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gregvann.bsky.social
Australian urbanist at large based in Brisbane, 46+ years experience. Co founder Ethos Urban, President Queensland Walks. Keen to make cities better and to help those who want to do that. Aim to move things forward rather than backwards.
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Prolific Poster

Found a great coffee shop near where we stayed at Hatchobori in Tokyo. Serious on site roasted beans, good barista, even made a flat white on oat milk. Tiny tenancy making great coffee. 4 Vanns!

Some Tokyo street trees.

Tokyo is quite a place. It s huge!

First time in Japan, can see why people rate it!

Street trees add so much to our cities and suburbs apart from shade and connection to nature, they bring beauty. In my street, an Australian endemic species, the Golden Penda, are currently in full bloom, adding a touch of magic to my local walks.

A morning bike ride with my son is a great way to start the day!

Did some drawing while playing with my granddaughter the other day. Did two quick sketches with some of her ideas and ended up with a couple I really like. The inspiration of grandkids!

The secret to a successful career is not a secret, it’s ikigai! Find something you love to do and are good at, which the world needs and you can be paid for. Feel like I stumbled into that happy place over 40 years ago.

Hobart autumn:

Another Tassie favourite: Russell Falls in Mount Field National Park.

The big mountain kunanyi sits brooding over Hobart:

Arthur Circus, Hobart: One of the most delightful pieces of original urbanism in Australia. I’m at peace sitting there.

North Hobart. Good to be back.

The housing crisis warrants revisiting the Finnish “Housing First” program. Homeless people get a flat & support with other services. 4 out of 5 in the program go on to lead a stable life & it costs €15k less per person than traditional programs. www.themandarin.com.au/205500-finla...

Why electric cars are useful but not the main solution to climate change, notwithstanding what vehicle makers and many politicians might have you believe. theconversation.com/cycling-is-t...

Well done, Seattle. www.dwell.com/article/seat...

Andy Singer nailing the car trap so many people fall into. The true costs of an average car use often equates to 1-2 hours a day of the average wage.

I’m involved with one of our large local governments on a 50year vision project. So I started a presentation to a cross representative community gathering by saying this involved thinking about two generations that don’t exist yet, so please think beyond your current day to day.

Well look here. A desire line tells me people would like to walk next to the UQ lakes on the way to the bus station.

Finally had a ride on the Brisbane Metro. Seemed to me a big clunky bus that travels faster on the busway infrastructure provided by the State government years ago, mixing with other buses. Hopefully though, it will provide the opportunity to extend the busway network for the Olympics.

One of the effects of Queensland’s flat 50 cent public transport fare is a significant increase in weekend use. Catching this bus late morning on Sunday and it was full. Most of them got off at Queen Street in the middle of the city, the rest at Southbank.

Neighborhood cafe visit in the rain:

The transport strategy for successful cities:

The Sunshine Coast Council bought a former golf course in Maroochydore and planned for a new city centre there, as it didn’t really have one. Then built all the streets and infrastructure. It is now seriously emerging with lots of office, residents and even a private hospital finished or underway.

One of the greatest gifts city leaders can give their city is walkability and bikeability. History shows we can’t solve congestion by more roads. Some cities are upending their transport priorities. The kicker is that this makes cities work better for everyone, including those driving cars.

“congestion pricing is a policy unicorn - it accomplishes a key goal (reducing congestion) & raises money. This is in contrast with highway widenings which are the opposite: they cost money (often billions of dollars) and fail to accomplish the goal of reducing traffic due to induced demand)”

Don’t believe car advertising!

The magical colors of Moreton Bay on Brisbane’s doorstep.

Which do you prefer?

It’s a common story. Businesses usually overestimate how many customers come by car and underestimate the other ways they get there.

Your thought for the day from Jane Jacobs.

Great to spend some time with good mate @mitchellsilver.bsky.social walking over Brisbane’s new green bridges and having a good old chinwag about life!

If we first understand urban transport as a space problem, then we can make choices of mode of travel that help address that problem.

An easy way to demonstrate why everyone is safer if more can travel on protected bike lanes.

Created a bit of footpath art with my daughter & granddaughter this morning. My dog peanut in attendance also. Nice to see it bring smiles for passers by.

So great to see one city going in the exact opposite of the current president led bullying and greedy dismantling of democratic foundations.

Brisbane’s northern bayside suburb Sandgate has a lot of charm. Originally a town of its own, people used to honeymoon there a century ago.

Here’s a story about the missing middle. Spoiler: Goldilocks finds it. @danielparolek.bsky.social

Sometimes my granddaughter Gracie and I put on a backpack and go on an “adventure”. Today we found two big gum trees in a local park blown over by the wind; and got rained on. It was fun!

So the power is back on at my place. Hooray, and thanks to the hard working peeps at Energex!

Ex cyclone Alfred had a sting in its tail, as my street flooded briefly overnight as did Rosalie village. The street is designed for overland flow as the upstream catchment overtops underground drainage& it flows strongly for a short time then dissipates quickly. I slept through it all!