need to be a psychologist, a public speaker, a businessman, a brick layer, a wrestler, and many more…

What is the best advice you were ever given?
A quote of one of my professors, leading a class in modeling, also famous sculptor “Don’t say a word unless you could summarize it as a sketch.”

The advice of my thesis advisor upon saying good bye to each other: “From this point on, do not let anybody not address you as arch. Popova”. Interpreted, that should mean that what you gain as a professional if official, so nobody should be allowed not to respect that and there are only certain institutions that could object or suspend this.

A quote by memory of a line from Kipling’s poem: “If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you, // But make allowance of their doubting too.”

Is your field growing? (ie. is there room for new entries and is there career growth?)
I wish to say it stays as broad as it has always been.

What advice would you give someone considering a career like yours?
Go, go, go! There are few minutes in your career, but they are worth for all efforts and sleepless nights. One of mine was when we lit up a newly renovated place and the old lady who gave this place to her granddaughter and was reluctant of our “invasion” started crying and said “it is as if I'm seeing my place for the first time, it is so wonderful”

An Eight Year Old Perspective

by Richard Leong, VIA Architecture

Background info for this post:

“The current trend of density and downtown living has left me thinking of a more simple time, less complicated, perhaps naïve and due to traces of synaptic loss, slightly idealized. What is written is a stream of consciousness memory/reaction that I have culled from the back alleys of my memory…”

The imagery is a metaphor for the fact that in Vancouver, and maybe in Seattle as well, that the natural surroundings overpower the architecture. How do we reconcile this? Can we make architecture stand out? When thinking of community, place and neighbourhood, what is it that brings forth the fondest of memories? What can we do as architects, planners, and designers to make something that the public can make their own?

With the mist clearing, the scene unfolds with vivid colours of emerald greens, ultramarine blues in battle with dreary greys, and hue upon hue of cooler greys. Once in a while a warmer grey appears but this is a rare occurrence. The paranoid skies erupt with the crying of clouds and a sudden splashing of raining rain beats down, but as I have said earlier the skies are untrusting and do not maintain any sort of consistency. Within minutes, the streaming sunlight and the nakedness of the sun is exposed in all of its glory. Mountains emerge with their dotted viridian trees and in the foreground bright orange red cranes are thrust into one's field of vision. These cranes are loud at times and they pluck their large loads with reckless abandon from the awaiting barges and docked ships. Sure, these cranes are huge, they're gigantic chairs, but compared to the background, an endless palette of coastal mountains, these manmade structures are miniscule. Although as tiny as they are, I still stare at them in awe.

Before I forget, there are also the railroad tracks that run between the back alley of the laundromat and the site of the cranes. The sound of these tracks with the stainless grinding of steel against steel would lull me to sleep night after night. Of course the blaring horn was loud and the signal crossing would ring into the night but when you got used to it, it was like a warm glass of milk before bedtime. I did mention the laundromat across the street didn't I? I don't remember the name of the girl whose parents were the owners. It was years ago, but oh how we played...running up and down the alleys and near the tracks and pedalling furiously on our three wheeled chariots across the streets.

The longshoremen knew our names and would always say hi at quitting time. They would give us spare change to buy ice cream or something every now and then. I guess it was every second Friday or something like that. Off to the corner store we would go. The ice creams were always good and usually I would get the ice cream sandwich. I would get two and give one to my younger sister. The laundromat girl would get a bag of assorted jellies or candies. I can't believe that I don't remember her name. As I said, the ice creams were good but you had to really concentrate to taste them because your nose would wander off and sniff the wafting breeze that was lightly scented with salmon, probably sockeye.

At night it wasn't just the trains and trackyards that interrupted the peace, sometimes for months at a time, there would be the heavy sound of fans or other machinations from the fish processing plant, the cannery. This would happen without fail year after year during the salmon season. Well, I could go on but the mind is starting to wander, hey look...a new condo development taking over the site of that historic little motel...

This is the city that I remember, the village of my childhood...and how times have changed.

Image links: Image 1, Image 2