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Lining Up At The Canada Line

written by John Chow on August 17, 2009

How one lazy bum made $176,697.50

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The Canada Line is a SkyTrain extension that connects downtown Vancouver to Richmond and the Vancouver International Airport. Originally set to open in time of the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Games, the line was completed three and a half months ahead of schedule. However, the final cost came in at a whopping $500 million over the $1.5 billion budget. Today was the grand opening and Translink (the line operators) invited all of Vancouver to check out the Canada Line by taking a free ride. The only problem was, everybody showed up and the Canada Line turned into the Canada line up.

We arrived at the Canada Line via the Sea Bus from Lonsdale Quay to Waterfront Station. This station is where the Canada Line begins. A trip from the Waterfront Station to the Richmond or the airport would take only 26 minutes. However, because all of Vancouver decided to check out the new line, the wait to get onto the trains was 2.5 to 3 hours long! I decided that I don’t need to ride this train so badly and interviewed people in the Canada line up instead.

Since riding the Canada Line was no longer an option, I used the opportunity to show off the HiDef power of my Canon VIXIA HFS100 camcorder by filming the new Vancouver waterfront convention centre and Coal Harbour. Vancouver has won the best city in the world to live in for more years than I can remember. The following photos and video should explain why.

Coal Harbour

Coal Harbour

Coal Harbour

Coal Harbour

Coal Harbour

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That's the fixed cost, It is always high. Now, this project started making money which will reduce fixed cost in near future.

Yes, construction costs are enormous. But I think with such speed of movement, this line will be very relevant and quickly pay for itself....

I have mentioned to my wife many times that I would like to move with her to Canada :D I think it should be better than USA...less border crossers (yes I'm racist to them), but more Asians. lol

-Mike

I just live down the road from the train and never bothered to go for the Freebie. I want to save some money and go into Vancouver when I can send a bit lol.

Awesome pictures!! I hope to visit soon.

I'm English, I don't know what i means to build something on time. :)

Now thats what I called going overbudget.

Looks incredible. The over costs kind of sucks though.

Oh, and I guess this is a preview of what's to come when the olympics DO begin... Only then, people will be standing for hours in freezing rain instead!

This video makes Vancouverites look like the stupidest people on earth!

How does it make them stupid? They're just excited to see what their tax dollars have been spent on.

It does look beautiful. It reminds me of my city, which also ranks very highly in that list.

What city do you live in?

Those are some pretty nice photo's I must say.

You would have never guessed I took them with the video camera, huh? :)

Yes this one is Canon ... saw in Affiliate summit as well. Simply amazing one.

John, what does Misses Chow do from 9 to 5 when you're spending time with Sally?

She's holding the video camera.

I was going to line-up and take the ride, but when I'd heard about how long the line was I figured I'd just wait... I am surprised at how quickly the work was done and though the traffic down #3 was bad it's slowly getting back to normal... if you want to call it that.

The SkyTrain and the New Canada line is a wonderful piece of technology. It's really quite amazing how TransLink is keeping these trains going so smoothly without any drivers.

However, I would've much preferred to see an extension from King George station out into the Fraser Valley. I think this would've been much more useful than a line coming from YVR.

But hey! It's all about looking good for the Olympics.

Wow, looks like a beautiful place to live.

nice panorama , i wonder this is why you choose to live at canada . oh ya john , do you ever think about having a plane ( because you already have a nice car , LOL )

Beautiful! I really need to get back to Vancouver again. I haven't been there for at least 10 years.

What a waste of time! What is the attraction? Saving a few dollars or being amongst the first 50 000 that use it? I don't understand the thinking behind it, if there is any... SY

I don't understand why people would line up three hours for a free ride on public transit. It's just a train. Pay the couple of dollars tomorrow and it'll only be a regular lineup.

I think the best part is the people riding this train were not actually going anywhere. They were just going for a ride.

Free ride or not, public transit just doesn't interest me enough to use without a need.

Ya, the people there were just there to enjoy the day and be a part of "history" I would have rode it if the line up wasn't that long!