A new dense urban form has come to define this suburb of Vancouver.

http://img176.imageshack.us/img176/958/newrichmondcondosfromroay5.jpg
http://creativecommons.org/images/public/somerights20.png (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/ca/) My photo, taken March 22nd, 2008.

http://img85.imageshack.us/img85/6256/newrichmondcondos1smalljs2.jpg
http://creativecommons.org/images/public/somerights20.png (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/ca/) My photo, taken March 22nd, 2008.

http://img151.imageshack.us/img151/2706/richmondstreetscape1smaug6.jpg
http://creativecommons.org/images/public/somerights20.png (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/ca/) My photo, taken March 22nd, 2008.

http://img246.imageshack.us/img246/6523/richmondstreetscapealdedv1.jpg
http://creativecommons.org/images/public/somerights20.png (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/ca/) My photo, taken March 22nd, 2008.

http://img410.imageshack.us/img410/4449/richmondstreetscapenewcqc3.jpg
http://creativecommons.org/images/public/somerights20.png (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/ca/) My photo, taken March 22nd, 2008.

The new SkyTrain Canada Line will link downtown Richmond with YVR Int'l Airport and downtown Vancouver.
http://img410.imageshack.us/img410/4247/vancitybldgsmalllu5.jpg
http://creativecommons.org/images/public/somerights20.png (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/ca/) My photo, taken March 22nd, 2008.

No kidding...I was in Vancouver last weekend, and landing and taking off, from the air, Richmond is pretty dense...

Impressive. You don't see this much glass in suburban developments for other cities, but the at grade treatment here is terrible. If this was downtown, they'll never allow the 3-storey wall of vents in your second pic. I guess suburbs will always be suburbs...

It is developing a higher density along #3 road and that will accelerate with RAV but the reality is that it is just another uninteresting, uninspired, and bland suburb.
As far as I'm concerned, the only good thing about Richmond is that its only one bridge to downtown and is close to YVR.

I'd have to disagree with ssiguy2 - having just spend a few days motelling in the suburbs of Seattle and Portland, I feel lucky that our next door suburb of Richmond is as dense as it is. While much more progress can be in terms of density and walking/transit use, it is leaps and bounds better than the average suburb (that part of richmond anyhow). If that part of richmond is 'bland' then I have no idea what adjectives to describe all the other stereotypical suburbs in North America.

Ssiguy2 as himself as usual....negative about everything.

Ssiguy2 as himself as usual....negative about everything.

well I have to partially (just a tiny bit on one aspect) agree with him on this one... (the bland part). Richmond is not very strict on developers when it comes to building landings an apartments - the look is pretty consistent everywhere. I guess one could say that was like Vancouver's approach with Yaletown in the 90s.

HOWEVER, Richmond is not just a boring suburb. I think they've done a lot of impressive stuff: taking the Olympic venue away from Burnaby (which is why they are always at odds with each other), developing a modern, vibrant cultural hub (stronger than Vancouver's chinatown), amazing street designs and plans for the future, and they have been densify-ing quite a bit now.

If you want boring ssiguy2, check out Renton and Kent down in Seattle.

It is developing a higher density along #3 road and that will accelerate with RAV but the reality is that it is just another uninteresting, uninspired, and bland suburb.
As far as I'm concerned, the only good thing about Richmond is that its only one bridge to downtown and is close to YVR.

Everything you say is negative. Why bother post anything. Richmond may not be too exciting but who cares, you'll add an extra few years to your life just livin' there!:lol:

I'd rather be living in a dense walkable neighbourhood right now. Richmond is a really nice city to live in, I'm just worried what will happen to that city when The Big One comes.

Rita McNeil is moving there???

I don't know if you guys remember this joke a few years back. it said " If you live in Richmond, you don't have to say Surrey."

I remember that one. I love Surrey jokes.
I'm not down on Richmond specificaly I just don't see anything that would set it apart from any other suburb. Yes its developing some density which is good but it's "downtown" is still just a mall.

There's probably more restaurants in Richmond than in all of Metro Vancouver outside of city proper. :lol:

^^ Do you mean chinese restaurants? Yes, there are more chinese restaurants in Richmond than in all of the western Canada. :)

there are over 35 asian malls alone

its not bad - it is odd to see them put up apartments in former industrial type office parks

i like the height and squattiness

35 asian malls in Richmond? My goodness, I thought there may be around 10.

Up until the last couple years I would definitely agree the built form of Richmond was somewhat 'blah', and a lot still is (though not really anymore blah than other suburbs), but I think Richmond is far from a bland suburb. Obviously it is very culturally and ethnically vibrant and it has some great developments going on now. In 20 years it should be amazing with all the Canada Line oriented development along the No. 3 Road corridor especially. I'd say it's currently at a major turning point, a turning point that sets it aside from typical NA suburbs.

In my opinion, Richmond's greatest current and near future strengths are:
-its Asian vibe/food etc.
-Steveston (great area)
-Aberdeen Centre (particularly its architecture - much better than a typical suburb)
-The soon to be completed Canada Line
-The soon to be completed Olympic Oval and future environs
-The future built-up No.3 Road corridor
-It's ever-expanding (though mini) skyline
-YVR (there is so much to love about this airport, though I admit I generally think of it as a separate entity from Richmond)
-Buddhist temples! (I love the look and idea of them) - perhaps this belongs with the first point?

There are probably some more great things that I'm either forgetting or am just unaware of but those ones come to mind first for me.

------------------------------------------
Great pictures Vancouverite!

Richmond is a really nice city to live in, I'm just worried what will happen to that city when The Big One comes.

i have this paranoid obsession that an earthquake is going to hit while i'm in richmond and i'm going to die! ridiculous, i know. still unsettling.

35 asian malls in Richmond? My goodness, I thought there may be around 10.

I'm not sure about 35 but a lot more than 10. I think 35 includes the small plazas/malls one does not usually visit (not Aberdeen, Parker Place, Yaohan, etc.).

i have this paranoid obsession that an earthquake is going to hit while i'm in richmond and i'm going to die! ridiculous, i know. still unsettling.

I only have that while driving through the Massey Tunnel.

i have this paranoid obsession that an earthquake is going to hit while i'm in richmond and i'm going to die! ridiculous, i know. still unsettling.

No offence, are you a girl?

I'm not sure about 35 but a lot more than 10. I think 35 includes the small plazas/malls one does not usually visit (not Aberdeen, Parker Place, Yaohan, etc.).

yeah it must - i got that number from some news article years ago

it actually said there are 38 asian themed malls and plazas

this photo proves it all - density isn't everything. no appeal, no style, no urbanity.

http://img176.imageshack.us/img176/958/newrichmondcondosfromroay5.jpg

It not bad - not every street can be a lively shopping street.

It not bad - not every street can be a lively shopping street.

It might be Richmond's version of Coal Harbor (streetlife)

this photo proves it all - density isn't everything. no appeal, no style, no urbanity.

http://img176.imageshack.us/img176/958/newrichmondcondosfromroay5.jpg

when you compare it to waht used to be there its pretty good

richmond is a work in progress and its definately better than it was even 5 years ago

this photo proves it all - density isn't everything. no appeal, no style, no urbanity.

http://img176.imageshack.us/img176/958/newrichmondcondosfromroay5.jpg

how can you make that argument when none of those six towers are even completed?

you can take a photo of any city from any particular point of view to make it lack the appeal, style, or urbanity you fail to see.

I don't care for the place. Just the fact that it has 30 Asian "shopping centres" is what turns me off. I don't find shopping centres very interesting even if the shops are a bit unique, they are still just malls.
Now if you want to know a couple of areas I like in the suburbs.....White Rock/South Surrey, and especially NuWest. Port Moody is also cute as are North/West Van.

I don't know if you guys remember this joke a few years back. it said " If you live in Richmond, you don't have to say Surrey."

You really butchered that joke. "If you live in DELTA, you don't have to say Surrey".

And ssiguy2 you're an idiot. Compare Richmond to White Rock and then tell me it doesn't have anything that sets it apart from other suburbs. Richmond has a downtown skyline, olympic oval, sky train, casinos, malls, waterparks, a business district. White Rock has none of those.

I don't care for the place. Just the fact that it has 30 Asian "shopping centres" is what turns me off. I don't find shopping centres very interesting even if the shops are a bit unique, they are still just malls.
Now if you want to know a couple of areas I like in the suburbs.....White Rock/South Surrey, and especially NuWest. Port Moody is also cute as are North/West Van.

Huh?

South Surrey is copying Richmond. They just finished upgrading King George to 4 lanes. And everything being developed there is either condos or big box stores.

oh no its this asshat again.

Thank God you are live and well! nw2k where have you been? We all miss you so much and we worried that you might drop dead from a massive heart attack or get drowned in your own toilet.

And ssiguy2 you're an idiot. Compare Richmond to White Rock and then tell me it doesn't have anything that sets it apart from other suburbs. Richmond has a downtown skyline, olympic oval, sky train, casinos, malls, waterparks, a business district. White Rock has none of those.

Well well well, listing the skytrain as something that adds to richmond now? Is this a change of heart over the canada line? haha. interesting.

i do not find myself in richmond all that often, and now that there is an ikea in coquitlam, i visit even less. however, on those few times i do venture over the knight street bridge, i am amazed how different richmond is to the rest of the city and suburbs. the lack of hills, the asian influence, the stubby buildings, the wide roads and the general atmosphere, makes me feel like i'm in a different part of the world and not a mere few Kms from vancouver. its kinda cool but i'm glad i do not live there.

Thank God you are live and well! nw2k where have you been? We all miss you so much and we worried that you might drop dead from a massive heart attack or get drowned in your own toilet.

Not trying to target you nw2k... but "we" is not all of us... just only you. And are you implying he is stupid (get drowned in your own toilet)?

:lol::nuts::lol:

i do not find myself in richmond all that often, and now that there is an ikea in coquitlam, i visit even less. however, on those few times i do venture over the knight street bridge, i am amazed how different richmond is to the rest of the city and suburbs. the lack of hills, the asian influence, the stubby buildings, the wide roads and the general atmosphere, makes me feel like i'm in a different part of the world and not a mere few Kms from vancouver. its kinda cool but i'm glad i do not live there.

I don't find myself in Coquitlam... ever.

Richmond residents live longer than anyone else on the planet. And the property value here is higher than Coquitlam. Still glad you don't live here?

wow, he's actually gone. i can't smell the stupidity anymore!!

wow, he's actually gone. i can't smell the stupidity anymore!!

i've also thrown the key into the Atlantic.

White Rock uptown and by the beach/Ocean Park/Cresent Beach have character and true streetscapes.
NuWest has the old area at SkyTrain which is finally redeveloping, 6th&6th, tons of old antique stores, old houses and parks, Sapperton.

new west is great

so is Nw2k banned or not?

new west is great

so is Nw2k banned or not?

oui

heres a couple pics to add

i wonder how long this corner will last?

its the what i imagine to be the centre of downtown and its some crappy lowrise crap store - getting surround by condos slowly over the years

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v62/spongeg/DSC00150.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v62/spongeg/DSC00151.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v62/spongeg/DSC00149.jpg

I've always wondered what's going on with that corner... what is the owner waiting for???

there's a development application posted on the building already. it's just a matter of time. i think they're planning a 12 storey office building for the corner, to be attached to the new condo development just to the left of it in the first pic

That's awesome. Whenever I hear office space I think of Burnaby or Surrey, so it's good knowing that such an important intersection won't be wasted on an anti-social townhouse/retail podium =)

there's a development application posted on the building already. it's just a matter of time. i think they're planning a 12 storey office building for the corner, to be attached to the new condo development just to the left of it in the first pic

Do you think they will build part of the building over the Canada Line like what Aberdeen Centre is doing? In the information panels Richmond has presented a while back, Richmond wanted a mix of buildilngs with the Canada Line: over the guideway, under the guideway, and beside the guideway.

no idea, i don't think any renders have been released yet, but certainly there's a lot of potential with this site.

ah great

it sticks out so badly now

kind of reminds me of LA for some reason that corner store

drove by the development sign again today. it's being developed by Minglian Holdings.

Good to see the owner waited until an office development would be profitable for the site rather than plowing ahead with whatever would make money (i.e. condo). It's nice that there will be 4 office towers - one on each corner (okay, the London Drugs corner is pretty small for an office tower, but still is office)

nw2k,
yep. i'm still glad

2008 Richmond Night Market cancelled
By Travis Lupick
Publish Date: April 7, 2008

The Richmond Night Market has been cancelled for 2008, according to a Target Events Production Ltd. media release.

Target Events has hosted the night market every year since 2000, with nightly attendance as high as 30,000 people, according to the release.

Night Market founder Raymond Cheung was quoted in the release, claiming that the landlord for 12631 Vulcan Way–where the event has been held–had decided not to renew the lease.

“The landlord wanted to significantly increase the rent and we do not believe that we could continue to provide a safe, high quality event for the public to enjoy at the rate demanded,” Cheung is quoted as saying.

Though a prized community tradition, the Richmond Night Market has not been without controversy.

A September 2004 Asia Pacific Post report claimed that the event had become a “involved in the manufacture and sale of fake goods”. That story included an account of a police raid on the market, in which a “whole array of fake goods” was discovered.

Target’s release stated that another group, Lions Communications, is attempting to secure the necessary permits from the City of Richmond to hold a similar event in the same location.

Cheung was also quoted as saying that the Richmond Night Market hopes to find an alternative location for 2009.

Source URL: http://www.straight.com/article-140044/2008-richmond-night-market-cancelled

Night market a step closer to reopening
Entrepreneur tells city council he can get a safer, better operation running by May 30

Catherine Rolfsen, Vancouver Sun
Published: Tuesday, May 06, 2008

RICHMOND - The popular summer night market in Richmond is one step closer to reopening under a new operator after months of uncertainty over its fate,

Richmond city council agreed Monday evening to send an application for a two-year land-use permit to a public hearing after grilling the new operator, Paul Cheung, about how he would tackle the problems of counterfeit goods and traffic congestion at the market.

Cheung, a Vancouver entrepreneur with years of experience planning events for the Plaza of Nations, said he's confident he can get a better and safer market up and running by May 30, if his plan succeeds at the public hearing scheduled for May 20.

"We believe that the night market is an important attraction to Richmond," he told council. "It celebrates the city's diversity by offering an array of food from all over the world, a showcase of art and culture and of course a fabulous shopping experience."

The market, which attracts up to 30,000 visitors on weekend evenings throughout the summer, was founded eight years ago by Raymond Cheung, who isn't related to Paul.

Raymond Cheung announced recently he couldn't hold the market this year because of increased rents demanded by owners of the 12631 Vulcan Way location.

Paul Cheung said it was because of the community's enthusiasm for the market that he stepped forward to negotiate a lease for the same location.

"This is a great event for the public and we have a lot of friends [and] relatives in Richmond and they called for this event," he said.

But a battle is brewing over the transference of the market to a new operator.

Raymond Cheung, who is hoping to continue his market at a different location in 2009, has filed a lawsuit against Paul Cheung, alleging trademark infringement over the name of the market and copyright infringement on the vendor application forms.

"I can see why this group would like to pick up on the success of our annual event," Raymond Cheung told city councillors, but warned them that Paul Cheung isn't adequately prepared to hold the market.

Paul Cheung said the allegations are without merit, saying night markets are "not an exclusive concept."

Most city councillors were eager to continue the success of the night market, which last year featured more than 400 vendors, saying they'd received queries from as far away as London, England, about whether the event would continue this year.

Their greatest concerns were over the prevalence of counterfeit goods sold at the market.

Anti-counterfeiting experts at the meeting said the city and operator need to take a more active role to prevent illegal -- and potentially dangerous -- knockoff goods from being sold at the market.

Michael Manson, a lawyer who works with the Canadian Anti-Counterfeiting Network, said the night market is among "the most renowned counterfeit centres in Canada."

He called for pre-screening of vendors, immediate shutdowns of those caught selling counterfeit goods, and penalties for vendors and the market operator over sales of fakes.

City council stipulated that Paul Cheung must pay for an additional RCMP officer to the previously agreed-upon policing force to scour the market for knockoffs, saying it could revoke Cheung's business licence if he wasn't taking the problem seriously enough.

crolfsen@png.canwest.com

Michael Manson, a lawyer who works with the Canadian Anti-Counterfeiting Network, said the night market is among "the most renowned counterfeit centres in Canada."


^^
did not know that.

the night market is cool. i like to walk around with the family and gawk at everything and wonder why anybody would buy such crap. and if i do find something i might buy, i wonder if i have to bargain for a better price. and after a while, i get frustrated with the throngs of people and the sickly smell of the food stands and have to leave.... i feel like a tourist and i only travelled 30km.

The night market is nothing compared to what I've seen overseas in Hong Kong.


If only they could set up in a more urban environment, rather than at some industrial site. The future Olympic oval area is quite ideal I think.....especially with Lansdowne Station nearby. The market needs its own annual grounds.....like how the Fair at the PNE is always at Hastings Park year after year.