God damn this tournament has Vancouver feeling like 2010 again. Hopeful. Alive. Like the city remembers what it can be when we actually let people gather, celebrate, and believe in something bigger. We had that momentum after the Olympics and we let too much of it slip away. This time, let’s not. Sports bring people together. Big events bring cities to life. Vancouver has the bones, the beauty, and the people to be one of the great cities in the world. Save the Caps. Back the MLB bid. More festivals. More patios. More reasons to be downtown and celebrate as a city. Let’s stop governing Vancouver like it’s 1965 and start acting like the city we all know this place can become

Vancouver isn’t perfect, but what this soccer moment has reiterated to me is this: If we want social connection, our policies have to allow for it. Montreal gets this. We can too. And I think this current city council wants to make it happen. I know ABC and @KenSimCity are championing more of this. Pedestrianize Granville and Robson in spring/summer. Keep Water Street car-light. Make patios bigger and easier. Let bars, cafés and pubs stay open later. Transit can adapt. Deliveries can be managed. These are solvable problems. Just look at Granville right now. People want to gather. Then think bigger: an organization focused on growing local festivals and major events. Celebration of Light, the PNE, music festivals, cultural street festivals like Italian Day and Khatsahlano. Not just tourism, but community. Cities don’t become vibrant by accident. They choose to be. Vancouver your time to choose is now.