PS there were many in the developed world, if they are honest, who had predicted that disaster was in the offing for such a short time-lined project. No way , many said, will the project come in on budget much less be of a high quality. Bingo!

I don’t expect the White Spot to close down, but pending my report from KPMG on “possible future scenarios” taking place at the venerable west coast culinary institution (one being that that possible/pending city staff lay-offs might see personnel trotted across 12th Ave in order to ‘beef’ up table service at WS—at a reduced hourly minimum wage of course. They can then continue working on city business in between serving up Chicken Pik’ns and Pirate Paks, with the benefit of having private enterprise pay some of their wage, while lessening the burden on taxpayers and freeing up some of that propoerty tax money. We could declare that particular location a special economic zone, sort of a maquiadora North, in order to avoid nasty union fights), I reserve the right to change the venue to the McDonald’s at Terminal and First.

Now, will that be fries with your “six of one, half a dozen of the other” report?

Unfortunately you’re on the board and not in public office and getting the media attention your councillor gets from time to time.

Anton is not doing a very good job considering how much fodder Vision continues to give your party to work with.

It also features important votes cast by David Cadman, Ellen Woodsworth, Raymond Louie and Tim Stevenson, among other councillors in Mayor Robertson’s governing coalition.

Miro Cernetig said explicity in his article on Monday that voters should be angry, very angry, a point with which I completely agree.

But he also goes on to state: “And don’t fall into the trap of making it a left-right, Non-Partisan Association-versus-Vision blame game, as the local spin doctors hope. This fiasco stretches back a few administrations, touches both civic parties and it isn’t over yet.”

My take, like Mr. Cernetig’s, is that there’s plenty of blame to go around. So I find the Mayor’s remarks intemperate at best, and at worst a cynical attempt to politicize the Athlete’s Village and the entire Olympics by extension.

The Olympics should be above this kind of petty partisan squabbling. That it’s not is a failure of leadership.

And we are (probably) left with a distasteful tax burden as a consequence of the council either not asking enough questions, or council not being given sufficient information or the respective mayors and city managers falling into the (well known) trap of optimism bias.

Here’s my prediction for the a headline, just before Fall 2011.
Gregor announces Olympic Village profits to fund new bicycle crossing for False Creek.

We will know how the city fare’s when that last Millenium condo is sold—possibly, before the next election cycle?

Prognosticators, Futurists: Please, post your headlines on that great occasion, now!

The one closest to the actual headline will be treated to a fantastic Triple O hamburger and fries at the White Spot on Cambie by City Hall.

What else can KPMG do other than blame the process: they are in the business of staying in business.

The city should never have become involved in the “train wreck”: other than panic, there was no need.

“Real estate is on the rebound!” In rarefied quarters that is called “a dead cat bounce.”

Vancouver has only one “industry” . . . inflated real estate: and that in a continuing and damaged world economy bodes ill for the “biz as usual green shooters.”

We should not have invited to 5 O’s. Huh!

But all we can do now is wait and see . . . and hope!