Dispatches From North Of The Border

The Beijing Subway is one of the largest in the world. It carries over 5 million people every day, and hundreds of trains run on 228kms of track and service 147 stations. It is a feat of engineering, planning and coordination every single day. It is a network that Beijing commuters should be proud of, it represents the forward-thinking and development of the city.

Yet even the current nine lines, and the rapid expansion that took place for the 2008 Olympics, is not enough for the city’s growing needs. Local government in Beijing recently announced to Beijing news providers that the Beijing Subway would be further expanded, with an extra ten lines and an additional 333km of track.

This is a monumental undertaking, which government has slated for completion by 2015. That’s four years from now, which may seem a long time, but consider the challenges and effort that has had to be channelled into the building of the subway so far, and this has been done over the last few decades, since 1971.

It’s taken since then to create the current 228km of track, which puts in perspective the challenge the government has set itself. Essentially, the plan is to do 60% more in four years, than what was done in almost 40 years.

Much of this is possible because of new technology in construction, which has vastly improved since the 1960s (when construction on the first subway line began), as well as new finances which are available to the city of Beijing, which has grown considerably in the last few decades, in terms of both size and economic activity.

For example, the expansion of the Beijing Subway for the 2008 Olympics cost around $8 billion, which is a significant amount, but not so much when one considers the city’s financial revenues, or local GDP, which is around $100 billion. This was not the case a few decades ago, when the city was struggling through low-growth periods when revenues were as low as $10 billion.

The expansion of the subway, in a sense then, correlates to the expansion of the city, the two can’t be separated, and it’s difficult to say whether one has caused the other. In most cases though, the growth of Beijing has had to be matched by the subway, the local government is playing a constant game of catching up with the city.

By 2015, when all fifteen lines are operational, and an additional $29 billion has been spent, it is likely that the needs of the subway will still need to be readjusted. Work is unrelenting and never stops, new stations are always under construction, and new lines are always being planned and mapped out, moved to accommodate national landmarks, and then moved again to increase efficiency.

The construction of the subway has not had a solely financial cost. Thousands of construction workers are always working in the massive expansion plans, and as it is heavy mechanical work, which is often carried out underground, the dangers are real and close at hand.

There have been far too many work-related deaths in the history of the subway’s construction. Several fires have occurred at stations under construction in recent years, killing workers and badly injuring others, and while safety conditions and procedures have improved, there’s no doubt that, like the mines, the conditions in the subway’s construction need to be improved further.

This is because while the subway represents the growth of Beijing, it is also a source of national pride. It is one of the most efficient, and one of the biggest. In times of need it can also be used for national defence purposes, for the mass movement of troops and people.

The various lines of the subway, in a sense, are the arteries of the city, along with the major highways and roads. The subway carries 4.9 million people each day, while the city has a population of around 11 million, it is therefore the most utilized transport system in the country, making the price paid in terms of human and financial resources heavy, but worth it for the future of the capital city.

via Beijing.News.net http://www.beijingnews.net/digest.php

The following was sent to the Mayor of Oakville following a Planning Committee Meeting May 12, 20010.

Over regulation and planning based on vocally intense groups is not the way to build a better long Oakville. The drive-thru issue is endemic of a new need to regulate everything that "moves" in Oakville. I was very disappointed in the Planning Committee decision concerning drive-thrus today. Too many councillors are unwilling to see real needs of of an inclusive Oakville and look at a longer term need for Oakville.

In my opinion, the planning staff and their responses to questioning were callous in their comments and it appears they are not committed to a big picture Oakville. They take the direction from the council flavour of the day. It's attitude Monday afternoon was anti-business, anti-special needs and is anti-ageing .. all of these are also huge parts of our population.

Oakville is becoming a very negative place for these groups and anyone without a voice to the top.

At some point businesses, large and small will not consider locating here because Oakville blows with whatever the direction of the wind is blowing. Who can plan a long term business plan here because the Council just changes the rules to the flavour of the group that complains the most.

Oakville Council claims to speak and to plan for "stable neighbourhoods" but they do this at the expense of others as they trample their ability to be in a caring Town of Oakville by ignoring the many groups groups such as persons with disabilities, who make up a complete and caring Oakville.

Oakville needs to be a caring and supportive community not a community of special interest property owners. Stable neighbourhoods is code word for special interest groups with money and voices.

The future of Oakville is being planned now and ignoring the majority of the population will produce more fractures in the future in not building a cohesive and caring community as a whole.

I would urge you to look deeper inside and see a better and more inclusive and caring Oakville for all citizens of Oakville.

The following was an open letter sent to most of the Town of Oakville elected officials on May 10, 2010 through TwitLongeR. Some councillors did not have digital access that was easily accessible and thus will not have received this pleading.

As drive-thru regulation comes to Council, I would urge you to see the many positive impacts of drive-thrus as well as the many who will be negatively impacted by over regulation, in this case the banning of drive-thrus in some of or all of Oakville. Drive thrus are an extremely important operations and perform an important economic function for many people in the Town of Oakville.

One group that will be particularly impacted by the over-regulating of drive-thrus. Persons with disabilities require them and they have both a physical and economic positive impact for them.

At businesses where drive-thrus are used there is never enough accessible parking where the traffic change over by customers is large and everyone is in a hurry, and only going to be just "a minute". You can't legislate morality but you can think through the implications of user friendly access being banned or over regulated. The abuse of disability parking spots would increase at many more high traffic places.

Disability parking is usually filled with irresponsible users and because small businesses generally are only required to provide one spot based on use or the overall size of a plaza and owners with planning approval them throughout the plaza at inconvenient and unsafe locations. In many places convenience spots for "women with small children", which are not even legally defined spots in Ontario equal or out number disability spots. There are many issues to look at beyond the seeming appeal as a green piece of legislation.

There is much bigger set of issues that changing one item, such as eliminating drive-thrus, puts into play. It is not just traffic or property value it is the value of a our Town and how it serves all members of its city, not just the Property owner. If you do not change the parking access by-laws to provide significantly more accessible parking then as Oakville faces its ageing boomer issues , the town will not be addressing the problems it creates by what seems to be a "green" bylaw but in fact is a discriminatory by-law without all the angles thought about.

It is, in my opinion, the time that council started representing the needs of all citizens not just property owners who claim that their property is some how devalued. Lack of access is a devaluing of a person and their rights which may not be addressed.

PLEASE do not ban drive-thrus now or into future planning or the great function of drive-thrus to all citizens will be lost. The added cost of lost business opportunities and economic development may well impact many businesses and thus the economy of Oakville.

I see a very negative business climate potentially developing here in Oakville as we attempt to regulate everything that moves. I would urge you to see the Oakville Chamber of Commerce response to Councils passing of the particulate bylaw as an example.

Aside: One example of business abuse ( not blaming the owner or the new facility) just the reality of the Town not doing its job, is found at the new Oakville Entertainment Centre at Dundas and Trafalgar.

This new large attendance venue has no disability parking (the new purveyors/owners have blocked off the only disability space). The only option for a person with a disability is to park across the lot and then travel behind parked vehicles where they can not be seen. I know The Entertainment Centre is not a drive-thru but it is an example of a new facility, given a permit but not having to morally or legally comply with the law. Either the town planners did not require changes or the need for a patio seems to trump access and safety.

Regardless, there is a need to think outside the box when passing by-laws/regulation which will affect many others beyond the local neighbourhood.

Oakville is a community, not just a series of lobbying block neighbourhoods, and the interest of ALL citizens and those who come to Oakville should be addressed.