Translink to add Gates and Cards to Skytrain

CTV has recently learned that Translink (the company behind metro Vancouver’s transit system) will be implementing cards and gates to the skytrain system.

Currently, users can board a train without having a fare checked. By implementing this, security and safety will increase along with fees collected.

Starting next year, gates and cards will be used. This approach is very similar to other existing gate and card systems in Tokyo and Hong Kong. However, I am of the opinion that they should have had this done years ago.

For more information, check out CTV’s website here.

Earth Hour Results for British Columbia

Earth Hour was a huge success around the world. News Media outlets are showing videos clips of famous landmarks around the world participating in this annual event.

The results showed that British Columbians reduced 1.1% of electricity usage province wide. If in one hour we can reduce such figures, I think if we take on energy-saving approach on a daily basis, we can save the planet and ourselves.

From Canada.com:

“Thousands of British Columbians stepped off the grid Saturday night, flicking off light switches and turning down the heat to cut demand by 72.67 megawatts of electricity during Earth Hour, a global effort to recognize the effects of climate change.

The reduction, amounting to 1.1 per cent provincewide, was a less impressive showing than last year’s Earth Hour initiative, which saw a two-per-cent cut across B.C.”

For more information on BC’s earth hour results, checkout Canada.com

Earth Hour 2009

Earth Hour is back and more cities and towns are participating. Take part in this one hour to protest about climate change. Do your part and turn off your lights between 8:30 pm and 9:30 pm local time to contribute!.

Protect our planet. Turn off your lights!

For more information, check out earthhour.org.

Parking Tickets in Vancouver

Vancouver Sun, the local newspaper agency, had an interesting article regarding the most ticketed places in the City of Vancouver.

Here are the most common areas (in no particular order):

• Around the Law Courts
• Yaletown
• Kitsilano
• Robson and Burrard
• Broadway, between Burrard and Main
• Other downtown arterials such as Richards and Seymour
• Davie and Georgia
• The West End
• West Broadway between Burrard and Cambie
• Commercial drive near First
• West Hastings Street between Bute and Broughton
• Around St. Paul and Vancouver General Hospital

I’m dumbfound by this one:

“Fourteen of the 20 most-ticketed parking meters in Vancouver are located on just one city block: 800 Hornby, right in front of the B.C. Law Courts building.”

Why are people willing to risk getting a ticket in front of a court house?

The link to the article is here.

Also, here is the link to a map that displays the areas where the most traffic tickets are given. It pretty much tells us that lots of tickets are given in the downtown district and along Broadway.