Are North American Cities Boring?

For some North Americans after a long European vacation trip, returning home is to the familiar and mundane  –especially  when home doesn’t have soaring, centuries old architectural monuments or lots of jaw-dropping art.  Or

Medieval and Renaissance architecture. Rothenburg ob der Taber, Germany 2016. Photo by J.Becker

the North American just might be relieved:  thank goodness for space and wilderness.   As a Canadian, I don’t quite view Europe as prime destination to experience stunning, immense Nature..though I’ve seen the Swiss Alps and loafed by turquoise Mediterranean and Agean Sea on Greek islands.  Norway probably has fijords that rivals the British Columbian Pacific coast in beauty. I go to Europe to overdose on magnificent, solid very old architecture, fabulous art and culture.

Near the harbour. Barcelona, Spain 2016. Photo by J.Chong

For some, urban heritage treasures, are just stuffy.  I worked with young German ex-pat employees for a Vancouver project.  An employee from Hamburg with  its historic medieval town square, remarked:  “Oh that old stuff.”  If there was no financial benefit nor aesthetic inspiration for her, then it may be a tad stultifying.

Pause with me.

Medieval oil painting. National Museum of Catalonian Art. Barcelona, Spain 2016.. Photo by J.Chong.

Convenient European Cities for Residents and Visitors
I’ve been to Europe on 4 different trips over the past few decades. Each trip  from 2.5 to 4 weeks,   included a potpourri of different countries and experiences, shared with different companions.  Cities where we wandered happily on our own by foot, transit or if available by bike:   Paris, London, Amsterdam, Athens, Prague, Barcelona, Brussels, The Hague, Venice and smaller cities,  such as Copenhagen,  Florence, German cities of Karlsruhle and towns Freiburg and Rothenburg ob au Taber, Brugges (Belgium) and Gouda (Netherlands). Each city or town,  had central areas where the city or town began its roots back usually to Roman or medieval times.

Modern twisted building rises near residential townhouses. Malmo, Sweden 2010. Photo by J.Chong. Half hour transit train ride from Copenhagen, Denmark.

St. Nicholas Cathedral. Prague, Czech Republic 2010. Photo by J.Chong

Urban design and transportation planning today in these cities, is deliberate to restrict car volumes for several practical reasons –pollution emission control.  Athens and Florence had instituted these limits over 25 years ago when I was there over 25 years ago.  There is emphasis on higher volumes of walk-in customers for local businesses, higher cost of car fuel in Europe making car ownership more expensive and transit to move very high volumes of people more quickly.

Crowds in town square watching World FIFA soccer game on giant TV screen. Prague, Czech Republic 2010. Photo by J.Chong. Local businesses would benefit from these pedestrianized areas. Car traffic often not allowed in such areas in heritage European core cities and towns –even at night, except for service vehicles.

For me, it’s a whole host of interdependent reasons why I and many other Canadian visitors, found it convenient to walk for under 15 min. or half hour in the above cities and towns, or take transit, to see several heritage buildings, museums or find a restaurant or shops in one neighbourhood.

On left, mosaic art on concert hall, Palau de Musica. Barcelona, Spain 2016. Photo by J.Chong

If Heritage, Compact Urban Living Not Your Vibe
However, I wondered how many Europeans view all their very old heritage sights –the cathedrals, art, quaint cobblestone streets, etc.  Probably not always thrilled with too many tourists crowding subways and their town plazas, but they  know tourists are good for economy.  As someone who has lived in and still considers a second home, Metro Vancouver where there as many tourists as Barcelona, Spain   —8 million annually or 20,000 per day. Yes, Vancouver does get this many visitors. I know the feeling.

Beaune, France 2016. Photo by J.Chong.

Nun cycling confidently. She turned assertively on her bike. Strausborg, France 2016. Photo by J.Chong

Truth or Some Urban Legends: North America
So here’s what Europeans and Asians may love about Canadian cities and more (with some cheeky observations):

*Uneven cobblestone roads and town squares are very rare in Canada. We can speed through by bike, walk in high heels and roll along wheelchair   —if there are sidewalks and curb cuts.

*Canadian cities, seldom impose car speeds under 40 km. / hr. in our downtown cores. Our downtown streets only slow down by natural congestion for a few hours during morning and afternoon because of work and school commuters.  As car drivers, we speed by many stores and businesses begging for our business.

*Tendency in North America to stuff empty roads or city square with cars –either moving or parked.  In Dijon, France, whole downtown road over 4 lanes wide were closed off permanently for pedestrians and cyclists.  No one seemed disturbed no cars nor trucks occupied the space during quiet and night hours.

Wide pedestrian streets, some town squares kept car-free even at night. Dijon, France 2016. Photo by J.Chong. North Americans tend to feel entitled to fill space with cars– a debate in cities.

*Parking garages and lots in North America –either above or underground. Even for shopping where it’s not even bulk buying or any big box store close by. With some much more land, we suck it up for 1 level car parking lots in the suburbs.

*Modern, often faceless buildings  –only a few dynamic structures with memorable shape or colours.   Oldest Canadian few buildings are in Montreal and Quebec City built in 1600’s. Toronto still has a few structures from 1700’s but you have to look hard.

20 km speed limit in centre areas. Nuits Saint Georges, France 2016. Photo by J.Chong. Area is calmer and pedestrians encouraged to linger, shop,rest and eat.

First Nations (native Indian) long boat on Musqueam land / community, beside University of British Columbia land. Vancouver BC 2016. Photo by J.Chong

Outdoor cafes and pubs on early fall evening. Beaune, France 2016. Photo by J.Chong

*Aboriginal reserve land –not always recognizable unless there are road signs. Did you know that there are huge tracts of land in Metro Vancouver which belong to Musqueam First Nations right against the University of British Columbia or right by Lion’s Gate Bridge in North Vancouver?  Unless there is a park, museum, it’s just a residential area.

*Simpler historic buildings and places of worship, not festooned with many sculptures, carvings nor religious symbols.  In fact, we lock up many historic, picturesque  churches, due to vandalism and theft.  Even major Canadian churches can’t afford staff nor have volunteers to show their digs to visitors.

*Cleaner air -even for Toronto compared to many big Asian metropolises.

*More space to move around and to create personal space. Sensation of freedom –before you feel lost, isolated when there’s no human being around for kms.  to ask for help.

*Thousands of hectares of pure wilderness where some areas there’s enough large, magnificent wildlife to endanger your life or at least dent your car. A lot of large wildlife no longer exists in Europe. Ok, some deer, wolves.

Fountain redesigned with doggie bone at top. Toronto 2017. Photo J.Chong

Queen’s Park-Royal Ontario Museum subway stop. One of my favourite subway stops integrating permanent art into subway station design. Toronto ON 2017. Photo by J.Chong. Art points to the treasures of museum, only 5 min. way.

*Driving 100 km. just to get to next village, city  –instead of cycling only 5-30 km. to next town, village. If latter happens, in North America, it’s because a big city sits right against a town, resisting amalgamation.

*Diverse great outdoor permanent art –contemporary which draws upon different themes, history of locals reflected in past 2 centuries in some major North American cities. I didn’t see much contemporary outdoor art in old historic Europe areas  –understandable.   By contrast, Vancouver

Permanent outdoor mural art installed 2016. Vancouver, BC. Photo by J.Chong. City now has well over 100 permanent outdoor art murals.

Mural in historic Gastown area. Vancouver BC 2016. This would have been privately sponsored by a business. In contrast, heritage areas of European cities we visited had little contemporary outdoor murals — probably very strictly controlled.

Sculptural wall art made of metal birds representing flight of cedar waxwing birds. Entitled- “Amiskwaciw Waskayhkan Ihatwik”, bridging Michael McPhair Park and Beaver Hills Park. By Metis artist, Destiny Swiderksi who organized indigenous community members to design each bird. Downtown Edmonton, Alberta 2017. Photo by J.Chong

is blossoming with its ever-expanding outdoor art murals.  Our outdoor art themes reflects strong vibrancy as a young country, aware of its diversity, self-determination and land.  We don’t need to manufacture diversity, Nature in our imagination for art:  it’s embedded in our psyche as Canadian.

Despite  urban form in many North American cities that’s more akin to urban wallpaper, more bland and more easily forgotten,  their deficits can be moderated by some locals open in thought, diversity and innovative expression.

Old downtown Montreal (Quebec),l is one of rare areas in Canadian cities with some cobblestone streets mid 1600-1700s. Photo by J. Becker 2013.

Another Canadian rare city where historic buildings from 1600’s are preserved. Quebec City,QC 2002. Photo by J.Chong

Queen’s Park – Royal Ontario Museum subway station. Toronto ON 2017. Photo by J.Chong

Walking bikes up a 12% grade, long hilly street. Chancellor Blvd., Vancouver BC 2016. Photo by J.Chong

View from Burnaby Mountain, suburb of Vancouver, overlooking Burrard Inlet, with Port Moody in background 2014. Even local hikers have gotten lost in nearby mountain forests and had to be rescued. A university sits on Burnaby Mountain.

Note:  First large photo for this post, with woman walking up wide staircase was taken at the National Museum of Catalonian Art in Barcelona, Spain 2016.