First Taste of Just Pizza

The Vancouver Sandwich Challenge was a success featuring creations from restaurants around greater Vancouver. Each restaurant featured their sandwich creation from September 20 – October 13, 2024. Our media judging panel determined the ultimate winners of the challenge, and this was quite the task as each judge who tasted each creation with a rigorous process based on taste, originality/uniqueness and presentation/appearance. The Winners are: 1st Place (TIE) : {108 points} Pizza Rubato Napoletana Panuozzo alla Mortadella Price $14 Created by: Duman and Ilaria Description:  Made with our “00” flour dough, this sandwich aims to bring back the classic mortadella sandwich and spice it up with some Rubato creation and trademarks. As always, we try to create something unique, where a mixture of flavors combine and explode in your mouth, while never compromising the quality of the ingredients we use. Despite the fact that mortadella has a strong, distinctive flavor, we balance it all out with the saltiness of pistachio and sea salt flakes, the creaminess and sweetness of stracciatella, and the spiciness of hot honey.  Ingredients:  Pistachio Pesto Sauce, Mortadella, Stracciatella, Crushed Pistachio, Chili Infused Honey, Sea Salt Flakes, Olive Oil. All wrapped in our fresh dough made with only the finest “00” flour from Italy. Available: all the time Offered: for dine-in, pick-up and delivery options are available besides dine-in.  Pizza Rubato Napoletana 561 W. Broadway, Vancouver Tel:(604) 909-0773 Web: https://www.pizzarubato.com/ Instagram @pizzarubato 1st Place (TIE) : {108 points} Food by Fanta My Favourite Sandwich  Price: $23 Created by: Chef Parinya and team Description: My Favourite Sandwich starts with a ciabatta bun spread with our zesty herbal pesto. We top it with smoked Montreal beef, Brie, mozzarella & Gruyère, red wine braised onions, drizzle of curry mango jam mixed with honey mustard and diced dill pickle. After a quick toast, we add sliced house pickled green beans and finish with crispy rice for the ultimate bite. Served with fries seasoned with Tom Yum seasoning and Sriracha mayo & honey mustard dipping sauce. Ingredients: herbal pesto (Thai basil, cilantro, thyme, Russian garlic, pine nuts, almonds, lime juice, lime zest, parmesan, Thai chili), Montreal Smoked Beef, Brie Cheese, mozzarella cheese, Gruyère cheese, curry mango jam, honey mustard, dill pickle, pickled green beans, and crispy rice. Available: Lunch and dinner Offered: dine-in, takeout and delivery Food by Fanta 20542 Fraser Hwy #107, Langley Tel: (604) 427-0166 Web: www.FoodbyFanta.com Instagram @foodbyfanta 2nd Place : {89 points} Stega Eatery Sandwich Al Pastor Price: $14.40 Created by: Mariia Minohina and Enrique Taracena Pacheco Description: Sandwich al Pastor opens with the exquisite scent of fresh ciabatta, enhanced by exotic notes of roasted pineapple. The fragrant annatto seeds of the Caribbean exude facets of earthy citrus, peppers, and sweet seduction for your palate and your palate only. Ingredients: House mayo, lettuce, tomato, cucumber, chicken al pastor, roasted pineapple, cheese on ciabatta. (Dairy Free, Gluten-Free alternative available) Available: All the time Offered: In-store and take-out Stega Eatery 301 W Cordova, Vancouver Tel: (778) 839-8088 & 1778 Colombia, Vancouver Tel: Web: https://www.stegaeatery.ca/ Instagram @stegaeatery 3rd Place: {76 points} Jamila’s Afghan Cuisine  Ugly Afghani Sandwich Price: $12.99 Created by: Malik Description: One of our carefully created menu item is ugly Afghani sandwich, we have taken it from different angle with crafted flavour of ground meat, marinated with Afghan spices and pan cooked with fresh little green peppers and onions, placed in homemade Afghani bread that will blow you away, Ugly Afghani Sandwich comes with choice of beef or chicken. Available: all the time Offered: dine and take out Jamila’s Afghan Cuisine  2586 Commercial Drive, Vancouver Tel:(604) 620-7686 Web:https://thejamilas.com/ Instagram @jamilas_afghan_cuisine_ In the People’s Choice Awards category, the public who tried the Sandwich creations were the ones who had the opportunity to cast their vote throughout the challenge. The Winners are: 1st Place People’s Choice: Food by Fanta My Favourite Sandwich  Price: $23 Created by: Chef Parinya and team Description: My Favourite Sandwich starts with a ciabatta bun spread with our zesty herbal pesto. We top it with smoked Montreal beef, Brie, mozzarella & Gruyère, red wine braised onions, drizzle of curry mango jam mixed with honey mustard and diced dill pickle. After a quick toast, we add sliced house pickled green beans and finish with crispy rice for the ultimate bite. Served with fries seasoned with Tom Yum seasoning and Sriracha mayo & honey mustard dipping sauce. Ingredients: herbal pesto (Thai basil, cilantro, thyme, Russian garlic, pine nuts, almonds, lime juice, lime zest, parmesan, Thai chili), Montreal Smoked Beef, Brie Cheese, mozzarella cheese, Gruyère cheese, curry mango jam, honey mustard, dill pickle, pickled green beans, and crispy rice. Available: Lunch and dinner Offered: dine-in, takeout and delivery Food by Fanta 20542 Fraser Hwy #107, Langley Tel: (604) 427-0166 Web: www.FoodbyFanta.com Instagram @foodbyfanta 2nd Place People’s Choice: Pizza Rubato Napoletana Panuozzo alla Mortadella Price $14 Created by: Duman and Ilaria Description:  Made with our “00” flour dough, this sandwich aims to bring back the classic mortadella sandwich and spice it up with some Rubato creation and trademarks. As always, we try to create something unique, where a mixture of flavors combine and explode in your mouth, while never compromising the quality of the ingredients we use. Despite the fact that mortadella has a strong, distinctive flavor, we balance it all out with the saltiness of pistachio and sea salt flakes, the creaminess and sweetness of stracciatella, and the spiciness of hot honey.  Ingredients:  Pistachio Pesto Sauce, Mortadella, Stracciatella, Crushed Pistachio, Chili Infused Honey, Sea Salt Flakes, Olive Oil. All

A simple summer recipe, this roasted cherry tomato soup is packed with flavour and comes together in 30 minutes with just 7 ingredients and fresh herbs! Naturally vegan and dairy free. Got too many tomatoes this time of year? This roasted cherry tomato soup is for you. I couldn’t believe how easy this soup was when I made it: a handful of simple ingredients and less than 30 minutes will give you THE most savory and delicious soup. Truly the best tomato soup I’ve tried and perfect for lunch or dinner. And who says it has to be complicated? Just roast cherry tomatoes, onion and garlic in a little olive oil then blend with vegetable broth and basil, and you’ve got one delicious summer meal. Perfect served with crusty bread, a delicious high protein sandwich or your favourite side dish ! And if you’re tempted not to the roast the vegetables and just blend them straight away – don’t! Roasting the tomatoes, onion and garlic brings out their natural flavor and will give you a really creamy roasted tomato soup. Trust me, it’s worth a little time in the oven to level up the flavor in this recipe! What to serve with tomato soup This vegan tomato soup is delicious on its own as a light lunch, but you can also serve it with any of the following: Fresh crusty bread (sourdough is my favourite) Grilled cheese sandwiches Croutons A high protein sandwich to make it extra filling A caprese salad a vegan cheese board Vegan parmesan cheese Main ingredients Cherry tomatoes – I use cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes instead of regular tomatoes as they have natural sweetness. Ideally, buy when they’re in season (tomato season is roughly July to late September) as they’ll taste much better! Use the most flavorful fresh tomatoes you can get as these are the star ingredient that will form the base of the soup. I love getting them from my local farmers market. Onion and garlic – Add rich flavor to this cherry tomato soup recipe. Roasting them makes SUCH a difference – the garlic caramelizes and the onion has a slightly sweet flavor. Basil – Really enhances the flavor of this homemade tomato soup recipe. Use fresh basil ideally for maximum flavour (there’s something about basil and tomatoes that taste so good together). If using dried, use 1 tablespoon only. Vegetable broth – You can use ready made broth or vegetable stock cubes (I dissolve one stock cube in 2 cups boiled water). If using a low sodium variety, you’ll likely want to add a little more salt. Love what you see? Get my once-monthly newsletter with my latest recipes straight to your inbox! Yes, I agree to the processing of my personal data to receive email marketing. /* real people should not fill this in and expect good things – do not remove this or risk form bot signups */ Leave this field empty if you’re human: How to make homemade tomato soup Preheat the oven to 350℉/175℃. Slice onion roughly into 8 pieces (by slicing in half and then quartering each half) and add onion, 2lb cherry tomatoes and 4 cloves of garlic to a large sheet pan (divide between 2 pans if you need more space). Drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Roast in hot oven for 20 minutes until tomatoes have burst and onion is soft. Allow to cool slightly for a few minutes. Squeeze garlic cloves out of their skins, and add to high-powered blender along with roasted tomatoes and onions, 2½ cups vegetable broth/stock, ½ cup fresh basil leaves, 1 teaspoon sea salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper (you can also use an immersion or stick blender). Blend hot soup until smooth, adjust seasoning and reheat if desired. Serve in bowls and optionally decorate with basil leaves, a swirl of coconut yogurt, red pepper flakes and/or homemade croutons. Check out my step-by-step guide on how to make this homemade tomato soup . Expert Tips Make it high protein – Blend a can of rinsed white beans (I like cannellini) into the soup to add protein and make it creamier. Be sure to add a little extra salt if you do this as the beans will soak up a lot of flavour. Don’t scrimp on roasting! Don’t be tempted to skip roasting your veggies – it adds so much flavour and makes them sweeter too. You won’t regret it. How to make tomato soup less acidic If your tomato soup tastes too acidic, try adding a pinch (¼ teaspoon) of baking soda. Stir it into the soup and allow it to froth. When the baking soda has finished reacting, taste the soup and add another ¼ teaspoon if it still isn’t to your liking. This works because baking soda is alkaline and so adding it to your soup will neutralize the acidity of the tomatoes. Simple! Storage Store this cherry tomato soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. It can also be frozen up to one month in freezer-safe containers. FAQs What other herbs can I add to tomato soup? I personally think this roast cherry tomato soup is perfect as it is, but if you want to add more flavor try adding a pinch of any of the following herbs: rosemary, oregano, thyme, marjoram or Italian seasoning. How can I

You may have heard that Postmedia Network Canada Corporation donated approximately 5.6 million Vancouver Sun and The Province photographic negatives to the Archives in 2017. You may have also heard that around this time last year, 25,000 Vancouver Sun photo assignments (out of 250,000 in the whole donation) became available for searching on our online database. You may even be one of the many researchers who in the past year has accessed and viewed these negatives in person in our Reading Room. But do you know the steps involved in making those negatives available for viewing? Well, if not, you’re in luck! In honour of achieving a milestone 50,000 photo assignments available (that’s over 1.1 million images!), we’d like to give you a glimpse of the work that goes on behind the scenes to make this happen. The “Before” state—a banker’s box full of photo assignment envelopes The journey begins with a banker’s box. A peek inside reveals approximately 1,800 tightly-packed envelopes, each representing a single photo assignment given to a Sun photographer. These envelopes are taken out of the banker’s box in batches, making the processing more manageable. Each envelope is given a unique identifier, which becomes its reference code in our database. Stamping the first part of the identifier, ‘AM1616-S1-F,’ helps speed up the process, as all envelopes in this series will have this same eleven-character ID reflecting the fonds (AM1616) and series (S1) numbers. The six-digit file number portion of the identifier (that comes after the ‘F’) is handwritten in pencil and is unique within the series, with numbers assigned sequentially. The envelope for file AM1616-S1-F077888 After assigning the envelopes their identifiers, we count the number of images contained in each envelope and record that data in a spreadsheet. Each envelope may contain anywhere from fewer than 10 to more than 100 images on strips three frames long, for an average of 22.4 images per envelope. Counting the frames The rest of the information contained on each envelope is transcribed into the spreadsheet, including the assignment title or description of the assignment, the photographer’s name, the date, and if present, the “twincheck” number assigned by the Sun librarians when originally filing the negatives. Other information that is required to make fully standards-compliant file-level descriptions is also added. So much metadata After all of this metadata is captured, the envelopes are transferred to a new, acid-free Hollinger box. Once full, the box is labeled with the AM1616 fonds number, a unique container name and a barcode representing the container name. A full box, labeled and ready to travel The box is now ready for its trip to its new permanent home in one of our frozen storage vaults. To help the contents of the box slowly acclimatize to the -18 Celsius environment of the vault, the box is placed in a cooler bag and the cooler goes into the vault. After 24 hours, the box is removed from the cooler and placed in one of the sealed frozen storage cabinets, where it resides until someone asks to see some of the negatives. Inside a frozen storage vault Meanwhile, envelope metadata continues to be added to the spreadsheet and, when 2,500 envelopes have been entered, the spreadsheet undergoes a quality control check. We look for logical places to split very long descriptions, for glaring typographical errors and for any issues flagged during transcription. We also check for offensive or discriminatory language that is reflective of the time period in which the photographs were taken and of the attitudes of the creator. In these cases, we retain the newspaper staff’s original descriptions in order to keep the historical context of creation, but we will supply updated and/or more accurate terminology. When the quality control work is complete, the spreadsheet data is uploaded to our database and the new file-level descriptions are ready for searching by the public. Search result for “Sonny and Cher” The full file-level description of the images of Sonny and Cher when they played the Coliseum. Reference Code: AM1616-S1-F009500 Here’s a video of what this whole process looks like. As we mention in the video, to view the images, we need 48 hours’ notice, so we can repeat the negatives’ journey in reverse. Once we have a retrieval request in hand, we will pull the relevant envelope from its box and place the envelope in a plastic zip lock bag. The box is placed in the cooler bag and the cooler is brought to our preservation lab to allow the negatives to slowly acclimatize to room temperature. Once thawed, the negatives can be viewed in our reading room on a light table. Viewing the negatives If you need any assistance in finding Sun photographs relating to your research interest, or would like a photo assignment retrieved, please contact us at archives@vancouver.ca or 604-736-8561. The Reference team will be happy to help. 200,000 more envelopes to go!

From quick dinner recipes to simple vegan breakfast ideas, these 28 easy vegan recipes for beginners will have you enjoying a plant-based diet, no matter how much time you have! Want to eat less meat but find plant-based cooking daunting? I get it. These nourishing recipes are all delicious and healthy, use a handful of simple ingredients and come together quickly. From easy vegan dinner recipes to breakfast recipes that are perfect for weekly meal prep, there’s something here for everyone. And the best part? These recipes are quick, allowing you to focus less on your vegan diet and more on your loved ones! Love what you see? Get my once-monthly newsletter with my latest recipes straight to your inbox! Yes, I agree to the processing of my personal data to receive email marketing. /* real people should not fill this in and expect good things – do not remove this or risk form bot signups */ Leave this field empty if you’re human: 1 Easy Eggplant Stir Fry with Garlic Sauce This delicious eggplant stir fry is such an easy plant-based meal. Made with a savoury garlic-soy sauce and cooked until succulent, it’s great served with rice or noodles as a main course. Check out this recipe 2 Easy Beet & Black Bean Burgers (Vegan) Taking less than 30 minutes, these vegan burgers are made with simple ingredients – black beans, beets and sweetcorn. Perfect when you want a good veggie burger, but a healthier one! Naturally gluten free too. Check out this recipe 3 Easy Fresh Vegan Spring Rolls These fresh vegan spring rolls with peanut sauce are the most delicious easy meal I know – no cooking required. Stuff your rice paper wraps with crunchy vegetables such as bell peppers, cucumber and carrot, add some smoked tofu and dip in savoury sauce! Check out this recipe 4 Quick & Easy Spinach Pasta Sauce This creamy vegan spinach pasta sauce is one the whole family can enjoy. It’s quick to make, has a great savory flavor, is packed with nutrients and is a great midweek meal. Oil-free and nut-free. Check out this recipe 5 Easy Chickpea Spinach Curry with Coconut Milk This one-pot chickpea spinach curry takes 25 minutes and is perfect as a quick weeknight dinner or big batch meal served with brown rice. Easy vegan meals don’t get much simpler than this. Naturally vegan and gluten-free. Check out this recipe 6 White Bean & Artichoke Vegan Sandwich (gluten-free) This delicious white bean & artichoke sandwich is perfect if you’re looking for healthy lunch ideas for work. It’s quick to make and protein-packed! Check out this recipe 7 Easy Carrot Lentil Soup (30 Minutes) This quick carrot lentil soup recipe is perfect for weekday dinners. Naturally vegan, it contains just 10 simple ingredients and comes together in less than 30 minutes. The perfect creamy soup for colder days! Check out this recipe 8 Healthy Crispy Tofu Ever wondered how to make perfect crispy tofu? This simple method is less hassle than frying and will give you crispy tofu every time. Great added to rice bowls, stir fries and noodles. Check out this recipe 9 Easy Chickpea Pizza Crust (Gluten-Free) Made with just 5 ingredients, this Chickpea Flour Pizza Crust is ideal for pizzas or flatbreads. Ready in minutes, it’s a great quick meal and will satisfy those comfort food cravings! Gluten-free. Check out this recipe 10 Easy Pasta Al Pesto (Linguine with Pesto) This easy pasta al pesto is the perfect weeknight meal. All you need are a few simple ingredients including basil and olive oil, and 15 minutes. You can even add cherry tomatoes for extra colour and flavour! Check out this recipe 11 Easy Roasted Cherry Tomato Soup A simple summer recipe for easy dinners, this roasted cherry tomato soup will tickle your tastebuds. It’s flavour-packed and comes together in 30 minutes, with cherry tomatoes, onion, fresh herbs and vegetable broth. Check out this recipe 12 Beet Pasta Sauce Of all the creamy pastas, this 20-minute savoury beet pasta sauce might be my favourite. Made with cooked beets, coconut milk, cashews and lemon zest, it can be served with pasta for a delicious weeknight meal. Check out this recipe 13 Easy Vegetable Stew with Lentils (Vegan) This one-pot easy vegetable stew is healthy, hearty and takes less than 30 minutes to make. Great as a quick weeknight dinner on chillier days. Check out this recipe 14 Creamy Pasta with Mushrooms & Broccoli (Vegan) Coming together in under 30 minutes, this creamy pasta with mushrooms and broccoli is the perfect weeknight dinner. Can be gluten free if you use gf pasta! Check out this recipe 15 Easy Maple Roasted Carrots Simple yet satisfying, these maple roasted carrots are the delicious side dish everyone loves because they’re so easy and taste delicious. The perfect pop of colour for your dinner table. Check out this recipe 16 Cookie Dough Overnight Oats 7 ingredients and 5 minutes are all it takes to make these easy cookie dough overnight oats. Perfect as a healthy breakfast or on-the-go snack! Check out this recipe 17 Best Easy Matcha Smoothie (5 Minutes) With banana, kale, vanilla and the addition of matcha, this easy matcha smoothie is perfect for a quick breakfast or snack. It’ll wake you up and keep you full! Check out this recipe 18 The Best Tiramisu Overnight Oats (Healthy) These

Who is the city for? Last week, a good friend of mine recently told me he and his family were leaving Vancouver. His words struck a chord: “Vancouver has broken us.” Both he and his wife are working professionals. They couldn’t face another winter crammed into a shoebox apartment with their young child. Years of searching for a space that could accommodate a small family without breaking the bank had finally worn them down. One disappointment after another led them to this decision, until leaving became the only choice they had left. This story would hardly be worth mentioning if it weren’t so painfully common. Each year, more friends and family members pack up and leave Vancouver behind. These aren’t just abstract statistics—they’re skilled professionals, hardworking families, and everyday people who contribute to the intricate fabric of our urban life. And these people are not even the most vulnerable people in our city. With each departure, a piece of Vancouver’s spirit disappears, leaving behind not vibrant communities but vacant investment properties and darkened condo windows. The city is losing its people, and with them, its soul. I know many readers have had similar experiences and can feel it getting worse with every passing year. Who is the city for? The Barcelona Chronicles were born out of this sense of loss and frustration. Too few of us think about cities as designed spaces, shaped not only by physical structures but by the values, policies, and decisions that inform their growth. What we experience daily—the places where we live, work, and gather—are a reflection of choices made far above our heads. And the consequences of these choices are anything but abstract; they touch every corner of our lives. Even those of us working in city-building disciplines often struggle to see the bigger picture. Our fields are guided by entrenched biases, drilled into us through education and professional practice, rarely questioned and barely examined. We carry these assumptions with us like heavy backpacks, often too self-assured to realize that we are part of a much larger historical process. The result is a kind of arrogance—an inability to see beyond the immediate goals of growth and development to the longer-term impacts on people’s lives. For most of human history, cities grew organically, shaped by the needs and experiences of their residents, without the interventions of urban planners, mayors, or city councils. The structured, top-down approach we now call “urban planning” is a relatively new experiment, and an honest reflection would acknowledge that the most profound mistakes of the past century have coincided with its rise. In 1965, Christopher Alexander wrote “The City is not a Tree” which argues that cities are complex, interconnected systems, not hierarchical tree structures. He argued rightly that a tree-like approach to urban planning oversimplifies the intricate, overlapping relationships within a city, leading to less vibrant and functional urban environments. The environmental and social crises we now face are tied to decisions made in boardrooms and council chambers, rooted in a belief that cities can be controlled and shaped like machines…or worse yet, treated like businesses.  But cities are not machines—they are living, breathing ecosystems, with people as their heartbeats. Cities are also not like businesses—they’re not about maximizing efficiency, profit margins, and heavy-handed hierarchical control that benefits the few at the expense of others. This misses the fundamental nature of urban life. C ities thrive on collaboration, cultural exchange, and organic growth. All metaphors oversimplify the complexity cities, leading to rigidity that ultimately fails to meet the diverse needs of its citizens.  We are living inside an ongoing experiment of our own making. The answers we thought certain have crumbled, and the stakes are higher than ever. Every misstep reverberates through people’s lives and echoes into the future. We must be willing to question everything. At a time when all that is solid melts into air, how do we find the right path forward? Who is the city for? I have had the privilege of visiting Barcelona many times over the past two decades, often as a teacher. There’s a kind of magic in the way the city evolved; no matter how short the time between visits, Barcelona always seemed to improve. This transformation sparked endless questions: Why? What’s different here? How does this city keep getting better? My questions grew more urgent as I compared Barcelona’s trajectory to my own city, Vancouver, which to my eyes, was heading in the opposite direction. Barcelona is not perfect—I’ve spoken to enough locals to know that. But, few would argue against the fact that the city’s transformation over the past decade has been largely positive, driven by an approach that places people at the forefront of planning. By focusing on livability, sustainability, and community—and seeing their interrelationship—Barcelona has embraced a model that seeks to enhance the quality of life rather than merely maximize profit. Initiatives like the Superilla—where communities reclaim streets from cars—are not just about traffic; they’re about creating spaces where life happens, where the city breathes and its people thrive. Their affordability policies and systems are born from the same spirit. In Vancouver, however, the story is different. The city that once led the way with community-driven planning and innovative policies has increasingly surrendered to the market. The shift toward a profit-driven approach is evident in the soaring real estate prices, growing economic divides, and shrinking spaces for ordinary

Sure, Vancouver’s seawall is the popular place to bike, but that doesn’t mean the suburbs can’t be too — with a few fixes. In the latest episode of the popular About Here video series on urban solutions (180,000 YouTube subscribers and counting), creator Uytae Lee takes a set of two wheels into the land of “cars, cul-de-sacs and Costcos.” “On the surface, it’s easy to think that cycling would just never be possible in neighbourhoods like this,” he says in the opening, “but the evidence actually suggests that might not be true.” The obvious problem is that lots of infrastructure is dedicated to cars and that the landscape is too vast. But Lee challenges us to look again. Wide roads might be built for cars, but they actually make for a roomy cycling experience. Suburbs might be monotonous, but that means everyone’s got schools and shopping close by. And looking at resident surveys from sprawling cities like Surrey, it’s not distance that’s preventing people from hopping on a bike, but worries about safety. In the video, Lee cycles routes in two cities to sample the experience: Surrey in Metro Vancouver and Saanich on Vancouver Island. The inner streets of both are lovely and calm, a kind of Spielbergian setting that would be familiar to the cycling kids of E.T. or Stranger Things. But on the main roads, with cars, buses and trucks? Separation is key to safety. Surrey’s Fraser Highway has only painted lines to protect cyclists. Lee’s commute here proved treacherous, with drivers and a giant 503 bus speeding right into his lane. (In the words of one YouTube commenter: “Uytae out here taking his life in his hands cycling Fraser Highway to deliver premium About Here content.”) In Saanich, on the other hand, cyclists on the main road are protected by a physical barrier. The path even feeds into the Galloping Goose Regional Trail, once a freight railway built during the First World War and now a green and picturesque cycling route that takes you from the suburbs into Victoria. Surrey: Eek! Screencap from the “About Here” video. Saanich: Ooh! Screencap from the “About Here” video. Paying for this infrastructure and finding the political support for it can be difficult, though, says Lee. Perhaps the biggest hurdle is to accept that there’s no such thing as a natural place for cars. A good cycling network can happen even in the suburbs, offering people another option to get around. “Our cities don’t have to look like Amsterdam or Copenhagen to be good for cycling,” says Lee. Check out the video above for About Here’s usual mix of data, snappy solutions, and Lee’s delightfully geeky passion for improving our cities. *** Christopher Cheung is a reporter at The Tyee, where this story originally appeared. The post Cycling in the Suburbs Doesn’t Have to Suck appeared first on Spacing Vancouver.