The City of Vancouver offers this handy map of all the Bike Routes in the city - broken down by the type of route (separated lane, painted lane, shared street, etc) giving you a fantastic guide to the city! 

You can download a copy of the Map here: City of Vancouver Cycling Map

You can get more information here: http://vancouver.ca/streets-transportation/cycling-routes-maps-and-trip-planner.aspx

Check out this handy Off Leash Dog Area guide to the City of Vancouver. 

http://vancouver.ca/parks-recreation-culture/dog-off-leash-areas.aspx

Lots of other good information is available on the City of Vancouver website, so take your time looking around!

The City issued 350 Laneway permits in 2012, that is a big increase from the average of 146 from 2009-2011! Laneway houses are one of the many ways homewowners help pay for their mortgages. With the new mortgage rules limiting what most people can afford, having a secondary source of income in your property, whether through laneway houses or secondary suites, is a natural move for most families. They can build the laneway house and rent it out until their family grows and needs the extra space. Many families are opting to share land, with one generation in the laneway house and the other inhabiting the main house. Laneway houses aren't costly to build, though the process can be long and quite involved, and you need to have the proper RS-1 or RS-5 Zoning to begin with. 

For more information on the process of building a laneway house, see our guide here. 

If you have any questions, or would like to chat about your possibilities with laneway houses and what you can afford, feel free to contact us. 

Information taken from News 1130: http://www.news1130.com/2013/01/28/vancouver-boasts-record-year-for-laneway-housing-permits/

Bazinga! Is a new app (developed in Vancouver) used to manage condo buildings in terms of connecting homeowners, managing finances and schedules (for repairs, etc.), and powers transactions all on a cloud so the information can be easily accessible by everyone (if you should allow it). 

I haven't looked too deeply into this app, but it seems like it could be very useful for self managed buildings and property managers (for smaller scale buildings). Not only does it help you organize everything, but your fellow building owners would have more cofidence in your ability to manage. 

From the Bazinga website: 

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Arbutus Ridge is a new condo development by Cressey, designed by IBI Group and sold by MAC Marketing, currently in pre-construction at 3113 Arbutus St (at 15th Ave) in Vancouver. The project will have a total of 52 units spread out over 5 storeys. Units will range from 619 sqft to 1708 sqft. Featuring "CresseyKitchens" (large, very usable, well laid out kitchens) with modern living spaces and other extraordinary details (those views!). 

Not too much more information is known at this time, but we will keep you posted when floor plans, prices and more photos are available. 

Finally unveiling plans for a long heard about rumour, the City released it's plans for a $2.8-billion rapid transit line to underground Broadway owards UBC. A hefty price tag and heavy construction load, but the City stands by the fact that a subway is more efficient and less disruptive than streetcars and buses. 

Research has proven that this is one of the most heavily used bus routes in North America, so a subway line is very welcome to people living in the Westside and attending UBC.

The city’s vision calls for a bored tunnel that would run underground from Vancouver Community College, what is now the end of the Millennium Line, to UBC.  The City also says that modern technology means the upheaval to businesses and residents that marred the construction of the Canada Line will be significantly minimized. Existing council policy supports a staged construction approach with the initial subway line running west to Arbutus Street. The second phase would see the line continue on to UBC, with new stations, at a cost of about $50 million each, built in as needed. Costs of phase one of the project are estimated to be around $1.5 billion — a figure the city is hoping could prove more palatable to a cash-strapped regional transit authority.

All great news, but even if a decision on the Broadway subway proposal is made this year, the earliest Vancouver predicts the line could open is 2021.

Read more on the Vancouver Sun: http://www.vancouversun.com/Vancouver+unveils+billion+vision+Broadway+corridor+subway/7618762/story.html#ixzz2DYGTYHpu

Getting into the holiday spirit with Christmas gifts! I know its not December, but here are a couple "Advent Calendar"/"24 Days of December" gifts to get the holiday's started!

For the tea lover in your life.. 8 Days of Tea from DAVIDsTEA. Featuring 8 different types of Tea, enough for two cups of each, so you can share some time with a loved one over the holidays. This is a great way for people to expand their tea tastes by reaching for something other than green, and it's geat for tea lovers who already appreciate a new, interesting cup! Available at DAVIDsTEA locations, including 2230 West 4th Avenue (near Yew St). 

For the child in your life.. LEGO City Advent Calendar. A new Christmas inspired toy every day so your child can build their own Christmas Story. This is available at most toy stores, including Chapters, The Toybox at 3002 West Broadway (at Carnavon) and No Pirates Allowed! at 2742 West 4th Avenue (at Stephens). 

More holiday ideas coming up!

It's only November, but here's another reason to look forward to Spring 2013 in Kits! Nook, a popular West End Italian restaurant has recently signed a lease on the old Rossini's at 1525 Yew St. Not too much information is available at this point, but word is it will be a deli/take out lunch spot by day, and a concept similar to Nook at night. All good news for Kits residents, getting fresh and delicous pasta and pizzas is a welcome addition to the Kits Beach scene. 

News Courtesy of Scout Magazine. 

A new, very exciting restaurant concept has opened in Kitsilano (on 4th Ave near Macdonald Street): Dark Table. Following New York, London, Paris, LA and Montreal, this restaurant offers blind dining - allowing you to experience what dining is like without the sense of sight. Your sense of touch, taste, hearing and smell are heightened, letting a typical night out with friends become an adventure! Blind servers guide you through your night, ensuring you're as comfortable as possible while experiencing something new.  

The menu changes, though it is quite accessible offering West Coast favourites, so there is sure to be something for everyone. 

See more information, and make a reservation here: http://www.darktable.ca/about.html