Ross’ Tale of Two Cities
This time, Vancouver and Vancouver sub in for London and Paris. Don’t fear though; shadows of Dickens remain. In his sweeping, heartfelt and often critical portrait of the city, Gary Stephen Ross offers up a crystal clear “before” picture of this aspiring town just ahead of the throngs about to descend on us for the Olympics. He asks us to ask: What Next?
“Vancouver’s youth, like its size, is easy to overlook. From the air, the downtown commercial grid, circumscribed by salt water and shining in the sun, calls to mind a sort of a mini-Manhattan, as snugly fitted as a Lego project. But look closely, and you’ll notice that only recently have the central buildings started to poke dramatically upward; only now is a mature skyline taking shape, the last of the baby teeth being displaced.”
It’s a worthwhile read. Find it here, in the always worthwhile Walrus.
