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4VancouversEcoDensityDebateHowwegrowremainsthekeytoacityslivabilityFebruary162008SourceCraigMcInnesVancouverSunEcoDensityisbasedonthenoonthatgrowthisinevitableandthatsprawlishardontheplanetespeciallywhenclimatechangeisfactoredin.Althoughthesappycatchphrasewasrecentlycoineditsactuallybasedonprinciplesthatcityplannershavebeenfollowingsincecizenaconkeptfreewaysfromplungingdowntowninthe1970s.Theno-nameversionledtothousandsofnewresidentslivinginthecitycoreinaphenomenonthathasbeenlargelyresponsibleforVancouversenviablereputaonasoneofthemostlivableciesintheworld.Increasingpopulaoninexisngneighbourhoods--knownasdensicaon--makesanumberofgoodthingshappen.Morepeoplemeansmorepotenalridersforpublictransit.Moreridersmeansthatbusescanrunmoreoen.Thatmeanslesswaingmewhichmakesridingbusesmorearacvewhichmeansmorepeoplewillusethemwhichmeanstheycanrunmoreoenandsoon.Preysoonthereareenoughriderstosupportrapidtransitsoyoucantravellongerdistancesconveniently.Pungpeopledowntownmeansmanyofthemcansimplywalktowork.Thattakesahugestrainotheroadsandeventhetransitsystem.DespitethepopulaongrowthVancouveristheonlymajorcityinCanadawherethemepeoplespendcommungonaverageisactuallydecreasing.Atsomepointyoumightdecideyoucandowithoutacar.AccordingtothelatestcalculaonsfromtheCanadianAutomobileAssociaonthatcouldsaveyou8500ayearplusparkingwhichColliersInternaonalreportsisrelavelycheapindowntownVancouveratalilemorethan300amonth.That12000ayearyousaveonacarcreatesanother200000inborrowingroomwhenbuyingahomebasedonasix-per-centmortgage.Youllneedthatofcoursebecausethecostofrealestateisdriveninlargepartbythearaconoflivinghere.Morepeoplealsosupportmoreameniesmoreshopsmorerestaurantsmoreentertainmentandsportsallthethingsthatputthebuzzinbigcitylife.ConstruconindustryleaderslearnaboutEcoDensityiniaveFebruary212008SourceBrianMarnJournalofCommercecorrespondentBrentToderianneedstheskillsofahigh-wireacrobat.AstherelavelynewVancouverdirectorofplanningToderianisperformingabalancingact.Ononehandheisdedicatedtothecityswell-publicizedgoalofEcoDensitywhenitcomestoresidenaldevelopment.Ontheotherhandheissympathectotheconcernsoftradionalneighbourhoodswhichcanbereluctanttoembracedensicaon.OnFeb.13hespoketomorethan200leadingmembersoftheVancouverconstruconindustryattheCEOBreakfastkickingotheB.C.ConstruconShow.Toderianhasbeendescribedasapassionateadvocateforcreavecitybuildingandatthemeenghispassionshowedthrough.WevecomealongwayindeningEcoDensityhesaid.Nowitisnecessarytomovetowardssustainability.Densitydonewellisourfriend.ToderiansaidthatVancouverismorepreparedforafulldiscussiononEcoDensitythananyothercityinNorth