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| The above three photos were taken a few years ago. [I wanted to get some fog and mist ideas for painting.] It is looking across the back end of the field over to the regional park that is on the other side of the street. The spot was quiet and peaceful - a home for wildlife. |
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| Then two years ago, this monstrous house was started [7 bedrooms, 7-car garage]. I have planted a line of trees along the back of the property so I don't have to see it. It really does not suit the property and the area. And my landlady asked me to add that the lights are all on all night - she sees it as she has large windows facing that direction. |
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| It is described as being a "French chateau". |
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| And there are more of these huge houses being built. I have, for a long time, wanted to say something about all the crazy building that has been going on in and around Vancouver. It started in Vancouver in the mid-1980's, and the result is that the city is now a prohibitively expensive place as a place in which to live. The city and surrounding area have become a haven for speculative real estate. Now the "plague" has moved out to the Fraser Valley. The region has become, not a place for homes, but purely an investment, with most houses and condominiums selling for millions, and standing empty. Needless to say, this has driven many people into homelessness, and others to leave the Vancouver area and even the province to find places where they can find affordable homes in which to live. I have had two friends move this year to Vancouver Island to find affordable housing and liveable communities, and I am considering doing so as well. It hurts me to see what was once a naturally beautiful agricultural area turned into ugly investments. There was a very good documentary produced this year entitled "Vancouver: No Fixed Address". It describes well the history of the real estate "feeding frenzy", and what is happening in the area now. As to the title of the post ... I do not understand why the place is so huge. How much room do people need? Environmentally, it is a washout. Why do not more architects and builders construct homes that suit the area and environment? I think more about my queries and gripes to come ... And if any one of you have some good ideas about what I can do about this, please write! Thank you! |
