These days the Cloverdale grandstand in the fairgrounds is a far cry from the grandstand that I knew as a kid. Today it is the home of Fraser Downs Racetrack and Casino. The casino came into being in late 2003 after the racetrack and many of the backstretch workers petitioned city hall to allow slot machines to help revive the sagging racing industry. Over the next two years the grandstand was revamped into the casino that stands on the fairgrounds today.
But how much life is left in it?
Although the casino has helped the racing keep its head above water, the reality is that wagering is down 10% from the past year and customers have found other venues for sporting entertainment. Purses are dropping, there are fewer race nights, and horse owners are earning less. Many are getting out of the business or relocating to other racetracks where they have a better chance of earning a living.
I've heard that Fraser Downs wants to open a show theatre on the grounds, similar to the Red Robinson theatre in Coquitlam or the River Rock in Richmond. The entertainers that frequent these theatres usually do both of them over a few day period, such as Kenny Rogers, The Beach Boys, and Air Supply. They would need to build the theatre on part of the racetrack ground. Probably be a bigger money earner that the end result between the wagers currently placed and the purse money paid out to the racehorse owners.
There are also grumblings from the provincial government in charge of gaming in BC about combining Thoroughbred and Standardbred racing onto the same racetrack because both breeds run about 6 months of the year, during the opposite months. Thoroughbreds race April to October, while Standardbreds race October to April. Sometimes with a few cross over weekends. The government said this will likely occur within the next 2 years. Between the racetracks in Cloverdale and Vancouver, the government prefers Vancouver - Hastings Park located on the PNE grounds.
More surprisingly the government says if all the horse racing is moved to Hastings Park, then the slot machines at Cloverdale will be relocated to the Great Canadian Casino's other location in Surrey.
So that leaves Fraser Downs Racetrack and Casino without horse racing and without slot machines. What else is left there? No one's going to convince me they'll still build a show theatre without an attached casino to draw patrons in.
Were all the upgrades to the original grandstand worth it for what could very well be less than ten years of actual use? I haven't heard any news on what the fate of the old grandstand will be if the Standardbreds move to Hastings and the slots are moved to the other casino.
Monday, April 26, 2010
Sunday, April 25, 2010
What's happening in Cloverdale in May 2010
Seeing as how I’m leaving for vacation in a couple of days, its time to post some events happening around Cloverdale for the month of May, which is an active month for our town.
May 1, Saturday – 9am to 2:30pm, Forklift Rally at the Cloverdale Agriplex. This is at the end of 62nd Avenue off 176th Street near the barn area of the racetrack. Admission is free. They also claim food is free (coffee, hot dogs, donuts, pop). I’m kind of skeptical of free events like this that claim the food is also free. Usually you show up and there is a sign saying the food is free but you need to donate $2 or $5 or whatever amount to the charity they’re sponsoring. For more information http://forkliftrally.com/events/forklift-rally-2010
May 20, Thursday – the Bed Races start at 6pm in Cloverdale on 176A Street inbetween 58th and 57th Avenues.
May 21, Friday – 4:30pm to 7:30pm is the Chili Cook Off in Clover Square Village. Highway 10 and 177B Street.
May 21 – 24 – the Cloverdale Rodeo and Country Fair is back in town at the fairgrounds, corner of 60th Avenue and 176th Street. For more information on ticket prices and entertainment, please see their web page http://www.cloverdalerodeo.com/
May 21 - 24 – Pancake breakfast at the Cloverdale Legion from 7:30am – 11:30am. Pancakes, sausages, eggs, coffee or tea, and juice. $4.50. In honor of the extra people in town for the rodeo this pancake breakfast will happen all weekend.
May 22, Saturday – Cloverdale Rodeo Parade begins at 10am depending on where you’re waiting for the parade to pass you by. I can’t find a map up that shows the 2010 parade route, so maybe its just not posted this early. If the route follows the same path as previous years, the staging area is between 177B and 176A Streets from 56A to 58A Avenues. The parade goes down 177B Street to Highway 10 and then up 176 Street to 58A Avenue until 176A Street where it turns right and continues down there ending at the fairgrounds. Most people find a spot somewhere on 176 Street to watch the parade.
May 1, Saturday – 9am to 2:30pm, Forklift Rally at the Cloverdale Agriplex. This is at the end of 62nd Avenue off 176th Street near the barn area of the racetrack. Admission is free. They also claim food is free (coffee, hot dogs, donuts, pop). I’m kind of skeptical of free events like this that claim the food is also free. Usually you show up and there is a sign saying the food is free but you need to donate $2 or $5 or whatever amount to the charity they’re sponsoring. For more information http://forkliftrally.com/events/forklift-rally-2010
May 20, Thursday – the Bed Races start at 6pm in Cloverdale on 176A Street inbetween 58th and 57th Avenues.
May 21, Friday – 4:30pm to 7:30pm is the Chili Cook Off in Clover Square Village. Highway 10 and 177B Street.
May 21 – 24 – the Cloverdale Rodeo and Country Fair is back in town at the fairgrounds, corner of 60th Avenue and 176th Street. For more information on ticket prices and entertainment, please see their web page http://www.cloverdalerodeo.com/
May 21 - 24 – Pancake breakfast at the Cloverdale Legion from 7:30am – 11:30am. Pancakes, sausages, eggs, coffee or tea, and juice. $4.50. In honor of the extra people in town for the rodeo this pancake breakfast will happen all weekend.
May 22, Saturday – Cloverdale Rodeo Parade begins at 10am depending on where you’re waiting for the parade to pass you by. I can’t find a map up that shows the 2010 parade route, so maybe its just not posted this early. If the route follows the same path as previous years, the staging area is between 177B and 176A Streets from 56A to 58A Avenues. The parade goes down 177B Street to Highway 10 and then up 176 Street to 58A Avenue until 176A Street where it turns right and continues down there ending at the fairgrounds. Most people find a spot somewhere on 176 Street to watch the parade.
Friday, April 23, 2010
Playing on the Streets
When I was growing up in Cloverdale kids played on the streets. We lived on 182 Street which was relatively quiet. There was a house across the street owned by the Scott's was on 10 acres. Next to that was all bushland right up to 58th Avenue. On my side of the street the first 4 houses, ours being the 4th, were on regular sized lots. The house next to us belonging to the Mattick's was on a bit of acreage, mostly woods, for about a block to the next house on acreage, owned by Mr. Shears. He was a nice old man who drove an old black truck. Every time he drove past us kids we'd wave at him and he'd wave back. He sold about 10 acres of his property in 1967/68 and the Nesselbeck's built a house and moved in with a family of 4 kids.
We rode our bikes to each other's houses, used chalk to make hopscotch squares, played marbles, played hide and seek, and explored the woods and fields. We also thought nothing of riding our bikes or walking up to a mile to visit friends unescorted by adults. We also walked down to Greenaway Park and the fairgrounds without adult escorts.
The woods and fields all became new houses by the late 70's, early 80's. There are no neat places left to explore. Many streets around Cloverdale have a fair amount of traffic, many who don't observe the 50 km speed limit. I still see some kids attempting to play street hockey, skateboard, or play basketball. In most cases its not safe for them to do so and many of these kids seem totally oblivious or maybe just disrespectful to traffic whizzing past them.
The 2 big stories when I was a kid were 2 kids who did get hit by cars. The first was when I was 5 or 6 and a neighbor's car back over a boy in the driveway. Sadly he died from the injuries. The second was girl a couple of years later struck by a car crossing 60th Avenue to Greenaway Park. More than likely the driver was not observing the playground speed limit. Probably the little girl ran out without looking for cars. Fortunately she survived with a broken leg.
We still have Greenaway Park and with the new subdivisions there are now several other parks around Cloverdale. There's a skateboard bowl on 64th Avenue just east of 176th Street beyond the Millenium Park. Even though kids no longer play in the street and there aren't any more woods and trails to explore, there are lots of parks to play in safely.
We rode our bikes to each other's houses, used chalk to make hopscotch squares, played marbles, played hide and seek, and explored the woods and fields. We also thought nothing of riding our bikes or walking up to a mile to visit friends unescorted by adults. We also walked down to Greenaway Park and the fairgrounds without adult escorts.
The woods and fields all became new houses by the late 70's, early 80's. There are no neat places left to explore. Many streets around Cloverdale have a fair amount of traffic, many who don't observe the 50 km speed limit. I still see some kids attempting to play street hockey, skateboard, or play basketball. In most cases its not safe for them to do so and many of these kids seem totally oblivious or maybe just disrespectful to traffic whizzing past them.
The 2 big stories when I was a kid were 2 kids who did get hit by cars. The first was when I was 5 or 6 and a neighbor's car back over a boy in the driveway. Sadly he died from the injuries. The second was girl a couple of years later struck by a car crossing 60th Avenue to Greenaway Park. More than likely the driver was not observing the playground speed limit. Probably the little girl ran out without looking for cars. Fortunately she survived with a broken leg.
We still have Greenaway Park and with the new subdivisions there are now several other parks around Cloverdale. There's a skateboard bowl on 64th Avenue just east of 176th Street beyond the Millenium Park. Even though kids no longer play in the street and there aren't any more woods and trails to explore, there are lots of parks to play in safely.
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Cloverdale Wildlife
Tonight I tried to take the dogs out for a walk but only managed to go two houses away. There was a raccoon fight going on. I recognized it was raccoons right away because they sound much worse than a cat fight. One of my dogs, a Weimaraner (German hunting dog) was very excited, becoming even more so when one raccoon ran across the street. A second raccoon fell out of a tree. I'm not sure how high up it was when it started its fall. I heard it dropping and then saw it on its final ten feet. It hit the road with a good smack and then ran across the street. I saw a third raccoon also run across the street. I decided to continue walking the dogs when two of the raccoons ran back to my side of the street to continue their loud fight. My elderly Border Collie who is nearly deaf wasn't paying attention but the Weim was getting too hard to hold back so I returned home and walked them a little later on.
I've seen and heard raccoons around my house before. Could be the same ones.
I don't see the kind of wildlife around Cloverdale that I saw growing up in the late sixties. One time in 1965 or 1966 our dog cornered an oppossum around the compost bin. It hid in there between the bin and the back fence. Eventually it left. That's not as bad as a couple of years later when the same dog messed with a skunk. Peeyew for days afterward. It was common to spot deer in the field across the street or bounding across 182 Street between the trees in what is now the 5800 to 5900 block, now replaced by houses built in the early and mid seventies.
I never see deer anymore. I saw an oppossum run across the street one night when I was walking the dogs about 2 weeks ago. Fortunately I never see skunks. A couple of weeks ago we were at the off leash park at Clayton and a girl, about 10 years old yelled at her father: "There's a skunk!" We quickly looked around for our Border Collie to get her away from the skunk because she's the type of dog that would go after one and called and whistled to her to come back to us. Only to discover that Lacy was the "skunk" the girl had spotted. I've always said that dog is a little stinker.
The only skunks I see anymore are the dead kind in the middle of the road and I can smell them from three miles away. I sure wouldn't want to be driving the car that nailed that one. I used to hear coyotes howling at night, but haven't heard one in awhile even though I'm pretty sure they're still around judging by the lost cat posters I see tacked to telephone poles. As development took over around Cloverdale in the seventies, wildlife was pushed further away out of town. Sometimes they wander back for a sighting but mostly they're not hanging around anymore.
I've seen and heard raccoons around my house before. Could be the same ones.
I don't see the kind of wildlife around Cloverdale that I saw growing up in the late sixties. One time in 1965 or 1966 our dog cornered an oppossum around the compost bin. It hid in there between the bin and the back fence. Eventually it left. That's not as bad as a couple of years later when the same dog messed with a skunk. Peeyew for days afterward. It was common to spot deer in the field across the street or bounding across 182 Street between the trees in what is now the 5800 to 5900 block, now replaced by houses built in the early and mid seventies.
I never see deer anymore. I saw an oppossum run across the street one night when I was walking the dogs about 2 weeks ago. Fortunately I never see skunks. A couple of weeks ago we were at the off leash park at Clayton and a girl, about 10 years old yelled at her father: "There's a skunk!" We quickly looked around for our Border Collie to get her away from the skunk because she's the type of dog that would go after one and called and whistled to her to come back to us. Only to discover that Lacy was the "skunk" the girl had spotted. I've always said that dog is a little stinker.
The only skunks I see anymore are the dead kind in the middle of the road and I can smell them from three miles away. I sure wouldn't want to be driving the car that nailed that one. I used to hear coyotes howling at night, but haven't heard one in awhile even though I'm pretty sure they're still around judging by the lost cat posters I see tacked to telephone poles. As development took over around Cloverdale in the seventies, wildlife was pushed further away out of town. Sometimes they wander back for a sighting but mostly they're not hanging around anymore.
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Playing at the Clova from April 23 - April 29 2010
This coming week, April 23 - 29 at the Clova in downtown Cloverdale is:
7pm - The Bounty Hunter
9:05pm - The Ghost Writer
Last show lets out at 11:05pm. Times are approximate. The Clova will delay starting the movie until most of the customers in line at the concession have taken seats. Admission is $7 for one or both movies or $4 on Tuesday night.
7pm - The Bounty Hunter
9:05pm - The Ghost Writer
Last show lets out at 11:05pm. Times are approximate. The Clova will delay starting the movie until most of the customers in line at the concession have taken seats. Admission is $7 for one or both movies or $4 on Tuesday night.
Saturday, April 17, 2010
Fraser Downs moves into the 2000's.
On New Year's Eve 1999 there was a bring in the millenium event at the Cloverdale Fairgrounds. It was marketed as an event for the whole family. Various tents and exhibits were set up around the fairgrounds and there was horse racing on the track that was advertised as the last horse races anywhere in the world for the century. Admission was $5 or maybe $10, I don't really recall. We bought tickets and it was good for in and out privleges. We only lived a couple of blocks from the fairgrounds so we went home to have something to eat and came back again. Attendance was projected to be 50,000 but only 5,000 tickets were sold.
Kind of the same thing that was happening at the Fraser Downs racetrack. Attendance was down which meant less patrons purchasing wager tickets which ultimately meant less purse money available to the horse owners and trainers. Many of them headed to other tracks in Canada. The problem with that is the tracks in Ontario have a lot of competition. Good horses, good trainers, and good drivers are already established there and its hard for a newcomer to compete, no matter how successful they were in Cloverdale. Many stables headed into Alberta during the summer months where there was a chance to make money but most of them returned to Cloverdale. The winning purse money might be low but a stable with decent horses could earn pretty good money here.
The grumblings continued about wanting to put slot machines into the grandstand and turn it into a casino. Of course everyone connected to the racetrack wanted the slot machines, but there was continued resistance from some City of Surrey elected officials and some locals.
In late 2003 the City of Surrey mayor and council held a meeting at city hall to vote on putting in slot machines at the racetrack in Cloverdale. We went down to city hall to observe and the place was a circus, standing room only. There was a sign up sheet in the lobby for anyone who wanted to address council and members of the audience in the public and a lot of people had signed up to speak.
A former politician had given a copy of his speech to my father so I'd had a peek at it beforehand, but he didn't read it, doing the old politician trick of having someone else read it and have them look like an idiot. A neighbor of ours in Dogwood Gardens read it and it was hilarious. He really made a fool out of himself. Another man in the crowd stood up to say his objection was the casino would bring in more patrons and they would all be litterbugs and throw garbage all over and the children walking to school would trip over it. That brought a lot of laughs. Didn't their parents ever teach them they should watch where they're walking? To make a long story short and what we all know today, council approved the slot machines and casino and the racetrack managed to get some temporary slots installed almost immediately.
The grandstand underwent another renovation as Fraser Downs underwent the task of turning the old building into a casino that would attract a new clientele. For the most part they succeeded. The new grandstand is much more appealing than the one that existed in the 80's. The only thing I fault it with is that there is really no place for patrons who want to sit down and watch the horse races. Now one can argue that there are all kinds of places where people can watch the racing such as the Clubhouse or Homestretch restaurants, both of which you have to shell out some money if you want to sit in these sections and watch the racing. The only place to watch the horse racing for free are outside at track level either in front of the grandstand or alongside the parking lot fences, and this might not be desirable depending on the weather. Or there is a pub style restaurant on the ground floor near the racetrack's finish line. There are a couple of betting windows here. We tried to come one night and have a meal here but most of the tables were full of people. It was unknown whether patrons sit down at a table and wait for one of the few servers to come over and take an order or to go up to the counter and place an order and no one would stop and answer us, so we ended up leaving and going out for sushi.
The Fraser Downs casino does seem to be successful, judging by the full parking lots on weekends and lots of cars in the lot the rest of the week. But has the extra income from the casino really helped the horse race purses and winnings the owners can expect? Shortly after the casino opened it appeared the purses did increase but since then it appears that while some class of races have increased, most have stayed the same. The scuttlebuck from casino employees is that the slots revenue is carrying the racing and that wagering has not significantly increased with the inception of the casino. Although the casino is doing the well, the clientele do not appear to be overly interested in horse racing.
Interesting times as Fraser Downs enters a new decade.
Kind of the same thing that was happening at the Fraser Downs racetrack. Attendance was down which meant less patrons purchasing wager tickets which ultimately meant less purse money available to the horse owners and trainers. Many of them headed to other tracks in Canada. The problem with that is the tracks in Ontario have a lot of competition. Good horses, good trainers, and good drivers are already established there and its hard for a newcomer to compete, no matter how successful they were in Cloverdale. Many stables headed into Alberta during the summer months where there was a chance to make money but most of them returned to Cloverdale. The winning purse money might be low but a stable with decent horses could earn pretty good money here.
The grumblings continued about wanting to put slot machines into the grandstand and turn it into a casino. Of course everyone connected to the racetrack wanted the slot machines, but there was continued resistance from some City of Surrey elected officials and some locals.
In late 2003 the City of Surrey mayor and council held a meeting at city hall to vote on putting in slot machines at the racetrack in Cloverdale. We went down to city hall to observe and the place was a circus, standing room only. There was a sign up sheet in the lobby for anyone who wanted to address council and members of the audience in the public and a lot of people had signed up to speak.
A former politician had given a copy of his speech to my father so I'd had a peek at it beforehand, but he didn't read it, doing the old politician trick of having someone else read it and have them look like an idiot. A neighbor of ours in Dogwood Gardens read it and it was hilarious. He really made a fool out of himself. Another man in the crowd stood up to say his objection was the casino would bring in more patrons and they would all be litterbugs and throw garbage all over and the children walking to school would trip over it. That brought a lot of laughs. Didn't their parents ever teach them they should watch where they're walking? To make a long story short and what we all know today, council approved the slot machines and casino and the racetrack managed to get some temporary slots installed almost immediately.
The grandstand underwent another renovation as Fraser Downs underwent the task of turning the old building into a casino that would attract a new clientele. For the most part they succeeded. The new grandstand is much more appealing than the one that existed in the 80's. The only thing I fault it with is that there is really no place for patrons who want to sit down and watch the horse races. Now one can argue that there are all kinds of places where people can watch the racing such as the Clubhouse or Homestretch restaurants, both of which you have to shell out some money if you want to sit in these sections and watch the racing. The only place to watch the horse racing for free are outside at track level either in front of the grandstand or alongside the parking lot fences, and this might not be desirable depending on the weather. Or there is a pub style restaurant on the ground floor near the racetrack's finish line. There are a couple of betting windows here. We tried to come one night and have a meal here but most of the tables were full of people. It was unknown whether patrons sit down at a table and wait for one of the few servers to come over and take an order or to go up to the counter and place an order and no one would stop and answer us, so we ended up leaving and going out for sushi.
The Fraser Downs casino does seem to be successful, judging by the full parking lots on weekends and lots of cars in the lot the rest of the week. But has the extra income from the casino really helped the horse race purses and winnings the owners can expect? Shortly after the casino opened it appeared the purses did increase but since then it appears that while some class of races have increased, most have stayed the same. The scuttlebuck from casino employees is that the slots revenue is carrying the racing and that wagering has not significantly increased with the inception of the casino. Although the casino is doing the well, the clientele do not appear to be overly interested in horse racing.
Interesting times as Fraser Downs enters a new decade.
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Playing at the Clova from April 16 - April 22 2010
Playing in Cloverdale this coming week at the Clova:
7pm - Clash of the Titans
9:05pm - Green Zone
Admission is $7, stay for one or both movies, or $4 on Tuesdays. Last show lets out at 11pm. Times are approximate. The Clova doesn't start the movies until there are no patrons in line at the concession, on weekends and Tuesdays could be delayed 15 minutes or so. Bring your own reusable popcorn and drink container and get $2 refills.
7pm - Clash of the Titans
9:05pm - Green Zone
Admission is $7, stay for one or both movies, or $4 on Tuesdays. Last show lets out at 11pm. Times are approximate. The Clova doesn't start the movies until there are no patrons in line at the concession, on weekends and Tuesdays could be delayed 15 minutes or so. Bring your own reusable popcorn and drink container and get $2 refills.
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Cloverdale Raceway becomes Fraser Downs
I decided its about time to continue where I left off on the Cloverdale Raceway and the grandstand in the 80's.
As Cloverdale Raceway entered the 1990's, attendance was diminishing and racing was down to 3 times a week - Friday night, Saturday, and Sunday - between October and April. On statutory holidays there would be afternoon racing if the holiday fell on a week day. There were also a couple of extra nights racing starting in September and occasionally into late April or early May. During the summer months the Standardbred horses raced at Sandown Raceway, near the ferry terminal at Sidney on Vancouver Island, about a half hour drive from Victoria.
Patrons were no longer flocking to Cloverdale on racenights they way they had been in the early 80's. People were finding other forms of entertainment with slot machines and tables opening around the Lower Mainland. Cloverdale Raceway stopped charging for parking in the fairgrounds parking lot and stopped charging admission into the grandstand in an effort to boost attendance by making it more consumer friendly and accessible. The grandstand underwent more renovations and The Clubhouse became a well known dining experience, whether or not a patron was interested in horse racing, with an outstanding buffet.
In 1996 the name changed from Cloverdale Raceway to Fraser Downs. Racing nights had their ups and downs, anywhere from two nights to four nights a week. The racetrack had trouble keeping quality horses, trainers, and drivers due to low purses. Anyone with talent and a good stable of horses headed to other Canadian racetracks with higher purses where they had a better chance of earning a decent living.
Throughout the late nineties the racetrack management attempted to get interest to install slot machines in the grandstand, believing this would be the only solution to saving the racetrack, but mostly their efforts fell on deaf ears. Horse owners and their stables headed east, purses remained low in Cloverdale, and the remaining horse people stuck it out hoping things would get better.
As Cloverdale Raceway entered the 1990's, attendance was diminishing and racing was down to 3 times a week - Friday night, Saturday, and Sunday - between October and April. On statutory holidays there would be afternoon racing if the holiday fell on a week day. There were also a couple of extra nights racing starting in September and occasionally into late April or early May. During the summer months the Standardbred horses raced at Sandown Raceway, near the ferry terminal at Sidney on Vancouver Island, about a half hour drive from Victoria.
Patrons were no longer flocking to Cloverdale on racenights they way they had been in the early 80's. People were finding other forms of entertainment with slot machines and tables opening around the Lower Mainland. Cloverdale Raceway stopped charging for parking in the fairgrounds parking lot and stopped charging admission into the grandstand in an effort to boost attendance by making it more consumer friendly and accessible. The grandstand underwent more renovations and The Clubhouse became a well known dining experience, whether or not a patron was interested in horse racing, with an outstanding buffet.
In 1996 the name changed from Cloverdale Raceway to Fraser Downs. Racing nights had their ups and downs, anywhere from two nights to four nights a week. The racetrack had trouble keeping quality horses, trainers, and drivers due to low purses. Anyone with talent and a good stable of horses headed to other Canadian racetracks with higher purses where they had a better chance of earning a decent living.
Throughout the late nineties the racetrack management attempted to get interest to install slot machines in the grandstand, believing this would be the only solution to saving the racetrack, but mostly their efforts fell on deaf ears. Horse owners and their stables headed east, purses remained low in Cloverdale, and the remaining horse people stuck it out hoping things would get better.
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Building big houses in older Cloverdale neighbourhoods
Three years ago a large house was built about 3 or 4 blocks down the road from us. Its a 2 story house on what is probably a 60 x 120 lot. Has somewhat of a front yard and perhaps a small backyard. The width of the house takes up pretty much all the allotted space and it stretches back a good way into the lot. The other houses in this block are mostly one story homes and across the street are a couple of older 2 story homes, probably built in the 1940's. About a block away on the other side of the street are two 2 story homes built in the 60's. Most of the houses in this block are owned by developers or investors and are rented out.
Its my guess that block will be developed into condos one day because there are condos right behind them.
One of those one story houses has been up for sale for over a year, probably hoping a developer would snatch it up. I saw the MLS listing and its a 1 bedroom house and I think the owner is asking just under $400,000 for it. Its on a tiny lot. I wonder why even the developers aren't touching it. I'd estimate the value of most of the houses in this block to be in the just under $400,000 range, and in most cases that would be the land value.
So right in the middle of these one story houses this 2 story house is built and the owners moved in. Or somebody moved in. Whether or not they're renters or owners I don't know. A few months later the house went up for sale and has been up for sale ever since. I looked at the listing shortly after it went up for sale and was surprised to find out the house has 2 revenue suites in the basement. In total the house has 8 or 9 bedrooms. Its a big house but I didn't think it was that big. To the best of my recollection the original price was $869,000. Recently I saw it listed at $789,000.
Now perhaps that price might be reasonable in other areas, and certainly I think the owner has probably invested a good half million and probably more in buying the lot and having the house built. But was it a wise decision to build a large house with 2 basement revenue suites in an older neighborhood with one story bungalows that occasionally come up for sale at less than half that price?
A house like that in an older neighborhood like this is not necessarily a bad thing if the owner plans to live there for a few years. Might as well have a house you like to live in and get it built the way you want and make a few bucks on renting the basement suites. But to turn around and put it up for sale so fast? 2 years later and its not sold. That speaks for itself.
Its my guess that block will be developed into condos one day because there are condos right behind them.
One of those one story houses has been up for sale for over a year, probably hoping a developer would snatch it up. I saw the MLS listing and its a 1 bedroom house and I think the owner is asking just under $400,000 for it. Its on a tiny lot. I wonder why even the developers aren't touching it. I'd estimate the value of most of the houses in this block to be in the just under $400,000 range, and in most cases that would be the land value.
So right in the middle of these one story houses this 2 story house is built and the owners moved in. Or somebody moved in. Whether or not they're renters or owners I don't know. A few months later the house went up for sale and has been up for sale ever since. I looked at the listing shortly after it went up for sale and was surprised to find out the house has 2 revenue suites in the basement. In total the house has 8 or 9 bedrooms. Its a big house but I didn't think it was that big. To the best of my recollection the original price was $869,000. Recently I saw it listed at $789,000.
Now perhaps that price might be reasonable in other areas, and certainly I think the owner has probably invested a good half million and probably more in buying the lot and having the house built. But was it a wise decision to build a large house with 2 basement revenue suites in an older neighborhood with one story bungalows that occasionally come up for sale at less than half that price?
A house like that in an older neighborhood like this is not necessarily a bad thing if the owner plans to live there for a few years. Might as well have a house you like to live in and get it built the way you want and make a few bucks on renting the basement suites. But to turn around and put it up for sale so fast? 2 years later and its not sold. That speaks for itself.
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Playing at the Clova from April 9 - April 15 2010
This upcoming week, April 9 - 15, the Clova its back to 2 movies each night, and one of them will be the same one that's been playing the last 2 weeks - How to Train Your Dragon at 7pm.
At 9pm - She's Out Of My League
Admission is $7 for one or both movies, or $4 on Tuesdays. Last show lets out around 10:35pm.
At 9pm - She's Out Of My League
Admission is $7 for one or both movies, or $4 on Tuesdays. Last show lets out around 10:35pm.
Friday, April 2, 2010
Walking around the block
I notice something unusual just about every time I take the dogs for a walk around Cloverdale. Today its Friday, normally garbage and recyling pick up day in Cloverdale. Due to the Good Friday holiday there is no garbage service today. They bump it back a day when a holiday falls in the week, so our pick up will be tomorrow, Saturday. This not unusual. Almost every month has one stat holiday so everyone should know the routine.
Today is a blustery day in Cloverdale. I checked the weather network and the winds are 30km gusting up to 50km. It wasn't real windy first thing this morning but picked up around noon.
There are a lot of households who put out their garbage and recycling even though collection isn't until tomorrow. There are a lot of garbage cans rolling around sideways and garbage can lids skidding down the road. Not to mention contents of garbage cans and recycle boxes littered everywhere.
I realize a lot of people, especially in the service industry, are working today, so out of habit they may have put their garbage out and left for work not thinking anything of it, forgetting that its a stat holiday because they're working and it wasn't windy this morning. A lot of people are at home too and completely oblivious to what is happening with their garbage cans.
I mowed the lawn yesterday and filled 3 garbage cans with lawn trimmings for the garden waste recycling. I don't have them out at the curb, they're in my yard. With bricks on the lids holding them down.
The most unusual thing I've seen today is the man 4 houses down who is power washing. The overspray is getting carried everywhere in the wind. I'm not sure what he has that is so dirty that absolutely had to be power washed today. We own 2 power washers, industrial sized, used in our business, and we would not power wash in this weather. I also would not power wash in monsoon rains even if it wasn't windy. Ideal conditions for power washing are when its raining a bit, or is scheduled to start raining sometime after the job is done so the rain helps wash away the debris that the power washing loosened up.
Meanwhile the weather forecast shows it will be windy again tomorrow morning. I might just leave the lids off all the garbage cans before I set them out at the curb.
Today is a blustery day in Cloverdale. I checked the weather network and the winds are 30km gusting up to 50km. It wasn't real windy first thing this morning but picked up around noon.
There are a lot of households who put out their garbage and recycling even though collection isn't until tomorrow. There are a lot of garbage cans rolling around sideways and garbage can lids skidding down the road. Not to mention contents of garbage cans and recycle boxes littered everywhere.
I realize a lot of people, especially in the service industry, are working today, so out of habit they may have put their garbage out and left for work not thinking anything of it, forgetting that its a stat holiday because they're working and it wasn't windy this morning. A lot of people are at home too and completely oblivious to what is happening with their garbage cans.
I mowed the lawn yesterday and filled 3 garbage cans with lawn trimmings for the garden waste recycling. I don't have them out at the curb, they're in my yard. With bricks on the lids holding them down.
The most unusual thing I've seen today is the man 4 houses down who is power washing. The overspray is getting carried everywhere in the wind. I'm not sure what he has that is so dirty that absolutely had to be power washed today. We own 2 power washers, industrial sized, used in our business, and we would not power wash in this weather. I also would not power wash in monsoon rains even if it wasn't windy. Ideal conditions for power washing are when its raining a bit, or is scheduled to start raining sometime after the job is done so the rain helps wash away the debris that the power washing loosened up.
Meanwhile the weather forecast shows it will be windy again tomorrow morning. I might just leave the lids off all the garbage cans before I set them out at the curb.
Playing at the Clova from April 2 - April 8 2010
No big surprise here. How to Train Your Dragon is playing for a second week at the Clova Theatre from April 2 - 8. Just like last week showtimes are 7pm and 9pm on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, and the rest of the week is 7pm only.
No second feature when a first run movie is playing. Admission is $7 or $4 on Tuesday.
No second feature when a first run movie is playing. Admission is $7 or $4 on Tuesday.
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